Random Thoughts

[Orbit]

The Island of the Dolls, originally owned by Don Julián Santana Barrera, is full of dolls hanging from trees and buildings covered with cobwebs and insects. The place was named in the 1950s when the dolls started randomly appearing on the island. Santana was a neighbour of the Barrio de la Asunción, where he used to go to drink pulque after selling his vegetables, until he began preaching the Bible due to superstitions which led to him being expelled from the sector.

According to a legend, a young girl drowned entangled among the lilies of the canal and her body was found on the banks of the Santampa chinampas. Santana claimed to have heard the girl crying out "I want my doll" and terrified, hung up the doll he found near the girl's body. After that moment, everytime he went outside he found a new doll hanging from one of the trees. He later died in the exact same spot as the drowned girl, and many believe that his death was caused by the girl's spirit, which still haunts the island.

When I was driving around Tijuana I came upon an incredible sight that was similar. Toys and dolls everywhere, but in a car junkyard. On the fence, with little shacks built out of toys, everywhere. It wasn't an "attraction", it was a functioning business, but I paid the guy there a few pesos to come in, look around, and take pictures. He said he started collecting toys and dolls after his son died. That kind of ended the conversation.