1 INFORMA

INDEX

KETZALTOUR NEWS 4 International Tourism Fairs Confidential Tariffs 2016. AEROMAR/VOLARIS

RECOMMENDATIONS 6 January Febrary March

LIVE IT TO BELIEVE IT 12 In Search Of The Unexplainable We want to start this year by thanking all of our clients who Mesoamerican Esoteric Route have supported us with their trust. We hope to continue growing and supporting you by offering as always, the best prices and quality in our services.

2 3 Return to Index KETZALTOUR Confidential Tariffs 2016 NEWS we invite you to check our tariffs for hotels, transportation, packages and the allotment document that we are updating on a daily basis. Concerning the Transportation Tariffs, we have INTERNATIONAL placed filters on the document, so it will be easier for you to search for the services, and TOURISM FAIRS: also, we have increased the number of tours so you may offer them to your passengers. Ketzaltour will attend the following International Tourism Fairs: Aeromar Volaris

FITUR ow, Ketzaltour is able N ery soon there will be JANUARY 20th TO 24th, to issue your airline tickets V 2016 flights from Flores Guatemala from AEROMAR airline with SPAIN to Cancun on Sundays and its new route from Mérida to Thursdays Villahermosa. BIT WTM FEBRUARY 11th TO 13 th, MARCH 29th TO 31st, 2016 2016 BRAZIL Ketzaltour in FITUR 2016 (Madrid) ITALY

We share with you the location of our stand in FITUR 2016. This event will take place from January 20th to 24th. TOP-RESA ITB SEPTEMBER 23rd TO 23rd, You will find us in the place number 13 according to the following lay out: MARCH 9th TO 13th, 2016 2016 GERMANY FRANCE

TTG FIT OCTOBER 13th TO 15th, OCTOBER 01st TO 2016 04th,2016 ITALY ARGENTINA

IBTM WTM NOVEMBER 29th TO NOVEMBER 07th TO 09th, DECEMBER 01st, 2016 2016 SPAIN ENGLAND

4 5 Return to Index FIESTA GRANDE AT CHIAPA DE CORZO RECOMMENDATIONS de Corzo, Chiapas January 08th – 23th The “Parachicos” are traditional dancers that wear wooden masks, color ponchoes and carry jingles. Traditional Feast, which comprises These dancers get out to the streets music, dances, handicrafts, to dance to the sound of drums and JANUARY gastronomy, religious ceremonies and reed flutes. other y otras activities; and its part of the festivities to honor Our Lord from While they go out to the streets to Esquipulas, Saint Anthony Abbot and dance, they visit the different houses MÉRIDA FEST Saint Sebastian. and churches in which the saints are kept; and there, they perform their These celebrations take place from dances as an offering. The parachicos Mérida, Yucatán January 15th to 23rd, but days before get close to the saints to touch them January 06th – 28th (on January 8th) the “Chuntaes and thank them for all that they have » Culture with a multicultural Announcement” takes place. This is an recieved. amusing itinerary that goes to all the erida Fest, 2016 will take place in perspective. M churches in town. In this “Great Fair” The number of parachicos is so great January with many theatre, dance, we may enjoy rides, typical food sale, (half the town goes out to dance), that music, visual arts and literature This extense program will start with the “Combat”, a floats parade, and they need a guide, that is why there events. the traditional comenzará con la tradicional “Alborada” (Day Break) on mostly, the emblematic tour of the is a “parachicos patron”, position that “parachicos” and “chuntaes”. goes from generation to generation. All the events will be for free and will Tuesday, January 05th at 10 p.m. at be based on six subjects: “Plaza Grande”.

» Culture without discrimination. There will be books presentations, » Culture with values. exhibitions, gastronomy, theatre plays, » Culture for new audiences. puppets shows, visual arts, dance OF CAMPECHE » Culture for culture’s sustainability. shows and many other activities. Campeche, Campeche January 23rd– February 09th BPM FESTIVAL city streets and rested inside a coffin This is the most ancient carnival in to be burnt. This rite is followed by Mexico, because its first edition took Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo. the “Flowers Festival” with a parade place in 1582. The Carnival’s crowning January 08th – 17th of allegoric floats dressed with paper nights and colorful parades with its flowers. traditional troupes are famous. During The BPM Festival is, par excellence, those dates, the city is dressed in On “Mojadera Mondays” the children one of the 10 best festivals at a world lights in Las Vegas style, to house from Campeche throw balloons filled scale in terms of house, techno and international artists and popular with water among themselves and on many other electronic styles, but dancing parties that last through day “Pintadera Tuesdays” the neighbors many excesses and as a widespread and night. gather and they paint each other. rumor, it has been mentioned that Dash Berlin will have a residence The celebrations start with a funerary The Carnival ends with the burning within the festival, but this has not parade and the burial of “bad humor”, of “Juan Carnaval”, represented by a been overall confirmed. represented by a cloth figure dressed cloth doll. as a pirate. It is later taken through the

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CANDLEMAS FEAST

Tlacotalpan, January 31st– February 02nd CARNIVAL AT COZUMEL Every year, in the beautiful harbor of to Christianity, substituting the pre Tlacotalpan, the Virgin of Candlemas Columbian fertility goddess that Cozumel, Quintana Roo is celebrated in the month of coincidentally was revered during the February 03rd – 09th February. same dates and to whom offerings were made to get benefits from This image, that arrived with the first the land such as: good harvests, This is one of the most famous and the traditional troupes contests, friars of Saint John of God Order from abundance of fish and good weather expected in Mexico, where desguises and dances. All of these Spain is revered and celebrated on conditions in general. you will enjoy days of fun, joy and under the incomparable frame and February 2nd. fantasy. The most outstanding events magnificent beauty of the island and The inhabitants were used to the are the floats parade, the crowning the warmth of its people. The image was introduced with storms that devastated the zone, once of the Carnival King and Queen, the intention of converting the the island of Tlacotalpan, due to the ancient inhabitants of the region strong northern winds, called 'nortes' by the inhabitants of Veracruz.

