Super Power in Mexico's Surreal Garden
Expect the Unexpected
When I met Efrain, he was completing his Tourism degree at the University of Guanajuato and working part-time driving airport transfers for the small boutique hotel I frequented in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. True to my nature, I had plenty of questions about the surrounding area, and Efrain was an amazing source of information.
It was settled—Efrain became my driver whenever I visited San Miguel. I wanted to experience Mexico “off the beaten track”; I wanted to see “real Mexico.” It became a tradition for Efrain and me to go on road trips around the heartland of Mexico. As the miles racked up, my Mexican friend loaded my inquisitive mind with fascinating information about the culture and history of the places along our paths.
Our trip to Xilitla in San Luis Potosi state was unlike our other road trips. ( ksi-lee-tlah Lois Phonetic Made Easy).
The 198-mile drive from San Miguel to Xilitla took six hours, at least three of which were spent navigating the narrow, winding road through the Sierra Gordas Mountains. The size, magnitude, and grandeur of the Sierra Gordas took me by surprise, as I had mistakenly expected them to be no more than large, rolling hills. I was way off base with that assumption - the Sierra Gordas (Fat Mountains) were HUGE!
After tackling the tightest curves along the steep highway, Efrain started sharing some history about Xilitla, San Luis Potosi.
The earliest recorded history of Xilitla was during the Colonial Period when the Spaniards visited the area in the 14th century. For centuries afterward, Xilitla remained a quiet, unassuming hamlet nestled amid the semi-tropical rain forests of the Sierra Gordas. Then, in 1941, Sir Edward James, an eccentric British aristocrat and alleged illegitimate grandson of King Edward VII, moved to Xilitla. An enthusiast of Surrealistic Art, Sir Edward was drawn to the remote Mexican location because it had the ideal climate for growing orchids.
Sir Edward James brought two things to Xilitla that changed its destiny:
His extensive fortune, which he lavishly spent and invested in Xilitla and its surrounding area.
His plan to build a large garden with orchids and surrealistic art creations to complement the semi-tropical, mountainous terrain near Xilitla.
Along with his friend Plutarco Gastelum, Sir Edward initiated the development of Las Posas, his unique surreal garden project less than two miles from the outskirts of Xilitla.
My hotel, La Posada El Castillo, was the former residence of Sir Edward James and Plutarco Gastelum. Bigfoot stepping stones led the way check-in lobby.
A woman of obvious means took care of my check-in. Efrain arrived shortly with my suitcase and introduced us, noting she was Sir Edward James’ niece.
She looked at me intently and stated, “You are one of the brave.”
Brave? Seriously? Surely, there weren’t REALLY Bigfoot in the area! Reining in my thoughts, I calmly asked, “What makes you say that?”
Still peering at me inquisitively, she responded, “We don’t get many visitors driving over the mountains to come see us. You are brave.”
I didn’t pursue the conversation further, and I never did find out exactly what was so “brave” about driving over the Sierra Gordas.
I wondered if Sir Edward James’ niece knew something about those Bigfoot Stepping Stones that she wasn’t saying.
The next morning, Efrain picked me up in front of the Bigfoot-Stepping-Stone Hotel, and five minutes later, we were at the entrance of Las Posas.
LAS POSAS TOOK SURREAL TO A WHOLE NEW LEVEL!
All the orchids in Las Posas were destroyed by an unusually heavy winter frost in the first year they were planted.
This catastrophe prompted Sir Edward and Plutarco to go back to the drawing board and develop a revised plan for a garden with weatherproof CONCRETE and STONE flowers, foliage, and surreal sculptures, along with hardy and resilient natural foliage that WOULD NOT DIE in colder temperatures. Las Posas became virtually frostproof.
Sir Edward intentionally did not complete any of his pieces. His philosophy was that life is ongoing, and new opportunities are built on past experiences.
Then I saw it! I could not believe my eyes!
The scene was EXACTLY as it appeared in a dream I had the night before—the dream in which I skillfully negotiated my way across the stones until I reached the basin in the middle of the sculpture.
IT WOULD BE TRAGIC NOT TO ACT ON A PROPHETIC DREAM. (At least, that is what I told myself.)
I kicked off my sandals and made a beeline straight to my starting point, an archway over a splashing pool of running water.
Unimpressed by my spontaneous rendezvous with risky behavior, Efrain sounded like a no-nonsense Drill Sergeant ordering me to return to the pathway.
My feet felt exactly like they did in my dream, SURE-FOOTED with STRONG GRIPPING POWER LIKE… MONKEY’S FEET. Each toe was TURBO-CHARGED with extra strength to stabilize and balance me on the rocks. I had complete confidence in my feet to keep me safe.
Right, Lois. One night, you dreamt your feet had the strength and abilities of monkey feet. So the next day, you placed yourself in a dangerous position because you BELIEVED your feet would perform like monkey feet?! Ah huh. And what were you smoking? Let’s find out where this load of monkey shenanigans ended up.
Without missing a beat, my hands and super-feet took me safely over the obstacles to the rock basin. I sat down on the opposite edge of the sculpture and watched the water rushing through the narrow passageway.
Efrain dropped the Drill Sergeant routine and resorted to practicalities. What should he tell Hubs if I died on his watch? I told him, “Just tell Hubs I died having fun. He’ll understand.” I think Efrain contemplated leaving me and my ape feet there.
Finally, I acquiesced and cooperated with my handler. I deftly scrambled back across the obstacle course—safely, of course.
Then I saw it! Another conquest that was in my dream! Wow! I was in for a double-header experience. I took off before Efrain could snap a leash on me.
With my body pressed against the rock, I used my hands and turbo-toed monkey feet to climb straight up the cliff beside the waterfall. When I got two-thirds of the way up, I sat down and admired the view. Was Efrain sweating bullets or crying tears of exasperation?
I considered telling him to watch me do a swan dive from my rock perch, but I didn’t want to cause the young man to have a cardiac episode. I KNEW my feet were super-power-charged, but I’d have to be crazy to think I could do a swan dive off the side of that rock face! Instead, I did the safe thing and allowed my mega-strength-infused monkey feet to lead me back down the rocky cliff beside the waterfall.
This remains the ONE and ONLY time I have ever had monkey feet.
Efrain and I are still friends.
To contact Efrain in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, for your transportation needs and airport transfers: Email: otbestur@gmail.com Web: https://bestur.com.mx/
That is so, so cool. Pity you can't use your monkey foot power more often.
Quite an adventure - love the “big feet”!