Thursday, August 9th, 2007
My passport (and visa) arrived with a delay. One more day and there would be no trip. But fortunately everything worked out this time. You can achieve quite a lot with some patience and politeness. So tomorrow, with God’s help, I will be far, far away. Alone with my backpack in a strange land. Still had no time to read the guidebook. Will do that on a plane. On a very last moment. And then, shall the adventure begin. Just another dream coming true. So easily. I was looking for a nice self-portrait for facebook (narcism, hell yes) and found this one (crop from a bigger picture):
in Sandra’s glasses (Mexico’2007)
Wish me luck!
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Tuesday, May 29th, 2007
Oaxaca:
(yet another hostel)
(6 am)
(this is my cow)
on the road:
Misol Ha:
Palenque:
Some town:
San Juan Chamula – the only town in Mexico where the Maya’s beliefs are mixed with catholig religion:
(I had no idea into what I had stepped into by taking a picture of this girl. You can already see it in her grin. She followed me for the next 10 minutes asking for money for this picture. And when I wanted to buy something from her instead of giving money she just refused. Left her with nothing.)
(Shoes shopping/kid feeding.)
Zinacantan:
(ready to fight… for a customer)
(two altars)
Veracruz:
(by night)
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Tuesday, May 22nd, 2007
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Friday, May 18th, 2007
So I am back to Warsaw. Timezone changes make me feel confused.The tax officers at the airport controlled me. For the first time in my life. The guy said that my eyes looked as I had smoked a joint and asked me if I had. Then he asked me to empty my pockets. Checked my wallet. Then he asked to unpack my hand-luggage. Then he asked to unpack my big backpack. So I showed him all the presents I bought myself in Mexico including the cowboy hat, hammock, poncho, blouse, bottle of natural flavoured tequila (which was leaking into the poncho). He asked me what is this for, what is that for, he went through my electronic junk, he asked where I was working, if and when I took or smoked drugs. So it was one of these nice conversations you have with strangers from time to time about life, sex and drugs. I had been so relaxed so he finally bought my story that I was not high but just happy after having great vacation. Really nice guys. So I said goodbye and left the guys the leaflet of a strip club I got from a guy on a street when I was in Veracruz. I really enjoyed that. Always happy to meet people who like their job and do it with a smile. And controls like that are a piece of cake when you are used to military checkpoints in the middle of the night and everybody-out-of-the-bus soldiers with long weapon looking into your bag (as it happened to me once in Mexico and a few times in the Eastern Turkey). Just got used to these nice men making sure that I don’t carry with me any toys that I could hurt myself (or society) with.On the plane(s) I met nice people – Mexican guy who is a cave diving instructor and was flying to Poland to give some courses of it (he does that for 22 years, owns not much more than his gear and seems to be HAPPY). He invited me to do some diving with him in Cuba. Took his email address and the phone number. And then the Polish actress in her 40-50s living in Paris and going to Poland for an audition to another Polish crappy soap opera. Had a really great conversation with her about the world were living in, Poland in this world and young Polish people like me who are gonna rule it soon.
I am so fucking optimistic you can’t imagine. I had a really great trip and made it safe home. Met the old friends and made some new friends. I went away from all the crappy problems, so far away that when I looked back at them I couldn’t see them anymore. I hope I will keep this positive energy for at least a few days. But tomorrow I have to face the so called “real life”. Have to start preparing for my weekend studies (one exam on Saturday and some case analysis I need to do some reading for). And I have to check my corporate mail to see what kind of surprises they had prepared for me when I was gone. Shitty i-wanna-kill-myself-project in Germany or a cool face-the-unknown project in Paris or wherever. It’s gonna be hard, so please don’t come to me with any bullshit or any problem that doesn’t really exist. It’s gonna be hard enough without it.
