Enter San Cristóbal de las Casas

Every new place I go in Mexico on this trip manifests itself into my new favorite. San Cristóbal is no exception. I guess I’ll just have to sum it up and say MEXICO is my favorite place.

So, my Chiapas adventure began yesterday. I left the Tuxtla airport and got a ticket for a collectivo to San C. About 30 minutes into the drive I thought, “wait a sec, I didn’t even make sure I got on the right collectivo.” Then I had the awesome revelation that it didn’t really matter. I had no concrete plans, no reservations, no one expecting me on the other end. Everyone should have at least one of those moments. I was giddy. I actually was going the right way. At the end of the ride, a woman in front of me turned around and asked me if I had a place to stay. Turns out she is the owner of probably the coolest hostel I have ever been to (Posada de Mexico)! It is like the Club Med of backpackers without the exhorbant prices. The included breakfast was off the hook! Potato and beet empanadas, herbal teas, fresh squeezed pineapple juice, and yogurt. I am excited what tomorrows breakfast table will bring! It also has a large library, a BBQ, a pool table, and a garden to chill in. SWEET! The best part about it was that I had already been interested in going to that particular hostel anyway and the owner paid for our taxi ride to get there! I take it as another sign (of many) that my Mexican adventures are completely blessed.

I shared a breakfast table with two women, French and Belgian, who invited me to go with them on a tour of San Juan Chamulas via horseback. Totally awesome because I had thought I might go, but was planning on taking a collectivo there rather than a horse. We were out for 4 hours and it only cost me 120 pesos! The ride was badass! It was up a mountain, through a creek, and the guide let us run the horses part of the way (the only time I have ever been on a horse it was walking slowly). My ass is sore in its entirety and there were some definite white-knuckle parts of the journey (my poor 40 year old horse got a little sassy in his old age crotchetiness), but it was a beautiful and exciting way to travel. Bonus, my new friends speak about as much English as they do Spanish, so we only spoke Spanish. Like I am supposed to be doing every day but have some how managed to avoid for 3 months here. It was fun and soooo good for me!

Chamulas may be the most unconventional place I have ever visited. I just read that it is the ONLY autonomous local government in Mexico - Mexican police and military are prohibited from entering. The pueblo’s police force is all decked out in fuzzy white vests! Adorable! Their religion is a mix between Catholicism and Maya though they officially banned Catholic Church priests presiding in their church in the late 1800’s. I was forbidden to take photos in their amazing church because many people there think cameras have the ability to take away souls. I was allowed to go in. Beautiful. The whole floor is covered in pine needles (there are no pews), incense, and candles. It smelled wonderful and I was immediately at peace when I walked in. Along the sides are idols of their most beloved saints with mirrors on their chests to reflect evil from them. At the very front there is an idol of, not Jesus, San Juan el Bautista, who is, only after the Sun itself, the head hancho of spirituality and life. Jesus was there, of course, but his idol was off to the side in a COFFIN. That’s right, the people of Chamulas believe that Jesus was never resurrected after he died on the cross. Whoah. I love that Mexicans have transformed Christianity into what they need instead of what some old fart in Rome thinks they need.

One last gem of information on Chamulas, they use Coca Cola as a ritual beverage. This fact was confirmed by my guide after I read about it on the Lets Go Mexico web site . He explained that they think the bubbles wash away sin. It is mixed with pox, their ceremonial sugar cane alcohol (think Mexican moonshine) and away those sins go. I saw some Coke bottles strewn about the church floor where people were praying.

When I got back I went to a tea house where movies are shown. I saw a documentary entitled, Autónoma Zapatista which taught me how very much alive and well the Zapatista movement is and what it is all about. I applaud the amount of motivation the group has to preserve the antiquated cultural practices of indigenous Mexican peoples, and the organization of this group is on point. They have their own schools, clinics, herbal pharmacies, high production farms, ect. I am interested in learning more about it. First things I want to know are why exactly almost everyone wears something to cover their faces (no doubt a very good reason, I just don’t know) and do they use currency much (one of their main goals is to remove themselves from the evils of capitalism). I also really need to get the whole story on Emiliano Zapata because I only have the most rudimentary ideas of why he was a revolutionary general. Literature recommendations are always welcome, readers.

