It feels good to keep moving...

fotos

2010-02-18T20:43:00.000-08:00

uploaded some fotos to facebook and made the album public so it should be viewable by all. there are 114 to sift through. enjoy: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2201483&id=30119789&ref=mf

my eyelids are sunburned

2010-02-18T06:51:00.000-08:00

from wandering in the warm sun on the side of a mountain to cold, snow, and flat. its a bitch what twelve hours travel time can do.

-42 +0

2010-02-17T09:50:00.000-08:00

in transit.

Who put that rock there?

2010-02-15T11:41:00.000-08:00

After my last long post we headed to Semuc Champey and stayed at a hostel called Las Marias. We fell in love with the everything about the place. It is set in the rainforest and away from everything and anything. No stores to go to, no restaurants, just the winding dirt road down the mountain. Actually, our first night making to towards Semuc we had spent over 12 hours in transport and were being driven down a mountain in the rainforest in pitch black at about 930pm. It was straight out of a horror film and we were bracing ourselves for the part where we get raped. Not really... but it was freaking and dark and the cell phones dont work and there are no other cars and I just kept wondering what the protocol was when the van broke down. Actually, at one point we dropped off some people and the driver tried to turn the van around on this very thin - yes wider than any other part - dirt road. Well, while facing the edge of the cliff the tires got stuck. It was wet. And dark. And I am thinking the only way to unstick tires is to try and go forward and then back or else push. Neither of which was possible. Rachel and I realized it was just us who was scared when the two guys up front - the one driving and his friend - began cussing and nervously laughing in Spanish. Oh Shit. I have no idea how but the van unstuck after another shot at reverse. Quite the, erm, experience.

Anyway, there are three main boys who work at Las Marias as well as a couple girls in the kitchen and a manager. Everyone was so incredibly sweet, taking a genuine interest in all their guests. The boys were cute and fun and really enjoyable to be around. We were welcomed in like family and I felt like Rachel and I really took to them as they took to us. We basically spent our days sitting outside, making bracelets like mad, eating, and listening to music. Pure relaxation which was amazing following a week of hectic and weeks of constant moving. One day we did venture out of Las Marias and did the cave tour which would noooot fly in the States. We toured a cave, wading in water and holding candles as our only light. Then, at other points we were actually swimming without touching bottom and holding the candles up out of the water. We climbed and crawled and the most terrifying bit was when you had to squeeze between two rocks inside the cave with a waterfall coming between them and not knowing how far you were going to fall or exactly where because you couldnt see below you. Your face ends up in the water fall and you land in a deep pool of water and the seventeen-year-old guide who doesnt speak english yeling "swim, swim, swim!" as if there are sharks coming after you, however, I think he just didn't want you to frighten yourself more when the water crashing onto your face. It was a pretty one-of-a-kind tour. Afterward we got a good view from on the mountain above the caves, and tubed back to Las Marias. The guide came with us which is where I found out he was seventeen and did the tour three times a day everyday. He was a really nice kid named Carlos. We chatted the half hour float back to the hostel and he seemed to really want to learn some english but didnt even have a dictionary. I asked if there were some in the town a couple hours away and he said you could probably find some there but he didnt have permission to leave Semuc. When we got back to the hostel I told him to wait a second and I ran up to my room and back and gave him my pocket english-spanish dictionary. I can always buy a new one and I knew this would be a great thing for the kid to have.

We debated staying longer at Las Marias but left after our two planned nights. We went up to Tikal (staying in El Remate) and saw the Tikal ruins, and wandered in the rainforest. We saw monkeys in trees and I was quite satisfied. We met a young boy, fourteen, while walking down the dirt road one morning and he was playing with incense, which looked like leaves and such he was poking with a stick in a bowl. He began talking to us and I inquired about the incense. He said it was for good luck. He said Mondays are bad. Bad things always happen on Mondays. So he needed to burn the incense each Monday. We ran into this boy later on in the day and chatted for a bit again. It was interesting because after telling me about one of his traditions he immediately wanted to know what traditions we have in the States. We also talked about christmas. He explained how they celebrate holidays like that, and asked how we celebrate. Very curious boy.

