Aftermath Of The Bombing In Boston

Last week I was so busy teaching and has no time watching he news about the bombing in Boston during the marathon held the previous weekend. I was very engrossed with my job but I am all ears with the news. Initially, I was saddened about the tragedy involving the boy who died during the bombing as well as the three others who died and the others who got affected especially the wounded and their families.

This country had suffered much about terrorism but amidst the chaos I can see the unity of the people to solve the issue. After the bombing people were clueless about the perpetrators but because of the cameras around the area and the tenacity of the one victim, who in his coma had woke up and cooperate with the authorities to picture out the image of one of the bombers. It was a week long surveillance and at the end the perpetrators were caught and apprehended after a massive manhunt.

It was a gruelling week for all the Bostonians despite of being instructed by the authorities to stay in their houses and be on the look out, and their city was been on a lock out, as well as the transportation was been paralyzed for several days preventing the terrorist to get past from the city and go somewhere else. It was a brilliant idea though by the authorities and it totally worked out. Impressive indeed!

I don't know what's the motive of the two Chechen brothers but the questions still remains in my mind. What was their reason to carry out such heinous crime? Why do they have so much hate to Americans? What was the bottom line on all of these? It was a lot of puzzle that I needed to solve but looking at their pictures, these youngsters appears clueless and innocent. Their images could be deceiving but still there's still a lot of doubts in my mind. I was thinking this was just hyped up by the media.... and still more doubts.

Not until I've seen and heard from the news the following day of the bombing when their pictures were being flashed on the television screens, that had triggered them to come out of their hiding place and were being tracked by the authorities. They had carried out several unacceptable crimes like killing a university security police, hijacked his car, and robbed a 7-11 store. Then I concluded that they were both guilty.

The elder brother was been shot dead after a shoot out with the authorities and the younger brother had escaped but eventually was found and caught after being discovered hiding under a tarp in a boat and was in critical condition because of a massive blood loss. Thank God the mayhem was done but still the fear that had thrived in the hearts of the Bostonians was still confusing them and had left them some unanswered questions about the real cause of the bombing.

I was also angry at the boys Aunt because she was campaigning that maybe he boys were been framed up by the authorities but her eyes was not really open by what her nephews had done to the people of Boston as well as the whole country. I am also saluting the uncle for condemning the two boys actions as "acts of devil" and that he was ashamed of what they have done. I just can't believe him for disowning the two boys because he was embarrassed of their actions, but it was just sad that it had to come to this situation. The father in Russia was also in shock and just couldn't believe that his boys had done this horrible actions but he was sorry about it.

Well, as a mere bystander or shall we say worldly audience, it was really sad that these things happens in our society. I just couldn't fathom "why there is so much hatred in these boys hearts?" What really triggered them to do such heinous crimes? It was really confusing to me why they have to resort to such an enormous violence to cause chaos in the society? Why? and there's more whys....

I am glad this was over and I hope the young boy will soon gave us the answers that I needed to know once he will be discharge from the hospital. I have my own judgment about why they did this but it is still premature for me to divulge it here. I know we all soon learn why it happened but honestly I know every one of us has his own assumptions about their motives. There were a lot of talks about it in the news, in the community, at work, etc. but I was just an avid listener to it. I never drew out my conclusions yet. But whatever it is, bottom line is the doer was caught and we all soon know what was their motive.

It must be painful to wait for it but we have to be patient. As the community of Boston heals all we have to do is pray and hope that this tragic event will not happen again in the future. We must be more vigilant enough to prevent this things to happen in our society. Thanks for reading my opinions and observations and have a nice day!

My Recent Mexican Travels In Retrospect

April 5, 2013: Friday*** In all of my travels I always capped them with my forthright recapitulations about what had happened during my trips, trying to recall some of the highlights of my journeys like an imaginary reel playing movies at the back of my mind. At the same time I summarized my mundane adventures and gained some profound lessons from them. It was a somewhat random hindsight of what actually had happened during that moment and at the same time it can suggest some measures to avert dissatisfaction and repercussions had I encouter similar events in the future.

