Madeleine and Wyatt's Pan-American Tour

Adios

2010-12-07T09:48:00.000-08:00

Ah Mexico, I really love you a lot. I wish I was still there, laying on loungers in the sun, but we got back last night, and I am writing from the warmth and comfort of our bed. We got back late last night after some hard travel legs. We left Cancun at 3pm, on a very full plane for Houston. When we got in, we taxied to our gate, but the tunnel you walk through (I can never remember what it's called) wouldn't extend. So, we sat in the hot stuffy plane for another half hour or so while they tried to fix it, and then we were towed to another gate. Then we had to go through all the customs lines, and of course we chose the one that was moving at a snails pace, while all the other lines were whipping by. Seriously, it was about a 45 minute wait. Then, we got to the very last guy, who just had to take our immigration forms, and let us through, but instead he decided to be a jerk. He kept asking Wyatt where his bag was, and Wyatt kept showing him his bag on his back, then he made some smart ass remark about how it wasn't big enough to have been traveling with, so he was going to send us to a random bag search. He looked at our tickets (we had about another hour and a half of our layover), kind of gave us this look, and said "you have the time." So, then we had to go answer pointless questions in a horribly bright room, to a woman who just seemed to want us to "slip up." Ugh. Thanks a lot Houston customs for making me really wish I wasn't coming home. I think I have a curse when it comes to airport security, I have gotten chosen for random searches a few times (once during holiday rush in Boston when I was late for a flight because of snow). I have gotten detained because they thought I was a terrorist they were hunting for one time I was flying with my Mom....the list goes on.

But, the hassle involved with travel is totally worth it, what an amazing trip. It's always so crazy how you plan and plan, and anticipate a trip for so long, and then you go, and then it just seems to go so fast, and all of a sudden, you are back home, getting ready to go to work, and wonder if it actually happened. And that's not quite true either, because it did feel long, and for instance Mexico City felt like a totally different trip when we were thinking back on it, and each seperate part seemed distant and long ago. And we definitely had time to get good and relaxed, time is just such a funny thing.

So, i need to go back, I am hooked on this Mexico thing! I love the food, the people are incredible, and it is so beautiful! People always tell us how dangerous it is to travel in so many of the places we chose to travel to, and it is true, there are some very dangerous places in Mexico, but I have been really lucky that in all the places I have traveled, and all the time I have spent traveling, there have been very very few times when I have felt uncomfortable, or threatened in any way, or stolen from. And this trip especially, never once did we feel any of that. It was pretty great through and through. Now, we need to start planning the next one.....

Lucha Libre!!!!

2010-12-05T20:58:00.000-08:00

Can you tell that the wrestlers are standing on the ropes?? They had just won a match...

About to the flying leap!!

2010-12-05T20:28:00.000-08:00

Today was our last full day in Mexico.

We have been waking up really early, which is so nice, because it is the only time of day when it is really calm in Playa, especially on the weekends. The water is calm, the sky is crystal clear and blue, and everything kind of sparkles. Heading out to the beach first thing and grabbing a lounge chair for the day, camping out there for a while, then heading to lunch. After lunch, maybe a little swing in the hammock, maybe a dip in the pool or ocean to cool off, back to the book and the beach chair. We had all these grand plans to explore this area more, and go visit other beaches, see some cenotes (which, I am bummed we didn't do...another reason to come back though!) but the simple pleasure of our hotel on the beach, and the good food around here won out. And, it has been so nice!

Tonight though, we broke the routine, and went to a Lucha Libre match! I really wanted to go when we were in Mexico city (which seems like a different trip cause it feels so long ago!), but I was too sick to go the night it was happening. So, when we saw the add that there was going to be one here our last night in town, we couldn't pass it up.

It was in an old arena out of the tourist district, about a 25 minute walk, into a neighborhood we had not been to yet, but directly down one of the main streets, so easy to find. There was a little bit of a wait to get in, and then we heard the first band start up, and they started letting people in. We were in the general seating, which was stadium seating of continuous cement stairs. There were guys going around selling beer and sodas and some random food snacks. The band was playing on and on, people were filing in, mostly locals, and lots of kids. Lots of waiting. It took about an hour after the posted start time for them to start, and then got off to a slow start. Lucha Libre is Mexican wrestling, kind of like the WWF, but the Mexican version, most of them wear a shiny, colorful mask, and shiny costume of some sort. Lots of theatrics, lots of arial tricks, flips and stuff like that, some pretty impressive moves! There was this one move where one guy does a flying leap off the ropes onto another man, which I was especially fond of. I was kind of bored through the first match, then a new band came on and played covers of songs like the hard rock version of "I wanna hold your hand," and a medley of "Eye of the Tiger," and "Final Countdown," which was pretty entertaining. And even more so was the second match where they had two pairs of fighters in the ring. We left after 3 matches, and 3 sets by the bands.

Overall, I had a good time. It was a good experience, I have been wanting to go for a while, and I'm glad we went. It just seemed like something the kids were getting more out of than the adults. Alot of pantomimed cock and ball jokes, and the little boys in the audience went crazy!

Beautiful, 8am beach view. Quiet time in Playa del Carmen

View from the water line, up to our hotel

Lounge chairs!

Garlic shrimp dinner with veggies, and rice. Oh, and really good guacamole!

AND, shrimp and fish tacos! man, does it get much better??

New Digs

2010-12-02T14:27:00.000-08:00

So, for the last few days of our trip, we decided to up the star rating of our accommodations. Right on the beach, it's a smaller hotel with balcony's off every room with a hammock, table and chairs. There are lounge chairs on the beach, there's a kitchenette in the room, the water pressure in the shower is to die for, and a lot of other little perks that are really lovely. Plus the towels shaped like swans with sticker eyes and flowers strewn about. It's like the vacation within our vacation. Especially since I have wanted a hammock on a balcony for the entire trip! Here's to the little things.....

Have you ever eaten Mexican style corn...??

2010-12-01T17:19:00.000-08:00

I finally got a corn! We saw it everywhere in Mexico city, but I was always too full, or too sick at that point. Then I didn't see it again until now! It is good. You get the cooked corn, they lather it with mayo, cover that with queso fresco, and sprinkle it with chili powder, then give it a big squeeze of lime over the whole thing. Sound weird, it is....but so good!

2010-11-28T20:06:00.000-08:00

Last day on Isla Mujeres

2010-11-28T19:59:00.000-08:00

Last day on the island, we go back to the mainland tomorrow, and back to Playa del Carmen. We decided to go back there because there were a few day trips easily done from there to other beaches and a few cenotes, that we didn't make it to last round. We will be there will we fly home in a week. Isla Mujeres has been so great. I love it here, and will be back someday.

2010-11-26T16:37:00.000-08:00

View from the rooftop palapa at our place...it has been under construction until last night, and now it is awesome! Hammock, lounge chairs, table and chairs, beautiful view....

See the dog lounging on the roof?

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

2010-11-26T08:03:00.000-08:00

We had a beautiful day at the beach. Then we went home and played some dice. when I tried to turn on the gas stove to start dinner, there was nothing in the gas line, and it didn't light. I was busily trying to figure out how we could make our entire meal in the microwave, when the property manager walked by, and he was able to install a new tank. Crisis averted! We had a roast chicken we bought in town (no oven), garlic mashed potatoes, beet salad with chick peas and queso fresco, corn, sauteed cauliflower, and gravy made with cram of mushroom soup beefed up with cabbage and onions. It was wonderful, and I feel very happy and thankful for everything.

2010-11-24T17:28:00.000-08:00

So much beer. These little trucks are pretty funny

Our friend on the walkway along the water into town

At Hemingways with snacks!

Our neighborhood

2010-11-24T16:59:00.000-08:00

We just got back from an evening stroll around our neighborhood. It is so amazing going to another city/state/country, and trying to see what it would feel like to live there. I feel lucky to be able to, and to search out these experiences when I travel, because for so many people, traveling means going somewhere, eating in the hotel where they stay, or restaurants that cater to tourists, and going to places built for tourism. Nothing wrong with that, but it is incredible seeing how other people LIVE, and a totally different experience. I am a bit of a voyeur, and I always try to catch glimpses into peoples houses when we are walking around. Tonight I saw people lazing in hammocks strung through their living room, a light glowing against brightly colored walls with a pulsing rhythm from the fan blades. TV screens bright against the dark. Large families crammed into small living rooms, and loud chatter. Mom and daughter on a couch watching TV, the living room connected with the little mini mart where we bought a few heads of garlic and tomatoes. The ball field totally lit up with a soccer game going on. The electronics store covered in christmas lights and promotional deals. Christmas wreathes and lights going up on a few houses. A man giving a sermon from the Bible at a dining room table. And, there always seems to be faint strains of Mexican ballads being sung, music I love that just fits....it feels like it is set up sometimes, it is so perfect.

