It has come to my attention that people don´t know when I am coming home.
I am home June 1st.
Saturday, April 28, 2012
Friday, April 27, 2012
San Christobal
Chiapas-7, a photo by thebaconfairy on Flickr.
So I have returned to the mountains. I am currently on a bus leaving San Cristobal and am headed to Palenque. Both of these places were suggested to me by Jesus, my CS host in Oaxaca. This route will take me further east and I will end up with a grueling 3 day cycle through Belize and end up in Tikal National Park in Guatemala. Tikal was recommended to me by Jesus and highly rated by Ginny one of my hosts here. From Tikal, I will take a bus to Guatemala city, then to the coast to start cycling again, almost immediately in El Salvador. I have very little time left and lots of places to go, but I am determined to make it.
I was just about to tell about my adventures here, when I was by some children who were interested in my iPad. The girl who is about three wanted my valentine, a blue heart with a cat given to me by a CS hosts's daughter. So of course I gave it to her. The older one who is nine wanted to hear music, her name is Elisa Leanna. They are headed to Cancun to the beach. It seems I have some friends for the ride. The older two are behind and the younger one next to me, sometimes sitting, sometimes standing. Cheap buses are the best way to travel! As I pass Forrest's of ponderosa pines, I will recount my incredible day yesterday.
On the advise of Mark, one of my hosts I headed to two indigenous towns 7-9 km outside of town. Up & down some good hills, but no panniers, so the ride was pretty easy. The first town I went to was called Chemul. When the Spanish came, they fought them and have retained this sort of stance to this day. The main attraction is the church, where oreif you take pictures you can be sent to jail. There was a lot of tourists in town, one bus full entered the church not long before I left. But the church is what I need to try and describe.
Of course descriptions are impossible. I was told prior to going there was pine needles on the floor. I was also told they practice animalistic rituals and live squirrels waved in the face is a cure for something. I did not see any squirrels, though I did discover a lady with a chicken. But let us start at the beginning. Walking in the door, the visitor is immediately accosted with smoke from maybe 1000 candles. There are no pews in this church. Instead on the tiled floor is sections of rows of candles and pine needles around this. Kneeling on the floor are the villages, way more then any church I have happened to enter yet, maybe 20 or 30. What I realized when I entered is that this was an extremely holy place. One of the more spiritual places I have ever visited. It is certain that whatever form of Catholicism they practice they are extremely devout and earnest n their prayers. They all enter and rather then pray towards one of the sainting, they kneel in front of a set of candles. They mostly appealed to be in groups. Their worship included drinking, mostly pop, though I did see one bottle of tequila. I am uncertain if this was a form of communion or not. As I was leaving there was a local procession of about six guys, who were following a guy with a guitar. They were followed by a bus of tourists. After about one song they stopped, then joined the kneeing group.
After the church, I went for a quick cycle around the town, may as well see some more then is usually seen. Then I went to check out the artist/tourist market. I went up a side street rather then going along the main tourist drag. I managed to get a great deal on a shirt, the lady asked half of what the others were asking (my hosts agreed). I also bought a little purse, grey with red pom-poms. I had been needing one most of the time because only my skirt and not my dress has pockets (I always keep my wallet & passport on me). The last thing I bought were three very cute tiny stuffed animals out of wool. I then headed up hill to the next village, Zinacatan.
Well it turned out to be uphill, then back down hill again, because of course! I rode around town a little. I had been told that this village had the most colourful clothing to be seen. Mostly seen in the young girls, though some of the men also sported great outfits. I was checking out the stalls here, they were fairly different. I almost made it out of the town without buying anything, but then I was accosted by two young girls. They were maybe eight and ten, they asked me if I had seen, I had no clue what, but of course the answer was no. Because who can resist two very cute little girls? So I let them take me to what turned out to be their mother's store. I had three problems, one I liked the shawls a lot, two I had very little money on me and three, I really has no space in my bag. But who cares for space? Anyhow, I was checking out the wool shawl/capes, but the ones in ladies sizzles were mostly in pink or black. But then I saw a great one, with avocado and a red stripe in the warp, the embroidery was a slightly less colourful, but very lovely-not that I didn't want colour, the turquoise and the bright red ones were for young girls. The young girls stayed around and helped their mother selling me stuff. It was so cute. The price was the exact amount of money I had left, minus the small change. After I had purchased it, the lady Marie Santiago, I believe it was, took me back to her house for lunch. It consisted of the most delicious corn tortillias, black beans, a goat cheese that tasted like feta and hibiscus juice. It was brilliant! I was also told I got a good deal, but of course the hearty welcome and incredible hospitality would have made a not great bargain a good deal anyhow.
