tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55363787204024440392024-02-20T15:40:28.586-08:00Maria en MexicoThis was a blog as I was trippin Mexico for 5 months in 2010.
In a high-tech monuevre, I am going to go crazy with the photo-adding. Watch this space...Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger72125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5536378720402444039.post-10581107242394230682014-05-24T03:52:00.002-07:002014-05-24T03:52:32.984-07:00ME. <b id="docs-internal-guid-242bbe50-2ddb-898a-dc6e-3fca6e603e40" style="font-weight: normal;"></b><br />
<b id="docs-internal-guid-242bbe50-2ddb-898a-dc6e-3fca6e603e40" style="font-weight: normal;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is an ‘about me’ because my ‘about me’ in my NOMAD’s application wasn’t the best. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I took off like a race horse talking about my life, family, hobbies and travels. And then before I knew it thousands of words were on the page, which the strict word count wouldn’t allow. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I drafted and drafted until all the actual information about me was out of it, and there was little that explained anything about myself… somehow the meat was removed, and the fluff remained. </span></div>
<br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I rewrote it a few days back. It was thoughtful, relatively concise. But I didn’t save it, and neither did my computer (who usually saves me - and my work - from heartache), unfortunately all the disk space is taken up with my photos of Mexico. </span></div>
<br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I am a ‘creative’. I say it like this because it explains a lot. It explains my brain - completely right-sided. It explains my hobbies: acting (good), photography (I wish better), singing (okay), painting (average), dancing (terrible), writing (I’m trying), poetry (improving) and my often-described ‘colourful’ personality. </span></div>
<br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The other strong driver of my personality is that I’m an oreo middle-child. In the past my shy, quiet brothers were in the background, so I was centre-stage. My issue is that one is starting a singing career, and the other is a well-known young comedian. And I want my spotlight back! </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">No, what I really mean is; my brothers are pursuing their creative dreams. </span></div>
<br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My favourite thing is travel. To have the ability to land somewhere and see and learn so much is incredible. The two degrees I’ve studied - in a round about way - come back to that: International Relations / Development Studies / Cultural Anthropology and Hospitality Management. They come back to an interest in development, first world/third world, war, peace, cultures, travel, tourism. </span></div>
<br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I was always going into journalism. Two weeks before Uni started, I went on an educational trip to Cambodia and my focus completely changed. My eyes were open to other people’s lives, cultures and travel. When I was 20 I went to Mexico for 6 months, solo. The colours, food, customs and artisans are impossible to not fall in love with. Since I left, I’ve been planning my return. </span></div>
<br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Despues Mexico, I headed for the highlands. I (somewhat accidentally) ended up in Central Scotland. Half way through, I decided it was time to ‘settle down’ and head back to New Zealand. Julia is now a doctor, Frankie is a lawyer and Ashleigh is a teacher. Friends have boyfriends and leases and promotions. After 6 months in New Zealand, I had to go back. I was half way through my UK visa, and realised that for me ‘settling down’ wouldn’t be an option. </span></div>
<br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I can’t write about Scotland yet - the heartbreak is too raw. I was so lucky to walk the dark, cobbled streets of Edinburgh everyday - I was never bored. There was too much history and beauty and art. I’m living in the Scot’s country now, in Otago. Maybe the bagpipes and cold of down here drew me back. </span></div>
<br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My Dad is from down here - he was a restauranter. I take after him with business sense, sensitivity and my volume. I take after my English-teacher mother with my writing, stubbornness and social anxiety. </span></div>
<br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Post-Scotland I headed to Hawai’i. It was a bittersweet place, which studying ethnic studies, politics and women’s studies there highlighted. There I discovered poetry that I understood: slam. Theatre + good writing + highlighting social and private issues = new love. </span></div>
<br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I left high school wanting to write. I floated around learning a lot and have returned to a strong will to write. Some kind of cross between Christiane Amanpour and Carrie Bradshaw on an aeroplane. Or boat, or bus or elephant. As long as I’m moving and can see out the window, I’m comfortable. My suitcase is always packed. As long as I have enough money for a one-way ticket, I’m secure. As long as my passport is valid, I’m home. </span></b>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5536378720402444039.post-29363068936866453372014-05-21T22:20:00.001-07:002014-05-21T22:20:39.865-07:00An important lesson in 'Control Save'Again, I have broken my heart and the hearts of dozens (exaggeration) of readers. <div>
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I wrote a huge backstory, about my parents and my 'artist' brothers and my travel life and a huge piece on my mindset over the past 5 years. </div>
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However, now I can't find it. </div>
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I have no idea how I can write for 2 hours, + 8-odd poems, and at no point save it! </div>
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Some people. </div>
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My weekend from work is now through, but I'll try again. Wish I could have the original so I could actually edit it - for once! </div>
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Oh well. </div>
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Life goes on, aye Lianne Rhimes. </div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5536378720402444039.post-9336297266502290652011-02-02T02:02:00.000-08:002011-02-02T02:04:02.204-08:00Photos to comeI got lazy when I got back from Mexico. It is hard to get back to real life!<br /><br />I only have just uploaded my photos, but will post hopefully MANY on here...<br />Please check back next week!<br /><br />SALUDUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5536378720402444039.post-9742893805577005012010-11-29T12:58:00.000-08:002011-02-02T20:19:06.356-08:00Guanajuato, Guanajuato --> Blog 70Almost every town and city in Mexico is predictably set out. In the classic grid form of streets means that usually the Cathedral and Zocalo (park... always beside or in front of the church) is easily found. <div>One exception of this was Cancun town, a newer place, that just runs off a highway. The other exception was Guanajuato. </div><div>Guanajuato is classic and European and beautiful. I am not completely sure if it is European actually, but what I presume to be European (athough in reality, they could all be considered European coz they were all designed by the Spaniards).. with windy paths to homes, without room for cars or many people. It isn't with fences, but the walls of the various brightly coloured homes ...</div><div>The street has some beautiful yellow and pink churches, cafes, shops, a park and a theatre - Teatro Juarez. When I arrived it was Sunday so there were people everywhere, picnicking and watching artists, buskers and street-chalkers. There is a statue of a man up on the hill, with a gondala up to it... I walked. Boy, was that steep. And long, I didn't go straight up, but around. I got to the top - parched as. Luckily there was a little home-dairy at the top. It was stilted, looking like it was out of a film. Because it was on the hill, overlooking the whole beautiful, colourful city - it must have an amazing view. There was no one in the 'shop', which like so many others was just part of their home. I, with my cold water in hand, walked through to the family room where the lady was changing a babies nappy on the ground. </div><div>I was tiptoeing and really awkward, coz I was just standing in her house. In un-parched, NZ situations, I would've bolted. But here, I was thirsty and Mexican. </div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div>The view from that Statue is ridiculous.. so beautiful and postcardesque. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5536378720402444039.post-34014298940024020982010-11-23T10:10:00.001-08:002012-10-04T05:08:14.642-07:00To Ti ot wa ti can. (Teotihuacan) then SMdAI have never pronounced the Aztec kingdom ruins correctly. I have asked many a Mexican for directions, to which the response is always ¡Donde? - Where?<br />
Then I expand with words.. Aztec... Piramides... Zona Arquelogica. I got there, on a local bus, which I took from the same Mexico North bus station that by this time I was familiar with. The bus stations have luggage storage, which varies in price. I was thrilled to learn that in Mex City it was $1.50 NZ for my bag for 24 hours. Count those pennies girl!<br />
Teotihuacan is great - there is not much art to it (anymore) but there are two large pyramids that, unlike in Chichen Itza, you can still climb. It was beautiful, it is more desert-country up there, just north of Mexico city. On the way I saw people camped out in a park in the middle of the highway... and lining up for food. I am curious because they did not seem homeless, in the sense that the tents and clothing were not of a homeless level. Is possible though of course.. people here manage to keep their clothes freakishly clean for a very dusty country.<br />
The strangest thing I saw there was an obese man who was climbing the highest, Piramide of the Moon, in a suit. The climate was not intensely hot, but the sun definately was. 248 steps, 48 meters up.. you do not attempt this wearing a suit.. if your fitness level is not up to scratch, you take water and pace yourself. He had made it half way up and was lying, face-down in the dust. Why he was wearing a suit to start up with is beyond me, why he made such a dramatic gesture is too..1st step I thought would have been to remove the jacket. Anyways, I was coming down the hill, still a fair bit away (do not know how long he was there for), when someone asked if he was okay .. he was all ¨Agua...¨ pointing at strangers, who were forced into giving there water. I was going to offer the little I had originally..but when he didn{t use manners and didn´t remove his jacket all I could think was that this drama queen needs to learn to fend for herself.<br />
Another interesting thing I saw in the park that was un-Mexican-history related was Africans in the form of Somalian Mayors. All the African people I have seen here have stood out like me, apart from the obvious, because they are tall. I was looking up at some of the name tags on their chests to even detirmine who they where. I am not sure why they had conference neck bands... what could possibly be the reason for mayors of African towns to end up in Teot. in Mexico? No se. In thinking about it though, there has been a lot of random conferences on while I have been here.... None of which I can remember the names or themes... all too random. Remember thinking, ´how on earth did these people sign up for this?´.<br />
Teot. Right, loved it .. thought it was fab. Do not know jack about Aztec´s really, but my patience is thin at this point, week 17, in Mexico. So post-reading while I sing Feliz Navidad and eat Old El Paso, thinking how un-mexican it really is, but how that company suceeded in creating new foods with actual Comida Mexicana names....tricking the world...<br />
From here I bused back to Mexi Norte, then on to San Miguel de Allende which was leaving conveniently soon. I think they played the movie Óld Dogs´where there was a double-homicide of the careers of John Travolta and Robin Williams (two of my childhood faves for obvious roles.. Danny Zucko and Mrs Doubtfire).. for the third time on one of the buses I had been on. Disappointing. I guess I must have slept or read?<br />
In Puebla I could not read one night so read a book ´(from the book exchange= about a reality tv show of girls in Hollywood. I was all .. this sounds familiar - like the real reality show The Hills - well, turns out it was written by the star of that very show. I read it knowing it was pretty trash.. did not take concentration. Unfortunately, it also did not put me to sleep. This was not the reason, a mixture of my life events playing in my head and a sadness for my last Mexicanas dias was making me all ´What next in life´?<br />
I arrived in San Miguel de Allende at about 12am.. turns out what I guess was about a 2 and a half hour ride was actually 5. 12am, you may be thinking, what an awkward time to show up at a hostel. Yes, it was. Turns out that it is less of a hostel, more of a guy´s house. Not only did my taxi driver wake him up by searching and succeeding with the bell, but there were many a time where I to walk through to my room, disturbed his salsa lessons...<br />
´Maria, what are you doing there?´<br />
´Oh heeey, just hiding.. waiting til you are finished...did not want to disturb you..´ ´´Well you already have´<br />
´sorry!?!´. AWKWARD.<br />
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Lets talk about manners in hostels. My roommate in SMdA needs to learn a thing or to. I go to bed, knackered from the hours spent in Puebla reading trash and thinking trash for many-an-hour, which was in a very cold room. Because of the temperature (and the church next door having a very loud and continuous party).. and went to sleep. Woke up freezing in the middle of the night... my roommate opened all the windows (and door).. Fine for her, I spat, she has lots of blankets (I had the one I was delegated). I then had another awkward Salsa class interruption..´But there are 5 extra blankets in the room´he said, ´She is using them all´ I explained, tired and bitter. So no matter that the other person will freeze, I want air and I am cozy in my snuggly blankies. American.<br />
SMdA was beaut though. Before I came here Mum´s friend called with news of a Doco on expats in SM (aka Extranjeros) on Maori channel. I have confidence in places where expats end up... it must be good if they left their lives in a 1st world country (and for most, ´the best country in the world´their words, not mine) to a third (?) world country. It was beaut. I arrived on the 20th (Revolution 100th Anniversary by the way) which meant a parade. Fiesta! Which meant kids dancing and dressed like the fighters and heroes of this time. Which meant a ball full of cuteness and impressive fun, which each primaria escuela trying to outdo the last. And that they kept doing. Watched a brill 1 1/2 hour parade sitting on the street between tweens and woman, baby and grandma... one school had paintings made up of pieces that the students where holding. They had 8 seconds to out in together, 8 seconds to take it apart, 8 seconds to run to a new location and flip the cards for a new pic... and so on. They counted aloud.. I do not know how long they rehearsed for this, but I assure you it was more impressive than I make out.<br />
5 year old Kids dressed as fancy 1910 outfits (boys with moustaches, girls with frilly umbrellas) will remain one of the cutest things I will ever see. I think I have harped on about how Mexican kids are the cutest in the world. I love the community spirit, where everyone in the town is either involved or watching.Teachers and parents were walking along the side of theparade with water and cups... oranges too. It was a long parade for those kids, in the boiling sun.<br />
The iceblock man also comes along ringing his bell. He was stopped by me for about 20 minutes because everyone was running up to him. Every single person bought one, so at 30c this tightass did too. It was a Mango Yoghurt one and it was delicious. I think I have mentioned that Mexicans snack a lot. Mexican food is healthy, fresh with veges.. BUT then they snack on the sugaryish stuff.. Coca Cola, but also donuts and chips and these yogurt blocks. All the OXXO dairy's have these 'BIMBO' bread products (funny name, but they are one of the widest distributed food companies in the world... I think behind Kraft and Nestle and Unilever. And I thgink I have bust this out before... I like facts. Anyways, Bimbo products range from packaged Bread with a layer of sugar ontop to cream-filled cakes with jam and icing. There was a sign in Mexico city sayingthat 5 people die of diabetes in Mexico everyhour.. shocker. I think this info is regurgetated too.. I always repeat myself.<br />
Back to San Miguel, the inner city is BEAUT and colourful and in close quarters... it is obvious that in central town all these beautiful homes and B&Bs are owned by expats. After the parade I had $20 pesos aka $2ish, so the mission of finding an ATM became main priority. I got sent to different places by different people, then got a map and booklet from the Info place and left it in the internet cafe whilst writing on this very blog.. so backtracked to the centre for a new set, after failing to find the right bus stop out to where my bank was, with a huge MEGA supermarket (that is the brand.. expat supers here..the logo is a pelican) and huge Roast chicken takeout and fastfood and playground extravaganza. That is a very popular meal choice here in Mexico.. I didn't realise in PV but travelling around it becomes obvious.. these restaurants with 'Pollo Rosado' are huge. One easy way to feed the fam, they have large ovens out the front of the shop with lots of chickens with huge skewers through them on rotate. You can also get tortillas and salad with.. they are good at fastfood here. DI A BE TES<br />
The next day I awoke early for walking the streets before jumping over to Guanajuato, the town with the namesake of the state. No one was about yet, as shops and people don't start moving till 10, but there was an excentric older American man.. a painter. Musical reference: Chicago. Anyways, I once again had a 'conversation' with an American where they toldme their life story and I was just standing there with what was originally genuine interest, morphing into pure frustration at the fact they don't even give me the time to open my mouth.. anyways, at 68 it was a long history, then he took me to this bridge with a lookout point where he pointed out everything that has been new in the 10 years he has been there for. He doesn't like living there. Once again it was a 'why?' from me, although I don't know if I managed to actually get that word in or whether he just wasn't listening, but I didn;t get an answer right away. He is returning to St Louis in 2 years to study art in Uni again (which he has done in SL, Texas, NYC and Chicago, to show you how longwinded this all was).. I have found the hard thing with asking an older american where they are from, is that none of the ones in Mexico have lived in one place. The are the restless ones who jumped around 10 different cities until they gave up on the US and jumped ship. I wonder how the Mexicans feel at how easily these yanks get in, wander across the boarder, when getting the other way is deadly.<br />
When he told me he was going to St Louis, I sang the line of the song, Meet me in StLouis - Dorothy style - then he sang it in it's full, twice (turns out it is a full length song), as I stood there awkwardly forced grinning and nodding in time.<br />
Anyways, he asked me if he could do a picture of me, I was all 'Why me?' and he said he only asks foreigners (?) and hasn't seen any in a while. I figured this would be a facial portrait with me pulling a dramatic expression - so was in. It was then revealed, as we walked to his studio he revealed he did nude bodies. Anyone who knows me knows that this, after childbirth, is my 2nd worst nightmare. A wave of boiling hot rushed over me and panic rose, I literally lied and said my bus was actually in an hour and RAN in the other direction. Dios Mio!<br />