Well, we returned to Las Marias. Who would have thunk it. We decided to stay for two more nights. The funny thing was we stopped for food when we were in the town closest to Las Marias (Coban) and happened to run into our newfound friend from Las Marias. Johnny said these were his two days off (He works 6am-10pm everyday of the week and gets two days off every 15 days). He was excited to see us, in disbelief that we were returning to Las Marias, and disappointed he wouldnt be there. Well, two nights turned in to six. We just couldnt leave the place. We saw crazy lizards and tarantulas and heard all sorts of animal noises at night. It was pretty awesome. Who would have thought cold showers would feel so good? No internet, no phones. It was amazing to be out of contact. And really, we never even minded the cold showers. I could stay there for months. It is pretty humid and actually feels quite nice. They also turned off the electricity each evening. Just a good feeling place to be. On the ride to Marias that second time I actually convinced most of the others in our shuttle that they should stay at Marias and not another hostel they were considering. I got seven of them to join and got commission at Marias! The manager gave us each the first night free. Then Johnny gave us the last night free as a thank you. By the way, in case you dont realize how inexpensive it is here, we were paying 35Q a night to sleep. That is, err, no more than $4 a night. :-) There is probably tons to add to Las Marias. I cannot write most of it. I cant remember it and its hard to convey how free and relaxing and welcoming it felt there. I will really miss the guys there. Since all Rach and I do is make bracelets, all the guys and chicas in the kitchen each have one I made. I have been giving them away for free - to little girls in vans I am in, families at the busstop, new friends... I initially thought to sell them for a few pennies but it feels so much better to just tell people they are free when the inquire how much after seeing me making them. The girls in the kitchen couldnt even speak Spanish. It threw me off sometimes because the guys could speak Spanish and Ka'chi (I think thats how you spell it...), it is a Mayan language. But the women could only speak Ka'chi. It felt funny when they spoke and I could not understand a thing! It was also interesting at Marias to see the women and young girls constantly walking up and down the dirt road carrying whatever they had made or were selling or whatever it was on their heads. There are a million things that make my life different from theirs. But sometimes it just stands out to me even more. Their lives consist of walking barefoot down this dirt road everyday and their houses are what at home we may call a shed. This isnt bad or sad or anything of the sort. Just completely different. And I really believe they may be much happier as a whole. But I could write a whole essay on that.

After Marias we headed to Antigua where we wandered the colonial cobblestone streets and spend an afternoon climbing Volcan Pacaya. It was amazing after almost two hours hiking up dirt and over hardened lava, at the top we were face to face with hot, orange, crackling, flowing, lava. The heat was intense. It was amazing to see. And we wandered back town with our flashlights to find out way down the volcano. In Antigua we spent a lot of time checking out the Mayan Artisans crafts, in random stores, and popping in and out of restaurants for snacks and drinks. I think we lost a lot of our travel momentum at Las Marias and have still not been able to gain it all back. We got comfortable there and risked getting too comfortable and had to make ourselves leave... but the laziness stuck a bit.

We got offered work in a bar in Antigua - this isnt something strange to happen and it is fairly easy to find a job in a bar here. We chatted with the manager a bit and let him try and convince us but ultimately turned him down. Even after he offered to pay half of the fee to change my flight home and also pay a slightly higher salary on top of the tips. Apparently it is the second best bar to work at - you make about 200Q a night. $20-$24 per seven hour shift. To anyone at home this sounds crazy but once you know how much you pay to live here it is pretty reasonable. This man got my head churning and I started thinking about heading back to San Cristobal in Mexico and missing my flight home. I contacted Mac who we couchsurfed with there about renting one of his rooms. I feel like we really connected which I was there and he said he would love for me to come back - about $100/month for rent. I also contacted one of Macs friends, Joe. Joe put me in contact with the guy who owns a school there that he used to teach english at for 30 pesos/hour. (about 2.4/hr). Basically, I would be set. As soon as I convinced myself one way I would convince myself the other. I also talked to Johnny from Las Marias and he said I may be able to stay there for a bit and work. Even up here at Earth Lodge they are looking for someone to start right now volunteering - but your room and food is all paid for. So you dont get ahead but you dont spend a penny either. So many opportunities. Why do I always buy a return ticket? Honestly, if I didnt have a return ticket I would not be returning Wednesday. But I am sticking with this decision. I will take my flight in two days. But I am coming back, staying in one place, and working here. Probably in Mexico. I am not buying a return ticket next time.

Now we are up at Earth Lodge on the side of the mountain about twenty minutes from Antigua. It is a pretty tranquil place but yesterday there was a little party here which is out of the ordinary but they put on sometimes. There was a band up here playing and lots more people than the small 25 that can be houses in the cabins and treehouses here. Just back to relaxing today. Johnny said he is spending his day off driving the eight hours here to see us and then the eight hours back to Las Marias the next day. At first I thought we were just like all the other guests at Las Marias, but now I feel like we really all did become good friends.

