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Journal Saturday, Dec. 06, 2003 - 6:39 a.m. I'm off! I trimmed down my bags considerably. I'm
leaving almost all of my electronic stuff at home except for my cell phone and
mini GPS. Also decided NOT to take my guitar.I'm concerned about logistics of
storing it while there and doing my thing away from the resorts. If it's meant
to play while I'm there, a guitar will show up:-) People are nervous about my going alone but
there are tons of prayers surrounding me:-) ~peace and love~ plish 12/6/03 in Mexico Picked up my car in Cancun. The drive was
pretty uneventful. This place smells green. I hear the Yucatan is essentially a
limestone slab shattered by a meteorite impact. (the one that did in the
dinosaurs)I sit on the beach at my Zamas home. Ate some potato, cheese chicken
empanadas. Instead of dough it's wrapped in a corn tortilla dough and deep
fried. There is a pelican diving for food here
*right* in front of me. The sea is pretty rough right now. The sound of crashing
waves is awesome- but it's sunny and it is setting now. A few clouds pepper the
horizon. Work? What's that? I've decompressed quickly and am glad that my
friend Dorene talked me out of bringing all my other stuff. She was right, it
would kill the ambience here. I'm sitting here in my bathing suit 18ft from
the water and about another 25 ft to my place. There are candles inside to use
instead of the lights. There is power here, just that it's solar and wind and
they like to conserve it when possible (no hair dryers here!) They set up a Christmas tree on the porch of
the restaurant. Pretty cool. Stay tuned for more! MAYAN 101 Now class, repeat after me: Kii'n=sun U'j=moon unpe= one Jasu'd= beautiful Visha caa'ba=what is your name? Tin bin= I'm going to Tush caa'bin= Where are you going? Tusha caa'hal=where are you from? Hasta Saa'ma= GOod night (sleep well) Mala Kii'n = good morning Thanks to Adrian the Bartender. Call me if you
want the pronunciations.;-) 12/07 AND THE QUEST FOR COBA Woke up at 6 this morning. The sky was orange
and a fisherman was silhouetted off shore dropping his nets.. I catch another 30
minutes of zzzz's... Got up to go to church. Seems no one really
knows where the catholic church is here. I was told three different locations. I
couldn't find any of them. They also use the word "church" for the
Mayan religion. Not sure what I'd find there-they talk about there being alot of
syncretism. I then drove down to Muyil. Highway was pretty
good. At least they have shoulders here. (More on this later) Cool place, I
climbed around a bunch of stuff. After that I changed into shorts as I was
sweating and sticky and headed out for Coba. It seemed easy enough according to the map.
Maps are deceiving. After one leaves the Pueblo of Tulum, all roads fade into on
thin line road which is, a two lane pseudo-highway. Jungle on each side and an
occasional souvenir stand. The roads are brutal. Just as you get up to 90 kph,
potholes appear randomly. And not just plain potholes, we're talking meteorite
impacts. Then, just as I impress myself with my driving skills and the ability
to miss craters...BAMM! I hit one, and then marvel that the car and wheels held
together. After a red pickup truck cut prematurely in front of me almost forcing
me into the jungle, I stopped to ask for directions (yes ladies, guys ask for
directions, even when there's only ONE ROAD). There were two gentlemen standing
by the road, one was smiling and the other was by his bicycle and
his.....RIFLE!!! Immediately I thought that maybe this guy was the wrong person
to ask. Not so. "senor, cuanto kilometros a Coba?" "ocho" and he holds up eight
fingers. "Gracias" I get the heck out of dodge and continue down
the road. At about the7 km mark there is a sign saying
"circulacion"-a circle interchange. It's not really a circle, but more
like a Mayan Hieroglyph. I come out on the other side and see a sign for an
archaeological site. WOOHOO!! almost there. I drive...
3km...7km...20km...Something’s wrong...no more buses passing, very few cars.