'I didn't do it, but if I'd done it - how can you tell me that I was wrong? ' (Ref# 2) ... you could defs tell me I was wrong, but I was all 'I didn't do it' which linked nicely as the Chicago song reappeared in my head...<br />
Once again I jumped on a local bus with my stuff, completely unsure where my stop was (I knew where the station was, but the man at my 'hostel' aka the guy who's life I was disrupting said I have to get off after 3 stops and walk. This, of course, was false information. A nice man was helping me though. Mexicans always are on the bus looking depressed, but leap to life when it looks someone needs help...(it is just important that your helpful mexican has the facts and is not just a guesser)... the other day in PV an American yelled on the bus asking where the supermarket (by American brand name ..Soriana) was and he replied 'just across the road.. you can walk'... whereas it is actually up the <em>highway, </em>about a 10 minute drive. I have walked this, never seen anyone else walk it though.<br />
The cool thing while I was in SM was that the church next door was partying through the night and day of the 20-21st. Not cool in the night, with the Mariachi band going nuts with lots of drummers, but in the morning and day was quite exciting. Me and the American lady in my room awoke at about 5.30 am to what sounded like gunfire. It was so loud and aggressive, that I (half asleep) just dove onto the floor thinking 'this is it.. I have finally experienced Mexican danger and now no one I know will ever visit...'. I have dramatic reactions to things.. in one of the many mid-night fire alarms in my hostel at Uni; I jumped out of bed, ran down the hall shouting 'fire alarm'to make sure everyone was awake, knocked on a few neighbours doors, then ran out in a not-good-practise way. I was the fool as my feet and body froze in the winter weather in my Mickey Mouse PJS, when everyone else got out calmly, taking robes, jackets, blankets and slippers with them.<br />I would still like to think in a real fire, one must high-tail it out.<br />
Anyways, they were fireworks. Lots and lots of fireworks. Tried to go back to sleep, but they let them off like gun work every 15 minutes. Later in the afternoon, after my escape from nudist painter, they had indigenous drums and whistles out and about 20 people in elabourate colourful and feathered costumes where dancing their socks off. It was great - the Mariachi band (the same guys too,..in orange jackets) were still playing so it was hard on the ears, but beaut to watch. I wonder where the Indigenous and religious worlds colided and what it was that they were celebrating.<br />Regardless, it was colourful, cultural and beautiful.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5536378720402444039.post-80705423359714962972010-11-21T17:31:00.000-08:002010-12-03T12:57:42.824-08:00Puebla, the ¨¨Pueblo¨¨At least this is what I was told, therefore had imagined in my head (something I think I have mentioned I am trying to stop as it gives me false hope... I have a fun imagination.)<br /><br />Pueblo in spanish is Town... not city. I have heard a lot of Puebla, my teacher Claudia was a fan, including my Aus pals. But they all called it a Pueblo. It is the Religious capital of Mexico, with 365 churches (apparently).. because the churches celebrate anniversarys, this also makes it a party capital. No, in actual fact - there are a lot of nuns and not a lot of noise.<br /><br />The thing is, town in my head - Nelson doesn{t even qualify. We are talking Motueka, Collingwood even (or is that acommunity?)... Puebla has over 1.5 million people! We are talking Auckland!<br /><br />Anyways, it was different to my head (aka all the buildings were double storied, with the churches hidden amongst them), but stunning all the same. Since Mexico city I have struggled to take 2 steps without taking a phot, I even found myself deleting lots of grey D.F ones to make room for the beautiful colours of the buildings (D.F is Mexico City region, as my teacher said ¨Like Washington - D.C.... D.F, Like Washington).<br />The hostel there was soooo beautiful . It was double storied with a courtyard in the middle. After my Mexi-Hostel tour I have been thinking that that is what I want to do in the future.. one of the many things. In saying that, I have also decided where I want to retire... without having graduated. So I am getting slightly ahead of myself. I do not think far in the future though usually... hell, I booked my flight for Mexico 5 days before.<br />I told my parents I was going back to School in Aus for 2nd year ..2 years before? Same with my 1st year of Uni... I have just realised this, I may have a problem.<br /><br />So, apologies for hardly ever talking about Mexico on my Bloga Mexicana.<br /><br />Back to it, I got on the bus after arriving in Puebla (the station is huge, hint that maybe this place is bigger than I thought?) at about 8pm. Jumped on the bus outside labelled Centro, as always.<br />I didn{t know where to get off, but saw this backpacker jump off and just followed him.<br />The Hostel is advertised as Puebla{s first and only, so figured he was heading there too.<br />He was... and although I forget his name, he was a nice French boy with a Travel Guide. He wasn{t using it, saying he was bad at using maps. So he insisted we ask around for the location.<br />Once again, the Mexicans were lovely and willing to help... but not too helpful. Many a circles were walked in as each person had different theories.<br /><br />I took charge with the map, as Maps are kinda my talent, leading us straight for it. He still insisted on asking some Policemen, so we took the way they thought as opposed to what I thought. It was wrong of course, I wanted to do a ´told you so¨ dance, but remembered that this guy was not one of my brothers, but a French stranger I had only just met. I don¨t mind my brothers thinking I´m annoying.<br /><br />Anyways, the kids from the schools danced and the Phil. orch. performed (I saw them practicing in a museum terrace earlier in the day. I went to another Museum, I don{t know what it was really..it was called house of someone and it was basically an old mansion with treasures in it. I went coz I asked the girl at the desk for the best Museums. I also went to one involved in the Revolution, appropriate because it was the day before - where an important family involved.. I think it was the Hildagos? Lived in during, it still has all the bullet holes on the outside wall.. that was thrilling enough!<br />A Mariachi band also performed.,... for hours. The Mexicans really love it.. the overweight-moustached man (opera singer ish) with the high Mariachi pants cracks jokes and they eat it up. They do the classics and everyone sings along. I really love the Mariachi bands. They are everywhere at night. I actually came across this random park in Mexico city, slightly north of the tourist route, where it was like a meeting place for them. They were all hanging around, some wihth intruments, some without.. with their uniforms, one colour (high pants with a cool jacket) embellished up the sides and shoulders with another colour - usually gold or silver.<br /><br />I have been eating a lot of street food as of late, as I am spending $35 pesos, a bit over $3.50 on food. The way to do this with ease, is to eat food from stalls. I have become a whorey traveller - I think I explained earlier that whorey is stank, as in crappy... not prostitutesque.<br />This is because I packed next to none clothes (still where my trusty stockings eveyday.. usually to be soon... whorey), came with only a bar of soap and deod. No shampoo (my hair has DIED..I unravelled it in Puebla (without a brush.. why remake it everyday? it stayed in a ball onthe top of my head), it was like straw. I have never had good hair care, but next to the huge knot I got when I was ten and had to get cut out, this is a Maria Williams´ hair lowpoint.<br />I also don{t have face wash, so there goes my clear skin, or moisturiser... had a small tub on sunscreen which lasted me about a day.. anywho, part of this is because my carryon bag is small, part is because I am lazy anyways, part is because I thought the airplane wouldn{t like liquids (some do not, becuase they are intl and domestic.. everyone has to follow intl rules).<br />I have my toothbriush, although my teeth do not feel clean. They have not the whole time I have been here... worrying?<br /><br />It was a nice change from Mexico City, this wasmore my kinda place. I did not accomplish much there, butI am at the point where I like doing nothing. Just sitting with the locals.<br />Long and shortof it, Puebla was beautiful, different to how I had pictured it, thanks to my Mexicanos. In all seriousness though, I love Mexicans.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5536378720402444039.post-46096696178970375532010-11-20T14:43:00.000-08:002010-11-21T15:30:44.037-08:00Dias de los Museos and Metro<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGeqK6NfT12dQVq2UIHJyxueVlqg-ljCxJTq6fzH4_P-OBFTaLKMfrHm8xNxoGmGW2jR8tOdu_dZdHXPozLPfhMncKUvoNeozGsVnvlv9IxxYlCsVCJ1fV3yDhRf8IrFenlu3yWdir3xY/s1600/98890.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGeqK6NfT12dQVq2UIHJyxueVlqg-ljCxJTq6fzH4_P-OBFTaLKMfrHm8xNxoGmGW2jR8tOdu_dZdHXPozLPfhMncKUvoNeozGsVnvlv9IxxYlCsVCJ1fV3yDhRf8IrFenlu3yWdir3xY/s320/98890.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5541774945930318754" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9CsCtnLfwfuQjUjmvap_-2LdViV2Rk-J3RhCXVyIF2WatKz4CI_BYmRYwBa9JaULAMU1suru9NBAQzVVdmavqKhAmKViQdg3haSLrtGVfW-DcJwBza84idalcme0WL91Wt0NEVjbobpk/s1600/saturnino-herran---mpba.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9CsCtnLfwfuQjUjmvap_-2LdViV2Rk-J3RhCXVyIF2WatKz4CI_BYmRYwBa9JaULAMU1suru9NBAQzVVdmavqKhAmKViQdg3haSLrtGVfW-DcJwBza84idalcme0WL91Wt0NEVjbobpk/s320/saturnino-herran---mpba.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5541774940397710706" border="0" /></a><br />Okay,<div><br /></div><div>So I am trying to hustle this bustle as I am miles (days) behind.</div><div>I actually came online here in San Miguel de Allende, to look at where the Scotia Atm is as I once again find myself up a stream without a paddle, or more literally, in a city without money (of course, I have asked 3 different people for directions or location and gotten 3 COMPLETELY different answers... ) . </div><div><br /></div><div>HAPPY DIA DE LA REVOLUTION!! 100 years today.</div><div>I Have been celebrating by singing ONE DAY MORE from Les Mis, in SPanish (well, trying).</div><div>More about that when I get to it... still got Puebla...</div><div><br /></div><div>Note to self: Still must write about Puerto Vallarta return aka the ride with the drug dealer and what could be considered a semi-whorish teen beauty pageant. </div><div><br /></div><div>Anyways, I spent the other day, Wenesday, in 4 different museums. Firstly, the Anthropology Museum... people say you need 3 hours here, which you do - unless you walk fast and don´t read stuff. I appreciate Mexican culture, bit I have read so much that I feel I have learnt nothing. My brain cannot contain all the dozens of cultures and indigenous and histories. One day I might read a book on it or something. </div><div><br />It was great - lots on the different cultures, all divided by location, as well as all the best artifacts from the ruins... Aztec <i>and</i> Mayan and Oaxacan too. Up until now I had no contact with the Aztecs, they have very different items, used less scultures in the buildings but more paint and paintings. This is just what I have gathered, don´t quote me. Well, you could quote me, it is not like any historian or anthropologist would take what I have to say seriously. </div><div><br /></div><div>I have an embarassing admission. I am a unstoppable cryer-crier (you think I would know how to spell this) and my love of Mexican culture mixed with a sadness to be leaving this great country in what was 8 days, let a few tears loose... in the museum. I am happy with the fact that I may be the first person who can say they have cried in the Mexican Museum of Anthropology (kids or injured not included). </div><div><br /></div><div>Next outside I saw the guys do this entertaining thing where 4 of them hang from a pole as the may-day around it, upside down, playing instruments. Now, THAT is entertainment. I sneakily left my bag in the bag holding place (Pantenaria? I think, I use them everyday (all stores, supermarkets etc have them) but haven´t paid too close attention to the formal name. I love that it has one though. It is close to the name for a Bread shop... Panderia?. Anyways, I went over to the Museum of Modern art to see Frida. Alas, she had left and hadn´t even sent me a note! And I thought we were close. I had been at her house only the day before. </div><div><br /></div><div>Modern art aint really my thing. I like paintings that take skill in painting. Which is why I appreciated the next museum that I metroed to - The Museum of Popular art. They have a museum for everything in Mexico CIty. ¨Everything´s up to date in Mexi City.. they´ve gone about as far as they can go¨... I missioned through this one (note, due to my ID i don´t have to pay.,.. if I was payin, I´d be stayin), loving the special display of Pinatas made by artists, and a Revolution display involving art and items of Emiliano Zapato and Frankie Villa - the fathers of it. </div><div><br /></div><div>Next I headed to the Institute of Bella Artes, which is one of the main attractions, coz of it´s outer beauty. Inside, there are murals by the famous old artists of Mexico, namely Diego Riveria again... which I had to pay $30 pesos to photograPH! I sucked it in though, since once again, my Student ID got me through the door. I say in Spanish ¨I am a Student of Oaxaca¨, but sometimes leave off the Oaxaca, so they racistly say ¨But not of Mexico¨and then I whip it out. BooYah. Just joking about the racism.. generally, apart from Indig issues down South, Mexicans are very open and there are various references to my pals Ghandi and MLK jr through out the place. There were African slaves that came here, wonder why there aren´t African-Mexicans? Cos there wasn´t this segregation BS.. they didn´t live in Negro.Ville, or whatever the community of migrants was in my mum´s city. </div><div><br /></div><div>Anyways, there is usually other displays there - including one of Riverias, but they were closed at the moment. My typical luck. There was one of a Man - Saturnino Herran (accent above A), which was brilliant. He is what I mean by talented - especially with Crayons and Pastel... he made them look SO real... he did a lot of people´s faces, which is my fave. He did some beutiful ones of Mayan people too.. he really gets the skin and features in perfect colour and shape. He had also done a lot of the same pictures, but done them closer up and with other mediums. No photos allowed here unfortunately, but I just added two up the top - first with Crayon CRAZZYY. </div><div><br /></div><div>So it was getting on in the day, time for me to get to Puebla. I was originally going to go the day before, but the closed-city monday threw those plans. So I went down to the metro, for the billionth time, taking 3 different lines North, which I hadn´t taken before. This was to get to the bus station, the same one I had taken to Oaxaca in September - my first Mex travel extravaganza. By this time I was confident with the Metro, although I noticed at my first, busy stop that there was a strong police presence and that there was a ladies and girls only section. I was lining up for the train when 3 men, one Smart-Casual and two in suits came and pulled me aside. They said they were security, I looked at the policeman (with a shield and baton) for confirmation, he didn´t comment - but he let me go too, so I trusted all was well. </div><div>They took me a wee way to the security office, at this time I was just panicked trying to get to the bus station and get to Puebla - angry at myself that I was getting there a day late already.<br />They wanted me to pack away my Camera, as they said someone will cut the cord from around my neck.<br />I hear my Dad doing his token scoff now.<br />I know, I was naive. I felt so stupid, as these 5 or so men looked down at me. I was apologising in my broken spanish, trying to not sound like too much of a stupid tourist.<br />I had gotten cocky.<br />I must have come across as very upset, because one of the men got mad at the others - saying they had been to scary with me.They actually hadn{t, but kept apologising and saying things like ¨We wouldn{t want your experience in Mexico to be ruined´ and ¨We want you to enjoy yourself here¨, they were very nice.<br />I was more relieved than scared, grateful for the good people in this country who continue to look out for and help me. For every bad person wanting to cut my camera, there are at least 100,000 people who go out of their way for you.<br />It did not occur to me that someone would have scissors in the metro, I thought around my neck was actually safer than in my bag with someone could grab.<br />A TLC song comes to mind ¨Dumb, Dumb, Dumb¨.<br /><br />I thanked them, shook all there hands, but they weren{t letting me go alone. So, I had two security escorts with me, in the crowded ¨Women and Children only¨ cart. One in a Tan suit, with an official badge, the other ´Undercover´in a blue polo. And so, they travelled on three different lines with me, asking me questions about my life as we walked from one to the other (one walk was about 2 km long, with a blacked out area with lots of police in it.. I don{t know why). My undercover man took me right out of the metro and into the bus station. I was very grateful, but moreso<span style="font-style: italic;"> touched</span> by their kindness.<br /><br />Note to Future Mexico tourists: Do not be afraid to ride the metro. But, be weary off the normal toursit track, e.g. anything north of Bella Artes, this is where it turned a bit scary...<br /></div><div><br /></div><div></div><div style=""><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;font-size:medium;" ><br /></span></span></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5536378720402444039.post-38340767581919051352010-11-20T14:33:00.000-08:002010-11-20T14:43:53.022-08:00Part Dos - MEETING SWISS BALLS<p>PART DOS:</p><p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; border-collapse: collapse; "></span></p><div>Wish I could have taken photos, there was a range of art tributes to the heroes of Mexico, but all my faves included battle scenes or meeting scenes</div><div>with very delicately made and painted figurines. What an art - literally here kids!</div><div> </div><div>I homed it via Metro, the 3rd time at night (I trust people too much), but all was well. Took my usual route back to the hostel through the gay bondage market. </div><div>I was on the computer checking my emails, resting my feet, reading about NZ news, Wills and Kate´s engagement (why are we all so fascinated?) and </div><div>talking with a porn star. </div><div> </div><div>WHAT??</div><div> </div><div>Oh yes, let me elabourate, but in an abridged form (that still counts right?) </div><div>I was talking to the guy at the desk, Christian, who has been the source of some of my misinformation. I don´t know where it came from but here it goes:</div><div><b>¨I hate people in LA... ¨</b>¨¨</div><div>Do you live there?</div><div><b>Yeah, but I hate it - girls roll up your sleeve to see if you are wearing an expensive watch before they talk to you¨</b></div><div>So why do you live there?</div><div><b>That´s where you have to be if you´re an actor</b></div><div>Ohh.. you´re an actor?</div><div><b>Well, kinda. I am actually the best porn star in the world at the moment¨</b></div><div>WHHATTT</div><div>(laughs)</div><div><b>It´s true, Google me.</b></div><div>(laughs, while googling)</div><div>How did you get into that?</div><div><b>Oh ya know, just like how you get into any another job¨ (ahh, not really!) I studied Psych and Sociology at college, knew some people---¨</b></div><div><b>It´s true, Google me.</b></div><div>What makes you the best in the world?</div><div><b>I won 2010 AVN best actor... that is an Porn Oscar.</b></div><div>Ohhh, so just like an Oscar?!</div><div><b>After that I got into mainstream too.. It opened up acting opportunities... I have been in Iron Man 2, CSI Miami, CSI New York (</b> you can imagine the way he is listing these right?)