Mexico City!

Everyone was sleeping as I unlocked the bolts on the hotel door of our Oaxaca hotel and hailed a taxi cab in the darkness of early morning. The cab took me across town where I boarded a bus to Mexico City alone. I was excited and terrified about heading to this monumental city. I fell into a deep sleep on the bus and swear I drooled sitting up. Luckily everyone else was sleeping too. It was a six-hour ride through mountains and surprisingly unpopulated.

As we approached the city I wondered what to expect. All I knew was it was very large and polluted. A hodgepodge of low-rise, semi-decayed buildings began to crowd the streetscapes as we hit the outskirts then made our way into the central part of the city. Traffic was lively and multiple lanes were partitioned like the commuter and express lanes on the 401.

I arrived at the train station around 1:30 pm and found a tourist info booth where someone spoke a bit of English. First we phoned the hotel to confirm my room. Yay!! It was booked for me. Then I asked if I could make it to Teotihuacan. Unfortunately she said it was too late. I had read in Karine's guidebook yesterday that you should only take taxis from authorized taxi stands as tourists can risk assault, rape and robbery. That may not actually be the case but nevertheless I had read it now. I couldn't find a taxi stand so I resorted to plan B and hailed a taxi was dropping off a business woman that belonged to the fleet of the highest number of cabs on the street. I didn't have much of a clue where I was. My driver didn't speak English. He did not know where my hotel was and I gave him my map (the girl at the booth had given me an excellent map and circled my hotel and the names of the neighbourhoods/landmarks). It really is a huge city and despite the hotel being so central, he had too stop and ask directions a few times. Of course he ended up being as sweet as all the other wonderful people I had met and delivered me there with great care. I mustered a 'buen nuevo anno' and squeezed his shoulder goodbye. He corrected my Spanish ('feliz neuvo anno!'), grinned and helped me get my bag out of the trunk.

I entered the hotel, got my room key and actually shed tears when I got to my room. Somehow it felt monumental that I made it safely to Mexico City and I was so proud of myself.

I ventured down again with lots of questions for the concierge, ate lunch at a nearby cafe (my stomach was starting to act up again), then got on a bus and went to the Museum of Anthropology - almost as exciting as Teotihuacan.

The bus cost 4.5 pesos (less than 50 cents) and it was a beautiful ride along this fantastic avenue, Paseo de la Reforma. Downtown MC is sophisticated and contemporary with modern sculptured buildings, hotels, banks, offices and museums gracing either side of the avenue, and an enormous park down the centre with fountains, gardens and outdoor stadiums.

Being New Year's Eve, the city was in preparation mode for the big party. There were thousands of police in blue/black uniforms crowded along the avenue for miles, as well as temporary stages with huge speakers, vendor stalls, and toilets.

By the time I got to the museum I was feeling rough, with cramping pains in my stomach. I was determined to enjoy myself and headed straight for the Teotihuacan display. They had done a phenomenal job of displaying some pretty huge artifacts from the pyramids and creating a sense of the site. I watched a few short movies and visited several sections of the museum.

Sadly I didn't take one picture in Mexico City. I was feeling too rough and there was too much to navigate in a short time. Another opportunity for next time.

It was 5:30 when I left the museum and I waited awhile for the bus. Frankly it was getting a bit deserted. Vehicles sped up as the roads emptied. Hardly anyone got on the bus. The driver forgot my stop but we all had to get off a couple of blocks further, so I was able to find my way back. I looked for a restaurant to get some dinner but when I finally found one that was open, they were just closing. Everything was closing! Even the Internet cafes were closed. The streets were deserted and all the buildings were padlocked and dark. I wandered back to the main avenue and found a Starbucks in a little mall. Between that and a 7-11 by my hotel, I picked up a dinner that included a cup of pink grapefruit pieces, rice pudding, triple chocolate cake, Perrier and peppermint tea. I ate this feast in my room, appeasing my crampy stomach (really) and opted for a quiet night watching TV.

I chose not to wander the dark streets on my own to find a New Year's celebration. It was mildly disappointing - there would have been some great sites - but sometimes it's just good to kick back, relishing the peace and sanctity of my hotel room after two weeks of rapid travel. I flipped between old episodes of Friends, Mexican countdowns and any other English shows I could find, before the final long trip home tomorrow.

Oaxaca

Arrived in Oaxaca around 10:30 am, relieved to find it warmer and at a lower elevation. The hotel had lost our room booking so I shared with two instead of the usual one. We all did our own thing the first day and I took it easy, exploring the downtown Central Park (zocalo) area.

The following day I went to Monte Alban - an Olmec/Toltec/Zapotec ruins built on the mountain above Oaxaca around 1,000 BC. We had another wonderful guide descended from the Olmec (the oldest group), whose distinctive facial features are quite difference from the Maya and Zapotec. "Like this..." Our grinning guide pointed to his wide flat nose and some 2,000 year-old Olmec carvings. Sure enough, they looked the same :-) He had a super thick accent and it was as if he communicated through his graceful and patient soul. He also told us the Olmecs weren't into human sacrifice and instead liked to sing and dance and that's what they did during their religious ceremonies.



The ruins weren't discovered by the Spanish so things remained relatively intact. Lots of carvings still exist there and the jewels are in a museum nearby. The location of the site is stunning, on top of a mountain with a 360 degree vista and nothing but blue sky above. The city of Oaxaca in the valley below was a lake at the time and their abundant source of water, so they had a pretty nice life.

The ruins have five layers, built one on top of the other by different groups. The first layer was built by the Olmec, then 4 more civilizations layered bigger pyramids over top. The site was used as a medical training ground and our guide showed us carvings of various medical conditions used for educational purposes. These were originally thought to be dancers and some people even thought torture victims writhing in agony! There was a hunchback, a breach birth, and other physical conditions. They documented the Caesarian section long before the Romans, and probably also performed brain surgery. They were incredibly advanced and we were blown away by the humble man who explained these marvellous things.

The site had a temple of the Sun and Moon, an astronomical observatory that showed the equinoxes and solstices for agricultural purposes (when to plant and harvest), another ball court, etc.

There were also carvings of other races who had arrived in the area long before Columbus. Our guide showed us carvings of Phoenecian, Viking, Jewish, Japanese and Africans. It certainly looked like it to us. He also pointed out the Olmec writing, which is pictographic and written vertically. It looks (at least to our unpracticed eye) astonishingly similar to Asian characters.

