Tulum....
After 16 hours of bus we got to the ocean.
We found those cabañas right on the beach. It is more than I have ever imagined. The only mole is the cost... they charged us 130USD for a night in a cabañas = a cabin with a roof made of palm leaves and a bed with a mosquito net... yes there's also a bathroom and some iguanas on the roof and some lizards in the room... but we don't care as long as everybody stays in its place.
The cool thing is that we are on the beach of Tulum... which is absolutely beautiful.
Last night we went to bed at 7pm (there's no electricity and the night is really dark out there) and this morning we woke up at dawn, put our swimsuit and went for a walk on the beach, then had a dive in the warm caribbean ocean and a great breakfast. The rest was... going in and out of the ocean and read and write and talk and enjoy the palm over us always paying attention to the 'dancing' coconuts over our heads.
Wow, how hard is living like this....
Tomorrow we'll go to Playa del Carmen and then in some other place...
29 March 2007
27 March 2007
San Cristobal de las Casas
From Merida we took a night bus to Palenque, where we arrived after 8 hours of sleep.
We arrived in Juarez around 6/6.30am and the light of the sunrise was yellow and beatiful stretching all the shades, which is strange here since the light is always white and the shades are always short.
The crowded small city of Juarez grows at the border with the ruins, a city of touristic services and place where to eat. Really colourful. We leave the backpack at the bus station at the baggage depot and then wait for the first free combi (small buses that transport local people around the places... you just wait in the middle f the streets and scream your destination!) to the ruins.
We arrived there around 7 but it open at 8 and we had the time to assist the preparation of the small market that borns every morning in the proximity of the ruins entrance. The indios come out from the jungle bushes with all their sacks and prepare little benches with their stuff to sell or things to cook or fuits.
I made a deal for a coconut and the guy made a hole with the machete and put the (ever present) straw in it, so that I could restore from the long night in the bus with a high airconditioning system. This coconut had a special taste to me. We were in the middle of the jungle, surrounded by indios and by this overwhelming nature and I was sipping a real coconut juice.
The ruins of Palenque left me speechless again. I have no words to express my feeling and the jumps by heart did while in this place. The jungle almost 'eats' the ruins and there's a soundtrack of verses from the 'shouting monkey' and the tucanos and other animals. There weren't a lot of turists and we just step over all the ruins possible. From up above the El Palacio there's a view of the valley which really impress the senses.
It's unbelievable those people made all this with no metal supplies or animals or wheels.
El Templo de las Inscriptiones and that of la Cruz are really beautiful.
But the jungle is queen in this environment.
We exit the ruins after a walk in the jungle, passing rios and waterfall and wood bridges and encountering snakes and spiders.
After that we visited the museums and waited for another combi to go back to the bus station. This one was very typical. There were some 4 locals inside and it was literally without door, and the engine was bursting weird noises every 200mts.
It has been a fun ride.
A 5 hours bus to San Cristobal awaited us.
It has been a silenced trip. Andrea took some drugs to refrain the carsickness and started sleeping, and I wasn't able to read or write anything since the road was curves and curves and curves.
So I watched outside.
From the 80 meters of Palenque we reached the 2160 of meters San Cristobal de las Casas, driving throung the rich vegetation of the Lacadona forest.
I was impressed. Going up was just green and blue, the forest and the sky. After a couple of hours the view was incredible... the valleys down there and the Altos on the other side.
We encountered a lot of small cabañas villages (small in order of 4-5 cabañas) where the indios live.
It was Sunday and the children were mostly dressed with a white shirt and almost looking elegant. The women all wearing the traditional clothes (even if they dress like this always) and family going from one 'village' to the next one where the church was with all the little coloured flags of the fiesta.
Outside some of this 'villages' coffe was toasting in the sun over white sheets and women were washing clothes and men working the red earth.
Children playing almost nude in the red earth.
I've been watching outside and 'inside' and there's a lot to think about.
We finally reached San Cristobal and found an hotel where we had a shower..... shower, shower.
