The end of Mexico

So I never got around to posting about leaving Mexico after our trip to the Yucatan. It was a flight home and all the boring things that go with that, including hours spent in Customs lines.

But one thing that sticks with me is our magical sheep.

Our maid at the Alea Tulum left us a tiny sheep effigy on our last day. It has bells for feet and a tiny tag in Spanish, that referenced Montana. I was intrigued and confused.

Turns out, it's a good luck charm for us and, my sneaking suspicion is, it's a charm used to ensure we tip the maid!

But I looked it up and found an article all about our little sheep:

"The effigies of borreguitos, with their bulky and white wool, pink nose and flirty eyes are present every December in the markets, tianguis, craft stores and those dedicated to the esoteric. It is a tradition to hang them behind the door of the homes at the beginning of the New Year, because they are said to be a magnet for good luck, prosperity and that they attract money to those who own it. The origin of this tradition is not clear, because while some attribute it to a legend of the Swiss Alps, others claim that it comes from Andalusia, however, both are based on the fact that in Europe the sheep are known as a great mystical symbol of abundance and prosperity. The funny thing is that each version has its prayer to accompany this little lamb. So, if you opt for the Swiss version, you should put the following caption: "Borreguito de la montaña, make your money together every morning". According to the vendors of the various stores, this spell is very effective to achieve the goal. The Spaniards assure that since ancient times the sheep are considered as biblical animals and that they are related to abundance and prosperity due to the monetary value that they have always had, since they were currency and an element of calculation in the sale and purchase of goods That is why they accompany their lamb with the following refrain: "As the legend of Andalusia tells us, whoever possesses one of them will fill his house with love and harmony". Therefore it is very important to have a sheep inside the house at the first moments of the new year, to ensure that during the following 12 months that place is filled with wealth. Another very important point is that these little sheeps are given away, because it does not take effect if the figure is bought by oneself. In Mexico, these animals have had a lot of acceptance, because sheep wool is associated with the colloquial term given to money. And they are sold in all materials, from ceramics, plastic, bread dough and fomi. The esoteric Mexicans have added elements that make them, they say, much more effective for the problem they want to attack. In this way, the neck of the animal is decorated with a coin that means abundance. If what is required is love, with putting a heart to it the problem is solved. A four-leaf clover will attract luck and the jingle bells will bring joy. "They are very effective that's why every year we sell many of all the models, it depends on the client, what they want," said Mauricio Gutiérrez, tenant of the Sonora market in the Mexican capital."