We took his word for it because after all, his family has lived there for hundreds, if not thousands of years, and sometimes what we see with our own eyes and intuition may just be more accurate.

At the last minute that evening we found out we were heading to our next location (Puebla) late...again. Matt had left buying bus tickets till the last minute and naturally the buses were full. We would arrive at dark, again. That would leave partying with the group on New Year's Eve then heading to Mexico City the next morning.

My flight was booked a day earlier than the end of the tour so I was scheduled to leave Jan. 1st. When I booked it I had mistakenly thought we would be in Mexico City on the 31st. But in fact we would be a couple of hours away. I had asked our guide early on the trip to help me figure out how to make my flight, and if there was a way I could get to Mexico City early so I could possibly see the great site, Teotihuacan...He said, no worries, he would. That night reality hit and I realized not only had he not helped me but he wasn't around and I had to make some quick decisions. Luckily one of my roommates had left her guide book in our room so I was able to do some quick calculations and read some maps. There was another Gap guide at the hotel - another bit of luck. I finally tracked her down and she was a real help. She told me to ask Matt to book me into the Gap hotel and get a bus ticket to Mexico City for early tomorrow morning.

When Matt finally showed up he was none too happy to hear my change of plans. He did agree to phone the hotel for me. I picked up the bus ticket - a small fortune - and basically had dinner with about half the  group then said goodbye! I got mostly packed, showered and then my two roomies and I hung out in our room, chatting and doing Tarot readings. It was a lovely way to end the trip with them.

San Cristobal de las Casas

Lovely sophisticated city high in the mountains (~2,000 metres). Dry and very cold at night (3 degrees) - a startling change from the moist, hot jungle. It was warm in the daytime, as long as you were in the sun. Spent a day climbing steps ("stairmasters" as one in the group called them) to see various cathedrals (Templos, possibly built on top of Maya temples). Also window shopped in a multitude of jewellry shops with sumptuous semi-precious stones - amber, jade, turquoise, lapis, coral.

San Cristobel is classy...beautiful streets, high end shops and great restaurants with healthy food and amazing coffee. It is a Zapatista town. Most of Mexico seems meat oriented and it's difficult to get a balanced meal. We ate at a fantastic restaurant with the best menu I saw anywhere. I think I ate there three times. The artwork featured people with their heads covered - to reflect the Zapatista insurgent values. There was a nativity scene where Jesus wore a black wool ski mask, like General Marcos. Our paper place mats had quotes by famous people like Indira Gandhi - "It is a privilege to live a hard life," and Batman, "the masked crusader!"

I've learned some stuff on this trip and reflected on this:

1. I'm capable of solving problems by asking for help - this helps reduce my anxiety and fear of trying new things

2. I get along with enough people to get by very well

3. I have something to offer people that makes for mutually beneficial and rewarding situations

4. If I am unhappy about something I am not the only one, and in fact my perception is totally on

5. I am strong and reasonable and can deal with more than I thought

My second day in San Cristobal I got sick. I couldn't hold anything down and spent the day in bed. Suzie thought it was altitude sickness but Matt, our guide, felt it was more likely a bacterial infection. I wondered about the water I drank in the jungle...I had to cancel the tour I'd booked to a Mayan town where we would learn about day-to-day village life and how they combine Christian and traditional spiritual beliefs.

Our hotel was freezing. I was in my down sleeping bag (one new thing that I'm so happy I brought - and didn't lose!). We were facing a 12-hour night bus ride to Oaxaca. I ended up using suppositories and recovered in time to make the trip!

Palenque & Christmas Day

Christmas Day felt like any other to me. I was glad I was spending it in a beautiful place. There was no Internet available here, so no contact with the outside world. In fact, none of the hotels we'd stayed at had Internet so I have to wait till I get home to post the rest of my blogs. Due to the loss of my journal, I started scrawling notes to help remember bits and pieces along the way...

Today I opted for an all-day tour, along with about half the group. First we went to another set of famous ruins, Palenque! We didn't get a guide on this tour so I don't think I got as much out of it as the others. Having said that, they have all become a blur since the trip. I'm glad I took so many photos. Thank goodness for Wikipedia...and all the books I'd already read about the sites...At least I can look up the info anytime I want.

I do remember it was a large site - actually much smaller than Tikal, but still. Much of it was still in the jungle. I stuck to the parts that were cleared. It involved a lot of hiking up pyramids. This was cool because it's good exercise, plus it's stunning to look down at the site and it made me feel good that I could do it. It was a cloudy day which was good because when the sun did appear it was hot and humid. It turned out to be not so good though, because maybe less than an hour in, it started to rain. I had lost my rain jacket which was bad news. My cotton hoodie got soaked and didn't dry until I could get to a lavenderia in San Cristobal a couple of days later. Nothing dries in the jungle...

Karine and I headed for the museum. It was a long walk and we each took a photo of each other absolutely soaked, along the way! We ended up going to a little anthropological museum. I was really excited because it was the first time I got to see all the artifacts that had been hauled off the sites. They were so beautiful. As fate would have it I noticed a glass door into a special area. The note on the door said it was only unlocked once an hour. Suddenly the door opened so of course I went inside. I was a little worried because no one knew where I was and we had to meet the bus in about 40 minutes. I didn't want to be locked in for an hour and find I'd missed the bus!

Inside I was treated to a set of 5-minute movies about the archeological discovery of a fantastic tomb of a king named Pacal. The movies had English subtitles (a rare thing!) so I was able to understand. The archaeologist recounted how he unsealed a vault, climbed down a steep dark staircase, unsealed another door and entered a beautiful white room that looked like glowing white ice crystal. The walls were covered in a smooth, shiny white mineral from the water that had slowed seeped into the room over hundreds of years. There was a sarcophagus in the centre - about the size of a double bed and taller. It had ornate carvings all over it. It had been moved into that room, so we got to see it. Stunning! It was in perfect condition, like brand new. The carvings and the pure whiteness of the stone were exquisite. On the lid, the "king" rested in the arms of the tree of life like a child. The idea of rebirth.

