Well after my last post of sounding so sure about staying in Oaxaca we deliberated over drinks and wrote an elaborate pros and cons list and decided (again motivated by Zarhas strong, yet still flexible, desire) again to stay in Oaxaca. We finally walked (as we had been doing all day endlessly searching for a place) back to the hotel to liberate our backpacks from storage. I started conversing with this very cute desk guy at the hotel about our long day of looking for an apartment and only coming up with an overpriced one bedroom. He told us about a hotel nearby that had a small apartment for rent that we would could see in the morning. We tried to walk past that hotel just a few blocks from where we had been staying in the central part of Oaxaca but decided that it was too far from the school (even if the price would be half) so we headed about 20 minutes from the center to the apartment we looked at earlier that day.
After we paid our taxi and got our bags out of the car we were told by the woman working at the apartment we needed to pay a 5,0000 mil deposit as well ( $500.) We tried to negotiate with the management to take a license or passport as security and they wouldnt go for it, so again we were wondering around aimlessing knocking on random doors and making calls and coming up with nothing. We took a bus back to the same hotel and the cute guy with the astec heritage laughed at our story and said not to worry he never canceled the date the next morning to check out the other apartment.
We got up today and went to the hotel with the "apartment." Which as it turns out is a larger room in the hotel off a very pretty courtyard for 200 dollars for 3 weeks. We can put a curtain between the beds and share a cozy space for 3 weeks. We have access to the peaceful courtyard (In this loud and hectic city is a treat) and we can share the familys kitchen. Although we wont do all that much cooking, eating is cheap if you find the right places.
We took our tests at the school today (Saturday) and will be placed in our class levels after a spoken exam on monday. We already signed up for our workshops for the afternoons, I am doing native ceramics, Andy Oaxacan cooking, Zarha is taking an indigenous loom weaking class, all taught by locals with these skills.
We met another family at the school with two kids aged 11 and 13. Zarha probably will place higher than them (they just started studying spanish 2 weeks ago) but she could be in their class and it might be fun for her to have some kid energy around. The family is traveling for one year, they sold everything and live out of a truck and pop up trailer and are planning to settle in the southwest after the year of traveling. When we told them where we found a place to stay the wife said "thats the wild part of the city!" It is true that where we will be staying is the more authentic older part of the city and that is the area I much prefer. Many from the school stay in an area that is wealthier with more corporate sprawl. I really dont like that part. This will give us a twenty minute walk each way ever day in the bright mexican sun and I will need the excersize.
The family confirmed our feelings about the school. The school really digs into your wallets and are not flexible about anything financially or with the housing. They wouldnt even help us find housing until we paid. However they have a good reputation for being challenging and dynamic.
Some Oaxacan mother, speaking english, came up to me today looking for someone to read books in english to her 3yr old son. Not a job Im really interested in but for 2 hours a week in exchange for a guide around the area for a tour or two of some places could be fun. She is this really hip woman with a french speaking husband and she could be interesting to get to know. She is going to email me.
We have only seen one booth in the main plaza relating to APPO (Popular Peoples assembly of Oaxaca) that had literature and some cool posters. We noticed them the first night and have not seen them again to talk to anyone. I am hoping to meet someone who new Brad or knows where his memorial is. Brad was an indymedia activist who was killed here by undercover police in 2006 while reporting on the demonstrationsagainst the government. Its hard to imagine the Oaxaca I have been reading about the last 2 years with all the demonsrations, government killings of activists, toture and imprisoned people. You will be relieved to know outside of the normal hectic hustle of the city there is no indication of any unrest. I hope to learn more about the history and activism here and I hope to bump into Brads spirit. I have thought about him often while roaming the streets imagining how he spent his days here, where he stayed how he met people. Which makes me think of the last haunting video he shot, where he captured his shooters as he is being shot and falling to his death, shouting in pain. So sad that he and dozens of other people died here recently in this painful way. I have his conductors train hat that was on a table with his belongings at his memorial. We were all suppose to take a piece of him with us wherever we went and I brought that hat to Venezuela and now to Mexico. He spent a lot of time in Latin America and we shared a love for these places.
Well family and friends, I really wish we could call home to you. Its so expensive! Its almost a dollar a minute (unlike Venezuelas 3cents a minute! And people complain about nationalized services!) and once we started talking the minutes could become long exciting hours. I plan to talk my whole way home from the boarder of the states into Rochester.