When I returned to my host that night, I was told that fashion in Zinacatan is very unusual for indigenous people. Most of the groups have worn the same outsit time out of mind, not so for Zinacatan. In Zinacatan the outfits chance every six months. There is a coming out, everyone shows off their best designs and the winner is copied by the whole village and this is worn for the next 6 months every day. So what is sold to tourists is the old outfits. I was told mine was an old one, from about 6 years ago. this is the time span where they stopped doing the embrodery entirely by hand and started using a sewing machine (still what we would call hand made) it looks like it is possible mine is both machine and hand-done. All the young girls are certain to chnage and I am told that you can tell the older women´s ages by the outfit style they have got stuck in.
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Saturday, April 21, 2012
Heimo Schmidt
his website
His work was on the cover of a Mexican art magazine and his work was so striking I had to find more.
Fanny Rabel
wiki
A Mexican Muralist and painter, I found a book on her in Toledo`s library. There were some really striking and lovely pieces of lonley women.
Moris (Isreal Meza Moleno)
view more of his work
street artist out of Mexico City, I also discovered his work in a book in Toldedo´s house gallery library.
street artist out of Mexico City, I also discovered his work in a book in Toldedo´s house gallery library.
Jose Luis Garcia
not much in the way of links to him I could find
guess this is something
Fransisco Toldedo
Toldedo is not only a great artist in Oaxaca, but also an arts cultural purveor. Yesterday I went to the beautiful children´s library and the museum of his house, which has the most extensive and awesome arts library. The libarary here is only apart of his collection and there is more at the art school, which he helped found and his current residence as well as some other building, I forget what.
Friday, April 20, 2012
Cycling again
I am in Oaxaca. But I suppose a re-cap on how I got here is in order, as recently I only posted photos.
day 1 80km (leave Acapulco)
day 2 120 km
day 3 130-140 km
day 4 60 km (arrive Puerto Escondido)
day 5 20 km then I hopped a bus
The first day I bought a new camera. Another cannon, but the next level up and this one works way better then the last one. I also had a great breakfast of mexican eggs that my CS host Michelle made me. I had a late start and got on the road at around 1. I think I wrote a bit about this. That night I slept by the side of a dirt road near los Vigas Caridad (I think). I did have the famer drive by at night waking me up and scaring me silly, I thought I was going to be run over. Of course I was not in the road, but when you wake up suddenly, these things are not apparent.
The next day I rode 120 km. I stopped in Marquellia on the way, used the internet and went to the beach. I had a nice swim in the Ocean and then met a group of people who were hanging out there for the day. The rasafarian guy thought I was very cute, and tried to talk to me, though he didn´t speak a word of english. One of the girls there did, she is also starting to learn french and was excited that I spoke some. From there I cycled to Cuajinicuilapa (crazy long names), which is a moerdate sized town/ small city. After I set up my tent in the main square, the police came by and told me to move it a few meters and up to the top of the pagoda (Most small city squares have one) for saftey. Of course this was great until some time in the night/ early morning when the guard chnaged and the new guys woke me up and wanted to know about me. I believe I told them I was Canadian and headed to Puerto Escondido before rolling over and putting an end to further conversation.
