Just a reminder

We're blogging about our bike trip at Vida Es Perfecta or haileerustad.wordpress.com

22-Degree halo

Believe it or not, I enjoy running on the beach.  (Anna, not joking, I LIKE it!)  It brings calm and peace to brutal exercise.  Also, a great way to explore lengths of beaches.  Today's run, especially good.

Saw something I've never seen before.  A rainbow-like ring around the sun.  A ring around the sun?  IS THE WORLD ENDING TODAY?  Sure isn't.  This is what it is:

A 22-degree halo occurs when the sky is filled with cirrus clouds which are between 3-5 miles up in the atmosphere.  Because the clouds are so high, they're cold.  And sometimes contain ice crystals.  Thus the 22 degree ring is because of the suns' refracted light through the hexagonal ice crystals.

Much more common than I expected, as it was a bit new to me at first, can happen over 100 days in a year!

The Panama Hats and jippi plants

A new friend Marcus introduced me to Panama Hats and the famous pueblo where they're made.  Had to go check it out for myself.

A two hour, 40 peso, bus ride landed me in Becal, Campeche Mexico.  From here I was swept away in a tourist 'triciclero' bike, heading towards the nearest caves where the Panama hats are produced.  Hand made from fibers of the jippi plant that have been heated, sulfured and sun dried for days, the weavers sit in caves 10 feet below ground to avoid humidity while the hat is in production.  In Becal, there are over 40 caves with working weavers.  And almost every family has someone weaving hats, they say over 70 percent of the town works the trade.

Meet the maker!

Jippi plant palms

Panama hats for Paul Bunyan

Although you can buy these original hats in Merida cheaper during market days, I bought one from the maker for more.  Hoping the money goes straight into their pockets.  Two days of work produced a hat for $300 pesos.   There are finer woven hats there for $1500 pesos, well over $100 USD.  These felt like silk.  All hats are bendable and roll-able, good for travel and 'sturdy for life' as the owner says!   Time will tell!

P.S.  Marcus is very passionate about the hand made shoes here in Mexico.  Check out all the photos/info on his blog about the Huarache's!

Los Flamingos de Celestun!

The flamingos just chill here in Mexico!  All's good in their pink lives.  Guessing there were a couple hundred here today, not a bad thing to see in nature!

Back to the heat!

After a few weeks at 2,100 mtrs in San Cristobal, stepping off the bus this morning was like waking up in a desert after being in Alaska!

Please note:                      Feels like: 101

Hola Merida!

Zapatistas in Oventik

Yesterday I sat in a room with 6 people, all wearing black ski masks.  I was intimidated at first, but found out quickly how lovely these indigenous people are. We asked questions to learn more about the Zapatista communities that are sprinkled around San Cristobal de las Casas and the world.  We were allowed 30 minutes of talking time in their office before they thanked us for coming.

We were allowed to walk around the head quarters and check out all the murals.  Fascinating!!!

My favorite day of the year!

"Don't take life too seriously, you'll never get out alive"

Hope you're enjoying the day and finding a few laughs!!!

And now to calm anyone's fears.  I will not be selling a kidney.  Wouldn't ever sell one--donate one to a family member, yes.  Even when asked if I would rather 'work in corporate America or sell my kidney?' I replied with Corporate America.  So please, have more trust, I may not conform to social norms sometimes, but my is still head upon my shoulders.

April Fool's History......read up and prepare for next year.

Does one need two kidneys?

Travelers talk,we have plenty of time to swap stories.  Just recently I met a man, who upon traveling in Mexico, encountered a few doctors that offered him $75,000 USD for his kidney.  Clean hospital room, full recovery and cash on-hand once he was finished. So he did it without thinking.  And since, it has got me thinking.

$75,000 for an organ where I already have two.  That's enough travel money for  5+ years.  And it's a sanitary/hospitable environment where the doctors have been professionally trained.  Did lots of research the last few weeks.  Talking to past patients about their experiences and recoveries and life thereafter.  All seems good.

Verbally committed this morning after another phone interview, tho haven't signed anything yet.  Told them about my Salmonella thingy, so we've put off an ideal surgery date for 7 weeks, to be sure my body is in tip top shape for whats to come.  I'm a little scared but mostly excited.  It's opening up the world to me for the next 5 years.  And heck, I have two kidneys

Salmonella poisoning

Everything can't be perfect all the time I suppose.  The risk in eating street food is that you never know how old it is, how long its gone without being refrigerated or how and where it's made.  Although I love love love it, I'll now think twice before I bite into a street empanada.

I have Salmonella poisoning.  If you've never had it, I hope you never have to experience anything of the sorts.  It's nasty and painful.  2-3 more days to go with my symptoms and then the doctor said I should be in the clear.  Cross your fingers for me!

Mexico favorites

Real coconut ice cream

Cocitos!

Chamoy sauce - chile sauce for fruit.

I say favorites, what I mean are things that are going to get the best of me!

Las Chicas Argentinas!

When in Rome

Tome Mate!

