During our Trans-Americas Journey we’ve encountered painted cows, elk, horses, pelicans, pigs, buffalo, moose and even bears.  And now: jaguars.

It all started with a painted Cow Parade in Zurich. Then the cow idea came to Chicago, and New York City. Before you knew it, cities around the world were getting artists to paint all kinds of giant animals (and other icons) and placing them around town. There were painted salmon in Anchorage, guitars in Austin, crabs in Baltimore, lobsters in Halifax, Nova Scotia and so on.

In San Cristóbal de las Casas, Mexico 25 jaguars painted by different artists have been installed all around this love town as part of a project called Jaguarte. They’re all great but we love the jaguar, above, because it incorporates a lot of the Mayan imagery we’ve been so immersed in lately.

Sadly, No Tocar apparently does not mean “don’t touch” in Spanish as we were taught in language school…almost every Mexican who walks by one of these jaguars reaches out and pets it.

Check out all 25 painted jaguars.

Here’s more about travel in Mexico

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