Sisters!

We arrived in Merida on Wednesday night. We were forced to take ADO (oh darn) because the second class bus was 2.5 hours longer and would put us into Merida at 11:30 pm. Never a good idea to arrive in a city really late as finding a hostal becomes a litltle tricky. We schlepped our bags about 15 blocks to one of the best hostals we've stayed in yet (only because it has a pool)! We've spent most of Thursday and Friday water-logged! Merida is just as hot as Campeche which makes day walking extremely sweaty and sometimes unbearable.
We met Jen on Thursday night for a wonderful dinner at Pancho's. It was great to see Jen and fun to share some stories. It felt really nice to be with family. We started at Pancho's on recommendation from Jen's host mother. We had a few apps and a drink and decided to move on to another place called Choperia. Would have been great if we could have found it! We walked around about 15 minutes and then decided to go back to Pancho's. We ordered a bottle of wine, awesome food, and even dessert! When you live on a budget of 420 pesos per day restaurant food becomes something of the past. I felt like I wanted to hide a little in my pocket for later...haha! We laughed alot and had a great time...thanks Mom and Dad for footing that bill!
Yesterday we made the standard trip to Walmart where we ate lunch. We hit up the samples in the bakery area more than once!
We also stopped at several car rental places to check out prices. We're thinking of renting a car to get from here to Cancun/Tulum area. There are about 5 stops along the way we'd like to see and I think renting a car would be a nice change and also really fun (although not sure how fun Mexican highway driving will be). We're still deciding...
Tonight we have plans to meet up with Jen and some of her new friends. I've heard the weekends in Merida are the best as there are lively markets and lots of energy! Can't wait to keep exploring! Seeing Jen has been bitter-sweet...so absoulutely wonderful to see your sister after 3 months but also makes me miss home that much more. I've felt a little homesick for family and comfort. I guess it's all part of the journey...
Adios...besitos...Nos vemos pronto!

Campeche, Campeche

We arrived in Campeche via wind tunnel...and by wind tunnel I mean a 1980's model Chevy pick-up with all four windows rolled down speeding down the highway at 120 km per hour! Interesting experience got even more interesting when it started to rain and we had to put our bags in the cab with us...I was nearly smothered by my backpack in the backseat between Lalo and a sweet little old lady being whipped (hard) in the face by my hair!
We arrived about 15 blocks away from the hostal we planned to stay in. I was soaked in sweat by the time we arrived...and the hostal looked nothing like the website had promised. We stayed anyway. The first night there were few other travellers and we almost had the dorm to ourselves...until our friend Robert arrived. He is volunteer for the Peace Corp in Veracruz. I was dying to know his story...he was not the typical Peace Corp volunteer...about 45, quiet, a little strange. He filled me in a bit but the rest will have to remain a mystery...he left this morning.
Campeche is a peaceful town that looks like it could be the setting for a movie. The "Centro" is walled in, the streets are cobblestone, and the buildings are very colonialesque. It's really quite beautiful...would be amazing if it wasn't so blasting hot! It's a 2 shower a day city...especially when you forget deodorant...oops!
Yesterday we went to the beach...Playa Bonita. The people here are very friendly and the city is easy to navigate...a welcomed change from Tabasco! The water was not the cool relief I was expecting..it was hot like bathwater! Lalo was less than pleased when a street dog managed to steal the 3 pieces of chicken we purchased and saved for later!
Today we meandered...took a trip to the Walmart which Lalo insisted upon because he had never seen one. Imagine that...
It's about to rain here...which it does about this time everyday. Hard, hard rain...fill the streets hard. In several cities we have been the street curbs have been really high (there are steps to get up them) and I never understood why until I saw it rain!
Enjoying Campeche and enjoying Mexico. It's starting to feel like home (don't worry it won't be permanantly). What an amazing journey...
Adios...Besitos...Nos vemos pronto!

Ciudad del Carmen

Arrived on a second class bus...again! ADO is the major bus service here in Mexico...and if you don't have enough money to use it...you sure know it! We hopped on a bus that I was sure going to fall apart any minute! I longingly looked out the window at the luxury buses that crossed our path...they had windows, and cushioned seats, airconditioning, a bathroom, everyone got a seat!
Carmen is and island...and there is not much to do here.
We tried to visit the beaches. They were ugly, dirty and unswimmable.
Our hostal is interesting. I guess 150 pesos a night doesn't buy cleanliness or a toilet seat.
We were about to leave this morning when the owner of the hostal mentioned they were going to Campeche tomorrow. We'll save 224 pesos by hitching a ride. Hopefully we won't be murdered...haha!
We've just been hanging out...went to Chedraui today. The Mexican equivalent of Cub Foods. Bought a bag of pasta for 1 peso. 1 peso. Some had bugs in them but I guess that is normal.