San Cristobal is really beautiful; a small mountain town with a lot of attention for the indios. Here is the 'motherland' of the EZLN and I also came to know that El Sup Marcos was here yesterday but I missed him because I was doing the laundry! I was almost killing myself, but I didn't know about it if not after the laundry!!!!!! Pretty humiliating!
By the way we ate in the Centro Social where he did the conference, so I felt a little closer to the 'situation'.
Until last night we were thinking about going back to the Riviera Maya through Guatemala and Belize but checking the bus schedule it would have meant to spend 4 nights before the ocean whitout really visiting those places and... we are way too tired to wait 4 more days. So we decided to do the crazy thing and take another bus (this time it's a GranLux one... so Andrea is happy:-)) that we'll take us to Tulum in only 15 hours:-)
I know it's crazy but after a lot of asking and reading guides and planning sounded like the best thing.
Tomorrow morning we should be able to enjoy the Caribbean Mexican Beaches:-))
This is really a beautiful trip!
We arrived in Juarez around 6/6.30am and the light of the sunrise was yellow and beatiful stretching all the shades, which is strange here since the light is always white and the shades are always short.
The crowded small city of Juarez grows at the border with the ruins, a city of touristic services and place where to eat. Really colourful. We leave the backpack at the bus station at the baggage depot and then wait for the first free combi (small buses that transport local people around the places... you just wait in the middle f the streets and scream your destination!) to the ruins.
We arrived there around 7 but it open at 8 and we had the time to assist the preparation of the small market that borns every morning in the proximity of the ruins entrance. The indios come out from the jungle bushes with all their sacks and prepare little benches with their stuff to sell or things to cook or fuits.
I made a deal for a coconut and the guy made a hole with the machete and put the (ever present) straw in it, so that I could restore from the long night in the bus with a high airconditioning system. This coconut had a special taste to me. We were in the middle of the jungle, surrounded by indios and by this overwhelming nature and I was sipping a real coconut juice.
The ruins of Palenque left me speechless again. I have no words to express my feeling and the jumps by heart did while in this place. The jungle almost 'eats' the ruins and there's a soundtrack of verses from the 'shouting monkey' and the tucanos and other animals. There weren't a lot of turists and we just step over all the ruins possible. From up above the El Palacio there's a view of the valley which really impress the senses.
It's unbelievable those people made all this with no metal supplies or animals or wheels.
El Templo de las Inscriptiones and that of la Cruz are really beautiful.
But the jungle is queen in this environment.
We exit the ruins after a walk in the jungle, passing rios and waterfall and wood bridges and encountering snakes and spiders.
After that we visited the museums and waited for another combi to go back to the bus station. This one was very typical. There were some 4 locals inside and it was literally without door, and the engine was bursting weird noises every 200mts.
It has been a fun ride.
A 5 hours bus to San Cristobal awaited us.
It has been a silenced trip. Andrea took some drugs to refrain the carsickness and started sleeping, and I wasn't able to read or write anything since the road was curves and curves and curves.
So I watched outside.
From the 80 meters of Palenque we reached the 2160 of meters San Cristobal de las Casas, driving throung the rich vegetation of the Lacadona forest.
I was impressed. Going up was just green and blue, the forest and the sky. After a couple of hours the view was incredible... the valleys down there and the Altos on the other side.
We encountered a lot of small cabañas villages (small in order of 4-5 cabañas) where the indios live.
It was Sunday and the children were mostly dressed with a white shirt and almost looking elegant. The women all wearing the traditional clothes (even if they dress like this always) and family going from one 'village' to the next one where the church was with all the little coloured flags of the fiesta.
Outside some of this 'villages' coffe was toasting in the sun over white sheets and women were washing clothes and men working the red earth.
Children playing almost nude in the red earth.
I've been watching outside and 'inside' and there's a lot to think about.
We finally reached San Cristobal and found an hotel where we had a shower..... shower, shower.