One more thing. I was walking down the streets of Veracruz with my big backpack and my camera bag wearing my new cowboy hat. Let’s make it clear – people in Veracruz don’t wear such hats. Maybe village people coming to Veracruz – yes, but the others not. So people were pretending not to see me – fucking white guy with his stupid hat. Some were smiling discretely. Only the homeless people were cool. They were the only ones looking into my eyes and saying hello and smiling to me (not at me) honestly. Then it came into my mind that the thing that I love to do so much – facing the unknown, traveling, not knowing where you will spend your next night, where and what you will eat… All those little things I love – it’s their everyday life. And I think they feel the same about me. What is this stranger doing here all alone so far from wherever he is from. And why the fuck is he wearing this hat? :-)
More photos will come.
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Friday, May 18th, 2007
This will be my last night in Mexico. I took an overnight bus to Veracruz. What you get is quite a typical touristic resort. But that’s okey – I decided to come here just because it has very god connections to Mexico City where I have a flight to catch tomorrow. Sandra was to join me here to see me before I leave but she used some cheap excuse and cancelled. ;-) I have spent 5 hours on a beach reading a book, swimming… Got sunburned. And I decided to use up a free night at the Holiday Inn in the center. Got a nice room. :-) Being a corporate bitch sometimes pays off. :PLast 4 days I have spent in San Cristobal. Really liked it. Quite a small city with many attractions around. I took tours to Palenque (Indian pyramids in the jungle), Canyon del Sumidero (boat trip – pretty relaxing), religious villages (very, very impressive, villagers claiming to be Christians keeping Mayas traditions and practicing them in the church in front of the figures of catholic saints, saying traditions I mean rituals like taking away the illnesses by sacrificing a chicken, etc.). I also met a nice German chick (Tina), too nice to be German :D and we were hanging around together during the last day. Hope to stay in touch.
Did some shopping. Before in Puebla I bought a poncho and a Mexican style pullover with a hood (this one I’m gonna wear for sure). Yesterday I bought a super-cool cowboy’s hat. One of those that you enter the shop and you see it and you know this is THE ONE. So happy. Well spent 7 euros. :D And of course I bought many little things.
Tomorrow flying back home from Mexico city. Don’t wanna go back home.
Have tons of unprocessed pictures. I think I will have to work on them back at home (or on the airport if I have some time).
Here is a photo of me sitting on my bed in my modest room in Veracruz, crying to be leaving Mexico.
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Monday, May 14th, 2007
Mexico City – just as a proof that i was there (was i?):
Teotihuacan – big pyramids, sellers hunting on tourists and one Mexican revolutionist … we also made pink idiots there with Sandra (details soon):
Oaxaca – the way there and some street photos from a local festival and the photo of Miguel visiting Ivan:
Around Oaxaca – a fucking big tree, Agua de Something – one of three formations like that, another one is in Pamukkale in Turkey and the last one is in Argentina… so if i go to Argentina I am done with those things, and finally – a booze factory:
Monte Alban – yet another pyramids and a nice car with a cactus:
I am in San Cristobal in Chiapas – the region in the central part of Mexico. Staying here for one more night and then going to Veracruz for a night (free night in a nice hotel) and then Mexico City and hop to Warsaw.
I am tired of taking pics. Not much satisfaction. Spent the last two days with the nature – just to catch a breath. Tomorrow going to see some villages that developed some crazy mix of religions.
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Thursday, May 10th, 2007
I am in Oaxaca visiting around. Tomorrow taking a 12 hours ride to San Cristobal de Las Casas. Want to visit Palenque. Tired of the heat and sun. But so far going good.
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Wednesday, May 9th, 2007
Finally started traveling on my own. Spending time with Sandra and Jaime was fun but time to move on. Especially that being for too long with a happy couple is not fun anymore after some time (sweet kisses every 30 seconds… damn!). Sandra scared me a little with all the stories how dangerous traveling in Mexico can be. But now being on my own I don’t feel that. Just always look as you knew where you where going (even if you have no freaking idea).
Had some doubts if I still like this kind of traveling. But after today I am sure that there is nothing I like more.
Pick-up trucks filled up with dark-skin guys in cowboy’s hats, colorful buildings, street food, kids working on the streets, tacos, beer with lemon juice (mecholade), policemen with long guns, big trucks, road through steps with cactuses, women with Indian faces selling colorful textiles… Mexico, baby, hell yeah!
(I have a little lag with the pictures but will try to work on that).
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