René Serrano Rodriguez Blog

"Heritage: This was my second visit to the Lacandon Jungle. In 2016, I visited a cacao-producing Tojolabal community near the Jataté River, and I knew I had to come back... This time, the opportunity arose through the Lacanjá reserve, as indicated on road signs, only to find panels in Maya where the entire population still speaks it, using Spanish only to communicate with us outsiders. Life in the jungle at around 28-29 degrees Celsius becomes not so easy with the humidity in the air; however, the experience of being close to nature conditions the bones. In reality, the Lacandon people are very accustomed to city dwellers; there are even camps where people are formally welcomed who seek a genuine connection to nature. I experienced several similarities between the Tenejapa community in 2016 and here in Lacanjá: Alcohol is not allowed, there is no trash, and one can comfortably walk at 3:00 in the morning, worrying only about a Jaguar taking a stroll. Traditional clothing was on

"Agua Perla is a Cacao community in the Chiapas Jungle on the banks of the Jataté River, at the foothills of Lacandona. I arrived there due to my enthusiasm for chocolate, stemming from my work as a laborer in a bakery-pastry shop. Thanks to a small course, I started a small artisanal chocolate brand, praline. To get there, you need to land at Tuxtla Airport and go to the town of Comitán. From there, take a series of shared taxis towards the town of Maravilla Tenejapa. Once almost on the border with Guatemala, you'll need to get to the limits of the population, where you'll have to proceed to the outskirts and hitchhike. You'll reach a bridge and need to hitchhike again to the next river, where you'll cross with the help of a little boat. Then, take another hitchhiking ride to the town of Agua Perla." "Many kilometers of dirt roads and river crossings to reach this beautiful place. The kindness of the people is incredible, as well as