Now we are going to move into our new place and then going to another spectacular market. I already went to the organic market this morning and bought delicious breads, pizza and cookies. I found the merangue cookies I love so much that only my mother can really make. (hint.. Ma, can you make those this summer for me?) The merangue cookies here had lime. No suprise everything here is flavored wth lime or chili. I love both. It is strange to see kids candies and fruit leather topped with chili.
I am missing you all, I really want more news from home. I had a dream about maura! Any truth to my dream??? Keep us posted. Also zarha is really bugging to have Kim send a photo of Emilys haircut. She is so eager to see it!
Ted where ya getting all the kisses from? You bad boy!
We miss and love ya all.
daz
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Friday, February 15, 2008
Bus stop to reality
Hey,
I am glad to know others adore gremmy (true he is a Gizmo, but we affectionately call him Gremmy) and want to see a gremmy blog! You will be happy to know there is a blog in the works and it should come out right around the same time his first documentary does. stay tuned!
we finally peeled ourselves off the coast and took the 8 hour bus ride, up, over around and down the mountains into Oaxaca. What a sensational ride! Then we got into Oaxaca and although I will probably change my tune many times before I leave my initial feeling is, I know dont get mad... disapointment. I thought it would be smaller and less trafficky more beautiful and economical. However, I think my cranky reaction has been more from having my bliss bubble burst that I floated in around the balmy coast. It is warm and sunny here in Oaxaca and the main plaza is musical and magical as I find many plazas down here. We arrived on Valentines day and vendors had bundles and bundles and bundles of red hearted cutesy balloons. I thought the whole square might float on all this helium! It was dreamy and crowded with people eating and sitting and kissing everywhere.
As all the popular haunts we have traversed down here, there are many tourists. We are like 25 years too late for the sleepy quaint town I expected to find here. In addition to Oaxacas growth from poor rural dwellers moving into the city and looking for a better living its a real tourist attraction. It may be the the craft capital of the country that draws most people and I am really excited to hit the markets. The markets down here are so beautiful! The colors, artwork and smells, I drift around them sniffing and gawking but buy almost nothing. I feel like a baby walking around pointing "what is this? What is its name?" Discovering how to call the things I like and those things I am afraid to try.
The housing is very expensive here. We spent 200 dollars for a studio apartment in Merida, Venezuela the month we stayed there. After searching all day and checking with the language school the best we found here was 500 dollars for a one room apartment for 3 weeks! Andy and I both wanted to keep traveling after realizing the whole staying put to conserve funds would not actually do that for us. Zarha is amazingly eager and excited to do this 7 hour a day spanish school, how can we let her down! These are her fertile mind years for language and she has so much ambition we feel responsible for her spanish language aquisitiuon. without the school we wouldn´t push ourselves in the same way, beyond our daily basic spanish.
So we are staying in Oaxca taking the pricey apartment about a 10 minute walk from the school and trying to find food we like. cuisine is meatier here and much smaller portions. I got quickly spoiled by large diverse fruit platters and incredible juices on the coast. We have yet to find a meal we really like. However the chocolate here is amazing! I think it is grown in this state and it is blended with crushed almonds and cinamon and sugar. That alone can get me through the tough days of study and crowded streets.
Well, I dont have time to get into this or post requested photos of the Grem!
we have to get our bags from our hotel from last night and hike to our new apartment, and then we have to find sheets and some kitchen things because the apartment doesn´t have all these extras.
I think I will adapt, becasue hey its not 4 degrees outside and that would make me a lot crankier!
still grateful for the journey but with a veil of crankiness that could lift after my nap. wait and see
d
I am glad to know others adore gremmy (true he is a Gizmo, but we affectionately call him Gremmy) and want to see a gremmy blog! You will be happy to know there is a blog in the works and it should come out right around the same time his first documentary does. stay tuned!
we finally peeled ourselves off the coast and took the 8 hour bus ride, up, over around and down the mountains into Oaxaca. What a sensational ride! Then we got into Oaxaca and although I will probably change my tune many times before I leave my initial feeling is, I know dont get mad... disapointment. I thought it would be smaller and less trafficky more beautiful and economical. However, I think my cranky reaction has been more from having my bliss bubble burst that I floated in around the balmy coast. It is warm and sunny here in Oaxaca and the main plaza is musical and magical as I find many plazas down here. We arrived on Valentines day and vendors had bundles and bundles and bundles of red hearted cutesy balloons. I thought the whole square might float on all this helium! It was dreamy and crowded with people eating and sitting and kissing everywhere.
