Appalachian Mountain Club Major Excursion #
“Indigenous Cultures of Mexico, Yesterday and Today”
A Travel Seminar
March 17 – 29, 2007
…….from the Mother Culture of the Olmec to the Contemporary Maya of Today”
PALENQUE
BONAMPAK AND YAXCHITLAN RUINS
TONINA
SAN JUAN CHAMULA
SAN CRISTOBAL DE LAS CASAS
AGUA AZUL
ZINACANTAN
SUMIDERO CANYON
…………..AND SO MUCH MORE
If you find yourself fascinated by those amazing Mayan pyramids and the gold and silver ornaments in the museums, and
you want to know what it all means, join us and archaeologist, Charles Goff of the Cemanahuac Educational
Community, for an exciting exploration of this ancient culture. Let him guide you to some of the most famous Mayan sites
and introduce you to the descendants of the people who established this great civilization. He will also lead you to some of
the lesser-known sites for glimpses of how the Maya influenced the agriculture, astronomy, mathematics, and culture of
Mexico and the world.
In addition to being a center of the ancient Maya Empire with major cities at the sites of Palenque and Yachilan, Chiapas,
with it's many rivers, waterfalls, lowland plains, mountainous highlands and vast areas of jungle, is also one of the most
beautiful of Mexican states. Rich in Mayan culture, there are dozens of independent, culturally distinct villages scattered
across the state. Many Mayans speak their own dialect - not having picked up Spanish as their second language. One of
Mexico's most breathtaking natural wonders, the Cañón del Sumidero is a gaping canyon with 3,300-foot-tall vertical stone
walls. Carved by the Grijalva River, visitors can view this remarkable formation from lookout points or by boat along the
river. Another natural gem not to be missed, the Agua Azul National Park boasts some of Mexico's most impressive
waterfalls and refreshing swimming ponds and rivers, bordered by exotic dense jungle. - Mexico Tourism Board
As we enter the world of the Maya, perhaps a brief background is in order. The Maya founded cities and villages,
constructed great public works (hydraulic, agricultural, gigantic stone paved roads 100's of yards wide running for 100's of
miles), developed excellent artistic works, had their own form of writing and reached an elevated level of development in
mathematics, calendrics, and astronomy. They created complex societies with individuals clearly differentiated by political,
economic and religious roles. Pre-Columbian Maya is historically divided into several periods commonly referred to as
Preclassic (2000 BC to 300 AD), and Post classic (900 to 1600 AD), each one with its respective subdivisions. The Maya
accomplished some of the greatest feats of the Americas due to their ingenuity and hard work. Rather the disappear, they
abandoned some cities in order to found new ones, and from the 16th century on, the fusion of Maya and Europeans gave
rebirth to southeastern Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, and the western regions of El Salvador and Honduras. Today the Maya
live in many rural communities or have integrated themselves into the traditional western cities and villages, enriching
themselves with their historical and cultural legacy.
Palenque
Set in the foothills of the Tumbalá mountains of Chiapas Mexico, Palenque is situated on a ledge overlooking the swampy
plains that stretch northward all the way to the Gulf coast. Perhaps it is this positioning between two worlds, that gives
Palenque a mystical charm that enchants scientist and tourist alike. The vista of the flat plains to the north, and the misty
green of the lush mountain backdrop to the south, captures the imagination of modern visitors and most certainly inspired
ancient artists and architects. This ancient Maya site is located at the western frontier of the lowland Maya region.
It was the flood plain of the Usumacinta to the north that most likely provided Palenque's inhabitants with the resources to
construct their extraordinary city. Blessed with the highest average rainfall in Mexico, this fertile alluvial plain could have
been successfully farmed with raised beds, and would have produced a harvest that not only could sustain a large workforce
but would also have provided an abundance that could be traded along the great Usumacinta. It seems that the gods were as
enchanted with Palenque as today's visitors. The architecture of Palenque was truly inventive. They reduced the massive
weight of the traditional corbel arch by reducing its span with a dividing wall and the use of tribolated hollows that
minimized the stress on load bearing walls. This allowed the Palenque builders to construct buildings with multiple piers
and doorways on the front to let air and light into the interior. Mansard roofs decorated with stucco carvings and horizontal
moldings gave the Palenque structures a pleasing linear appearance.
