November 23 , 2005 - page 3

The following day, three friends and I went somewhere a little closer to home.  Xmatkuil (pronounced “EESH-mah-KWEEL”) is sort of like a state fair for the residents of Yucatán.  Some aspects – rides, games, greasy food, and copious amounts of beer – weren’t all that different from fairs back home. Others, however, seemed worlds apart from any Kentucky State Fair I’ve ever attended.  For instance, there was a freak show with specimens such as four-winged ducks and five-legged cows – something tells me organizations such as PETA would never let it fly in the U.S.

The best part of Xmatkuil was the market and all the opportunities for souvenir-buying.  My favorite purchase is my very own deep purple, deluxe, matrimonial-sized hammock – a steal at only three hundred pesos. There were plenty of other good deals, like henaquén (or sisal, a natural plant fiber) placemats, handmade jewelry, guayaberas (traditional Yucatecan shirts), and Maya goods such as carved wooden masks.  Needless to say, we were all pretty loaded down with shopping bags when we finally left, tired but satisfied.