Journal entries:

I saw some wild Spider Monkeys the other day while I was riding in a boat in a Canyon (I don't remember the name w/o my notes.) I was in the jungles in Palenque for the past couple of days and was awoken every morning to the cries of howler monkeys. The only problem was that they started at 5 am. The one full day in Palenque was spent at the ruins, they are probably my favorite so far. The spring up in the middle of the jungle like giant sky scrapers. The nice thing about the ruins is the access. You can climb pretty much everywhere. Including the dark chambers inside. That was the coolest part. Nowhere else have i been granted such access with the ability explore on my own and in some way feel like the trail in the jungle that I followed to some of the outlying ruins, it was my discovery. I have decided that we have a lot to learn from the Mayans.
Today I went swimming in under ground limestone caves called Cenotes. There water was crystal blue and perfect temperature. It was like being in the large cavern from goonies only much smaller. Getting to the cenotes was pretty interesting as well, we rode in the horse drawn, 4 person "streetcars" called cardidas down this tiny track in the middle of the woods. The ride was not smooth, but it felt authentic. I am in Meridia right now whick is the capital of the Yukatan State. It is somewhat reminiscent of N.O. because there is a blend of Spanish and French influences in the architecture.
The hotel we are staying at is truly one of a kind. It is like living at the UCUM Museum in Abita Springs. Just strange pieces of art in a maze of buildings. Check out the website its www.hotelstrinidad.com we are at the Galeria one. The hotels that we have stayed at have been very basic, but clean and with hot water. I have almost broken myself of my dependence on TV to fall asleep. I some how forgot my travel pillow and the pillows are my only complaint. I am very fortunate that the weather is mild b/c none of the hotels we have stayed in have a/c. I don't think I could sleep if I had a lumpy pillow and I was sweating.
Probably the most surprising thing about Mexico are the busses. When I read about the trip I pictured riding in old school busses and all sorts of livestock bouncing around the cabin. This could not be further from the truth. The ADO (the bus company) busses put greyhound to shame. The busses are clean, cheap and can get you to pretty much any city in Mexico. We have taken two long trips, one 12 hour overnight from Oaxca to San Cristobal. And a nine hour from Palenque to Meridia. I slept comfortably on both occasions. Of course, by the end, my ass was in severe pain, but it took at least 6 hours for the traction to set in. Unlike the 20 minutes it takes on a cramped plane. Busses have given me an opportunity to see alot more of the country as well.
As most of you know, I take great pride in my ability to find interesting food. Generally, there is not a whole lot of time to eat other the dinner. The rest of our meals have been Chocolate and eggs hastily wolfed down on the way to bus stations or a bag of chips and a diet coke on the way to a ruins site. Lunch may be a torta from a road side stand or whatever other critters they may be grilled up served with fresh, handmade tortillas and salsa. We usually do group dinners at restaurants chosen by our tour leader. The food has been ok, but we are usually the only people in them. So, last night, I made a stand and told Sarah that I was going to pick the restaurant. She gladly surrendered the responsibility of meeting everyone's gastronomical and financial proclivities. Sarah and I set out at 5:30 with a deadline of 7:30 to meet back at the hotel and unveil the decision. I had two rules for our restaurant 1. No pictures of the food 2. No pre-made dishes in the window We walked, and walked and walked. We asked locals several of whom sent us to a place off the beaten path called Calmos. So we went there to check it out, not only were there pictures of food on the menu, but pictures lined the walls of the foyer. To top it off, as we were leaving buss load of Japanese Tourists unloaded to enter, there was NO WAY. Our time was short so i made the executive descision to go to a place that we had passed by early in the search. It was called PANCHOS. I know that the faces of all Memphians cringed. Before you write me off let me explain. It is not the nacho serving panchos. The description was progressive Mexican cuisine. Not bad huh? The decor was amazing. We sat in a palm tree forested courtyard, flanked by stacked stone walls with blown up pictures of the Zapatista Rebel leader Marcos (whose ski mask covered face is seen throughout MEXICO) as well as other Mexican heroes. My favorite picture was of the midget caballeros from the early 1920's. Long story short, the dinner was a great success without a single complaint which is a rarity with this group (especially the Germans.) I had a Rustico Pate with Shrimp, lobster, and squash blossom served with plantain chips. And roasted Sea bass with adobo and sauteed vegetables.
My biggest complaint with being on the Gap trip is the short schedule. We are constantly comming and going with little time to actually take a breath and really get to know the places we are visiting. It may turn out that I shorten my time in South America and head back north to spend I little more Q/T in the places that I have not been able to fully explore.

That is all for now,

VagaBond