</div><div><b>I have been in an acting class with Will Smith, J-Lo </b>(and a few other actors I don´t remember now, but recognised at the time)<b>.</b> He listed this all very quickly and matter of factly. <b>Just from watching them, I knew how to act. I knew what it takes...</b></div><div>(various questions and skepticism came from this, as a lifelong Fresh Prince fan, I am aware that he is one of the highest paying actors, so I had all these questions as he said it was really cheap as there are so many acting classes and for starts - how is he at the same level ??</div><div>Turns out his teacher let him sit in in the class with them, he watched.</div><div><br /></div><div>At this stage my focus was more on getting info on the royal wedding, so he bust out his comp and pulled up a screen with a few people in the forground and a few thousand solediers in the background (at least, that is what I thought they were.. it was hard to tell)</div><div><b>There I am in Iron Man 2</b>! (pointing at one of the soldiers).. to give him credit.. i suspect most of the others where computer generated. </div><div>(laughs again)</div><div>Oh well, good on you!</div><div><b>I will try and find the other scene I am in.....I have had some speaking roles too..</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>(he also told me about winning his award, his reaction, his trip around the world, how his facebook fan page got cancelled. what makes him good at his job and various other topics....I told him I was from NZ.)</b></div><div><br /></div><div>Real name: Paul ___</div><div>Porn Star Name: Eric Swiss. (I thought it was meant to be your pet and your 1st street....?)</div><div>Starred in; Not Married with Children xxx 1 and 2, Not Charlies Angels xxx, Not the Cosbys xxx</div><div>Known for: Being the best porn star in the world, 2010</div><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5536378720402444039.post-11161840330705102402010-11-16T18:57:00.000-08:002010-11-20T14:33:24.054-08:00An interesting day... starring Casa de Frida<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgret80DbQ_kBAVUlOJlBPgXigtTLnAwxVyhifl8XHfVcqKm4eZ-cEeS2Q7bwq-J4Nmdz38-MqT4gcAvESwrm_0k5IV8mBgMoAEPIr64gxshZNbCOtviQW7A-Yn7B6ZBk-XnsDHZ08DDbU/s1600/frida-kahlo-viva-la-vida-2.166215404.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 235px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540347586082412866" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgret80DbQ_kBAVUlOJlBPgXigtTLnAwxVyhifl8XHfVcqKm4eZ-cEeS2Q7bwq-J4Nmdz38-MqT4gcAvESwrm_0k5IV8mBgMoAEPIr64gxshZNbCOtviQW7A-Yn7B6ZBk-XnsDHZ08DDbU/s320/frida-kahlo-viva-la-vida-2.166215404.jpg" /></a><br />Hola.<br /><br />I saw this painting, vida la vida, in the flesh.<br /><br />I liked it. I liked the whole house actually, where Mexico¨s Art Power couple - Frida and Diego Riveria - lived.<br /><br />I thought it was weird how they didn{t imitate it in the film.. I thought I knew exactly what it was going to look like.<br /><br />I finally thought I was going to see some Famous Frida Kahlos... all over Mexico I had heard they are all in Mexico city.<br /><br />Update: Don{t know where they all are, but of the 30-odd I would recognise, only saw 2 in the house I had seen before. No paintings of her with monkeys.<br /><br />I had liked her art, but it was after the film that I kinda became obsessed with her. The pain she had physically, after a bus crash, for all her life - and then her miscarriage really is what drove her. I saw the casts she had to wear and the bed with the mirror that she used to paint herself (note - she did a lot of self-potraits, because she spent a lot of time bed-ridden).<br /><br />I feel like I am in some kind of Frida-fan cult now.<br /><br />I read online - and got told by a staff member at Museo FK - that Dos Fridas, one of her most famous paintings was in the Museo of Modern art. Well, I was so pumped for this one I brought a badge with it on to wear there.<br /><br />Got there, expo over.<br /><br />The annoying thing about this city is that time goes really fast. The big museums take like 3 hours and to get from one place to the other on the metro envolves a lot of time travelling, walking to change lines and waiting. I feel like I accomplish little here each day, e.g Frida Museo was the first thing I did in the day, didn{t leave til 2pm. So there is this place with pretty boats that float around, Xochilmico. I don}t know if this is actually the name, I am writng it off the top of my head and can not be arsed searching it.<br /><br />Anyways, you go down the river on a pretily decorated red and yellow boat. I was told on Sunday night that to do it cheaply you must go on the weekend.. if only I had that info earlier. Finally got there, it was a huge mission on a few different trains, then followed the signs as many enthused men on bikes pointed the way (they sit on their bikes at the station, then one of them jumps into gear at the sight of a tourist)... I was told it would be $200 pesos, bit over $20 per boat. Unfortunately, coz It is low season, they must be desperate.<br /><br />I jumped in with 2 Argentinian girls, we started away. They asked the price, when I asked what they said... they told me $370 pesos each! OH. HELL. NAH. That is over $40 Nz.... over $100 for the boat - to quote la favorita oracion de mi madre ¨Give me a break¨.<br />My heart was pounding, we were pulling away, I was trapped.<br />So, being the cheap and dramatic person that I am, I jumped up, dove onto the neighbouring boat to escape. So, due to the very slow speed of the boat (since the trip is 45 mins, I doubt it will get much beyond leaving the parking area and then reversing back in), it was really just a little step-jump, but I was shaking my head vigourously going ¨Yo escuchi $200 por todo (I heard 200 for all) No quiero, No quiero! (I don´t want)¨ STOP THE BOAT is what I was saying in my head.<br />They were all ¨Impossible¨ for both the stopping and the price, I didn´t feel bad about drag-queenly high tailing it out of there when scam artists were involved. So, with my money in my hand and photos on my card, I flounced out of there.<br /><br />I headed for the centre (the sun set on the train mission home) where I stumbled across a night exhibition of art especially for the Revo and Bicen (Just some Mex 2010 slang..)<br /><p> </p><p>(NOTE: THIS IS ONLY HALF THIS ENTRY... I REWROTE IT TWICE AND IT KEPT NOT SAVING. I THEN WROTE IT IN AN EMAIL TO MYSELF (I am my number one sender of emails to my inbox... followed by Mum, then the Lady from school wanting me blimmin timesheets, then Oxfam) BUT NOW IT WILL NOT LET ME USE COPY AND PASTE.</p><p>Ah, if only Mexican Electricity had not killed my computer then I would be able to use that (there is free wireless EVERYWHERE in mexico), instead of paying once a day. Could have sponsered a Child with this money!</p><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5536378720402444039.post-30580450481203887932010-11-16T07:32:00.000-08:002010-12-03T12:51:52.264-08:0010 days left! 10 dias mas....Hola,<br /><br />So my day in Ciudad de Mexico did not go as planned. I know what you are thinking ''You're in Mexico... lighten up!'', but I have been light for many a days now and I am done. With 16 weeks with everyone else on Mexican time, I am wanting structure.<br /><br />It is all because it is the 100th Anniversary of the Revolution on Saturday... here, like Aus, when a Public holiday lands on the weekend they give you another day *the flaw in this system is that I kept working on public holidays e.g. Christmas and Boxing Day, and then people who didn't were getting the larger paychecks for the next monday} anyways, here they celebrate it beforehand.<br />Which meant in the park I was among thousands of people, which wasn't that bad coz I went at 10am... Mexicans generally do not get moving till about midday, but then my 2 museums I planned to see were both closed. I did not see this one coming! Mainly because Public holidays are when all the tourists are in town, and places just advertise as being closed on Xmas. You may be thinking "It's a public holiday, the museums need to give their staff time off too!'', to that I tell you that all the staff still work. Everyone is in there cleaning and so the guards are all outside guarding the cleaners. This is why I was confused that it was closed ..it looked so open.<br /><br />Other people from my hostel were there *one texan from US withfluent Spanish and 2 Belgin girls who had just come the night before... don't know how they didn't have jetlag... they are 7 hours diff, like NZ (bar daylight savs) but the other way or something. We went to the zoo in the park, with free entry, that had an incredible selection of animals, although mainly I wanted to see could hardly be seen &(gorilla, panda, cheetah).. most of the animals were sleeping at midday. Many of them had sad conditions, the panda that wasn't on display was in a medium sized plain room with no light...he was sitting at the door trying to open it.<br />There was also a strong chlorine smell in the park, so I suspect that the water wells of the animals are very strong with it.. their poor skin!<br /><br />Anyways, after that I headed into town... i didn{t really accomplish much... I think I have many a hour unaccounted for actually, I don{t know where the time went! I know I checked out a few other museos... all closed. I walked around, wasting time until the Light show.. WHICH I WAS TOLD STARTED AT 7pm.... so I was there at 6.15. My back is still store from standing in the same position. My feet a bruised with a cracked heal... you would have thought I had been doing serious farm work. No, just standing. I talked to a Belgiun for a while, he was bored by Mexico City and bolting after 2 days.. I didn´t understand - I think this city is Fantastic! Everyone has different experiences though... we went to the zoo because this guy who had never left his small town in Oregan before this made it sound like the best experience of his life. For a Belguin (spelling?) living in London, having travelled all of South American and Europe, can not find anything exciting. Poff I say! He did make some funny comments like ´´there are a lot of gay people here.. I have nothing against them... I have just never seen one before´´...(he is staying in the same area I am , the Gay district...Zona Rosa..I realised this as I got off the metro with all the boyfriends... it has been confirmed with the clubs and flags etc..LOVE IT) then he told me that he has decided to go to Puerto Vallarta.. staying in Romantic Zone, aka Gay zone, but he doesn{t know that.<br /><br />These damn staff here! Anyways, So moral of the story is it started at 9pm... so for almost three hours I stood there FREEZING.. didn{t even claim a particularly good spot...<br />ALTHOUGH, the show was SOOO AMAZING. They really went all out coz of 1810 and 1910 being the most important days in Mex History.<br />There were dancers, there was video, there was music, there was LIGHT ... lots and lots of light. It was in the town square with lights on the huge old buildings and cathedral. SO COOL.<br />I took lots of phots of course, so although most of them didn{t come out... you still get the point. I will add them once I am back home.....in 10 days (give or take 2 days-7 for jet lag)...<br /><br />It was very theatrical.. reminded me of WOW actually, there were THOUSANDS there. On the way home (it was 1 hour and a half) they closed off all the centro metro stations so TRILLIONS of us walked about 10 mins to the one that was opening at 11pm. I felt like I was part of some big event.. a sea of people. After they opened the Metro doors (luckily I had a spare metro ticket, or else I literally would have been walking home, with less than 2 bucks on me), it was a CRAZY display of urgency to get through.. the nice get left behind though. I learnt that early on. People push through, forcing room. They don´t mind about how uncomfortable other people may be. It is like selfishness takes hold, this is why people have been trampled to death. When the lines going through the machines paused for even a <span style="font-style: italic;">second </span>everyone started whistling. Like everyone.. it was ringing in my ears. I felt a definate sense of accomplishment when I passed through those gates.<br /><br />So another time, I made it home through the metro at night... alive. I was expecting to be scared of this place but I am probably too casual. A man told me on the metro to remove any wallet from my pocket.. not that I had one. I didn{t think I would be able to exit the hostel at all, but all is well. At my school they originally turned me off coming to Mexico, as one girl who goes there tells them horror stories and so eveyone is scared. Remember, there are twice as many people here as there are in NZ.<br /><br />Yes, I thought that number was incorrect. One staff member told me the show was 7, another said there were 17 MILLION more people in this CITY! I am no longer listening to them.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5536378720402444039.post-67537972354917425952010-11-14T17:17:00.000-08:002010-11-15T22:53:39.309-08:00Ciudad de Mexico - what a huge MoFo!<div>I have made it to the big smoke!</div><br /><div> </div><br /><div>I flew here, so it took very little time - you may recall I overnight bussed last time... well, </div>this time it was cheaper to fly... $29 plus some taxes.<br /><div> </div><br /><div>Anywho, I am at a hostel where they pick you up for free from the airport. This is the reason </div>I booked it... so dammit, I wasn{t leaving that airport until they got me.<br /><div>After I sent my flight details as instucted, they sent a reply saying I have got to ring after I am through customs and outside the airport, then it would take 30 mins for the car to come. </div>I replied with an email asking if they could just come an hour later... as I do not have a phone (well, that works) and as I did not have to clear customs (have¨not brought a bag... it is with a stranger in Puerto Vallarta - fingers crossed it remains there and he lets me have it back... long story really, will have to bust it out another time).... anyways they were all ¨NO¨ and I was all ¨I have a feeling this will be another Maria MisAdventure...¨<br /><div> </div><br /><div>It was. No one answered the phone for hours, so I just sat in the airport hungry and tired but without energy to move. After finally getting through to them and them being all ¨We were expecting you hours ago, there is no car now¨ but telling me to call back, I sat back on the ground and shed a few tears in the typical tired-hungry-alone-iwannagohome fashion. </div><br /><div>A man came and talked to me, his name was Angel.</div><br /><div> </div><br /><div>I have this thing where I still wanted to go to the hostel and give thema chance and better my relationship with them. I don´t want to have angry feelings that remain unresolved. I am here now, the relations are fine - I hold some power too coz I booked through Hostel world which means that I write a review. </div><br /><div> </div><br /><div>Anyways, I walked the streets all arvo-night (I am not in the centro, it is safe out here at night)</div><br /><div>along this main drag which has the ¨Angel of Independence¨ statue and various other statues and art along it. What a beautiful stretch of road it is! There are all these seat-sculptures along it, I really enjoyed walking along, sitting on all the chairs and admiring the outdoor art displays they have especially for the Bicentennario... they also have big faces of important players in thisand in Independence (which is on the 20th, but as that is a Saturday the day off work and celebrations are happening tommorrow... they heard I was in town) in lights. </div><br /><div> </div><br /><div>There is one of those bike systems where they are mechanically attached and you can use them if you have a card...go Green! There is also a rule that my teacher Laura told me of where the cars with Licence plates A-L drive one day and M-Z on others... the flaw in this is that lots of peeps now bought two because of this. Although the Metro system is big and quick and 30c... it is CROWDED as are the buses... word on the street (actually from the 20-odd year old who works here) is that there are 26 million people here .. ???? Will have to look that up... coz yes, that math would mean that it is 6x NZ.... wow. I also learnt on plane here that it is the 3rd BIGGEST city in the world.... NUTS!</div><br /><div> </div><br /><div>I discovered from Markets and shops and clubs and love that this is the gay district. Who wants to sing Cher? or Rent? or any other Musical?</div><br /><div> </div><br /><div>I went to bed at nine.. woke up at nine. I was the first person in my room last night and the last to leave this morning so I haven{t seen any of my roomies. I went into town via that same big stretch I harped on about - to see it in its daylight glory.<br />And boy, was it glorious! There is a road passing through the middle - and get this - on Sundays they CLOSE IT OFF so people can ride their bikes, push scooters, wheelchairs, rollerblades, skateboard, roller blade-scooters (these amazing things I had never seen before.. I want one quite badly), prams, dogs and anything else with wheels. There were 100s of peoples and families out having a gay old time! TANDEM BIKES ARE COOL HERE!<br />At the intersections there are workers who hold up rope stopping the bikers when they have to let the cars through.. there is free water.. there are aerobics classes in the street - everyhting about it was fabul0us! I have decided that i have to live somewhere where I can go rollerblading on Sundays. It is a anti-diabeties promo (5people in mexico die of this every hour, so obviously it is a big problem), with even Red Cross demos with dummies and all for first aid.<br /><br />I hit up two museums - I didn{t go to the main one in the centre because Sunday is free-day for locals so it was packed. Instead I went to the Museum of Memory and Tolerance... I can{t help myself... I didn{t know it was there but I walked past it and had to go inside... it was mainly Holocaust based, also with my main interests Rwanda and Cambodia... I have never actually seen a museum display on the Nazi-BS but obviously it was all very heart breaking... there were real items there - star of Davids, a train cart that took people to the Camps (it smelt of death, I swear), shoes of children that were confiscated in the Camps... that was the stuff that broke me.<br />There was a machete from Rwanda which made me sick to my stomach... I just do not get it.<br /><br />So, that was intense! Later on I wandered before finding myself in the National Arte museum. There were beautiful works there from centuries back, mostly religious.. some HUGE.<br />I saw my first Diego Riverias which was exciting... although I don+t really like his stuff he is Mexico{s most famous and treasured Artist. He was known for murals mainly... hopefully I will see them in the Palace museum when I get there.<br /><br />Mexico City town is very beautiful.. there are still LOTS of old buildings, more than I expected as I know they have had there share of large quakes. It isn{t as foggy and bleak as I thought it would be.. I think it is beautiful. There were tonnes ofpeople around on Sun... I have never seen so man y people... I was all thinking it would die down on Monday... boy, was I wrong!<br /><br />Food diary: Esquites - Amazing corn soup, Churro Relleno con Cajeta - Hot stick donut with Caramel sauce inside, Litre Juice of the stall holders {specialty{ aka Melon, Pineapple, Guaba and Papaya... boy was it good! At the hostel there are eggs and toast for breakfast.. I love mine Mexicana (which takes on a diff meaning everywhere I have learnt) here being with tomates and peppers... bueno!<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5536378720402444039.post-57261251622645749232010-11-12T13:33:00.000-08:002010-12-03T12:59:06.876-08:00Hola, Hola, es bueno para regresar<p>It is good to be back in Puerto Vallarta!