Most tourists never discover the pueblo of San Pedro Tlahuac. Founded on a small island at the end of the 12th century, it once grew much of the food that fed the population at Tenochtitlan, modern day Mexico City.
The area is home to Nahuatl descendants who are keeping their way of life alive. The tour group that I travelled with—small group, not luxury—supports many small nonprofits, and introduced us to some interesting people and their crafts and livelihoods in this community. It was on the way to our next destination.
An artisan and his family practice several older traditions. He makes pulque, an alcoholic drink made from agave plants, fermented from its sap. Tastings were provided! They also carve sculptural shapes from obsidian, a black volcanic glass. The stone was used in navigation, and daily and ritual life In pre-Columbian times. If you hold an obsidian disk up to the sun, you can see it through the stone, much like looking at an eclipse through a special instrument.
Lunch was served at a private home by a family that does local catering. Although I am a committed vegetarian/pescatarian, I bent my own rules to eat chicken here and there, when served and other options were not available.
Boarding a beautifully painted boat, powered by a young man and his pole, we made our way down a calm narrow waterway, past ducks, egrets, and pelicans.
The boat let us off at an island farm. The community still practices chinampa farming, a traditional method of growing crops on islands in wetlands. They grow many different kinds of lettuce; I helped chop a head for (a second!) lunch.
Boating back to town
Mexico: Mexico City, Teotehuacán, Tlahuac, Puebla, Cholula, Oaxaca, Monte Alban, Crossing Oaxaca, Sumidero Canyon, San Cristobal, Chamula, Agua Azul, Palenque, Campeche, Mérida, Uxmal, Chichen Itzá, Playa del Carmen
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Ruth Rosenfeld 
I loved this beautiful post and its gorgeous photos!
Happy Saturday, dear Ruth (•‿•)
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Thanks for your kind words, Luisa! Have a great weekend, amica.
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You’re more than welcome, Ruth!
Wishing a wonderful weekend to you too 💫🌹
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We actually tried to visit Tlahuac, but it was difficult to figure out what and how to visit without a guide. So there are benefits to taking a tour, and it looks like you were on a good one. Maggie
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I wouldn’t have known about it otherwise. We didn’t even stop in town. You may notice that my photo of the main street with flags is a bit out of focus, taken from the van as we drove by.
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There are benefits, it’s a tradeoff. Traveling alone wasn’t an option for me this time.
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Off-the-beaten path areas, such as this one, can be eye-opening and very much worth the visit.
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True, this one was an unexpected surprise. Thanks for reading, Neil!
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I like the close-up photos of the traditional foods and the people who harvest and work with them.
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Thank you. There was a strong sense of pride and love as the farmer told us about each crop and how they care for them.
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What a meaningful cultural encounter. When the Husband and I became vegetarians, we knew we would make exceptions when someone else lovingly made the food, when traveling made our choice difficult or impossible, or when refusing would cause offense.
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Well said. There have been times when refusing food offered or served would have been inappropriate.
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A lovely, local tour that showcases everyday life in a part of Mexico that not many tourists check out! The food looks rustic and deliciously-homemade, and the natural scenery all around is stunning. Thanks for sharing, Ruth!
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Thanks for following, Rebecca!
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You were deeply immersed in the culture as the community welcomed you! 😊
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It was a unique experience! Thanks so much for your visit and comment.
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Nicely done with helping chop a head of lettuce! Sounds like an interesting experience to visit this small community and get a taste for what life is like there.
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It was quite a different view of Mexico, enjoyable and educational.
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What a beautiful place, and I love the colourful boat. It’s always so important to see new cultures and have new experiences 🙂
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This was certainly a unique experience to a little known indigenous village. Thanks, Hannah, for your visit and comment.
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Wow, what a fantastic and authentic experience to visit the ancient chinampas and farmlands, Ruth! Tranquil and as beautiful as it gets, the Lake of the Aztec Kings looks like an extraordinarily moving trip into the past, and just how good a boat ride gets. It is always rewarding to visit less touristy areas. Thanks for sharing, and have a good day 🙂 Aiva xx
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Thanks as always for your comments, Aiva! It was an honor to visit these indigenous people and hear them talk about their way of life.
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It’s unfortunate that you ended up eating meat that you normally wouldn’t but it looks like you were really able to immerse yourself on this tour. Very interesting reading and you got some great photos!
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Thanks so much, Jason! I’m willing to change my diet briefly when traveling if needed. And other things, like having dinner late in Europe. 😉
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