This is not right. No one's around, I can't even ask directions!! I do a quick three point turn and start
heading back, ticked at myself for not turning around sooner. I resigned myself
to going back to y place in Tulum and catching a cab tomorrow if I don't pass
coba on the way back. I also ponder how this jungle share alot of traits with
the desert. The landscape doesn't change...roads don’t turn...just jungle..the
same height trees on both sides for kilometers and kilometers.... I roll down
the window to hear the animals. As I re-approach the Hieroglyph interchange I
see a sign for Coba, 2km. This is it... I turn right and follow the road. I
start seeing people and taxis..this is the right place. I'm totally relieved and
convinced I'm right when I see a lake that supposed to be by Coba. I peel off to
the left and see parking...I'm there.... I get out and start touring after renting a
bicycle. Great idea. Most of the structures are roped off in the upper levels
but I found "legal" ways of getting up higher. There were a couple
were it was not possible to circumvent the discretely places wires. After about
4-5 miles of riding and hiking my left thigh was feeling a little cramped. As
luck would have it I was approaching the most massive pyramid on the site and it
wasn't roped off!! This thing towers over the jungle canopy and people were
going to the top. Thigh or not, I'm going. I also have only three pics left in
my camera...the plan is one at the bottom, one at the top of me, and one looking
down... I start climbing and the cramp feeling in my
thigh goes away as my heart pounds...I stop a couple time along the way and look
around...I could see how people could get vertigo but I feel strangely at peace
and in control of my footing...I continue....I get to the top and see a
partially intact limestone inset of the "diving God" painted in
turquoise, and most of the paint was still intact. Not enough pics so I resign
it memory and take in the awesome surroundings. The thing is easily 100ft tall
if not more. After a little time at the top I head down. I
thought it would be bad but it wasn't at all. They had a rope running down for
safety but I didn't need it-it felt like climbing down REALLY steep stairs. A little ways down the trail was a guy selling
Gatorade--just what the doctor ordered. Went back to the park entrance and
bought a few souvenirs and a bag of Chili/queso corn twists, kinda like flavored
bugles. Drove back to Zamas. There other lane is alot
better coming back for some reason. I pass through a small town where squirrel
monkeys are jumping all over. Either they like the town or the people like them,
or both. There are dogs and cats just lounging around...I feel like a siesta... They always have these huge 9inch speed bumps
on the roads when you get to towns...it forces one to slow down. I get back to my place and throw on some swim
trunks and soak my feet in the ocean. There are families here with kids. Some
guy to the right is smoking a 9 inch cigar that smells great--I'll savor the
second hand smoke. Got myself a coke- they still make it the old
way here without corn syrup. Had Tacos Maya for dinner with a
margarita-basically fish tacos with scallops and little shrimps in a reddish
sauce and guacamole....mmmmmm..... Others are waiting for the internet station so
I'll sign off for now... ~peace and joy~ THE 7TH IN THE EVENING After dinner I went to the bar at the place
next door: La Perla. No body there at all. Talked to Arturo the bartender there
and the waiter Luis. Luis just came back to Mexico after a few year hiatus in
the US. Arturo offered me a cigarette, which I accepted, and I ordered a
Margarita. WE chatted fro an hour or so about everything. HE told me the secret
to Margaritas is to use REAL limes and squeeze them; which he demonstrated to me
as he made me a second margarita which I didn't have enough to pay for. No
matter, he gave it to me anyway. Arturo told me about the "entorchados"
(not sure if it's spelled right). These people where jogging suits or uniforms
of all the same color and make jogging pilgrimages to various places in the
country. A truck follows them down the road filled with other runners. AS one
gets tired another one takes over and carries the torch. It's all done in
preparation for the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. We also talked about Chicago. Arturo, smiled
when the topic came up, "It's not really windy, it's the windy
city politicos, right?" Only partially. I also explained how they put
ropes down certain streets in the winter to give people something to grab on to
so they don't blow over. Arturo walked away, I kept chatting with Luis about his
family and he mentioned how his life revolves around his family. "When you
get married you have no more money," he chuckled. I sipped the tart lime margarita and Arturo
came back, "Ha! Windy city politicos!" He smiled and went about his
business. Did I mention I was the only one there? "It's never busy here" Luis said
with looking around the place with a serious expression. "I may have to
apply for a job next door." After finishing up my margaritas I left for my
home base with a promise to return the following evening. Once there I bought another margarita and
bought a round for a couple gals that I've seen here both nights so far. After
the second round I introduce myself. Turns out they're from Ireland and they're
doing the same trip I am only in reverse. Both girls are form Belfast, Paula is
a pharmacist, the other is a nurse. We chatted about their travels. I ordered a
thin crust stone oven pizza with thin ham, olives, and artichokes. We talked
about the world, Mexico City and unity in Ireland. The restaurant (QUE FRESCA!)
closed down around us and they even shut off the Christmas tree. IT was totally
quiet, jus the three of us around a small table, the sounds of the waves
crashing and a candle lighting our faces. We wrapped up after 10 minutes and I
escorted them back to their room using my "torch" (Irish for
flashlight apparently). I went back to my room and stood outside under the
almost cobalt blue sky. Time for sleep... DECEMBER 8th Good tequila doesn't give me a hangover but it
does leave me with cobwebs en la cabeza. Instead of hitting Tulum right away I
hit the beach and go for a swim. Also get a wee bit burned but it's tolerable.
The problem was my sunglasses left me looking kinda raccoonish. The water was
warm but the occasional coral underfoot made it tough to stand when the waves
hit. I bobbed and swam in the ocean, thinking about
emergency procedures should a current start pulling me away. (Swim parallel to
shore until out of the current.) I promised people at home I would be careful, I
was just following through on all aspects of this trip and keeping my word. Went to Tulum around noon. Tons of buses and
cars, but the place is so big it really wasn't crowded. IT was totally
cool...iguanas abounded and an occasional snake as well!! What an amazing sight,
overlooking the bright turquoise of the ocean. I lick my lips as they feel dry
and they're salty from the ocean. Got back form the trip and had chicken tacos
yucatecos: chicken marinated in tequila with guacamole, lettuce and a squeeze of
lime. Don{t know about the food in Mexico City but here limes are used
everywhere. COOKS TAKE NOTE!!! Took a nap and got up. Went to the beach again
and hand wrote my diary entry. The sun was setting and the pelicans diving. I
see a couple of soldiers walking along the road in the distance-not sure if it
makes me feel safe or not but it doesn't surprise me at all. It'll be a cool
night.... Went back to La Perla for a couple Coronas and a dynamite dinner:
chips and salsa(tomato, onion, cilantro and a whole red pepper ground up) then
onion soup, garlic marinated shrimp (with a squeeze of lemon), cauliflower and
rice with fresh tortillas and bread. Talked with Arturo and Luis as we watched
the moon rise behind an ocean bound thundercloud. The waters glistened the moon
reflection and you could still make out the navy blue-grey rain falling in the
distance. Arturo told me two places to go in Playa. BEEP BEEP restaurant (ask
for Pedro) and Tequila Barril ask for Julia. They offered me a cig and I lit up
and we listened to Mexican music (a band called Mana was really good). There's a
warm breeze blowing. Storms are in the distance but don't look like they will
hit us. Arturo tells me that the reason there are soldiers ere is that the
Yucatan coast is a convenient dropping off point for drugs going from Colombia
to the States. Wonderful.... Luis put his hand on my shoulder, "You look
sad, amigo" "No Luis, just tired and sun burnt" He looked at my
face and laughed. I watched a grasshopper type thing land on the wall. A gecko
that was only marginally bigger appeared out of nowhere and attacked the
critter. A quick battle ensued and the grasshopper escaped. I don't know how the
gecko would have eaten it anyway. I finished up, said my goodbyes and went back
to Zamas for a hot chocolate and a port. Everyone here greets me in Mayan. I
make a few mistakes and they laugh. The moon is out from behind the clouds again
and the blue color is back. I will sleep well tonight-I'm hoping for a storm.
