Day 64

In english below
Hola gente,
Hace mucho que no escribo, en parte por fiaca y en parte porque no tube mucho acceso a inet, asique para compensar, esta vez van en espanol e ingles.

   En mi segundo intento de escapar del loco transito de Mexico Df, parti temprano en la manana desde lo de Jorge y Sharon. Llegue a Acapulco ese mismo dia, a eso de las 2 de la tarde. Fue una linda sensacion estar cerca del oceano (Pacifico) otra vez. Acapulco se encuentra en una bahia, con algunos acantilados y playas paradisiacas. Sin embargo, para mi gusto esta demasiado americanizado. Muchas cadenas de comida, ropa y electronicos que le sacan toda la escensia. Esa noche, para usar i-net tube que ir a la especie de lobby que tiene el hotel. Mientras chequeaba mi correo, aparecio un grupo de 5 hombres y dos mujeres de entre 40 y 50 anos. Estaban todos un poco pasaditos de copas, pero habia uno que estaba muy pasadito. Me ofrecieron una cervesas, charlamos un poco de futbol,  de los panamericanos y que se yo. Yo notaba que el grupo estaba siempre hablando alrededor del mas borracho, como si fuera el capo de la banda. Por ahi se ponen a hablar de cumbia, y el mas borracho empeso a hablar de sus canciones, sus discos y donde iba a tocar. El resto del grupo le empeso a pedir que cante, asique le trajeron un grabador puso uno de sus discos bajito y empeso a cantarse unas cumbias a capela. Muy buen cantante el hombre. Yo pensaba, mira si estubieran Nico y Fedi aca, se vuelven locos. Le pregunte el nombre, pero ya me lo olvide. Me voy con el recuerdo de que conoci a una estrella de la cumbia, aunque desconozco cual.
   Al otro dia sali bien temprano a la manana hacia Puerto Escondido, estado de Oaxaca, Mexico. Esta pequena ciudad, que vive de la pesca y el turismo, es un paraiso del surf. Surfistas de todo el mundo lo conocen o suenan con conocer. Mientras me acercaba a la ciudad pensaba, por favor que las olas esten chicas. Las olas ahi son muy potentes, y pueden ser peligrosas si uno no esta en buen estado fisico y nivel de surf. Despues de haber estado casi 4 anos en Canada yo no tengo ninguno, jeje. Tube la mala suerte de que el dia que llegue, entro un swell de olas, para mi gigantes, para los locales medianas. Me compre una tabla y me fui directo al mar. Al llegar, estube un rato largo meditando, con un cuiqui que no se imaginan. Estaba el guardavidas entrando con el jetsky cada 10 minutos a sacar a alguno. Para esto yo no se si me daban los brazos para entrar, para agarrar una ola y lo mas importante, si podria bajar la ola (agarrarla, pararce y hacer las maniobras necesarias para evitar un feo golpe). Regrese al hostal, muy desepcionado y con la auto estima por el piso. Me habia desepcionado a mi mismo por no hacerlo. Al otro dia fui a un lugar, a 10 minutos de ahi, donde las olas son mas tranquilas (todabia grandes para mi). Entre con bastante dificultad y agarre unas 7 olas. La primera me pare y me cai enseguida, pero despues de 2 o 3, ya estaba listo. Ya saliendo del agua pense, desi que no me meti ayer, me hubiera pegado flor de golpes o mucho mas. A mi tercer dia, decidi ir a la playa donde las olas eran mas brabas. Tenia un miedo terrible, entre caminando hasta que el agua me llegaba a la cintura. Espere que pase la serie (las olas grandes