As all the popular haunts we have traversed down here, there are many tourists. We are like 25 years too late for the sleepy quaint town I expected to find here. In addition to Oaxacas growth from poor rural dwellers moving into the city and looking for a better living its a real tourist attraction. It may be the the craft capital of the country that draws most people and I am really excited to hit the markets. The markets down here are so beautiful! The colors, artwork and smells, I drift around them sniffing and gawking but buy almost nothing. I feel like a baby walking around pointing "what is this? What is its name?" Discovering how to call the things I like and those things I am afraid to try.
The housing is very expensive here. We spent 200 dollars for a studio apartment in Merida, Venezuela the month we stayed there. After searching all day and checking with the language school the best we found here was 500 dollars for a one room apartment for 3 weeks! Andy and I both wanted to keep traveling after realizing the whole staying put to conserve funds would not actually do that for us. Zarha is amazingly eager and excited to do this 7 hour a day spanish school, how can we let her down! These are her fertile mind years for language and she has so much ambition we feel responsible for her spanish language aquisitiuon. without the school we wouldn´t push ourselves in the same way, beyond our daily basic spanish.
So we are staying in Oaxca taking the pricey apartment about a 10 minute walk from the school and trying to find food we like. cuisine is meatier here and much smaller portions. I got quickly spoiled by large diverse fruit platters and incredible juices on the coast. We have yet to find a meal we really like. However the chocolate here is amazing! I think it is grown in this state and it is blended with crushed almonds and cinamon and sugar. That alone can get me through the tough days of study and crowded streets.
Well, I dont have time to get into this or post requested photos of the Grem!
we have to get our bags from our hotel from last night and hike to our new apartment, and then we have to find sheets and some kitchen things because the apartment doesn´t have all these extras.
I think I will adapt, becasue hey its not 4 degrees outside and that would make me a lot crankier!
still grateful for the journey but with a veil of crankiness that could lift after my nap. wait and see
d
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
valentino amor
Me sweatheartos,
I cannot imagine any other travelling companions than my two favourite sweethearts that are with me now. I am so happy with our rhythms and the way we balance each other. It is nothing but a small miracle that we can spend so much time together day in and day out and come out liking the journey more each day!
Andy in his gracefully easy way guided us from our hideaway to a more remote beach hideaway about an hour and half south of here for a day trip. He navigates so amazingly the buses, (which I am becoming addicted to; the rattling, bouncy, breezy vehicles that deliver us across so much beauty to even more beauty!) He tells us which camione (truck with tarped cover, bench seating in back that we ride along with locals in order to get off the beaten paths) we need to take and how to find the cool places the lonely planet lists, like the old hippy thatched pasadas and trails along the cliffs looking down at the ocean. He has these superpowers of navigation and I find myself marvelling at his skills, even if I forget to say so out loud sometimes. For some reason I think of one of the few Gandhi quotes that I have always remembered “There go my people, I am their leader I must follow!” I adore most how Andy leads me often from THAT spirit. How else could you lead a rebel?
It makes me shout out with gratitude again and again as is the daily ritual here. The universe has matched us so well. If I had been given a wish of 1000 qualities in a companion I would have come up short in comparison to what the universe delivered! I am gratefully for my guy who balances my world.
I have to say the same for this kid of ours. How could I even think to ask for a child with all the positive qualities Zarha possesses? It would seem unfair and unrealistic to ask for so much! She is a sensational traveller, she has been very tolerant and self sacrificing of her needs in many tiring travelling moments. She rarely complains and demands so little. She is thoughtful about our budget and does not ask or long for expensive things. She graciously takes the photos that I request and does a terrific job! She is adventurous and always willing and eager to try the next thing. You should see the kid with these waves! (and she is asking to sky dive when we get home! Yikes.) She observes and learns so quickly she consults us with her great ideas! She is strong, brave, independent and confident. You should see how she navigates a menu and speaks in confident Spanish to get a vegan meal! She loves reading and shares such interesting topics of interest with us! Of course her tenderness with animals and nature is so touching and gentle. It’s so cute to see her dog friends trailing her on the beach. She is so musically gifted that she can buy a dollar whistle on the streets here and make relaxing music for us or start humming or singing a song to bring the tense energy down. She is funny and likes to tell jokes. She is really goofy! Check out the weird self portrait face series! She has more qualities than I can list, but I have to ask how does a mother like me get a kid like that?? Again shouts out the universe for all this goodness!