Tomorrow I plan to check into Pingüino bicycle tours in hopes of finding a group who wants to do the ride out to the caves around here. I am also verrrrrrry excited to see the Mayan Medicine Clinic and Museum (I am starting to want to expand my healing practices into herbology). There are also a million other things to see and do here. I am so pleased that I went with my gut and got a ticket to this place. I am starting to wonder why I didn’t make it a one way ticket…

Travel Advice: All About Sayulita

I definitely recommend visiting Sayulita, Nayarit Mexico if you ever happen to be on the Mexican Pacific Coast. For a town this size (tiny), there is a lot happenin' over here and it is easily accessible from Puerto Vallarta (which has an international airport). Buses go to Sayulita and its neighboring beach towns (Bucerias, San Francisco/Pancho, y más) for less than $3 and leave directly from the airport (which is good because Vallarta is la mierda of Mexico as far as I'm concerned).

The beach isn’t the most beautiful I have ever seen, but with the jungles surrounding it, it has its charm (Go to Tulum, Quintana Roo if you want to see beautiful beaches). It is popular, crowded in some parts, but the farther you walk away from the Plaza area, the less people you run in to. The beach vendors aren’t too pushy, but there are a lot of them on the right break. The tamales ladies and the macaroon man were the only people I ever bought from and let me tell you, they sell some TASTY merchandise. Definitely treat yourself to their goodies at least once (you’ll be back for more…).

To get away from the hubbub, and if you are willing to do an easy rock scramble or take a 15 minute jungle hike towards San Pancho (with trails), you can get to a part of the beach where you may be the only person there (past the left break). Past the right break and a few gringo hotels, walk through the arches into a cemetery and you will find yet another beach, Playa de Los Muertos, on the other side. It has good swimming and a more laid back feel to it. (Beautiful for nighttime star gazing). On the main beach, you can rent surf and body boards hourly from one of the many stands. Shop around to find the best deal. If you want, you can pay for an hour of surf lessons, but don’t pay more than 250 pesos and make sure they show you how to maneuver your board ect on land first. The right break is good for beginners, the left generally has bigger waves and rocky shores so leave that for when and if you are more experienced, though it makes for good body boarding.

I recommend spending at least an afternoon in San Pancho, another beach town next door to Sayulita. Its really cute and less commercial than Sayulita. On Saturdays at 5pm you can get all gussied up and watch a couple of games of horse polo on plush white couches at the San Pancho Polo Club. Entry is free, but you are expected to buy at least a drink. Dinner is available after the games accompanied by live music. Table reservations are advised during high season.

Some basic should be covered. The only hostel in town is Hostel Venado Azul and is located just one block behind the plaza. I didn’t stay there, but I stopped in one night to check it out. The receptionist “dude” was very friendly and interesting and they have nightly backyard bon fires. If you are into camping, there are two campgrounds right on the beach, Camaron being the cheaper and more fun of the two, as well as a trailer park (BYOT: bring your own trailer). You can also cruise the classifieds on to find fancier, pricier houses to rent. It’s a good place to start with if you feel like splurging, but it does not, by far, have every place listed. Walk around town for 20 minutes and I guarantee you will find something that matches your needs. The cheapest ATM (the only one with fees that wouldn’t be considered extortion) is located next to Choco Banana (best coffee in town) underneath El Tigre. Currently, a 7.25 peso surcharge as opposed to 30. The best place to get produce is DEFINITELY Celia’s Fruteria (y Más!). She is STOCKED and has a lot of herbs and spices and good cheese. Everything I bought from her was fresh and tasty. Celia’s is closed on Thursdays. You can find it on the main road in to town before you go over the bridge. It is bright pink. Can’t miss it. Keep in mind “Nayarit time” is an hour behind Puerto Vallarta. Your cell phone and computer will tell you Vallarta time. It can throw a gal off occasionally. Another housekeeping tip, Sayulita stops selling alcohol in the convenience stores at 9pm until 9am so plan accordingly.