vienen en un grupo de 3-5, cada unos 10 minutos) y empese a remar con todo, tenia miedo que me agarre la serie justo en el punto donde rompen (eso puede ser de lo mas peligroso). En menos de 10 minutos estaba adentro. Estando ahi, las olas se ven gigantes, me senti sin ningun tipo de control. Veia montanas de agua, que cuando rompian hacian un ruido como el de un leon y me hacian vibrar el corazon. Despues de 5 minutos de esperar, venia una ola, que por la pocicion en la que me encontaba respecto del resto de los surfistas, la hacia mia. A esa altura uno ya no deside, tiene que remar y no dudarlo. Empese a remar fuerte y paracia que estaba en la pocicion justa, pero despues de 3 o4 cuatra brazadas ya arriba de la ola y lejos del punto de retorno, me empeze a dar cuenta de que no iba a llegar. La ola ya era una pared, y a medida que yo me iba quedando iba subiendo en esa pared, reme con todo lo que tenia, pero me quede, me quede y cai desde lo mas alto de la hola. Alcanze a alejar la tabla de mi lo mas posible para evitar golpearme con ella. Todo lo relatado hasta ahora, paso en unos 8 segundos pero para mi fueron minutos. Cai atravez del tubo de la ola, de cabeza, y pensando no sh.. no sh.. no sh..., uno de los peores golpes que uno se puede dar. Me revolco, me llevo al fondo, arriba, al fondo, me sacudio, senti como me sonaron todos los huesos de la columba y el cuello. Por suerte, auque no tenia estado fisico, ni la agilidad de anos atras, si me quedaba un poco la experiencia. Me relaje lo mas que pude y me entregue a los zacudones hasta que senti que me habia dejado. Ahi si emprese a naday para salir a la superficie. Tube unos segundos para cambiar el aire antes de que venga la ola de atras y me diera lo suyo tambien. El proseso se repitio, y al final ya estaba cerca de la orilla y fuera de peligro. Eso fue todo por ese dia. No me arrepenti, si bien no pude surfear la ola, senti que me habia ganado mi propio respeto denuevo, regrese con una sonrisa (y dolor de cuello y espalda) all hospedaje.
  Al dia siguiente, no me podia mover, me dolia la espalda y al cuello no lo podia mover. Desidi que habia sido suficiente Puerto escondido para mi, esperaria a El Salvador y Costa Rica, donde las olas son mas tranquilas. Luego de un rapido desayuno sali hacia Guatemala.
  La ruta hacia Guatemala fue muy lenta, en promedio unos 40 km por hora. Cruce la frontera y dormi en un pueblo que ni el nombre recuerdo. El viaje hizo que mi dolor de espalda se agudize. Por fortuna, contandole a la Pachu de mi dolor, esa noche me hizo acordar que yo llevava conmigo algunas medicinas que Ignacio habia traido a Canada meses atras. Entre ellas, una que es especial para ese tipo de dolores. Me tome 2 pastillas y estaba como nuevo.
  En Guatemala visite Los pueblos de Solola y Panajachel. El primero en la cima y el segundo a la orilla del lago Atitlan. Hermosos lugares donde la mayoria de los habitantes son indigenas, que visten sus ropas tradicionales y hablan su lengua. La pobreza, sinembargo hace dificil disfrutar. Ninos y ninas trabajando y pidiendo. Estube tres dias ahi, caminando las calles, las zonas de huertas y pase muchas horas sentado a la orilla del lago.
Hoy llegue a Guatemala ciudad capital, asique en la proxima les cuento.
Un abrazo grande,
Diego.