These are my valentines and the humans that can make my heart swell like no others!
I love you guys!
Thanks for everything!
I cannot imagine any other travelling companions than my two favourite sweethearts that are with me now. I am so happy with our rhythms and the way we balance each other. It is nothing but a small miracle that we can spend so much time together day in and day out and come out liking the journey more each day!
Andy in his gracefully easy way guided us from our hideaway to a more remote beach hideaway about an hour and half south of here for a day trip. He navigates so amazingly the buses, (which I am becoming addicted to; the rattling, bouncy, breezy vehicles that deliver us across so much beauty to even more beauty!) He tells us which camione (truck with tarped cover, bench seating in back that we ride along with locals in order to get off the beaten paths) we need to take and how to find the cool places the lonely planet lists, like the old hippy thatched pasadas and trails along the cliffs looking down at the ocean. He has these superpowers of navigation and I find myself marvelling at his skills, even if I forget to say so out loud sometimes. For some reason I think of one of the few Gandhi quotes that I have always remembered “There go my people, I am their leader I must follow!” I adore most how Andy leads me often from THAT spirit. How else could you lead a rebel?
It makes me shout out with gratitude again and again as is the daily ritual here. The universe has matched us so well. If I had been given a wish of 1000 qualities in a companion I would have come up short in comparison to what the universe delivered! I am gratefully for my guy who balances my world.
I have to say the same for this kid of ours. How could I even think to ask for a child with all the positive qualities Zarha possesses? It would seem unfair and unrealistic to ask for so much! She is a sensational traveller, she has been very tolerant and self sacrificing of her needs in many tiring travelling moments. She rarely complains and demands so little. She is thoughtful about our budget and does not ask or long for expensive things. She graciously takes the photos that I request and does a terrific job! She is adventurous and always willing and eager to try the next thing. You should see the kid with these waves! (and she is asking to sky dive when we get home! Yikes.) She observes and learns so quickly she consults us with her great ideas! She is strong, brave, independent and confident. You should see how she navigates a menu and speaks in confident Spanish to get a vegan meal! She loves reading and shares such interesting topics of interest with us! Of course her tenderness with animals and nature is so touching and gentle. It’s so cute to see her dog friends trailing her on the beach. She is so musically gifted that she can buy a dollar whistle on the streets here and make relaxing music for us or start humming or singing a song to bring the tense energy down. She is funny and likes to tell jokes. She is really goofy! Check out the weird self portrait face series! She has more qualities than I can list, but I have to ask how does a mother like me get a kid like that?? Again shouts out the universe for all this goodness!
These are my valentines and the humans that can make my heart swell like no others!
I love you guys!
Thanks for everything!
Monday, February 11, 2008
Lulled
Well I randomly checked the Rochester weather the other day (first time since I left!) and I saw it was 4 degrees (but it was reported to FEEL like -17 below.) That about gave me a near panic attack even from even 4,000 miles away and I have to admit I did feel like air lifting some folks out of there and bringing you all here with us! Also It reminded me why I have to leave that place and makes me wonder how long will I last there.
Although even before checking on the winter reality of NY I have continously grateful for this bright, colorful beachy scene we have landed upon. The Canadian expat who owns the very reasonably priced (cleanest yet!) hotel we are staying at asked us the first night how many days we would be here in this coastal paradise. We told him we we were only planning on staying a night and he chuckled and said "everyone says that but you will stay at least 2 nights maybe longer, I have a couple of Aussie girls that came for a night and they are here 3 weeks later, I came for a short visit and I am here 17 years later!"
It is amazing how this place has pulled us in and we are becoming like other travelers, now we are like barnacles on the pacific coast of Mexico. So we did extend another night, and then 2 nights some how has become five. Maybe the owner cast a spell on us or maybe it is the magic of the ocean! It is the most powerful place on the ocean I have been. The waves, even in this off season (I hear summer is more intense for waves!) are huge pounding and crashing walls of water. Yet most of the time when they crash on me it feels more like I am being blended with all the fruit of mexico to make one of those yummy smoothies we drink daily. The water is so soft and creamy when I emerge from the strong dunking I feel relaxed and not anxious. We came out of the internet cafe the other night and I momentarily forgot where I was and said "wow, it sounds like a storm is rolling in, that thunder is intense!" Uh, That would be the ocean. That is the sound that lulls us to sleep and wakes us up and mezmermizes us for hours along her shores during the days.