There are, I think, three lagoons on the island. This is the smallest one, right by our house. We had a lovely walk around it yesterday

The street that runs parallel to ours

Our corner store

2010-11-22T19:11:00.000-08:00

The front patio at our place

Kitchen/living room

Our nearest beach

Woke up this morning, walked to the mini super to grab what we needed for breakfast, then on the way back to the apartment a kid on his bike rides by with a cooler full of steaming warm fresh tortillas wrapped in brown paper. oh man, there is nothing like fresh warm tortillas, they are so good! Ate breakfast, then did the walk into town, spent time on the beach, read, walked the beach, went to grocery store to buy a few things for dinner. Caught a taxi, which is almost like flagging a bus here, because they just fill up the cabs, which is great, because it makes it cost almost nothing. Home, game of dice, a few drinks with fruit and rum, a little AXN, our favorite latin cable station with cop shows in english. Then a great dinner of home made fajitas, with the same incredible tortillas from this morning that still tasted just as good. It is stormy now and the moon is huge. We have a nice routine starting....

2010-11-22T19:05:00.000-08:00

Kim Miller, this fruity deliciousness is your honor!

Domestic night at home #2. Fajitas with chorizo, cabbage, peppers and onions, with queso fresco, beans, salsa, avacado, and amazing fresh tortillas. Plus side salad and drinks.

New apartment

2010-11-21T19:36:00.001-08:00

10,000....friday night, blaring music, ron y cola

Big hangover breakfast the next morning

WeYesterday was my mom's BIRTHDAY!! Happy Birthday Mom!!!

Today we moved into our new apartment! We will live here for a week! It is called La Rinconda on a quiet neighborhood street in the next neighborhood or town down from the touristy north beach area where we were staying. It is a nice change of pace, it is where locals live and that makes all the difference. There aren't stalls and stalls of souveniers, and overpriced restaurants catering to foreigners. We do have a few small restaurants and a corner market, and a church. Our place has a little front area shaded by bushes and trees with a small table and chairs. We have a full kitchen with a futon couch that sits right by the french doors that open onto the porch and the breeze that comes through is so nice. Big bedroom, bathroom. And there is a rooftop palapa patio with lounge chairs. It is nice to have a "home" for a week. As I said before we are most excited about cooking meals! We started trying to plan out Thanksgiving dinner tonight.

After moving over to our new place, we headed back to the north beach, because the actual beach is so nice and it's a great place to hang out during the day. The side of the island we are on is the windy rocky side, and there really isn't a beach by our apartment. The trip into town is easy though, the walk is ok, and the taxis are really cheap to get back. We hung out with the locals on the end of the beach that is not connected to hotels, where all the families come. Then we went on a big grocery trip and headed back out to the house.

We explored out new area a little as the sun was going down, and a huge almost full or full moon was rising. Very dramatic, with warm strong breezes blowing around us. We cooked dinner.

Images of Isla

2010-11-21T19:27:00.000-08:00

On our walk down the island, along the seaside walkway we are able to take almost to the next town/neighborhood, there is a flock of birds hanging in the air. Really, they just look like they are hanging, and it is a little creepy, besides the fact that they are huge, wingspan is probably about 4 feet on a few of them

This place is called Hemingways, I have no idea why. It is a cool old Carribbean building, they have a few different kinds of booze, but I only saw people drinking beer, and the occasional tequila shot.

View from our hotel balcony

On the way into the next "colonia" (town)

2010-11-21T19:17:00.000-08:00

We have been seeing some stunning sunsets! Hope it's not getting boring...

First home cooked meal in a while. Ah, the beauty of having a kitchen! And, fresh veggies! Pasta with too many hot peppers, cucumber and tomato and carrot salad with lime, and garlic bread.

Isla Mujeres

2010-11-19T21:56:00.000-08:00

On the ferry!

2010-11-19T21:47:00.000-08:00

On the ferry from Cancun to the Island

Everyone either tries to convince is we need to buy t-shirts and corral necklaces, or to rent a moto or golf cart

2010-11-19T21:42:00.000-08:00

One of the hurricane destroyed buildings on Isla

The dock...you know how I love boats

Beautiful sunset, just before the storm

2010-11-19T21:37:00.000-08:00

This does not really do this storm justice. It was raining a torrential sheet of water, the streets were flooded, it was kind of insane.

Beautiful beach

Wyatt swimming in calm waters

2010-11-19T21:30:00.000-08:00

Fishing nets hung to dry

The windy, wild side of the island. All the buildings, if they are still operational which many are not, show signs of the storms they have endured.

Setting up for Friday night festivities....music and party and food carts on the square. Typical weekend in Latin America.

2010-11-19T18:35:00.001-08:00

Wow, it's been a few days! We actually fell for Playa del Carmen harder than we intended to! We didn't even think she was very attractive in the beginning. Then we spent some time with her, and, well, it turned into something. Off the main drag we found some pretty sweet spots. And the beach was hard to resist.

Now we are in Isla Mujeres, about a 20 minute fast boat trip from Cancun. We took the bus from Palya yesterday, to Cancun. Very close. We got a delicious torta right outside the bus station. Then we took a collectivo to the ferry dock. Oh man, I love riding in the collectivos!

Isla Mujeres is great, I forgot how much I love beach towns! It is still partially closed down, for a few more weeks it is considered the low season here, which has afforded us some amazing deals in hotels for the entirety of our trip so far!

It is a relatively small island, about 5 miles long, and very skinny for most of the length of it. But it amazing the difference from one side to the other! The side of the island that faces Cancun has tranquil waters, kind of sheltered beaches, and a balmy feel. The other side though is like Dr. Jekyl to Mr. Hyde, it is windy, rocky shores, wilder. That is the side that looks bruised and battered from storms.

We got in yesterday pretty early. We found a hotel by chance, that funny enough, was recommended by a friend simply on it's affordability. The price WAS great, and it was clean, and the people there were really nice. But they hung something that smelled exactly like a urinal cake in the bathroom for freshness....kinda a deal breaker.

Today and tomorrow night we are in a different hotel, and then we are moving to the middle of the island (we are right by the north beach right now) to a cute apartment we rented for a week! So excited! We are excited to cook meals again! A kitchen is a luxery, we have started planning meals, plus a rooftop palapa sundeck, close to the beach.

Tonight is Friday, so the sound of music is hitting us from all sides, from many different restaurants and from the square. The air feels charged.

Sunny Monday

2010-11-15T20:21:00.000-08:00

Sunny Playa del Carmen! Finally! Beautiful day, beautiful company, beautiful night. Not much more you can ask for.

Playa del Carmen

2010-11-14T20:11:00.000-08:00

Stormy Playa

Cool crumbling store front

2010-11-14T19:59:00.000-08:00

all you might need....

All you might want!

If anyone has been wondering where to find a "Beer Police" beer coozy....or the choice "I heart to fart," let me know. I can pick one up for you.

I had chili relleno with rice and beans. Wyatt had the comida corida with meat stewed in tomatoes with rice and beans and lots of tortillas and salsas. Both so good!

I'm a big fan of most cocktails in cans. Not this one, tasted like drinking gum.

2010-11-14T19:26:00.000-08:00

Playa del Carmen.....flooded with tourists, and mostly hotels, resorts, restaurants, and clubs along the main drag and the beach....it's super touristy. Really, it's overwhelming, but, it's actually kind of grown on us too. The water here is just amazing, the color is crazy/unreal. Every minute feels like a party on the main walking tourist street cause everyone is walking with beers, drinking huge margaritas in swings lined up along the bars (I had no idea these things existed, but they are the rage here) and the music is pumping. Every other step you take you have people trying to sell you their version of the same thing the next guy is selling, everything is posted in both peso and dollars, lots of silver, lots of women trying to braid your hair in cornrows or give you a massage, a few guys trying to sell you weed. And it's just thick with people walking in every direction. There is just a charged energy all the time, which is a little contagious.