Adios...Besitos...Nos Vemos Pronto!

WOWZA!

I'm gonna be brief and this is gonna be that last time I mention this...
Just found out my ex-husband (of only 4 months I might add) is re-married and expecting a child. How are you supposed to feel when you find out something like this?
I felt sad. I used to think we would have kids together and now he will share that with someone else. I don't want him back and I don't want to share that with him anymore. I know I made the right choice...but geez...
I had a feeling. He continues to follow me in my dreams. I can't seem to shake him. I don't want him back. I just don't want to be curious anymore.
WEIRD!

Adios...Besitos...Nos Vemos Pronto!

Paraiso, Tabasco

Los Tabasquenos, as they are called, are an interesting breed...and they'll be the first ones to admit it! More on that later...
When we arrived in town we quickly ventured to the zocalo...pretty much everything is central from there. I was quickly aware of the fact that again, I was the only gringa within 20 miles. All eyes were on me...It feels weird. Sometimes I just want to stop and say WHAT, WHAT...YES I'M A GRINGA! Lalo and I make the joke that we should start charging for views! 50 pesos to take a look and 100 pesos to touch!
We found a great little Posada run by the sweetest family. There are 2 boys, Arturo 18 and Fernando, 9. Fernando is a little spit fire and i'm pretty sure he has a minor crush on me. He told me he wants me to stay for a month! Awwww...He loves Micheal Jackson and has asked me to translate pretty much every song he has ever written...OWWW CROTCH GRAB!
They have a sweet little chihuahua named Nena that I have taken under my wing.
Last night they drove us to Puerto Celba, a sweet little boardwalk where people like to hang out at night...we drank a beer and then they dropped us off at the local watering-hole. We had a fun night drinking a few beers and listening to horrible Mexican dance music. We ate tacos at 3:30 am. I made friends with the waiter who had worked in the U.S.. Our "Posada Mother" was awake when we arrived back and worried...very cute!
Now Los Tabasquenos are an interesting breed...here they call it "mal educado". We went to look for tourist information...we were sent to 7 different locations. At the seventh all we could do was laugh. They gave us a xeroxed map of the city...it didn't even include street names. Upon arriving at the bus terminal we were told 10 different things by 10 different people about how to get to the beach. No one knows what they are talking about here! Over 1.5 hours later we finally arrived at the beach after taking the most rickety bus labeled "playa"...Figures!
I had an interesting conversation with Fernando last night...sometimes the speaking of another language is hard to grasp...He was asking me questions like how do I know what words mean in English, how did I learn it, do I think in English...his mother shooshed him but I was quick to tell him that it is sometimes hard to wrap your mind around the fact that other people think in a different language...that they can understand words without even thinking about it! Of course! I'm still figuring it all out myself...
My spanish is really improving...I'm almost to the point where I don't even have to think about what I want to say before I say it. Of course there are missing vocabulary words and I don't think I'll ever master Mexican Modismo or "slang" but i'm hanging in there!
Mexico is beautiful, amazing, and full of incredible people!
When I find myself desperately missing my family or a homecooked meal I just think about when I'm 50 and i'll look back and say..."remember the time I lived in Mexico!"

P.S. Peanut Butter and Jelly cures the need for "American" food!

Adios...Besitos...Nos Vemos Pronto!

Still in Villahermosa!

I am still sweating here in Villahermosa. It has been hotter than sin! On Tuesday we ventured to El Parque La Venta where we saw lots of Olmec carvings and also animals in the zoo. Zoo´s have been a common theme throughout our travels. Yesterday we went to Yumka Park. We took a combi to get there (10 pesos each) and after about 30 minutes I thought to myself...uh oh, we are not going where we thought we were going! I looked at Lalo and he basically said the same thing to me...I was shocked! He usually doesn´t worry about stuff like that. We started laughing but within about 2 minutes we arrived at the park...it was pretty funny though. We were travelling on dirt roads with nothing but cows and chickens and a few scattered houses. The park was really cool. It is a nature reserve where the animals are allowed to roam freely throughout the park. We took a trolly through the reserve where we were able to see giraffes, zebras, and elefants about 10 feet away. I felt a little scared but no one else seemed the least bit bothered that there was a humongous elefant about 10 feet away.
I have been forgetting to eat before we leave for our adventures and when we arrive food is either unavailable or really expensive...I haven´t eaten anything until 5 pm the last 2 days. I was fricken starving and ate 1/2 a chicken in about 15 minutes...I felt sick afterward.
I´m a little sick of the food...I don´t even know what I miss either...its weird.
Today we are gonna leave for the beach...we don´t have tickets and we don´t know where we´re going but it all has worked out so far!
I´m learning how to live in close proximity with another person without annoying them and without them annoying the shit out of me....
We´re doing a pretty good job...occasional arguments mostly over stupid stuff...mostly over me not paying attention or doing something stupid...Hey I´m learning!
I met a girl on the bus to Villahermosa who told me I was really brave to do what I´m doing...until she said that I never felt brave.
Still learning and getting accustomed to everything here! I´m really enjoying my time!

