Well it seems my trip has come to an end. I'm now across the street from the airport paying too much for the internet with 6 hours to kill. That's ok, I like airports!
I did end up getting some dental work done. Unfortunatly, I went to late and couldn't get my tooth fixed perminatly. I need a root canel, but merely got it cleaned out and temporarly filled. Which is sweet, it doesn't hurt anymore. The dental work, basically a filling, was $30. The dentist was a nice lady with a nice little shop. The drugs she perscribed me were $20. $50 total, not bad!
I took a van to Oaxaca City (cheaper and faster). Then I decided to spoil myself and take the 1st class bus to Mexico city. Only 25 seats, full reclining seats with footstools. All the movies you want in Spanish, not one in English, but all signs were in Spanish and English. Comfortable chairs. All in all, not worth it. Should have just taken 2nd class. Now I must go a pay too much for everything, 200 peso cab ride, come on. It was only 120 for a 6 hour trip to Oaxaca City. Fucking gringo tax.
I'm looking foreward to returning and seeing/talking to everybody. I'm also looking forward to getting back to work.
Later
Monday, April 26, 2010
Monday, April 19, 2010
Still Here
Yup, still in Zipolite. Well, I'm in a house now not far from the beach. I was going to go somewhere else south, but I didn't like it and came back. I got a ride there and just went back with jeep. The guy who was driving said I could just stay at his place and I've been there for 3 nights or so. It's about a $400,000 house that overlooks the ocean and a lighthouse. The pool is being filled today. The owner is a guy from west coast USA and has 30 properties, 2 in Mexico. And no, I did't have to do any special favors to stay. I did do I little work on the house to help out but not much. I also met some other Canadians who have a condo close by. I should be there in a day or two. I haven't been playing much frisbee due to lack of coach. I did, however, aquire a new one. How can you not fit a frizbee in a backpack, I said to myself, as I took it.
Spencer, my spanish still sucks. I generally ask if they speak english first, if not I start pointing and making hand gestures. Like sheraids, but when they guess I usally don't know what their saying. I can politely ask for things. Here they mostly speak english. The toughest thing so far, in Antigua, I had to buy antibiotics from a pharmacy. 5 stores untill someone spoke english.
Spencer, my spanish still sucks. I generally ask if they speak english first, if not I start pointing and making hand gestures. Like sheraids, but when they guess I usally don't know what their saying. I can politely ask for things. Here they mostly speak english. The toughest thing so far, in Antigua, I had to buy antibiotics from a pharmacy. 5 stores untill someone spoke english.
Friday, April 16, 2010
Zipolite
I intended to stay in Zipolite for 3 days or so. 8 nights or so. What did I do? Swim, frizbee, chess, reading and eating. That sums up my time there. Ok, gotta go.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Hola
Well it s been awhile hasn t it. I got caught up with all the fun in San Cristo during Semana Santa (easter). Hoards of people go to San Cristo during this holy week, as it turns out. More venders, mostly of food. The food was basic to the area, but man to they make a good hotdog. The vender says stuff for awile and you smile and nod then for 10 pesos, you get a regular hot dog loaded with fillings and hot sause. There was a parade with scantally clad woman dancing, and a fair. Oh yes! Surprisingly, it was pretty much what I m used to back home, but in Mexico. In Mexico, they serve you beer. Bumper cars were awesome, though I felt a bit of a target, hit the gringos! As you enter the fair you find out where the t.v. sales man came from. Their selling blankets, like the guy at the auction, selling, never taking a breath, unfoldding and refolding, throughing them back and forth with the conspiror who ties them up and hands them to people as the pay, never knowing how they knew that the peolpe wanted blankets in the first place.
There was a bull fighting event, I didn t go cause we got there late. Other than that I did some shopping and now I m in Zipolite on the beach. Doing nothing. Maybe something tomorrow but no promisses. After this beach, another one. God help me!
There was a bull fighting event, I didn t go cause we got there late. Other than that I did some shopping and now I m in Zipolite on the beach. Doing nothing. Maybe something tomorrow but no promisses. After this beach, another one. God help me!