Also, we have eaten some of the best food of the trip since we have been here. Actually, today our meals have been outstanding. First, we had lunch at this little hole in the wall place. I finally got a really great chili relleno....man, the memory of it is making my mouth water! And then tonight we went to El Fogon, a restaurant out by the Walmart of all places that our friend Kellie had recommended. I had al pastor and chorizo tacos, and ate them with a cold beer! Most places we have eaten have only had sodas or fruit water/juice. There is something about eating Mexican food with a cold beer that I have been craving! And, the fresh salsa and avacado sauce were awesome. The air was smoky from the grill and the pastor on a spit cooked by coal fire unlike most of the ones we have see. It was a super busy Sunday night, mostly locals, and just tons of food coming out of the open kitchen right by where we were sitting.

We have run into another hit of cloudy/rainy days, so sitting on the beach/swim time has been cut down. We are hoping for sun tomorrow.

At "El Fogon." Oh. My. God. Thank you Kellie Robinson!!!!

Chorizo and al pastor tacos, cactus salad, pastor torta, great salsas, and cold beer.

Busy Sunday night, only saw one other table of tourists. You know it's good.

Night time tourist traps

Ah, here it is.....

2010-11-13T05:47:00.000-08:00

View of our little beach in Tulum

Our cabana is the third from the left....

My morning view

Oh, and on our walk down the strip of beach "boutique" hotel and spas.....we found the home of bikini bootcamp.

2010-11-12T17:30:00.000-08:00

Wyatt and the ocean...walking through the Tulum ruins

Tulum ruins

After laying in the sun all day, and then going tot he ruins, we were pretty tired and feeling spent, so we went into Tulum Centro for cheap food, and a cold beer

Tacos, empanadas, and sopes! The sope won, and the huge pineapple juice reminded us of the juice carts in Taganga that we loved so much

2010-11-12T17:18:00.000-08:00

I am trying to load photos from Tulum! It is so pretty here, but, being right on the beach, and a more "rustic" environment, the internet is spotty, and photos take forever! The price you pay I guess :)

We got a full day of sun today! The last few have been a bit stormy, lots of clouds, very windy. I even got a bit of a burn today, just the slight sting and tingle kind....nothing debilitating.

Went to the next set of golf course manicured, theme park looking ruins today, the ones perched on the impressive Tulum coastline. It is truly gorgeous, but you can't get away from the feeling that it has been entirely fabricated because with it's trim walkways, and lights imbedded in fake stones, and roped off everything, and then the impossibly blue green waters of the ocean, it does not feel real. But, there are iguanas everywhere, the really big ones that look like dinosaurs, to the really small ones, they give a little ruggedness to the place somehow.

We got a scorching hot deal on the place we are staying, which makes staying in such a tourist zone a little more manageable, so, decided to stay an extra night. Tomorrow we head over to Playa del Carmen and will try to find a place to stay put for a few days, do some laundry, and take day trips. And hang out on the beach as much as possible.

Chichen Itza photos....finally!

2010-11-12T16:23:00.000-08:00

That is one big pyramid!

Helo, tourist!

This is where the nobles watched the games, i imagine. The big pyramid in the background

Sports field...they had to get the ball through those little rings, and the team captain of the losing team was sometimes executed....

I liked the snake heads, and the relief carvings the most

The few pics I have from Merida

2010-11-11T08:43:00.000-08:00

Ah, first swim of the trip, in a hammock, over the pool, finishing my book

Our cute place

Jello cake

Tulum

2010-11-11T08:26:00.000-08:00

I didn't get very many pictures of Merida. I got shy....mostly cause what I wanted photos of most were the people doing everyday stuff. Like the herd of little old ladies who had a knitting circle at the fabric store on the super busy pedestrian street. Or the really busy food cart with people swarmed around. Or the crowded and noisy bar where we stood out so much, definitely not a spot where tourists go, but everyone was so nice, and everyone seemed to be a regular, and when we were out of beer, the people at the next table would flag the waiter to get us more. The list goes on. I liked that city. And the spot we stayed was so great too.

Yesterday we went to Chichen Itza, some amazing ruins with a super store/bus depot/tourist mega stop aspect to it that is so strange, and tour after tour group filing past.

After the ruins we got on the bus to Tulum, got in after dark, ate some great tacos, took a cab, found our hotel on the beach, checked into our "sea view cabana," put our feet in the water, relaxed on our porch, and fell asleep tot he sound of the waves. Woke up this morning to see the water 100 feet from our door, turquoise and amazing. It is gorgeous here....I think our vacation just started!

Campeche

2010-11-11T08:13:00.000-08:00

Pretty Campeche

The view from our little balcony room

Yum!

Merida

2010-11-08T16:14:00.000-08:00

We got up and moving pretty early today for the easy short trip to Merida.

Quite a few people, before we left, voiced concern over us traveling in Mexico right now with more and more being heard on the news about violence, and kidnapping, etc. in this part of the world. To set all minds at ease, we have noticed a heavy police presense in the areas we have been in, in the more touristy areas, as well as on bus routes. Also, I have felt incredibly safe everywhere we have been.

Merida is intrigueing. I am looking forward to exploring this city. Also, we are staying in a pretty rad hotel, with a kitchen, lots of cute tables and hammocks tucked around garden spaces, a pretty pool with hammocks slung over the water as well and chairs all around, and a nice room that is in a small cottage that makes Wyatt look like a giant cause he has to stoop going through all the doors.

We had lunch in a bar/restaurant that had a video juke box that plays the music video for every song chosen. Also, when you order a beer you get a cafeteria tray of snacks with it, which included macaroni salad with hot dog and mayonaise, mystery meat "salad", chips and beans, and a ceviche tasting side that had hot dog instead of fish. Then you get a small dish of tangerine segments with chili salt .And we made the mistake of ordering food as well, we were full when we left.

The bars all have swinging saloon type doors so you cant see in, you can only hear the music blasting out. There are pretty squares every few blocks. Lots of hot dog stands. Lots of pharmacies. Pretty old building which have become dilapidated. Buses everywhere you look, aparently Merida is the bus travel hub of the Yucatan, which explains that.

Anyway, we are here, and doing well. Tomorrow we will hang out here, explore the city, finish our books. The next day Chichen Itza ruins!!

2010-11-07T18:05:00.000-08:00

We changed hotels today, mostly to have internet to use today as a corespondence day, and to figure out our next step. So, we found ourselves at a place called Monkey Hostel, even though we kinda promised ourselves we would try to avoid hostels this time around. Oh well, we have a room with a cute little balcony, and there is a great view of Plaza Principal. Actually, at this moment I am enjoying some fairly tropical breezes, and some butchered covers of American songs blasting up from the free live concert in the Plaza. To give you an idea of how it sounds, Wyatt just likened it to Cheech Marin singing the hits. Good stuff.
Today was a lazy and slow moving Sunday. The towns in this part of the world tend to kind of shut down on Sundays, so we did a lot of wandering the streets, went to the Mega supermercado, and read a lot.
Now I think they are covering Manu Chou, and I am going to eat some avacados and drink a pre mixed drink from a can in a hammock.

Campeche

2010-11-07T10:35:00.000-08:00

Plaza Principal

Part of the old fort walls

Our room

Hotel Colonia....

2010-11-07T10:31:00.000-08:00

Oaxaca city...so full of life, and color, amazing food, short buildings, tall sky. I liked it so much there, and part of me felt like we should stay and explore the small villages full of ancient ways of life, and The Big Tree, and more and more that Oaxaca had to offer. But, Wyatt and I are both anxious to get to the coast.....so, instead we hop on a bus.

Our last day with Laurel and Kamille was full of errands, and last things to do. We tried traditional hot chocolate at one of those tables right on the square where you know you are getting inflated tourist prices, and totally barraged by people trying to sell you their wares, but it’s still something you want to do. And it was delicious! Thick and full of spices and cinnemon. It tasted exactly like all the little chocolate/mole shops smell...which makes my mouth water every time. We went back to Fandango, our cute little bar. We had dinner at this hole in the wall place, upstairs on a random corner and had a great dinner with shots of Mezcal, only lit by candles, fed by a sweet woman and her family who were eating in the next room, by an open balcony. We were the only ones in there, some of the best food we have had yet. She had Laurel write in her guest book too. Then we went up to our place on the hill for the girls to pack, and resurrected our tradition of downing a bottle of rum with friends who are leaving. Sad to see them go.