This is know in surfer lingo as the "Mexican Pipeline." The big time surfers come from all over the world and ride these Glass wall waves. We have been body surfing and rented a boogie board and have spent lots of time in the water. The days are so hot and the water is refreshing. Its not cold and hard to swim in like the califronia pacific. We also get out when the lifegaurd comes whisteling. Although we have had our share of intense waves.
I couldn't sleep in this morning and ended up walking the length of the beach towards the huge bolders that separate this beach from others. It was a world I am not normally part of. Morning culture. Couple joggers, early morning stollers, and the first wave of surfers. Sunrise and sunset seem to bring the most intense waves so with it the surfers. The mini tsunami waves leave our mouths gapeing as we watch the surfers survive it and often skillfully navigate the pipe.
I was walking as the sun was just beginning to emerge over the palm trees and thatched buildings, the temperature was already warm and the waves were fierce and the breezy air scented and lush. I thought I ought to drop to my knees in the sand, naked allowing the cleanisng waves to wash me and raise my hands to the sun in gratitude. I didnt. Over and over in my thoughts I DID, I am a shameless hippy pagan flake. I know, I know.
Walking back some time later I noticed all the people transfixed sitting on the banks watching the surfers. Those surfers who had been mostly alone at there ocean alter genuflecting before the waves had somehow become the highpriests/priestesses of the morning. All eyes were on them as they navigated the water gods and held a ritual that kept the congregation silent and reverent. Cameras as big as the ones national geographic must use, also lined the shores to capture the incredible work of those that know the ocean spirits the best.
My gate is so slow here, I am so relaxed, we have no phone (sorry no calls in mexico! its way too expensive! email us!) no tv, few cars travel here. I love sharing my space with this tantalizing water it is about two thirds of our environment here and it does something to me. When I returned from my walk zarha said "you look different!"
i know what she means, I feel different. We all do. I am also grateful we share this love of this space. When a transformation can be felt on this level after only a few days, you know this place holds special powers. Although I try to explain what it is, I really dont know.
Love D
Saturday, February 9, 2008
Hideaway
We took an 8 hour bus ride from Acapulco south to a town called Puerto Escondido, which means hidden port. Well apparently once we find it, it no longer is a hideaway. It use to be a big surfer place even before roads were put in, well now it reminds me of a Florida key but with lots of Europeans. The hotel we managed to score is the cheapest and cleanest we have found so far, right across from the beach. The owner is Canadian; we see like 20 tourists for every local Mexican. Its really different from our Venezuela trip this way, I didn’t feel like a tourist in the same way. Tourism is really happening around Mexico. The tourism economy largely seems to be doing well. We have been comparing it in our minds to the changes NYC went through from the 7os and 80s. Mexico may have been more dangerous and had worse poverty but it really seems in many areas to be on the upswing and even the homelessness is not any worse than the "reality tour" we got from Luke in Houston. Luke drove us around Houston and showed us where all the homeless sleep between shelters and under the overpass bridges. Just in case you thought poverty wasn’t an issue in the States.
We love the coast and have shifted our plans some the past two days. We found a language school in Oaxaca we decided to study at, because we spend less money if rooted in one place and we are all motivated (luckily) to improve our Spanish. This school is a month full immersion with 7 hours a day of study! Its really only 4 hours of language grammar and book work then 2 hours of various "workshops" all in Spanish like Oaxaca culture, music, cooking etc. Then one hour every day is doing an intercambio (language exchange) with a local Oaxacan. We had decided to do the month language program and then realized that would rush us off the coast and we are certain we haven’t seen some of the best parts here. According to several people beaches south of where we are now are even more incredible. So the new plan is to stay along the coast lounging in hammocks in our next paradise (this place is fun but still too busy.) we will stay five days and then head to Oaxaca for a three week intensive following the above schedule. This will give a lot of structure to our days, but give us evenings and weekends around Oaxaca to explore. We are probably not going to move south after Oaxaca to Chiapas. It is too far and the prices for travel are too high.
So we will make our way back to our car after the language school which should take about a week of travel with the stops we have in mind.
