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Home > Loco Gringo Mexico > 025: Sandra Dayton - Merging Cultures: Mayan Community Tourism


	Podcast:		Loco Gringo Mexico
	Episode:		025: Sandra Dayton - Merging Cultures: Mayan Community Tourism
	Category:		Society & Culture
	Duration:		00:35:41
	Publish Date:		2016-08-23 10:44:35
	Description:		My guest today, Sandra Dayton, is a huge supporter of the local Mayan community here in the Riviera Maya, specifically Puerto Morelos. She is an icon who embodies a true pioneer spirit. Sandra became enchanted with Mexico when she was only 7. Her family would take her from Texas to Mexico for shopping trips. Her silky blonde hair got her a lot of attention from the local women who said it reminded them of corn silk. She says the women would give her free ice cream and the mariachis would sing songs about the little market princess. She knew then she would one day live in Mexico. She fell in love with the community of Puerto Morelos and it was there she founded her first business Jungle Tours in the Jungle. A local Mayan family had some land with a cenote in the area so Sandra bought roughly 2.5 acres to build a community tour center there. Sandra’s dream to bring local community tourism to the area became a reality. The success of the project has spawned a weekly Jungle Market complete with a peace ceremony. In 2008, Sandra was looking for an additional way for the local women to make money. She learned massages had been part of the Mayan culture for ages so she started the Jungle Spa. The women receive 75% of the cost of each massage they perform. At first, there was a bit of a cultural hurdle to jump when Sandra had to explain to the local women that tourists would take their clothes off and get a massage from a stranger because traditional Mayan massage was performed only as a healing exercise. The Jungle Spa is now frequently visited by tourists during the hours of 10 am to 4 pm, Tuesday through Saturday. Sandra’s Special Spots: 1.) Yal Ku Lagoon in Akumal 2.) Shopping in San Miguel 3.) Central Vallarta on Cenote Road 4.) Cobá Cenote and Ruins Use these Resources to Continue Your Journey: Loco Gringo Email Kay - askkay@locogringo.com LocoGringo Mexico Vacation Free E-books Maya Echo Maya Echo on Facebook Email Sandra - starseed@prodigy.net.mx
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