Shout out to all my girlies at Cora´s Bachelorette party this weekend in Denver...I´m sad to miss it! I´ll be there in spirit and i´ll be thinking alot about you!
Adios...Besitos...Nos Vemos Pronto!

It´s been awhile...

O.k. so I realize it´s been a little while since I last updated anyone...I haven´t really been in contact with the internet...I miss it!
We left San Cristobal on Thursday (i think)...it´s hard to remember exactly when, when you don´t know what day it is!
Before we left we did the Cañon del Sumidero trip which was fabulous! It was totally beautiful and definately worth the $200 pesos! The only bummer is seeing all the garbage left behind. It´s a shame that most Mexicans do not yet respect the beauty of their environment...
We also made a quick stop at the Mayan Medicine Museum. I would share photos but unfortunately my camera was stolen after I accidentally left it in a common area...STUPID! I´m pretty sure the night staff stole it since we were the last to go to bed...BUMMER!
Luckily I only lost photos from San Cristobal since I had downloaded most to my computer...oh well can´t let it spoil the trip!
Next stop was Palenque! Palenque is cool...we stayed in the city the first night and then in the Jungle the next 2 nights. We stayed at a place called El Panchan which is almost like a hippie commune. The whole place is called El Panchan but there is a variety of places you can stay...you can camp...you can rent a Cabaña...you can rent a hammock...It´s cool!
We visited the Palenque ruins which were really cool. It was hotter than a f&%$ing Sauna however, which for me sometimes makes day-trips hard to withstand!
Yesterday we went to Agua Azul and Misol-Ha which are a series of waterfalls. In Agua Azul you can swim in the pools at the bottom. Some of the cleanest water i´ve seen in Mexico...ha! The water is totally blue...Only problem is Lalo forgot his camera so...no photos to share :(
Now we are in Villahermosa..which is less than hermosa...again it´s a big city...hot and busy!
I´ll share more soon!
Adios...Besitos...Nos Vemos Pronto!

Beautiful San Cristobal de Las Casas!

I arrived in San Cristobal Friday afternoon and welcomed the cool, crisp air! Walking around in the hot sun all day sweating makes you feel pretty tired and makes you wonder if you are actually really lazy! Here, I felt energized to do lots of walking!
San Cristobol is a much smaller city than Tuxla...about 87,000 people. It is well known for the Zapatista movement that took place in the 90's...and is still lingering today. If you don't know much about Marcos or the Zapatistas you should read, it's interesting!
The city is rested in the mountains and full of indigenous woman and children peddling their goods. They are pushy...buy this, buy this, buy this! Their clothes are beautiful and traditional but their lives are sad. They live in extreme poverty and the woman in particular carry the large burden of too many children and not enough money to feed them. It is common to see children who are probably 4 selling goods. It is sad.
We are staying at a great Hostal here in the city. We have met some fabulous people. Cynthia and Will both of whom are working for the Peace Corp and have lived in Guatemala for the last 2 years and Carlos is from Veracruz, Mexico looking to marry a foreiner :) We all went out last night and had a great time...we went to a Lebanese restaurant and smoked the Hooka! We shared some really interesting conversation regarding poverty and the indigenous population.
Been speaking a ton of spanish...even with Americans cuz it's the common language we all share!
We're sharing a room with 2 Polish woman who are noisy and wake up early.
Today our plan is to visit a local Mayan Medicine museum!
We're also going to cook our own food today...my specialty...pasta with fresh tomato sauce! We'll see how that goes over....
The best food we've eaten so far has been the cheapest. Street tamales for 10 pesos a piece (mole and chipilin...mmmmm) 1/2 a chicken and rice for 38 pesos...elotes for 8 pesos! QUE RICO!
Really enjoying San Cristobal! It's truly beautiful!
Adios...Besitos...Nos Vemos Pronto!