Here's some info on it, which you can skip over if not of interest: "The lid of the sarcophagus is carved with an amazing exposition on Classic Maya concepts of life, death, and resurrection. It also incorporates a wealth of astronomical information, including an image of the World Tree, which connected the levels of the universe. The imagery and text also allude to Pakal's role as a personification of the Maize God who, according to Maya creation mythology, died and was resurrected from the back of a turtle carapace. The sides of the sarcophagus were carved with images of Pakal's ancestors, all emerging from a crack in the earth with a fruit tree, as if forming an ancestral orchard."
(from: http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https://webspace.utexas.edu/jgk1102/images/49_palenque.gif&imgrefurl=https://webspace.utexas.edu/jgk1102/maya_palenque.html&usg=__m0AyperyIAD0v2F8wAi3Ag35CVI=&h=300&w=320&sz=70&hl=en&start=6&um=1&tbnid=4a6pU72EbQuZcM:&tbnh=111&tbnw=118&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dpalenque%2Bsarcophagus%2Blid%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dsafari%26rls%3Den%26sa%3DN%26um%3D1)


I really lucked out gettin to see that. I had seen a drawing of the lid in one of my books. Seeing it for real was amazing.

From there a shuttle van took us to some waterfalls, then drove a long way through the steep mountains of Chiapas to go to a swimming place - waterfalls with cascading pools of smooth, polished limestone rock. I could hear my ears popping as we climbed altitude. The view was gorgeous - lush green mountains with stepped fields, palm trees and indigenous homes built into the mountain-side. I snapped some shots from the window as we zipped by.

The site is owned by the Zapatistas. A few of them with guns stopped us by a shed with some very cool murals. Someone in our van was able to get a shot of it before they indicated no photos! I would LOVE to have that photo. We paid them a fee and moved on. The place was packed. The weather improved but it was a little chilly for swimming. Some people were. Instead I walked up and up and up and the levels of waterfalls that just never seemed to end. Alongside, the whole way up, were indigenous handicrafts stalls and restaurants.  As a Canadian, used to wilderness and wide open spaces, all I wanted to do was find a quiet place to sit by myself and relax. I finally did when I got back down to the bottom, behind some restaurants and cabins, by the water. At that point I decided no more all-day tours that involved bussing to three different sites, two of them gimmicky, forced to buy lunch at expensive restaurants, and subjected to hordes of tourists. It's not that the waterfalls weren't beautiful, but I don't they would have been my first choice for how I wanted to spend my afternoon.

that night back at the jungle hotel, we had a group dinner at the outdoor restaurant again, and a secret Santa exchange - the idea was to buy a small gift for 20 pesos ($2) and have a bit of fun. I had picked a hand-painted bird - maybe a parrot or quetzal, and added a Mayan chocolate that looked like a number or letter from the Mayan alphabet or calendar. I received a beautiful painted heart box and necklace from Suzie. I was very touched as she had clearly exceeded our price limit and went out of her way to give me something special. She kept telling me I was a very special person the whole trip. I didn't quite know how to take this as I barely knew her. "I'll never forget you," she'd say. She sometimes brought tears to my eyes telling me this. It was a magical night.

That night I drank some water from my metal canteen. It tasted weird. It had been in there for two days. Maybe in the jungle, that's not such a good idea...

Palenque & Christmas Eve

After a 9-hour bus ride, we entered the foothills of the Chiapas mountains. And the jungle of Palenque. We were late arriving because our guide had difficulty getting bus tickets. Everyone was on the move! Mexicans are big travellers and make up by far the largest numbers of tourists. So we arrived after dark and were thrilled by our lovely room with a mural painted on the wall, lots of windows and a ceiling fan, not to mention a very clean bathroom and no smell.

Our hotel was a complex of two- or four-room buildings along pathways through the jungle. You had to be careful not to step off the path because there were leaf cutter ants busily carrying their leaves somewhere important alongside. Luckily I had my headlamp (although there were cute little lights in the ground along the path) and we mapped our way back to the main part of the hotel - an outdoor cafe/bar with partial walls along the bar and stage, lovely lighting and more painted murals of green leaves, vines and animals. The large seating area was arranged on a concrete base, covered by a vaulted thatched roof on posts.

The place was packed - Christmas Eve is the time for fun in Mexico. I stayed up late watching live music, guests salsa dancing and stunning fire dances with drummers from South America. I really wished I could have got up and danced but salsa isn't in my repertoire yet.

Chichen Itza, Merida, Uxmal and Kabah

The next morning we all hopped on one of the marvellous Mexican buses with all our bags and headed to Chichen Itza, one of the most famous Mayan ruins and was of the new Seven Wonders of the World. We checked our luggage at the site, had some lunch then had a great tour with a cool guide whose name I can't remember. It was a bright, sunny day and pretty hot onsite. We saw the pyramid (Temple of Kukulcan) that was built so that on the spring and fall equinoxes, a shadow climbs (or descends) the steps of the pyramids. It looks like a snake (feathered serpent known as Kukulcan or Quetzalcoatl), moving up as the sun rises (or sets) and completing its journey exactly at the head of the snake near the top (or bottom) of the pyramid. It is so well-known now that 10s of thousands come out for the event, so it was actually a good thing that we were there on the solstice rather than the equinox.

There is also a huge ball court there. The Maya (and Aztecs and other indigenous groups) played a game, similar to raquetball or volleyball, usually lasting for several days, where the object was to get a rubber ball, weighing 5-10 lbs. into one of two stone rings extending from either of the stone walls, without using their hands. The captain of one of the teams was then sacrificed. Many speculate that it was actually the captain of the winning team - it was likely considered an honour. The ball courts are found all over Mesoamerica, but the one at Chichen Itza is by far the largest.

There is also a round observatory building called El Caracol (the snail), with doors and windows aligned to astronomical events. Wiki says: "Of 29 possible astronomical events (eclipses, equinoxes, solstices, etc), sight lines for 20 could be found in the structure. Since a portion of the tower resting on El Caracol has been lost, it is possible that the other measurements will never be ascertained to have been observed." Impressive.

After the tour, we got back on the bus and headed to Merida. It's supposed to be a great city but honestly, I was overwhelmed when we arrived. Once we entered the city, it took forever for the bus to navigate the narrow streets and heavy traffic to arrive at the bus station. On the way the view was pretty much shacks squished together and urbran sprawl. When we arrived at our hotel it was crammed packed with "art" like dismembered dolls and broken statues. Our room was on the lower floor and had no window and a smell of sewage and mould from our bathroom.