My first day in Mexico City was filled with excitement. Seeing my best friend for the third time had made me so eager and happy. We bonded so much despite of my lack of sleep, because I had worked the previous night before I left Los Angeles for my flight to Mexico City. He was very kind and extremely congenial in picking me up at the airport and letting me catch some much needed nap after that. Then he traipsed me around the city that night after I woke up.

The following day he brought me to the Somouya Museum where we enjoyed the vast collections of Rennaissance and Baroque arts as well as the well renowned sculptures of Auguste Rodin like "The Thinker" and "The Martyr" among others. He also showed me the plush area of Mexico City wherein swank and ritzy shopping centers can be found. I relished our adventures that day despite of the nagging traffic around the city. We had a cozy one-on-one walk at the Chepultepec Park and the adjacent Mexico City Zoo, wherein we enjoyed watching a Panda eating bamboo. This is the first real Panda I've ever seen and her name is Xin Xin, born via artificial insemination. She's very adorable.

He also allowed me to take the pictures of the arts and sculptures on the streets, which I have longed to do during my previous visits in the city, but because we didn't have much time before, I haven't done it. Now I had enough time to do it so he left me on the streets and gave me enough liberty and autonomy to capture the pictures of the intricate and stunning statues created by Jorge Marin, a contemporary Mexican artist, in the middle of the streets of Mexico City. Mission accomplish on that!

My last night in Mexico City was capped with a visit at the male strip club which had given me some total whole new experience as an adult. I just hunkered there and dote on the view of male dancers dancing on the stage in colorful small tight undies gyrating their chiseled and sculpted muscular body on the stage. I also enjoyed watching the audience drooling at the dancing go-go boys gracefully moving on the spotlight-filled platform. It was an out-of-this world experience for me to be there but it's all good. Being an adult and a professional had given me a chance to witness the wantonness of human flesh as well as maybe being receptive to my sensuality as an adult person. It was intriguing but it was a totally different spur-of-the-moment experience.

Our sojourn to Cuernavaca was been inevitably unplanned. We missed one day of our trip because we spend it in deciding whether he has to drive his car or take a bus. He was hesitant on what to do, not until I blew up myself. Then we had a minor disagreement about his indecisions and uncertainties which I bemoaned to start. I was just infuriated because he was dubious of what to do until he told me that he lost his driver's license and can't drive outside the federal state of Mexico City. It was just a minor asinine fall-out with a slightly muddy situation, so I told him that it's much better for us to take the bus. Had he told me at the outset, we should have talked it out and decided immediately on what to do. It takes two heads to decide, I told him.

So we ended up taking the bus at the "Terminal de Autobuses de Pasajeros de Oriente", commonly referred to as TAPO, which is a main bus terminal in the eastern part of the city, and catch a chartered bus going to Cuernavaca that afternoon. From Cuernavaca we will then connect to Taxco the following day, because it was already close to twilight, and the last trip to Taxco was probably closed as well by the time we arrived at Cuernavaca.

When we got to Cuernavaca it was already gloaming and he was still skeptical on what to do. He wanted to take a taxi to Taxco because I told him that we will be forfeiting our hotel reservation there. I was furiously enrage at him during that time because I was indignant at his bewilderment and ambiguity. I pacified myself of my fuming anger and tenderly told him, because he and I were already tired and drained out, that we have to spend the night at Cuernavaca and just cool-it-off there because it won't do us any perks.

From the bus station we asked a taxi, driven by a burly-moustached middle-aged Mexican-Indian-looking guy, to drop us to a nearest affordable and convenient hotel. There we spent the whole night simmering off our unpremeditated indignation and stinging remorse, plus the fact that we were both tired already, I was just tight-lipped about the whole fiasco. I felt that he was extremely miffed and discontented about the whole situation, so I tenderly pat him on the shoulder and gently told him that it was okay. I told him that we have to rest it off and forget about it the next day.