Wyatt and I got our one overnight/long haul bus trip out of the way, Oaxaca city to Villahermosa, and then Villahermosa to Campeche, all in all about 21 hours of travel. From here on out we will only have to travel an hour or two to get to the places we want. We are in the Yucatan! One thing about Campeche is that it is remarkably similar to Cartagena! It is on the water, it has an old holding wall around (part of) it facing the water to keep the city safe from all manor of threat, it has a walking/biking path along the water, it has pretty old colonial buildings. It is a funny feeling to feel like we have been someplace before!

Excited to get to the beaches after our “cultural tour” of Campeche, Merida, and a few ruins. Which of course will be amazing, but in the back of our heads we keep dreaming about hammocks and palapas, and fish tacos on the beach. Oh man, we are getting close!

Goodbyes are hard and sad, even when you are excited about where you are going....

2010-11-07T10:20:00.000-08:00

Ladies getting liquored up!

Clasp my hand!

Needs no explanation, right?

Hot chocolate on the square (totally out of order!)

Cheers!!

2010-11-07T10:15:00.000-08:00

Lovely candle lit dinner

Cool Oaxaca breeze

At Fandango!

2010-11-05T09:38:00.000-07:00

Nescafe cappucino....with straw!

I just love the color here....here being Latin America in general

Chilis and chocolate!

Chiliquilis and guacamole

Oaxaca City!

2010-11-03T18:16:00.000-07:00

The end of the line on the bus. The driver had wandered off to try and figure out where we were going, and we decided to break into the warm beer we had, cause who knew how long it would be before we got there. Gringos on a bus, big backpacks, sweating with a warm beer....amazing

Aaahhh, arrived. Our sweet little patio.

2010-11-03T18:14:00.000-07:00

Having dinner in the market

2010-11-03T18:10:00.000-07:00

Carnival shots

Laurel loves Corona

2010-11-03T17:51:00.000-07:00

We got to Oaxaca after an easy bus trip. Six hours flies by when you have endless dubbed bad American movies, beautiful scenery, and nap after nap. Laurel and Kamille met us at the bus station with a delicious snack, and we set off. We went to pick up their packs at their old hotel and jumped on the bus that supposedly ran us right up to our new hotel, in the hills surrounding the city. Well, sometimes things sound easier than they are. Our place ended up being hard to find, the bus driver, many cab drivers, and pedestrians all had no idea where we were headed, the street, anything. About an hour and a warm Tecate light later, we miraculously arrived at the Villada Inn which is owned and run by two Mexican brothers who are super friendly, speak excellent English, and went to OHSU! Awesome! We have a multi room "cabin" with our own porch and couch, bathroom, and 3 musty rooms. There is a pool we have not been in yet (tomorrow!), an incredible view, and as many beers as we can drink. It is a little ways out of town, which makes things a little hard at times, but also nice to be able to get away from the bustle of the city.

Last night we went to the market for dinner (mole rojo, a Mexican pizza thing I can't remember the name, and chili relleno. Oh, and beer. Of course), then went to Fandango, this hole in the wall bar that is pretty popular with the "bohemian" set. We drank rounds of beers with complimentary tiny shots of mezcal to go with them, listening to bands like U2, and Coldplay loudly play on the stereo. Laurel and Kamille got an offer of a ride to the coast from a heavily gelled dude, who they had seen making out with a Christian girl the night before when they were there. Great. Then we wandered around for the last of Dias de los Muertos. Pretty mellow compared to other nights, but fun walking around the carnival, seeing the kids dressed up, and contemplating getting a milk shake in a bag.

Today we went into town pretty early, got Chiliquillis for breakfast, went to the 2nd class bus station which was a trek, went to art museums, got travel plans set in stone, ate more, drank more, got caught in a rain storm, saw a double rainbow, and now, back on our porch drinking Caribe cooler and listening to the resident parrot whistle and flirt with everyone who walks by. Unsure what the night holds. Tomorrow we plan to lounge by the pool (hoping it will be clean and blue, instead of dark and brown...we have been promised) and go shopping in town, and go to another art museum. Oaxaca city is great. I really like it here, more than Mexico City, though hard to compare the two. Hard to explain, really, but feels good to be here.

2010-11-03T17:49:00.000-07:00

The streets of Oaxaca city

2010-11-03T17:45:00.000-07:00

Tiny hole in the wall Mezcal tasting room, these are the casks they are stored in. They were beautiful!

Tasting!

In the Zocolo

The Museum of Oaxacano painters

2010-11-03T17:41:00.001-07:00

Cold beer in the afternoon tastes so good! Con limons!

Riled up!

Chili relleno, didn't get a picture of the mole because it was soooo good, and we ate it too fast to care about getting a picture!

2010-11-03T17:33:00.000-07:00

Walking down the hill from where we are staying....

Afternoon rain shower

Gorgeous double rainbow over the hills of Oaxaca

Last day...

2010-11-01T21:09:00.000-07:00

Sitting on our window seat/ledge. Snacks and water ready for the bus tomorrow. Can't tell but the sun was starting to set and was really pretty.

So many beautiful buildings

Woke up today feeling so much better! We went and bought our tickets for Oaxaca city today, we leave at 7am tomorrow morning. The rest of the day we spent walking around our neighborhood Zona Roma, through tree lined streets, sat in parks, ate more tacos, etc, etc. Nice last day in Mexico City.

There's a storm coming....I can see the lightning and feel the rain

2010-10-31T18:08:00.000-07:00

Crazy traffic as streets are blocked off for pedestrians. This city is partying!

Amazing taco spot! Spicy!!

Beautiful! Bellas Artes!

Pictures (out of order)

2010-10-31T15:18:00.000-07:00

This was in the square. Men and women were dressed as Aztec warriors (by my totally untrained eye) and blessing people with burning herb bundles.

Laurel outside of Diego Rivera's studio, with Frida's small blue house in the background. The cactus fence was pretty awesome.

Kamille in our window seat/ledge

2010-10-31T15:13:00.000-07:00

Those are paper mache skulls hanging from the scaffolding, and you can't tell, but they were pretty big!

2010-10-31T15:08:00.000-07:00

One of the alters in the Zocolo

The archways leading into the Zolocolo

Flying into Mexico City!

Our first meal!

Dias de los Muertos

2010-10-31T14:00:00.001-07:00

The night we got in, after the ladies had met up with us, we hopped onto the metro and headed into the Zolocolo which is a huge square right in the Historic District. It was incredible! People in costumes everywhere, huge sets and a stage with enormous skulls and fire dancers in elaborate huge headdresses, and all around the square were alters set up. Food carts with so many different snacks to chose from. Loud, loud drumming. People everywhere!

The next day we trekked out to the houses and studio of Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo which was a ways away from where we are staying, but the metro is fast and easy, so wasn't too painful. It was pretty cool seeing their house set up, separate but connected by a rooftop walkway. Frida's house was small and painted vibrant blue, and set up mostly as a gallery. Diego Rivera's studio though was left as he had had it, and I have to say, as an artist, I have never been more envious of an artistic space. It had very tall windows that pretty much made up an entire wall, with towering ceilings, and weird creatures, and dolls, and paintings set up throughout, as well as brushes and pigments. It was awesome, and a little disappointing they had not treated Frida's space the same way.

From there we went back to the Zocolo area which was a madhouse. We were looking for the Government building that houses a few of Diego Rivera's huge murals, but never found them, and opted to go grab food instead. We went to the Mi Mercado a few blocks from our hotel and Laurel re-fell in love with the indoor Mexican market. Soon after that, the girls left and Wyatt and I took naps, still not having quite recovered from our travel days, and little sleep, etc. I woke up from the nap sick. Boo. Not surprising really since I always get sick when I travel, but a real bummer nonetheless. We did go back to wander the festive streets some more, and pretty much every person we saw was decked out in costumes. It feels a little insane, the energy here. We got some tacos at a street vendor which were amazing for the first few bites, and quickly became one of the spiciest things I have ever eaten. Wyatt and I were sweating and panting, seriously, it hurt.

Today has been a hard one with me being sicky, but we have tried to make the most of it. Fruit for breakfast, in the sun for starters. Then went to the beautiful Museo Belles Artes, which, among almost all of the museums in the city, is free on Sunday. There were some incredible huge murals there, my favorite of which were by Rivera. The building itself is gorgeous. Then we went and bought a camera cord (pics uploaded later!) and wandered around more. The press of people was too thick though, and I was too sick to handle it any more, so I came "home" and Wyatt went to find a supermarket. It sucks cause we were going to go to Luche Libre (Mexican wrestling) tonight, but I just don't feel up to it. Maybe in a few days in Oaxaca city?? I bet Laurel and Kamille would be excited about that too....