Oh, I did mail postcards and those will be the last ones anyone receives until I can mail them from the states. I mean postcards are not all that exciting anyway I just thought it would be little gifts of colorful mail while we were travelling and thinking about you all. Then I went to mail them at the post office and it cost me like 20 dollars! I had about 5 dollars (50 pesos) on the ready and then I realized I needed 180 pesos (18 dollars.) Sorry the budget doesn’t allow postcards yes I know, they are cheesy anyway.
More creepy news, someone asked Andy while he was out to breakfast with Zarha "are you on a honeymoon with your wife?" Andy was disturbed by that and wanted to say "maybe marriage is legal at age 12 here but that’s my kid!" He just said "no that’s my daughter." Then I was trying to figure out if I am thought of as Zarhas sister and Andy her husband that makes Andy and I like brother and sister in-laws....well anyway that’s just a random bizarre interaction and creepy thoughts.
I do love VW beetles even more after one magically managed to fit all three of us and our huge backpacks today. It felt like we should do the Flintstone trick of pushing it along with our feet but we didn’t need to.
I knew we hit family harmony on the trip when all three of us left, the fancy hotel Andy was reminiscing about, through the spinning glass door and we stumble out laughing because we all squeezed into the same one! We certainly spend many close days and I really like it.
Lovin yas from my happy place
d
We love the coast and have shifted our plans some the past two days. We found a language school in Oaxaca we decided to study at, because we spend less money if rooted in one place and we are all motivated (luckily) to improve our Spanish. This school is a month full immersion with 7 hours a day of study! Its really only 4 hours of language grammar and book work then 2 hours of various "workshops" all in Spanish like Oaxaca culture, music, cooking etc. Then one hour every day is doing an intercambio (language exchange) with a local Oaxacan. We had decided to do the month language program and then realized that would rush us off the coast and we are certain we haven’t seen some of the best parts here. According to several people beaches south of where we are now are even more incredible. So the new plan is to stay along the coast lounging in hammocks in our next paradise (this place is fun but still too busy.) we will stay five days and then head to Oaxaca for a three week intensive following the above schedule. This will give a lot of structure to our days, but give us evenings and weekends around Oaxaca to explore. We are probably not going to move south after Oaxaca to Chiapas. It is too far and the prices for travel are too high.
So we will make our way back to our car after the language school which should take about a week of travel with the stops we have in mind.
Oh, I did mail postcards and those will be the last ones anyone receives until I can mail them from the states. I mean postcards are not all that exciting anyway I just thought it would be little gifts of colorful mail while we were travelling and thinking about you all. Then I went to mail them at the post office and it cost me like 20 dollars! I had about 5 dollars (50 pesos) on the ready and then I realized I needed 180 pesos (18 dollars.) Sorry the budget doesn’t allow postcards yes I know, they are cheesy anyway.
More creepy news, someone asked Andy while he was out to breakfast with Zarha "are you on a honeymoon with your wife?" Andy was disturbed by that and wanted to say "maybe marriage is legal at age 12 here but that’s my kid!" He just said "no that’s my daughter." Then I was trying to figure out if I am thought of as Zarhas sister and Andy her husband that makes Andy and I like brother and sister in-laws....well anyway that’s just a random bizarre interaction and creepy thoughts.
I do love VW beetles even more after one magically managed to fit all three of us and our huge backpacks today. It felt like we should do the Flintstone trick of pushing it along with our feet but we didn’t need to.
I knew we hit family harmony on the trip when all three of us left, the fancy hotel Andy was reminiscing about, through the spinning glass door and we stumble out laughing because we all squeezed into the same one! We certainly spend many close days and I really like it.
Lovin yas from my happy place
d
Friday, February 8, 2008
Acapulco
Arriving to Acupulco is everything I dreaded and more! Ghastly dominating hotel after hotel and beaches so crowded you are tripping over people. It reminds me of how I felt about Las Vegas when Andy and I hitch hiked into that city 14 years ago.
We left the untouched wide open spaces and landed in similiar suffucating artists of scam city. Both have been necessary hubs and there is a fascination and disgust with it all. I hate the way we are preyed upon, its really the first time I have experienced this being here. People practically chase after us to give us taxi, restaurant or something else we dont want. Everything is way overpriced and the quality of goods is down from what it has been. Cut throat capitalism is thriving here. Funny because people flock here as a vacation retreat and it is the most stressful toxic place I have been. The hotels crowd the tame Acapulco bay you can hardly see the best part....the ocean.
So we found a dive of a place that was overpriced and haggled with the guy at the desk he made us pay extra for a TV that we DIDNT want and turned out NOT to work. Welcome to Acapulco.