We slept our day's trouble off and woke up freshly invigorated the following morning at 0600H. He woke me up with a gentle jolt that early morning waking me up and telling me that we needed to get ready. He told me to get up because he wanted me to see the whole town before we leave Cuernavaca later that day. So I woke up and took a warm shower then changed. After that I packed our things hurriedly so that we can leave them at the reception while we were strolling the whole town. We left the hotel after leaving our luggage at the front desk and then took off and wandered aimlessly around the yet sleeping town. The placita was still highly blanketed with a thick cold fog as if we were walking on a cloud. It was resplendent there in the morning devoid of the busy traffic.

The weather that morning was breathtaking and it was exactly apt for cooling off our boiling emotions from last night's fiasco. What a coincidence of course! He brought me at the heart of the town, we cruised the zocalo and placita, checked out the mercado, perused the vintage and exquisite churches, ambled at the side streets, and rambled at the sublime gardens in the churchyard. We ate some "tamales", a staple Mexican early morning grub, sold by the nuns at the front of the church and took a lot of pictures of the whole town for my online album.

We went back to the hotel after our early morning saunter around the town and then called a taxi to drop us off at the bus station. There, we inquired about the schedule going to Taxco. We were informed by the lady at the counter that the next trip will be leaving by midday. It was 0900H when we were at the bus station and we still have to wait for three hours, so we decided to hire a taxi going to Taxco, tagging along with two more passengers where we divided the fare evenly among each other.

The trip to Taxco was very amusing and audacious. I saw the bucolic picturesque-countryside of the state of Guerrero, the fresh cut rose flowers of varied hues being sold at the side of the highways, and the hilly paved roadways on the way to Taxco which was very intimidating. It was indeed a thrilling and riveting ride. When we got to Taxco we were excited because the narrow cobblestoned pavements were brimming with pilgrims and revelers trying to witness a peculiar cultural celebration of the Holy Week. We were also excited about what to experience, see, and feel when we're there.

Taxco was a very fascinating mountain town. It was nifty there. We got a very affordable hotel near the Centroville, near the happenings, where the whole day procession will be held. The cobblestoned streets were crammed with people of all walks of life. The tricky-puzzling-hilly streets were very treacherous and perilous. The Beetle taxi ride on the curvy hilly streets was surprisingly venturesome. I loved the white painted houses lining the edges of the mountain roadways that uniformly gave the town it's own unique arrangement and imposingly majestic view.

The food was absolutely fantastic there. We sipped margaritas like there's no end. The quality of food were sterling and top-notch despite it was very reasonable. We were there at the height of the Holy Week celebration and we had witnessed a different form of cultural celebration being held there annually. It was very interesting and engaging to observe. The procession was also similar to what we celebrate in the Philippines although it had dawned to me that I am not in my homeland.

Taxco was a very sprawling progressive town in the state of Guerrero, very crowded at that time because of the Holy Week celebration. The pulchritude of the world renowned Santa Prisca Church accented by it's two towering and intricate belfries was one of the pride of any Taxcans. It was very solemn to be in there. The gaudy antiquated wooden altar carved magnificently and gilded enormously was the prized possession of the church. It was very dazzling and charming inside!

Having the crowd at the center of the town had limited our explorations in the vicinity so we decided to catch up at the outskirts of the town by hiring a ramshackled Beetle taxicab drove by it's astute yet courtly and charismatic young driver. He brought us to an arcane and occult countryside to peruse a landscape where a clear falls should be seen literally, but we did not saw it in actuality, because of the limited rain that had happened in the area during that season, which eventually had dried up the water sources of the falls.

Instead, we saw various natural earth basins containing deep aqua blue waters in different shapes and sizes around the surroundings, inside the jungle, which looks like blue bangles intertwined with each other as seen at the top of the hill. Thus it is called "Las Pozas de Azules" which simply means as "Blue Fetters". It was gorgeous to look at from our vantage point. There were a lot of people swimming, bathing, diving, wading, basking, and floating in it. It was very mesmerizing to be there. We also helped a hunchback boy financially, who served as our tourist guide that time. Our handsome perceptive young driver was even kind enough to give him a ride and drop him off the the exit of the barrio.

