The fast track back...

En route we were of course distracted by an avocado farm discovered last minute outside of Antigua, Guatemala. A couple of days spent there (below Griffin is on the swing overlooking the valley where Antigua sits and one of the many volcanoes, although covered by a cloud in this photo), followed by another stop in Boca Del Cielo (Chiapas, Mexico) and then on to Oaxaca City, we plan to leave here tomorrow to head to Mexico City. Haven´t yet decided if we will spend some time there before heading back or if we will just hop another night bus and make it to the border by day break. Vamos a ver...

On the Road Again!

I am now convinced that riding chicken buses actually burns calories. The physical strain of tensed arms, legs, and abdomen in order to keep rooted to one's seat is indeed comparable to that of an aerobics class with a maddened maniacal guatemalan bus driver as coach, only instead of a whistle he chants a mantra (generally a shortened version of the destination) to all those who pass hoping he can attract them to this moving, and rather condensed, bus of calisthenics.

After a night bus from Nicaragua to Guatemala City we decided to pause for a good night's rest in Antigua, Guatemala. Tomorrow we hit the road again, chicken bus style to Mexico where we hope to rest at Boca del Cielo (mouth of the sky).

San Juan Del Sur, Nicaragua

Our turning point. The furthest south we'll make it this go around. We've spent the last five days surfing (of course), hanging out with some old friends (Patricia Petmecky!, below) and planning our return trip. After some research and conversation with one Captain Peter, we discovered the hurricane season is indeed shaping northern travel, making it near impossible to get on crew for a boat headed north. So it looks like we will begin the long bus ride home (with a few stops along the way to make it more bearable). Today we say goodbye to Simon & Lee (the aussie's we have now been travelling with for almost two weeks).

Nicaragua

Crossing the border from Honduras to Nicaragua we found ourselves suddenly traveling down a dirt road where the paved highway allegedly runs. Doubting wether we had taken the right turn at the border crossing, we were reassured by semis wielding their large loads through potholes and horse drawn carriages. Apparently road construction is slow in Nicaragua, and despite increasing tourism, it continues to be one of the poorest countries in the western hemisphere (Nicaraguans go to El Salvador for better wages).


We have been travelling down the coast seeking waves (oftentimes on four wheel drive roads with a rear wheel drive van). Above the guys (Griff & Simon) scope out the waves for some good prospects. Below the van surprises us all by making it through a low water crossing.

South with the Aussies...

It seems the quintessential manner in which to wind down a trip with a surfing theme would be to hop in an old blue van with a few Australians and head down the pacific coast looking for waves (and in the case of the Australians, women).

And so it is. We have accepted the offer and should be leaving our favorite surf spot sometime within the week (at the whims of Lee, Simon, and Paul now). Below Griffin is given the ¨Australian mullet¨haircut. I´ll have to get some shots of the aftermath. The old blue van that they have driven down the entire coastline from Canada can be seen in the background.

Some favorte foods along the way...

As our trip is winding down (we are looking at heading north sometime next month, but not after one or two more stops in Nicaragua) it is fun to reflect on one of my favorite aspects of travelling... the food! New fruits are always popping up (especially as we have been down here for the change of seasons). Above is a pataya and below is one of our favorite new snacks, chocolate covered, frozen banana!

And of course, the experience wouldn´t be complete without ¨chengas¨, as they are referred to in some parts of El Salvador. A bucket of corn is thoroughly washed, put through the mill and then stone ground to a finer consistency. A little water, salt, and some proper hand technique, and you have the El Salvadoran tortilla; thick & hearty, it is approximately ten times the size of a mexican tortilla.

A Typical Day...

Since our visit with Kelly in the country town of Canton Argentina, we have been staying at a little surf town by the name of Sunzal. It has proved to be a lovely stop and a very gentle wave for beginners...