MEXICO!!

2010-10-29T20:35:00.000-07:00

Ok, so it is almost a year later, and we are back on the road. We spent the day in the bay area yesterday with my wonderful family and my beautiful niece. Unfortunately she was sick and teething on a molar, but still managed to be about the most adorable little thing ever. I was also feeling a little under the weather because Wyatt and I have very generous friends who toasted us and our trip late into the night the night before. Very few hours sleep. Very tired travelers.

We left from the San Fransisco airport today at 12:15, and a short 4.5 hours later, we landed in Mexico City!!! Feels so good to be back in Latin America, struggling to find our Spanish again, hearing loud music pulsing on all sides, etc. etc. Traveling is amazing!

We are checked into our hotel, we have eaten (ok, inhaled) two tortas (I love street food!) and are sitting drinking cuba libre with the window open waiting for Laurel and Kamille to arrive at any time. I forgot my camera cord (I was realy out of it when i packed) so I will beg Laurel to let me use hers to upload photos. Just wanted to ressurect this blog and let everyone know we arrived safe and pretty painlessly (Economy Plus seats=5 inches more leg room! Yes, thank you!)

Leaving Costa Rica, destination: Home

2009-12-15T11:28:00.000-08:00

We are sitting in the airport in San Jose after a rather hectic and stressful morning. But the airport tax is paid, the lines have been waited in, my army knife was confiscated (of course), directions were given to the lost and confused drunk woman after going through the safety check, and our flight to Houston was delayed because of weather. Oh, right, we are heading into winter, and ice, and maybe snow. So, unsure of how the rest of the day will go, travel and immigration back into the US, and sick buddy Brettley, but, I think we are ready. Portland, I am coming home.

Monday

2009-12-14T16:33:00.000-08:00

I woke up at 2am, looked at the clock, and realized with a sinking heart that I would be up at least an hour, and that the alarm would go off at 4:45. Funny part is that we all woke up and tossed and turned for that hour + before drifting back to sleep, only to be painfully woken up again to the 3 alarms we had set.
Caught the bus no problem at 5:30 just as the sun was starting to rise. It was a beautiful sunrise, and an easy, though bumpy and sleepy bus ride. We then took the ferry, then another bus into San Jose, and really, everything went pretty smooth, and time went pretty fast. Coming into San Jose the sky clouded over and the temperature dropped about 10 degrees. On our way into the city center on the bus, I saw an old Grandpa pushing his granddaughter on a swing in a park and was smiling to myself thinking how sweet that moment was that I happened to see. Then we passed a gas station and I swear I saw an Elvis impersonator cab driver fueling up, and it made me feel, in a way, the same good warm feeling. My emotions are pushing strong with our impending flight out of here and back home. Not sure how to feel, just know that there is both a heavy sadness at leaving, and an incredible sense of excitement at going home.
The most frustrating part of the day came when we took a cab driven by super friendly Edwin, and the address for the hostel was wrong and we ended up in a really shady part of town, and Edwin kept stopping in the middle of the street to look at the map and tell us that the numbers we wrote down had been wrong, then circling the block over and over. Well, we finally got there and settled into one of the weirder hostel experiences I have had, the place feels more like a club than a hostel, but there is a pool and a mechanical bull. There´s a lot going for it, but when the staff wears uniforms and lots of hair gel and the chairs on the rooftop bar are all positioned at a slant and there are 6 foot posters of drunk girls on the wall, it starts to feel suspicious to me.
We walked around crazy busy streets of San Jose doing last minute shopping and city sightseeing. There was confetti everywhere and stages being set up, not sure what was going on, but somehow I ended up with confetti in my hair. Ate fried chicken, drank beer, not sure what else the night will hold, last experiences filtering through.

2009-12-13T19:09:00.000-08:00

Sunday

2009-12-13T19:01:00.000-08:00

Last night we went and got fancy, fruity coctails and taught 3 other travelers to play 10,000, yelling at the top of our lungs to be heard over the thumping music, it was pretty impressive.
Today was our last day at the beach. I did not sleep well last night after dosing up with benedryl and then fighting one of the most itchy clouds of discomfort ever as my bug bites swelled up, and my feet looked like sausages. If I had to guess, I have about 150 bites right now and it sucks. But, we went back and got bagels for breakfast which were delicious, and then just lay on the beach all day. The waves were huge, it was sweaty hot, and it was our last day.
We just got back from a very nice dinner at the cute restaurant by our hotel that is right on the beach. I am sitting outside trying to book a room for tomorrow night, trying not to get eaten more, listening tot he nighttime waves and the hum of bugs, and we are preparing to get on a bus at 5:30 in the morning to take us to San Jose.

Saturday

2009-12-12T15:54:00.000-08:00

Today was a beautiful day! There was a little dissapointment last night since the Blazers lost, but they had a lot of love coming to them from Costa Rica, and a lot of sadness about all the players who are injured and unable to play!
I got so eaten up last night, my feet were practically all one big bite by this morning. Wyatt has been after me like you would with a little kid cause I can't stop scratching. Thank god for benadryl spray, and thank you mom for supplying it! It has been a lifesaver!
Today we went and had breakfast overlooking the water, and I had one of the weirdest translations of huevos rancheros ever. basically just stewed tomatoes with eggs and sides of toast. A little unsatisfying, but hey, I'll be home soon, and the setting was so nice, I can't really complain. We walked over to Playa Grande, about four beaches over from where we are, and it was a really beautiful walk. We were hoping to find the beach with the BABY TURTLES that our neighbor was telling us about last night, but sadly, we did not. Oh well, Playa Grande was a huge long stretch of beach that actually was a similar looking to beaches back home, but with blazing sun and palm trees. We settled in there. On our way over we had passed through a beach that was covered in trash, in recycling actually, lots of bits of plastic in an alarming amount, we found out later there had been a wreck just off that beach. They were having a beach clean up and we were asked to help carry big plastic bags full of the plastic that had been picked up, to waiting boats in the water. We went to help, of which I was not much of, I have almost no energy from my few days of sickness and was weak and out of breath so only carried one. The guys on the other hand ended up carrying many while the people who were there to participate and who had (maybe) helped plan it just wandered around "documenting" it and asking them to carry more bags.
We watched crabs scuttling all around, so many that you could look any direction and see one, and lay in the sun, and did little else.
We waited till almost sunset before heading back because it was just so nice there, and practially deserted, I could hardly believe it. But, there are so many spots around here that are good surfing beaches, and since that is the primary reason people come here, well, we got a beach to ourselves! But the bugs are fierce here when the sun goes down, and since I have hardly any skin left that is unbitten, we didn't want to wait. On our way back through a jungley area we saw a whole troupe of howler monkeys swinging through the trees. They are really amazing to watch, and one was just hanging upside down from it's tail grabbing things from trees to eat, and there were a few babies. Obviously I am pretty into the baby animals, and I admit I do make obnoxious squealing noises at times. I just can't help it, they are too cute. I am such a girl.

This was a little cove we passed by today. I am trying to show both arms of rock coming in towards each other, but not quite succeeding.

2009-12-12T15:47:00.000-08:00

Nothing like a cold beer on a hot day....and when it's hot and you're walking down the beach you have to drink them fast!

Jungle walk, this is where we saw the monkeys all hanging out around sunset

Gorgeous day

I know, it's a cheesey photo, but, well, I'm a little cheesey. The bucket is ideal cause it was cheaper than a cooler, but you put ice in it and you have icey cold drinks at the beach!

Being sick is booooring!

2009-12-11T11:31:00.000-08:00

Our hotel

These guys run through our yard every day either hunting birds, or chasing each other. They are pretty funny cause they are not fast or graceful when they run, and they look like they should be about a foot longer, but they have that stunted body and tail next to that huge head. It feels like watching a nature show here, we saw some new cool birds this morning I wish we had gotten a picture of cause I am not sure how to describe them. And then a hummingbird, and now there is a warbeling in the tree that is driving Brett crazy.

Delicious berry smoothies to cure the hangovers from last night. All hail Swigmore U. (that's Meaghan)

Yummy breakfast. I am missing Portland breakfast, this was like a little sampler, and pretty much the richest food I have eaten in three days.

We moved in with Brettley this morning to save some money. It is a backpack explosion!

