If you are a follower of Vuela Viajes you may feel a bit out of place today. And today we are not going to show you a place that stands out for its beauty, which is what we are used to doing, but we are going to show you a rather gloomy and macabre corner. Yes! Yes! As you are reading it! We found it such a curious place that we did not want to miss the opportunity to show it to you.
We are referring to the well-known Isla de las Muñecas, a place full of labyrinthine channels and wild islands, known as chinampas, located in the delegation of Xochimico , belonging to Mexico City. As you can see for yourself in the images that we show you in the gallery, this corner stands out for being completely decorated with dolls that give it a most spooky appearance. And that it is an area of important ecological value. Do you want to know why the island is full of dolls? Well, do not miss anything that we tell you below!
A man abandoned by his girlfriend
It all started when, in the middle of the century, Julián Santa Ana moved to this area of Mexico after his girlfriend left him for another man. From that moment, he began to dedicate himself to the cultivation of flowers, vegetables and cereals. Those who knew him say that he was a man who led a hermit life and was quite withdrawn, despite the fact that every day he drove his car to the nearest town. Of course, what most caught their attention is that he was collecting dolls from the garbage and was using them all over the island. However, no one knew why he did it.
Julián Santa Ana’s reasons
When the man began to get older, he stopped going to town, so it was his nephew Anastasio who began to take over this and other tasks. In addition, it was also he who made public the reason why Julián collected dolls and placed them in different parts of the chinampa. Apparently, just after moving to the place, a young woman drowned on the banks of the river. From that moment, he began to hear strange noises, so he decided to protect himself from the spirits through his wrists.
The siren who took Julian
The most curious thing about this story is that Julian ended up dying on the banks of the same river where he had found that girl when he arrived on the island. It was a day in 2001, when he was fishing with his nephew. The young man withdrew for a moment to see how the animals were, and when he returned, he found him lying in the river. He had died of heart failure. According to his nephew, Julian had told him on more than one occasion that a mermaid would come looking for him here.
A legacy that lives on
Julián Santa Ana died almost 15 years ago, but his nephew continues his uncle’s custom. And despite the fact that there are many people who are against this practice because they believe that it can scare away tourism, the truth is that the Island of the Dolls is a real claim for many travelers. Of course, if you plan to visit this place you should know that it is really scary, since the dolls are mutilated and aged. Also, many of them seem to look you straight in the eye. Then we leave you with our gallery , where you will find more images of this chilling place in Mexico. Do not miss it!