The next day was a hard one. It started off with some good climbs and I had to stop way sooner then I planned because I had hit a wall. After an internet break, I started again. I still wasn´t so happy, but about 1km in I found myself another mango tree! Huzzah! And then finally a breeze (wind) kicked in. Some of it was headwind, but as it cooled me down some, I did not mind. I then climbed my last big hill of the day into the town of Santiago Jamiltepec. This was where I had intended on having my mid-day rest / interest use. I stopped for water and quite a few pictures because it was a really cute town. It appareared to be fairly wealthy too, I am not sure why, sitting at the top of a big hill like that. I ended my day, pushing myself to cycle 130ish km to find myself at a beach in a national park Chacahua. I went for an ocean swim right at dusk, which was when I arrived. I then went and bought dinner at a taco place, as there only small store in town was closed. It was really cheap anyhow. Well the food was cheap, the mosquito bites I aquired in those 10-20 minutes have cost a fair bit in sleep loss and anti-itchying cream
The next morning I woke up and went for a swim, then packed up. Just as I was getting ready to head out, I met a guy named Brook from Oregon. He is currently living with a family in the village and fishing, when not surfing. He invited me back to the families house for fish and torillias. The biggest corn tortillas I have yet eaten. I am the biggest fool for not having taen any pictures. They had dogs and chickens running around wild, a rustic house and a nice outdoor kitchen set up. I then headed out for what should have been an easy day. But I was tired, and waas staring to get a sore throat. When I got to Puerto Escondido, I jumped straight into the ocean and would have fallen alseep there if I could have. I got ahold of my CS host, ate some Tamales and then tried to go to bed early. Only I didn´t sleep until maybe 2am or later, as I was so itchy. It was warm too, but just lying there, not scratching and being itchy was too much stimuli to allow me to sleep.
The next morning I headed out after a breakfast of fried bananas. I had bought the large bananas the day before and discovered they weren´t that great raw. I started out on what I knew was going to be a good climb. I found my road, though I discovered I had the distance incorrect. Not that there was a sign, but in Mexico, the km markers count down one way, and up the other, so rather then being 200km, it was 240. I had planned on a two day cycle, yes I knew it was going to be a good climb, but I figured if I needed to take a bus the last 40km or so it would be fine. I had planned on making it in two days. I start out and the going is tough. Making the 10km marker was a lot of work. But I was optomistic, it was only one sixth or one eighth (I cut down my distance ideal) of what I needed to make. By the 20km the reality had hit, I was dead tired and going way too slow. I had to convince myself I was feeling sick and not chichening out on hills, as I am all too apt to do (Just ask my mother). I took a local openback truck conviance to the next town and from there I caught a minivan bus to Oaxaca. What I cluded into was that my last host drank the tap water in Puerto Escondido, which I did as well. The fact that after buying and drinking 3/4 of an ice tea, I could not stomach any more for the next 3-4 hours lead me to the belief I had also been making myself somewhat sick from my damned water.
But in the eand it was a great idea to take the bus. The road was mostly terrible and is there ever mountains. I think getting down might actually take me 3 days. At first there was tropical rainforrect climate, then it turned to arid weather with lots of ponderosa pine trees. The road was curves alsmost the whole way. When I got to Oaxaca in the evening, I called my couch surfing (CS) host who was willing to have me a day early. I really need to go as he is showing me atround town and it the tour is great!
day 1 80km (leave Acapulco)
day 2 120 km
day 3 130-140 km
day 4 60 km (arrive Puerto Escondido)
day 5 20 km then I hopped a bus
The first day I bought a new camera. Another cannon, but the next level up and this one works way better then the last one. I also had a great breakfast of mexican eggs that my CS host Michelle made me. I had a late start and got on the road at around 1. I think I wrote a bit about this. That night I slept by the side of a dirt road near los Vigas Caridad (I think). I did have the famer drive by at night waking me up and scaring me silly, I thought I was going to be run over. Of course I was not in the road, but when you wake up suddenly, these things are not apparent.
The next day I rode 120 km. I stopped in Marquellia on the way, used the internet and went to the beach. I had a nice swim in the Ocean and then met a group of people who were hanging out there for the day. The rasafarian guy thought I was very cute, and tried to talk to me, though he didn´t speak a word of english. One of the girls there did, she is also starting to learn french and was excited that I spoke some. From there I cycled to Cuajinicuilapa (crazy long names), which is a moerdate sized town/ small city. After I set up my tent in the main square, the police came by and told me to move it a few meters and up to the top of the pagoda (Most small city squares have one) for saftey. Of course this was great until some time in the night/ early morning when the guard chnaged and the new guys woke me up and wanted to know about me. I believe I told them I was Canadian and headed to Puerto Escondido before rolling over and putting an end to further conversation.