Yerba Mate + 3 Argentinan Chicas = A lesson in Argentian's Geography.  And a new way to say 'Ya, Playa and Pollo.'  

Talk about a bookstore!

Today was a book day. It didn't have a choice. My brain was in need of good words.  You know the feeling.

I found that and MORE at La Pared, an amazing bookstore (for backpackers...guide books, English words and a friendly helpful face) where I lost myself.

Walked out happily with a new 'to read' list and 2 new books. I've started one. You may know it. Gabriel Garcia' Marquez's 'Hundred years of Solitude.'

The list:

-Umberto Eco 'The Mysterious Flame of Queen Loana,' &  'Baudolino'

-Ivan Klima ' The Ultimate Intimacy'

-Diego Rivera (to learn everything I can about this man) They had a great book on his art. (pictured)

-Barbara Kingsolver 'La Lacuna'

If you get to San Cristobal de las Casas in Mexico and are in need, craving for a decent book and not something that you found on a lost shelf, in a hostel, that may have been written by someone lacking needed skills, then treat yourself.  La Pared is two/three blocks south of the main park on the pedestrian street of Hidalgo.  

And while you're there, ask what's happening in the city, they've got a grip on what's happening that needs to be seen.

Palenque ruins

Another day.  Another set of ruins.  Palenque ruins are great.  Different than Tikal but totally worth a visit and walk around.  The museum added a nice touch of information before we walked around.  Little Maya history never hurt anyone!

The Maya ruins of Tikal

I'll write more when I catch internet again, just thought you'd enjoy photos of Tikal!

To hike El Mirador without a guide

Wanting to save a few hundred bucks while trekking without someone else telling you what to do?  This is how to do it:

Line up supplies for the trip:
Water is needed but the camps have it.  El Tintal and El Mirador workers can sell or trade water with you. 
Food for 4-5 days.  Bowl.  Pan.  Spoon.  Knife. Etc.
Rain gear.
Tent/hammock.  Gets hot and humid in dry season, hammock with mosquito net would be great.
Mosquito spray.
Toilet paper.
Sandals for when you're done hiking.
Tang or something to dilute taste of unknown water.
Water purifying agents.
Dry/extra clothes.  Something to keep them dry as well.
Resealable bags.  Ants are everywhere.
Blanket.  Hot during the day. Cold in the middle of the night.
Good shoes.  Duct tape/band aids for blisters.
Something for chaffing.

After your supplies is gathered, lock your unneeded travel gear in a locker in Flores and give a note about emergency contacts to someone working at a hostel.  Then, go to the Santa Elena bus terminal and ask for buses to Carmelito.  Suggest going a day ahead to get an idea of what you're dealing with.  They usually leave at 5am and 1:30/2p.m. daily.  But remember, this is Guatemala, nothings certain!

The trail is less than 200 meters from the soccer pitch in Carmelita, back down the road you came on.  Ask a local for which one goes to El Tintal.  You'll see a sign in less than 1 kilometer that will say El Mirador.  See blog: Hiking El Mirador for photo.  From here you can't get lost.  The paths veer off but meet up again.  We followed the jeep tracks all the way to the old gum camp, walked straight through and made it no problem to El Tintal.

Should take between 4-5.5 hours to get to El Tintal.  Depending on your bag weight/break times.  Its roughly 25 kilometers there.

From El Tintal to El Mirador its a 6-8 hr hike. In total from Carmelita to El Mirador it's 63 kilometers. 
The trail is easily visible.  The first leg to El Tintal is a jeep path.  From El Tintal to El Mirador, there's only one way to go!

The reason people think they need tour groups is because the locals make it seem super dangerous, jaguars, mud, trails, etc.  But we met others doing the same, as we hiked it alone.  Also, many of the people we met up with that were in tour groups were very angry after it rained because all of their stuff was soaked and they paid for 'good equipment.'  We asked a guide once what a name of a temple was and he replied 'pyramid,' so the guides aren't archeologists that can answer questions, if that's what you're looking for.  The tours are there so you can go with people you might not know, so you can have a mule carry your stuff and so you can ride a tick-infested mule when your feet hurt.

Try it without a guide, they Mayan's did.  I'm not accountable for anything that happens out there, it's the jungle, but it's do-able if you're prepared.

P.S  When you see the El Mirador sign that marks the entrance to the site, you'll see temples behind.  Go in them.  They're awesome!  Enjoy.

Hiking El Mirador

When someone suggested hiking El Mirador without a guided tour I sprung up like a spring chicken. I hadn't heard of anyone going guideless. El Mirador is an archeological site in the middle of the jungle in Guatemala, just a rough 30 kilometers from the Mexico border.

To get there is another story. Not something you can do by jumping off the bus and landing at the entrance, there's no road for vehicles. It's a 2 day 63 kilometer hike in and then, 63 kilometer return. A hike through the jungle. With the elements of heat, humidity, rain and animals. Here's my story.