Speaking of food, I have some suggestions! Though I cooked a lot on my trip, I definitely partook in some dining out.

Hands down, Rollies is the most wholesome feel good and DELICIOUS place to get breakfast. It is easy to stuff yourself to the gills. Rollie himself, an old kindly ex principle from the states, comes around to all the tables to make sure we all love it. He might even buy you a round of pancakes “for dessert” if you clean your plate, and they are yummy my friends, make room if he offers!

Its hard to find good pizza in Mexico, but Don Pedro’s has it! They have a wood oven and their specialty pizza is shrimp and bacon. I feel like I don’t have to say any more to convince the hungry reader to go there. Salsa nights with a Cuban house band happen on Wednesdays.

My favorite street taco stand is actually off the street. Check out the lady by the bridge into town. Just look for the guy sitting on the bridge painting landscapes and look down past him- there she be! Tasty, fresh, filling, cheap (for Sayulita), a variety of meats to fill your tacos, and delicious horchata! The place has everything you could ask for in a taqueteria. And, I didn’t get the feeling I was going to have a colony of amoebas in my belly after eating there. A week later, thankfully, I still don’t have that colonial feeling.

Le Biciclett has an interesting, mouthwatering menu to offer. You may have guessed, it is run by French people. As MC put it most concisely, French people simply cannot allow themselves to serve bad food. They bring in some good bands sometimes too. And they have real absinthe if you’re into that, just sayin’.

There are probably close to 50 different places to eat in this tourist haven, so go out and explore! Just make sure the place looks clean and the food looks fresh. It is easy to get the runs in Mexico. A good indication of cleanliness and food safety is if there are a lot of people already eating there daily (seeing a lot of Mexican patrons there is an especially good sign. They know whats up).

I have found a variety of non-beach oriented things to keep myself busy. Like most Mexican cities and pueblos, the plaza is a good place to start. Around 7 or 8 there is usually some sort of entertainment going on there. There, I have seen “African” drummer groups (they are pretty dern good! They also moonlight on the beach in the afternoons at times), puppet shows, fire twirlers, a dancing horse (!!!!), and amazing people watching.

As I mentioned above, Biciclett has some good live music. Its neighbor, Don Pato’s (This is Spanish for Mister Duck ya’ll!) has music en vivo as well. It seems to be almost exclusively reggae bands playing there, one of the 5 local reggae bands rotates to Don P’s frequently, though they do get some outside acts. It is a fun place with good vibes and definitely a decent place to go if you can’t think of anything else to do. Open mic nights are on Tuesdays.
El Dragon Rojo has “endless happy hour” and also hosts music acts. I go here when I want to drink but I want to stay under budget. The people who work there are really nice. I got to play a few rounds of Texas Hold Em with some of the employees last time I went there. They got 30 pesos out of me, but I enjoyed their company.
While I am on the subject of drinking, you really must stop by Tequila Bar around the back of the plaza. It is small, but maybe one of the most impressive shops in Sayulita. The owner boasts over 300 different kinds of tequila and that’s all he sells! It is a sight that gets me a little misty-eyed thinking of it. Thursdays from 5pm to 7 or 8, there is a special on their (nice) house tequila and fresh squeezed margaritas. A must if you drink…even if you don’t normally drink tequila.
El Sabor de Sayulita, right by the footbridge, has a projector and a screen for 7pm movie nights. Check outside the place for flyers. They rotated Avatar and a UFO documentary for a solid week last week, but you could probably lend them a disk bought from the Pirateria stand along the river and get Laura and Mario to play it if you ask nicely. They have pool chairs to lounge in while you watch and they sell Jamaica Wine!
Wednesdays at 12:30 pm, the Daykeepers of Nayarit gather around a Mayan Calendar mat on the beach (near el Camaron for the time being) and discuss time through the eyes of the ancient Pre-Spanish Mexican indigenous peoples. It is pretty interesting, and a feel good hour or so weekly. If you didn’t get enough mysticism from the Time Keepers, at 9am every Sunday there is a meditation circle on the beach by the stack of boulders on the left break. Go ahead and vibe out. That’s why God made towns like Sayulita.
If you feel like you need a little structure in your lazy days, I hear the Sayulita Libreria has Spanish grammar and conversation classes at 4pm for only 50 pesos a session. Strictly Spanish is spoken in class, which is a good sign that the class has a good teacher. The Costa Verde school also has adult classes- Spanish and Yoga, maybe cooking? Might be fun…