After exploring the outskirts of Taxco we went back to town thinking that the celebration was over then retrieved our luggages at the hotel hiring the same cab to drop us off at the nearby bus station using the uphill alternative route, because the main Centroville was still been closed due to the Holy Week celebration.

We left Taxco that afternoon taking a bus back to Cuernavaca to reroute ourselves that night to Oaxaca which was roughly seven to eight hours bus ride. We explored Cuernavaca again because we still have an ample five hours left to wait before the bus will leave the town that night.  We decided to sip drinks at the acclaimed and laid-back "Casa Blanca" at the center of the town. We stayed there for an hour sipping mojito and watching people coming by.

After that we strolled the town and then went back to the bus station and waited for our bus to leave. We left at 2100H and spent our whole night, sleeping at the comforts of the first class airconditioned bus going to Oaxaca. It was a smooth ride and we tried to recoup our energies after a two tiring days stay at Taxco roaming its innards and bowels as well as its extremities. We slept like babies not minding where the bus goes.

We arrived at Oaxaca early at 0630H and the town was still fully blanketed by a very thick fog. The colonial town appeared so progressive and was very methodical. The colonial buildings appeared very old yet the town emerged to be drawing a lot of tourists because of it's colonial aura and various archaelogical sites that had lured the tourists in. I myself was captivated by it's serenity and simple yet unique cobblestoned streets, as well as the vintage and impressive architectural structures sporadically scattered around the place.

The tour at the nearby towns were very didactically interactive starting off with the weaving factory in Mitla and then by the mezcal factory in Matatlan. Watching the 2,000 year-old cypress tree in Santa Maria was also a very intriguing experience. Visiting the discrete archaeological burial sites of the Zapotecs in nearby Teotitlan was very historic despite of the scorching heat of the sun. All these excursions were very educational and interestingly mind draining.

Because of time constraints, we have to skip visiting the archaic ruins of Monte Alban and the most sought Dominican Monastery nearby. I was extremely devastated because I will be missing Monte Alban, which is one of my primary goal in coming to Oaxaca. It was the reason why I was in Oaxaca but now I will be missing it. I was thinking that maybe Oaxaca just wanted me to come back next time to visit it, who knows.

Because of the lack of time, the group decided our last stop which is the "Hierve del Agua Azul" which is situated on top of the mountains in the Oaxacan countryside. We trekked a very winding and tricky slopes of the barren mountains to just pay homage on this very enthralling place wherein a sulfuric water basin on top of the mountain was being found, as well as the stable calcitic ledge on the side of a mountain with white calcite sludge appearing to be flowing at the edge of the plateau, majestically looking like a huge white water fall dropping down the side of the mountain. It was a grandiose site to reckon with, honestly. I didn't regret to come there actually with the group.

From there, we left the place at twilight and when we arrived in Oaxaca proper it was already dark, ready for us to venture another exciting bus ride going eastward towards Chiapas state. Next stop will be the magical town of San Cristobal de las Casas. We left Oaxaca at 2200H and we slept our fatigue off from our whole day tour without even minding what was happening along the road. When we woke up it was already dawn in San Cristobal.

The moment we step foot there after alighting from the bus, the challenge we were facing in looking for a hotel during that early cold and foggy morning was very imminent. We hired a taxi eventually and asked for help where to drop us off. Fortunately, we got a hotel that's willing to cater for our early morning needs. Whew, traveling really entails a lot of challenges and adventures and frankly we like it that way. The raw surprises we were experiencing were just surreal. Never in my mind I can imagine that it was happening. I have to pinch myself sometimes to let me know that I wasn't dreaming.

San Cristobal is a very likable rustic town filled with Mexico's indigenous Indian people. I like it there because the people were just happy going. We were lucky because there was a fiesta when we arrived there that added to the lively surroundings of the place. We geared ourselves for the tour by looking for a tour bus and luckily we found one that would bring us to the Sumidero Canyons in Tuxtla.

Our visit at the lake in Tuxtla de Gutierrez had send us to check the famous majestic gigantuan canyons of Chiapas itself. The view from the lake was very stunning and beautiful despite of the scorching heat of the sun, which we did not really felt, because of the cool breeze of the afternoon air that were dancing and bouncing in between the canyons. I ended up having a mild facial sunburn which I thought was my unforeseen remembrance for this unforgettable trip.