Andy is remembering places he stayed here when he was 12 years old. He had a summer exhange with a mexican family and the father was a wealthy, overprotective (the norm here) father. They stayed at this fancy resort that we revisted today. Its plush!
it has a circular pool with a bar in the pool and amazing views ocean front. We took some photos and checked the prices. One night at this place is about 5 nights at our budget level rates.
We are heading out soon, we mostly just used this place as a practical layover. Easy access to internet, wash and hopefully a post office. I have been draging post cards around this whole time, unable to send them. We want to get to the beaches south of here less developed and less chaotic. We ought to be in Oaxaca Monday to start our Spanish class if that all works out.
The weirdest thing of all here is the big metal statue of Gandhi! He is walking in robes his gauntly legs, bones showing he has fasted and renounced longer than anyone could and still survive. This hindu saint is here in the country of excessive devout catholics, strolling down the most hectic consumeristic place in all of Mexico. I am trying to figure out why. i like that he is here. and that we are leaving soon.
We got our wash done finally. we will not be such stinky dirty Americans. we had 26 pounds of wash, i only had 3 items, and it cost 20 bucks.
oh all the taxis are VW beatles here, which seems impractical for travelers with lots of luggage.
Talk to you from Oaxaca.
love
d
Pacific coast
We made it from the near coastal town of Colima (which I think is the town with the portal to another dimension,) to the coast. However, I never did enter the other dimension some would say I am already in it so how could I find it. Either way, I know have found the dimension of my dreams! I love the coast like I knew I would. As the California coast is my happiest place ever, I think I found a new happiest-er (I need to invent new superlatives in this case!) place. Its a cabana with hammocks and a drift wood forest in front, waves so strong that when they receed over the rocks it sounds just like a gigantic rain stick.
the area is so undeveloped and uneffected by light and smog pollution you can fall into the deep stary night sky on the tidal pulls. All the cells in my body sway here with the rythm of the tide and when I meditate I feel like I am rocking, but I think I am actually still.
The bus ride into this place was a four hour race at the foot of a classicly overconfident mexican bus driver. We took all the curvy turns at what felt like 80 mph, but I was so happy that I resolved early on if my death comes over the cliff of this lush and alluring coast, I will feel complete. It was impossible to capture via photos, at that speed, but we tried. as the evening descended and the bus was still cruising it became an evening at a planitarium ride where the seats spin faster than the shifting sky. It made me a little delirous, it was exhilirating and despite the seats hardly attached to the bus and the nails poking up from the arm rest where the padding had been long ago peeled off, I was in the perfect postion.
the bus dropped us off in pitch black (no street lights out here) on the side of this cobble stone path road. we walked backpacks in tow (yes i carried my own. sigh) for just about a mile. laughing at ourselves that we were jumping at sounds in the bushes, (its not like we are in the safari) and tripping over bumps and dips until we decided to keep the flashlight on.
we stumbled on paradise (ok the Lonely Planet book kinda guided us there, but underestimated the place in my opinion) and found a cabana at an excellent price considering paradise is priceless.
we stayed two nights and contemplated how long and easily we could stay here, if we were not traveling. the money would last much longer at a sleepy coastal hideaway with just a couple family lived in and run restaurants, one store and internet that cost $3.50 hr. Thats too expensive to use, so we would just stay disconnected from the world. average cosgt is about 1 dollar an hr or 150, that was overpriced!
Honestly, I am marking that place with many many stars in my notebook, but traveling on with my itchy feet. I love the constant movement, and new discoveries. I am a natural gypsy and feel so good at this pace.
This coastal paradise did come with a strange expat travler scene of grungy surfers, old hippies and budget conscious youth. Guess what category we are fitting in these days? Folks here really stay to themselves, as we notice a lot while traveling. People are escaping something it seems in most the places we go and dont want to readily recognize fellow citizens of a shared nation. once in a while someone breaks that mold but mostly we quielty pass each other occasionaly nodding or smiling. We thought it strange we had no interaction though we were in close proximity with others.
I imagine that could become a bit of a community scene if we stayed longer, but we are not looking for that. I am looking for a future hermitage and this place could provide both. In the meantime, we pack our bags and keep heading south.
Trying to send postcards. Much harder to find a post office than I thought.
loved ones, know that you all have some chicken scratched words on a crumply postcard full of love, coming to you soon!
love
dawn
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