Monday, October 4, 2010

La Isla de las Munecas

In case you were looking for a little getaway this Halloween season, I have the perfect place for you: La Isla de las Munecas. This tourist attraction, sent in by alert reader Kendo, can be found on the Teshuilo Lake near the Xochimilco canals in Mexico. For those of you faithful readers who do not speak Spanish, "La Isla de las Munecas" translates to The Island of the Dolls.

Legend has it that a little girl drowned on this island back in the 1950s. Don Julian Santana decided to live on the island and so he put up some toy dolls to appease the wandering spirit of the little girl.

Santana was also a farmer. He would trade some of his produce for additional dolls, in whatever condition they were found. Santana would then tie them onto trees, or place them on the ground, or put them in little arrangements.

However, no matter how new the dolls were initially, the harsh winds and strong rains made them all battered and weathered. Santana liked to dress them up, add sunglasses or headdresses.

Santana welcomed tourists and other visitors to his island of dolls. He would proudly give visitors a tour and charge a small fee to take pictures.

Santana died in 2001. He was reportedly found in the water in the exact spot where the little girl had initially drowned.
The dolls are still there in Xochimilco - thousands of them. They patiently wait for people to come and visit, then silently stare at any visitors who happen by.

Maybe one day I'll take a trip down to the Teshuilo Lake. But, then again, I doubt I could convince my wife that we should go to La Isla de las Munecas. Maybe I'll just tell her it translates to "The Island of Arts and Crafts."

5 comments:

Lobbie said...

I don't think there could possible be a more freaky place to go. Now they need to build a motel on the island that's always in disrepair and it will be perfect.

The Former 786 said...

Perfect idea, Lobbie! I'm already writing the screenplay!

Jaime said...

:0

Rosa Lee White said...

Wait a second... I've seen this place before. Oh, yeah! It was in my nightmares as a little girl. No wonder i never played with dolls. Hah.

--jeff * said...

if that little girl was actually a benign spirit walking the island before, after being surrounded by all those dolls she must be as malevolent as the hotel from "the shining"....

messed up.