</p><p>For one, I am tired. For two, I like this school better - miss the teachers. <br /></p><p>For three, I have a new appreciation for this place. It is currently not stinking hot, it is not raining in the arvos and nights. The ocean is a nice, chilly temperature. It is more beautiful than I remember... I guess I notice things I did not notice before when I was living here.... plus I do not have an apartment that is killing all my technology and flooding everyday. </p><p>The ocean and the buildings around here are really pretty. Most of them are white, with the same brown tiled roof and window sills. I think when I originally got here I felt ripped off - where the hell is the colour? I thought to myself. Well, i found the colour - in Oaxaca and then San Cristobal de las casas - I am rainbowed out. </p><p>Where are you living? I hear you ask. In the nice apartment that was a replacement for the crap apartment? No. In the crap apartment, with my legs off the floor to avoid swimming? No. <br />I am staying in a Hostel. As I was only coming back for 2 weeks, I did the maths and from the average hostel prices I have been at here - it is cheaper than the apartments. </p><p>I also am very cheap, I have trouble spending money... for this reason, I looked on my new fave site Hostel World .com for hostels here. And magic happened. A new hostel, with a opening rate of $8 per night right on the main street (same as my school) popped out of no where in the short time I was gone. </p><p>Actually, a lot has popped up or moved out in the time I have been gone. Including the other tenants at my old apartment building who left (2 lots) when the landlord was in the states. One bolted without paying... but it is a big, complicated story involving his hair salon he was supposed to open early oct falling through to his online love for 8 years being a scammer who just used him for the access to Mexico (he was Columbian.. I can{t believe this guy was so naive. Columbians are desperately trying to get into the states.. or here apparently). </p><p>Shops have closed, new ones opened and bars are moving all around. There was a completely destroyed shop near my school that they were working on... I thought it would take months.. come back 7 weeks later and there is a fully-functioning OXXO... could not have suprised me with a worse store. </p><p>This is a dairy-small mart that basically sells coffee, coke, chips, cigarettes and other snack stuff - it was responsible for giving me my tubby bug with the STANK nachos and is on EVERY corner.. the central area is quite small here and there must be at least 20 of them. The other day we were going in the car of my teacher, a guy asked - ¨Where is your car? she replied - Outside Oxxo - he said ¨Which one?¨which was funny-coz-true joke... but then we actually went to the wrong Oxxo. Luckily the other one was one was meters away. </p><p>I am quite a hostel fan now, I see myself trying to run one in the future.. I do not know really, but I have come all observant and judging of hostels now. Here it is literally only the 3 staff (2 Brits, one US) and I staying here. </p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5536378720402444039.post-63388934984091191302010-11-06T06:22:00.000-07:002010-11-10T13:47:00.767-08:00Long-winded rant about Cancun y Isla Mujeres<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3rID1g3jk0GXvDHhX_2kOfDdF-vRjZygiKb_oocotGxob9e8GzpkrP7ThSPjzHPyOWxpU5SPBsdUoITersMfjwXFIC49dkmhbTnM76_uw_d3EYdIufZZ9q6OpOkLcqMPG7LS-TZrcpUY/s1600/miss-cancun1.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 212px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3rID1g3jk0GXvDHhX_2kOfDdF-vRjZygiKb_oocotGxob9e8GzpkrP7ThSPjzHPyOWxpU5SPBsdUoITersMfjwXFIC49dkmhbTnM76_uw_d3EYdIufZZ9q6OpOkLcqMPG7LS-TZrcpUY/s320/miss-cancun1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5538020453040780578" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUbhnNv6oRPpxYNg0VG5qOTf_7SsJTMMmsx2FCoeHYBSMm6D0HI9IuDdsEbsL06hSP4ju421utIAMUSdU8ol_bYJox5Rer_nXnSho-NifGrPE2pPaRDY6WL-LB9w5Z2_fQBQiqDyVVHfs/s1600/80.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUbhnNv6oRPpxYNg0VG5qOTf_7SsJTMMmsx2FCoeHYBSMm6D0HI9IuDdsEbsL06hSP4ju421utIAMUSdU8ol_bYJox5Rer_nXnSho-NifGrPE2pPaRDY6WL-LB9w5Z2_fQBQiqDyVVHfs/s320/80.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5538020461807650818" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_EPY9zxRhL7rsHJ40ZD6CQD-mC-vGXYZmYjHNEjPM29RbwheTsJigMKdrGzzOsjhqyHRpZYC9MIX5lHmiJ5vo8O1EPloG25bSZ-fBcyjtNn2UqRcfEMmQuAciy6wRIRy7g1g6-bUkGL8/s1600/40149_451724747117_586772117_5301305_4019145_n.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_EPY9zxRhL7rsHJ40ZD6CQD-mC-vGXYZmYjHNEjPM29RbwheTsJigMKdrGzzOsjhqyHRpZYC9MIX5lHmiJ5vo8O1EPloG25bSZ-fBcyjtNn2UqRcfEMmQuAciy6wRIRy7g1g6-bUkGL8/s320/40149_451724747117_586772117_5301305_4019145_n.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5536428398050976482" /></a><br /><p>Cancun is an interesting place. You hear a lot about it over here... this is some of the things you may hear, that I heard. </p><p>¨We changed our plans so we can go back and party more in CANNNCUNNN¨ - Turkish Boys</p><p>¨Cancun did not exist before the Americans showed up¨ - Mexi-American</p><p>¨We aren{t going to bother with Cancun¨ - My Irish Parents. ¨Don{t.¨ - every traveller they talked to. </p><p>I also picture everything in my head before I go. This was one place where it was actually quite different. As I mentioned, I thought of a cross between Gold coast and Las Vegas, I knew that is was basically made up of flash, expensive resorts. I thought there would be all the Gold coast stuff too of the bars and everything right on the beach. There being highways and too many people and lots of tourist things. I found some photos of what I expected to find..</p><p>For starters, the town seems like it is not on the beach. That is basically because it really is not. It is quite a drive to the beach, more and more of it is getting covered up by new apartment complexes, although on the {Hotel Zone} there is barely any room. This photo was stolen from Facebook, from a friend of mine from Oaxaca who I ran into in San Cristobal and Chichen Itza. It is good because it shows the penisula. The town is quite far away. It comes out like a backwards C from the mainland, you can see the swamp water in the middle. To bus to the centre takes 30-45 minutes.. but you spend most the time passing hotels on a very well manicured road. </p><p>I naively thought that it may be possible to walk to the beach. Not the hotel zone, as I could see the huge hotels poking out behind fog - they looked miles away (and were), but there were also a lot closer apartments that looked like they were on the beach, but are miles away... wonder if people are getting tricked when buying these...</p><p>I found myself walking for quite a while through neighbourhoods, all single leveled. I made it to NEAR the beach, but they are all blocked by gated communities. I may have said this before, all beaches in Mexico are public BUT sometimes actually getting to the beach is impossible (unless you pass through private property, which I have been known to do round these parts). </p><p>I ended up walking all the way to Puerto Juarez where I was going to aqua-taxi from the next day. Now I think of it, I think I walked for a very long way. I only had a $200 peso note, as usual because I get money from the bank... it is about $22 NZD, so I waited till I found an OXXO dairy which is where they always have change, to get my water and ice cream. They said they didn{t have change. I felt like the guy was just being a prick. </p><p>I was suprised to find the port had a McDonalds. Basically it is in the middle of nowhere, with a ticket shop/tourist shop and then a McDonalds. Side story: Yesterday I signed up to Mystery Shopper program (looking for a job online and this is something I always wanted to do), did the orientation (online) and all - but turns out that the company only works for McDs and Shell. <br />I was liking the idea of this news, until I saw the criteria. You cannot do it if you have worked at McDs, known someone to have worked there in the past 5 years or are Vegetarian. All of these are issues for me.. I was going to lie but then it said the names go to McDonalds head office so my mind changed on that very quickly...<br /></p><p>Back to life - I spent HOURS that night walking along the Cancun beach in the hotel zone. The ocean is BEAUTIFUL... dark blue out further, but crystal clear closer up... big waves too. The photo shows the colours - no advancement! The beach was very different to what I expected. Thought there would be 100s of restaurants and bars and tourist shops on the beach, with tonnes of tourists drinking from those big plastic cup-bottle things (are they called Yard glasses?) they use in Vegas and other places just as classy. </p><p>There were not those people. The only people I saw on the beach at all were a bunch of Mexicans (in the public area), a group of Americans yelling whilst playing pentanque, a female soccer team and a American couple (he was morbidly obese and she was a petite Asian - suspicious or love?) who I volunteered to take photos of (I do this here quite a bit... they do the he takes a photo of her, then her of him, then one self-taken so it is awkwardly close...)... it went from noon to night when I was walking down the beach - it was so nice to be alone on this vast stretch of beautiful white sand (well, me and the various security guards guarding the hotel pools).</p><p>Security guards of the hotels lead on to my next hobby that most know little about, that is showing up at hotels, walking around like I am a guest while checking the place out and usually taking the opportunity to use the bathroom. This has been tried and tested in various hotels and resorts in different countries and I have never had any trouble.. it works basically because I am not Mexican. I have more confidence with it now, because I feel like I can use studying at a hotel school as an excuse... although I did say I was a guest at the Hilton in Cancun (you can get away with this when they don{t have wrist bands). </p><p>I would like to point out now that I don´t steal anything and I leave the bathrooms as I found them (having worked as a Sheraton Housekeeper helps with this skill). I checked out many a hotel including various Mexicanos, a Le Meridien, Hilton, Westin and so on. The Westin was my fave.. .I might be biased as I would like to work for them.... Unfortunately, the one I was standing outside when I had to use the bathroom was actually the flashest one there. There was an urgency in my bladder so I bust in there, not even realising that I had walked into a classy bar in my beachwear, sand-filled crocs and towel around my neck. I walked through quickly, but not suspiciously quickly, arriving at the bathrooms with various hand lotions and individual hand towels (none of which I used... and yes, I re-cornered the toilet paper). </p><p>Isla Mujeres was SO beautiful. These nice country-bumpkin Americans helped me with my stuff and were all ´Where ya´ll from´´-- I wanted to blurt out that I love Country music, or start humming a country tune, but figured it was like saying ´I love Obama´to an African American. I expected it to be really small, but it is about the size of the Port Douglas peninsula that I lived on last year. That seems random but I found the island very similar to Port, with two long highways with one end housing the locals and the other for the tourists. On side of the island the ocean is very rough and crashes on the rocks (you are not meant to swim along most of it). But the other side is clear and gentle... the beaches weren{t crowed either. </p><p>It has a real island feel, with colourful wooded businesses and people using motor scooters and golf carts (tourists and locals).. i obviously was desperate to ride a golf cart beyond a course but the $50 for a day isn{t good for only one person (note to self: return in future with 4 friends). </p><p>The hostel I was at was a resort. I swear, it was so beautiful and friendly and well-run. I will post some photos soon, I didn{t take any myself (v. limited spaces on my card) but will use some quality internet copying and pasting. It has a beach area with multiple palms and hammocks (although it is on the side of the un-swimable ocean). I really loved being there - although my serious money anxiety sunk in here and so I only ate chips and bananas over my 3 days there. I brought over food from a supermarket (didn{t think there would be one on the island.. as i said, thought it was really small.. apparently there are 11,000 odd residents), but there was no kitchen to use (they gave us a very good breakfast though, with 4 pieces of toast, fruit, two cups of tea - I have mine green. This was the first time I saw green tea in a hostel... and other toast spread options other than very artificial jam... PEANUT BUTTER AND HONEY betches!!). </p><p>I stumbled across my first Kiwi (male, 40-0dd) who I shared a 4 bed dorm with. He was really nice with some good sarcasm and Kiwi humor... he called me Laura as he was saying goodbye though, which was awkward as I wondered why the other girls in the comp lab were ignoring him..</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5536378720402444039.post-26211444113552154302010-11-03T11:10:00.000-07:002010-11-03T12:25:39.342-07:00Another Maria Misadventure - Welcome back to MEX!I have to mention my journey back to Mexico. Because, it was ridiculous. It didn{t have to be, but was.<br />I got a midnight bus from the city Chetmal, close to the Mex boarder. I was really hungry but the same dairy options food was all that was available. I am addicted to these salted chips they have, so I got a huge pack (way overpriced). Anyways, i got on my cheap bus as I watched all the other tourists load onto ADO with a TV, toilet and A-C.. I had spent all my spare pesos (remember I was just coming from Belize) on that damn taxi from the boarder.<br /><br />The good news was that my cheap MAYAB bus had a backseat. So I actually slept better laid out than I had on any other of the 20-odd buses I had taken so far. The driver woke me up because originally my plan was to head back to Tulum. Knowing that the hostel was crap here, I changed my mind as I was leaving the bus. The bus had ran away quick-smart though. it was about 3am though, so I waited for a twice as expensive ADO to take me the extra hour and a half. The lady was all ¨The bus you were on was going to Playa del Carmen^^as I have found Mexicans do often. It is like, thanks for that information now, but as the bus has pulled away it is not too useful. I am still not on the bus and also now, I am a LITTLE pissed off.<br /><br />Anyways, I got to Playa del Carmen at about 4.30am. I did not know the address of my hostel, which I didn{t think would matter because we had showed up to EVERY OTHER CITY OR TOWN in this country (and Belize) with addresses, and NEVER had to pull them out. This mistake would proove fatal.<br /><br />JUST JOSHING - no one died. But part of my spirit did.<br />To cut a long story short (I feel I have told this already, but It may have just been to friends), I found a guy who claimed he knew my hostel.. the taxi drivers did not, but this guy had a bike with a little carriage on the front for either people or baggage. He said he would take me there. Great.<br />First however, he had to take other people somewhere else. That was okay, I was willing to sit on the bench. There was not much to see at this hour, but I was sitting on a bench in a street by a church leading to the ocean. Turns out this street during the day is full of food stalls, and the church is the only in this part of town so people CRAM into it everyday as they are surrounded by tourists (the bus station is on the main tourist drag, opposite McDonalds).<br />The man returned after about 20 minutes. This time my patience (that rarely exists) was a lot thinner as he passed with other people{s things... ¡Que pasa? I asked (what happened?), but he assured me he would be back soon.<br /><br />Before this he was trying to convince me that my hostel, on 20th Street, was expensive and had a bad location. He was trying to sell another hotel, where comission lies I guess, but I wasn{t budging. It made me not really like him though. At 4am, I don{t want problems.<br /><br />I waited 30 minutes more, but he didn{t return. I would not have waited 5 minutes normally, particularly after he passed me the 2nd time, but my bags were heavy and I was sick of lugging them around. Enough joints and muscles had felt enough pain.<br /><br />SIDE NOTE: Have I mentioned my bags? I lugged a suitcase (on wheels, although in Mexico with the roads, this sometimes is not an advantage) of 25kg, and a carry-on of 15kg... this was purely books. For school, Mother. I also have my school satchel which carries my camera. For a bag from Thailand, it is doing well.<br /><br />Well, I set off, with my information that my hostel was on 20th street. Unfortunately, parallel to the big main tourist street I started at, 5 (which was parallel to the sea, after that was Calle 10, then 15, then 20), was a beast of a street. So there I was, with my heavyass bags, in the dark walking this street for a long time - sweating, I may add. I was in shorts but with a jersey for the buses AC. I only encountered party-ers on their way home and taxi drivers. Many stopped, many were questioned about my hostel. None knew it.<br />I was confused about this because I found it on HostelWorld, a website that is a very valuable resource, as the highest rated. But people must use the address to get there, not the name. Unfortunately, I had the wrong information necessary.<br />About an hour after starting off I was at the other bus station in the other side of the centre, asked people in the station, taxi drivers and street vendors setting up their stalls... but alas, no one knew. It is annoying to be in a place with 100 billion different accomodations because there are always some with the same name... my hostel was Hostel Rio Playa (aka Hostel River, Beach) and people were telling me of Hotel Rio, Hotel Playa.. most people also did not know what a hostel was... I was basically calling it a cheap hotel.<br />I had realised that I had reached the end of the tourist district. I took the road towards the sea thinking, I will just go to the first hostel I see. I walked right into the main party district where town was still pumping. If you have ever had little sleep, you will know that lights and sounds are not what you want to hear. So, I asked another taxi driver about the hostel, apparently on calle 20... explaining I had walked all of calle 20. He informed me that there is also Avenue 20.. fabulous! So It could be there...<br />I was on Avenue 14 so it did not seem like much of a stretch. I hightailed over to avenue 20, by this time I had seen most of the city. I could tell the sun was going to rise. This SUV pulled over offering me a ride to my hostel, but that turned into - ´you should come to this afterparty with us^ which turned into Hasta la Vista from me.<br /><br />I was so tired, not from sleep at this point, but my legs and arms.. so I decided to watch the sunrise. It was a mission to the beach, as it has proved many times in Mexico, although it is close - there are hotels and residences blocking the way. But I got there, among the tourists (like me who like sunsets and rises), runners (unlike me) and people still in party gears.<br />I can say that I was the first person in the ocean that day. It was so nice.<br /><br />That was when the photo up the top of the page was taken. I didn{t set it up, the boy was jumping from the wharf where my bags were left, onto the sand. He jumped into my shot, I was going to pull away but realised it was cool.<br /><br />Anyways, with this refreshment I was back on track to find this place. Now with light on my side, more people about to help and a new determination to find this bloody hostel - I was off and racing. I was not stopping with my bags to ensure people could pass me on the sidewalk without having to step onto the road, smiling as they passed. I was charging through with a don{t mess with me, thanking them after they jumped onto the road out of the way of the mad woman lugging 50kg (more or less). Also, my toenail was still at the height of pain... so I limped this whole way in my crocs too. I was such a pathetic sight I am actually suprised more people did not stop to help me.<br /><br />I walked the whole of Avenue 20 which went from Laundromats and apartments just outside of the centre, to barrios-neighbourhoods of local people. Half way up the Avenue I found something that would be hard to part with many hours later - a shopping trolley. Turns out I was one road over from the main highway with the WALMART and Supermarket. It was frustration that lifted up and threw my bags into that trolley. Past all the homes and meat shops and stares from people, I met the end of the street. Not cool. But onto that highway I went, having a break to by some bandages and cream from my toe.