Thousand Word Images

This is a man in authentic Mayan costume posing with tourists. I was fine until he started to do this "You're my Queen" thing. Yes, he really said that!
I am not anyone's queen, so this was a little embarassing - especially when I saw the photo. Sigh! There was a time I had one chin.

Before I show you the excavated ruins, check out the job they have to do for our viewing pleasure. I'll say one thing here about Mexico, rather than bringing in the heavy equipment they put people to work. I'm willing to bet that it's partly to be cautious and partly to keep employment up. You can't see it in this photo, but the stones near the top have numbers on them. I assume that's to put it back together correctly after excavation.



Here are some of the smaller buildings on the site. In total I think there were 10-15 buildings dug out of the jungle so far. Oddly, I didn't photograph the big acropolis/temple. Must have been the heat!

At the main temple, they restored some of the fine carving. All the rock in this region is this color, but most of it is covered by lichen, dirt, jungle and plant life.

This last photo is to prove I climbed the acropolis here. I'm not really fond of heights and these staircases are really steep... and made of rock. Gives a whole new dimension to the idea of falling down the stairs. But, I sat there and looked at the temple for a bit and decided I would not forgive myself for passing the opportunity. Again, can't believe I didn't photograph it.

Here's me at the top.

Don't I just look the conqueroring Gringo! LOL Going up was the easy part. But coming home to this made it better.

Stay warm and safe my friends.

Cultural Quandry

We got up yesterday morning and had an excellent breakfast. Over breakfast, Matt and I talked about the difficulty of judging what kind of neighborhood we were looking at across the street.

One of the first things you notice about a foreign country is that “You’re not in Kansas anymore.” (Can’t remember where that quote came from – sorry)

The night before, twice, we saw police pick-up trucks with 2-4 officers in the cab and 2 more in the box surrounded by a sturdy rail and manning mounted BIG guns. Over breakfast, a military truck drove by looking much the same but with bigger guns.

I found myself trying to decide what affect on the psyche growing up with that kind of police presence has for the population. It was downtown Cancun at rush hour. We also have police presence at downtown rush hour in Calgary; it’s just different looking. Hmm... too much of an understatement?

Anyway, then we hopped a cab to the ADO bus station, bought tickets for Valladolid (pronounced Balla-doe-leed for some inexplicable reason), put our luggage in storage and went for a daylight walk on the same street as the night before.

According to Cancun folks, we were downtown in the heart of Cancun at that point. So, when I saw a building with a thatched roof the contrast to Calgary was just too much and I had to get Matt to take a photo.

We found out just how short a distance I can go in that kind of heat when we realized we had to turn back to catch our bus about 6 blocks down the street. Of course we had made a little detour, stopped in a store and generally walked slowly with wide eyes on the trip away from the bus depot and hoofed it back fairly quickly.

The bus ride into the interior was uneventful and more or less a drive through the trees with the odd glimpse of more trees. The land started looking like jungle prairie; which is short scrub on flat land. We didn’t climb any big hills or spend any time on twisty roads.

At Valladolid, we hired a taxi to drive us to Genesis Retreat at Ek’ Balam. More scrub jungle, some finished corn fields that don’t look anything like the corn fields of Alberta. In fact, I had to ask just to make sure and the only clue I had was the dead cornstalks still standing. I’ll get a photo because my agricultural friends won’t believe it.

When we arrived at Ek’ Balam pueblo, the driver slowed down to avoid running over chickens on the single-wide red dirt track. We passed by true, rural living quarters with families going about daily routines. I’ll be off to photograph some of that soon.

Ek’ Balam is Mexico’s hammock weaving capital and, as we drove past the residences, some of the homes had colorful hammocks hanging from beams outside the house. I’ll be checking that out too.

Genesis Retreat is the creation of a Canadian woman from Ontario and Alberta (as so many Canadians are), so although we are in the heart of rural Mexico, we have a person who can answer questions and advise us about what to see and do.

Hall to our room!

The retreat she created is a 2-acre enclosure with rustic accommodations and a sustainable footprint philosophy. If you want 4-star, go stay in Hotel Row, Cancun. This spot is for people who want to experience Mexico and learn something about how Mexicans live.

Last night I had trouble getting to sleep because of jungle noises, the openness of our accommodations (the walls don’t go all the way to the ceiling) and my own fears about what kind of things could be lurking in the thatch over my head.

This morning, however, I’m happy to sit here in the garden with coffee, jungle noises and geckos. I plan to take this day to relax, meditate and climatise.

Or volumous hair!

