Cuajimoloyas - The Cloud Forest

7/18/04 Today I was transported into exactly what I imagined a cloud forest should be. We started out at Tlacaloula for a barbacoa consomme that gave us the energy to ascend one of the tallest mountains in Oaxaca. We drove through the clouds to a land where green drips from the trees, rocks and earth. This is a village called Cuajimoloyas. From what I understand it is a village that has been given to the natives to own and manage. They run some ecotourism tours from here through land that they all collectively own and work. They grow wild mushrooms (not cultivated), potatoes and mustard greens among other indigenous plants. We met our mushroom guide and went into a fairy tale world (and I didn't even eat the magic mushrooms). It was beyond beautiful. I often find my self stumped for adjectives to describe these mysterious and beautiful places. It was chilly, foggy and magical. We dug in the loam to find edible mushrooms. We found toxious, poisonous, "magic" and wonderful culinary specimens. It seems odd to me that the "inedible" mushrooms were always the most beautiful. It was like an easter egg hunt in fairy land. We all wanted to be the next person to find the ones that made our guide so happy. His wife uses these to make a mole or a stew. We spent several hours wandering around this fog searching. Sometimes we forgot we were supposed to be foraging and just soaked in the beauty. Our guide took us into an ancient cave where he said that the energy of the ancestors were strong. We each spent a moment inside feeling this energy. I felt the spirits everywhere. I have to believe my luck on this trip (the week I haven't posted from yet) has changed. Today was my favorite day of this trip so far. I loved Monte Alban, but this was so far of the beaten path and we were invited into a village home for a late lunch of our findings. How much more special can one feel? Also, I have to mention that our driver, Joaquin is truly the best driver in Oaxaca. He got a van full of women down from the mountain without brakes today. He is a buen hombre! I think I'm taking a tour of Mitla with him for my birthday...hopefully the van will be fixed by then. Check out the pictures, they do it more justice than I can.