One last piece of advice- everyone is extremely friendly here. You will have more fun and find truly unique things to see and do if you keep your eyes and mind open. Most of the fun stuff comes to me by word of mouth.

So I hope the blog isn’t TOO detailed... Just something meant to get a newby started. Leave a comment if you hear of any gems I missed. I WILL be back for more in the future.

Sayulita: The Vortex of Chilllllll

Well I have all this free time, yet I have been bad about using the blog site. I love this place!

Today was my second attempt at surfing. I caught some waves this time, but they were rough. Couldn't stand up, so it was basically a really good boogie board adventure. It took a lot out of me. I have to get it down before the month is over and I move on. My arms and neck hurt, but it is a good soreness. I think there's some ocean water still rattling around in my sinuses and belly. The first great lesson I have learned from surfing; don't panic when you get stuck under a wave, it will make everything worse.

I feel like I really did something today.



Right now I am sitting on my second story hillside deck watching the sun set. This is what I have done almost every twilight. Its perfect. Last night I saw some huge fountain fireworks exploding above the hills. I could see the silhouettes of the palms in front of them. Gorgeous. The sky is perfect right now. Everything for me has really slowed down. I didn't realize how much stress I was carrying with me until I started unloading it here.




I taught English to some 5th graders at the local school today. It was my second day. I love it. My group is very sweet. I have this really hyper little guy named Kevin who is all about picking up trash around the school just so he can get the plastic gloves they give out. One of the girls, Esperanza, is really eager to learn about anything we talk about. It makes me really happy. I wish I had more time here for them. Their favorite part of the day is when we sing "Yellow Submarine" together at the end. Adorable. They're pretty good at it.

Tomorrow I am getting a three hour massage from this North American couple who include Matrix Energetics into their practice. Supposedly, they can rearrange my molecules through slight touch and a two point mental focus. It has something to do with quantum physics, a subject I know almost nothing about. I am looking forward to the experience. Maybe they can erase my old belly-bumping wrist injury! They think I will be able to use this technique in my nursing practice. I'm all about it if it works.

I have been practicing Tibetan Kunlun meditation with a group led by a man who says he is in contact with extra terrestrial life. Don't worry, if he tells me to drink the Koolaid, I'm out, but I really enjoy it. He's really cool, not overly eccentric, and I am open to new schools of thought. Modern science doesn't know it all. It is hard for me to quiet my brain and it is super helpful to have someone help guide me. Some of the movements really do feel intense if I concentrate on them and nothing else (big fan of the water movements). I am really happy I have found a way to meditate. My brain is very analytical and hyper-active in general. Sometimes, I just need it to shut the Hell up for a minute. James is helping me cover that.



The jungles around here have a bunch of trails cut into them. I have been going on long solitary hikes. I feel so much more healthful than I have felt in...I can't even remember. They are beautiful. Very hilly with ocean views.

And the people here are really sweet. Everyone seems more alive and interested in everyone else. The town is so small that I run into the people I have become friends with without having to try. Cell phones and email are not necessary. Everyone should live like this. I will be sad to leave, but I am definitely coming back.