The next day some of us chose to go on a tour to more ruins (Uxmal and Kabah). The rest went to some waterfalls or cenotes. We had a lovely guide, Jesus, our first guide who is indigenous and grew up on the site. He had an unassuming and simple approach, telling us the stories of why the site was important and what the symbols meant. The information had been passed to him by his grandparents and he was clearly passionate about it, and very intelligent. It was refreshing to have such a genuine tour with someone eager to share the wonders of the site and virtually no ego :-) I felt very appreciative to be given information that was meaningful, engaging in the essence of the site. Everyone in the group delighted in this.

Uxmal's pyramids were less grand than Tikal and Chichen Itza but a lot more ornate, with stone murals everywhere, especially of Chac, the rain god. There were several long rectangular palaces. One of these may have been used as school for training healers, astrologers, shamans, and priests. It was built in layers so that we climbed up levels to get to the main quadrangles and had great views. The "Governor's Palace" occupies five acres. All buildings are exactly aligned with the points of the compass. I could really get a sense of a city here. Apparently it's one of the best restored and maintained sites. It was a powerful political and economic place in its day.

Jesus then took us for a brief look at another site close by: Kabah. There was no natural water source on site, so they built an aquaduct. An entire building was devoted to the rain god, Chac with multiple carvings of his head covering the walls. At the end of the civilization, the place was destroyed - whether by those who left, or by attackers is not known. The buildings are surrounded by rubble as well as hundreds of retrieved carvings lying in rows on the ground. It was slightly eerie.

Jesus drove us back to the hotel where I went for a quick walk to the market that evening with Karine. We were caught in a Christmas crush and the streets were full of shoppers and people selling everything from live birds to pinatas and firecrackers. LaterI faced a night alone in my creepy room. My roommate booked a room in a hotel down the road.

The next morning we left late for the jungle and Palenque. Unfortunately I left my journal at an Internet cafe that morning, so the details of my trip thus far were lost, along with all the entries I'd made since I started using it a few months ago. It was a beautiful leather bound book. Another reminder to avoid taking things I don't want to lose when I travel.

Playa del Carmen

I am feeling better than I have in years. I am able to carry a fully loaded back pack with no back pain, hike a volcano, trudge up steps the height of my forearm of seventy-storey Mayan temples and explore several square kilometre sites with people half my age.

At 49, my health and strength - my life force - is returning, and I am thankful for this trip to mark this shift as I approach the fifth decade of my life.

Hope returns as I see a future ahead. Life in Toronto is opening up these opportunities for me.

My travel group consists of 10 travellers and one guide, Matt. The age ranges from 20 to 49, with a pretty even mix - 4 in their 20s, 3 in their 30s and 3 in their 40s. (5 Canadians, 1 American, 1 each from South Africa, Australia, England and Germany).

There is one married couple and everyone else is travelling solo. The mood is mature and relatively quiet. Though Suzie, the 20-year-old is highly entertaining, telling of her exploits working at the Ann Summers (sex) shop. Several of us are here to see the ruins, which is great for me.

Today I tried snorkelling for the first time. Unfortunately the weather is not great - cloudy and cool. But I braved this anyway, by myself, sticking the plastic tube of the snorkelling mask in my mouth and sucking up my first mouthful of very salty water. After about three tries I had the hang of it and saw my first fish. I swam with the fish and it was truly wondrous. I saw only one other after that - you had to pay big money to be taken out to the coral reef where the action was - but I was more than satisfied. Up until then, I thought I'd missed the boat on this. It just goes to show, it's never too late to try something new. My motto for this trip is, if the opportunity arises, try it!

Some of us also visited the ruins of Tulum. This is a cute site right alongside the ocean - a gorgeous setting. Unfortunately the tour we signed up for got us to the site at its most crowded. It really detracted from the experience. I would encourage anyone to find a different option and get there first thing in the morning - it is truly a lovely place.

After Tulum we took a brief trip to the Cenotes. These are caves with water inside that on a hot day would be truly refreshing to swim in. People like to snorkel here too, but it was a bit chilly so most of us opted not to. This was the last place I saw my brand new pink raincoat that I had bought from MEC especially for the trip. I put it down only to realize later and it was too late - someone had picked it up. Which just goes to show, don't take new stuff when travelling - use the old stuff you don't mind losing!

Mexico!

Said goodbye to Tikal and entered Mexico last night. Got to my hotel room at midnight after 16 hours of bus travel and two border crossings (Belize and Mexico). The Mexican buses are great, like everyone says. Watched a great dubbed version of Pirates of the Caribbean. The voices were impressive and sounded almost like their English-speaking originals. You could imagine the two London cockneys speaking Spanish with a cockney accent...is that possible?!

Great to be chilling out by the ocean with my tour group, and knowing I can relax for the next two weeks and let someone else do the guiding.

Tomorrow I head to my second Mayan ruin: Tulum. It´s supposed to be a beautiful setting by the ocean. We´re also going to swim in the cenotes and chill at a beach. Sounds really good...

A few days before entering Mexico I asked some people, why is Mexico part of North America and not Central America? They told me, "you'll see when you get there." This is true. As soon as we crossed the border, the highways, traffic signs, gas stations, convenience stores, supermarkets, bus stations could have been in Canada or the States. There was a level of sophistication alongside the guys with guns in the back of pick-up trucks, the indigenous people selling food by the side of the road, the tiered village shacks built into mountainsides, the stray dogs...Buses run like clockwork and there are pharmacies on every corner! You can walk in and tell them what ails you and they'll give you the drugs to treat it, for a very reasonable price.

The shot above was taken in San Cristobal later on the trip - in the mountains of Chiapas. I regret that I took virtually no pictures of the streets, or the people on my trip. It was a combination of reluctance to pull my camera out on the busy streets by myself and not wanting to be intrusive. Something for next time!

Tikal and my birthday

December 18 - Tikal

I packed up all my stuff in Flores and got ready to meet Amie and take the shuttle to Tikal. I dropped my bags off at her room then took my laundry to the local Lavenderia, where they agreed to have it ready for me in an hour. It's such a treat here getting laundry done. They wash and dry everything, then fold it and pack it up. It's like having a little bit of love on your holidays. I was worried the first time I tried this, in Antigua, about my synthetics and delicates but they turned out just fine.