<br />At this stage it was about 8am. So this has actually been a longer time than I make it out to be.. there were also stops along the way on vaious benches/sidewalks.<br /><br />I headed back towards town in the hopes of finding an internet cafe that was open. I was on calle 10 (parallel with 20 and 5, for those trying to visualise.. I know the roadmap of Playa del Carmen VERY well now) when I asked a traffic cop (eating a sandwhich) for the nearest internet cafe I did not realise that this cop may have just been the ONLY person who could have told me the location of the hostel, alas - he was standing RIGHT outside it.<br /><br />So I wandered for a little bit looking for an internet cafe that was open, to find the address of the hostel that I had just been talking to a cop outside. I also recieved an email from my parents saying there was a letter from the school as I had failed to fax in signed pages that proove I have been at school (some rule to do with being a student in Aus), which I was not in the mood for (as they threaten to fail you etc) as it panicked me. But also I logged into Facebook where waiting for me where lots of Birthday messages, which I appreciated.<br /><br />I found the address and walked over two streets to find me back with my friend the traffic cop (he had finished his sandwhich). Here, I ended up at the hostel, told the guy at the desk I had been looking for it for hours... got offered the free breakfast which I gratefully accepted, probably taking more than my fair share of cereal (bad decision due to the milk here, it hadn{t even been refridgerated) toast with jam (which is what they feed you at every hostel in Mexico) and the fresh fruit. Then I slept.<br /><br />When I woke up again at 4pm I went in search of a meal, I found Vegetarian Fajitas (which after 3 months here, had never found), so excited and hungry I was willing to pay $120, about $13.50 NZ, which is now 1st equal for the most expensive meal I have had here (the other being the $120 peso buffet we were forced into buying on the tour in Oaxaca).<br />Fajitas, actual mexican ones, are similar to veges and chicken done in a wok with a tomato sauce, then served with tortillas, salsas and sometimes refried beans. They were delicious. Huge too, so it was my lunch the next day. I will never forget that meal and from here on out my life mission is to try and recreate it.<br /><br />I really liked PLaya del Carmen, it has a beautiful big beach then a no-car tourist drag where there are the largest ammount of tourist shops and restaurants I have seen all together. Baskin Robbins, Starbucks and Hagen Daaz all appear on every block of it too. Cuban cigar shops litter the streets all these things together create an American Tourists dream. Everything is in US prices.<br />One thing that annoyed me was that the tourists there were very irritated by the Mexican people{s attempts to make a sale. Instead of saying No, gracias or No, thank you like what happens here in Puerto Vallarta and at Markets, people just blatently ignore them. I think I was sensitive to this because of how much changes this part of the country has gone through to cater for these, majority American, tourists. They plead with them to look there way, but the response is ignored or a rude response. When I say No gracias, I say it firm but friendly, no one feels ill feelings towards me! Success.<br /><br />I stayed here 2 days and 2 nights, sleeping for most of the time! I had a very high bunk which was good because I was close to the fan, once I got up there I didn´t have the energy to come back down. I made it down to go to the bus station, which due to my long arrival experience I thought was going to be far... turns out it is 4 streets over... small blocks.<br /><br />The drive to Cancun was very supped-up highways... I felt like I was driving into Las Vegas (apart from the fact it was green), seeing the huge hotels in the distance. I suspected Cancun to be a cross between Las Vegas and Gold Coast... in some ways it was, but it was actually different to how I expected.....Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5536378720402444039.post-91053967286124100672010-11-01T12:47:00.000-07:002010-11-01T13:02:35.601-07:00A few photsCaye Caulker, Belize<br /><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9mjJfzUcQXnAC7E4cBh3_ZAqTBhu0JzIBITT_KmQm-h_vq9vmWjpQaRjLxOnx4ykeOWVEDkotkP7294OzRlRkEp5oMWfXKWoktaLAPTtwBQil98pJfmLGu4V2Z4oqNEoodXDPVspxvKs/s1600/73560_443775443403_560958403_5362566_8047476_a.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 180px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 270px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534671867297765170" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9mjJfzUcQXnAC7E4cBh3_ZAqTBhu0JzIBITT_KmQm-h_vq9vmWjpQaRjLxOnx4ykeOWVEDkotkP7294OzRlRkEp5oMWfXKWoktaLAPTtwBQil98pJfmLGu4V2Z4oqNEoodXDPVspxvKs/s320/73560_443775443403_560958403_5362566_8047476_a.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPq9Ozjhds2-HqTrfNrfXhlwMZP_znB4y1AZGCwLeWZnRpw82UwcP2JnjPBfszTsqCOvW1pJt87M0zJ2jXv7Og5Sb-rpNhkKdops5EKaudcPvQYNvJfKF1IZT43MCKXcG1CwBIG-1eKGg/s1600/73759_443779288403_560958403_5362713_5429120_a.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 180px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 120px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534671877545886738" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPq9Ozjhds2-HqTrfNrfXhlwMZP_znB4y1AZGCwLeWZnRpw82UwcP2JnjPBfszTsqCOvW1pJt87M0zJ2jXv7Og5Sb-rpNhkKdops5EKaudcPvQYNvJfKF1IZT43MCKXcG1CwBIG-1eKGg/s320/73759_443779288403_560958403_5362713_5429120_a.jpg" /></a><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><div><br /> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiUbNrPzeODorJSKjDREFWhevW9dcu4HsNGHgC0easj7ZP-4PlOUX1kSDAXTSRoYOyo9fKnRrQrWzBtNHsj5NGnXdD3o1n2OJTEbrjWpRB3OxtcQRA2bBaIav6MPRCSHTHPuQUlI-U_4c/s1600/73509_443781338403_560958403_5362753_788151_a.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 180px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 120px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534671890567125522" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiUbNrPzeODorJSKjDREFWhevW9dcu4HsNGHgC0easj7ZP-4PlOUX1kSDAXTSRoYOyo9fKnRrQrWzBtNHsj5NGnXdD3o1n2OJTEbrjWpRB3OxtcQRA2bBaIav6MPRCSHTHPuQUlI-U_4c/s320/73509_443781338403_560958403_5362753_788151_a.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><br />Quintana Roo, Mexico<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicnSEmbtqFtJikJS8jHj_ZzC2EUW5I6RA5FLr6MJSDjUH-Y_ZBIdVYkpz_YeMBXPlON3F1CzcnyjJ5aY7oAwMNt7-mzLejqlPdVdyQPYzvrlaxwGjs5XaoQi8tn9DgjXeJETH_8My0vvI/s1600/75667_443745163403_560958403_5361600_1187874_a.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 180px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 270px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534670862516687394" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicnSEmbtqFtJikJS8jHj_ZzC2EUW5I6RA5FLr6MJSDjUH-Y_ZBIdVYkpz_YeMBXPlON3F1CzcnyjJ5aY7oAwMNt7-mzLejqlPdVdyQPYzvrlaxwGjs5XaoQi8tn9DgjXeJETH_8My0vvI/s320/75667_443745163403_560958403_5361600_1187874_a.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvHcV8Nwlt7eZd5-NtHKGUUliqKsMJt-7G5ifPa2uMPEIT5kXyXeHF9PoLpvVDJEa3qHGpsylRf_FF27qeWNq3nEGPLTZjlgVnj0cCy1ADEf-g5DKtAPiiXQPvaChicASvhcB6-tPJk80/s1600/74834_443752488403_560958403_5361777_1992340_a.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 180px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 270px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534670877689575234" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvHcV8Nwlt7eZd5-NtHKGUUliqKsMJt-7G5ifPa2uMPEIT5kXyXeHF9PoLpvVDJEa3qHGpsylRf_FF27qeWNq3nEGPLTZjlgVnj0cCy1ADEf-g5DKtAPiiXQPvaChicASvhcB6-tPJk80/s320/74834_443752488403_560958403_5361777_1992340_a.jpg" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGxZmx7_HrlGBS1uPairJXygrsR7vbgq737ithFU4WuvTChBFifWxlgIBpfvPfYJx7g0EISU0pRESHqh8BamF8MOPvmcaaaZjUU_j98-xIAaVrPaj4tKFi0hexteiRIbM1Cat25TF-WUk/s1600/149053_443778108403_560958403_5362689_8072934_n.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 214px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534670854476643218" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGxZmx7_HrlGBS1uPairJXygrsR7vbgq737ithFU4WuvTChBFifWxlgIBpfvPfYJx7g0EISU0pRESHqh8BamF8MOPvmcaaaZjUU_j98-xIAaVrPaj4tKFi0hexteiRIbM1Cat25TF-WUk/s320/149053_443778108403_560958403_5362689_8072934_n.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4ojaCNxOY4T5MOEDJMpe3IHYHsu9BXJOPjLIy6T0CZP7ucfrZGPflr-xQpmJtUssYzt8-qDfxJboYvDj4h8FW1g90lj0phyphenhyphenErdj6D1bR46SITTaT3dlTsgg3vysw75jEzkHmA9avLYTA/s1600/76098_443739463403_560958403_5361436_6315989_a.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 180px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 270px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534671860300763618" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4ojaCNxOY4T5MOEDJMpe3IHYHsu9BXJOPjLIy6T0CZP7ucfrZGPflr-xQpmJtUssYzt8-qDfxJboYvDj4h8FW1g90lj0phyphenhyphenErdj6D1bR46SITTaT3dlTsgg3vysw75jEzkHmA9avLYTA/s320/76098_443739463403_560958403_5361436_6315989_a.jpg" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8gkK_IcD4Gy1Pm61LTmfalaNGtNm-M-GNaBezHn7NMCMpkCQy08Q5GmCzwdpEA466xjFlDlzb1Vt243Qsao3JtAAKPc3-hEPYEHxcUYh3fr3ea52vZRBTKwbxtTnXrW7NzDEwC3nZPFI/s1600/148821_443751638403_560958403_5361744_1461524_a.jpg"></a><br /><br /><div><div><br /></div><div><br /><br /></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div><br /><br /> </div><div> </div><div>First thing I did on return to PV? <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc5uPLH1P-CnjR8dso6WqlOM7SltBm3uJ14hapiZG_Axqy37qSI8bSjQy6_Rrkzxrxo9E8NZrnimUFr1MA200_6mOFTzGuqLVZECvF_0oBac78yepEzMLhqPssWKL9v1f6sIai1hYnHpY/s1600/149622_443759353403_560958403_5361977_5009707_a.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 180px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 120px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534671863171105106" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc5uPLH1P-CnjR8dso6WqlOM7SltBm3uJ14hapiZG_Axqy37qSI8bSjQy6_Rrkzxrxo9E8NZrnimUFr1MA200_6mOFTzGuqLVZECvF_0oBac78yepEzMLhqPssWKL9v1f6sIai1hYnHpY/s320/149622_443759353403_560958403_5361977_5009707_a.jpg" /></a><br />Buffet.<br /><br /></div><div></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5536378720402444039.post-49738825890945659272010-10-30T10:25:00.000-07:002010-12-03T13:10:43.274-08:00Belize backtrackBehind again... partially due to lack of computer availability and partially due to laziness.<div>Took an expensive bus last night, which is the quickest option from Guadalajara - but meant it </div><div>left at 12.30am and arrived at 5.30am. I am very tired. </div><div><br /></div><div>I got offered Cocaine this morning, but more on that later. Later: So I starting walking from the Bus station, without info about where the highway was. It was dark and confusing, being 5am, so I wandered. And wandered. I eventually was in this village... a man there was all nice and took pity and offered me a drive as he was going into town for 'work'. He then was asking if I want, what seemed to be, his hand. On that hand was powder. I was confused at first, coz I couldn't see anything and he started rambling 'Oh, I have been drinking and smokin" and I'm all 'Wahhh?' and offered to drive. He got out to use the bathroom, leaving me there to panic. He came back in and was all 'I am not a bad person', and 'I will tell you a secret..I am a dealer'. I was all, 'That's not good'... and he rambled more about how it is bad, but hard to get work, cocaine is easy, supports the fam... </div><div>He was a nice guy, but how much he changed from the guy lifting my bags into his car to the drunk?high? rambler, I was not trusting of his sober-state. As soon as we got on the highway (him still rambling), I was all 'My bus stop is the next one!', asked if he wanted a tip, but saying he probs shouldn't drive people around. I was grateful, but torn. </div><div><br /></div><div>BACKTRACK TO BELIZE:</div><div><br /></div><div>The next day in Belize we really did nothing but wander the island and swim. </div><div>THE NEXT DAY HOWEVER, we took a tour with the lady who gave me all this stuff to use on my nail (after she saw me hobbling down the road wincing.. what a nice lady), the Barrier reef is very close to the island actually, so we did not have to spend an hour and a half on the boat like in Aus, it also cost around $30 NZ, not $120 Aus, that is another bonus. It also did not kill Steve Irwin. </div><div>In conclusion, I liked the 2nd largest reef in the world better than the titleholder. </div><div>I love snorkelling, muchly, but find that it is pretty much the same everywhere you go... lots of the same fish and coral. But I still loved it, I just don{t know how to differentiate between different countries.. BUT the 2nd stop, was CRAZZZZY. </div><div>The driver man, assited by his 9 year old son - Kevin - who is the next generation of tour leaders, ripped up fish and put them in a tube. Seconds later, about 15 stingrays and 6 Nurse sharks were all around the boat. He jumped in and was petting them, touching them everywhere to show they are friendly... we got in one by one, Roisin was swearing her head off in her thick accent. This American (from the South) lady did not stop screaming and was going {BABBBBYYYY) to her husband everytime one was coming near. It was her first time snorkelling - she was thrown in the deep end alright. </div><div><br /></div><div>It was terrifying and thrilling at the same time. I was trying to watch from a distance, but at one stage about 5 stingrays came up around my feet and I jumped up, in a ball on my back, furiously wading in the water. I had my eyes closed and geniuinely freaked out - blood chilling it was. Knowing that they do have powerful stings and will attack if touched on. </div><div>The nurse sharks are quite funny looking, all there features are round and they have light brown skin(?).. their fangs actually look quite comical. I was patting them a bit, this Spanish guy was clowning around... trying to be all tricky with his feet and such - not worth the risk I reckons. </div><div><br /></div><div>Later that day I caught the ferry back to Belize city, alone. Boy, was I sad to leave my Irish Parents.. I was really casual with them but then when I was in the ferry I found myself quite upset! </div><div><br /></div><div>I was out of money so needed the ATM, where I walked to once back in bay... I was a bit more scared than I was the morning I took this walk, as the sun had just set and it was getting dark. Men are everywhere.. just sitting or standing around... how people in these countries don{t get bored, I have no idea. </div><div><br /></div><div>Near the bank is the ´square´ where I knew to find the taxi drivers, as it is where they sleep. One short, jolly-Santa man waved me down from a block away so I went straight for him. </div><div>He had a Previa. I love Previas... aka Bretheran vans. One day when we were in our old one up near the Bretheran school, they all tooted and waved at us - thinking we were one of theres. It felt good to be accepted.<br /><br />My jolly bus driver told me about how the City used to be a bright, quiet and safe place, but now there is a lot of drugs and therefore thievery... he doesn´t like living here much anymore. I felt bad for him and the good people of the city - such things we don´t really have to worry about. I thought it was a great shame, as it does look like it was once a pretty city. The government is also very corrupt, he told me, even Obama sent a message about how corrupt it was - they really like Obama here, I´ve noticed. Lots of people bear the T-Shirts in the city, I guess it is because the city is mainly a community made up of African Slave ancestory. I think Belize looks up to USA quite a lot too....<br /><br />Anyways, I went to the bus station - very different to the classy ones of Mexico - everyone stared at me from the moment I walked in to the second I got off the bus. Most of it was outside, but sheltered, with lots of food stalls. Every 2nd person asked where I was trying to be and pointed me the way. A lady came on with hot clove bread and I got some of the. Wish I had got more - it was so fresh, so nice. The ride was very interesting. I took the bus all the way to Corozal, so I must have been on it for a good few hours. There was a back door to the bus, men kept getting out to use the bathroom then quickly running and jumping back on when the driver was yelling to close the door. It was on the highway, but through neighbourhoods. I saw a LOT of Chinese supermarts and restaurants. Even the non-chinese ones, are all named with the person who runs it name. I like this. Most the businesses are ´Andrea´s´ or ´Wong Fu´s´... I like it coz it´s like - ¨I did this, I am gonna make sure everyone knows that it´s mine´.<br /><br />When I got on the bus, it was 100% (bar me, obviously) black people. When I got off the bus, it was 100% Mayan or Mexican. Some of them ARE Mexican, the bus driver was speaking Spanish, some of them are not - but the boarderline is quite faint up the north there.<br />I didn´t actually realise this until we stopped in a city - Orange Walk´- up North and the bus driver put on a Mexican music CD. I wondered why he was only busting this out now, when he could{ve put it on hours ago, when women got on the bus to walk the aisle selling Corn and Tamales (the fave Mex snackS) ...I looked around and saw only Mayan or Mexican Belizeans - on the bus, in the street.. Spanish was what people now speaking. It opened to my eyes to Belizean Culture... there is more to it than meets the eye.<br /><br />IT ws an expensive effort to get back across the boarder, as unfortunately it was now about 10pm and all the buses for the day had stopped. I try to be a budget traveller, but there are good tricks I am learning for the next trip I go on. I had to Taxi there in a van... I was scared for my life for a few minutes there. Not because the van was unsafe, but because my partyman driver was BLARING the music (latest RnB, classic) but driving RIDICULOUSLY fast - but not really paying sticking to his side of the road. At all. This made me particularly queezy when we were going around the various bends on the wrong side .. that with the fact that there were no lights on the road.. it was now black so I had no idea what was ahead of us. Early on I was furiously grabbing for the seatbelt, couldn´t find the bottom bit and he reached over to try and help - meaning taking his eyes off the road and bending right to the ground - I was like ´´It´s okay - you drive, I will look for that.´He was all ´We don´t use seatbelts in Belize´, I was ´Even in this car? DRIVE PLEASE´. I got the buckle eventually, but it had obviously not been used for a while.<br />I walked through the crossing, with about 20 people all heading to the Casinos in no-mans-land. Once I got out into the middle part, I took photos of myself in front of each country. I got a whistle and looked toward the Belize side. The guy was waving his arm casually at me. I took another photo. ´No!´he yelled, must of thought i was working for some government. He probably thought I would put the photos on some blog, or something. I have found I have looked like a bad-ass on a few occasions here, because their ´´You are not meant to be doing that´´ signals and messages are so weak that I just think they are waving, like this guy. He was leaned back in his chair, one ankle up on the other leg, with his hand behind his head. It looked like a ´See ya, Thanks for coming to Belize, mon.´<br /><br /></div><div><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5536378720402444039.post-13929774677396485572010-10-25T19:11:00.001-07:002010-10-25T19:18:02.043-07:00Where I have wandered...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibYU4DRMvaxs4JkR8Zh1k2zWwjnnSwfizrxGXCH92qG9yUYH2vkvHOwZ7jgg2-q4P2G-LbJV6egjidDBZr0u8rBY6x2dPSU_Kc6L6_zCoeh5S-ciuNTPHOd8mZwJulW7FK0h2ojZKLsUU/s1600/myucatan2.GIF"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 234px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibYU4DRMvaxs4JkR8Zh1k2zWwjnnSwfizrxGXCH92qG9yUYH2vkvHOwZ7jgg2-q4P2G-LbJV6egjidDBZr0u8rBY6x2dPSU_Kc6L6_zCoeh5S-ciuNTPHOd8mZwJulW7FK0h2ojZKLsUU/s320/myucatan2.GIF" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5532172895046814930" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I put my route from Chiapas through the states to Belize, and now backtracking in Blue or Azul to here in Playa Del Carmen.