Took a pic with Adrian and his helper at the bar. (Still never got his name).
"Hasta Samma!" "Samma!" Adrian then Jaime say on my way out.
I'll sleep tonight. Tomorrow Playa Del Carmen!!! MAYAN 102 Ma'alo'ob = good Keexti= say Basha Ka'at= What do you want? In ka'at= I want tia = mine in tia = is mine Ma'alo'ob tun vin kin = GOod afternoon pool = head ka'= hand Bisha Vel = how are you? Du'ul = rabbits cha'akmo'ol = Jaguar or tiger Ta'ka jana? = What do you want to eat? Be yo' = Yes Ma' = No Ma' tubeli' = Not good mish baa = nothing pek = dog miz = cat To'ong = us beshi' = how leti' = he or she tech= you (ch is as in cheese) Teng = I Leti’ o = they wa'atu'um = wife ("u" as in Tums) Na' = mother sukuum = brother ki'ik = sister witsim = little sister kosh ja'ana = let's go eat tu'uzh = where tu’uzh taka jana = where do you want to eat? intia' = mine taki jana = I eat o'och = food taku jana lo = they eat bashka'walik = what do you say? 0= zero 2= ka'ape 3= osh'be 4=cam'pe 5= walaxpe 25= umbolompíx J'a = water sis = cold ki'id candle cho'oco = hot ta'ap = salt hashbi uku? = chocolate china = orange (pronounced cheena) 12/9 OFF TO PLAY DEL CARMEN Didn't check the time when I first woke up but
I noticed the sky was barely red so I got up and walked to a rock outcropping
where I could watch the sunrise and take pictures. The clouds were in the perfect place. I
watched the sun rise and prayed, took pictures and was simply struck by the awe
and beauty. It's still ultra windy, a steady warm wind off the ocean. It's
stirred up the water so the pelicans are out in force diving for food. They seem
to line up in formation then peeling off one at a time when they see their prey,
plunging into the ocean after hovering at a standstill. They come up, flap once
and float for a while before taking off again. They push with both feet as they
leave the water to get and extra boost-kinda like a long jumper. The eagles are also lined up along the coast
catching the breeze-they don't move at all, it's almost like they're sentries
protecting the pelicans. Suddenly I feel alone. I feel God's presence
but I wish there was a person here to experience this with. My mind drifts off
to those I love and how I'd love to be sharing this with them, one at a time.
Sadness wells up as the waves crash in front of me on the rocks. I think of my
dad and thank him for all he's done for me and how much I miss him...The sun is
up above the clouds, the day has begun!!! Malo Ki'in!! Had a great bfast of banana pancakes smothered
in yogurt, granola, melon, and orange. Got to church finally. It's behind the
bank AND the police station. Apparently I was looking behind the old station. A
local person directed me to the "Iglesia catolico", I went and prayed
there for a safe journey. More people there getting ready for an entorchado
procession.... I pack up, say my adieux's and hit the road
for Playa Del Carmen.... ARRIVE AT PLAYA DEL CARMEN (mmmmm…Chocoriffic!) Got to Playa. It’s really straight forward
except for the fact that they allow two way driving on one way streets!! That
actually is a good thing because if it weren't the case, I wouldn't be able to
get out of the street where I'm parked since it ends at the ocean. I went around
town three times before the parking spot opened up. I checked in at Pelican
where the clerk is a wonderfully charming woman named, Gabrelle. The room is
nice, it's on the second floor overlooking the beach. The seas seems a little
calmer here. I ate chicken fajitas for dinner. (It's very Ameri-mex at this
place. None the less it was very tasty. While I was eating I had my glasses on,
had a couple Corona's and people watched. CASE 1: Three young women get up from their
place on the beach and go over to three Adonis like Ameri-studs. How do I know
they were Americans? "Hola! Ya got an ashtray?!" Geez, I expected him
to blow a bubble with bubble gum any second. No wonder Americans sometimes get a
bad name. CASE 2: Dog trots by on the beach...Male
dog...with testicles. It shocked me!!!! You see, I'm used to seeing the
Ameridogs of the world- the neutral dogs that pervade our society. This dog
trotted along and was quite happy in his male-hood, thank you very much. CASE 3: A visibly pregnant woman from, I
believe Brazil (I could tell by her clothes, speech and the Brazilian flag on
her friend's beach towel) She was wearing a bikini but had her top off (the
beaches on the Yucatan are all top-optional) and she was admiring her own
breasts. (no , Mike, YOU were admiring her breasts. No, it's not true, well,
maybe...) She would sit up and look at herself. Lay down and look down, get up
and look down, left then right. And her husband took pictures. Nothing erotic,
just pictures of her from the waist up, lying there. They THEN asked the waiter
to take a picture of them both while he held her and she emphasized her breasts.