Hi folks,
Long time withot writing. Partially by lazyness and partly because not much access to inet.


   In my second attempt to escape from the crazy traffic of Mexico City, i left early in the morning from the George and Sharon's home. I reached Acapulco the same day, at about 2 pm. It was a nice feeling to be near the ocean (Pacific) again. Acapulco is located on a bay, with some cliffs and beautiful beaches. However, to my taste is too Americanized. Many food chains, clothing and electronics that take all escensia. That night, to use i-net I had to by in the kind of lobby of the hotel.While checking my email, they appeared a group of 5 men and two women between 40 and 50 years. They were all a little drunk, but there was one who was very drunk. They offered me a beer, we chatted a bit of football, the Pan American games and whatever. I noticed that the group was always talking surrounding the more drunk guy, as if he were the boss of the band. At some moment they started to talk about cumbia (tropical music), and the more drunk started to talk about his songs, his records and where he would play. The rest of the group started to ask him to sing, so he brought a CD player, play it very low and get started to sing cumbias . Very good singer the man. I thought, if Nico and Fedi were here, they would go crazy. I asked the name, but I forget. I'm going to remember it as the day I met a star of cumbia, but do not know which.

   The next day I went out very early in the morning to Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca, Mexico. This small town, living from fishing and tourism, is a paradise for surfers. Surfers from around the world know it or dream about knowing it. As I approached the city I thought, please let the waves by small. The waves there are very powerful, and can be dangerous if one is not in good physical condition and level of surfing. After having been almost 4 years in Canada I have none, lol. I had the bad luck that the day I arrived, a swell of waves (for my giant for local medium) come. I bought a table and went straight to the beach. Upon arrival, I took a long time meditating, very scared. There was the lifeguard entering with the jetsky every 10 minutes to get someone out. meanwhile, I did not know if my arms had the strenght to come in, to catch a wave and more importantly, if I could wave down (take it, standup and make the necessary maneuvers to avoid a nasty blow.). I Return to the hostel, very dissapointed to myself for not doing it. The next day I went to a place, 10 minutes from there, where the waves are calmer (still big fro me). With some difficulty I took about 7 waves. On the first I stand up fall right away, but after 2 or 3, I was ready. Out of the water I thought, so good I did not went yesterday to the big ones, that would have been very bad. On my third day, I decided to go to the beach where the waves were more powerfull. I had a terrible fear, I walked into the shore until the water reached my waist. Waited until the series (the big waves come in a group of 3-5, every about 10 minutes) and started rowing with all my strenght. I was afraid that the serie comes when I was just at the point where they break (that can be very dangerous). Within 10 minutes I was inside. While there, the waves are huge, I felt I had any kind of control. I could see mountains of water, when they broke they made a noise like a lion and made my heart rattled. After 5 minutes of waiting, a wave come and  by the pocicion where I was respect to the rest of the surfers, it was mine. At that point, you have to row and not hesitate. I started to paddle hard and I thought I was at the right position, but after 3 o 4 four strokes and where theres no return option, I began to realize that I was being not fast enough. The wave was already a wall, and as I was being slower relative to the wave, I was going up on that wall, I paddled with everything I had, but I stay, I stay and I fell from the top of the wall. I reached to push my table away as much as possible to avoid being hit by it. Everything reported so far, took about 6 seconds but to me they were minutes. I felt through the wave tube, head down, and thinking not sh .. no sh .. no sh ..., one of the worst wipeouts that one can have. I rolled, I get to the bottom, to the top, to the bottom and I felt like al my bones from my back and neck made sounds. Luckily, even though I had not physical, nor the speed of years ago, if I had still some experience for that situation. I relax as much as I could and give myself away to the wave until she left me alone. Onse she left me I paddled up to teh surfece. I had a few seconds to change the air before it comes another wave and give me her lesson too. The prosces was repeated, and by the end I was near the shore and out of danger. That was all for that day. I do not regreat at all. Actually, even I could not surf the wave, I felt I had earned my self-respect again, I returned with a smile (and a sore neck and back) to the hostel.

  The next day I could not move, my back and neck were in pain and Icould not move. That had been enough Puerto Escondido for me, I desided to wait for El Salvador and Costa Rica, where the waves are calmer. After a quick breakfast I left for Guatemala.

  The route to Guatemala was very slow, an average of 40 km per hour. I crossed the border and slept in a village of wich I dont remember the name. The trip made my back pain worst. Fortunately, I had some medicines that Ignacio had brought to Canada months ago. Among them, one that is special for that kind of pain. I took 2 pills and was like new.

  In Guatemala, I visited the towns of Solola and Panajachel. The first in the top and the second on the shores of Lake Atitlan. Beautiful places where most of the inhabitants are natives, wearing their traditional dress and speaking their language. However, poverty makes it difficult to enjoy. Children working and begging. I was there three days, walking the streets, areas of farms and spend many hours sitting on the shore of the lake.
Today reaches capital Guatemala City, so at the next I tell.
A big hug,
Diego.

Acapulco

Desconocido, en Zicatela, Puerto Escondido, Mexico.

Playa Zicatela, Puerto escondido, Mexico.

Puerto de lanchas pesqueras en Puerto escondido.