There are so many things that have become obvious and normal to me here that I forget to mention and do not notice anymore. Like the trash strewn down the side of every mountain. Not just random cups and chip bags but torn open garbage bags and all the contents of about fifteen bags down the side of the mountains. Always. And that you can look at a far off mountain and see probably four different areas of smoke rising where a garbage fire is burning. Or that I have spent over 50 hours in shuttle vans but probably only seen 3 traffic lights, in the cities, between, or anywhere. Total, maybe three. Or how kids work everywhere. In the restaurants, in the hostels, on the streets, in stores. Kids are always working, young kids, older kids. Its not like child labor or anything... its just that almost everyone works for themselves, not another company. So its family. The kids all work. There are so many things that have become common to me that would be crazy at home. I just cant think of them all.

Las Marias

2010-02-09T21:06:00.000-08:00

Fell in love with a hostel and the staff in semuc champey and dropped of the map for a bit... Still alive and back to civilization.

Rainforest

2010-01-31T19:20:00.000-08:00

In the rainforest = Scary unpaved roads in mountains at night, no phone, no Internet, electricity goes out at 930 each nite, no hot water, seclusion, fun animals, bugs, barefoot, guitars, bonfire, yummy foods, making bracelets, swimming in cave lit by candle, sweet n kind fellows, rain singing me to sleep.

moving on

2010-01-27T11:59:00.000-08:00

nothing really new to say. was very sick to the stomach for an entire day which was terrible. i stayed home from class and volunteering and went crazy in bed all day with just about nothing to do. boredom can kill. otherwise we have just been going to class and being frustrated with learning spanish formally, in school with the kids who are not behaved whatsoever. i still enjoy them but its chaos. and eating with the family food that is not so tasty. happy to move on tomoro and hoping to see some beautiful things up north in guatemala.

Really Long Update

2010-01-23T09:48:00.000-08:00

Our last two days in San Cristobal were amazing. We couchsurfed with a fellow named Mac. He is probably one of the best couchsurfers Ive met and the interesting conversations never end with him. Mac, three of his friends, and myself (Rachel stayed at Macs and rook a nap because she wasnt feeling well) went into the small town of Zinacitan (sp?) our first day with Mac. This is a really small place without really any tourists and they community had a festival for San Sebastian. They were all - the women and men and children - wearing lots of blue and purple handmade clothes. These are their "new colors," which they wear daily, not just for the festival. There was music and customs and many extremely strange traditions. They did these less than a minute long horse races and there were guys dressed in strange black and orange costumes with their faces painted black. There was also a guy dressed like a leopard. They erected this barren tree and filled the hole it was in with dirt. Then the leopard guy climbed to the top and a couple others climbed into the tree. The guys with black faces were at the bottom on the ground and the guys in the tree threw orange peels down at them. Then the guys at the bottom continually tossed real stuffed deal squirrels at the guys in the tree who tried to catch them in crates. It was the strangest shit ever, haha. But quite interesting. Definitely having nothing to do with "Mexican" culture but the traditions of this small community. It was very interesting because there were only a couple other tourists we saw there so I really felt like we were in the middle of this strange culture and it wasnt just a show like so many "cultural experiences" you can have when traveling that are basically just put on for you. It was really awesome. Macs friend Aaron and I looked over at Mac chatting away with some of these people - trying to get them to teach him a card game they were playing - and Aaron looked at me and said "Mac, always making friends." And that statement proved to be true our whole stay with Mac. We wandered off the little stretch where the festivities were going on and into where the homes were. While we were walking a man carrying a container for some sort of liquid passed us. Mac asked what he had and the man said it was "jugo de canne," which is juice of sugar cane. Mac asked where the man made it and he raplied in his house and so Mac said, "Lets go to your house then!." So we went with the man to his house and he gave us each a glass of the juice which was amazing and sweet! We went in this small dirt room where there was a fire on the floor for cooking and watched the mans wife make corn tortillas which she gave us right off the fire to eat with beans and cheese and salsa. It was pretty awesome. I told the woman - who works with bones and healing that my back had been bothering me and she told me to come back the next day for a limpia (cleaning-cleansing). Apparently all the people in the community seek her out when they are sick. The man - Antonio - also told Mac he would permit him to take pictures the next day as long as Mac gave him a copy of each photo. Mac got yelled at more than once for taking picture of the festivites. They really do not like you do to that - one reason because it is their customs but more so because they believe you are making business off of them and selling the photos you take. However, you can often may them a small amount and they will be happy to let you photograph them! So strange. They make you feel like they dont want photos taken because it is something sacred - until a small bit of money makes it all okay.