San Cristobal is really beautiful; a small mountain town with a lot of attention for the indios. Here is the 'motherland' of the EZLN and I also came to know that El Sup Marcos was here yesterday but I missed him because I was doing the laundry! I was almost killing myself, but I didn't know about it if not after the laundry!!!!!! Pretty humiliating!
By the way we ate in the Centro Social where he did the conference, so I felt a little closer to the 'situation'.
Until last night we were thinking about going back to the Riviera Maya through Guatemala and Belize but checking the bus schedule it would have meant to spend 4 nights before the ocean whitout really visiting those places and... we are way too tired to wait 4 more days. So we decided to do the crazy thing and take another bus (this time it's a GranLux one... so Andrea is happy:-)) that we'll take us to Tulum in only 15 hours:-)
I know it's crazy but after a lot of asking and reading guides and planning sounded like the best thing.
Tomorrow morning we should be able to enjoy the Caribbean Mexican Beaches:-))
This is really a beautiful trip!
24 March 2007
Hola
Hola de Mexico!
We arrived in Cancun and the day after we took the first bus to Valladolid, ate there and then another bus to Chichen Itza. At night we went to the archeological sites to see the 'sounds and lights' show and went to sleep. The following day we visited the site and since it was the spring equinox, it was pretty crowded but beautiful.
Then another bus to Merida where, following the instruction of the Lonely Planet we entered the doors of Paradise in the Medio Mundo hotel. A total different standard than the place we have been before... but so beautiful we couldn't refuse to stay there.
Yesterday we took a public transportation to the archeological sites of the Ruta Puuc and Uxmal.
The jungle and the archeological sites are breathtaking.
We took the small digital camera with us but I feel not able to take good pictures. The light is superwhite and shades are everywhere and I wish to take million pictures a minute but I feel blocked. My mouth open in all different directions, looking for iguanas, or other animals I've never seen before or astonished by the overwhelming nature. Cactus growing literally over big threes or such.
I am speechless and wordless and poor in creativity. It's just like if I am fulfilling a big sack with all the colours and emotions and feelings and I hope I'll be able to use those 'things' once back home.
The poverty (expecially in the jungle) is nothing I've every seen or experienced and it gives a lot to think about my everyday life and needs.
The earth is red. RED.
The sky is blue. BLUE.
The nature is really green. GREEN....
I'm almost shocked.
By the way we are healthy, we drink a lot of exotic fruit juices and water because it is REALLY hot.
Tonight we'll catch a bus at 10pm to arrive in Palenque (Chiapas) tomorrow morning, just in time to visit the archeological site and then go on to San Cristobal de las Casas.
Wish I could meet el Subcomandante Marcos!!!:-)
Gotta go now.
Baci
We arrived in Cancun and the day after we took the first bus to Valladolid, ate there and then another bus to Chichen Itza. At night we went to the archeological sites to see the 'sounds and lights' show and went to sleep. The following day we visited the site and since it was the spring equinox, it was pretty crowded but beautiful.
Then another bus to Merida where, following the instruction of the Lonely Planet we entered the doors of Paradise in the Medio Mundo hotel. A total different standard than the place we have been before... but so beautiful we couldn't refuse to stay there.
Yesterday we took a public transportation to the archeological sites of the Ruta Puuc and Uxmal.
The jungle and the archeological sites are breathtaking.
We took the small digital camera with us but I feel not able to take good pictures. The light is superwhite and shades are everywhere and I wish to take million pictures a minute but I feel blocked. My mouth open in all different directions, looking for iguanas, or other animals I've never seen before or astonished by the overwhelming nature. Cactus growing literally over big threes or such.
I am speechless and wordless and poor in creativity. It's just like if I am fulfilling a big sack with all the colours and emotions and feelings and I hope I'll be able to use those 'things' once back home.
The poverty (expecially in the jungle) is nothing I've every seen or experienced and it gives a lot to think about my everyday life and needs.
The earth is red. RED.
The sky is blue. BLUE.
The nature is really green. GREEN....
I'm almost shocked.
By the way we are healthy, we drink a lot of exotic fruit juices and water because it is REALLY hot.