We wake up, generally early (our lives have begun to parallel the sun), have a quick snack and head down to the beach for an early morning ¨session¨(the lingo for a surfing session). Then, generally, return a couple of hours later for a larger breakfast (something along the lines of fried plantains, refried red beans, eggs, homemade bread or tortillas & coffee), lounge during the heat of the day, reading or, in the case of Griffin, playing the mandolin, and in the case of myself, learning to embroider. Then, out for another afternoon or evening session, a quick supper, and hit the bed soon after the sun sets (which is early... around 7 o´clock). Add a little human interaction with locals or other travellers, and that has been a typical day in the last two weeks.

We are about to head to the high country to allow our bodies some recovery (surfing is indeed physically demanding) & for a little civil war history... we are headed to the sight of ¨Massacre at Mazote.¨

The People of Canton Argentina...

Griffin and some of the fellas playing cards at the game table (a rock surrounded by rock seats next to ¨la cancha¨, or the soccer field.
This is actually the public transportation for Canton Argentina. Above is the soccer team on the way to a game (all holding on tightly as the truck makes its way down a steep dirt road). Griffin got to play, but unfortunately i was still recovering from a sprained ankle acquired during ¨practice¨ (it is a shame I didn´t get to play, as I would have been the first gal to participate)... Playing soccer in sandals on a dirt field is highly unadviseable.

One of my favorite of the elders helps her grandson into a pair of shorts.

the highlands of El Salvador...

One of Kelly´s old host families put us up for the week of our stay in Canton Argentina. This is them resting in the shade of their watermelon patch after a laborious gathering of wood in the heat. That´s the pacific meeting the shoreline below.

El Salvador

Finger-like ridges stretch to the ocean, ending either subtely or abruptly in cliffs at the shore of the Pacific. It is by far one of the most beautiful shorelines yet. We have been spending the last week in the dreamy little country pueblo of Canton Argentina where our good friend ¨Red Dawg¨ has happily been adopted by more than one El Salvadoran family. The existence is more than comparable to stories grandparents tell in the states... JCPenny´s catalogues for toilet paper, taking horses to work in the fields, & walking two miles to school uphill in some pretty tricky shoes. We have enjoyed getting to know the people, learning to making ¨chengas¨(homemade corn tortillas cooked over a fire), washing clothes in the creek, helping build a road to the village (a tremendous project), and all around learning about a different way of life.

We made a trip to La Libertad today to get some groceries and take care of a few other things (such as internet). Of course there are so many photos I would love to share but those will have to come later.

Canton Argentina...

Just a quick note as the computer I am using is having serious issues...

After the highlands we returned to Champerico to grab our boards. I of course have some photos I would love to post, but the machine I´m using has other thoughts. Tomorrow we are bound for El Salvador. Luck would have it that one of our good friends, ¨Red Dog¨, happens to be returning to the town he was in for two years during his service in the Peace Corps. Luck would also have it that it happens to be located next to some of the best surf in El Salvador.

More later...

All Shook Up...

Sitting on our balcony the other day we were surprised by a tremor that shook the entire building. Exposed rebarb (common here and usually indicative of the hope to one day add a second level) vibrated at the same pace as the concrete and wooden walls. We had been watching a storm blow in and immediately tried to explain the 30 second tremor with wind... or is that volcano over there really unactive? We finally assumed it must have been an earthquake, which was indeed verified by an article in the paper the following day: 5.4 on the rictor scale! The entire country shook. We were far enough away from the source that it only reached us as mild vibrations. No one in the town flinched. Accustomed to this sort of plate tectonics everyone continued work as if nothing had happened.

The pic is taken looking down on San Pedro, the town where we have been based at Lago Atitlan. An intricate maze of layers and back alleyways, it has been a lovely stay. Spanish is a second language for most people in this town and Mayan is the most commonly heard language in the streets and market.

Lago Atitlan

Sitting at 1,560 meters, the lake was originally formed by a volcanic eruption thousands of years ago. From the shores of this enchanting lake three unactive volcanos are still visible.