PE

Atardecer en PE

Panajachel, Guatemala, a la orilla del lago Atitlan.

Solola, Guatemala.

Calles de Solola. Perro durmiendo una siesta.

Iglesia en plaza de Solola.

Regando la cebolla.

Puerto de Panajachel, lago Altitlan

Lago Altitlan.

Day 49

Hola gente,
      Fue muy triste el ultimo domingo. Amanda salio desde el Aeropuerto de Mexico a las 4 de la tarde. Como ella conto en el blog anterior, la pasamos genilal. Todos los dias de lluvia y con el huracan amenazando pero nosotros salimos y paseamos igua.
Horas despues me encontre en las afueras del DF con mi amiga Eli (con la que me encontre en Guadalajara semanas atras), su padre Jorge y su hija Sharon (hija de Jorge), de 5 anos de edad. Ese dia domingo, fuimos a cenar (me comi un "caldo loca" espectacular) con la tia de Eli, y un amigo, Sergio.       
      Me quede en la casa de Jorje y Sharon por una semana. Eli se fue el martes para Canada, asique el resto de la semana nos quedamos solo los tres. Jorge y Sharon enseguida me hicieron sentir como en casa y parte de la familia. Jorge es un sonador, con muchos emprendimientos para el futuro y muchas historias de sus aventuras. Sharon es un pricesita muy dulce, que tiene un caracter increible, con solo 5 anos, me reta y me manda a hacer cosas, que por miedo a que se enoje, termino haciendo,jjeje.
    Durante estos dias pase varias horas haciendo un trabajo que me habia quedado pendiente en Canada. El miercolcoles, sinembargo, me fui a visitar a Sergio, con quien hize una buena amistad. El es baterista de y profesor de musica, asique me dio unas clases y me enseno a hacer algunos ejercicios para practicar durente el resto del viaje. El resto de los dias trabaje la mayoria del dia en la computadora y ayude un poco a JOrge con algunos trabajos de carpinteria y refaccion de una casita que tiene y proximamente inaugarara como una pequena iglesia.
    Hoy sabado sali en la manana dispuesto a llegar hasta mi proximo destino, a algunas horas de aca. Atravezando la ciudad de Mexico, sinembargo, me toco quedarme atorado 3 horas en un caos de transito. Para que se den una idea de el efecto que esa situacion puede tener sobre uno les cuanto que yo venia manejando contento, pensando en el mar, surfear, escuchando Bob Marley, a punto de tomarme unos mates que tenia listos, super relajado. Luego de esas tres horas, ya habia apagado la musica, la mitad de mi torax, un brazo y cabeza afuera del auto, mirada que tiraba raio equi, rojo, transipirado y recitando cosas no bonitas al resto de las pobres personas que estaban sufriendo lo mismo. Como no habia salido muy temprano, ese retraso implicaba viajar parte de la ruta denoche (cosa que no recomiendan) y el stress que me habian generado las tres horas equivalian a 10 horas de manejoj, decidi regresar denuevo a lo de Jorge. De paso cumpli la promesa de que algun dia regresaria, jeje. Manana intentare despegar mas temprano y tomar mas envion para atravezar ese loco transito de la ciudad mas grande de America.

Les mando un abrazo grande y ya les cuento como me fue en el segundo intento.

Evolucion de un corte de pelo y afeitada.

Antes

Durante, mostacho

Durante, euromullet

Durante, panqueque

Durante: classic mullet, rutera, futbolera, cubana, pedro el escamoso. Posiblemente la proxima vez me detenga aca.

Despues

Day 49

Amanda, Diego’s girlfriend reporting,

Diego has given me the permission and privilege to contribute to the Chevy Astro Diaries. I started my journey with Diego in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. It seemed to take hours from the time I landed to the time I saw Diego. After clearing customs it seemed to be a battle to get through all the resort shuttles and taxi drivers who were convinced that I was lying to them when I had told them I had someone to pick me up. I must have looked like a lost lamb not knowing where I was going. Luckily I saw Diego who told them all to back off with his eyes. Our resort was very nice but very empty, I guess not many tourists like to go to Mexico during hurricane season. We actually had hurricane Jova headed towards the whole time we were there and came the last night. However, we slept through and missed it. We spent most of the time relaxing by the beach, in the pool and walking around the town. It was very hard for Diego to be so close the ocean and not go surfing. He was drooling over the locals who were body boarding. He told me, however, that going surfing there would be like skiing in Chicopee when you know you will be skiing in the Rocky Mountains next week. He is planning on going surfing in Puerto Escondido which is apparently the cream of the crop for surfing destinations. Diego also took me driving through residential area of the town which was the scariest driving experience ever. The streets were super steep and super narrow. There was a point where I wanted to jump out of the van because walking was much safer.