You can learn more about new finds that are still being uncovered by archaeologists in Palenque at
www.mesoweb.com/palenque and http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/archaeology/sites/meso_america/palenque.html
San Cristobal de las Casas. At 7,000 feet (2,120m) above sea level, San Cristobal is situated in a lush green valley where
the air is fresh and you can experience that unique clarity of highland light. San Cristobal provides a peaceful and
welcoming atmosphere, coupled with artistic and bohemian flair and style. The colonial streets and alleyways lined with
red-roofed and white-washed houses beg wanderers to explore and discover; alleyways open up into small arcades and
plazas which offer even more to experience and uncover. Although San Cristobal is the principal market town and
commercial centre in this area, it's also a great hub from which to explore the surrounding indigenous villages. See
http://www.mexperience.com/guide/colonial/sancristobal.htm#About
TRAVEL: You will fly into Villahermosa, Mexico and out of Tuxtla Gutierrez, Mexico. Most likely, you will need to
change planes in Mexico City. There are direct flights from Boston and New York to Mexico City. The cost of flights is
not included. BUT…Your AMC Leader, Kathy Didier would be happy to assist you in making your reservations.
Depending on when you purchase your tickets….they can cost between $550 - $700. You may prefer to use your frequent
flyer miles.
Within Mexico, we will be traveling by private bus owned and operated by the Cemanahuac Educational Community.
Driver, Marco Antonio Garcia, is employed by Cemanahuac and drives for them on a regular basis.
ACCOMMODATIONS: We will be staying in pleasant, well run hotels (three nights in Villahermosa, three nights in
Palenque. four nights in San Cristobal, and two nights in Chiapa de Corso). Names and descriptions of hotel will be
available at a later date. Price of trip covers double occupancy rooms with private bath. Supplement for private rooms,
when available, is $350.
MEALS : All breakfasts are provided at our hotels. Nine dinners are provided at our hotels. All lunches provided as
picnic lunches or stops at small restaurants along the way. While in San Cristobal de las Casas, we offer you the
opportunity to choose your own restaurant for two dinners.
LEADERSHIP Kathy Didier owns and manages Pembrook Lodge in Woodstock, NH. She has been an AMC Boston
Chapter leader (hiking, backpacking, canoeing, and skiing) for sixteen years. Kathy leads an average of six week-long
Interchapter and Major AMC Excursions each year. Kathy particularly enjoys Mexico and the Mexican people. Recent
Major AMC trips have included Patzcuaro, Mexico for Day of the Dead, Oaxaca 1999 and 2000, Baja California Sea
Kayaking, and Hiking in Copper Canyon area of Northern Mexico. She has also visited Guanajuato and Cuernavaca for
language schools and spiritual retreats. In March, 2003 and 2005, Kathy and other AMC members attended language
seminars offered by Cemanahuac Educational Community
Professional EducatorGuide in Mexico - The Cemanahuac Educational Community offers a strong academic program of
study of the Spanish language, Latin American studies, and extensive field study excursions to sites of archeological and
historical interest in Mexico. Cemanahuac was founded in 1970, and today is among the most academic and professional
schools of its type in Mexico. You can view their website at www.cemanahuac.com
Charles Goff has been leading educational tours through Mexico, Central America, and South America for over 25 years.
He is well known for providing field study small villages and out-of-the-way places in every country and state he visits.
Cemanahuac provides seven trips a year for Interhostel (sponsored by the University of New Hampshire) each year; in
each, much of the focus is on the people of the areas being visited, the small villages, and the customs and lives of the
people who inhabit them. On each field study trip, he presents information on the social, political, economic, and historic
aspects of the country and area being visited.
He grew up in Colombia and attended college in California, where he majored in anthropology at the California State
University at Northridge. He has also studied at the Autonomous University in Mexico City, and he has also taken graduate
courses taught by the Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City and California State University at Sacramento. He is
bilingual and has been asked to do simultaneous translations for many visitors to Mexico.
He is a co-founder and director of the Cemanahuac Educational Community, the best and most academically-oriented
program of its kind in Mexico. At Cemanahuac, a Spanish language school for those who want to study the language in a
context of total immersion, he leads field study trips for students of all ages each weekend. It is largely through his interests
that a program entitled "Mesoamerica in the Classroom" is taught each year at Cemanahuac. Currently over 50 school
systems in the United States, including Chicago, Los Angeles, and Washington D.C. encourage their teachers to study at
Cemanahuac.
