History...

Swinging in a hammock, hung up between two palm trees or under a shady palapa, is the coolest way to relax on a hot summer day.
Hammock, derived from the Haitian "hamac" (meaning tree), was given its name by the spanish conquistadores when they first encoontered them in the Antillas. Made of tree bark filaments, the original hammocks were mainly used for sitting back and resting. But since the Spanish colonists weren't used to the intense heat, they decided to convert the hammock into a bed.
The earliest hammock were similar to fishnets with wide openings and big knots. It was in the Yucatan where new weaves were invented to make a comfortable mes for sleeping to day, some of the finest hammocks in the world are made rigth here in Yucatan Peninsula usually woven out of fine cotton and nylon thread, they come in various colors and sizes and are extremely comfortable. AMong the native, the hammock is a necessary house hold iten, especially during the summer months. And for the visitor to this area, hammocks are and excellent to get into the "swing" of things.

In the Yucatan, hammocks are the most basic piece of furniture in any home. They serve as charis, couches and chaise lounges, and many of these people never own a bed, preferring to sleep in hammock all their lives. As many as ten hammocks may be hung in a single room for sleeping and all but one or two will be moved during the day when the space is needen for other purposes. Because they use them so much, the Mayan descendents of the Yucatan have best preserved the fine art of hammock making. Unlike canvas or rope hammocks wich are often stiff and uncomfortable, the Yucatan hammock is made with hundreds of tiny strings that gently cradle your body in a soft, flexible cocoon which allows you to twist and turn to the most comfortable position without danger of flipping the hammock over. You'll be in it because it's the next best thing to floating on air.

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