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Tullum
So I finally got to taste the ocean. The water is better than amazing. Here I have 3 other travelling companions, we´ve been moving around together for about 3 weeks now, barring El Mirador. So, we stayed in town for a few days eating the free breakfast (you have to cook it yourself, but there´s coffee, eggs, toast and pancake mix) and taking the free bus to the beach. 2 days ago the four of us got a cabana with an unobstructed ocean view. We came back for more supplies. I am actually avoiding the sun now. I´m on the verge of burn almost all the time now. That´s about it. Just been chillin on the beach. Oh yeah we went to Cancun for a day, the girls had to pick up something from fedex so I went alone for the ride and to check it out. Clearly spring break is not there, and it sucked. The resort beaches were small and dirty aswell as the number and size of the resorts ruined the view. I wish to never return there. Ok, well, time to get some beer to bring to the beach.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
El Mirador
130km in six days through the jungle! Machete swinging, fighting off Jaguars and playing with monkeys. We ate Tucans and snakes and played drinking games with scorpians.
That would have been cooler.
It was actually a pretty easy trail, because it really was a trail. At the begining it was wide enough for a car to pass. The more remote the smaller it got. Pretty level, we just had to hike for long periods of time. 2 days were eight hours and the rest were four to six.
We started at the end of the road, a small town called Carmalita. Dust and old, never before had I seen a porta potty turned into a shower. We took off from there, grateful to get out of the uncomfortable shuttle on the horrible road, headed for Tital (or something close to that spelling) the first of five ruins to be vistited. It took about 6 hours at a medium pace. My leg behind my knee cramped at the end, still fun though. Almost all the ruins on the trip wew still covered, we simply climbed the steps, simple peices of wood held in place with two stakes. When it got really steep at the top they put a rope, not always fasten to something trustworthy. The view from all were breathtaking. Jungle as far as the eye could see. After a marvolous senset, the jungle seemed to come alive. We were told though it was mainly a form of jungle chicken and possible monkeys (not howler). Never the less it was kick ass. As we stayed on the ruin, becoming a buffet for the insects, the stars slowly appeared. Not a single tree or trace of light to hamper the view.
More walking. Get in the zone and go. This is a long one, around 35km. Not much wildlife to see. You have to focus on not tripping up too much. We did see some nice birds though. We had a guide, a cook, and a muler to look after the mules who carried sustanace. On day two the cook was suppost to meet us with lunch ready. He didn´t show. Hunger took over and we ate the weakest hiker! Then the muler came up and we ate some watermelon and oranges for dessert. The guide and muler then realized that the cook could be lost, it was only his third trip after all. He showed up in time to cook us supper and blamed a lazy mule for his troubles. Flustered, he smoked a joint and comenced cooking while we set up the hammoks. We had arrived at El Mirador, said to be the first of the great Mayan cities. We had a day to check out the ruins there and have a nap. Alex the cook made an amazing vegetable soup for lunch. There were a couple of cool attractions there, my favorite was the Jaguar Temple. Said to be for the great ruler named Jaguar claws, or something like that. Also a cool stone carving was uncovered not to long ago, still perfect. It decorated the street, something nice for people to look at or a demonstration of power, either was it was nice.
Now it was time for the easy hike to Nakbe. The path leading to city, when close, actually made you feel like you close, approaching something spectacular. This made it easier for me to try and walk in with my minds eye over 2000 years behind, trying to see it in all it´s splender. We climed two temples and went another hour to a bog, where we could get water fot the mules. The bog was quite nice. It had sticks layed down on something and the reeds or whatever was growing in it were flatened so you walk on the water. The they cleared a hole so you could fill up jugs, The ruler they put in said it was three feet deep. No toilet here, watch out for snakes when your doing the duty. It rained that night, some thunder and lightning. The guide set my hammok up in the kitchen. I had the best spot that night. We want to sleep outside. Stupid rain.
Sadly there was a casualty at Nakbe. Left behind, but not forgoten. My gold rimed sun glasses. I now have new ones, but they are a sorry excuse for sun glasses, compared to the beloved gold rims. I´m happy that a man of the jungle will find them. I just hope he treats them right and gives them a nice spot to rest at night.
Another long day of hiking. I was at about 95% and feeling good. Often making the pace or speeding away for some solitude. The destination was La Florida. This camp was pimped. Thatched roof over a struture that can accomidate around 10 hammoks. Nice Kitchen set up, complete with shelves and enough seats for all. Next year all the camps will have that and admission will be charged. Lucky us, I liked the make shift set up. simple strutures with tarps pulled over.
We made it back to Carmalita easily and enjoyed a beer. A cold drink was nice even though the weather was nice to us pretty much the whole time. Not to hot.
Now I´m in Tulum, Mexico and went swiming in the ocean for the first time on my trip. It was nice but no sun. Now I´m hungery.
That would have been cooler.