In March 2003 and March 2005, I led AMC Major Excursions to Cuernavaca where my group studied at Cemanahuac
Educational Community. Participants on my trips found Charlie to be an engaging, interesting educator. Many are eager
to return to Mexico if Charlie is our guide and instructor.
Experience and Risks
To fully enjoy this trip, you should be in good physical condition and able to hike a minimum of four miles per day. You
also need to be able to carry your luggage to and from the bus and possibly up the stairs of our hotels. Other than raingear,
hiking boots or sturdy walking shoes, daypack and water bottles, no special equipment is needed
Adaptability
An important criterion for this trip is the ability to be flexible. Our itinerary could change from day to day, planes can be
delayed, vans can break down. Everyone is expected to be able to “roll with the punches” as much as possible, be
cooperative, abide by leaders’ decisions, and add to the total group experience while enjoying themselves.
Understanding the purpose of this trip
This trip is designed for everyone to learn about the history and culture of the indigenous people of Mexico and to enjoy
the beauty of the landscape in this part of Mexico. Our main objective will be a safe trip. Safety will always take priority
in the leaders’ decisions.
COST: $2695 (Price will be lower if we have more than fourteen participants.)
Included in the price:
 Guided Educational Seminar provided by Cemanahuac Educational Community
 Meals as stated in the Itinerary – all breakfasts, all lunches, nine dinners.
 Accommodations for twelve nights, hotel with double occupancy, private bath. Single supplement when possible may
be available for $350 extra.
 Entry fees to museums, archaeological sites, boat ride
 AMC Major Excursion fee (10% of land costs)
 AMC Medical and Evacuation Insurance
 One AMC Leader
Not included in price:
 Transportation to and from home airport
 Airport transfers in Mexico
 **Flights from home city to Mexico
 Meals not included on the itinerary (three dinners)
 Expenses incurred by unexpected travel delays
 Gratuities to local guides and bus driver
 Beverages (other than coffee and tea) at meals.
 Personal expenses
 Any pre-trip costs or anything else not in the above list of “Included in the Price”
** Airfare is not included in the cost of the trip. It is impossible to predict prices a year in advance. You will receive
notification when we are aware of a good fare. For this trip we estimate a range of $550 - $700. Sometimes there are
bargains for less, depending on the airline and when we book. You may also want to use frequent flier miles. We will
assist you in any way to make your reservation. You should note that our trip begins on a Saturday and ends on a
Wednesday. You may wish to arrive early or stay late to have more time in the area. We will meet at our hotel on
Saturday, March 17.
PAYMENT SCHEDULE
Registration $695 deposit ($150 non-refundable)
September 1, 2006 - $1000
November 1, 2006 - Balance $1000
For more information contact: Kathy Didier, PO Box C, Woodstock, NH 03293 603-726-3553 kathy.didier@juno.com
kdidier@coopresources.net
CANCELLATION POLICY
If you cancel after being accepted on the trip, $100 of your deposit is non-refundable. If you cancel after October 1, 2006,
we will hold funds to cover non-recoverable costs. However, we will establish a waiting list, and if you can be replaced,
you may receive most of your deposit back. The policy of the AMC Major Excursions Committee is that a cancellation
shall not raise the cost of the trip to the other participants or the leaders. Thus, if you cancel and are not replaced, you will
probable lose something. We can usually cancel rooms without prejudice, but buses and the like cost the same even with
fewer people. We strongly recommend that you purchase travel insurance. Information on a company recommended by
AMC will be sent to you.
CANCELLATION INSURANCE
It is advisable to have cancellation and baggage insurance . Optional Travel Insurance forms will be sent to you upon
registration. On past trips applicants have had to cancel because of illness, death in family, change of job, jury duty,
family member graduation, etc. These things happen and you may want to protect your investment.
REGISTRATION
Send a $695 deposit with your Application Form along with the Confidential Medical Form and the signed
Acknowledgement and Assumption of Risk Form. Make checks payable to the Appalachian Mountain Club and mail
everything to Kathy Didier, PO Box C, Woodstock, NH 03293. Instructions for downloading the two AMC forms are on
page 4 of this prospectus.
Upon acceptance, a receipt and additional information will be sent to you. If not accepted, your deposit will be returned.
Call if you have any questions.