The weather this time of year is comparable to that of early summer in the south. Sunny mornings moderated by afternoon showers keep temperatures fresh and cool. As a result we have planned activities around the weather, kayacking or hiking in the mornings and simply sipping coffee (from the region!) and reading in the afternoon to a tune of rain on tin roofs. The picture at the top is taken from our balcony (15 quetzales per person a night = $2).

To the highlands...

After a lovely week in Champerico we decided to head to the highlands for a few days to cool off. So we left our surf boards in storage in Champerico and hopped a chicken bus for Lago Atitlan.... pics to come soon.

Blessed are the eyes of the traveler...

For whom the faculty of wonder is restored, like that of a child´s, when suddenly patterns are broken by a never-before-seen bug on the bathroom wall, a different way of greeting one another in the street, or the turtle and fish in the wash basin. It is indeed beautiful to stand witness to a different existence.

While talking to locals here we have been surprised to learn how many have family working in the states (almost everyone in this town). It seems as if many are illegal (I believe one woman said her son walked) and because of it are unable to return without re-living the arduous journey. Some people have not seen their sons or daughters, brothers or sisters in years or have yet to meet the grandson or granddaughter born abroad. Those left behind, like my friend Yoseline, express how sad it is to not have the ability to see loved ones. As a result Yoseline says she has no desire to go to the states, unless perhaps by plane to visit family there.

When we ask why they keep going we are told it is, of course, for the money (there are two western unions in this tiny town). ¨There is no money here,¨they say. But, Griffin and I are quick to point out that there is fish & fruits and life here is so much more laid back. It is almost so self-sustaining there is near no need for an economy. Is it worth it to trade this life for money? Then what? It seems many feel the need to make the sacrifice for the rest of their family. Once they get to the states they may not like it. Life is difficult, but there is indeed money and once there, it is a stalemate.

Meanwhile, life here continues in its own laid-back guatemalteco manner. Children play in the streets and beach and people seem to work on a convenience basis (if a restaurant does well one day, it may just close down the next, take time to regroup and clean and then re-open whenever necessary). The sun rises at 6:00 and sets at 7:00 (I don´t think they use ¨daylight savings¨), the temperature remains the same year round, families sit down together to eat, and always siesta is observed. All-in-all, a typical tropical climate with the typical tropical lifestyle.

Champerico, Guatemala

The promised land. We arrived just as the storm was clearing, which happened to cause a lot of damage to the town north of us, leaving us with only a bit of rain and some enormous waves (we have had to laugh at the luck... we keep running into huge waves that would be great if we were experienced surfers, while all the pros we have encountered keep complaining they have missed all the good waves). Fortunately the waves have calmed down a bit and this stop has proved to be everything we were looking for.

A fishing village originally, the town has attracted some surfers in recent years and has also become a vacation spot for ¨guatamaltecos¨wanting to get out of the city for the weekend. The people are incredibly friendly and kind and the surf is proving to be great for learning. We have rented a room for a week (approximately $35 for the week) and have already made quite a few friends. Being the only fair-skinned person in town (aside from the older albino woman I have seen in the market), I have somewhat felt like the ¨popular girl in school¨, which has its ups and downs. I have quite a few Guatamalan girlfriends (all around the age of 15... the girls my age have families) who love to accompany me in whatever I am doing, but they too are learning to surf so it has been fun to have some girls to catch waves with.

Surf in the mornings and afternoons, soccer on the beach in the evenings... no complaints! This place is perfect. Breakfast runs about a $1.5o (including eggs, black beans, fried plantains, homemade corn tortillas and fresh juice or coffee). My favorite touch to our current living situation-- the fish and turtle in the wash basin who are said to keep the water clean.

The pics above: me with ¨cornrows ¨ (having some technical difficulties and can´t get this pic to turn), my girlfriends who insisted on braiding my hair, & the sun setting behind ¨El Mue¨, the pier that drops the fishing boats out past the breaks each morning.

Guatemala Bound...