Tonight we'll catch a bus at 10pm to arrive in Palenque (Chiapas) tomorrow morning, just in time to visit the archeological site and then go on to San Cristobal de las Casas.
Wish I could meet el Subcomandante Marcos!!!:-)
Gotta go now.
Baci
20 March 2007
Ready to go!
Backpacks are ready. Despite my good intentions of going to sleep early, last night we packed until midnight.
I decided to stay light 1 trousers other than the one I wear, 2 t shirts, 2 singlets, one long sleeves shirt, a sweatshirt an hat and a scarf. A pair of flip flops and my light trekking shoes. I also bought a supercool travel-pillow and my sleeping-sheet-bag.
The things that are heavier are the medicines and the beauty case with the repelents and the sun lotion... but it's such a sweet weight to carry since it's so much about HOLIDAY.
In my handbag (a smaller backpack) there is my brick-alike Lonely Planet guide to Mexico, a book and other pubblication about the play of the ball in the Mesoamerica's culture.
Passport is ok. The only thing I hate is that we'll fly on a charter flight of a company I don't like at all... they are ruder than ever and the aircrafts are filthy, and since it's my first time ever on a charter flight I miss the consistency of a ticket. In fact we only have a piece of paper that says that we have to be at the airport at 10.45 and they'll do the rest.
I am always a little anxious when it comes to those 'others' that I know.
Tonight I had this dream of flying to Cancun with a small 6 seats aircraft.
Anyway... jokes apart, I hope I'll update you on my trip in some internet points and cross fingers we don't get in trouble somewhere. But I am positive since
1) my husband has been there (10 years ago) and claims to know everything about this trip without reading any guide and advices :-/
2) my husband speaks spanish (and I do understand pretty everything since it's supersimilar to italian) and I will learn it soon thanks to my spanish podcast,
3) we did not planned everything and we have lots of time to do so on the aircraft.
This is exactly what I needed... just go now... adventure is awaiting!
Baci
I decided to stay light 1 trousers other than the one I wear, 2 t shirts, 2 singlets, one long sleeves shirt, a sweatshirt an hat and a scarf. A pair of flip flops and my light trekking shoes. I also bought a supercool travel-pillow and my sleeping-sheet-bag.
The things that are heavier are the medicines and the beauty case with the repelents and the sun lotion... but it's such a sweet weight to carry since it's so much about HOLIDAY.
In my handbag (a smaller backpack) there is my brick-alike Lonely Planet guide to Mexico, a book and other pubblication about the play of the ball in the Mesoamerica's culture.
Passport is ok. The only thing I hate is that we'll fly on a charter flight of a company I don't like at all... they are ruder than ever and the aircrafts are filthy, and since it's my first time ever on a charter flight I miss the consistency of a ticket. In fact we only have a piece of paper that says that we have to be at the airport at 10.45 and they'll do the rest.
I am always a little anxious when it comes to those 'others' that I know.
Tonight I had this dream of flying to Cancun with a small 6 seats aircraft.
Anyway... jokes apart, I hope I'll update you on my trip in some internet points and cross fingers we don't get in trouble somewhere. But I am positive since
1) my husband has been there (10 years ago) and claims to know everything about this trip without reading any guide and advices :-/
2) my husband speaks spanish (and I do understand pretty everything since it's supersimilar to italian) and I will learn it soon thanks to my spanish podcast,
3) we did not planned everything and we have lots of time to do so on the aircraft.
This is exactly what I needed... just go now... adventure is awaiting!
Baci
15 March 2007
Messico!
I'm on my 'unpaid forced vacation' right now... and I woke up late, had my breakfast and log on my computer for the news and the emails and.... YES!YES!YES!YES! Here it is my confirmation for our flights to Mexico!
My heart is beating faster and I am excited to leave but now I am panicking for all the things that have to be done before the departure...: arrange things for Monocat, cut my hair, de-forest my body from the winter fleece, pay bills, buy medicines and arrange at least the first night in Cancun (we'll arrive in late afternoon) and then buy books to read while in there, read the superfabulous Lonely Planet, plan the trip and everything else.