Kathy Didier
PO Box C
Woodstock, NH 03293
603-726-3553
kdidier@coopresources.net
Appalachian Mountain Club Major Excursion #
“Indigenous Cultures of Mexico, Yesterday and Today”
March 17 – 29, 2007
The Appalachian Mountain Club requires that you complete, sign and date three (3) forms. This will
help us to respond to specific needs that you may have. The three forms are: This Application form,
the Confidential Medical Form, and the Assumption of Risks & Release form. The latter two are
available ONLY in PDF format. This means that you need to copy the trip name, number, and so on
onto the top of each of these forms. You will receive the forms with the prospectus by mail or as if
you are inquiring via e-mail you can get the forms by going to:
http://snebulos.mit.edu/orgs/amc/handbook/F_Med_Form.pdf
and
http://snebulos.mit.edu/orgs/amc/handbook/F_Release.pdf
attachments to your email enquiry or go to: To download the AMC Medical and Release Forms, go to
http://snebulos.mit.edu/orgs/amc/ and click on Participant Medical Form and Participant Release Form.
We would like to receive all three forms at the same time. Your Application is not complete without all
three completed, signed and dated forms and a check for $695.00 made out to Appalachian Mountain Club.
Your second payment of $1000 is due on September 1, 2006 and final payment of $1000on November
1, 2006. Please read our cancellation policy in the Trip Prospectus. Your signature below acknowledges
that you have read and agree to the cancellation policy set forth in the prospectus. We recommend purchasing
travel insurance.
FULL NAME (as it appears in passport) ________________________________________________________
FIRST /TRIP NAME________________ADDRESS________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________ZIP_____________________
TELEPHONES: HOME__________________ WORK____________________ CELL____________________
FAX____________________ EMAIL ADDRESS __________________________________________________
=================================================================================
AMC MEMBER? ____ MEMBERSHIP NUMBER___________________NON-MEMBER? ____
CITIZENSHIP_________________ PASSPORT NUMBER____________________ EXPIRES____________
AGE_____ SEX ______ OCCUPATION _________________________________________________________
SMOKER_____ NON-SMOKER_____ FIRST AID/CPR EXPERIENCE? ____________________________
IF YOU MENTION FOOD ALERGIES ON THE MEDICAL FORM OR HAVE SPECIFIC FOOD NEEDS,
HOW DO YOU WANT US TO DEAL WITH THEM? _____________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
TRAVEL: I PREFER TO FLY FROM: BOSTON_______ NEW YORK_______ OTHER_______________
DO YOU PLAN TO ARRIVE EARLY OR EXTEND YOUR STAY IN MEXICO? YES_____ NO______
IF THE TRIP IS FULL, DO YOU WANT TO BE ON THE WAITING LIST? YES________ NO_______
DO YOU WANT INFORMATION ABOUT TRAVEL INSURANCE: YES_______ NO_______
DO YOU HAVE A ROOMMATE PREFERENCE? YES______ NO______
IF YES, PLEASE NAME ___________________________________________________________________
1.
If you are traveling with friend or family, do you prefer to share a room or have a private room. If you are a couple, do
you prefer a double bed or two separate twin beds? (I have given up guessing about this! Never seem to get it right.)
2.
Please be candid about your expectations concerning this trip. Why are you interested in coming on this trip? Are you
able to adapt to group living and changing itineraries?
3.
Do you speak Spanish. How would you rate yourself? You do not need to speak a word of Spanish to be on this trip
as it is guided by English speaking guides.
4.
There are no big hikes on the trip. The streets and sites of field trips may be steep with irregular, rocky surface. Please
describe your hiking ability. Describe the extent of your hiking experience over the past two years. Include the
frequency and level of difficulty.
5.
Describe any physical activity that you routinely do in order to maintain your health. Please include types of activities,
frequency of each, and duration of exercise.
7.
List any AMC or other organized group excursions of one week or more in which you have
participated.
Title and Dates
Primary Activity
Leaders
_____________
_________________________
____________________
_____________
_________________________
____________________
8. Other trips or comments: ___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
Doctor’s note: A note from your doctor certifying that you are in satisfactory health to enjoy and complete
this nature is not normally required. At the leaders’ discretion such a note may be required.
Thank you. Please mail this form along with your deposit made out to the Appalachian Mountain Club.
Registration $695 deposit ($150 non-refundable)
September 1, 2006 - $1000
November 1, 2006 - Balance $1000
Kathy Didier
PO Box C
Woodstock, NH 03293
603-726-3553
a trip of