Cuetzalan’s men are handsome, soft-spoken, and courteous to tourists and visitors. Cuetzalan—its name derived from the beautiful bird known as the quetzal—is a magical town in the middle of nowhere, high in the sierras of northern Puebla, a Mexican state.
Cuetzalan was founded in 200 BC and was conquered by Spain in 1522.
Today, while writing an article in Spanish for El Mensajero newspaper about how safe it is to travel in Mexico these days, many pictures and memories have surfaced from a recent visit to this magical town. Cuetzalan is, in my opinion, a place that speaks Nahuatl first, then Spanish, while living within Mexican territory.
Traveling alone this summer through Cuetzalan, Puebla, and other places in Mexico, I can say it has been safe, fun, and interesting. Traveling to and within Mexico is safer than what news outlets usually show; however, it still requires common sense from visitors to stay safe.
Back to the reason I am posting… I found Cuetzalan’s men handsome and polite, and it was a joy to see couples together and the way a man cares for his woman. It was also good for my heart to see many Indigenous women on their own—working, selling, walking. These women are so strong.
Observing the men and women of Cuetzalan was a meaningful experience. Their faces are mine and yours because, in the end, we are all part of the same family—isn’t that true?
Text and pictures by Lupita Peimbert
