June 1st - A New Month and an Old Tree.

Today we went to the oldest tree in Mexico. It is something that all of the host families have wanted all of the students to see and are very proud of.

I took this info from wikipedia.
Santa María del Tule is a town and a municipality in the Mexican state of Oaxaca. It is part of the Centro District in the Valles Centrales region. It is located 11 kilometers (6.8 mi) SE of the city of Oaxaca on Highway 190, passing the city and ruins of Mitla.^[1] The town and municipality are named for the patron saint of the place, the Virgin Mary and “Tule” comes from the Náhuatl word “tulle” or “tullin” which means bulrush.^[2]
The town’s claim to fame is as the home of a 2,000 year old Montezuma cypress tree, known as the El Árbol del Tule, which is one of the oldest, largest and widest trees in the world. Its gnarled trunk and branches are filled with shapes that have been given names such as “the elephant,” “the pineapple” and even one called “Carlos Salinas’ ears.”^[2][3][4]

 Me with the tree.

 Irene with the tree.

 Almost the whole tree trunk.

Looking up!

They have a poem for the tree.

The Ahuehuete of Santa Maria del Tule

How grand splendor the sight of you, titan of these smiling solitudes! 

When storms rock your crown, all the ages moan in your branches.

What could I possibly say to you?

You inspire me so much, 

I'd rather withdraw your name and give you instead my silence in the form of a song:

Next to a tree like this, a man means nothing.

The tree stands next to this little church.

This was a beautiful moment to capture and feel peace.

I wanted a closer shot of this portrayal of Christ.

It was a very peaceful church. When I entered I saw many tributes to children who had died. It was sad and also very endearing. Out of respect for the sacredness of this I am not posting any pictures, but I would recommend visiting.