In this episode of hiExplorer's World Wonders, Ray Gudrups drags you into the beating heart of two wildly different places that’ll stick with you long after the episode ends.

• First, we’re off to San Juan Chamula, Mexico, where a church pulses with a mix of Mayan magic and Catholic soul. Ray, a non-religious Latvian, shares how this “Coca-Cola Church”—named for its quirky healing rituals using soda to burp out bad spirits—felt like the closest he’s come to something holy, blending nature and humanity in a way that hits deep.
• Then, we swing to Šventoji, Lithuania, for the Pink Soup Festival, where cold beetroot soup sparks a delicious feud with Ray’s homeland, Latvia. Despite his Baltic pride, Ray grudgingly admits Lithuania’s got the edge in this culinary clash, but he’s not waving the white flag yet.

Through raw, vivid storytelling, Ray invites you to taste the spiritual glow of Chamula and the joyful chaos of Lithuania’s streets, celebrating the messy, beautiful ways we connect to our roots and each other.

Chapters

00:00 Exploring San Juan Chamula: A Spiritual Journey

08:29 The Pink Soup Festival: A Culinary Showdown

Sponsor:

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• Follow Host Ray Gudrups: For more tales and insights, follow ⁠⁠Ray Gudrups⁠⁠ on Instagram. Don't miss the "Adventure Heroes" kids' activity books on ⁠⁠Amazon⁠⁠.
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Adventure Heroes Series: 📚

• Explore the world through the "Adventure Heroes" kids' activity books, designed to inspire young adventurers with tales from Mexico Caribbean, Costa Rica, Barcelona, Japan, and more. Available on ⁠⁠Amazon⁠⁠.

Keywords

San Juan Chamula, Pink Soup Festival, travel, spirituality, culture, Lithuania, Mexico, food, traditions, adventure