Well, we investigated hitching a ride by sail boat to El Salvador and while we were offered a ride, Hurricane Barbara has all the boats holed up for the time until they see what the storm is going to do (could be another week of waiting). So we concluded, hurricane heading to Huatulco, let´s just dodge south-- night bus to guatemala! Tickets in hand we just checked the weather report and it appears the hurricane is now following our tracks and taking a turn for Guatemala. So it looks as if we, and the storm, are destined to arrive tomorrow in Guatemala. We shall see...

The plan is to head to a little surf village in the northern part of Guatemala by the name of Champerico, weather permitting. Hard to say at this point.

Wedding pic...

we just got this via e-mail (from Jeremy & Jessica´s wedding in Cancun)...

Bahia de Chachacual

The week on the bay proved not to dissapoint. We camped as far into the shade as the scorpions would permit and made our living room (hammocks) in a tree that stood over the ocean at high tide. Griffin fished and we feasted on ceviche (a few of our odd catches are shown in the pic) and all the fruits (pineapple, papaya, peaches, bananas, mangos, etc.) that this beautiful tropical climate produces.

A few visitors would come to the bay by boat and snorkel for a couple of hours around midday (corral reef directly off of coast) but usually leave us be for the rest of the time. There were also a couple of locals who made the long hike from Huatulco (3 hours) to collect crabs & ¨sea cockroaches¨, or escargot.

On our final day (today) our ride was supposed to arrive at noon but in the middle of cooking breakfast we were alarmed to see the little fishing boat pull up. Lalo jumped off and came running up to say we must pack up immediately and head back ASAP. Hurricane coming and he had been granted special permission to leave the marina and come retrieve us...

Rainy season is just beginning.

Bahias de Huatulco

For the past week or so we have skipped from one little town to the next (Mazunte to Barra de la Cruz). We had heard there was some great surf in Barra, which indeed was the case but almost too good. When we arrived there were aproximately 5 professional surfers (one considered second best in the world) complete with camera men and crew. The waves were a bit large for me (even though the professionals probably preferred them a bit larger) but Griffin gave them a good go while I played around in the whitewater with my board.

We are taking a pause from surfing and are going to a remote bay near Hualtulco to camp for a week. Just wanted to drop a quick line to let all know that we are fine. Until next week...

The Mexican Pipeline

Well, we arrived in Puerto Escondido on Saturday, had surf boards by Monday and have since been learning to surf, how to fix our boards, etc. The waves here are a bit large for beginners, which has made for some pretty intense & comical wipe-outs. Overall the surf is well and we are having a blast learning with only a few minor scrapes and bruises (oddly concentrated on my body and mysteriously lacking on Griffin´s).

Griff´s birthday was yesterday and we had a lovely day of surfing followed by an evening of drinking Mezcal (the Oaxacan tequila-- $3 for 2 quarts) with some other travellers and locals. Griffin of course got the worm (a birthday bonus!). Minor headaches this morning followed by some lovely waves... not a bad day in paradise.

Our loosely constructed plans are to head south and start looking for a little surf town to rent an apartment for a month or so... pero, vamos a ver.

The pic: some last minute waves before the sun sets on the Pacific

A note: ¨The Mexican Pipeline¨ comes from the fact that one-two days out of the year this place gets a break that is approximately three to four stories high. Apparently this year it is supposed to be on June 30th. All the pros come to ride it. The only way you can catch the wave is by being dropped off by a jet ski. If you miss a wave that size, one could easily die. Crazy.

Sneaky Mayans...

While in San Cristobal we were fortunate to meet one of the leading Mexican anthropologists who studies mayan symbolism. He explained the significance of practically every detail of this elaborate church, pointing out that the mayans who were contracted to build it not only sculpted the catholic symbols that were asked of them, but also snuck in a parallel Mayan symbol. For instance, Jesus is juxtaposed by Quetzalcoatl (the mayan diety that looks like a feathered snake). Here Quetzalcoatl is shown approximately in the center of the image with a conch above his head (in this photo he looks a bit like a mermaid). Apparently the royal family that funded the project never questioned the extra symbols.