Maybe the hormones finally did for her what her Brazilian heritage could not,
but she was happy and proud of them. (and no she wasn't admiring the work of a
plastic surgeon either.) So, they finished up sunning and she put her top back
on. Tuck here...lift there...run the finger along the bottom riiiiight
there...NOPE, she's crooked...there! Perfect! They weren't even that big!!!!! Digression: This entry almost did not happen.
Before dinner I went on a walk to try and find Arturo's friends (didn't find
them), went to a pharmacy to water and aloe to put on my slightly red skin. I
left my handwritten diary there in the shop without realizing it! After dinner
when I wanted to write I couldn't find it. I went to the pharmacy and it was
there. They were toying with me about what it looked like but then produced it
from behind the counter. I thanked them profusely and bought and ice cream bar
out of a sense of repayment. It was a MEGA Cookies and Cream bar. As I took my first bite, a few pieces of the
chocolate coating fell off on a freshly swept part of the sidewalk and the
gentleman sweeping was still there. I immediately bent over and picked the
pieces up, looking for a garbage can. The street had settled down for dinner and
there were locals and a few tourists watching soccer on TV in the bars. I found
a garbage can and threw the pieces away. I opened my hand and saw that most of
the chocolate bits had melted. My entire hand was brown and I had no napkin. My
instincts kicked in, I started licking it clean. I pause....I am licking a Mexican Sidewalk... I amaze myself.... Find a bar with napkins and finish up. Start
writing my entry and look down over the beach...people are getting ready for
time on the town... FLASH FACT! Did you know that Australia Gold
Moisture Lock smells like Coconut-Orange Dreamsicle (or St. Joseph’s
children's aspirin) Took a walk around town and watched soccer
with the locals. Met two women from Calgary, Robin and Wendy (Wendy is Robin's
mom) they are new partners in a restaurant (Captain Bob's) in Playa. Eric their
partner (one of Captain Bob's sons-he has two-the other isn't really a working
partner) is going to get me a list of places to snorkel. (I later find Eric is a
whirlwind of an owner...the other brother gives me a list.) I ate a snack of
Shrimp Ceviche there--it was EXCELLENT! Two Roaming Mariachi's come by and
serenade a couple outside..they were amazingly good with their harmonies. I head back to my room it’s about 10pm. The beach bar closes after 7pm. Beach bar is
closed. I can see the lights of Cozumel in the distance. Cooool... A place down the beach has a dance floor that
goes until the wee hours of the morning..I can barely hear them while I try and
sleep.... TOTAL CHILL DEC 10th Slept until 8 and went to the beach and had
b-fast. Fruit and French Toast. Then slathered myself with tanning lotion (Gabrelle
obliged and did my back for me:-) ) I sunned and swam...swam and sunned...I did
zip, zilch, nada..(except for calling my younger bro and sing Happy Birthday to
him) Though something tiny did nip at my calf while standing in the ocean.... I made the decision to snorkel tomorrow
instead in the AM then hit a nearby cenote and then hit Cancun. I had burger on the beach for lunch...Suddenly
a strong wind lifted three umbrellas out of the sand. There is a dark sky on the
horizon and sheets of rain stretching to the ocean. I finish up my meal and grab
the camera. It misted, but no real rain. It's cool how the
ocean totally calms before the storm. The skies are still dark in the distance but
it opens up right at shore. Little birds are scrambling along the beach, peeping
and looking for something. My guess is for little critters that the rain scared
up on the beach. The sky is still threatening out by Cozumel
(It even disappears for a while in the clouds). I opt for a deep tissue massage
on the beach from Dr. Alfonso Roman who studied in Mexico City and is now
retired after delivering over 1000 new children into the world. "It's a miracle I tell you..every
one..and then to see them alive...It's a miracle." He was proud of his work. He was also proud of
his massage talents and he did phenomenal..I feel great! "You have strong muscles, you're lucky I
have strong hands...you don't need soft hands.." He knew his stuff...$25
bucks for 30 minutes. Well worth it. The activity and massage have rendered me
pleasantly exhausted. I will sleep well tonight.... There is an elderly man sitting next to me at
this internet cafe ($1 for one hour) listening to Rush Limbaugh streaming over
the computer...Just thought I'd share;-) EVENING OF DECEMBER 10th Stopped off at Captain Bob's to say hi and bye
to Wendy, Robin and Cedro the Bartender. Had an excellent French Onion soup and
a glass of wine. Said our goodbyes and took some pics and I headed out on the
street. (Stop by and say hi if you're in Playa. The vivacious mother-daughter
team will greet you at the front step personally) Wandered around and people
watched. Stopped to watch a soccer game at "Bar Fah" and two ladies
sat down at the table next to mine. Turns out the two ladies are Nasta(spelling?)
and Carol. They are both from France though somehow I thought Bolivia. Nasta's been all over the world: the Far East,
Europe, Nepal. This is Carol's first trip. Nasta has dreadlocks and a little kerchief on
her head. She's got a pierced lip and a visible tattoo on her left shoulder.