While my laundry was being done I grabbed a coffee at Cool Beans. I sat outside - everything is open air here - and enjoyed the moist jungle air and lake view. Then I went to book my shuttle for the long trip to Cancun the next morning. It was going to pick me up from the hotel at Tikal and take me to a nearby little town called El Remate where I would rendezvous with the main bus that would take me all the way through Belize to Chetumal in Mexico, where I would then catch another bus to Cancun. The price was exhorbitant but the travel agent said that was the only price I could get...He gave me his cell number and told me to call from the hotel to confirm where they should pick me up, once we'd decided on one of three hotels in the park. That was my plan for tomorrow.

After booking this I met Amie and we headed to the Tikal Inn and asked to see a room. It was phenomenal. We negotiated a good rate ($40 U.S. for a shared room) because it was off-season and abandoned the bare bungalow option. We were so excited to be there and it definitely felt like a birthday treat. We had a great lunch outside by the pool. No one was around because all the guests were out at the ruins, so we had the place to ourselves. We had a nice chat with the waiter who is practising his English and helping me with my Spanish! Then we hopped in the pool which was gorgeous. It was so cool to be swimming in the jungle, with the trees all around and animal noises coming from the distance. It was a bit rainy and the staff thought we were nuts, but to us it was warm and the water felt great!

The only problem with the jungle is it's always damp, so I had to haul my wet bathing suit and towel to Cancun. They finally dried two days later and didn't smell too good!

Later I tried to call the travel agent to confirm my hotel, but couldn't get through. I needed to do this before Amie and I headed into the park for our last evening at the ruins. I had high hopes to take some quiet time to sit with the ruins in the Gran Plaza. After 3 pm most of the people have cleared out. I asked the concierge at Tikal Inn for help reaching the travel agent and we tried a bunch of different phone numbers - none of which worked. Weird. There is more to the story, but in the end the concierge called a number he had in his drawer and was able to confirm my early morning pickup. Amie and I took off for the park but by this time it was late, and sundown would be happening in less than two hours.

We hiked in the 45-minutes or so and first visited a temple (pyramid) that we hadn't seen before, then headed for the Gran Plaza. By the time we got there, the sun was close to going down. There were a few people in the plaza, and we recognized a girl we'd met at the hotel that morning, Eveline from Switzerland. The three of us were trying to figure out which temple we were supposed to climb to see the sunset from, when a couple of park rangers, one with a gun (it's reputed to be dangerous hanging out there after dark - banditos...), told us to follow them. They took us on a narrow path through the jungle and we had no idea where we were going. The guy with the gun was at the back. Eveline understood Spanish and later told us the guy was pretty excited about having a job where he got to carry a weapon around...Anyhow, lo and behold we arrived at the designated temple, according to the two guys. And super fast because of the shortcut. We climbed the stairs as it was getting cloudy and could just see the sun above the horizon way over to the left side of the temple.

We never did get to see the sunset. It got too cloudy. I didn't get my time in the Gran Plaza either. But we hiked back almost an hour in the dark with Amie's flashlight, joining up with a couple more touristas to increase our number to five. We were safe, and went to dinner at a neighbouring hotel. We had a couple of glasses of wine then went back to Eveline's room and I did Tarot readings for each of us! Then Amie and I tried to get back into the hotel (Eveline was staying in a bungalow) and it was locked up. We weren't relishing sleeping in the jungle and luckily a sleepy staff person heard us and let us in. We sheepishly thanked him profusely.

The next morning the shuttle didn't show up. I had a major bus journey ahead and if I missed it, I would miss meeting my tour group in Cancun. The concierge - a sweet 18-year-old that I had a great chat with the day before - went and got the hotel manager. He phoned San Juan travel and gave them hell. Apparently they're known as the Coyotes and basically I was totally ripped off. The manager assured me a shuttle would arrive in half an hour and that I would make my bus. He told me I could easily have gotten a regular shuttle for 1/6th of the price if I'd ordered it through their hotel. Something to remember for next time! He gave me a coffee on the house in the dining room, where Eveline was having breakfast with an American couple. They gave me some bread and I settled in to wait for the shuttle to arrive. Which it did shortly. Everything went smoothly and I made my bus connection. I recognized some people on the bus from my tour of Tikal a couple of days earlier. This was cool because it was a very long trip, especially with the border crossings and I sure appreciated connecting with nice people. Hardly anyone speaks English so I rely on other tourists a lot.

I had a great time on my birthday and got to spend it exactly where I'd hoped - even better because we stayed at the Tikal Inn, which was just awesome and more than I'd expected (I had pictured sleeping in a hammock or tent based on what I'd read in my guidebook). I was so happy to meet Amie and Eveline - total strangers who became fast friends.

1st day at Tikal

Caught a shuttle at 5 a.m. from the hostel in Flores and headed to the jungle location of what was until recently the largest Maya ruin in Guatemala. After a long sleepy ride, we arrived at the park for a guided tour.

It was a 45-minute hike in to the first temple, so the guide entertained us with some wildlife as we went along. First we met a baby crocodile in a pond by the entrance. The guide clapped and the little guy swam over to the shore where we stood. Cool. Then he found us some howler monkeys way up in the trees. My telephoto managed to get some not bad shots of them. He had a howling fest with them, and then some park staff found a boa and tarantula to show us. The spider was creepy but he said it didn't have any poison in it (don't know how he knew this). Needless to say I didn't volunteer to hold it.

We wandered on and explored some smaller ruins. Way off in the distance we could see some high templos (temples) looming above the tree cover. The ruins are all built from limestone in the Classic Maya period, and date back as far as 400 BCE. I don't know how a soft stone like limestone could last that long but the buildings are incredible. The tallest are 70 storeys high and simply magnificent. The site is huge. The part that's excavated covers 16 square kilometres and it goes on far outside of that - the national park covers 575 square kilometres. There are 3,000 structures onsite. It has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site and costs a lot of money to excavate because of the constant battle to keep back the jungle.

We hiked up steep stone steps of several templos...all spaced a fair hike apart. I was pleased with how well I did at this. One of them had crazy steep wooden steps built - practically vertical - because (I read in my guidebook) a couple of hundred people had fallen to their death here. I told a couple of 20-somethings to go ahead of me because I would hold them back, but they insisted I go ahead and I found that I wasn't holding them up at all. Kudos to me! I made it to the top and the view was spectacular.

We finished the tour at La Gran Plaza. What was most profound for me about this site was the awe that it inspired. I don't know what the civilization was like who lived there, or what they did, but there was a peace that made me want to come back when there were a lot fewer people, and just sit and absorb the wonderful vibes. The plaza is an enormous complex of several buildings, with spectacular twin temples rising in the east and west, defining the space. The base of the complex itself, covered in grass and trees, is actually part of the structure, which rises quite high from the jungle floor - you can see how perfectly flat this layer is in pictures, built from a solid limestone base.