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5536378720402444039.post-44571763104328006952010-10-25T17:09:00.000-07:002010-10-26T08:59:09.642-07:00Caye Caulker...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMD246UpQKx79IPZ8lFRcsc4LryqgTX2RuWaqsKyTYIdHwp4eVeQdnqNAek56URzdDig0_giGOh2jMwi0617741rrJfP7xdjFHyojsELDvgWQDk40gdJpjjzvvOyXj7VufbK8mAnjzlY4/s1600/shim.gif"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 1px; height: 1px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMD246UpQKx79IPZ8lFRcsc4LryqgTX2RuWaqsKyTYIdHwp4eVeQdnqNAek56URzdDig0_giGOh2jMwi0617741rrJfP7xdjFHyojsELDvgWQDk40gdJpjjzvvOyXj7VufbK8mAnjzlY4/s320/shim.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5532384792418404626" border="0" /></a><br />Is the name of the most beautiful place I have seen in my life.<br /><br />The island can only really be realised properly either first hand, or really with some good photos.<br />Although I doubt it, I hope the photos will look half as good as it did in person.<br />Driving up on the boat we knew we had now REALLY reached the Carribean. There were a lot of plank wood docks leading up to the ocean, one of many we got off at. The ocean below was a clear slighty minty green, I almost lost a jandal looking down because the gaps between wood were large (some of the docks are quite ´rustic´, one very weathered one has a 4 person maximum. The Island ´Captain´(aka one of the laid'back young guys wearing the CC Ferry tops and jandals, with ´Captain´printed on) said ´Don´t worry, we got plenty o dose here (Jandals)´ as he easily threw my bag onto the trolley that he would later pull down the dock to the mainland..¨Go slow, you´re in Caye Caulker now¨ (this is the islands catchphrase).<br /><br />I stood on the dock for a few minutes (I take pictures of everything) as my Irish Parents had various Golf cart taxi drivers and hostel owners keenly (but not aggressively, or pushy ..unlike their Mexican neighbours). The three of us sat on the back seat of the cart, which gave us a great view of all we passed. This took us down the main road, where the Basketball court is (miniature... i don´t think even half size), along with the resturants (none are fancy, all with swing seats and plastic chairs), some shops (a tourism shop, 2 togs shops, a book shop'internet cafe.. about $7 NZ an hour!), about 3 small Chinese'run supermarts (this is what I am now calling the small supermarkets... even in Mexico there are either the small ones, or the huge Americana beasts), then various accomodations...the best of which being stilted, wooden, colourful and classic Carribean. The island really caters from camping to a fenched in modern place with a pool.. the first place, hotel-pizzaplacebar, we stopped at didn´t have available rooms for us (A Canadian guy had taken over the place and was just opening... he literally put up the sign later that day, we went there in the night and all they had was two types of beer, which they were sending a local stoner to the supermart to buy).<br /><br />The next place was where we ended up. I haven´t managed to taken in any of the names of the places we have been staying, but it was basically on the beach, the family lived upstairs and then have extended to have a quite tacky looking wooden building - something you would expect on a trip to Colorado. I didn´t mind where we were at this point, the Irish wanted to stay somewhere nice and my birthday is the one day I let the money flo´a lil. People who pass me on the street on Oct 21 are like, ¨Hey, Big Spender!¨.<br /><br />We dropped the bags and headed for ´´the split´´ where there isn´t much beach, but awesome water with beautiful fish you can see from the bay. At around midday the stoners and hangers'around come from the Chinese supermart to here.. i think in the hopes tourists will buy them drinks. I wondered why these guys spend all day at the Supermart (always saying ´Where´s the party at´), one of them even has a permanently placed chair. I think it they take advantage of the fact that the Chinese people are too scared to tell them to leave, but also they have the attitude ´This is my country!´. One of the supermart owners can´t really speak English either, so even if he tried - I think he is stuck with them.<br /><br />When one of them (David) learnt it was my birthday, he was all ´Well the party must be somewhere´ but then asked me the next day.. ´Where the party at, Birthday Girl´´<br />I replied ' ´Dunno. My birthday was yesterday´, he said ´Ohhh Sorry, I may have taken some drugs´.<br /><br />My favourite person on the island was a guy we encountered quite early on... I don´t think we ever learnt his name, but he was only known as ^The Tamale Guy^.<br />I still don´t really know what tamales are, a bit sad seeing it is one of the most popular street food here. BUT, it is made out of corn (the is the bit I don´t really get... how corn becomes this soft, heavy texture) then with herbs through... or chicken and veges apparently. It is wrapped in a banana leaf. I had only had it with herbs in Mex, but theis had more going on. I meant to try one of the Vege ones on the island, but forgot .. but I tried some of Padraic`s on his first Tamale encounter. It was very good, mainly thanks to the sauce.<br /><br />We spooted this guy because we werhearing a very long-winded tour explanation (an AMerican lady who has married a Belizean), she talked for ages... giving detail to the sillyest things.. I made the mistake of mentioning Steve Irwin(which everyone does at on hearing ``Swim with the stingrays``) and she went off on a huge tangent about how you don´t grab them from behind, the location of the stingers, it is sad because he has a family....saying all this with no sympathy I might add. She didn´t really have emotion at all now I think of it.. but anyways, she was then droning about cheap eating option (which we discovered, don`t actually exist, in comparison with Mexico) when she mentioned the Tamale Guy - don`t worry, you won`t miss him.<br />Within seconds we heard the loud and enthusiastic boomb ``HAT Ta-ma-LES get your HAT TAmaLES.<br />He swaggers up the road in his blue shirt, cap, sneakers with his socks pulled up, pushing his cart. ``Hey guys!!! - I got Tamales... Chicken AND Vegetarian`` we didn´t know this at the time, but this is really all this man says. Apart from a few other words, he really puts a lot of energy into making te Tamales sound hot, chicken, vegetarian -and boy, does he do it with enthusiasm. He also does hilarious rants, before we talked to him, somewone was waving him down off a pier. He was like ``They betta be buyin sum`ìn, you donçt make the Tamale walk retrace his steps fo nuthin``... when he was selling to us he mentioned Ì come out 2 times a day, at about 12.30, I walk the main road then pause at the split for 30 mins, then walk back to my house. I walk out of my house again at 5.30 - with Hot TamaLES`<br />Later on he was like ``Hot Tamales, quick before I leave`and I was all `You don`t leave! I have seen you 8 times today`` (not in a rude way). He replied `You only see me twice actually. Once at 12.30 and then at 5.30`.<br /><br />After watching a beautiful sunset, taking photos of myself infront of the sunset of this glorious 21st.. some holding the camera and others dancing around (providing a comedy show for the fishermen - note: they fish and eat and sell CONCH here, which I found interesting. Mainly because I didn´t know conch had meat... not sure it is legal in NZ because of the cultural value...), then hit up the main local stree. Again, not much there.. .another Chinese Supermart (named China Town), a-the bank and the bakery. I looked for something that resembled a cake, a return with a cinnamon loaf - with the softest, freshest bread ever. This was my first birthday without a Chocolate cake, but I will have one - that is the joy of the word `Belated`.. we could technically all celebrate our birthdays all of the time.<br />In desperation, I stopped off at a Burger Bar place for a cupcake.. any kind of CAKE was necessary. It was a takeaway restaurant, but as the Americans outside told me, they were ``out`` of all the other items on the menu (aka either someone had not bothered to do the shopping, or the boat hadn`t arrived with the food).<br />My Irish parents found a great restaurant on the beach with a vege menu, although they didn´t actually bring me what I ordered, I was happy to eat it because it was the first time I had seen Broccoli and Cauliflower for months. It was a deep fried pita wrap with lots of veges, hottish sauce and runny beans.. i splashed out (Hey, BIG SPENDER) on a side of mashed potato (no existe in Mex) and a fizzy drink because they have the cool, big glass bottles...may as well celebrate the decade in which I was born.<br />I then felt bad with my erratic spending as my Irish Parents insisted on paying the bill. The restaurant also brought out an Ice Cream sunday for me - very nice, good news is that Belizeans make ice cream a HELL Of a lot better than the Mexicans. Mexican´s mean well, but miss the `cream`element of it. Although we can´t really blame a country without real milk, can we?<br /><br />This is when we went to the `bar` with the two beer types, the crazy Canadian gave us his life story (classic overworked and divorced.... moved here to chill out) he told us that Cocaine is okay if taken infrequently and insisted we wrote on his wall - if we return, he promised, we need to point out our wall scribbles and he will give us a free drink (to which I said I only wanted if he had more options.. they couldn`t even give me lemonade.. or water).<br />He wanted me to draw something, so I put a few sad looking flowers, `Maria 21 on 21-10-10`and `Arohanui ` on the wall, for some New Zealand Flava.<br />Glad I got to leave my mark in Belize!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5536378720402444039.post-21928462620552175942010-10-25T06:25:00.001-07:002010-10-25T17:09:09.637-07:00Belize part 2<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhoZZM1kNvJz0a3W6vNT2lLftkCeqWhiHBWykQjFOq1ygcuQNGvYZyPNsRVMT_bqsVf5xtBYqKDw9bYQrlaz9csSHQrd4VTQ_5gNYbodamx_YU_N66-HM3JieC8lMHXYIrrqfzGu3yTG8/s1600/74555_441310178403_560958403_5323006_420600_n.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhoZZM1kNvJz0a3W6vNT2lLftkCeqWhiHBWykQjFOq1ygcuQNGvYZyPNsRVMT_bqsVf5xtBYqKDw9bYQrlaz9csSHQrd4VTQ_5gNYbodamx_YU_N66-HM3JieC8lMHXYIrrqfzGu3yTG8/s320/74555_441310178403_560958403_5323006_420600_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5532122461514876978" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpkUMfw_FqU6ZDhORIhp6YmE8WabtcdG3apIx1EG96iV7stq9-44DSbeMwanFpKQVtMvhtq6L2sm7xXhDj9KMWc0SoYrAb-MsQz-hHdVIikHUiF7vcBWwoTfg9EoftMxHbhzj5LRvlf0o/s1600/72437_441309388403_560958403_5322988_3919364_n.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpkUMfw_FqU6ZDhORIhp6YmE8WabtcdG3apIx1EG96iV7stq9-44DSbeMwanFpKQVtMvhtq6L2sm7xXhDj9KMWc0SoYrAb-MsQz-hHdVIikHUiF7vcBWwoTfg9EoftMxHbhzj5LRvlf0o/s320/72437_441309388403_560958403_5322988_3919364_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5532122455662341106" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkTkQmlrJntF8c5xeaIQz387cu8vnN-AhFDj8k7wRVMirOOgAWVPVNqtPiD3D0XBTym_zgvYqVNW2RTkVRmhrtF_AjobmEd2meYjvFPSCldp-70aqR27t2ZX-BCos8k0Xwb10XCdsLH78/s1600/67597_441307278403_560958403_5322953_5821006_n.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkTkQmlrJntF8c5xeaIQz387cu8vnN-AhFDj8k7wRVMirOOgAWVPVNqtPiD3D0XBTym_zgvYqVNW2RTkVRmhrtF_AjobmEd2meYjvFPSCldp-70aqR27t2ZX-BCos8k0Xwb10XCdsLH78/s320/67597_441307278403_560958403_5322953_5821006_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5532122450287563090" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-2CGRI7IS442CvUkvYSLOff6C49lWdPnfgBJHQp1P5CKmkE9es2k2ObLMqVrDsEFPiNNJ7Kv8tDD6aD943XvIWTgYpx5nQR4Ii_w-T1JaI9Wp7a64JJOFdLR_fXqhjah2ZcrVh5EIX2g/s1600/39550_441309853403_560958403_5322996_3435143_n.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-2CGRI7IS442CvUkvYSLOff6C49lWdPnfgBJHQp1P5CKmkE9es2k2ObLMqVrDsEFPiNNJ7Kv8tDD6aD943XvIWTgYpx5nQR4Ii_w-T1JaI9Wp7a64JJOFdLR_fXqhjah2ZcrVh5EIX2g/s320/39550_441309853403_560958403_5322996_3435143_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5532122444421773426" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-dg33sm6FgskiHn0cYEDvyOwKFDCHD0h7lmlsHngxKVcq6Kk3ggvz6wqXrDQDSavPawh2M9kq85EtDSL2_ksKSMTeSlYjixBh4XpUY5kTiH_AQc-weD4sL1qJtS79j_6dEcHyxiBBwIU/s1600/69395_441309818403_560958403_5322993_3274342_n.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-dg33sm6FgskiHn0cYEDvyOwKFDCHD0h7lmlsHngxKVcq6Kk3ggvz6wqXrDQDSavPawh2M9kq85EtDSL2_ksKSMTeSlYjixBh4XpUY5kTiH_AQc-weD4sL1qJtS79j_6dEcHyxiBBwIU/s320/69395_441309818403_560958403_5322993_3274342_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5532122438648695202" border="0" /></a><br />I missed out an important note. Faithful followers would have caught the part about me slamming a door into my toe on the way to Merida. Now, loading onto the bus to Belize, on my NZ birthday, (my birthday here in my mind lasted about 36 to 48 hours) my toe got beautifully ripped all the way up. Pain once again, but now permanent.<br /><br />Don´t worry It is all bandaged and alcoholed and I change it 2 to 3 times a day. This British woman who was helping me with it (an expat married to a Belizean) thinks it will drop off. I am nervous about this.<br /><br />Belize. So, after the stop off at the ATM where the Taxi driver got out to watch Padraic withdrawl money, he took us to a hostel that was mentioned in their book. I don´t know the name of it but it was a big old wooden building (unkept, like all the others here) ran by a French Canadian. The taxidriver charged us $12 US for the trip ' it was around the corner. But everyone here in Mexico says Belize is expensy so we were slightly prepared.<br />Padraic wanted to argue but Roisin shut him up, happy that no one had died yet.<br />The French Canadian was accidentally hilarious. Apparently he smelt really bad, I didn´t actually smell him, but that may have been thanks to the overpowering non'aluminium deoderant I wear with loyalty.<br />Padraic said it was so strong that he smelt when this guy walked past our room (door closed)... anyways, what we thought was hilarious was the 80´s net'vest he was wearing, with his middrift showing. Wish I had a photo.<br /><br />Back to the story, we got ´dinner´from the shop across the road because now it was really dark and we had all been scared (taxi driver ´don´t leave your house tonight´). The shop was run by Asian people, I think Chinese, which suprised us all. It wasn´t really a shop either.. it was more a jail with all the food behind bars. We came to discover that all the small supermarkets and dairys and most the restaurants too, are all run by Chinese. I have spent a lot of time trying to work this out in my head.. I guess there are more opportunities for poorish Chinese to earn money in a place like this, where they like MADE IN CHINA for the cost and they don´t have as much work ethic.<br />I don´t mean for that to sound as harsh as it does, but it reminded me of Fiji where Indians suceed in the stores more... I guess then the Chinese people call up their cousins and friends and before you know it there is a large community here. I was wondering Why Belize but 1, it´s a 3rd world country, corrupt so easy to get into, 2: I think this is the only, or at least one of, countries with ENGLISH as the official language.<br /><br />Our dinner consisted of Peanut MandMs, the only thing here that is cheaper than in Mexico, and some Onion chips. Our room was predicably crap, but I think it only cost about $6 NZ each. Padraic paid for me to..I was going to go find my Scotia Bank but if tough lookin Belizeans tellin me not to go outside, ya girl aint goin outside!<br />Although I did the next day - the 21st of October, my birthday over this side. I actually left without saying nothin, freakin my Irish parents out a tad. But I needed the bank, and couldn´t sleep anyways - between the pool-pub place in the neighbours house, the building in the other neighbours yard and the various horses trotting past (I figured they were for tourists, but was unsure why tourists would come around here.. turns out we were in the centre of town aka there is NOTHING in Belize Citttaaaayyyy *say like a gangsta).<br />I walked up a road, past Uncles´s shop aka the Chinese jail dairy, a church, a school, a few boat shops (we were right on the river) and a few shops that I am positive weren´t 100%, or even 30% legal.<br /><br />I then walked over the main bridge, at this time not realising it is the main tourist attraction in the town. Only until later when I spotted it on all the postcards did it click. Although, it was far from a `silly me`moment - as the bridge is ugly, plain, maybe from the 70s but apparently moved for boats every now and again.<br />Right over the other side of the road (partially in 1st picture) was a sign stating `WE SELL DRUGS AND POISONS` which managed to take away from the pain of my toe for a second for me to find funny, and then realised that those poisons were exactly what I needed. One thing I loved about Belize is that all the signs are still paintèd like it is the 60s.<br />`Bienvenidos a las Setentas`or `Welcome to the 60s`, in case there are other HAIRSPRAY fans reading. After attending the musical in Spanish I feel so bilingual.<br />Back to it - I found the bank with ease, as this was the centre of town, but besides all the cute kids (girls with cornrows) hopping to school and all the men sitting on the streets, potentially selling `stuff`, or newspapers and other legitimate items, or still out from the night before (note: all the kids were of African-Belizean descent, along with all the men.. on later bus journeys I basically got the race lay-of-the-land). Everyone says something to you, whether high or friendly. I didn´t pass a person didn´t say good morning, others asked if I was lost (it was 8am) and some called out inappropriate comments - they met my deathstare, which I feel I have perfected while being here, but also I think it has become my normal facial expression (due to a few people asking why I was angry when I wasn´t).<br />I withdrew money from the ATM (this was when I realised I was in the centre of town as there was a small crummy park, with concrete benches with ``Together we can make a beautiful city`` etc written on, where all the taxi drivers were sleeping.. and a big map with a YOU A HERE.. I was disppointed, but glad I knew to not waste time wandering), then realised I wasn´t exactly sure how much the Belizean currency was.. no fear as the Bank guard was already looking at me like `Hey mon, I help yu` - he informed me it is double the US$.<br /><br />I hit up the supermarket on the way home, ready to bust out big money on Bday treats. It was confusing as although the Belizean $ is about 6x the Mexican peso, everything was the same price as Mex. E.g a bag of chips is $10. Oh yes, you think, that is a dollar NZ. NO IT IS NOT!<br />It is over $5 NZ, it is just that you are in Belize, where food is luxury.<br />There was nothing to resemble cake, but that didn´t matter as the shop was out of both `2`and `1`candles anyway. Just my luck.<br />The more I think about it, those are the 2 most popular numbers needed.. for teens and all the sad ones in their 20`s like me (that still feels weird, even after a year) who can´t bypass all the fun, tacky decor.<br /><br />Anyways, I spent way too much on very little and returned to meet up with the others (stern, but glad I was alive) and after spreading our cinnamon buns with Philadelphia using one of Padraic´s membership cards (see photo of them on bunk) we made our way to the ferry terminal... beside this `moving`bridge attraction. I bought postcards and stamps successfully (although the guy was trying to sell me 30c stamps for $1 a piece! I was all `30c stamps cost 30c`He was like `How do I make a profit` you don´t! They`re stamps.. no point now anyway coz I forgot to post them... only remembered just after I crossed the boarder (as the thoughts.. was there anything else I was supposed to do over that line? cross your mind), and then unsuccessfully looked for a newspaper with my 21st Birthday date on it... Fail because in Belize they only print they only print it once every two days... so my option was the 20th, or the Sunday edition that - on Thursday - had already been printed.