San Cristobal de las Casas

A lovely colonial city tucked in the mountains, San Cristobal stays cool in the evenings and warms up during in the day. It never freezes, making it the ideal climate for fruit and consequently a fantastic food market (picture shows the rooster vendor). The mayan culture is rich here and the mayan language is spoken frequently in the market.

It has been a refreshing stop in between coasts, but tonight we catch a night bus to Puerto Escondido (pacific side)...

Beautiful Chiapas...

From little swimming holes to jungle waterfalls, Chiapas is an amazingly beautiful state. Below is a river where many of the Palenque locals go to escape the heat. The limestone bottoms, locals drinking beer, & water temperature are all comparable to the Texas hill country, only the tree canopy is a variety of jungle growth instead of cypress.

The waterfall was one we stumbled on off a trail in the jungle near the Palenque ruins. We lavishly bathed and worshiped our sanctuary from the heat until a possibly deadly snake almost fell on top of us from the waterfall... yikes! I did a funny jig to escape the writhing snake while Griffin shouted ¨wao, woa, wooooo¨or something to that extint. Had anyone been there to witness the event it might have appeared as if some gringos were reinacting a very poorly planned mayan ceremony.

We camped for few days in a place called Mayabell (outside of Palenque and very close to the ruins). Falling asleep in hammocks while listening to giant toads, howler monkeys, and watching lightning bugs the size of a hummingbirds zip through the jungle was truly an incredible experience.

Then & Now

A mayan carving in Palenque and grafiti art in San Cristobal...

Las Ruinas de Palenque

Palenque proper...

The domestication of the birds from the jungle is concerning (here a toucan).

the country-side of Palenque...

Cinco De Mayo

We got to Palenque (in the state of Chiapas) just in time for Cinco De Mayo, which I might add, we were excited to be in Mexico for this famous holiday. Oddly enough we realized that Cinco de Mayo is a holiday presently more celebrated in the U.S. than in Mexico. It is big in the town of Puebla where Mexico beat the French in 1862, but outside of that region, it is barely recognized. Somehow the 5th of May has become a rather large celebration in the US, where it has come to represent Mexican culture (foods, dancing, etc.).

Jeremy & Jessica´s Wedding...

The wedding was lovely. I´ll let the pictures tell...
(pending)

Griffs first scuba adventure...

After staying on Isla Holbox we got to meet up with mi madre y padrestro in Isla Mujeres. We had a great couple of days snorkeling, scuba diving, & just enjoying one anothers company.

Isla Mujeres...

Cruising Isla by golf cart...

The homemade diving board (2x6) at Holbox...

Pescado Fresco

The fishermen we would buy our fish from in Holbox & their following of birds...

The Sandbar at Holbox

Sunrise over a Mangrove Cove...

Holbox...

Holbox, originally a fishing village, is a growing spot for tourism. Still small and ¨tranquilo¨, there are not too many people, keeping it friendly and easy to see the same faces. We heard about the place from our friends in Tuluum. The wetlands, salt fields, & mangrove trees make it a huge habitat for all kinds of birds, including flamingos (and unfortunately mosquitos, sand flies, ticks, etc.). One of the most incredible features is the sandbar that stretches a full mile (parallel to the shore), making it possible to walk in knee deep water about a 150 feet out from the shore.

In the afternoons we have been meeting the fisherman at the shore and buying a kilo of fresh fish for 25 pesos (under $2.50). Needless to say, lots of ceviche.

A 1,000 year old tree...

While hitchiking to Holbox (the island we are currently staying on) we caught a ride with a man who stopped by a friends house to pick up a few freshly plucked chickens. He insisted we walk through their house to go look at the 1,000 year old tree towering in their backyard. The roots stretched a full 30-40 meters from the base of the trunk, under their house, and popped up all over the back and front yard.