A theme that keeps coming up here is that I don't have to be in complete control of every detail of my life to get the best out of it. The old cliché, everything happens for a reason, has been making itself more and more apparent recently. Having an open mind, listening to my intuition, and appreciating spontaneity have led me to some awesome experiences in the last couple of months. I feel like I am growing more now. I like to think it all started with the house fire last year and snowballed. It is amazing. I am really excited about all of the tomorrows in my future.

And the rest of my blogs, I promise, will be a little less earthy/granola, and a little more audience friendly.

Haiku 2KX

aggressive roosters
hustling in my sideyard
la luna bella

Año Nuevo IIKX

I've been off the radar for a couple of weeks now. Vacationing with Mary Claire, Laura, and Daphne in the Gulf of Mexico/Yucatan Peninsula. As you can see, we were very enthusiastic about the new year in Chichinitza! Playa del Carmen was beautiful, though pretty chaotic. Stayed in the dirtiest (but very fun!) hostel (Urban Hostel: hostelz.com) while we were there. Tulum, a small city close to Playa, was by far my favorite part of the trip... We stayed at this place called Papaya Playa, no papayas to be found there BTW, with swinging mattress beds and more mattresses on the beach for straight up lounging. I was finally able to ride a bicycle and was suuuuper stoked on this! I rode a cruiser all the way to the ruins and back and worked up a much needed sweat. The fish tacos were by FAR the best things I have eaten on this trip. We met some adorable Argentinian boys there and I could actually understand them which blows my mind! We then took the rental car to the Mayan ruins of the city of Chichinitza and I got to walk around the giant Pelote field. Pelote is the Mayan religious ball game where either the loser or the winner (archeologists still don't know for sure) were sacrificed at the end. I imagine this sport as a spectator would be even more enthralling than that Chivas game I went to.
I caught a plane to the Pacific coast in Puerto Vallarta and kicked it for two days. Nothing too exciting happened there. I was grumpy from all of the traveling from Yucatan the first night and got pretty aggro on the street vendors the first night. The second night I met the only other girls staying in my hostel and we got along really well. A Canadian, a girlie from Chi-Town, and a Kiwi. We snuck in to a resort in the marina and chillaxed at the fancy pool. The only good thing I liked about Vallarta was the art galleries there. Amazing artists everywhere there. And I happened to be there the night of their weekly art walk. I wanted to buy so many thing but traveling for 4 months with a backpack is risky for the art, so I resisted. The art scene is the only reason to go there. It is great. Everything else there blows. Seriously.
Now I am in my own little beach house in Sayulita, Nayarit for the next three weeks and I think it is going to be amazing! The Canadian lady is here with me and is great company. She introduced me to another girl from her home town who lives here now and I already have networked myself in to a meditation circle on the beach tomorrow morning, a Mayan calender seminar/discussion group offered ever Wednesday, someone to rent me a surf board for a good price (the waves are supposed to get huge this week!), and someone to take me on a hike through some of the jungle trails around here. The town is so cute, the people are super relaxed, and my house is BALLERIFFIC...this is the view from my hill-side balcony. I don't think I will be bored here. I have The Art of War to read in Spanish (thanks Paquito!), Janine (O Canada) is showing me some good yoga moves to practice on my roof. Surfing is going to be great and there are a variety of breaks to try out around here. My landlord for the month is great, a bit motherly but in a New Yorker way, and she is also very helpful (she lives below me). She told me about a hospital in the town next to ours I will check in to to see if there is any way I can work (free? paid? Hells yea I'd stay here if I had an income!). I also heard about this alternative African medicine clinic nearby that will be interesting to check into. I have the life right now! This is perfect. Estoy satisfecha. I feel sorry for my shivering buddies holed up at Mojos. Mexicans have the right idea.

Christmas in Malinalco

Christmas eve day agenda: We visited the ancient Mexica tribe’s El Cuacalli, the Fortress of the Ocelot and Eagle Warriors, carved into the top of a mountain in Malinalco, Estado de Mexico. It was pristine. You could still see the eagle carvings on the wall of the war room. After this, we went to the outdoor market and I bought cactus, mandarins, and pan borrachero (drunk bread) for Christmas lunch tomorrow. I drank a lima-lime smoothie in an Indian-Mexican cafe while I shuffled through a deck of tarot cards. Our waiter wore a robe and may have possibly been the person responsible for the excellent feng shui we enjoyed in the tea room.