During the tour I met a woman named Amie who is an art curator in England. She is quite successful and travels the world finding interesting art. Her goal is to be the curator at the Tate, which I could totally see her doing...We got to chatting and ended up planning to spend the following night at one of the three hotels onsite at Tikal - right in the jungle!! She did some checking and one option was sharing a somewhat bare bungalow at the Jungle Inn for about $20 each. We planned to meet the next morning and take a shuttle back to Tikal in the morning for our last night (and my birthday!). Once there, we would go to the Tikal Inn - which we'd heard was really nice - take a look at a room, and see if we could negotiate a similar price...

Flores, Tikal and my birthday

December 16 - Flores

Arrived at 8 a.m., found a hostel and spent the day checking out the island.

Flores is a slightly twee little town located in northern Guatemala (in the region called El Peten), in the jungle. Its main charms are the views around the lake. You can walk around the seawall in 1/2 an hour or less and pretty much every direction has a view of thatched huts, islands, boats and tropical trees with the odd azur blue or yellow-orange hotel. Its claim to fame is its proximity to Tikal - the most well-known Mayan ruins in Guatemala.

It´s now 4:30 and darkness falls in an hour or so. I will head down to the lake. I hear you can swim here. I have yet to decide what I´ll do on my birthday in 2 days...The really excellent news is I´ve booked my bus from Flores to Chetumal for Dec. 19 which means I can stay here on my birthday. I´ll make it to Cancun by 7 pm, in time to meet my tour group.

Tomorrow I´ll do my guided tour of Tikal. I´ll be picked up at 5 am.

In Guatemala, homes are walled to the street, with barred windows and circular barbed wire cabled along the tops of walls. Especially in Antigua, behind the walls could be the most beautiful gardens and homes, historical relics, etc. Here in Flores it's no different. At my hotel, like most buildings, there are no outside walls on the inside. You walk up flights of steps to your room and the roof is an open garden with hammocks and views of the lake. There is also a washing machine where the staff wash the sheets and towels, then hang them to dry on the clothes lines.

There´s a beautiful breeze on the island now, after a hot and humid day. Everyone is out along the shore, walking, sitting, talking, swimming - locals and visitors together. They are building a seawall all around with wide stepped areas to hang out or swim from. As the sun begins to lower, the clouds appear white-washed, glowing white from the edges and pinky, bluey-grey in the centre. They follow the receding shores and islands further down the lake. It reminds me of Vancouver and the West Coast.

As soon as the sun is down, a tropical meloday begins as bird noises emerge from the blackness. Squawks, squeals, caws, whistles, chirps and calls. It´s a lovely place here.

Virtually no one speaks English here so this is challenging. It´s such a small town I try to say hello to the locals as I walk past. It´s the usual handicrafts, hostels, restaurants and hawkers. But there´s local life too. At this time of year, lots of celebration leading up to Christmas. More processions, firecrackers and band music long into the night.

Tikal to come...

The Nelson Factor

Antigua, Guatemala - December 15th

My last night in Antigua, six of us decided to go to the Sky Cafe (a rooftop bar reputed to be a great place to watch the sunset). The place was packed and we squished in between the bar and a table (where a couple sat), grabbing a few stools and creating a circle so we could chat. After awhile we were joking with the couple, hoping we hadn't disrupted their view. They looked right at me and asked me where I was from. I told them Toronto, via B.C. Turns out they're from Nelson. And though I had never seen either of them, we have plenty of people in common. They were Julie Kucera and her husband Arthur Christensen.

They were heading to Tikal in two days (I was leaving the next morning for the same place) then they would visit Jessica in Pana! No matter where you are in the world, there is always someone from Nelson!

The coincidences went on from there. We went out for dinner with Julie and Arthur. A couple of guys at a table beside us heard us talking about Tikal and it turns out that like me, they were going there the next day. They were from Toronto (there are tons of Canadians travelling so this was no big deal). We chatted briefly and said goodbye.

My flight was leaving at 6:50 a.m. the next morning and I was picked up at 4 a.m. by a shuttle van to go to airport in Guatemala City (one hour away). I was the first one to be picked up. At the next hotel a couple of guys climbed in - the same two from the restaurant the night before. The van filled up then we wound our way through the mountain pass to the biggest city in Guatemala. Everyone on the van was going to Flores. The next day I bumped into the two Toronto guys twice at Tikal. It turns out they live in my neighbourhood in Toronto about one kilometre away, so I'll probably see them yet again!

Another little story of interest about my trip to the airport: the shuttle driver stopped at the international airport and called my name. He started pulling my bag out and said something in Spanish about "internacional." A Spanish lady behind me spike English and I asked her where they were going. She said Flores. I tried to explain in very limited Spanish and sign language that I was going to Flores like everyone else. He shrugged and got back in the van. He took us to another part of town and dropped us in a deserted area with a bunch of warehouses. It was a black night and we entered a small empty building where there were a few seats and a desk, no staff, no washrooms and no phone. The Toronto guys were chatting about their 6:30 flight and I pulled out my ticket to discover I was booked on a different flight at 6:50 and a different airline! I talked to a very kind Spanish lady who had some English. Everyone else was flying with Tag Airlines and I was the only one flying with Taca Airlines! Thankfully a guy in a beat-up Ford Fiesta showed up at the same time (no idea who he was or why he was there). She negotiated with him to drive me back to the airport for a small fee). It was a rattly, bumpy ride back through dark local streets and no common language between us. I had no way of knowing where he was taking me as it was a different route. Sure enough he eventually pulled up at the airport. He was very kind and helped me get my bags inside the airport. I made my flight no problem.

Pacaya Volcano was amazing. The hike was steep and long, through loose gravelly, sandy ground. I managed to (barely) to keep up with the group and was so happy about this. Some people rode horses most of the way, until we reached the hardened lava, which is sharp, uneven and unforgiving. We laboured through this until we reached the glowing red embers of the erupting volcano. I dont know if erupting is the right word because it wasn´t violent, just brilliant red gel-like liquid, slowly billowing out of the mountain. All around us, underneath the grey-black barrenness of the hardened lava, were glowing red coals. It was so hot some people lost the soles of their shoes. As more and more people piled onto the sharps rocks, trying to get close for photos before the sun finished its descent, I began to feel an urgency to get away from the heat. I carefully selected footholds between the people coming through, trying to avoid crumbling bits only inches above the coals. I made it back to the edge of the plateau and began munching on my dinner, hurrying before we began our long climb down in the dark.