Mexican Walk About

It’s amazing how distance equalizes everything. The flight from Calgary to Cancun offered an almost constant view of the ground over every state from Montana to New Orleans where we headed out over the Gulf.
All the land simply looked like farmland, punctuated by large rivers, lakes and urban pancakes. Parts of it were green and parts of it were autumn yellow/brown. From 38,000 feet it’s all flat, softly textured vistas of natural color.
We arrived in Cancun determined to get to our hotel without paying an outrageous taxi fee. FAIL! When we got here, I sat down for 2 minutes and wrote out the value of 20, 50, 100, 200 & 500 pesos. Mind you, I’ve never taken a cab from the airport to downtown Calgary. Perhaps I would be shocked at that cost. Probably the last time I was in a cab was from the Cancun airport. LOL … and maybe next time.
After a brief settle into the hotel, Matt and I headed up the street to see sights. That we did! First of all, it was rush hour in downtown Cancun. Many people live here. Also, say what you will about the Canadian infrastructure, but come walk downtown Cancun before you grumble too much.
There was one spot where clearly someone had patched the sidewalk in front of a store, but a citizen walked right through the wet cement. There are perfect footprints in the sidewalk for that section. With the darkness that descended while we walked up the street, we had to pay attention to where our feet went.
We also learned that the best way to cross a busy street is through the traffic while it’s stopped for a red light. Pedestrians literally take their lives into their own hands and cross where and when they feel they have the best chance of survival. We skulked behind the locals a couple of times to get across Ave. Tulum.
We crossed the street to head back and, when we got to the corner, had two opinions about the direction we should go. So, we got out the map the hotel gave us. In this process, a man approached and asked us in English if we needed directions.
Together we put on glasses and then I turned the map right side up. I was trying to tell him the name of the street our hotel is on, but my pronunciation had him completely baffled. Fortunately, the map cleared that up and we parted ways after many thank yous.
About 2 blocks away, I noticed him again because he was travelling the same direction as us. We got back to the little eatery I had in mind from the walk out and I recognized a couple sitting there who are also staying at this hotel. Made me feel a bit like we were on familiar ground and I noticed that the place was busy; always a good sign in a restaurant.
We were puzzling over the menu when our Mexican friend got up from his table and came to help us. After a moment, he pulled out a little pad and wrote down our order for the waitress. Turns out he is a waiter at one of the hotels on Hotel Row. If you don’t know what Hotel Row is in Cancun, check it out on Google maps. Reminds me of Dubai.
So, our very first night in Mexico we met a Mexican angel. He was very nice and very helpful. He stopped at our table before he left the restaurant and wished us a wonderful visit to his country.

I’d have to say we’re off to a good start. We thoroughly enjoyed our dinner and it cost us $8.88 Can and that included a generous tip!

Viva Vivid Vistas

With that first trip under my belt, I already have some wonderful images to carry with me as I journey forward. The weather was surprisingly cooperative for November on the Pacific Coast. My ferry crossing to Victoria was a rare opportunity to experience some water moments.

The land/seascape is beautiful and serene when it’s that calm. The sun was poking out through the clouds every so often and the air was fine for a hearty Albertan. I stood on the deck for a while with eyes closed and listened to the sound of water sloshing away from the ferry hull.

When I opened my eyes, we were in a narrow passage with forested mountains creating large islands around us. The houses were, of course, right on the rocks overlooking the sea. One house must get very wet in high winds. I can’t help but wonder what it feels like to sit on a couch and watch the sea bathe the windows before you!

I took the slow bus into Victoria and saw Sannich and Sidney on the way. There were more houses on the rocks, but also fields where clearly pumpkins grew very recently. Then I arrived at my son’s house and met Lumen my first grandchild.

Now there’s a face to a make a grandma smile. I’m a little proud as a mother watching my son joyfully care for his infant daughter. From diaper changes to snuggled on his chest, Lumen seems to love her daddy. It was also great to stay with a young couple that obviously care for each other and know that, though life may not be easy, it will be together.

Back across the water in Langley, I went for a walk in Campbell River Park with my brother-in-law. It’s a rainforest, but it wasn’t raining that day. We walked through thick vegetation with huge cedar trees accenting the landscape among many kinds of shrubs. We walked over a wetland bridge where children were feeding birds and a little girl excitedly told us how they will land on your hand. She had that childhood wonder on her face that only a child can manifest.

A few steps away, Mallards were feeding in the wetland reeds. The water level must be low because the reeds were tangling them somewhat and one male briefly (just enough to be comical) struggled to upright himself with his duck feet flailing the air and his tail feathers vibrating.

Before they took me to the airport, my sister and hubby took me to a restaurant overlooking the water where a BC company has a float plane service. I guess it’s their terminal and we ate in the pub hanging over an arm of the Fraser River delta beside the airport.

We watched several 12-seater planes take off and land while the sun set over the delta. The light turned to gold on the water and red and purple in the sky.

When we took off from Vancouver airport, the darkness had descended and Vancouver was a sparkling jewel landscape below the plane. As I watched the lights, I suddenly began to see rolling black outs. Truly rolling as though I was watching… small clouds momentarily obscure the view. But for a second, I thought the Universe has arranged a light show just for me!