The next day Rachel joined Mac and I do return to the home. Mac got to take his pictures and got my limpia! This consisted of the woman rubbing eggs all over me - raw eggs still in the shell. I lit three candles. She said lots of things - prayers of whatnot that sounded like quiet chanting. She rubbed my back a little with menthol. Then wafted some incense at my back as well which saying more things I didnt understand. It was quite interesting and quite the experience. She said she had cured two people the day before - one boy who was six months old. I dont think Im cured but I feel like I got something out of it! After this the three of us ended up sitting near the festivities and drinking a few beers with these two old men. They were 73 and 75 and born in Mexico but moved to the US when they were very young but enjoy coming back to visit. They are brothers. I love talking to new people and having interesting conversations and just learning. So that is what we did. We intended just to spend a couple house in Zinacitan and but ended up there for probably almost eight. We then stuck our thumbs out by the side of the street and hopped in the back of a pickup with some others for the twenty minute ride back to San Cristobal.

Mac has a poker night every Wednesday and there were lots of people who showed up to his house to play and hang out. I stayed up way later than I intended to (having to wake up at 630 the next morning), not playing poker though, playing backgammon. All Macs friends were amazing. Everybody was interesting and had something to offer or to share. I could have spent the entire time there. His friend Aaron who is from Mexico and I chatted a bit, his friend Joe from the US, and also a girl from Spain, Maria, and I spent some time talking. Mac told me over and over that he would love to have us stay longer and he wished we had more time there. I feel the same way. This was really couchsurfing at its best.

Our ride from San Cristobal to Xela was nine hours but did not feel bad at all. Crossing the border was so strange! Really, you can simply walk across the border from Mexico into Guatemala and never go through immigration. Obviouslly we did, but just saying... kinda strange. We took one shuttle to the border, got out and put on our backpacks and walked about ten minutes across the border, then got in a second shuttle to make the rest of the way to Xela. It was so run down and strange - I cant even explain things like this really if you havent seen them because there is nothing to compare it to. Lets just say it was the most interesting border crossing Ive made!

We got to San Cristobal - after switching vehicles again and luckily got dropped off right at our host familys house. We are living with a Guatemalan family this week which we attend Spanish school 8-12 and volunteer 3-5ish. The family we are with is nice but not very enthusiastic. It is sort of strange because the family I was wish last year were really interested in everything about me and helpful and just pretty much freaking awesome people. These people are nice, nothing bad, but we eat nearly in silence which is strange. The school said we could switch families - its supposed to be a cultural exchange and the family isnt really upholding their end, but I said not to worry about it. We are not in the house most of the time anyhow. No worries. The cost is about $50 for one week which includes a room at the families house and three meals a day. Cant beat that. Anyhow, it was exhausting to get up the morning after the shuttles and go to class but we did. Class was good, always one on one which is great. Recapped a lot of stuff I already know and I am trying to direct the teacher towards doing the things I really need to learn - like the past tense! I can learn vocabulary on my own and pick it up constantly but I need help with grammar. Afterward we headed to the house to eat lunch and then back to the school - which is a funny walk through grass and dirt and up a hill and threw garbage that is everywhere, as is Guatemala. The project is really like a supplementary school for kids. Its just a couple hours after regular school where they can learn a little more informally and have fun. There are little kids, older kids, and the ones in the middle and they sort of split them up. I really think I like the older kids - the oldest boy is 13 and they youngest maybe 10. There are the kids that can actually read and write. The ones below them are still struggling. Anyhow, there is one boy who is a big trouble maker! He is very smart and would be jacke dup on adderal if he were in the States (Im not saying its necessary, but in the States he would be on it!). The oldest boy is very sweet - a flirt I do believe! We took a little walk to a going-to-be garden for the school and I chatted with him the whole time about planes and flying, his family, volcanoes, all sorts of things. He is a sweet kid. After we got back to the school and it was time to leave the two oldest boys told me I needed to come play soccer with them. They grabbed my arms and pulled my across the street to this lumpy little sort of grassy and dirt area between some small buildings - of and there was a truck in the area too. The best soccer field ever. Well, we played for maybe twenty minutes or so. It was a lot of fun. The oldest boy - Im not sure how to spell his name so Im going to wait til I figure it out! - made the last goal and picked me up and spun me around, haha. So funny. I suppose we will be playing again monday! There was a little girl who told me I had pretty pants - just ratty old jeans when the day first started. The kids are so adorable and excited for the attention. I love it. Rachel took to the little kids a bit more which is good and she really enjoyed the day as well.