The next day was a hard one. It started off with some good climbs and I had to stop way sooner then I planned because I had hit a wall. After an internet break, I started again. I still wasn´t so happy, but about 1km in I found myself another mango tree! Huzzah! And then finally a breeze (wind) kicked in. Some of it was headwind, but as it cooled me down some, I did not mind. I then climbed my last big hill of the day into the town of Santiago Jamiltepec. This was where I had intended on having my mid-day rest / interest use. I stopped for water and quite a few pictures because it was a really cute town. It appareared to be fairly wealthy too, I am not sure why, sitting at the top of a big hill like that. I ended my day, pushing myself to cycle 130ish km to find myself at a beach in a national park Chacahua. I went for an ocean swim right at dusk, which was when I arrived. I then went and bought dinner at a taco place, as there only small store in town was closed. It was really cheap anyhow. Well the food was cheap, the mosquito bites I aquired in those 10-20 minutes have cost a fair bit in sleep loss and anti-itchying cream
The next morning I woke up and went for a swim, then packed up. Just as I was getting ready to head out, I met a guy named Brook from Oregon. He is currently living with a family in the village and fishing, when not surfing. He invited me back to the families house for fish and torillias. The biggest corn tortillas I have yet eaten. I am the biggest fool for not having taen any pictures. They had dogs and chickens running around wild, a rustic house and a nice outdoor kitchen set up. I then headed out for what should have been an easy day. But I was tired, and waas staring to get a sore throat. When I got to Puerto Escondido, I jumped straight into the ocean and would have fallen alseep there if I could have. I got ahold of my CS host, ate some Tamales and then tried to go to bed early. Only I didn´t sleep until maybe 2am or later, as I was so itchy. It was warm too, but just lying there, not scratching and being itchy was too much stimuli to allow me to sleep.
The next morning I headed out after a breakfast of fried bananas. I had bought the large bananas the day before and discovered they weren´t that great raw. I started out on what I knew was going to be a good climb. I found my road, though I discovered I had the distance incorrect. Not that there was a sign, but in Mexico, the km markers count down one way, and up the other, so rather then being 200km, it was 240. I had planned on a two day cycle, yes I knew it was going to be a good climb, but I figured if I needed to take a bus the last 40km or so it would be fine. I had planned on making it in two days. I start out and the going is tough. Making the 10km marker was a lot of work. But I was optomistic, it was only one sixth or one eighth (I cut down my distance ideal) of what I needed to make. By the 20km the reality had hit, I was dead tired and going way too slow. I had to convince myself I was feeling sick and not chichening out on hills, as I am all too apt to do (Just ask my mother). I took a local openback truck conviance to the next town and from there I caught a minivan bus to Oaxaca. What I cluded into was that my last host drank the tap water in Puerto Escondido, which I did as well. The fact that after buying and drinking 3/4 of an ice tea, I could not stomach any more for the next 3-4 hours lead me to the belief I had also been making myself somewhat sick from my damned water.
But in the eand it was a great idea to take the bus. The road was mostly terrible and is there ever mountains. I think getting down might actually take me 3 days. At first there was tropical rainforrect climate, then it turned to arid weather with lots of ponderosa pine trees. The road was curves alsmost the whole way. When I got to Oaxaca in the evening, I called my couch surfing (CS) host who was willing to have me a day early. I really need to go as he is showing me atround town and it the tour is great!
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Biking again-21
Motor taxis. They are 3-wheelers. I saw one for the first time today in a small town.
Biking again-5
I saw several sets of bee hives, at least that is what I believe them to be. I have yet to actually see the bees.
Biking again-3
Laundry in a river. All the rivers I have seen have Ben shallow, between ankle and chest deep from what I have seen of people in them.
Biking again
A village just south of Acapulco. I believe the main industry in the area is feeding tourists. It is about 15-20 minutes south Acapulco (the southern side over the hill) and I have never seen so many people touting menus vying for customer's as here. They left me alone, tending to just give me confused looks.
Monday, April 16, 2012
Acapulco-Mexican resort town
What were my impression of Acapulco?
Well it struck me as an impression of Califonria. Everything is big, splashy and western. Well most things. There is a hardrock cafe, senior frogs (complete with line ups), walmart and goodness knows how many other things. I got the impression that this is where Mexicans come to have holidays. Well the rich Mexicans at least. There is a waterpark right on the strip close to where my host Michelle worked. I asked if it was fun, but she said at $25USD it cost too much for her. At night there are horse drawn carts and plenty of people milling about on the main boulevard. It is maybe 20-40 blocks long, with palm trees running down the middle of the road.