2009-12-11T11:10:00.000-08:00

I feel like I have lost a few days because I have been laid up in bed and not leaving the room much for the past 2 days. Not so fun, especially when you are counting down the days to the end of traveling. But, feeling a little more like myself today, and going to head to the beach here pretty soon. So, the boys have some stories, but unless you want to know how I liked the movie Public Enemies, the current season of Mad Men, or East of Eden which I am reading pretty quickly, not much to report on my end from the last few days.
Brett's friend Meaghan just left to start her long journey back to Canada, and we are talking about the Blazers game tonight, and where we can watch it. I guess in a town near here there is a bar that shows a lot of sports games that might be a possibility, it is called Good Vibrations.....

2009-12-09T10:47:00.000-08:00

On the ferry.

At our first spot in montezuma, the eco-german-newage-relaxation-retreat. I like our new place much better.

Our room.

Rocky walk on beach.

Quepos to Montezuma

2009-12-09T10:25:00.001-08:00

On Monday we traveled from Quepos to Montezuma on the Nicoyan peninsula. We started out on an early bus up to the ferry in Puerto Arenas. The first bus was great, comfortable, lots of breeze, pretty views, really nice, and only a little over 3 hours. We had to wait for a few hours for the ferry but spent the time in a sort of run down bar overlooking the water, ate some food, had a few beers, the time went fast. The ferry ride was unhurried, and warm, and packed with teenagers. I have always liked ferry rides, when you are not in a hurry to get anbywhere and can just watch the water and the funny seagulls who were flying by the boat and looked like they were suspended from a string and got a lot of attention from the tour of elderly french people. I like the ferry rides, but getting off a ferry always makes me feel like a herd of cattle, pushing their way, trying to get past everyone, but people pack together so thick you can barely get through doors. Then after we managed to get off, we had to just pack right back on to a bus for Montezuma, literally pack, I was sure we would not fit on when I looked up at the doors that had people hanging out of them after our bags had been loaded on. But we did, and we didn't have to stand the entire way. I met a very nice woman from Italy and we were trading travel stories in Spanish and a little english, and then I asked her where she was from. Lake Como she said, and I commented on how I had been there before and love Italy, and found it all very beautiful. When I told her I had been to Lake Como, she asked if I knew George Clooney, cause everyone she met from the US always would react to where she was from by talking about him. Awesome, it is always great to hear peoples stories about their perception of people from the US.
The ride was BUMPY. Tons of pot holes, 2 hours to go 40km. Pretty tired by the time we reached Montezuma and got to our hotel ont he hill overlooking the ocean. It was really pretty, especially when the moon was behind the clouds but you could see the bright glow reflected on the water. Really stunning. It rained buckets that night, with the bugs going crazy outside our room and mesquito nets.
Yesterday we moved to a new hotel that is almost right ont he beach. I really like it and think we will spend most of the rest of our trip here. We explored the beach, which is a lot different than most the other beach scapes we have been on so far. really rocky with dramatic waves. crushed shells mixing with the sand.
Montezuma is really small, kind of resorty feeling, but with the hippies and the artisans milling around the streets selling all their wares, of course. Tomorrow we are going to waterfalls, then there is a national park near here for another day, and surf beaches around so Brett can go surfing. A friend of his he met in Tamerindo, before meeting he came to meet up with us, just came and met up with us on her way home back to Vancouver BC. It is fun to have another girl in the mix, and 4 people has been a nice number. So, yeah, liking it here, lizards cruising through the grass, huge bugs, gekos, monkeys, and the vegetation is insane. Trying to soak it all up, and taking so many superfluous photos trying to hold onto the tropics and the memory of it all for when we get home to freezing temperatures.

2009-12-09T10:11:00.000-08:00

The rock shelf we were climbing on, the waves directly beyond

The beach right by town, just down the gravel path from our hotel.

Bright sun right in my eyes!

Matching Ray Bans.

2009-12-05T21:03:00.000-08:00

Pura Vida

2009-12-05T20:42:00.000-08:00

Today we went to the national park. We got there fairly early, it is a quick 20 minute bus ride from Quepos to Manuel Antonio. We did get off the bus too early and had a hard time finding the small handpainted sign for the entrance, but after going to the exit to ask, and running the gauntlet of men dressed in kahki asking if we wanted a guide, and wading through water that later we saw a sign warning it may contain be contaminated, we finally made it to the front gate. Right off the bat, we saw two sloths buried in the thick tree leaves high up in the branches!! Sloths! There were guided groups everywhere, so we could kind of but in when we saw them all standing still looking straight up. There was also a mom and baby sloth somewhere up there that I could not find.
We walked on, through the jungle, following the park signs to different points of interest in the park. When we got to t he first beach the jungle just opened up to the long cresent of sand with palms and rocky reef and rock and green water. I took a walk while the guys hung out by the water and went to explore the rocky reef area where I sent crabs running with every step, and took more pictures than I would ever need because every sight is so pretty you want to make sure it has been captured. When i got back they told me I had missed the screaming herd of monkeys in the trees right behind them! When we got up to start our jungle hike though, we found another group of white faced monkeys, posing and trying to strip bark off trees, and swinging through branches, and not giving anyone much mroe than a glance. They are obviously very used to all the attention.
During our time in the park we saw iguanas, a turtle, sloths, brightly colored birds, an animal that looked like a bunny, rat, and squirell all combined, but with no tail, and lots of monkeys! The howler monkeys were crazy, and they have that name for a reason! They are pretty small but when you hear them it sounds like a group of angry, rabid gorillas are going to tear your face off. And the howls echo through the jungle, and you kind of wonder why you are walking towards the sound! But then when we got closer we saw them, but they got pretty quiet and just quietly swung away.
I think we should call the second half of the trip a search for some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. It is kind of incredible going through all the pictures of the places we have been, and it feels like i am getting spoiled by it all, not that I don't still feel awed by what I see, but it's just another day. Today this palm fringed beach, tomorrow another palm fringed beach with sparkling water and groups of monkeys. In a few days another beach, this one was in Endless Summer II....you get the idea.
The hike was really pretty, and really tiring. We spent some time on the beach sweating and swimming and guzzling water, before deciding to head back to the hostel. To our new room that is more than 6 feet by 6 feet square and smotheringly hot. And had a fan that hardly hit any of us, so we all just lay there sweating. Really, our room last night was rediculous, and it was one of those bunk beds where the bottom was a double and the top a single, and they had taken off the ladder (because there was no room) so Brett had to jump on our bed to get to his. It felt even more like camp than usual bunks, and none of us got much sleep. We will sleep well tonight.

2009-12-05T20:38:00.000-08:00

Pretty, huh?

The boys

Old man monkey

Loungin

2009-12-05T20:31:00.000-08:00

Up at the lookout point, very hot and sweaty from a steep climb, but looking out at amazing views.

Amazing views.

Searching for a sight of howler monkeys, following the howls.

Crazy porcupine tree, VERY menacing!

I called this the love tree, cause they were clinging to each other, the vines digging into the other and totally grown together.

2009-12-05T20:23:00.000-08:00

Leaving Manuel Antonio, long stretch of more beauty heading towards the exit and the public part of the beach.

Public beach.

At the hostel, playing dice by the pool.

Bus day

2009-12-04T20:18:00.000-08:00

Today we got up and left the stoned hostel and caught a bus at 7:30am down to Quepos on the Pacific coast. It felt good to be there, and good to move on. Sad to have left the Carribean though, we have been stationed there for a while now.
The first bus was pretty pleasant, driving through sun, to pouring rain, to heavy thick fog, at one point getting lost but the driver made it through. The landscape was really lush and green and bright, with leaves almost 4 feet long, bright crazy flowers I have never seen before, listening to classic rock power ballads. My ipod is my best friend on travel days.
I saw a bright yellow crossing sign that was about 6 feet high, it was massive, and pictured was what at first I thought was a black sillouette of Big Foot, but realized after a minute it was a sloth! Oh man, I want to see a sloth! Along the way I was thinking how weird it is going to be to go home, not just that, how weird it is going to be to leave latin America!! I am having such mixed emotions on it, things that have become so normal will not be around, and it will feel a bit alien in Portland. It will look so grey! The houses are all painted in such bright colors here and everything is painted with murals, and....well, too much to list really. But, as I was thinking about it, and thinking about how it would never work in the U.S., and realizing it is all a matter of context. Murals that are awesome here, would look rediculous in Portland, and so on. Anyway, all really unfocused and, thoughts in progress, and then we got stuck in a huge traffic back up for about an hour and a half.
We had to change buses in San Jose since that is the central point in the country, everything runs in and out of there. The second bus we got on was packed and sweaty and claustrophobic! Lots of locals commuting and families and a few loud tourists from the U.S. It was a hard leg of the day, felt so long, uncomfortable seats, people standing in the aisles leaning into me, someones trash flying into my face, almost 5 hours. Was so happy to get to Quepos at 8ish pm!
Now, sitting at the hostel with dogs sleeping at my feet, huddled scared against the loud boom of fireworks, and the marching band, and the idiots on the 4 wheeler. Tomorrow the beauty of Manuel Antonio, the national park here.

