big jump... all the way to Yucatán!

Hello again!

Traveller's fever... Yes that keeps me on the move... from the last blog -which actually seems ages away- till today many cities have passed by and many buses brought me down South...

But one after the other.

From Zacatecas I went to San Luis Potosí, slept the one and only time in a Hotel that cost 250 Pesos, about 25 USDolars. The next day I went to Real de Catorce, the haunted city. I wandered quite a bit on my own through the arid hills, partially waiting for the call of the peyote but mostly enjoying the holy mountain and the tranquility. It was very hot. One day I decided to go horseback and race a bit through the vast nothing they call desert but it didn't work out quite that well as I had to take a guide with me and it just felt like a taxi... ticktack, the taxometer is working... So at the end I went a second time to la Quemada in order to leave an offering from dead plants I collected on the way up and put together right there. The meditation in the shadow of a cactus was a very pleasant one.

After leaving this offering on the hill la quemada I went Southwards. Back to the big polluted hell, back to the heavenly city, back to D.F., to Mexico city!

I spent about a week there. This time in a Hostel between Condesa and Roma, in a quiet street with loads of trees. What a change from the crowded and loud historic centre! I visited once again the Taller Ditoria and took some average pictures. I read quite a bit of the jewels they produce and Jorge was way too kind and gave me two books as a gift! I haven't got the foggiest how I could possibly give him something equivalent back! These works are just solid pieces of art!

I met Katha and some friends of her and had a good time with the guys from the Hostal too. Only the nightlife was less fancy than I expected. But this might have to do with us not wanting to spend more than on daytime, whilst Mexican nightlife can be just as expensive as in central Europe...

After DF and much modern and avantguarde art it was once again back to the ancient art, which can compete easily! I went to Xalapa in Veracruz and saw the beautiful stoneheads of the Tolmecs. I met a very nice Italian guy who lives in Mexico. Furthermore I met a goodlooking Mexican lady who came to my table just to tell me I was the love of her life. That was all, two minutes later she left without leaving any catcheable trace... That was my first encounter with attractive intelligent and interested beauty in this country where obesity is no new word and literacy does not mean literature...

I went on to Catemaco instead of going to the seatown of Veracruz, as Gianluca, the Italian tourguide I met was insisting on the beauty of this laketown. And he was right. Here I did not only eat the cheapest and most fresh oysters ever, I also met a very nice Italian couple, Christiana and Michele who have a Pizzetería on the lakeside. They invited me to stay a few days at their villa. I gladly did that and had a very pleasant time.

But I had to go on... After a quick stop at Villahermosa who just didn't feel as beautiful as her name told, I went straight on to Palenque. How good! Finally no more city sightseeing but pure rainforest and ruins. I enjoyed it very much to live in El Panchan and get to know quite a few of the people who travel and live from the money they make with the cheap jewellery they produce. Here I got to know Sanya and Samuel who got a Piercing and Tatoo studio (now moving to Oaxcaca) and introduced me to the experience of a Mayan cleansing. I began to see things differently once again and I think people and forest had both their part in this process of reawakening. Here I did my first group tour. It was the cheapest way to see the ruins of Bonampak and Yaxchilan (beautifully laid on the hills next to the river that divides Mexico and Guatemala) and the forest of the Lacandonians.

After more than a week between waterfalls, ruins, hippies and mayans it was time to go on to Campeche. I was positively surprised by the cleanliness and conservation of historic buildings as for example the town walls. Here I slept in one of the best hostels so far. Overlooking the tranquil central square I slept for 80pesos with breakfast included and met very nice people. The second night I was dining and drinking deliciously with a crowd made up by people from Canada, Israel, USA, Japan and Argentina. They convinced me the third day to come with them to see the ruins of Edzna and I was surprised. I thought after Yaxchilan that I will see no more ruins as there can't be no better sight. But it was a completely different one and definitely worth the time. The next night -which I was able to sleep for free due to a special offer- we met Monica, a chilanga, a girl from DF, which was there to get a grant she won. Next afternoon I went with her to Mérida where I stayed for a few days, waisting money I don't have. I already bought everything one has to buy from this city... a hammock, perfect but expensive, a traditional shirt and a mayan ritual cleansing stone.

From Merida I went with Monica and her sister to even more ruins. Chichen Itza. I was happy that we got a free entry as Monica's sister works there in restauration, because it was definitely not worth the double price.
From here we took a second class bus to Valladolid. A day between bicicles, hot weather and cool cenotes (swimmingpools in caves) awaited for us.