She's the travel warrior with a heart for adventure. I like her. Carol has black hair that falls in two waves
and blue eyes. She wears Lisa Loeb type glasses. She also has a smile that could
turn a frozen margarita to a runny mess instantly. I like her to. They work at the same place in France, Nasta
is a waitress and Carol is a bar keep. They are an interesting traveling duo and
they pretty much go wherever the wind takes them. They just got back from Mexico
City, tomorrow it's off to Cozumel. We finished off our fruit drinks and I
escorted them back to their hotel. We exchange email addresses and bid each
other adieu. I get back to my place and crash... 12/11 AND OFF FOR CANCUN Got up again in time to see the sun
rise...Thank you Lord... Not a single cloud in the sky-it was amazing.
I took pics from my balcony. Laid in bed for a little while longer and went out
snorkeling. It was totally cool seeing these little fishes
in their native habitat. A little school of silver and black, vertically striped
fish were right under me...how cool.... I took a few pics only to see tat my
underwater "panaview" camera, guaranteed to be leakproof at 9 feet was
not even leakproof at 9 inches. The film and camera were ruined. Maybe I can try
again this afternoon in Cancun with a cheap disposable one. Went for some breakfast afterwards, returned
the snorkeling gear and went to do some laundry to prep for the Mexico City leg
of the trip. Arrive at the laundry place (which is also my
local internet portal) and drop off some laundry and surf in the meantime. Fifteen minutes into the laundry, the power
goes out. I hadn't started to enter my diary entries, I was just surfing so
nothing was lost. In the meantime, my underwear and a pair of shorts,
soak....... ****TECH NOTE*** Obviously the power is back
on and the cloths is spinning happily or else I would not be typing this. Only
about a 15 minute delay. IN MEXICO CITY UPDATES THIS AFTERNOON Stay tuned for the next entries. I'm in
MexicoCity and was a the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Awesome experience!
I'll write more about it later but I'm heading out to the pyramids at
Teotihuacan as well as hitting Zocolo. It's cool, there is a custom taxi service out
of the hotel. $15 an hour on the weekends it's better because the traffic is
less.;-) Room service just showed up. A quick bite and
I'm out. I have internet access in my room that works (though I'm using my own
batteries in the keyboard. Details later today! peace... WEB ACCESS IS DRIVING ME NUTS Saturday, Dec. 13, 2003 - 9:30 p.m. I thought that this room webtv thing would
work, but it's a machine from hell. There is a lag time between when I type and
what comes up, as well as a funky interface that keeps kicking me out. Having said that, I will add the rest of my
entries, in bolus form, on Monday morning. Was at the pyramids today and sampled
some very cool fermented Maguey plant...mmmm.... Stay tuned for the rest of the
entries. peace.... HEADING TO ARRIVING IN CANCUN Got my clothes and had a long chat with
Gabrelle about Religion and life. She’s a Jehovah’s Witness. Finished packing and hit the road after
getting some gas. It’s just like the old time US, full service, they wash your
windows but don't check the oil. The drive was uneventful though I passed a
couple Entorchado groups along the way. Dropped of the rental car and went back to the
airport to get a shuttle to the Sheraton Cancun where I was bedding. A man approaches me. "I get you personal cab to hotel
senor-300 pesos" "A donde esta Shuttle buses?" "They wait for next flight to come in you
have to wait at least an hour and it cost 180 pesos!" "I'll wait." I walk around looking for the shuttles and
he’s following me. I remember a saying from somewhere. If you approach a
person and ask, odds are you're fine, but if someone asks you, be wary. I find the buses and it's NOT a half hour wait
nor is it a 180 pesos but 65. Two lies from the man. I wanted to go back and
find him and tell him off but the bus was leaving in just a couple minutes. The woman in front of me just got in from
Mexico City where she lives with her mum for the last 15 years where they've
lived since they moved from London. Turns out her brother lives in Grayslake
(only 20 miles or so away from where I live) The little boy sitting next to me is enjoying
the bumps and turns on the road. He's wearing a Sylvester and Tweetie knapsack.
He sneezes...on my thigh...I discretely wipe it off... We pull up to the first hotel, "IS this
the la playa ma?" he asks over and over. After listening to their
conversation the English woman leans over to me, "I think they're from
Canada." Get into the hotel and check out the grounds.
Turns out there's a small set of ruins on this site protected by the government.
I hike over to it and check it out. Have dinner and which was a dynamite tortilla
soup with fresh avocado, cheese, dried pepper slices, and a buffet of fish,
rice, chicken, veal, fruits fried banana and fried pineapple. mmmmmm good. Did some souvenir shopping and got myself a
Cuban Monte Cristo. I put the aromatic hand rolled wonder in my
mouth an struck the first match. The sulfur tip, or should I say, the small
scale weapon of mass destruction flared up, effectively tasting the tip of my
finger-about 2mm of blackened skin. I light up again and this time keep my
finger clear of the Mexican incendiary device. The cigar was very nice, I
savored it while walking the grounds. 5:30 and still light out... ONE NIGHT IN CANCUN AND MINOR SURGERY My next to last small toe on my right foot had
developed a blister the size of a coffee bean over the last two days. I had been
dealing with it but it hurt REALLY bad now and rubbed against everything. I need
to puncture the thing and clean it up. I rip off a piece of foil packaging from
a pack of pepcid and soak it in Listerine for a couple minutes. I take the torn
corner which seems sharp and hold it tangential to the blister and start poking.