I am currently sleeping in this beautiful town named after the Aztec Goddess of magic (it is indeed magic!) and the house is beautiful and the weather is gorgeous. It is known for having great trucha, trout, and there is a whole section of town that is nothing but restaurants serving up fresh trucha al gusto next to the stream. I could be happy living here if I had a longer attention span. We rented a 3 bedroom house in town. This is the view from my room (the rest of the house is equally beautiful):



I am reading a book I found in this house which is supposedly the verbal translation of demon possessions (in demon code) of an ex-Spanish conquistador, Juan Antonio Llorente. It is Called Los Demonos de la Lengua and it is taking me forever to read because it is in Spanish with all this new religious and colonial vocabulary and there is a lot of background story I had to wiki in order to appreciate its spookiness(The Black Legend of Spain and the introduction of Catholicism to the native peoples of Mexico). It is really good for expanding my grasp of the language, but it also took me 6 hours to read 35 pages. I have been reading it while soaking in the bathtub the last two evenings, and I have enjoyed it despite all the work.

Yesterday, while I was in the tub, I heard a horse whinny and gallop by. That and the roosters crowing at all hours of the day is so great. We need to get MC to a cock fight some time soon.

Right now, the people of Malinalco are setting of very loud firecrackers every 10 minutes which are amplified by the huge mountains surrounding us from every side. This happened last night until I went to sleep around 1 am. Mexicans love to party and they love to celebrate their baby Jesus. I love Mexicans. And their fireworks.

We had an excellent Noche Bueno dinner of rare prime rib, potato wedges, zalbutes, tacos del conchonito (Yucatan cuisine I have been told), lemon mousse, Spanish wine and mandarin margaritas at Hotel Ámel. If I ever come back here and I can't rent the place I am currently staying in, I will certainly stay there. Swanky. My normally sober parents and us normally drunk hermanas killed two bottles of wine in addition to our Christmas margaritas over dinner. Mary Claire started driving off with my mom halfway in the car, halfway in the street. She could have been seriously injured but she wasn't and we were drunk, so we just thought it was really funny. I am chuckling (or as my spanish dictionary defines it, sonreirse tontamente) right now thinking about it.

Tomorrow we are going to Chalma, near Malinalco, to see this pilgrimage of people coming to see the cave in which a black Christ idol miraculously appeared over night. This is the second most popular Mexican pilgrimage spot after the Basilica de Guadalupe in D.F. according to wikipedia. Originally, the caves that house Black Jesus belonged to the Nahualt Goddess of trash and filth (Tlazatcotl) and God of human destiny and night (Oxtoteot). Wow. Talk about the Christmas Spirit. This year my secular ass is going ALL OUT!

Teotihuacan

What Mexican adventure isn't complete without a trip to the "Birthplace of the Gods"? My family and I went to Teotihuacan, which is located just outside of D.F.. I got my exercise in for the day fo sho.



This city was founded by at least as early as 200 B.C. and was at one time the largest urban area in Central America. Evidence also suggests that it was a multi-ethnic city made up of Mayans, Zapotecas, Mixtecas, and Nahuatl. It was abandoned at one point for unknown reasons, but it was later occupied by the Aztecs. There are three pyramids; of the Moon, the Sun, and the most bad-assed of them all (though the smallest), the Pyramid of Quetzaquoatl. The latter pyramid was dedicated to their feathered serpent God. It was the most elaborately decorated pyramid with snake heads and such, though I was told at one point all of the pyramids were elaborately painted back in the day. Human sacrifices were found all OVER the place too. The museum on site indicated that the Teotihuacanos considered life on this earth to be just one of many phases, so fuggiddaboudit, no biggie if the priest says he needs some more human blood to repaint Quetz's house, there were plenty of people hanging around to help.