I'm so much looking forward it! Today's a good day!
Gotta go now. Yoohooo!!!!!
My heart is beating faster and I am excited to leave but now I am panicking for all the things that have to be done before the departure...: arrange things for Monocat, cut my hair, de-forest my body from the winter fleece, pay bills, buy medicines and arrange at least the first night in Cancun (we'll arrive in late afternoon) and then buy books to read while in there, read the superfabulous Lonely Planet, plan the trip and everything else.
I'm so much looking forward it! Today's a good day!
Gotta go now. Yoohooo!!!!!
09 March 2007
Random thoughts!
Random thoughts... and actions. I move in no specific direction... I wander.
It may be the weather: the cherry tree is almost blooming, in the garden I had yellow daisy blooming throughout the winter; tulips, hyacinths and narcissus are bloomed and almost finished.
I feel a little lost... it's not use to be spring in late february and early march.
I booked a supercheap flight to Mexico- Cancun or Merida but we'll find out of the confirmation only 3 days before departure due on march the 20th so I'm here with all my fingers crossed waiting for a YES. But at the same time I'd like to read the Lonely Planet and plan the tour of Chiapas and Yucatan but I can't because then, if I can't go, I'll be desperate. So I am saving enthusiasm.
Tomorrow I'll have a 3 hour sewing machine class... so I'll be able to replace zips and take the hem to the trousers. Other 3 hours next saturday.
I should do the gardening but I am waiting to see if I leave to Mexico or not to be more present to my baby plants and grass.
Meanwhile I'm trying not to think about my 11th short term contract at the airport, since I won't have a permanent one this time either... I really don't know what to do.
I wish I could change the world and talk to the heart of some people. I wish politics should just work for the people and not for the money only. I wish we could all live a simpler life with no other needs but to love and live happily.
It may be this Lent period and all the thoughts about inconditional love.
I wish I could just hang with my overseas friends without thinking of the time zone... just have the "Teletrasporto" that was in Star Trek (I don't know the english word... I'm talking about that thing that could bring you somewhere else in a sec... you just go down the beam of light and you are suddenly in another place) and take a cappuccino in a nice place in Portland, or a veggy meal in Malibu, a "Thursday walk" in Cambrige or a cooking exchange in San Antonio.....
That's all for now... random thoughts are getting crazy thoughts inside and out!
It may be the weather: the cherry tree is almost blooming, in the garden I had yellow daisy blooming throughout the winter; tulips, hyacinths and narcissus are bloomed and almost finished.
I feel a little lost... it's not use to be spring in late february and early march.
I booked a supercheap flight to Mexico- Cancun or Merida but we'll find out of the confirmation only 3 days before departure due on march the 20th so I'm here with all my fingers crossed waiting for a YES. But at the same time I'd like to read the Lonely Planet and plan the tour of Chiapas and Yucatan but I can't because then, if I can't go, I'll be desperate. So I am saving enthusiasm.
Tomorrow I'll have a 3 hour sewing machine class... so I'll be able to replace zips and take the hem to the trousers. Other 3 hours next saturday.
I should do the gardening but I am waiting to see if I leave to Mexico or not to be more present to my baby plants and grass.
Meanwhile I'm trying not to think about my 11th short term contract at the airport, since I won't have a permanent one this time either... I really don't know what to do.
I wish I could change the world and talk to the heart of some people. I wish politics should just work for the people and not for the money only. I wish we could all live a simpler life with no other needs but to love and live happily.
It may be this Lent period and all the thoughts about inconditional love.
I wish I could just hang with my overseas friends without thinking of the time zone... just have the "Teletrasporto" that was in Star Trek (I don't know the english word... I'm talking about that thing that could bring you somewhere else in a sec... you just go down the beam of light and you are suddenly in another place) and take a cappuccino in a nice place in Portland, or a veggy meal in Malibu, a "Thursday walk" in Cambrige or a cooking exchange in San Antonio.....
That's all for now... random thoughts are getting crazy thoughts inside and out!
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