            After Puerto Vallarta we drove to Guadalajara. It was a long twisty journey. It was very jungle like along the coast then it turned into plenty of agave fields and small towns. Diego and I bonded a lot when it came to navigating through Mexican cities. Guadalajara is a very beautiful city. The first place we went to was the Mariachi plaza which was pretty empty due to the heavy rainfall from hurricane Jova. There was one Mariachi band there who were playing for family right next to us. I think Diego was thinking to himself “Yes I do not have to pay for a band to play for Amanda” He eventually got one to play a song just for us! We were so cold from the rain that we hung out in the hotel to warm up. We decided to venture out of the hotel at night which was very fortunate for us because the main plaza was very beautiful at night. We only stayed in Guadalajara for the night but it is definitely a place I would go again.

Next stop on our journey was Mexico City. This was a place which my whole family was against me going due to safety and the fact that it has the same population as Canada on a whole. Our friends Charity and Erick, however, highly recommended it and it was a place that Diego really wanted to go. I am very glad I went; it is a place of a lot of charm and energy. We were so nervous about driving in Mexico City. We got lost about 3 or 4 times but luckily it was very close to our hotel. Diego actually thought that we weren’t lost at all because he was following my directions and he had complete faith in me (I never told him when we were lost). Our hotel was in the Zona Rosa which was an area that Charity had recommended. It was very safe and was only an hour walk from the down town area. The first night we came across a restaurant that had a live band, great food and then a huge mariachi band and dancers. Diego and I had our first tequila there which I had discovered that they do not drink it as a shot but to enjoy it as a drink. It helped us to show some cumbia movements in the dance hall.  We later walked around this area discovering that it was a very “open minded” neighbourhood…

            The next day we journeyed out to see Teotihuacan. This was the top place I wanted to see while in Mexico. It was once habituated by 160 000 natives around 400 AD. These were people before the Aztecs had been in the area. There were two huge pyramids of the sun and the moon and ruins of a city all around. We were able to climb up the pyramid of the sun.  This place was amazing and fascinating. Throughout the ruins there were many people selling jewellery and carvings. I learned the hard way that you should never show any interest in what they are selling unless you are actually interested.  They will follow you and lower they’re price until you buy. I left the ruins buying $60 worth souvenirs.  Only half of these I actually wanted to buy.

 

            The last full day we spent exploring the city.  On the way to the main plaza we came across this plaza full of people dancing, it was mostly older couple who danced with so much style. We then came across a group of people playing Cuban music. Once we were in the main plaza it was the first time I was truly nervous due to the massive crowds of people. The architecture in the historical area is amazing. The two favourite places of ours were the Church in the main plaza and the Correo. The Correo is translated into post office. It was like a palace inside. I have never been in a place so beautiful. There was also many food vendors on the street which was very tempting to stop at but I knew if I ate there and got sick there would be many people back in Canada saying I told you so.

            Now I am spending my last morning with Diego and it will be a very sad day for Diego and I. I wish Diego lots of luck on the rest of his journey.

Pictures from last to first

Street band playing some cuban music

Amanda admiring a mural of Diego Rivera

Amanda and a charro

Diego trying a mexican spicy candy

Amanda in the correo mayor

Correo mayor

Streets of Mexico City

La gente en el zocalo

La guia roji

Handcreaft sellers in Teotihuacan

Mate in Teotihuacan

Stair to sun

Rainy night in Guadalajara

Beach in Puerto Vallarta

Mate while watching people surfing

Streets of Puerto Vallarta

Jarabe tapatio