"Only in Mexico... for over 50 years the reclusive hermit Julian Santana lived alone on a small island in Teshuilo Lake sandwiched in the canal-lands between Xochimilco and Mexico City. La Isla de las Muñecas as it has come to be known is a place rich in myth and legend. The story goes that three girls were visiting the island long ago and one drowned, leaving the island haunted by her spirit... when taking residence there, Santana put up a doll as protection. This gesture soon became habit, as he began to scour the city's rubbish heaps, and amassed a huge collection of dolls that he would tie to trees, or place in a special shed with an altar. Locals began to take their boats out to trade their old dolls for Santana's home-grown vegetables and the collection blossomed. La Isla de las Muñecas became home to over a thousand dead dolls in various states of decay, and following the eccentric hermit's demise the city has planned to build a museum on the site, to be curated by Santana's nephew."
How bad could it be, you ask? Take a look:
While the idea that figures that represent humans can contain their souls is an old one, it is sincerely creepy none the less. I highly recommend a google image search on this one. It's like a puppet version of Apocalypse Now.
4 comments:
This is fantastically gross. There's no way I'd ever go there but I can't stop staring at that freaky picture. Good find!
Did Bourdain eat anything on the island? I don't mean fried doll or anything, but perhaps some of the local veggies.
You know, I don't actually remember if he ate anything. I spent that entire segment staring at the dolls. I have almost no idea what was said.
hi i dont know your blog yet but i am
on my way to Island of the Dead Dolls in a few weeks! i just learned about it thru a friend of mine who is headed down there and he invited me to go. it is so fantastically odd, i can hardly wait! i was googling it to send some info to people and your blog came up. thanks!!!
stace
Stace and Rob, we dedicated readers of Cerebral drool expect a full report about this creepy island upon your return.
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