I ended up riding a horse down, as my IT band became too painful to walk...it was a beautiful sight - about a hundred people wound their way down the twisting path through the darkness with their headlamps and flashlights...the sky was full of stars and I could see Orion perfectly, on his side just above the horizon. Riding the horse down steep rocky slopes was not the easiest ride but I can´t say how grateful I was to have this help for the 1-1/2 hour journey down.

So glad to be in Antigua. Arrived yesterday. My stomach was acting up and I almost lost it in through the meandering mountain roads.

I'm staying at a hostel called Yellow House. It's just great - a mellow place with nice people and great breakfasts! The city is absolutely beautiful and very easy to navigate - which is a good thing because there are virtually no street names posted so I take out my map and count blocks as I walk! Cobblestone streets with colourful buildings run all over town and I quickly checked out the HUGE market that sells just about everything and the central park where it all happens.

Mountains circle the town and there is a live volcano in the distance. You can see the smoke rising from it in the photo

This morning I went on a fabuous walking tour given by a guy who grew up in Guatemala City. His  mother, Elizabeth Bell, has written extensively on Guatemala. He has a masters in cultural anthropology and knew a lot. He took the time to explain about the culture, history, politics and the Mayan calendar. He was really up on the latest anthropological discoveries. He told us that a stelae was just discovered six months ago that has the first few pages from the Popol Vuh carved on it (the Maya's creation story/bible). This book was destroyed by the Spanish hundreds of years ago and all that survived was a translation by a Spanish guy. It was always thought to be inaccurate - because it is so similar to the Christian creation story. But now they've discovered this stone it seems that the translation is totally accurate! Very cool.

He also talked about the "disappearance" of the classic Maya. This has been considered somewhat of a mystery. There were millions of them occupying huge cities. Then one day it's as if they just left. No one has been able to explain why. He feels that it's not that mysterious. He thinks it involves their aquaducts. OK, some of you might find this a bit too much information, but for those of you as interested as I am...They built their cities in super inhospitable places. We now know there are huge cities still uncovered because they are so deep in the jungle (e.g. El Mirador on the northern border of Guatemala is one day's drive then two days' hike through the jungle - there are hundreds of uncovered structures that reveal the biggest Mayan city yet and no facilities or amenities apart from what can be carried in). Anyhow, with regard to the aquaducts and the water - basically in El Peten (the northernmost region in Guatemala) the ground water was toxic, so they built these intricate fresh water systems, among other cool things. But then there were wars between various "tribes," one main one lasting more than 150 years. And basically they were destroying each others' aquaducts - which are super labour intensive to build - and, kind of undoing each other. He says a lot of the northern Maya ended up escaping into the Highland mountains in souther Gua and are still there today.

In addition, he says the Spanish were given way too much credit for a lot of things. For example, they didn't have huge armies wiping people out (though they certainly did plenty of that). But they would recruit one group of Mayans who were warring with another group, and then have them finish each other off. The point being that small Spanish armies didn't go through every town butchering thousands in their wake, as has been portrayed. A lot less work for them...

The coolest part about the Spanish/Mayan interaction is the religion. Catholocism has been modified to accommodate the Popol Vuh traditions, so at the church altars you'll see all kinds of symbolism that stem from Maya creation stories. Mary, for example, is symbolized by the moon, and Jesus by the sun.

Pana rant on my last night!

I wrote this in my journal on my last night in Pana. I found Pana a hard place to be. A piece of paradise and very affordable for foreigners, the town was founded purely on an expat and tourist economy. The life of many locals is based on getting enough money to feed themselves by selling whatever they can. Also known as Gringotenango it is a small place - around 11,000 including the outlying communities - yet there are plenty of bars, prostitutes, alcoholics and drugs. Wife beating is a problem among some poverty-stricken Mayan men who are drug-addicted. Pana has seen its heyday and is going through a difficult time. Being there made me question how the dreams of people drawn here for the good life have shaped its destiny over the last few decades. It is cynical and provoking but nevertheless I decided to post it here...

Tonight I am wondering why I am travelling. People in Pana is searching, searching, just like everywhere else. What did I think I would find here? Or find travelling anywhere?

It is what is inside that matters, after all, as always.

Perhaps seeing the Mayan ruins will help me access a deeper place. Here I feel nothing but my inner peace disturbed...by the plight of the Maya people, the now-toxic lake, the gringos here for the good life.

Whatever was here 30 years ago is lost. People are hanging onto an empty shell. The beauty is still here but is marred by inequity, mob anger, the polluted lake and a corrupt government.

The wonders that I had expected here - where are they? In the the endless piles of factory weaving? In the hard eyes of the Maya? In the lonely seeking eyes of the grey-haired men at the bar? Or the young foreigh residents who are big fish in a small pond, fed on idealism and opportunity? Their status is reflected in their height, skin colour, language and bank accounts. How easy to feel gratuitous, how easy to ride on a myth and a dream.

The irony of yoga retreats in San Marcos and crystal psychics when stray dogs are being kicked in the streets, luxury homes built into prime lakeside properties while thousands of tin-roofed crumbling shacks hide much higher above...

Where is the dignity in being here? Or anywhere? I am suddenly all for holidays that involve peace, beauty and solitude...There´s far more to be said for comfort and peace of mind than I ever felt before.

Is the life I´m living any better or worse than this? Did I think I would see something here that is more real, more beautiful, more perfect? Perhaps.

I seek peace within myself. The restlessness I see here is a reflection of my own relentless search for the light within. I have so much. I enjoy so much - in the hours I am alone and those I share with good people. I have so much.

It´s my last day in Pana. I am so happy because my delayed luggage arrived. Yesterday I crossed the lake to San Pedros and San Juan. Met a great Parisian woman named Aurelie. She is travelling Central America for 3 months. The villages we saw were lovely - set into the hillsides with lots of churches and cobblestones. San Juan was especially nice. Saw villagers fishing, harvesting what looked like rice, coffee and corn. It's the only community there that isn't set up for tourism so it was really pleasant.