It was actually a pretty easy trail, because it really was a trail. At the begining it was wide enough for a car to pass. The more remote the smaller it got. Pretty level, we just had to hike for long periods of time. 2 days were eight hours and the rest were four to six.
We started at the end of the road, a small town called Carmalita. Dust and old, never before had I seen a porta potty turned into a shower. We took off from there, grateful to get out of the uncomfortable shuttle on the horrible road, headed for Tital (or something close to that spelling) the first of five ruins to be vistited. It took about 6 hours at a medium pace. My leg behind my knee cramped at the end, still fun though. Almost all the ruins on the trip wew still covered, we simply climbed the steps, simple peices of wood held in place with two stakes. When it got really steep at the top they put a rope, not always fasten to something trustworthy. The view from all were breathtaking. Jungle as far as the eye could see. After a marvolous senset, the jungle seemed to come alive. We were told though it was mainly a form of jungle chicken and possible monkeys (not howler). Never the less it was kick ass. As we stayed on the ruin, becoming a buffet for the insects, the stars slowly appeared. Not a single tree or trace of light to hamper the view.
More walking. Get in the zone and go. This is a long one, around 35km. Not much wildlife to see. You have to focus on not tripping up too much. We did see some nice birds though. We had a guide, a cook, and a muler to look after the mules who carried sustanace. On day two the cook was suppost to meet us with lunch ready. He didn´t show. Hunger took over and we ate the weakest hiker! Then the muler came up and we ate some watermelon and oranges for dessert. The guide and muler then realized that the cook could be lost, it was only his third trip after all. He showed up in time to cook us supper and blamed a lazy mule for his troubles. Flustered, he smoked a joint and comenced cooking while we set up the hammoks. We had arrived at El Mirador, said to be the first of the great Mayan cities. We had a day to check out the ruins there and have a nap. Alex the cook made an amazing vegetable soup for lunch. There were a couple of cool attractions there, my favorite was the Jaguar Temple. Said to be for the great ruler named Jaguar claws, or something like that. Also a cool stone carving was uncovered not to long ago, still perfect. It decorated the street, something nice for people to look at or a demonstration of power, either was it was nice.
Now it was time for the easy hike to Nakbe. The path leading to city, when close, actually made you feel like you close, approaching something spectacular. This made it easier for me to try and walk in with my minds eye over 2000 years behind, trying to see it in all it´s splender. We climed two temples and went another hour to a bog, where we could get water fot the mules. The bog was quite nice. It had sticks layed down on something and the reeds or whatever was growing in it were flatened so you walk on the water. The they cleared a hole so you could fill up jugs, The ruler they put in said it was three feet deep. No toilet here, watch out for snakes when your doing the duty. It rained that night, some thunder and lightning. The guide set my hammok up in the kitchen. I had the best spot that night. We want to sleep outside. Stupid rain.
Sadly there was a casualty at Nakbe. Left behind, but not forgoten. My gold rimed sun glasses. I now have new ones, but they are a sorry excuse for sun glasses, compared to the beloved gold rims. I´m happy that a man of the jungle will find them. I just hope he treats them right and gives them a nice spot to rest at night.
Another long day of hiking. I was at about 95% and feeling good. Often making the pace or speeding away for some solitude. The destination was La Florida. This camp was pimped. Thatched roof over a struture that can accomidate around 10 hammoks. Nice Kitchen set up, complete with shelves and enough seats for all. Next year all the camps will have that and admission will be charged. Lucky us, I liked the make shift set up. simple strutures with tarps pulled over.
We made it back to Carmalita easily and enjoyed a beer. A cold drink was nice even though the weather was nice to us pretty much the whole time. Not to hot.
Now I´m in Tulum, Mexico and went swiming in the ocean for the first time on my trip. It was nice but no sun. Now I´m hungery.
Friday, March 12, 2010
Change of Plans
Ok, change of plans. Instead of going to Belize I'm going to go on a 6 day hike to a ruin called El Mirador. Said to be the first and most impressive Mayan site. El Tigre (close enough) is said to be 78 meters high. We set off at six am tomorrow to walk all day in the blistering heat. The trip includes all food and water, plus someone to cook. Donkeys carry the gear, all I carry is a daypack with personal belongings. My big pack is stored in town as part off the deal. Then I'm going to skip Honduras and Nicaragua because I don't feel I gave Mexico a fair shake. So then I'm going to go to the Caribbean to to finally taste the salt water.
Cheers!
Cheers!
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