2009-12-04T20:11:00.000-08:00

First bus, relaxed, open windows, thumbs up on the way to the Pacific coast!

Awesome rest stop in Puerto Limon, this is a carved eagle with a snake in its mouth

Real magic.

My morning with Brettley

2009-12-02T17:27:00.001-08:00

What is his hand doing....? Ready to pounce! Our very pretty, and delicious fruit juices, mine with pineapple, and his with melon and banana and coconut milk...mmmmm

This is inside Jammin, the place we had breakfast.

Yes, it's called Jammin

Kitty buddy and pinball

Playa Negro

Walk through the jungle from town to Playa Cocles

2009-12-02T17:20:00.000-08:00

First big spider I have seen, it had beautiful markings and was really delicate, but it still creeped me out to get too close to it, plus it had a double web

Playa Cocles (I think)

2009-12-02T17:15:00.000-08:00

Here comes the sun (do do dooo do)

2009-12-01T16:55:00.000-08:00

Brettley on the bus...no air circulation and no leg room, but some sweet icey beverage!
(this is out of order, it was actually from the last ride of the day that got us into Puerto Viejo)

The first bus ride of the day, a claustrophobic collectivo

Customs on the Panama side....bye bye Panama.

2009-12-01T16:13:00.000-08:00

So, the rainy season in Bocas really bummed me out. I know this sounds whiney and horrible, since being in the tropics in December is a pretty good thing, but I was really looking forward to going there, and was unable to see much of the area at all when we were there an entire week. And, being on an island when there are sheets of rain coming down all day, and there is nothing to do in town, and you can't leave cause the ATM is out, and there is all sorts of weird crap going on at the place you are staying, it sucks, even when the location is tropical. But I am done with the depressed rant, and on to better things. And Bocas did give us a few awesome moments, not the least of which being Brettley winning some money at the casino, having our one beach day, being on an island, seeing the woman at dinner with the huge child sized Elmo (from Sesame Street) puppet who she talked through, eating Thai, Mexican, AND Indian food, and re-uniting with our friend.
We left Bocas del Toro today, in a blaze of sunshine and good feelings because we were all so ready to leave. The produce market was up and going, people were figuring out beach tours, and we got back on the gringo trail.
First we had to take a water taxi off the island, which was a pretty, half hour ride, all of us bumping along in oversized, over worn, orange safety flotation vests. At the dock we hopped into a taxi/truck and sat in the truck bed with our bags, getting the wind-in-your-hair experience, and seeing a local guy wearing a jersey for the Portland Blazers on our way out of town!! We got dropped off at the side of the road spot where we had been dumped the week before in the rain and half light of the morning when we had come in from Panama City. After waiting about 15 minutes we crowded into a collectivo for the next leg. It was nice being able to see the landscape going by, since coming into Panama we flew, and then getting to Bocas we rode at night. It is beautiful, lush, rolling hills, massive palms and banana plantations everywhere with rows on rows of trees with bright blue bags tied up in them which I heard is pesticides to keep the bugs away from the fruit. This is the area where Chicita (spelling?) bananas are from. Next we had to transfer to another cab to get us to the border, getting stuck in traffic for a while on the way to wait for a random parade in the middle of the day. The border crossing went smoothly, it was hot and sweaty, and Brettley got some serious glares from the woman giving the exit stamps from Panama, but then we crossed the bridge into Costa Rica and got a bus to Puerto Viejo.
Puerto Viejo is a beachy town with a "rasta" and "bohemian," and of course a surfer flavor....yeah, lots of Jamaica colors, marijuana offers, Bob Marley posters, hair wraps, dreds, jerky chicken and signs for tex mex. But, it also has nice surf, beautiful ocean, nice black sand beaches, a crazy rusted out barge with almost a full garden growing on top of it sitting in the surf, and easy going, sunshiney beauty. So, we are a happy little troupe again. And we are staying at this amazing hostel where the entire staff is stoned all the time, and there is a super cute puppy, and every time we leave the room we have another run in with the people who "run" this place that tops the last one.
So, we have made it to the last country on our trip, the 29th country I have visited in my life, it's December, and we have 2 more fun filled weeks to go.

Costa Rica!!

2009-12-01T16:06:00.000-08:00

Crossing the bridge from Panama to Costa Rica....in between immigration posts

Banana plantations

Almost there!

Crazy rusted out, overgrown barge

Black sand beach, Puerto Viejo

2009-12-01T15:55:00.000-08:00

2009-11-29T19:56:00.000-08:00

Like a firm undersea handshake....

2009-11-29T19:38:00.000-08:00

We finally woke up to sun and blue sky! Success! Took a boat over to Red Frog beach that was beautiful with soft sand and big waves, though Brett was the only one who actually saw a red frog. The water was clear and you have to walk so far out before it gets any deeper than your shins or knees, and the waves are forceful. Also, there is a pretty strong current so you have to be really careful in the ocean around here. It was cool taking the boat over there and cruising by all the little islands on the way, cause it was one of the further away islands, made me so excited to be out and about and not having to have left without seeing any of it. Hoping for more of the same tomorrow.

2009-11-29T19:32:00.000-08:00

You xan kind of see a starfish at the bottom on the right

Yummy tacos, I miss Mexican food

Rainy Season

2009-11-28T07:58:00.000-08:00

Woke up this morning to rain; sheets of huge drop, falling sideways, tropics rain. Sigh, we knew coming in it was the beginning of the wet season on the islands, but didn't realize that meant that of the 5 days we have been here, only 1 would be sunny. Now I am kicking myself for not doing anything that day, no matter how badly I was feeling, because I am feeling the cabin fever setting in, and the frustration mounting. I want to snorkel, and have been looking forward to this stop for much of our trip, and the thought of leaving without having seen much of anything this area has to offer is depressing. But, I think we are leaving tomorrow, cause time is limited and waking up day after day to dissapointment is getting old. So, Puerto Viejo is promising us sun, and pulling us with that promise.
On the up side I guess is that both last night and this morning we saw a marching band making their way down main street. Happy weekend.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2009-11-26T18:59:00.000-08:00

Bounty! So excited for it, can you tell??

Our buddies Stu and Tori from Virginia.

Full and done.

2009-11-26T18:47:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, Brettley met up with us in Bocas. He got in around 6:30pm after some frustration with buses and borders, under a rain cloud, and we quickly sat him down to an icey .99c beer. Of course in the process of catching up and hearing all the gossip from back home and sharing travel stories, I got quite drunk. It has been a while, so....well, I got too drunk.
This morning was painful, the hangover factor was high and it was hard to move for a while, in fact for most of the day. So I spent most of the day on the great rooftop patio, in the balmy breeze, writing loved ones Thanksgiving emails, overly sappy emails in my fragile state. It was a beautiful day today, the nicest we have had here, and of course instead of doing something cool like tour around the islands on a boat (which I think we are going to do tomorrow instead) I couldn't do much of anything. Then it was time to head to the Thanksgiving dinner the hostels put together for all the travelers...even shipped in a turkey! There were so many people there, we had to stand in line for about 25 minutes before getting our plates, but it was worth it! So good, we had turkey and potatoes, green bean cassarole, stuffing, carrots, gravy, the works. The hostel was stuffed full of people so we went out and joined the crowd sitting on the curb, including the friends we made in line who were from Virginia and who are thinking of moving to Oregon. We sang it's praises of course.
So now I am so full and again unable to move, and the boys went out to "get loose," I didn't have it in me again tonight. Boys night out.

Brett Arrives!!

2009-11-26T18:39:00.000-08:00

Meow!! Brettley arrives in Bocas! Check out the sweet shirt he had made at the state fair...puppy dogs, lasers, unicorns.....priceless!

After i was done, the gecko sipped at what was left in the rim....geckos like rum and coke too!

