I Left My Heart In Mexico

Ok Ok penalty to me for Irregular posting.. Its just that I have finally wiped away the tears after Leaving Mexico... I fell So in love with the place that I never wanted to be tucked away on the Internet for more than a quick second to let home know that I am still alive.

so... I was in Oaxaca last wasn't I? Oaxaca... my first love! Im pretty sure I haven't even mentioned the magical night in the rain in Oaxaca on here yet. We were ambitiously out for a full night of salsa dancing in Oaxaca, when the heavens opened up forcing us to Dash into the first bar on the agender. I have to apologise, I am no lonely planet author, I don't know a single name or address for any establishment.. this place was very cool, All of the waiters were dressed as a different character.. ie Batman, a clown, zoro etc.. and the decor was kind of a very very cool Mexican Surrealism, the live music was excellent too. We enjoyed a few mojitos and some Mexi snacks with the greater group before myself and the fore mentioned favourites decided to head to something a bit more.. dancing wild. or so we thought... the Mexican night sky had another plan for our evening.

As we moved towards the new club the Rain got Stronger and Stronger.. It was bucketing down so badly that three of the gang got into a cab bound for the hotel.. But not Anna-maria, Milton and myself, we had adventure in our spirits. we ended up running through the shiney wet streets with the Shreiking Oaxaca Locals. It was so Beautiful, Running from shelter to shelter in the colonial cobble stone streets, rivers of water taking away my Thongs and me having to chase after thm before they would be lost to an ancient drain forever. We were so so wet! It must have been 40 mins that we ran in the rain before arriving at the doorway to a club that had the sweet sounds of salsa spilling onto the soggy street. We laughed at how drowned the three of us were but decided to go in and Salsa the night Away... and We did, until the lights came on. After Anna-maria and I had each had our fair amount of dance requests form the local Boys and poor Milton had had a local boy squeeze his Pompitos (bum). hehe

The Next Day after a late start.. I spent some time With Milton over some Pizza and Mango- Chilli ice cream, and then Headed out into Oaxaca with My camera... I found Myself in the Zacolo shooting some pretty Interesting Politcal Protesting... A local man saw me taking an interest and lead me through the Streets to a gallery which was exhibiting Photographs of Oaxaca's very interesting political Culture, he In broken English was able to guide me to understanding the corruption in the area. and why the beautiful people of Oaxaca are so Passionate.
Unfortunately I had to cut my time with him short as I had an overnight bus to San Cristobal de las casas to catch and I was very Lost. Probably the scariest thing I have encountered so far was running Through Oaxaca in the Heat with my camera and Visions of missing my ride. I made It.




San Cristobal De Las Casas

Wow, there is so much to write about this town.
By day it is the Beautiful Highland town bustling with colourful Street markets, Architecture and full of the local Indigenous people of San Juan Chamula (which I will tell you more about later)
By night though It was the best place I have ever partied.. some how some of the Coolest people on this planet came out of there hidding places to cram into a very very cool bar with an equally as cool live Reggae band Playing. We danced our Pombitos's... or caulitos as the guatemalans say, off all night.. and once again the Fore mentioned Favoutrites Milton and myself ended up in a rather Large Salsa Club till the Wee Hours. ah so so much fun, and by this point my Salsa is becoming A little more worth mentioning.



San Juan Chamula
The next morning we headed off for a full day, starting with a canyon ride through the jungle. It as incredible to Feel the wind on my face and water spray. We saw Howler Monkeys and hundreds of baby Alligators.

Then It was off to the amazing Town of San Juan Chamula, there are no photos of this place because local lore prevents anyone from photographing, they have very strong customs here especially inside of the town Cathedral where we were able to spend an hour observing devout prayers and Shamans with colourful lit candles each colour for a different request from the Saints. They also cover the floor in Pine needles and burn incredibly strong incenses. Other traditions involve the breaking of a chickens neck or egg to determine certain healings or the skulling of Coke or Pepsi in order to burp up evil spirits.
We were very lucky also to be there to witness the town procession through the Cathedral there, were many of them all moving through chanting and playing loud musical instruments and carrying Heavy boxes with the newly laundered clothing for the Saints. So beautiful.
We did however somehow upset one of the town authorities who tried very Hard to take Milton off to Jail... Im glad right Now for Miltons incredibly Calm Diplomatic reasoning skills or we wouldn't have had a guide to the Carribean.

After this we visited another similar town, I had another go with Making Carpets in a seated loom... this time I wasn't such a natural. We tasteds the delicous fresh local fare,, very very fresh corn tortillas made on the fire in front of us.. yumm.





have to leave the internet cafe, ill update on Palenque and Merida in the Jungle next time I get a chance.