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5536378720402444039.post-59379120364537912032010-10-24T08:25:00.001-07:002010-10-24T09:00:34.646-07:00BIRTHDAY IN BELIZE PART 1So, Tulum was drop dead stunning. I spoke of my bike adventure, then the next day we went ... I have had a blank... a whole day has been erased from my memory.. so much going on.<br />I know what we did the day after... we woke early to go to the Tulum Mayan ruins )small, but on the water... so stunning. Me and Roisin were talking about how crap the sky looks next to the sea... whereas in Oaxaca the sky was stunning.<br /><br /><br /><br />Tulum is quite small and very well kept - like a Golfcourse, but there isn´t too much information there. Unlike the other ruins where they know some history, the plaques literally read ¨This was a house¨ and other obvious information. Although, there was a wall around it still, apparently only the priests and rich could live inside the walls.<br /><br /><br /><br />Later we headed to AKUMAL to swim with the turtles. I think I have actually already written about this... I am slightly obsessed with Turtles.<br /><p>So after I posted the last info, it was time for my Irish lads to finally rid of me... they asked what I was doing, I was all pathetic and ´I don´t know...´ they were all come with us.. and that is when I realised that is exactly what I wanted to do. </p><p>So only about an hour later we were on a bus heading to the northern city of Chetumal. This is very close to the border, so you literally change buses and then within a minute you are off getting your passport stamped. The whole process was very easy... all the guy said was ´´You coming back¨ (and $200 pesos, which they aren´t supposed to make us pay.. but that man was standing inbetween us and that country)and I emphasized my YES... this was my fear - what if they don´t let me back...</p><p>Then we hopped on the bus again (in no man´s land... or Melize..Bexico..) only for long enough to pass over a bridge, pass a few casinos and a brick shop and then we exited again at the Belize boarder. I freaked out and ditched all of the food I had, unsure what machines and such lay ahead of me. Shouldn´t have bothered... I stepped in with my luggage, the first REALLY friendly guy gave me a stamp and then pawed through my passport (´´this is the most beautiful passport I have seen!´´) and showed it to the equally cheerful lady next to him.</p><p>¨How long you in Belize for?¨ A few days. ¨A week?¨ At most.´¨I´ll give ya till the end of the month... just in case you don´t want to leave. Have a GREAT time in Belize¨</p><p>I practically skipped to the next lady, the baggage checker, I went to lift my bag on the counter ´´Don´t bother´´ she said. ¨Got any alcohol?¨ (she asked while texting) No. ¨Any food?¨ No. ¨Welcome to Belize¨ (still texting) Is that it? ´Yeah. Have a good holiday Maám¨.</p><p>Well the whole thing was very easy and exciting. Side note onthe people of Belize... Most we encountered were of Black descent, including all those at the boarder, on our bus, in Belize city and most on the island we went to. Others are Mayan (the native people of Mexico and Northern Central American countries) or expats. Due to the integration there are people from Light to pitchblack dark. The official language is also English... although it is slightly remixed and most the time it was quite hard to catch.</p><p>Our bus trip showed ´Apocolypto´, Mel Gibson´s Mayan film. It was in Mayan which I thought was fab... I never bothered going to it when it was at State because it was R18 and I knew that meant violence. But I loved it... I think I have a appreciation for it, after being in Mexico and at MAyan Ruins that I wouldn´t have had in the theatre. The crap DVD )all is burned) froze in the last crucial 5 or so minutes (although once on the island I saw it in outdoor theatre.. so got the end) and then they started to play ridiculous, cheaply made music videos. Songs here litterally either use a reggae beat or rhyme ´shizzle´with ´nizzle´etc and they have an instant following. </p><p>As we were parking outside the bus station in Belize city a taxi driver jumped on the bus to make sure he nabbed us. We got in his van.... I don´t know how the windscreen was still on.. it looked like it had been shot at with about 10 huge cracks. He drove us to an ATM around the corner where he got out of the car to keep an eye on Padraic (we had been told to not go outside at night by a HUGE gangstar lookin father of four who had huge dreads, a backwards cap, timberland shoes, a huge football jersey and gold chains on the bus he was all ´When I head to da city, I remove my chainnzzz´), apparently druggies and theifs take over at night. </p>Sorry, tired.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5536378720402444039.post-36131338038269081532010-10-24T08:19:00.000-07:002011-02-02T20:17:51.330-08:00A few stolen photos from Tulum<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0FzZKtf0vVHWYTMWpzjiVD9vFFRsLuiFu0OSjKbKOEFTeVQORd7tcCUVBMnwGtiVud7Q34KHsqezDN8swig9Ed60BYN8LmMLwE3aP9HXgny2eLb0Q8nm9RSUKsBG3uANyFUyjDb8xYtg/s1600/72425_443274530737_514205737_5799701_724266_n.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5531632982505431314" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0FzZKtf0vVHWYTMWpzjiVD9vFFRsLuiFu0OSjKbKOEFTeVQORd7tcCUVBMnwGtiVud7Q34KHsqezDN8swig9Ed60BYN8LmMLwE3aP9HXgny2eLb0Q8nm9RSUKsBG3uANyFUyjDb8xYtg/s320/72425_443274530737_514205737_5799701_724266_n.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYE0Pmefx0jxOzg09ordGF6P039udaVciQzmstKCLRu4hNqKORZZ4WPsJn5UT3F74FSmuLHgxkOBCRukKl539LGUF9Xy8dOtE4LR-TbNrqamplZ1vKliNjWzArwy7fIR7yztSJ3Pn_Tqk/s1600/71845_443271215737_514205737_5799675_3871855_n.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 234px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5531632973169610978" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYE0Pmefx0jxOzg09ordGF6P039udaVciQzmstKCLRu4hNqKORZZ4WPsJn5UT3F74FSmuLHgxkOBCRukKl539LGUF9Xy8dOtE4LR-TbNrqamplZ1vKliNjWzArwy7fIR7yztSJ3Pn_Tqk/s320/71845_443271215737_514205737_5799675_3871855_n.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><div>The first group shot has my Irish parents in the middle and the Turks on the outskirts. The guy on the left insisted having the palm in the shot. It was at Akumal, where there is a turtle reserve. </div><div>On the top right the picture is taken from the Mayan Tulum ruins.. it was a fishing village.. none of the actual ruins are in this shot...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip46eJcbHyf1j0uqpN2UNgxzBqwjUHHpG_p7hrDj_PplxVvC4kfZjGkOlInenL4Umco8m-eWx1sPXd-Lc7barAjxvnuLJ0Uwh7a3sYmw0AqQiagJhZxo42As9o7b1w_6_kDDqHtm0B0PM/s1600/71675_443274370737_514205737_5799698_7858672_n.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5531632963699130450" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip46eJcbHyf1j0uqpN2UNgxzBqwjUHHpG_p7hrDj_PplxVvC4kfZjGkOlInenL4Umco8m-eWx1sPXd-Lc7barAjxvnuLJ0Uwh7a3sYmw0AqQiagJhZxo42As9o7b1w_6_kDDqHtm0B0PM/s320/71675_443274370737_514205737_5799698_7858672_n.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcWqGyBv5QmauRlqS9mfuPABuzHI-KprZc6HcGP2Lx3HPIn_Pj7ajdfxW2WupO7ir6vAYe121VzdDvXkWPTH83ac9_NrrV3eCZOZ2fe-VMTuQbmCrvLbNEv1d-X0w0JeBfBmiZZD5UaaU/s1600/69360_443274270737_514205737_5799695_7528894_n.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5531632959234283074" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcWqGyBv5QmauRlqS9mfuPABuzHI-KprZc6HcGP2Lx3HPIn_Pj7ajdfxW2WupO7ir6vAYe121VzdDvXkWPTH83ac9_NrrV3eCZOZ2fe-VMTuQbmCrvLbNEv1d-X0w0JeBfBmiZZD5UaaU/s320/69360_443274270737_514205737_5799695_7528894_n.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7FUX-HaX1iaaU6xV1yic7Ow_s91Jcn-LZD-uZar5loAE83d5qzQqbFpp2P8bxz6Yy_jx_QgQZCTR2UrlgnR9Vy-tXs_0ovE9x-E6dxkyM95LmpR8S9gqaX9Pp-HSWmLFxF311BmtBeGs/s1600/67763_443270820737_514205737_5799669_403179_n.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5531632954877808402" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7FUX-HaX1iaaU6xV1yic7Ow_s91Jcn-LZD-uZar5loAE83d5qzQqbFpp2P8bxz6Yy_jx_QgQZCTR2UrlgnR9Vy-tXs_0ovE9x-E6dxkyM95LmpR8S9gqaX9Pp-HSWmLFxF311BmtBeGs/s320/67763_443270820737_514205737_5799669_403179_n.jpg" /></a><br />These beach shots are from Tulum. These were the first glimpses we saw of the Caribbean! Boy, were they good first glimpses... I only hope they come out as good on my camera..<br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5536378720402444039.post-69135704379451971462010-10-20T06:04:00.000-07:002010-10-20T06:31:31.790-07:00Tulum take 2So, as I mentioned earlier, I have become the Gary Williams of Mexico, riding around in my highlighter vest. They try and make you wear them after 6pm only, but I wear mine all the time because that is the kind of safety-cautious cat I am.<br /><br />No one else wears them, not even helmets actually.. but HELL we are on the highway.<br />Speaking of which, As I was biking across the road yesterday a car could have potentially hit me. Not my fault - this guy must have been going over 200km. It was a terrifying few seconds - he was miles away when I started, but was going at SUCH a ridiculous speed that when I saw him I just looked straight away with the notion *Maybe if he hits me and I am not looking, it will be better...* and just peddled like mad.<br />The jackass never slowed down, instead blaring on the horn... ahhh I was clearly in the right.<br /><br />What we did yesterday was head to a beach called AKUMAL to swim with turtles. It was myself, Irish parents and two Turkish lads we met on our tour with the fiesty American in Palenque. When she was fighting one of them was like *Can I go get some food?*, it was quite funny at the time. They love football and Turkish kebabs. They were harping on about how NZ only got into the Soccer world cup because the Aussie team switched divisions or something... and I{m like *Lads, NZers do not care HOW we got there.. they care that we got there*....and were undefeated of course. People do not realise how this has boosted soccer... I think half the country did not realise we had a team.<br /><br />Anyways, the turtles. This had been recommended to us by the same British girl who said *This is the most ammaaazzzing hostal in the world* about the shabby place in San Cristobal with the U2 poster, the *hummingbirds in the yard* (I wish you knew what she sounded like.. think dreamy, fairy posh-like British) and the crazy wizard with his bread and cheese.<br />So now we were skeptical of this cockeyed optimists *It was the greatest experience of my life* turtle-swim experience.<br />But her recommendation came in handy, as the 3 tightarses (say in Irish accent... like Father Ted) remembered the bit about her paying 70 pesos for a mask only.<br />What happened when we got to the beach (in collectivos, which I was incorrectly calling progressivos... aka White vans that act as public transport) was that the first flax-made stand we came across was a snorkel tour one, where we inquired about equipment... he told us it 70 pesos for the mask, then 50 more for the compulsary life jacket, then 70 more for fins... which we need coz we will get tired... or for 200 pesos we can go on a *tour* with them. Then they made us watch a consrvation video with rules (as it is a ecological park), which reinstated these facts. Plus they wanted a $200 peso deposit. We were all getting all nervous, as we didnñt have enough money.<br />In the end we got 3 masks, for 70 pesos, but from another guy - A Cuban *New Zealand has nice cheese* - and took turns. This was a brilliant plan, as constructed by the Turkish Engineers.. the irish are Engineers too... they all seem to be different types though.. I do not know as I failed Science (note: doesn{t matter with good old NCEA).<br />Anyways, turns out we didn{t need all the stuff as the video said, and you only swim about 25 metres before you spot a turtle or too. The video also had rules... no more than 2 mins with one turtle... stand 15 feet back (although you wouldn{t be able to see it), and no more than 8 tourists with one at all times (Roisin said *How many Mexicans?).<br />These rules were not enforced by the *tour guides*. They made it sound like they go to better places and you see more, but in actual fact - you board a boat, they drive you the 25 m then park and wave you back after an hour. They are their polluting the ocean they showed us the Video about protecting.. I was watching the turtles and breathing in petrol!<br /><br />They are beautiful though. I have always loved turtles, particularly because they are good luck in Fiji. But these moved so gracefully -and they are all tile-like on their skin. Their necks were particular cool - like scrunched rubber as they move in and out.. .and when they come up for air - Ohhh those little heads. Their were lots of stingrays too, which the whole world should fear... Crikey! They killed Steve Irwin for goodnesssake!<br /><br />Got to run now, will come back later when the owner is not here... it is like it is his mission to irritate with his endless yelling and snorting and sneezing everywhere... ooo - he is spitting now.<br /><br />Ps -- Guess it is my NZ birthday?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5536378720402444039.post-49700180257332079172010-10-18T18:36:00.000-07:002010-10-18T21:21:18.231-07:00Merida to now (if I can manage)Right. Apologies for the behind-ness. Everywhere we were going we spent a night there so it was crucial to actually see the place we were in... and not spend hours in internet cafes.<br /><br />Last post was Number 50. But it was pitiful, so this one kinda is.<br />APOLOGIES for writing so much pointless crap, but I want to remember it ALL but can{t be assed writing in a diary. It is probs just my Ma and Pa reading this still so no wuz cuz.<br /><br />But now, my brain is scattered and full. Apologies about no photos... I thought it would be easy to attach them... try it on Mexico Comps.<br /><br />We headed from Palenque to Merida on an overnight bus - funny thing by the way: Palenque did not have an ATM for my bank so my Irish parents had to pay my way. I actually feel like they are parents... they have these trips planned out and I just follow them wherever they go. Now they were also shelling out for meals, a la Gary. Actually, Roisin finds it hard to like people - like my real life mum. She also walks very fast like her too.<br /><br /><br />The bus ride was cold, as always, but I managed to sleep for most of it. As the bus pulled into the station I did a last min toilet dash (while gratis aka free) barefoot. I contemplated ´putting on my crocs but in classic naive fashion thought *What could possibly go wrong?*<br /><br /><br />I will tell you what could go wrong - these damn doors are REALLY hard to open, because they can{t be swinging about over bumpy roads. I thought someone was in it originally, but since the bus only consisted of my Irish parents, a French hippy girl, a Mexican man in the back and a Mexican couple (who potentially were on their first bus trip as they wandered the bus trying to work out where they were supposed to sit. They asked the French girl who helpfully said [Up there somewhere* so I offered to help. They were seats 9 and 10, right infront of me..I am sure you were dying to know). Anyways, a quick scan of the automobil accounted for all people.<br />Tried the door. Really tried the 2nd time. On the third I yanked SO hard.. third time lucky.<br /><br />Or Unlucky.<br />I whacked the BEJEEZUS out of my toe. As I may have mentioned, I have broken both large toes... and they have never fully healed. I whack them and there is instant pain and this time.. a lot of blood.<br /><br />What I only learnt later when the immense pain had not departed, I had actually cut it open AND ripped the toenail half up. Sorry for that detail.. but that is obviously the story.<br />So that explains why I was hopping around like a crazy, mime-Screaming.<br />I should have recognised the signs because this is exactly what happened to my teacher, Mr Cross, on form one camp when we all attacked him with a waterfight. But he hopped around like crazy and mime-Swore.<br /><br />Anways, that was - and still is - painfull. Could not see too much of what was happening originally, due to my stylish silver with pink-purple glitter nailpolish (When in Mexico...), but it is quite demented. I will spare the gory details, but I would have liked this injury had a better story come with it.<br /><br />The hostel in Merida was beautiful. It had a nice terrace area with tables and was painted all my faves - mainly yellow with some red, blue and green too. And it had a big ass pool. I didn{t want to leave... still sad I have really. Although there was nothing much happening in Merida - was still awesome. The first morning I sat nursing my toe as I talked with a nice British couple about Flight of the Conchords for about 2 hours.<br /><br /><br />So I wandered the town on the first day - eating at a place with the Meal-of-the-day for $38 pesos, good deal - and the locals were swarming the place.<br />Tostado (type of corn chips really... but not made from corn?) with hot hot salsa and a fabulous vege soup. Enchilladas for the main.. I skipped on the chick so beans, vege and salad filled my tortillas. The drink was Jamaica. Have I mentioned this drink (pronounced Ha-my-ka)? Obviously the name of the Rasta country, but also dried habiscus flowers boiled with water. It is apparently really good for you.. it comes out purple and with sugar tastes like Ribena. Probs has more vitamin C too (BURN).<br /><br />I was heading for the town centre when I saw a theatre with a local comedy with it{s opening night that night (15th) and thought I{d go. *It has been a while since I saw theatre* Thought I.<br /><br />Well, go to theatre I did... but not that show. Unfortunately for those cheap $20 peso thespians, I found a better $75 peso offer. So for the price of a kids movie ticket at our local State theatre, I watched an enthusiastic team put on SPRAY (aka HAIRSPRAY aka the musical) with the tag line {No puedo parar] - I can not stop... I recognised this and the design and picture on the poster as the beloved musical.<br /><br />Despite work getting done onthe theatre so it was filled with thick dust, I sacrificed a clear throat for my high class ticket, then hurried back to the hostel to get changed.<br /><br />No time to eat, as the show started at 7pm. But it did not - I never know when Mexican time aplies and when it doesn{t. There have been awkward tours where I have held up everyone, thinking the oposite would happen so just pottering around wasting time. Just the other day at Chichen Itza, I split from the parents who wanted a tour.. then they waited for me for an hour!<br /><br />Back to business: The show curtain raised at about 7:40 pm. I have found Mexican audiences don{t take theatre particularly seriously. For starters: there was hardly anyone there. For seconds - the people who were there were all part of large family-contingents bearing flowers.. so were forced there by a cast member. People slept, talked, ate and texted during the show and no one seemed to care. The biggest laughs came with technical difficulties, everyone loved when the set guys came on, because the lights were always up.<br /><br />I sat with the other 30 odd people (In Teatro Merida, which can hold 100s), thinking about the lack of funds our theatre groups have... and how could they afford the rights to a big Broadway musical like this.... Again, the *Is Mexico 3rd world or 1st world* argument played itself out and I realised that this show was more 3rd world than 1st.. no rights had been purchased, but rather a burnt-subtitled-copy of the 2007 film starring John Travolta as Edna Turnblad. The dance moves, jokes and styles were all direct copíes, I learnt early on. This worked in my favour, as most the time I didn{t know what they were saying, but did from knowing the movie.<br />The cast were REALLY good. Very over the top, but I have watched Mexican TV so expected nothing less. All the actors playing the African-American parts (a vital part of the show, set in Civil Rights movement) were literally painted black. At first I was a bit shocked, but nothing harsh was meant from it.<br /><br />The next day we missioned to this attraction that the Conchord{s fans spoke of. There are these things called CENOTES, which are literally waterholes underground. The town we visited... we think the whole town survives off this tourism.. we took a local bus (aka a white van) to the town, from their they take you in a cart on the front of your motorscooter to the *trucks*.