Lions, tigers, and bears (and paparazzi), oh no!

The title is misleading since we have not seen any lions, tigers, or bears.  But we did see plenty of other exotic animals during our recent travels.  Most – though not all – were small enough to fit in the palm of one’s hand.  In fact, most – though not all – did fit into the palm of Max’s hand or onto one of us.  Some of the animals were bigger, and better left alone.  Please note:  None of the animals were harmed during the making of this blog entry.  The snake was already dead.

Parrot at restaurant on road to Palenque, Chiapas.

Cicada Max "coaxed" out of a tree in Palenque.

You asked for it, you eat it (not really).

Helen with small snake she found on a footpath at our hotel in Palenque.  Helen brought it to show Natalie, who was sick in the hotel room and would have been sad to miss it.

Hypnotized (or terrified) lizard.

Tarantula in insect museum, San Cristobal, Chiapas.

Harrison with tarantula.

Natalie with tarantula.  (Bet you didn't see that coming.)

Buzzards in the Cañon de Sumidero, Chiapas.

Crocodile in the Cañon de Sumidero.

Ok, enough pictures of animals.  As for the paparrazi, well, we haven’t seen any of those either.  But paparrazi could have taken these pictures.

Harrison, spotted in Xoximilcho, keeping hydrated.

Natalie (with Helen), spotted at the Guatemalan border, barely keeping it together for the one-hour exit from Mexico to renew our visas, since nobody could tell us if it would work.  (It worked.)

Max, spotted at Juarez International Airport, Mexico City, on his way to play in a soccer tournament, moments before punching the photographer.

Helen, spotted in Perisur mall, Mexico City, sporting new shoes, shorts, shirt, and scarf (and spotted in the same outfit for the next three days).

On a different topic, Natalie is part of a group of mothers organizing an all-school fair on Oaxacan traditions that will take place in June.  Natalie volunteered me to find a master radish carver to put on a demonstration.  Just our luck that our tutor, Mercedes, lives across the street from a radish carver.  On Monday we will find out if she can find oversized radishes this time of year.  Radish carving usually happens in December.  If you do not know what I am talking about, check out this website or look at these pictures.  (Radish carving may sound strange, but it is no stranger than carving pumpkins at halloween.)  Inevitably we will have more to say about the school festival in the coming weeks.  --Harrison