At night we met up with Edy - a friend of a friend of mine who is from Guatemala and who I have been in contact with for a while. We got a bite to eat and then headed to a couchsurfing meeting here in Xela. We met people from all over - Mexico, Guatemala, Norway, The States, France, Israel. It was awesome. Had some informal salsa lessons going on at the little bar we were at which was fun to watch but I will never be able to dance so there is no point in trying! Had a good time though and lots of conversation. Edy is a pretty awesome guy and hopefully we will be meeting with him more over this weekend.

Before this trip I wanted to get to know Mexico a little but was mostly excited to be back in Guatemala. However, now I am missing Mexico like crazy and want to be back there! Ugh. I do enjoy Guatemala still - but man, I really loved Mexico like nowhere else. And the food! I am pretty sure I have fallen in love with Mexican food. I need spicy! The food here is mostly bland tasting. It is so blah. It is similar to Mexican - lots of rice and beans and tortillas and eggs... But no flavor. It sucks. I am not pleased.

Mexico>Guatemala

2010-01-20T17:58:00.000-08:00

The last two days have been absolutely amazing. I have so much to write but I will do so after reaching Xela. Tomorrow morning we will be traveling about 9 hours out of San Cristobal de Las Casas, Mexico and into Quezaltenango (Xela), Guatemala. I am really sad to leave Mexico, I have really loved it here. The guy we are couchsurfing with is awesome and I have so much so share from the last couple days I feel like I will never be able to convey all that has happened!

fotos

2010-01-17T12:13:00.000-08:00

Plans are funny

2010-01-16T14:50:00.000-08:00

The day should have went like this: flight from Oaxaca at 845am getting into tuxtla a 945am. Then hour shuttle to San cristobal.

Instead: canceled flight. Flew hour to mexico city at 1205pm. Another flight Mex to tuxtla. Got to tuxtla at 330ish. Missed shuttle. Sitting outside in wonderful weather til nxt shuttle at 530. Whew.

15 min free internets!

Oaxaca

2010-01-15T15:19:00.000-08:00

The other day we went on an all day sort of tour, visiting a few different places near Oaxaca but not right here in the city. We went and saw how Mezcal was made and tried different kinds and we and learned about textiles and how they make the fabric and dye it and all the good science of it. It was pretty interesting. We ended the day at this spot up in the mountains with a natural pool of water on the edge. I will need to post pictures of this. It was beautiful and a wonderful day outside.

The movies here you buy on the street are less than 1.50 USD each or 2.50 USD for two. They are all copies obviously and not such great quality but we spent last night vegging out and watching two Mexican movies here at the hostel. We got some snacks and the guy who owns the place here with his wife brought us out popcorn and said in Spanish "A movie's not a movie without popcorn!" The husband and wife own the hostel and dont employ anyone else to work here other than the woman who cleans. It is kind of nice and cozy and basically like sharing their home with them.

We have eaten tons of good food while here. Lots of tasty salsas/sauces. Going into the market there are lots of places to sit down and eat and everything is always made super fast and right in front of you. It is pretty awesome. For one of those meals it is probably less than 4 USD a person. Yesterday morning we made Neza go out food shopping and then Rachel and I made breakfast. I think we did a pretty good job. Eggs with onion, tomato, and jalapenos. Chorizo, avocado. Heated up some tortillas on the stove and it was delicious. Ever since I started eating real Mexican food at home with the guys I cant get enough of tortillas and food that burns my mouth. I absolutely love Mexican food and everything about it so being here is amazing. Even if I am not eating out we at least have access to what we need to make a decent Mexican meal ourselves - I am no great cook but we have done a good job of whipping up some tasty dishes here at the hostel.

