Lake Pojoj and the secret beyond

by Virginia Ruiz (Mexico)

I didn't expect to find Mexico

On the third day of our trip to Chiapas, Mexico, and after visiting some turquoise waterfalls and the Guatemala-Mexico border, we got back on the van in which we traveled to each spot. We had to make the most of the time we were spending there. I wasn’t completely aware of where we were going next, but I didn’t care because I hadn’t been to Chiapas before and just wanted to visit as much as I could there. Then we arrived in a high place surrounded by pines and other trees. We went down and got to a beautiful lake. Before I knew it, I was on a cork raft and ready to paddle along with five of my travel companions and our tour guide. I didn’t even have the time to experience the fear that was trying to sneak in. We started paddling towards a small island while our guide told us the lake was called Pojoj and other curiosities about it and its surroundings. My arms were hurting, and the water was of a silvery indigo blue. Then we set foot on the island, and I didn’t want to stop staring at its ocher soil, but we had to move on; there was no time to waste. We learned that this island is called Orchids Island since these plants are grown there. We walked to the top of it, where we visited a tiny orchid nursery. From there we were able to have an astonishing view of the lake and the pine landscape beyond. I was delighted with the different shades of blue of the water. We were told that we could shout or yell in the direction of the pines and we would hear the echo. We tried for a while, but it had to be done right. Then we headed to the shore of the other side of the island, where I was delighted again with the gorgeous colors: ocher and blurred shades of blue that gets darker and deeper as it gets further from the shore. Some of my companions went for a swim in the chilly waters. I didn’t feel like getting into the lake because I didn’t want to get cold and was still a little wet from the waterfalls before. But I wish I had. I want to go back there and plunge into those precious waters. After a while, we were about to get on the cork again and return to the shore where the trip started, but it was suddenly decided to continue with the other part of the adventure. This time we had to paddle towards the other side, the side we looked at from the top of the island. The guide told us that we were going to visit a cenote there. I didn’t think too much about it, I was just determined to paddle and paddle and continue discovering something new. When we got ashore, we got off the raft and headed to some wooden steps. I started to climb them and looked back. The view of the lake and the rafts stationed was lovely. Then I got to the top and I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. A greenish jewel in the middle of the vegetation. There was the cenote they were talking about. Then I walked down some other wooden steps to get closer to it and arrived at another dimension; I was witnessing a secret. I could hear the silence adorned with the mesmerizing cenzontle singing and other delicate sounds, but that’s all that is shared with us. We will never understand what’s beyond. I just stood in this somber yet peaceful atmosphere, facing the stagnant cenote, looking at it and the tall plants surrounding it. I didn’t want to stop staring because I wanted to capture this vision with my eyes so I could keep it forever. Before long, we got to the raft again and paddled back to the main lake shore. This trip was over. I had to take a last look at the water, the pines, the sky… It was about sunset, and I didn’t want to leave, but we had to because the road gets dangerous at dark.