The trip to Chiapa de Orzo, checking out the whole town was also a productive one despite of the nagging heat of the late afternoon sun and the drenching sweat which had soaked my shirt necessitating me to buy a new T-shirt at the sprawling mercado. We toured the market place and checked out the famous crown gazebo at the center of the zocalo which was one of the trademark of the town of Chiapa de Orzo itself. After the trip, we went back to San Cristobal and enjoyed the party for the night.

Partying at San Cristobal was great on a Sunday evening. The cobblestoned streets were teeming with partygoers, young and old, men and women, fat and thin, etc. It was madness! We stayed at this very slick restaurant, stayed there to eat our dinner, and then mingled with the crowd listening to a folk and pop singer singing and strumming his old-vintage guitar on a makeshift stage at one corner of the restaurant. It was fun!

Early that following morning we left the still sleeping town, and took a bus going to Palenque to see one of the famous Mayan ruins, the "Palenque Pyramids", where the renowned "Tower of Inscriptions" was being located. The ride took long hours, climbing the steep mountains of Chiapas State. I didn't even felt that we were ascending on the mountains not until I felt dizzy suddenly. My friend had told me that we were on the highest peak in Chiapas that's why I felt sick. It didn't even dawn on me that it was a high altitude area, but it was very thought-provoking.

We arrived there three hours past noon and it's almost nightfall already so we decided to stay at the hotel and catch more sleep so that the next day we will have a lot of energy in perusing the pyramid area, like treasure hunters. Hehehe.

The following day we woke up early in the morning preparing ourselves for the tour of the pyramid ruins. The van had picked us up at exactly 0800H sharp and dropped us off at the north entrance. He then instructed us to meet him at the south exit after lunch so that we could tour more around the area. We have an ample three hours time to roam the area.

Our day at the "Mayan Pyramid Ruins" was been worthwhile and rewarding. Despite of the nagging heat of the sun I still enjoyed the drift. It was the most pleasant and enjoyable adventure I've ever had. We enjoyed the stunning sites of the ancient pre-Columbian ruins. The crowd was awfully crazy. There were a lot of tourists here and there and it's just madly insane. The ruins were all remarkable and I took a lot of pictures which I already posted in my Facebook account.

In the afternoon we convened at the south exit and then we continued on our trip at the falls of Misol-ha which was about forty-minutes ride from Palenque. The falls was massive and we enjoyed trailing the paths underneath it and feel the cool misty water dropping from the basin on top of the plateau, cooling our warm and blushing faces. The small azure basin at the base of the falls was very cool to look at and again I took a lot of pictures of it for my online album.

After staying there for one hour we left the place and continued onto our next stop which is the "Roaring Cascades of Agua Azul" which was roughly another forty minutes drive from Misol-ha. The place was enormous with a very stunning view of the cascading clear blue waters of a river coming from the top of the hill. It was riveting and at the same time enchanting.

The crowd was even immense compared to the ones at the pyramid ruins. The place appeared commercialized defeating the stunning and gorgeous view of the cascades. Despite of the burgeoning restaurants and memento stands at the entrance and sides of the river it was inevitable not to appreciate the beauty of the roaring cascades from the bottom of the river, flowing down from the top of the hill gracefully gliding down to its base, creating a loud, thunderous, and roaring speedy-white-rapids that sounds like a prodigious and blaring outdoor orchestra performing and creating a resonating splashing sounds from a distance. It was awesome if being viewed from the top of the hill. The scenery was very impressive. I also took a lot of pictures of the cascades and posted it online.

We left the place close to twilight and it was already dark when we arrived in Palenque grabbing our luggages at the hotel and called a taxi to drop us off at the bus terminal. From Palenque we took a chartered bus going to Villahermosa in Tabasco, and from there we took an airconditioned bus back to Mexico City.

We had no time to roam around Villahermosa when we were there. We just stayed at the bus station and waited for the time of the departure. We left Villahermosa at 2300H and slept at the bus while on our way back to Mexico City.