It has been a real blessing to start my holiday here. It is small plus Jessica has been wonderful. Other than a week in Cuba, this is my first experience seeing people struggle with poverty. Also, I don´t speak Spanish. I struggle with fears and anxiety yet these few days have given me a chance to get more comfortable.

I took two Spanish lessons with a wonderful woman named Sandra. Already after the first lesson I was able to form very basic sentences. It feels really good. I´m also getting more used to the bartering and noise in Pana. It's a whole other way of shopping here and I feel overwhelmed by the pressure. I have to walk past many market stalls to get from my bungalow to the centre of town. There are tuk-tuks (glorified golf carts) racing everywhere, as well as motorcycles and cars. People are trying to sell stuff all over. There are beautiful handicrafts - weaving and leatherwork. Stunning colours!

Lake Atitlan is losing tourists and this is worrying for the people here. Very recently, the lake suddenly became very sick. There is green/brown algae floating on top and swimming is forbidden. This is because open sewage is pumped into it, plus biodegradable soaps are unavailable - and too expensive if they were. The government apparently isn´t motivated to address this so it´s very frustrating for people here.

Tomorrow I´m off to Antigua for a few days. I´m excited about this because it sounds like a fun place. Lots to do and see! I´m hoping to hike up to a live volcano...Will keep you posted :-)

Vigilanteism is alive and well in Guatemala!

My first day in Guatemala was eventful. A shuttle driver met me at Guatemala City airport and I was the only passenger for the long trip through the mountains to Panajachel on Lake Atitlan. He barely spoke English and I barely speak Spanish but he was very kind. I felt so safe and was very thankful.

Luckily I had Clair's Spanish phrase book with me and figured out he was telling me there was trouble in ¨Pana¨ and the pass may be blocked. We made it to Sololal, a Maya community just before the pass to Pana, around 4 or 5 pm. He stopped at a friend´s house to get the latest news.

Luckily there was another shuttle bus waiting there too with English-speaking tourists. They told me four robbers from the big city had started robbing Pana.  Three women and one guy. The town people got really mad and started a riot. They blocked the only road out of Pana and hunted down the robbers. They lynched the guy and the police took the women to the local jail. Yikes! I had just read in my Lonely Planet guide on the airplane that this sometimes occurs. It said that while it may be hard for us to understand this, the politics are complicated and so they resort to an age-old justice system when push comes to shove...Anyhow, the women weren't safe so finally the army helicoptered them out and the people opened the road. We began our way down around 7 pm. The road was littered with boulders and huge trees for about two kilometres along the road. They must have been pretty freaked to haul so much stuff on the road.

One of the American travellers in Solola explained that they are totally dependent on tourism and don´t want robbers thinking they can come here anytime and destroy their means of livelihood. He spends about half a year in Guatemala and Mexico trading. He seems to have a pretty healthy respect and good understanding of the cuture here. Lake Atitlan recently became toxic, which may also explain the desperation behind the people's reaction.

Luckily Jessica was OK, though she saw them dragging the guy, which kinda sucks. She had to hide someplace downtown for hours, until things calmed down. She and her boyfriend met me when I got there around 8:30 pm, and we grabbed some food and called it an early night.

I'm staying in a bare "bungalow" close to Jessica's. It has its own bathroom and outside there are poinsettia trees growing. I've only ever seen the plants so when I realized I was looking at bushes of red blossoms that look just like the Christmas flowers, I was amazed! They are supposed to be really hard to grow but here, they grow naturally!

The only other adventure in the day was my luggage missed my connecting flight in Houston. I had 20 minutes to get to the 2nd plane - in another terminal - and my luggage wasn´t as quick as me :-) The coolest thing happened though. At the Guatemala airport, I was looking for my bag, which I realized might not be there, and an airport worker approached me and asked, ¨Are you Sally?¨ Wow! I didn't even have to do anything. She told me my luggage was delayed, got Jessica´s phone number and told me she would send it on the shuttle tomorrow. It´s now tomorrow and I haven´t got it yet but it´s on its way. We just phoned the airport.

In the meantime, Jess is giving me everything I need.

Today we took a trip around the lake to San Marcos on a ferry. It´s beautiful. The mountains and lake are like Nelson, only more spaced apart and smaller. Jess says the altitude is much higher. I haven´t had any problem adjusting and feel totally normal. San Marcos is like being in California in Guatemala. It is full of retreat centres for wealthy health-conscious people. Organic restaurants, yoga and massage schools, you name it. There are also many luxurious houses built into the mountain sides along the lake owned by wealthy Americans. This place became a mecca to the hippies in the 60s and 70s and still is. The Maya people squeeze in around them, in huts higher up in the mountains.

I saw the little mountain that inspired the guy who wrote the Little Prince (Antoine de Saint-Exupery´s illustration of the elephant. Do you remember that picture in the Little Prince? The mountain is the same shape (without the legs). Apparently he wrote the book in San Marcos. Who woulda thought?

Just got back from dropping Brodie at Maja and Natali's, where he will stay for the next month while I'm gone. I told him it's a vacation retreat. So far he's taking it pretty well. He will get lots of attention and love from my friends :-)

A limo is picking me up at 4 am, Sunday (Dec. 6) and I'll be jetting off to Guatemala City by 6. From there I'll be taking a shuttle to Panajachel ("Pana") to meet my friend Jessica. I'll get in around 4:30 pm. It's on Lake Atitlan, which I hear is very beautiful. I'll spend about a week there, and hope to visit Ken McGuffin's Mayan school and women's weaving collective while I'm there. Ken is a guy from work.

Ken started the school a few years ago and visits regularly. Many people where I work make donations to the school to help keep it running. I made a donation recently and 100% goes directly to running the school. He also supports a fair trade organic coffee growers called Cafe Justicia. Very cool.

After that, I will head to Antigua for a day or so, and maybe get to help out for a day with Don Alejandro and his partner Elizabeth. Don A is a famous Mayan elder who travels the world sharing Mayan traditions and ceremonies. Then I'm off to Tikal, a Mayan ruins that is supposed to be spectacular. From there I will head to Cancun, Mexico and meet up with Gap Adventures for a two-week tour called Mayan Ancient Civilizations. Check it out! I'm hoping to spend my birthday in Tikal but it depends on how long it takes to bus to Cancun.

My goal is to realign with the sacred in day to day life. It is now almost 10 years since I was at Yasodhara Ashram and it's time to remind myself of my spiritual practice. They say Guatemala and the Yucatan are heart-centred places so it will be a nice change from Toronto!