I went for a swim in the ocean. It looked brown, but you know, sand is brown, so whatever. The area for swimming only went out about 20m (I went further of course) but I did not stay out long as I realized I was slimey from the water. Gross! I asked why the water was like that and Michelle told me they say it goes that way when there is too many people- which is not true. Firstly very few people were actuall in the water, more people were on jet skis, second people do not cause this. I don´t know if was polution or a natural phenomenom of plankton or something. Needless to say I was not impressed.
Leaving town I climbed a huge hill that had all the posh night clubs. When I got to the other side I hit the rivh resort side. It was really pretty here, much quieter and the gingo side by the looks of it. The fairmont was on the golf course over here. I didn´t go in the ocean there, but I bet it was nicer.
What I did love was the market. I love markets, particualrly in poor countries. This one was huge and hustling, all my heart could desire. I even bought my first souvenir, but it is a present for Thomas.
And I bought a new camrea as I killed mine. I think I also killed my phone and the touch screen on my ipod no longer works (not sure if it can be fixed).
I am on my way to Puerto Escondido and then to Oaxaca city.
Well it struck me as an impression of Califonria. Everything is big, splashy and western. Well most things. There is a hardrock cafe, senior frogs (complete with line ups), walmart and goodness knows how many other things. I got the impression that this is where Mexicans come to have holidays. Well the rich Mexicans at least. There is a waterpark right on the strip close to where my host Michelle worked. I asked if it was fun, but she said at $25USD it cost too much for her. At night there are horse drawn carts and plenty of people milling about on the main boulevard. It is maybe 20-40 blocks long, with palm trees running down the middle of the road.
I went for a swim in the ocean. It looked brown, but you know, sand is brown, so whatever. The area for swimming only went out about 20m (I went further of course) but I did not stay out long as I realized I was slimey from the water. Gross! I asked why the water was like that and Michelle told me they say it goes that way when there is too many people- which is not true. Firstly very few people were actuall in the water, more people were on jet skis, second people do not cause this. I don´t know if was polution or a natural phenomenom of plankton or something. Needless to say I was not impressed.
Leaving town I climbed a huge hill that had all the posh night clubs. When I got to the other side I hit the rivh resort side. It was really pretty here, much quieter and the gingo side by the looks of it. The fairmont was on the golf course over here. I didn´t go in the ocean there, but I bet it was nicer.
What I did love was the market. I love markets, particualrly in poor countries. This one was huge and hustling, all my heart could desire. I even bought my first souvenir, but it is a present for Thomas.
And I bought a new camrea as I killed mine. I think I also killed my phone and the touch screen on my ipod no longer works (not sure if it can be fixed).
I am on my way to Puerto Escondido and then to Oaxaca city.
Saturday, April 14, 2012
What ever floats your boat sinks your tent
It seems I have bad luck with water and camping in Mexico. I was in El Tomo two nights ago. I set my tent up next to a beach clothing stand and some fishermen's boats. The stall was being covered up for the night, so I set my tent up. I started reading in my tent, but noticed my neighbors were having trouble with their tent. The poles all connect to a central and and they had been trying to get them in after having attached the other poles to the tent already. As we had a language barrier, I simply Un-hooked the pole pegs from the tent and the last pole went into the central connector with no trouble. Yippee for years of tent building. I went back to my tent and kept on reading on my iPad when all of the sudden I was wet. A huge wave came and went throughout my tent. I had puddles everywhere. My cell phone which I had out as an alarm clock was sitting in a puddle. My camera was out as the pictures I tried to take of my campsite didn't work well in the twilight. I had two huge puddles in my tent, at the front and back. My thermarest was soaking wet and parts of my sleeping bag were damp. I also had a bunch of clothes that had been damp out and they were wet too. I pulled my tent back along the beach, then built a small barrier. I emptied the puddle in the front, but left the back one as also my stuff was out and I wanted to go to sleep. I put my sweater on, which thankfully was only wet in the sleeves. With that and my practically wet sleeping bag, I was warm enough to sleep. I slept until just before dawn, some fishermen took the boat out fishing that I had originally been set up next to. I packed up my wet camp, discovering that my iPod, which had worked the night before somehow had ended up in a puddle during the night at the momment the tough screen does not appear to be working, but maybe it might fix itself. At least my passport stayed dry, my skirt which held it was very wet, but luckily that pocket was dry. I know from experience wet passports are frowned upon. My saving grace was having a couch surf set up in Acapilco. I was on the bus all day, but managed to make it here.