As we began our decent into Calgary, I started looking for the Calgary jewel sure to show up outside my window. Suddenly, there it was, but after a sharp turn the view became spectacular as a large orange moon appeared on the eastern horizon.

We live in a wonderful world full of much beauty. I’m very grateful for these experiences and for the abundant love that is so much a part of it. I’ll keep saying it… I have a wonderful support network.

A Visitor in My Own Life

This process of unplugging from my life is taking longer than I expected. Today is the one month anniversary of leaving my Rockyford home and beginning a great adventure.

It doesn’t feel like a great adventure though. It feels like visiting my life. Here is my son, but he is different. Here there are sisters and a daughter, but it is different.

This little journey to the coast is perfect preparation and introduction to travel for a hermit. I’m finding what works and what doesn’t for luggage. What I really need to have with me and what’s extra weight. What it’s like  to use public transit again.

Life on the Rocks

I’m familiar enough with Canadian culture to feel some comfort in unfamiliar surroundings, but still having to stretch a little. After all, I spent the last 30 years or so sticking pretty close to home. It’s much easier to travel through familiar territory, to familiar places where familiar people feed you familiar food and put you to bed in a style to which you are accustomed.

So this trip is travel 101 in preparation for travel 2.0 to Mexico. Mexico will still be familiar to some extent because I’ve been to the area we’re visiting, I know some of what to expect and I think my knowledge of French may help with the language. Also, I know some people where we’re going and we’re renting a friend’s house.

I made some minor mistakes on this trip that illustrate to me how easy it is to complicate your life for the wrong reasons. I’m learning that I need to watch that I make the right decision for the right reason. There is some busting out of moulds I need to do. Most of this has to do with ways of spending money and time.

Some of it though has to do with my relationship to myself and those around me. Living unfettered by home and work responsibilities gives you a different perspective on our society and our individual ways of being in it.

I see a society very caught up in its unsustainable practices and divorced from community. Even while many individuals wake up to the downward slope that is consumerism, they cannot figure out how to leave it behind without hardship or turning the clock back to a simpler time where no one really wants to live.

I get it though. I too resist changes I want to make in my life. It’s so easy to see the changes others need to make and even tell them how to make those changes – lol. Adopting permanent change into my own life is more difficult. Look at the extreme measures I’m taking to create change in my life! It’s ironic because I know that change is constant and inevitable.

Wandering urban centers and frequenting big box stores is such an eye opener and these days I keep one eye clearly focused on my reactions to what I’m seeing. Canadian urban culture is as foreign to me as what I suspect I’ll find in far away Mexico and Thailand.

People are fascinating! Crazy, but fascinating.

The Duality of Letting Go

To say that I had a plan to let go would be misleading. When the house sold, I did what most folks would do and began looking for my next home. I had given some thought to where and what I wanted to buy because my house was on and off the market for 18 months before it sold.

The logical and expected next step was to purchase another home and get on with life in a new local. Then someone asked me if there was somewhere I’ve always wanted to go. I began thinking about a holiday and then an extended time travelling.

After dreaming along the lines of Mexico, Thailand, Europe, South America for about a week, my mind said to me one afternoon, “Okay Claudette, enough foolishness. Pick a place, find a home to buy and get on with life.” No sooner had my mind thought this than my guts sank, my head compressed and I had an overwhelming feeling of foreboding.

I made a decision to go with my gut this time. I don’t usually do that. The Runes stones call it, “…living for a time empty as though waiting for a spring to fill a well or fruit to ripen on the vine.” This is much easier said than done.

I found it extremely interesting watching the reactions of people in my life to this news that I was selling my house and did not have a plan for what came next. I saw awe, concern, envy and confusion. I also heard some amazing rumours about where I was going.

I found that many people want to be in my situation, but they forget that not having a home is a scary thing for a middle aged person accustomed to our social structure. I find myself at times thinking of homelessness and other times freedom.

For instance, the other day I walked past a house where workmen were preparing to install a new furnace and hot water heater – FREEDOM. Hallelujah! I am free from bills, repairs, maintenance and cleaning.

 Later the very same day, I walked into my sister’s house and my mind lurched, “I want to go home!” I want to sit by my gas fireplace, cuddle my cat and watch the amazing prairie light fade to black, star speckled sky. Whah!

I am also finding that our society is not prepared to deal with people who have no fixed address. Retailers don’t even want to give you a reward card! So, business transactions become complicated while life becomes simple.

For instance, I’ve noticed that my inbox is much less busy. I’m not contacting several people per day, building stories for newsletters, connections for events or schedules for publications. I see my mind concerned about how relevant I may be once disconnected.

But I also see before me an open road. A road that now heads to Vancouver and Victoria to meet my first grandchild and smell the northern Pacific.