An embarrasing big jump.-.... to Lago Atitlán!

Hello again!
No, I was not kidnapped by pirates, I only went to Isla Mujeres and met one of the most impressive kinds of that controversial species of humankind... but that could not stop me travelling on either. No sense in trying to grab and freeze any moment... the beouty in this world comes from the waterfall effect: everything is so incredible beautyful because it will never ever be the same again.
But back to travelling:
Isla Mujeres rocks, my first real caribbean experience, and I tell you, I was astonished when I found out, that the caribbean sea is actually even more beautiful than I thought! Coral blue is just my color ;)
I spent a few days at Isla, waiting for my flight from Cancun to Kingston via Habana. I had a one day stay in La Havana with the perfect guide waiting for me. We did a splendid rapid tour of the city and was joined by two handsome ladies from Austria and Switzerland.
Then it was off to Jamaica. What a pleasant surprise! I had some fears beforehand, that a white Rasta might not be welcomed very friendly by the local brothers, but at the contrary! I fell in love with Kingston downtown just as much as with the beautiful and nearly tourist-free eastcoast down from Port Antonio to the place of the first uprising, Morant Bay. I spent a few nights in Hostels (very scarse) and some in the houses of brethren. To alladem mi thanx an blessings! My first few steps I did in company of a Israely couple but after four days the loner syndrome was strong enough to get me going on. I was astonished to be able to dance at Passapassa at five o'clock in the morning in Kingston downtown without ever feeling threatened. To find that the Georgie named in a song we all know chilling at the Bob Marley Museum and listening to me reciting a poem. To find so much delicious ital food and great fish dishes.

With a little tear in my eye I left the island to go back to Cuba, where I met with my friend Katha. We spent ten days in Cuba, going all the way to Santiago and Trinidad. It was very interesting and I often had to make myself believe, that I am actually there, in Cuba, in Habana, in Santiago.... But then I got a bad ache... wisdomteeth... well, down to bananas in mashed up forms I was longing for healthy soups and similar stuff.... a very difficult task in Cuba... Transportation, places to stay and food are maybe the three parts that make this wonderful island a hard trip, but there is obviously a lot to see and experience that you cannot do anywhere else by now. So it is worth the hardship, I guess... Even though: do not expect to find too much revolutionary spirit...
After our excursion into the last stand of socialism I went directly from Cancun to Playa del Carmen, where I was getting a helpful hand making my backpack lighter: someone stole my camera. A big loss I grieved for some days, but I think by now I am quite fine without a camera.
From Playa I moved to Tulum, a place I would have liked to stay longer at, but my childhood friend Paddy was for a few day in Guatemala city, so I had to move on in order to meet him. I crossed through Belize in five days, had a splendid Jamaica revival and met some good guys on the streets. Furthermore I discovered a good dubpoet for myself: The grandmaster of Belize. He rocks. The best about Belize was the ruins of Lamanai after a one hour boat trip up the river.

Then I crossed into Guatemala. Tikal. The best ruins ever, especially if you take your time and do the outer circle first and come to the plaza mayor when most people have gone and sunset lightens up templo 1... a wonderful moment I shared with two nice Dutch guys that I had met at the border. From here I took a nightbus to Guatemala city where I met Paddy and we had two glorious nights in the biggest capital of central america. On a hot wednesday morning I went on a chickenbus to Antigua to meet Amy, who I had already encountered in Isla. Right the night when I came to town the vulcán del fuego had a rather big eruption. We sat at Sky Bar, drank a sundowner and enjoyed the unique experience. So the next day I went up vulcán Pacaya. There is also a little lava glowing up there... A cool experience to stand so close to it... well, rather a hot experience, to be truthful. But I had to go in a group, a thing I do not like very much.
Amy and I travelled on together. To Atitlán. The lake I am still staying on... Not because I want to stay in every little village on the lake, no! But that scenery around here definitely has a hard impact on me... We spent close to a week meditating in Las Piramides in San Marco which some call new age hypocrisy. I would rather call it a splendid place to come closer to your shaked up badly civilized self... and bring some tranquility and love into yourself. Yes, that is what I would call it. Now I am in San Pedro, staying at Trippy's hostel and joking with many friendly people from all over the world. I had a good trip up vulcano San Pedro all alone and up Cabeza delñ Indio with a group from the hostel.
Tomorrow, I promised myself, tomorrow in the morning I will go on... to Huehuetenango and from there to the Mexican border.

Take care, have fun,
one love and blessings
dAn on Atitlán