It worked. It cut through the skin. I pushed out the pus and put Listerine and
anti-biotic on it. Much better...I can walk without pain now. Nice place here, minibar in the room, plenty
to do...parasailing, snorkeling, etc...But it’s definitely more commercial
here. I flip on the tube and "Home Improvement" is on as is the
Cartoon Network and hockey: the Blackhawks as a matter of fact! Only watch for a few minutes and then got down
to the lobby to see a trio of musicians that are amazing in their talents (the
one even makes his own instruments...he let me try his..a beautiful piece of
work.) They play a jaran(8 strings), requinto (4 strings) and a Harp (36
strings)....I made some new friends and they gave me contact info... I climbed in the elevator with some young
soccer players. "Jugadores?" I asked. "Si!" they answered and then
answered with a prolonged exposition of which the last comment was a question as
to whether I was a coach. Before my brain could think through a Spanish
response, my mouth said "Si" at which point they asked form what city. "Chicago." They looked stunned..poor
guys, they come to a tournament and think they're playing a team from Chicago in
a Mexican tournament. I do a quick change and decide to go out for a
quick evening. After asking a few tourists and a few locals I'm told to go to
Daddy O's. I cab it over and see a massive structure that is actually two
buildings: Daddy O's (which is more techno and looks like an underground cave
inside) and Daddy Rocks, a place where they have music plus live bands. For
15-18 pesos you get to drink all you can in both places. As I check out Daddy Rocks I strike up a
conversation with a woman who has a pad of paper in front of her that's glowing
blue under the black lighting. It looks like she's working so I'll bug her.
Turns out Antonia is the booking agent, promoter, dancer and drummer's
girlfriend for the house band (which incidentally was good but not great). She's
originally from England. I notice that she smells really nice. I'm about a foot
and a half away talking (it’s how close we had to be to hear each other over
the music) "This isn't a come on or anything, but
why is it that so many people in the Yucatan, especially the women, smell really
good?" She looked at me funny, but I was serious.
Gabrelle smelled really nice too as did a few people in Tulum-even the men. It's
not an overpowering smell (the French whore smell as my dad would say) where you
know they're coming from miles away. It's subtle. She smiled and didn't give me a direct answer.
"are you sure the women are really women?" whoa....I took the conversation in a different
direction and decided to head to Daddy O's. Cool place but definitely a Rave
type place. The two girls next to me are talking about the side effects of too
much ecstasy use... I finish my drink after people watching and have a decision
to make. Do I stay up late and pour myself onto the plane or get to bed now
(12:15) and catch a few zzz's? I opt for the hotel. I grab a cab and halfway to the hotel the
cabbie hands me a card, "Hey senor, topless yentleman´s
club" "No gracias, Sheraton por favor." Get to the hotel and call up AeroMexico to
reconfirm my flight. "You speak very good Espanol, Mr. Plishka." he
says in English. I thank him, hang up, set the alarm for 5:45 and out... 12/12 ON TO MEXICO CITY Woke up feeling really tired. I hate sleep
deprivation... I shower, check out and grab a cab...the sun
is rising behind me...It's my last 'sunrise over the ocean' of 2003 me thinks... Get on the plane and try to sleep.... As we near Mexico City I'm awestruck by the
sprawling size of this city...and the smog. We touch down I grab an 'official' cab
(cheaper and safer) and we dive into the traffic. "es traffico typical? I ask the cabbie. "si." the driver abruptly says as
he's busy trying to keep the mandatory, maximum, 5cm clearance that Mexico city
drivers live by. Nice hotel...top notch. Same place Presidente
Fox stayed once. I take an hour nap. Get up, shower and get a private taxi from
the hotel to take me to the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe. He's $15 bucks an
hour and worth every penny. His name is Marko. He fills me in on all the places
to go at the Shrine. He parks the car four blocks away and walks me
to the entrance. I'll meet you back at the car when you're done. I go into the complex and the sounds of drums
of various indigenous peoples fills the air as does copious amounts of incense.