FEBRUARY INTERNACIONAL BOOK FAIR AT MINING PALACE February 17th – 29th During nine days there are parades CARNIVAL AT VERACRUZ that fill with color the streets in a musical and festive environment. The On this edition about 600 publishing firms and professionals in this field Veracruz, Veracruz first event in the carnival is the burning will participate, and share the last February 02nd – 10th of “Bad Humor”, and then on the ninth day, the burial of Juan Carnaval takes novelties of the industry in our country The Carnival at Veracruz, in its place. and in the world. 92nd edition, will be celebrated on February 2nd to 10th, 2016. During the festivities there are great dances and masks feasts, and the The Carnival in Veracruz is the most traditional dance named “danzon” important in Mexico, one of the which is characteristic in Veracruz. most important in the world, and is This music with harps, marimbas and considered “The Merriest Worldwide”. guitars fills the whole festivity, being the most popular in the place. 8 9 Return to Index RECOMMENDATIONS

MARCH

FESTIVITIES FOR OUR LORD SAINT JOSEPH

SPRING EQUINOX in Teotihuacan, Bernal and Chichen Itza

-Teotihuacan, State of Mexico March 21st

The Equinox in Mexico is an important -Chichen itza, Yucatan astronomic event of pre-Columbian March 21st tradition; the Archaeological Zone of Teotihuacan is an excellent place Chichen Itza is the most famous to witness it. Each year thousands of mayan city; its most important event visitors get here to “recharge their is the arrival of spring, because on energy”, dressed in white; besides this day, besides of "charging energy" many groups of dancers may be the visitor may witness a beautiful seen, as well as traditional rituals. show: once the rays of the sun touch the end of the pyramid stairs, the -Bernal, Querétaro image of "Kukulkan", the serpent March 21st is projected descending, until it This event takes place at "La Peña connects with the lowest part of the de Bernal", a huge monolith, which in building; it is an unique moment in ancient times used to be a volcano. the year, where the visitor may enjoy This place was important during pre- the beautiful mayan buildings. Columbian times; that is why, every year on this date its inhabitants climb the “Peña” to be charged of energy, by performing several rituals to recieve the rays of the sun. Besides, different traditional dances may be seen, as well as the possibility to enjoy an environment of peace and harmony.

10 11 Return to Index LIVE IT TO BELIEVE IT I. SACRED PLACES AND CITIES.

IN SEARCH OF THE UNEXPLAINABLE: In Mesoamerica the measuring of time MESOAMERICAN ESOTERIC ROUTE was common usage since very early stages and it was considered as something sacred, because it was thought that the calendar was a gift from the gods, also, With the word “Esoterism” we are conceive as a result of their own actions, the stars movement not only was used to referring to those ideas and practices about but as the intervention of occult forces make a calendar, but also to figure out a the supernatural, metaphysical energies, and/or invisible beings. urban landcape by being the base to trace the sacred, the relation of men with nature, and orient the buildings and important as well as ways to get mental, emotional It is worth mentioning that the cultures sites such as: and physical health through rituals that included in the “Mesoamerican Esoteric included mystical practices when entering Route”, formed part of the “six mother in touch with beings unperceptible by the cultures in the world”, which developed in • Teotihuacan. senses; this means that, within the term the following zones: Mesopotamia, Egipt, esoteric we may include all those things India, China, Mexico and the Andes Region. • Main Temple, Tenochtitlan, Mexico City. that men are incapable to explain or • Cholula’s Pyramid, . • Tajin, Veracruz. • Uxmal, Yucatan. • Chichen Itza, Yucatan. • Tulum, Quintana Roo. • Tepozteco Hill, Cuernavaca, . • Monte Alban, , Oaxaca. • Mitla, Oaxaca. • Xochicalco, Cuernavaca, Morelos. • Comalcalco, . • Tonina, Chiapas. • La Estrella Hill, Mexico City. • Malinalco, State of Mexico. • Cacaxtla, . • Palenque, Chiapas. • Bonampak, Chiapas.

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II. THE CHAMANS OR TRADITIONAL MEDICINE MEN: SACRED PEOPLE AND TIES WITH THE SUPERNATURAL.

The word “Chaman” has its origin in they found similarities among the people the region between Siberia (Russia) and in this territories that cured by using Manchuria (China). This word was spreaded techniques such as “entering in a trance” throughout the whole world thanks to and speaking with beings unseen by the the Russian language. The original word common mortals. is saman or xaman and comes from the Antropologically, the word chaman is verb “scha” which means “knowledge”. a concept that defines people that are In general, the term has to do with the present in the cultures from Siberia, Africa people that have contact with the spirits. and America. Regularly they are located In other words, the term “chamán” doesn’t among hunters-collectors societies, have its origins in America, but it was although in recent dates the concept has introduced by anthropologists, because also being used to analyze more complex societies such as the Mayan.

KINDS OF CHAMANS.

Among the Nahua or groups from the or owl men, this animal was considered a central region of Mexico there were good forseer of death among the nahua and the and bad chamans. The protector of the Teyolloquane or heart eaters. bad chamans was Nahualpilli which was an advocación of the god Tezcatlipoca On the other hand, the good chamans who was the Lord of death and obscurity. may be divided in “guardians” of places Among the bad chamans there were the and objects and “medicine men”. Tecotzquani or calf eaters, the Tlatecólotl

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