After a few days of planning, lining up food, scrounging for supplies, we lock our stuff in the hostel locker, leave a note with emergency contacts behind incase we don't return (we had no idea what to expect) and set off to the bus station. First task, get bus from Flores to Carmelita. Small, small pueblo 3-4 hours north of Flores by bus. Wish it was easy enough to go and ask one person about a bus but since it was Sunday the entire terminal had no idea.

Lesson number 1: do not trust the Guatemalan instinct. They throw us every curve ball and we're ready to leave or take a taxi for 500Q, thinking no bus today and come back tomorrow. My hiking friend takes off to check the other market bus terminal while I watch the bags. Twenty minutes into the wait and the money man from the Camelita bus comes running in screaming 'Carmela Carmela, Carmelita.' I jump. HOW DOES THIS HAPPEN? Taking the risk of finding my friend in the other market, I drag the bags on the bus, explain the situation to the bus in fast, broken Spanish and we take off. As soon as we set a tire close to the market, money man and I take off running in search for my friend. I leave the bags behind. Thinking 'man, if I loose both my friend and the bags, I'm going to be in BIG trouble!' I sprint every road that leads up to the market, describing to people what my friend looks like, seems like everyone has had their eyes close today. Manage to loose the money man while running. I'm out of breath and back by buses. Miraculously the bus driver finds me. With my friend. YESSSS! We've made the bus, lost the money man, but are on the bus. The entire bus has waited for us, is laughing at the fact that I'm dripping with sweat and out of breath. But we're on the bus today and not a day behind. Why can't things ever be easy?

It's dry season. There's no water in the jungle. We have to haul in all of our own water. To start I have 14 liters of water on my back. In water weight, that's 31 pounds. Then add food, supplies and clothes. We have heavy packs. We camp 30 minutes inside the jungle since we got in just before sunset.

The first day of hiking is 25 km to archeological site El Tintal. They have water you can trade for. So we didn't need to bring ALL of our water. AHHHHHh The hike with 14 liters on my back is tough. We break often. Using a GPS and maps for fun to mark progress, we slowly drag ourselves into camp. Then explore the temples and 'sitio' there. These Mayan sites are from 150 A.D. Crazy to be walking in the middle of the jungle and all the sudden see a half way uncovered temple 55 meters high.

The second day we're off to take down the rest of the kilometers. The jungle is dry. But filled with life. We see parakeets. Hear toucans. Watch spider monkey in the trees above. And among other things, have groups of guided tours passing us along with their 10 mules carrying their water/packs.

My feet begin to blister. My soles are bruised. My hips are bruised from my packs weight. My knees hate me. My ankles are beginning to roll. Sweat is streaming from our faces. We roll into the Mirador site 7 hours after we started. The first set of temples we come to actually have an opening, we go inside! The temple of the dead. Bats. Scary spider/scorpion creates await inside. But its worth it.

The highlights of El Mirador are the two main temples opposite each other. El Tigre and the Danta. The Danta is another 2 km away from camp, from the summit (70 m off the ground) we watch toucanets and howler monkeys do their thing. Stunned by the structure we stand upon and the view above the jungle. The Mayan's are quite the workers/architects. Both temples are daunting in size.

At El Mirador we find out we can get water from the workers. Again, another reminder why we didn't need to haul all water in. I'm in so much pain I barely talk or use an emotion. Tired and beaten down, we're heading back to El Tintal again tomorrow. Most groups spend an entire day at El Mirador. As much as I'd like that, my friend needs to get back. So we do it all again tomorrow. I wasn't excited about leaving this site. Another day would've been great to explore the Maya city but it's not happening.

To top off all the battles I'm fighting in my head from pain, it begins to rain the night we're at El Mirador. If you've ever camped in the rain you understand why this isn't a good thing. Although we left our bags under a tarped/roof area mine still managed to be completely soaked. Water ran out of it like a slow stream as I picked it up in the morning. Perrrrrfect. Already bruised and blistered. Now everything I own is soaked. We dry our clothes off with fire from other tourists. And set off back.

Again monkeys. Many orchids. Plants we've never seen/dreamt of. And mud. A whole pile of it! Awesome, 63 kms in mud! At one point fatigue set in, I rolled an ankle and fell. Only to be 20 minutes from the El Tintal camp.

Through all of the encounters, we made it! On our own. Without 10 mules carrying our stuff. Without paying $190/person for a tour. We ate noodles for dinners (yes I can eat noodles now) granola for breakfast and cookies for lunch. We watch the sunrise and set from the top of Mayan temples. Saw spider monkeys hang from their tails. Heard howler monkeys sing their destructive song. Appreciated mysterious jungle sounds. Sat in old 'gum' camps that worker left behind. Crossed tree branch bridges. Duct taped our feet. Traded for water. I drank18.5 liters of water. Walked 126 kilometers(78.3 miles) in 4 days. And have the sense of accomplishment that 'we did this.'

I'm paying today. Still in bed. Unable to move my legs. But thinking I'd rather be me than another man I saw on the way back. He'd been riding a mule and walking. All he wanted was 'a glass of vodka and a handful of Advil.'