Inside I step in to see the miraculous tilma that has an image of the Virgin
Mary that’s over 400 years old (and the fiber usually rots in less than 20)
It's not painted or preserved in any way. Some of the best scientists of the
world have analyzed it...it baffles them all... I pray there and take pictures of a few
places. I'm overwhelmed by the feelings of faith present here where thousands,
if not millions of people converge. Get back to the hotel for dinner..an amazing
baguette of roasted small wieners, chorizo, chicken breast and ham with lettuce,
avocado and onion, fries on the side where I can taste the corn oil. Dessert is
cheeses cake with raspberry orange sauce and a cup of hot tea. Check out some musicians playing in the lobby
with a six string requinto (tuning of la, re, sol, do, mi, la), a guitar and
accordion. Make some new friends. They let me play around with the requinto
before they start. I listen to them play. They're good, but not as good as the
Cancun guys..different style-more formal. Come back to my room and the bed is turned
down and a small chocolate on the nightstand with a card that says "Sweet
Dreams"...indeed.... 12/12 MINOR SURGERY NUMBER 2 When I arrived IN Mexico City and before I
took my afternoon nap, I decided to do something about a cut on my index finger,
kinda a paper cut, which I believe I did in Playa del Carmen or the last day of
Tulum. It was throbbing and pus was coming out. The
problem is that it was a cut that went tangential to the finger so it formed a
pocket that I couldn't clean out. I tried Listerine, soap, and anti-biotic but
it just wouldn't heal. I need to get rid of the pocket. Nothing was sharp enough to cut this so I had
to peel it away with my fingers. It revealed a raw hole on the under layer of
skin. I rinsed it in Listerine, and scrubbed it then put a glob of anti-biotic
on it...By the end of the day it was fine and the redness was almost gone... 12/13 TEOTIHUACAN AND FERMENTED BEVERAGES Woke up at 8 and called room service, "Could I please have Black Tea and
Oatmeal?" Five minutes later she calls back,
"Excuse me but you want 'hot meal' or 'oat meal'?" I should have just asked for "crema de
avena". Finished up and Marko picked me up to take me
to the pyramids at Teotihuacan. He filled me in on everything. I was impressed
with how well my body adjusted to the lower oxygen content of the higher
altitudes. Marko himself was huffing and puffing as were a couple kids who were
climbing. Climbed both the sun and moon pyramids (though
I read the one in Coba I climbed was supposedly higher). These were named that
by the Aztecs, not the Teotihuacanos who built them. After about 4 hours Marko took me to an
artisan shop where they make stuff out of obsidian as well as local drinks. They
showed me how they fermented Maguey (a sister plant to the Agave, which make
tequila, and the aloe plant) These things grow to six or seven feet high! He let me try this stuff (multiple times)
called "pulque" which is the fermented juice from the heart of the
plant. It's drunk while still fermenting so it's only 1 or 2 percent alcohol. I
like it tons. It doesn't keep well as it must be drunk while fermenting so I
can't take any back home. The shop keeper claims it used for general well being
as well as an aphrodisiac. "Mexican Vee-a-gra, you drink much of it for the
ladies." I smile to him , " I don’t need it for
THAT" I answer and he bellows out a laugh. He brings out more trinkets, " one for you wife, one for you second
wife, one for you secretary..." It's interesting to see what other people
think of us Americans... From there we went to the Archaeological
museum. Then back to the hotel for dinner; queso fundido and another type of
tortilla soup (with Chicharrones and sour cream added..a great addition I might
add!) Had a couple glasses of wine and listened to
my friends in the band. They recognize me in the audience and wave. After the
set they ask me to come back for another. It's still early so I do. Get back to my room and turn on the tube... Did you know that "Bugs and Daffy"
is “Bugs y Lucas" in Spanish? 12/14 Got up at 8 though the Mass I want to go to
isn't until noon. Seems the Cardinal is celebrating. A controversial man because
he speaks out against the corruption that still plagues the city. had Huevos Nortenos (dried beef with scrambled
eggs, pepper, refried beans and a side of peppers and onions. A cup of black
tea. I surf the net and read for awhile. Marko takes me to the cathedral. It’s an
amazing structure though it's sinking in the lake bad..visibly.... Due to where I was standing I was able to
shake hands with the bishop and kiss his hand (He called me "amigo")
and after words I was able to get his blessing on my head as he left. I then went out in the Zocalo to take a look
at what was there. Found the CD by Mana I wanted with the song Mariposa
Tracionera that I've heard in multiple places. I already know the refrain...what
a great tune! The CD only cost me 10 pesos, (one dollar!).
They have a CD player on the premises so that you can verify that the CD
actually plays. The merchant pops it in...it blares out the speakers..yes we
have a deal... From there to the presidential palace to see
some Diego Rivera murals and he explains them. From there to Templo Mayor. In
the background you can hear bands playing and there are masses of
people..EVERYWHERE! There are Christmas decorations up as well. Marko says, "you can buy whatever you
want here, anything," then we pass a taco stand, "that might kill you,
7 tacos for 5 pesos (50 cents)" Marko is a firm believer that you get what
you pay for in Mexico City. We go back to the parking garage and get the
car-it's madness. It's standard procedures to make note of damage that exists on
your car prior to arriving and cross checking that with how it looks after they
bring it to you. We drive back to the hotel. The city feels
familiar, it's not intimidating at all. On the way back Marko tells me about Christmas
traditions. "Christmas is the most important day in Mexico, it's like
Thanksgiving in the United States." Another interesting perception about
their northern neighbors. "On Christmas Eve we go to church and
come back and have a dinner and sing. Then the grandmother dresses up a little
doll to look like el nino, the small Christ child. She rocks it as if to make it
sleep and then passes the baby to each person in the house. Thy each take turns
rocking the baby to sleep." I can tell he likes the tradition. "Christmas is very important, you have to
be with family. IF you do not go to the family you will have many
problems." He smirks and shakes his head, almost as if he knows by
experience. I point out that it's interesting seeing
Christmas decorations but no snow. "Ha! No snow here," he chuckles,
"we only seen snow twice in my life and it was this much." and he
holds his fingers imperceptibly apart. "No Santa here," he continues,
"The three kinds are very important. We get to the hotel and day our goodbyes. He
tells me how I am a very good person. I tell him the same and say he is a credit
to the Mexican people. I get in to my room and take a quick nap. I get up and check out the area around the
hotel...not a lot going on...most places are closed. Get back to my room and read and look at the
sun setting. It's ten to six and still bright out...the sun is just above the
mountains. I take some pics and find that I can get much better pics from the
stairwells that are the fire escapes... I also watched some of Godzilla vs.
