FINDING LOST CIVILIZATIONS This

Chapter 14Sacred Hot Springsand Deer RoastsDuring the course of our travels I learned that the Shamanof the Huichol Indian culture made sacred offeringsin lower Alta Vista at a place called the Sanctuary.The Huichols also purified their bodies and spirit in thenearby waters of several hot springs. I was not sure wherethese hot springs were located until I met Erendira, a locallady from the town of Las Varas. We had met by chance theprevious year and in our conversation she told me of severalhot springs located just outside of Las Varas at a place calledJamurca, where ancient stone idols had been found.Deciding to explore that area, my father and I, andRafael and his Mexican girlfriend, Paula traveled North fromLas Varas on Highway 200 until we saw a sign indicating thatthere were hot springs in the area. As with many locationsthat we have traveled to, there were no road signs indicatinga direction to the actual location of the hot springs. So, wesimply pulled off the highway along the frontage of severalabandoned buildings. We then spotted a dirt road or pathbetween two buildings and decided to follow it. The roadwound its way through several fields and then traversed amuddy stream. We stopped our car at the stream becausewe did not know how deep it was. We saw another car driveby us and it crossed the stream smoothly. We gladly saw thatthe stream was only several inches deep and so we continuedto follow the road for several miles. We eventually cameupon a parking lot, which was adjacent to a large pond.We pulled in and set out to explore. I noticed that the areahad been developed into a small, park-like setting for visitorsand that it had picnic tables and a large cement pool. Uponexamining the pool I noticed that natural hot spring waterconstantly flowed through it. To maintain this constant flowof water a small dam had been built below the natural hotspring, which formed a large pond behind the dam. Withinthe pond a circular brick enclosure had been constructedaround the ground from where the spring bubbled to the sur-65