Exploring Southern Veracruz State (part 4) - Veracruz-smile.com

OVERVIEW continues
coastline of Los Tuxtlas region is gorgeous,
but difficult to access. There are headlands,
lagoons, bays, cattle pastures, and green hills
rolling down the shore. The deserted beaches
are dotted with small fishing villages, like La
Barra, Playa Escondida, Montepió and Roca
Partida.
CATEMACO
166 km south of Veracruz City
Catemaco sits on the western shore of the mystical
Laguna (Lake) Catemaco. At 361 meters (1,115 feet) in
elevation, the area enjoys a relatively moderate climate.
(However, it is usually more humid after heavy rainfall
in June and October.) The oval-shaped lake is 8 km (4.9
miles) wide and 11 km (6.8 miles) long, and lies in a crater
ringed by volcanic hills. It is filled by four gushing rivers.
The lake is nearly surrounded by a country road, and
numerous islands jut from the dark green waters. Most
visitors use Catemaco City as their base and take boat
excursions to explore this beautiful lake, its shoreline
and island attractions.
Catemaco is arguably Mexico’s most picturesque lake.
It’s surrounded by lush vegetation, including a wide vari-
The smiling stat
Exploring South: Catemaco
ety of hardwood trees like cedar, mahogany, oak, walnut,
laurel, ceiba, primavera, chico sapote (the source of
chewing gum) and others. As for the wildlife, there are
armadillos, raccoons, deer, squirrels, monkeys, ocelots,
coyotes, and tlacuaches (Mexican opossums). The region
is also known for its variety of poisonous snakes such as
the coral snake, rattlesnake, sorda, and capulincillo.
The Lake Catemaco area hosts some 550 species of
migratory and local birds. Sparrows, woodpeckers, cardinals,
doves, parakeets, herons, chachalacas, sparrow
hawks, and other species thrive here and make this one
of Latin America’s prime bird watching zones. In April
and May, hundreds of herons nest on the tiny Isla de la
Garzas. (Island of the Herons).
The region’s exuberant ecology has caught the eye of
Mystical Catemaco
Catemaco is known throughout Mexico
and Central America as sort of “ground
zero” for mysticism, spells, white magic,
ceremonial magic, incantations, and black
magic. Melding pre-Hispanic, Catholic
and West African voodoo practices, the
town has more brujos (shaman) and traditional
healers than anywhere else in
Mexico. This marriage of religion and
“witchcraft” has produced an interesting
cultural heritage. Locals are known to
attend mass, then cross the plaza to seek
the services of mystics and shamans. It’s
common for visitors to participate in simpler
practices such as a limpia (cleansing)
or perhaps a bit of white magic (spells
and incantations).
The town draws attention each year during
its annual Witches Conference. The
first Friday in March of each year, mystics
from Mexico and other countries arrive to
participate in a mass cleansing ceremony.
The ceremony takes place on Cerro Mono
Blanco (White Monkey Hill) just outside of
Catemaco City. The town gets quite full,
so channel your hotel reservation early!
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