Neza left this morning and it should take him a good ten hours to get back up past Mexico City where he met with us and then further north into Queretaro. It was a lot of fun having him here with us and I think he really enjoyed it as well - he had never been to anywhere like Oaxaca and it was a new and interesting experience for him as well. It was much better than the only two days we had planned to meet for in Mexico City. It was also more interesting because, though my Spanish is functional and I can communicate, obviously he can get a lot more information about things than I can and it was nice to have him around to make things quicker sometimes. It feels slightly off to be down to just to two of us - not bad, but just different since it has been the three of us since our second day in Mexico. But itll all feel normal pretty quick. Anyhow, I had really wanted to make it up to Queretaro to see Abraham as well and unfortunately that didnt really end up working into our itinerary. I bought a book for Abraham in Spanish - The Lost Symbol - before leaving Toledo because I had borrowed the first two Dan Brown books for him from the library to leave and he told me before going that he wanted to read the newest one. So I sent that huge book off with Neza this morning to give to Abraham for me. I really wish I could have seen him and met his daughter and wife though. I am a little sad about it but perhaps another time I can fly back for a shorter period of time.

Yesterday it was sunny and warm and we all hung out on the terrace on top of the hostel for a bit again. Neza learned to strategize well in Chinese Checkers and won by one move in two out of three games. Rachel laid out in the sun and we all just relaxed a bit. In general it is pretty chilly here and I always wear one of two sweatshirt type jackets so it is nice when it gets warmer.

Tomorrow we have a quick one hour flight out of Oaxaca and into Tuxtla Guierrez which is I think maybe 45 minutes from San Cristobal. So we should get to San Cristobal by noonish tomorrow.

monte alban

2010-01-12T08:17:00.000-08:00

Neza keeps calling us tomatoes.

No Title

2010-01-11T15:23:00.000-08:00

Our first full day in Mexico City was filled with street food - tacos and Mexican beers. This was wonderful at the time. Neza met us in Mexico City and the three of us ate, drank, and played pool. But I literally spent the entire next day in the hostel vomiting. Oh, how lovely. I havent had street food or a beer since - I will work back up to both but perhaps not both together. I was glad to have someone there to take care of me - my entire body was achy and I was shaky and almost passed out. I am not sure what the hell I ate but it was evil and my body was quite angry about it. I do not remember the last time I felt so horrible. Anyhow, we have left the thick polluted air (I can feel it in my lungs, it is impossible to take a deep breath) of Mexico City prematurely and are now in the relatively tranquil streets of Oaxaca. The six and a half hour bus ride was actually quite nice. The fog was incredible outside and we could see nothing but what looked like a huge pool of clouds off the edge of mountains we were driving on.

Last night in Oaxaca we basically wandered the streets and got to know the feel of the city. You can walk everywhere - it is quite small. In the zocalo - which is the center of the city - there were children dancing in very elaborate costumes. It was pretty amazing and awesome to see. We stood outside watching for quite some time. We spent most of that afternoon in a museum here. It was a mix of history, art, and science. It had lots of little activities to do as well just interesting things to look at. We learned to play an old game used to settle disputes and played with a worker there for over an hour - to explain, the game was basically, well, Trouble, haha. But with beans and corn and such and interesting pictures.

Last night Rachel and I ran down to a couple corner stores and managed to collect eggs, jalepenos, and tortillas to add to the beans and salsa we had already bought. This morning Neza made us breakfast which was absolutely fantastic - rather simple but it was nice to make our own food rather than always go out in restuarants. It is one of the things I love about backpacking - being able to buy and cook our own food and sort of hang out at the hostel a bit. There is a terrace up top and we played some Chinese Checkers after breakfast. (They call it Damas here.). It felt really nice to be on the terrace in the sun in the early afternoon. It has been so cold! Especially at night. Sure, it is Mexico but Oaxaca and Mexico City are so elevated it stays pretty chilly.

We just spent the afternoon today at Monte Alban. I will hopefully be able to post a foto or two soon. It is an absolutely beautiful day outside today and a perfect day to spend at Monte Alban. I probably walked up and down a thousand steps!

Mexico City

2010-01-06T17:36:00.000-08:00

This is just to let everyone know that we made it here! Hopefully will have some interesting bits to write soon, only a half day here and quite tired but all is well. Will update soon!

Rough Itinerary

2009-12-29T22:22:00.000-08:00

rough itinerary:

Mexico City, Mexico

Oaxaca, Mexico

San Cristobal de las Casas, Mexico

Xela, Guatemala

Lanquin (Semuc Champey), Guatemala

El Remate (Tikal), Guatemala

Antigua, Guatemala

Copan, Honduras