<br /><br />The trucks are carts which are on train tracks, pulled with a horse and a driver steering. So fabulously old times... I loved it - something uninfluenced. What was best is that we had the oldest driver, Abuela aka Grandfather, he even had his name painted on the cart, all the other drivers really respected him.<br /><br />There was only one path (and four people max to a cart) and carts coming two ways so they had to stop, let their horse eat grass and physically lift their cart off the tracks, one side at a time. Paudraic kept trying to proove his manhood and help - but just got in the way. BORED YET?<br />These Cenotes... holy... one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen - National Geographic stuff. We walked down some VERY dodgy stairs to get to them.. the first were concrete, the largest.. leading to a beautiful large cave all with Stalictite (spelling? my crappy St Joes Science just taught me the name) decor. The water is AMAZING shades of blue.. will look up a photo to try and post from the internet. The second and third had other unmarked holes on the surface, where someone could accidentally plummet to their death. We swam in all 3, but it was always hard to get back up once in the water because the wooden made ladders were all broken (one missing about 8 planks.. only having one at the top). To get into the third cenote we had to take a vertical ladder for every slippery, mossy, branch step. It was a terrifying 31... felt like 100. They werent in line, some fixed on with crappy wire. But we made it down, and it was stunning. Those deadly holes provided beautiful light.. it really can{t be described unfortunately!<br /><br />On the way back the leader man charged us double what he originally quoted, which pissed us off, but hey - third world sign. On returning home we had a meal, me again with Meal of the day which again was glorious... Paudric got a food point for having Fajitas (although hasn{t earnt one in a while because he has only ordered Fajitas ever since) and Roisin got minus one for ordering the caeser salad for the second night in a row. She doesn{t understand why Mexicans put Avacado on everything. I don{t understand why she doesn{t always want Mexican food.. what will I do in NZ.. all I can think of good there right now is Haven Road fish and chips, NZ dairy products, bbq kettles, cookie times and my mums baking... next bus I take will be one way to Obesityville.<br /><br />Anyways, we headed for a bus to Valladolid, a random town that most tourists do not hit, but we did to get close to the new 7th wonder of the world (meaning not in the original 7.. only recently this happened... unfortunately meaning you can not walk up any of it.. which is actually good now with the 1000s of daily visitors. Our bus to Valladolid was hilARious. We took a 2nd class this time (1st class usually equals tourist with tv etc.. although vaires state to state) because it was to be half the price and was only a few hours.<br />We were assigned seats but I mentioned to my Irish parents that there were definatly more people getting on than there were seats (we were at the back of the line.. the only with luggage).<br />Sure enough, we found ourselves standing right beside the door, which turned into us sitting on the steps. Until the first stop, where they let on about 6 new men.. two of which were VERY drunk. Guess which 2 I somehow got sandwiched in between?<br />One was dropping his hotdog on the elderly man sitting below him( and calling me Tall Gringo aka whitey), the other trying to talk to me although failing to produce words of a Spanish or English nature, so only making elaborate hand gestures - which meant letting go of the railing, which meant falling on the teenage girl below him. The Mexican women around were all unimpressed, snapping at them in fiesty latina Spanish from time to time. It was a big pantomime really.<br /><br />More people wanted to get on the bus (explanation.. the bus stops every town from Merida to Villadolid... so the peeps were coming home from work or returning after a week of work.. it was 7pm on a Saturday night), but no one was moving back (there was still room for about 15 more). I tried to rouse them by yelling in broken spanish things like *We need more space* and *a lot more people*.. everyone stared at me, most with shocked expressions. I felt on stage.<br />Most of them felt obliged to move after my performance, but a few who didn}t let the whole team down. There was only space for about 3 more and the others were told to wait an HOUR!<br /><br />Once I got a seat I talked to a very nice Mexican man, who told me of how he has the best cook in the world as a wife, his twin sons and daughter and how he thought NZ was in Europe and Lord of the Rings was filmed on the computer. I missed some of what he was saying, all in very quick Spanish, but got most jists. It was the first real spanish I had attempted for a while.. my brain has appreciated the break.<br /><br />The hostel in Valladolid was also a stunner, because of the beautiful outdoors area... with an outdoor kitchen, hammocks, bathrooms, painted yellow and blue and pink. The rooms aren{t much, and found myself cold once more in the night.... dang, we in the hot now! We get a van-bus in the morning, to Chichen Itza.. the man pulled the classic - we are leaving in 15 minutes but didn{t return for another 45... classic Mexicano. He was trying to round up a few more passengers, failed - it is low season, although it didn{t look that way at CI.<br />Well our student ids got us free entry, once again - this was a real score due to the $18 NZ entry free now it}s all a world wonder and that.<br />An American (or brit?) bought the land the Mayan ruins are on in 1900 for $75 USD... little did he know what he would find! now it actually felt less like traditional ruins, more like a field with 100s of locals selling goods (saying Nearly free), with a few old stone buildings put there.<br /><br />There were SO Many people... hoards of tours. People just jump in with them free, as there are about 50 tours all with about 50 people. The irish went off for one... I found myself in the middle od one with Japanese retirees for a while.. stuck with it for the novelty... I was obviously the odd one out but I did, like all of them, have my umbrella raised. One of the ladies kept looking at me with a really serious/disgusted face.. like I had come to take her children away.. or attack her.<br /><br />The highlight for me was the $5 buffet I had afterwards. Although I went nuts with the green salsa (only one there so thought it was mild.. salsa vedre I thought, aka green salsa) but it shred my mouth apart. I stood up thinking - this is kind of hot, I should invest in a drink - then moved into the cafe to the juice man saying Coke, kind of choking.. he pointed me to another lady.. by the time I reached her tears were streaming down my face. She pointed me to the bar, but I was intercepted by the hostess who saw my urgency but felt the need to ask me what type I wanted [Normal, normal] I squeeked, while trying to control my eyes and now running nose.<br />That first sip of Coke (not a fan of coke btw, especially their exploits of Mexicans...) was the only good, non Vanilla sip I have ever had.<br /><br />We caught the bus to where we are now, TULUM. This is a town South of Cancun where the American{s and hotel chains haven{t reached. The long stretch of beach/es is BEAUT.I:FUL. We are at the CARRIBEAN! I was waiting for this moment... and I can confirm, photoshopping does not take place with these kids - this ocean means business. The hostel is CRAP but free bikes so I spent all day biking and stopping every 2 mins to take 100 photos of the same thing. I swam about 5 times too. The water is crystal clear, then light blue, then bright blue further out!<br />I rode my bike (with Orange fluro vest a la Gary Williams) happily for hours on the highway, then on the road, until I rode into a National park... so then rode for hours in between the clay gravel potholes until I had a 3 km stretch of beach to myself. So the day in the whole... rode bike, photos, swim. Repeat x 10. I now feel I know the Carribean... if the Pacific ever lets me down, I know where to come.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5536378720402444039.post-42804835175314827372010-10-17T07:49:00.000-07:002010-10-18T18:30:57.129-07:00My route (BLOG FIDDY)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBlr_5QWQBNXyxYPfIAA19l2SMT-tBj3MlIuw4Km8pPRnt3ECaXpJXtkfcwQfJGHBM7sO2LqsOvuGTnQG1kWB-MHs4Fwl2zTmbcWFiTGOEA4FeW2C4YVlk3dEt4E8IfOh5wWaJuVM3ZAk/s1600/map_of_mexico+(23.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529027395132102018" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBlr_5QWQBNXyxYPfIAA19l2SMT-tBj3MlIuw4Km8pPRnt3ECaXpJXtkfcwQfJGHBM7sO2LqsOvuGTnQG1kWB-MHs4Fwl2zTmbcWFiTGOEA4FeW2C4YVlk3dEt4E8IfOh5wWaJuVM3ZAk/s320/map_of_mexico+(23.jpg" /></a>We are currently in a town, Valladolid, which is about 1/2 way between Merida and Cancun. We are here to go to CHITCHEN ITZA....Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5536378720402444039.post-63250294104120176202010-10-17T05:20:00.000-07:002011-02-02T20:21:07.500-08:00So obviously that wasn´t the whole week.Great new, I have an apostrophy/ee button. <div><br /></div><div>I am currently very cold, odd - since I am finally out of the cold. But it is only 7am and all the </div><div>windows in this place are permanantly open.<br />The lady is mopping under my feet as I speak. She is warm - knowing to wear her jeans and jacket. But that is okay because TONIGHT....</div><div>OFF THE TO CARRIBEAN OCEAN! At last, the time has come.<br /><br /></div><div>But sorry, now we are backtracking. </div><div>FIRST: Where I left out was San Cristobal. </div><div>I arrived on an overnight bus from Oaxaca, this took about 11 hours. We changed hostels and then were off to the market. Solo for veges coz none of us could be ARSED (hanging with the Irish) doing much but eating. We made a pasta and befriended a British lad, Martin, Asian-British .,. which is of course what excited me - never met an Asian-decent person with a semi cockney accent!</div><div>That night we had a bonfire... they are supposed to have them everynight at 8pm but they are also supposed to have Salsa on Mondays and Tuesdays and that didn´t happen. </div><div>But I had bought marshmallows and Roisin found some kind of meat skewers, we sat enthusiastically by the empty fireplace until about 30 mins after 8 when a girl went up and asked for us. </div><div>Because, Child - it was COLD. This place is ABOVE the clouds. It is beaut during the day, but run for a llama when the sun sets. </div><div><br /></div><div>Interesting fact: LLAMA is one Spanish word that Euros fail to correctly pronounce. In Spanish, double L is a Y. We have succeeded with this rule for Tortillas. </div><div><br /></div><div>The bonfire was a great success. These 2 middle aged couples (Canadians aye Ma) who are travelling the world on their motorbikes (not all at once though... but they came from Toronto and were in South Mexico 4 days later... IMPRESSIVE) anywho. They had bike NZ (probably in half a day, but the Interislanders speed may have screwed that up) and guess what was their fave city... NELLLSSSOOOOnnn. </div><div>They mentioned it before me! Did you know that in the new NZ Lonely Planet they have ranked ABEL TASMAN NAT´L PARK as the top thing in NZ??</div><div>I have been spreading this gospel since I got to Uni.. I should´ve got paid for this....</div><div><br /></div><div>Anyways, they were all ¨I could live there¨ and then I dropped the ´I´m semi-oneofyou, my Ma is Canadian aye´ and they weren´t suprised that a Cancuk was in Nelson. Then they wanted her story and the whole KFC-working-TableTennis-Playing-Illegal-Accountant Father came in to the story. I have always wondered if my reasons for my father being in Bermuda are true... but never wanted to ask for clarity incase I have had the marvellous tale incorrectly in my brain for years.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>That night we headed to a crepe place for dinner. Well, they did. Unfortunately, I was called across the road to a place with my FAVE Churros (stick doughnuts) and these were Rellenos aka Filled aka you pick a sauce and they pour it in! Sooo good - and clever. Once I had Choc sauce I also needed icecream so a choc-vanilla sundae with Caramel sauce helped that. All traditional mexican, of course. </div><div><br /></div><div>The next day we hit up this river in a boat. It is the attraction that Chiapas is known for. It was beautiful because of the huge clifts. But we saw about 100 crocs, some beaut waterfalls and even 2 monkeys. I am starting to love monkeys again after a traumatic chasing in Cambodia. </div><div><br /></div><div>They dropped us in town so I walked up towards this church on a hill. My Irish friends had tried this walk already, only to be greeted by to little ´´Money for the school¨ Oliver Twists. </div><div>They came out 29 pesos short. But i knew better because of them. The boys get you to write your name, then make you pledge an ammount... their English is only ¨Your name¨and ¨Money for the school¨. I rejected them both individually, then on the way down asked if it was for the school - the boy was saying ¨Siiii¨ in this way grown men say it, SO convincingly - he must´ve learnt it from his papa because his face scrunched in a very adult-manner. </div><div><br /></div><div>Anyways, on the way up I came across a girl I had met at school in Oaxaca, Veronica. This was weird because although travellers (who all take the same route) bump into each other frequently... she had left Oaxaca a week earlier for Mexico city and then Cancun, and I was supposed to be heading off in the opposite direction. </div><div><br /></div><div>After the one church, I spotted another on the other side of town(it had a GREAT view) on another hill so trekked up their. I walked down a closed off tourist street where almost every shop and international restaurant was run by expats. I was in a 2nd hand book shop, run by an American lady, and she had an oven at the counter - she was baking AMAZING SMELLING Cookies and Brownies... with Icing of course. I stood their staring at her thinking ´´This is actually my dream¨. </div><div><br /></div><div>The other church was beautiful and had great views again.. .everyone described SC as ¨A pretty little town´´ but the place is HUGE. All these people, up above the clouds. </div><div><br /></div><div>Unfortunately, either on the bus or the street, me Irish lost their camera. The company of course, was no help with this. I wonder who has it now? </div><div>So dinner was a bit of a downer, but we all followed Roisin to a Pizza place, where they were playing Anaconda movie in Spanish. That is one bad movie with some bad graphics. </div><div><br /></div><div>Next day we rose, had our AMAZING included breakfast (the hostel was 119 a night... about 12 dollars NZ), AMAZING was used because I saw and used a toaster for the first time since I was staying in the OC aka Amanda´s house week one. It was toast, coffee, yogurt, fruit... wow. We got on what was supposed to be a 5 hour bus ride to Palenque. The whole trip was through small villages with about 500 speed bumps (was in the bathroom for a whole run of them, getting tossed around viciously). We wondered why all the villagers were staring like they´d never seen a bus before, when buses to Palenque were frequent. Turns out, they may not have. </div><div>The highway was closed, so the 5 hour bus ride was almost 8 hours.. I was urked. But, we did see a lot villages and Mexican life. We passed about 100 schools, most with one room - some with 2. They all had full sized basketball courts. I guess this is where the Mexican basketball teams come from, since everyone else is playing Soccer. </div><div><br /></div><div>We arrived at Palenque and booked the tour for the next day. The hostel here was SO beautiful... actually, all the hostels have been - they are all sister hostels. I wish I had taken more photos but at this stage my camera was full. It was resort style (without pool unfortunately)... so clean too. We were happy to be back inthe heat, especially after the freezing AC they insist on shooting outof the buses here. </div><div><br /></div><div>The tour was unique. We had an ass of a driver - a bit of a prick... I could tell from the 1st second. He did not want to be there. We went to the Palenque ruins first, which was beautiful... photos say 1000 words I guess. Our Mexican student IDs got us off the 51 peso fee - although I am sad to not being able to hoard the tickets. But I think my stingyness outways my hoarder tendencies... RA may not agree. Gaz would, traits from him. We are proud tightarses. </div><div>The bathrooms were also free - a rarity for Mexico. </div><div>I got whistled down by a man for being a badass and walking on this grass. We were up on a building and he was all </div><div>The tour guide said we were to meet him back at the cafe at 12. We were SO hungry so practically ran to the ´´cafe´´at about 11:30 (we got to the ruins about 8:30)... only to find 20 tables, a coffee machine and a half filled snack machine.<br />The thing is, if they put a cafe there - they would RAKE in the money. About 100 people came trhough looking for food in the hour we were there. Yes, hour. One hungry hour. </div><div>The tour guide didn´t even come back... another bus driver had to call him for us. We got on the bus (us 3 and 3 turkish guys we met -THE FIRST TO RECOGNISE MY ACCENT!! Turkish Guys!! really), to discover a mexican couple and American trio who had joined the tour... One of the Turkish guys mentioned in a friendly manner to the driver that he was late... the driver didn´t care. I said ¨no one tip him¨ and the american girl hollered ¨I´m with ya sister¨ (on the tour in San Cristobal we had virtually no choice about some tippings...the guy on the boat was like ´Now everyone gives me tips... usually 10 pesos each¨, which everyone was willing to do coz this guy found animals and such... effort was involved. The driver of the bus wanted tips too - only one lady did.. you gotta work for your money! He didn´t say a word...and potentially stole the Irishmens camera).</div><div><br /></div><div>The American girl was already fuming about the driver... I donñy know what haapened but she was not happy. His driving was NUTS.. he went to pull out infront of a truck with 10 people hanging off the back, but had to swoop back behind after we nearly a corner. Everyone screamed (and swore) and the people on the back of the bus were screaming at him and he didn´t move his eyelids from half way down his eyes. Didn´t apologise... well, as expected the American lady (with fluent spanish) went NUTS... she did a great, rapid speech about how we don´t want to die. The tension became awkward until we got to the next stop, a huge waterfall you can walk around. </div><div>We got out and the driver wanted our funds (you have to pay extra money on tours ALL THE time ... for entrance fees and here Zapatista fees for the rebels too), the American lady wanted him to produce tickets, because she knew he would keep the money. We stood their as they raged at each other, then her 2 male friends got involved... I wanted to take some photos of it but didn´t want her rage on me. </div><div>We were so hungry, so we broke from the action (but continued to watch it, especially as multiple mexican drivers got involved to try and calm her) in the cafe. </div><div><br /></div><div>The waterfall was beautiful - only needs about 5 mins, but you walk under/behind it onthe rocks - get sprayed. I was falling everwhere coz I was in my crocs. </div><div>Next stop was Agua Azul... a river of the MOST BEAUTIFUL COLOUR,unfortunately the phots just don´t do it justice. There we swam for a few hours until the rain turned us cold.<br />We got back to the van, all shivering. Our driver was asleep but we had to wait for the mexican couple so we all got fries.<br />Here I learnt that the film NACHO LIBRE, from the Napolean Dynamite director, was based on a Oaxacan story and filmed in Oaxaca. So that´s the first thing I am going to watch on my way home!</div><div><br /></div><div>Right now, gotta run - we are going to CHITCHEN ITZA; the most fmous ruins in Mexico. </div><div>Apologies for only writing about a few days here.. more will come!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0