Colour, Cocktails, Carpet and Cute Mexican Boys

Well here I am writing from Oaxaca... pronounced wa-ha-ka

As my journey continues east It gets hotter and more humid, after todays adventure I am certainly a little pink, only a little tho.

We arrived In Oaxaca yesterday at around midday, after a five hour bus ride from puebla, I finally feel as if I am in the mexico I have always dreamed of. we walked through the colourful cobbled streets with our heavy packs to the casa... and what a nice surprise.. although all of the pre-arranged accomodation falls into the basic catagorie this place CASA ARNEL, is amazing. it has levels of roof tops complete with views of the colourful city & hammocks, the central courtyard is delightful with native birds and great amounts of natural light.

enough about that, there is a whole beautiful city to describe.
the markets in the Zacolo are amazing.. I have a local woman recognising me from a mile away we have a deal: if I buy her expencive hand made dress that I have been drooling over.. she will allow me to Photograph her and her wares.

I did the neccesary tasting of a chilli Grasshoper - to me it just tasted like a spicey rice cracker. And after a tour of Oaxaca lead by our delightful guide Milton,
It was 4 of us off to get lost in this town... which of course ended up at a very cool small local Bar sipping on 50 peso litre margharitas... yumm. Being 4 aussies the local boys in the bar put on quite a show for us, one of whom - Alfonzo, has asked me out tonight. haha

Todays adventure was the best yet... starting with a bumpy bus journey through some mountain towns littered with working goats and ox and mexicans wearing white Cow boy hats to keep the hot sun off them.. the journey led us to the petrified waterfalls that Milton had said were amazing, and they were... after some serious rock climbing around the area in the hot sun, we all dived into the natural mineral pools that sat like a shelf overlooking the lush Mexican landscape. Refreshed, we headed for a local market, had a wander around and got very involved in the making of traditional Qusadillas. yumm and so so cheap.





We then whent to the Mescal factory.. tasted the product at each stage of the process.. very cool. The Mexicans do everything so slowly and Organically the pulp of what is called the Pineapple of the agave cactus is even pulped by a horse dragging a very heavy wheel. We tasted a few to many of the products ( I note... it is funny, before leaving for a trip like this all I heard about were all of the things to avoid eating - it seems that most of the things I experience are going straight into my mouth... including the sweet fermented pre-pulped agave cactus)

Now the absolute highlight of today... going to the Zapotec old town to see the colourful handmade carpets being made. We were graciously shown each step of the process by a beautiful older man, who let me have a go at brushing the newly shared wool (said I could stay and work for him, given how much I love Oaxaca I probably would consider) He showed us the natural dying process encorporating, indigo, marigold and a fungus that grows on the cactus to create cochineal, also the adding of lemon (acid) or bicarb (alcoline) to increase or change the intensities of th reds. Then the weaving process aswell. It truly was a great experoince to see what goes into a rug. I was so swept up in the experience that I purchased a colourful Mat for $1500 peso... the kind of money that can get me through 10 days in mexico. I love the mat though.. My guess is that my local market woman would be dissapointed to know that this means I will not be buying her dress. And the truth is that i snuck a shot of her with my zoom lens when she was un-aware.

SAN FRANCISCO

Well, here it is my first post, of what could be very few if I keep visiting mexican towns where i cannot u´pload photos..

this is a shot of the cable car ion down town san francisco ..

taken the evening after myself and my new friend ALEX tandem biked the Golden Gate Bridge.. so much fun.

San francisco was a great city to spend three days in, I rapidly whent absolutely everywhere I wanted to go, and managed to find my home away from home in Wholefoods,,, the amazing food market with morals.. and so yummy.

Am in Mexico now, can barely keep myself tucked away in this internet cafe and away from all of the >Mexican beauty for long at all.

My spanish is improving DAy by Day, definately have some great things to shoot tomorrow. Not to mention all of the traditional food to try.. Including Tequila ice cream and chocolate chilli mole pablano.

It seems too that Young ladies with Chilli tatoos on their feet and Blue eyes attract quite an amount of male attention here too.. nothing more than a cute whistle in the street though, quite safe!

well, that is given that I am trying to forget richardo who was my taxi driver in mexico city.. he claimed it was his birthday and thought that that entitled him to quite a few intimate moments.. haha!

ill write again soon, with mexico photos too.

muchos amor.

one more thing

IN mexico city, when the lights turn red at an intersection, you will see either guys breathing fire as a street theatre, or even a mother lying down infront of the cars while using her legs to flip her kids into the air doing acrobatics and then cruising around the stopped cars to be payed for their performance.. before the lights turn green again and all of the busses and vw beetles speed off!