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Published: February 9th 2006
The first of only four destinations in Mexico was Palenque, to see some more ruins. These ruins, again, were set in the jungle and it was a bit more peaceful than Tikal. It was nice to spend the day there, wandering around and listening to all the jungle noises.
Second destination was San Cristobal de las Casas, a really nice colonial town with lots to see and do around the area. I took a tour to the small towns of San Juan Chamula and San Lorenzo Zinacantan. In Chamula, we went to the amazing church, lit up by thousands of candles, to witness the weird ritual that the local Mayans partake in, which is to drink rum and then drink Coca-Cola, in order to burp and release their evil spirits. This is a ritual for the whole family and even the babies 'get on the piss'. In Zinacantan, a local family invited us into their kitchen where they were making tortillas. The yummiest (and dribbliest) tortillas I've ever had.
Third destination was Oaxaca, town of chocolate, a big tree and clothes made from every kind of synthetic fibre under the sun. I was pretty eager to get to Mexico
City so I didn't spend a lot of time and was ready to hit the 'big smoke'.
Fourth, and final, destination in Latin America was Mexico City, land of all things Diego & Frida, painful dental surgery, and, my newly discovered passion, 'lucha libre' (Mexican wrestling with all the theatrics).
In Mexico City I had time to synthesize all that I've learnt from my travels in Latin America. Each country has taught me something unique and special that I didn't know before I left.
Argentina: I can't Tango dance.
Uruguay: Colonia is really cold.
Bolivia: I look ridiculous in traditional Bolivian dress.
Peru: 'Reggaeton' music is really annoying (except when drunk).
Ecuador: Never mix grape and grain.
Colombia: A family of five can travel efficiently and safely on a single motorbike.
Panama: Flotsam can sometimes be very entertaining.
Costa Rica: I can fly.
Nicaragua: It hurts to be tall.
Honduras: Hostels near bus terminals are REALLY dodgy.
El Salvador: Crying gets results at Immigration offices.
Guatemala: Always carry more than $7.00 on you.
Mexico: Tooth extraction is painful.
But the one thing I have
learnt above and beyond everything else is that I have the best group of family and friends that anyone could ever ask for. Thank you to everyone for following my adventures and for all of your e-mails that always put a smile on my dial.
So now begins the next adventure: road-tripping through the USA with my buddy Rob. I'm really looking forward to this trip but I'm concerned that all the Spanish I've learnt will fly out the window (not that it was spectacular, my most recent incident being when I had to try and find words to describe a situation in which i got stung on the cheek by a bee. The closest sentence I could come up with translated to "a bee put it's bum in my face").
Rob is also keeping a travel blog with all of our adventures, so to get his perspective on things click
here.
Peace out. Word up. Right on.
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Anna
non-member comment
madness... of the Potosi variety
Well, Kate i think i can safely say we all look bloody ridiculous in traditional bolivian dress... but boy can we do the shuffle... WAWITAWAWITA!! Good times mate, and happy road tripping... keep the adventures coming : )