MechaGodzilla...The lip movements of the people fit better with Mexican words
than with English. It looks like it was made in Spanish, almost. Sun gets behind the mountains about 10 after
six. Off to Foculares, the restaurant Marko and a few of the hotel staff have
recommended. it's in the Zona Rosa, the party zone so to speak. Alot of
restaurants and clubs. I have a corn fungus soup (AWESOME!) an mole
con pollo (very interesting mole sauce, tastes almost like anise) Then had a
vanilla custard for desert and finished it all off with a tequila. Went to the hotel bar to watch the end of the
Mexican Semifinals between Pachula and Atlante (Pachula won 2-1) Watch some more soccer in my room and read ,
pray and hit the sack... RANDOM THOUGHTS ADVICE AND QUOTES FROM
MEXICO ** "There are no laws in Mexico
City" Marko when he told me that there were laws for driving in Mexico City
but no one follows them and the cops don't care (unless it can get them a bribe) ** While surfing the TV I came across a
Madonna documentary. She called Warren Beatty an "a**hole". The
subtitle said; "Idiota!" Then on another channel (the Warner Brother
Channel) a girl who just got squirted with a squirt gun yelled at the boy,
"JERK!" Subtitle; "Idiota!" *I've seen two Blackhawks home games in
Mexico. None in Chicago.... * "C" and "F" are on the
faucets; they stand for Caliente (hot) and Frio (Cold) respectively. With the
exception of Mexico City (and possibly Cancun), most travelers would do well to
realize that C= cool (the temperature of the ocean approximately) and F =
freezing (the temperature of the underground wells) *I found that the bigger hotels do have their
own water treatment plants. If it says potable, it is. (I had no problems with
the water) It is very heavily treated and you can taste the softeners. *Turn signals can mean a variety of things in
the Yucatan, from, "I forgot to turn this off" to, "You can pass
me" to "I want to pass." In Mexico City they are used almost like
in the US though they seem to leave them on longer after a lane change. *Speak slowly in English an Spanish. I was
misunderstood a few times by both English and Mexican peoples because I spoke
too quickly. I actually had English people think I spoke a foreign language when
I spoke English to them and Mexicans not understand English or Spanish. I asked
a waitress why she didn't understand me. She said that when I repeated what I
said in Spanish more slowly, it was correct, but just too fast to pick up... I
impressed myself;-) ****Fly AeroMexico! NOW!!! On the flight
back this is what I had...Complimentary wine (or any other booze) then dinner:
Lasagna that was 1.5 inches thick and about 5"x7" and LOADED with meat
and a cheese sauce; a roll, a pepper salad and flan. Then hot tea or
coffee..THEN when you think you're done, Gran Marnier or Amaretto!! How cool is
that?? ***On the return trip I was seated right smack
dab in the middle of a Polish pilgrimage group (to Guadalupe) at the back of the
plane. At the moment the wheels touched the runway they (and only they) burst
into spontaneous applause. Maybe flying LOT airlines, non-eventful landings are
deserving of applause... *** Aztec History places us in the 5th era.
The first four met their destruction by fire, wind, earth and water (I
believe)...this one is to be destroyed by earthquakes.... *** In the air, north of Mexico City you can
see dormant volcanoes! And there are other shapes that are definitely
un-excavated pyramids... *** I received a double upgrade with my Hertz
Gold card: From A VW bug to a Dodge Neon.... *** Arturo at La Perla in Tulum:
"Argentineans are the worst customers - they think they're Europeans. They
always want a discount. So when we have a room that is going for 650 pesos, I
tell them it goes for 900. They say it is too much so I say 800 and they take
it..." *** In spite of laying on my back and roasting
in the sun quite well, the area under the chin, especially when covered with a
beard, does not tan as I found out when I shaved the hair off and noticed a
white underside to my chin.... ***The signs in the Yucatan call seat belts:
"Centurion de Seguridad" (or "Centurions of Security" - I
expected to see a soldier somewhere guarding the roads!) and of the few people I
asked, NO ONE knew what "Centurion de Seguridad" was... In Mexico City
the signs call them "Centurion de Seguridad" but the people know what
they mean.... On the AeroMexico flight they are called "Cinturon de
Seguridad" (which is what a Spanish dictionary calls them ... ***When a street sign tells you to slow down (disminuya
la velocidad) upon approaching a town, DO IT! There are speed bumps both metal
and concrete that are 6" to 10" high; most car suspensions will not
survive the impact at over 20 kilometers per hour... *** Discussion with Customs agent in Chicago: "So it says here you were on a livestock
farm and you touched livestock?" My reply: "No, I was in a restaurant
called "Foculares" that had live roosters in them, I petted one." "Go ahead." I walked through the doors and was officially
home...... |
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Copyright 2000-2006 Michael Plishka. All Rights Reserved. |