The deck outside our room at the hostel

2009-11-26T18:07:00.000-08:00

Bocas del Toro

2009-11-25T08:41:00.000-08:00

2009-11-25T08:19:00.000-08:00

We left Panama City at 8pm Monday night. Our last night in town gave me kind of a bad taste in my mouth cause for about an hour this sketchy, possibley drugged up dude was following us around, very badly trying to hide behind very small objects thinking we didn't know he was there, and at one point trying to pick Wyatt's pocket. Kind of a reminder about how poor the area was we were staying, how maybe I need to be less obvious with my camera sometimes, and how you can forget about the dangers around you sometimes. Anyway, it all worked out fine, nothing really happened, I think the worst part was we were coming home from getting our tickets at the bus station and had too much money on us, and our documents.
The bus ride was horrible, one of the worst. First of all, there was barely any room, not good for a guy with really long legs. Plus, Wyatt has an injury on his leg, and was in a good deal of pain to add to discomfort. It was freezing, much colder than I remembered they make the buses, and I hardly slept for more than 10 minutes at a time the whole 8 hours. We finally got into Almirante, the town on the mainland where we caught the boat to the island, met by the early light of 6 am, and rain. It cleared up by the time we got on the boat, bleary eyed but eager to go to an island, and the ride out was beautiful. We passed neighborhoods of houses on stilts standing in the water, palm trees filled with crowds of parrots yelling at each other, a huge rusted out boat sticking out of the calm water. The ride took about a half hour, and then we were all shuttled off by the guys trying to seel hotel rooms and boat tours to alll the beaches and different islands.
I like Bocas a lot, it's a quiet island town with few cars and friendly locals who mostly all speak english since most of the livelyhood depends on the crowds of tourists. I feel like there are more tourists here than locals, which is the only down side to this place. You think of Panama and you think old leathery men in white brimmed hats: check. Smoking cigars: check. Leisurely riding bikes, souvenier stalls, calm blue green water, rice and beans and fish, fruit juices, cheap beer, colorful, all these thing in abundance.
It rained all yesterday, which was actually fine since Wyatt is hurt and wanting to rest and recover, and we were both tired from not sleeping the night before, we took a few hour nap, and both slept like logs last night. Then, we woke up to sun. It is a beautiful day, and we were talking to a few local guys who have lived here all their lives and said that here, the weather goes in cycles, 5 days of rain (which they just had) and then 5 days of sun. I hope they are right, they sure sounded confident! I am drinking iced tea and listening to music full of maracas and horns, sounds of the island for sure, with a mix of spanish and english around me.

Balboa nighttime walk

2009-11-22T15:43:00.000-08:00

Playing soccer in the lit up old basketball courts

Sunday walk

2009-11-22T15:40:00.000-08:00

The Kuna Indian pieces

The old pool and view from whats left of the Grand hotel, I think thats what it was called.

Avenida Central, the pedestrain shopping street

2009-11-22T15:33:00.000-08:00

2009-11-22T15:15:00.000-08:00

I love how it sounds here. Last night we were laying in the room, warm, with the air from the fan wafting over us, music drifting in through the window, and the hum of the people in the streets. It was not so loud that it was invasive, it was perfect. The dark red curtains were moving, the last light from outside was on the walls, and the peeling paint and water damaged wood from years of wear. There is something that feels so right about it. We had just gotten back from a long walk down Avenida Balboa, the walk along the water that winds towards the city and was all lit up by the city lights. It was really pretty, and people were out in droves, walking with their kids, the older kids dressed to the nines and trying to impress each other, food stalls set up, roller bladers and runners passing us on all sides. The Rocky movies are pretty big here cause one of the major figures in Panama was named Balboa. There is even a Balboa beer.
Today is Sunday, steamy, sweaty Sunday. The day started off with sun and people still partying from last night. We have been getting up really early which has been so nice to take full advantage of our days. Most stores were closed today, or opened late, but there is a busy street life here on Sundays, a market with part artisan wares, part Kuna Indian stalls, and part flea market, with a run of food stalls, and a stage set up with bright costumes and dancing and music and loud make up. The Kuna Indians make these beautiful embroidered and quilted pieces that are brightly colored and just beautiful. You see the women everywhere in their native dress, full beaded cuffs covering from their knees to ankel, and from wrist to elbow. Then full patterned textiles wrap around as a skirt, and the embroidered quilted pieces are sewn around the bodice below billowing patterned chiffon type material. It is all bright and busy, and topped off with a head scarf and beaded necklaces, which they also make.
We also walked along the water around old town, back towards the skeleton of what used to be a grand hotel. I guess on Sundays it is open for the public to walk around, and it is incredible and massive, and decaying. But really impressive, with some of the tile work still in place and a great view of the city skyline. Also we got to see a music video getting filmed there, which was pretty funny and consisted of girls dancing in bikinis with guys, one of which was dressed as superman, and around their feet were about 7 inflatable beach balls.
After we got lunch the rain started coming down and we headed back to our hotel room for a while. Then headed out and bought our tickets to the north, for Bocas del Toro, where we head tomorrow night. Back to the beach after our time in the city, and to find our friend Brettley.

Goodbye South, Hello Central.

2009-11-21T14:21:00.000-08:00

So, after 4 months and 19 days of traveling in South America, Wyatt and I hopped on a plane in Barranquilla, Colombia, and ended up in Panama City, Panama. It is taking some time to adjust. It looks a lot like Latin America, but they use the dollar and there are packages and billboards in English, and American brands of food everywhere, and english words mixing with spanish. It is so different than South America so far too. Bumping along in the old cab we squeezed into with 3 other travelers to get into the city from the airport on Thursday night, we saw the skyline all lit up. Huge skyscrapers are something we have not seen in a while! Getting on a plane made it feel like we were going home, but after an hour of trying to avoid watching the elderly drunk couple make out in front of us, and eating something like cold chicken pate, and going through customs and imigration, we were in another country, but not home yet.
We are on our second full day, and starting to feel better about things. Not feeling sick anymore which is a huge relief, really like the area we are staying in, the old town, finding cheap deals and nice people, and an energy that feels new. The feel is just different here....its so hard to explain. I got so lost yesterday in the maze of streets. Finally a cop stopped and told me it was too dangerous to be walking by myself and where I was going. He made a map for me on his hand of the block and a half I had to walk, and asked me about myself, and was so nice. I realized I had been walking in circles, around and around the street our hotel was on. I guess I am just feeling disoriented.
We went to the Panama Canal today, which was pretty amazing. We saw a ship go through, and saw the movie about the construction of it, and dodged throngs of tourists and school kids who were just taking photos on their phones of all the exhibitions instead of reading them. It was diffeent than I imagined....I imagined it to be busier, bigger, more hustle and bustle, but it was fairly quiet and straightforward. It was still pretty awesome to see the boats going through the locks and that whole process of raising and lowering the water levels and the boats to get them level with the next body of water they are going into. And to see the small boats hitch up to the ships to guide them through, some boats being just big enough to slide through with mere inches between them and the canal walls. And it is incredible at how much some of the bigger boats have to pay to get through the canal...sometimes upwards of hundreds of thousands of dollars!
I really like this city. Glad to have the extra time here.

2009-11-21T14:16:00.000-08:00

Cute kids with amazing hair watching boats.

About to go through the second set of locks.

Saturday on Avenida Central.

Souveniers.

Sports star giving a peace sign.

2009-11-21T14:12:00.000-08:00

Across the street from our hotel.

Model of the Panama Canal

View of the Mireflores Locks

Ship is coming in!

2009-11-21T14:09:00.000-08:00

Coca Cola Cafe

Needs no explaination

These buses have flaire!

Awesome Panama City skyline

Bombed out looking building, that must have been AMAZING in its hayday!

2009-11-21T14:06:00.000-08:00

Our small propeller plane...bumpy ride.

The spot where Wyatt used to stay and we were planning on staying, but, closed down.

Last shots of Taganga and a few of Barranquilla

2009-11-21T14:01:00.000-08:00

The awesome guys at our tienda, our buddies. The called Wyatt the tall guy, and Graham was our friend with the muscles. They told the guys that Pony Malta would give them strength and stamina, they are masters of the fist bump, would never be able to pay attention to you if the game was on, and were super rad.

Leavin, with bags.

Big pool at the hotel in Barranquilla. Pretty much all I saw there since I was pretty sick the almost 2 days we were there.

This was pretty much the extent of my experience in Barranquilla, cable tv, no windows, cell like room.