Monday, April 9, 2012
Palapas
I am in Manzanillo right now. I was searching for a place to free camp. There was a polapa right next to the spot I choose. One of the guys told me to come over and join them. I was welcome to sleep in their palapa with them. I met an American guy named Micheal who was also living there, he's a couch surfer too. He does have an apartment, but prefers to sleep at the beach. I am currently a block down at the the community house using Internet!
So they invite me over, for dinner they serve me fresh cooked fish and prawns from the BBQ. The prawns were unreal! I hope I will get some more tonight. I also got a coconut with milk. They sell the coconut milk, as well as the fish. They have places all over town where the pick free coconuts, bananas and pineapple. They also make and sell drums. Below are picture of our fire, the drummers and one of the guys spinning fire. I seem to have awesome luck on this trip!
Thoughts on Mexico
About 100-200 km north of Puerto Vallarta the climate changes to a tropical one. The stretch between Tepic and Peurro Vallarta reminded me so much of the tropical part of Ghana near Kumasi—the stands of fruit sellers only added to this impression.
I can see why Puerto Vallarta is such a popular destination. It is the lushest place I have been to in Mexico yet and has lovely beach. But as the bus passed the all inclusives living the beaches to the south I was thinking that this wasn't Mexico. Going further on, the stark poverty of the villages was such a contrast to the the American vacation package places and it just felt like there was a real poverty in culture in the American hotels. I also had a hard time in Puerto Vallarta getting out. My first bus took me near the centre and when I got there, after a police officer directed me to the tourist information, I discovered all. It one line worked out of the bus station, a half an hour driver away. Then the bus company had no more buses, thank goodness the Mexicans at the bus stop to go to the bus station put me into the way of getting a bus from the next block over. I've figured out that in Mexico everything is possible, you just have to figure out how. And pretty much all directions are going to be different, you are lucky if one set is correct, but most lead generally in the correct direction, until finally the last person you ask says it is a block away.
Arroyo Seco- a four day beach party
It's about time I caught up with myself. I just spent four days at a beach party in Arroyo Seco, which is near Melaque. As my sail boat ride put me very far north of where I had ridden, I took a few buses to get back on track.
A view of the beach from a large rock just to the south of the beach
A pile of shells on the beach, I think they must have been left by a fisherman. I really liked the way they looked.
I got invited to the party by Bjrjego, who I sent a couch surfing post to. He and his friends live in guadalajara. The party was at one of the guy's family's beach house. A huge place with four bedrooms, four bathrooms, a pool, a huge deck covered by a palapa and an upstairs palapa covered deck. There was maybe 20-25 of us. I slept on a couch mat on the floor of the living room with a number of other people. Some people put tents up in the yard, on the second story deck and some of the beach. There was music all day long. I even got to try surfing. As the waves were huge and I went out alone, I didn't do so well. I wasn't sure where to go to catch the waves. I didn't manage to stand up. I also bruised my sternum because I have a very large seam I sewed there on my two piece top to try and get t to fit better.
A view of the beach from a large rock just to the south of the beach
A pile of shells on the beach, I think they must have been left by a fisherman. I really liked the way they looked.
I got invited to the party by Bjrjego, who I sent a couch surfing post to. He and his friends live in guadalajara. The party was at one of the guy's family's beach house. A huge place with four bedrooms, four bathrooms, a pool, a huge deck covered by a palapa and an upstairs palapa covered deck. There was maybe 20-25 of us. I slept on a couch mat on the floor of the living room with a number of other people. Some people put tents up in the yard, on the second story deck and some of the beach. There was music all day long. I even got to try surfing. As the waves were huge and I went out alone, I didn't do so well. I wasn't sure where to go to catch the waves. I didn't manage to stand up. I also bruised my sternum because I have a very large seam I sewed there on my two piece top to try and get t to fit better.
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