We arrived in Mexico City the next morning. The ride was very smooth and uneventful. We took the subway from the central terminal and alighted at the "Insurgentes Platform" near Zona Rosa. We then dragged our luggages towards the Century Hotel where we will be staying at for the rest of the day. We rested at the hotel for roughly two hours, took our warm showers, and then meandered around Mexico City for the last time.

It was already night time when we got back at the hotel. Few minutes later, my best friend decided to bring me back at the stripper's club in Polanco, one of the elite places in Mexico City. There at the club we regaled ourselves with the dancing go-go boys stripping their habiliments one-by-one in front of the crowd. There were sporadic amount of audience inside the club at that time and we enjoyed feasting our eyes watching at some of the dapper and well built strippers from all over Mexico. My friend had told me that the club was well known in the city. I felt lucky he brought me there again on my last night.

We went back to the hotel past midnight never realizing that my friend had cleverly negotiated one of the guy from the club for us to meet at the hotel and the rest was history. Hehehe. That was I think the icing of the cake for this adventure and I thanked and appreciated my friend's effort to make my vacation unforgettable and memorable. Can't complain actually.....

The next day, he dropped me off at the airport and then I flew back to Los Angeles still denying that I am going back to the real world again. To sum it up, my vacation was a blast. I just can't forget all those beautiful and wonderful places we've been, our magical and amazing adventures around the country, our inevitable minor arguments although there was never been a major one, and our unyielding and indomitable drives to make everything happen despite of the challenging odds intrepidly accepting the challenges that arise no matter what.... we all have done it with bright colors and sparkling stars. It was insane and yet it was hilariously fun. Can't trade any of it.

I always believe that any experiences I have couldn't be bought by money as well as couldn't be stolen from my memory because they were all imprinted at the back of my mind. And as I age, I won't just forget it totally because it will still remain there forever until my brain will shrink, wither, and reduce it's size because of old age, still the remnants of my memory will still be there, intact and unexplored. I am glad I made this life-changing journey (although all of them were life-changing anyway) that had greatly affected myself a lot, well all of my journeys had affected myself enormously, as what I have painstakingly observed.

Hopefully, things will be great again and I will set another journey next time where in I can get more personal and intimate with my travels. Next time, I am aiming at accomplishing a very challenging goal and hopefully it will be more experience filled and educationally stimulating, as well as fun infuse of course. Life is always a promise and it is good to feel it that way. I promise you Mexico that I will be back and I can't wait until it happens. See you next time!

My Flight Back To Los Angeles

April 4, 2013: Thursday*** After several tiring travel days in Mexico and visiting a lot of beautiful and gorgeous places I have to culminate my travels. Honestly, I just don't want my journeys to end so abruptly because there's still a lot of places that I needed to see, peruse, and visit but I have to cut it off because I have to go back to work.

It breaks my heart to end it this way and the seven days that I have been away was been very hectic and loaded with a lot of adventures and fun. It was also tiring but it was worth the effort. I had a blast and I am very happy that I took a leap of faith to have it done. I am proud of myself for such accomplishments. It does implied that a great adventure always had to start with one step and then ends with another.

Now, I have to go back to Los Angeles and tell my friends that I had a blast. I will not forget this life changing journey that I had made. It had made me a better person and at the same time had gave me a lot to learn. I thank my boyfriend for sticking with me all throughout this journey. Now, I have known him fully well and our friendship was been strengthened by our being together for the whole week.

I never seen a very patient man beside me despite of some setbacks we have met during this journey. It was inevitable to have them yet he stood strong and had accompanied me through thick and thin. I am more in love with him for just being him during the entire journey. Him and me were been blended together despite our own differences and that is the most important thing that had happened during the entire journey.

It sad that we have to part again because of our life's choices. Me working and living in Los Angeles and him in Mexico City. Two different world apart bonded by a very special friendship. And we made it work! I am in awe that we stick like glue. Hopefully, our friendship will be forever.

We spend the whole night cuddling each other in the hotel after a tiring drive from Villahermosa. We arrive in Mexico City at around 0900H and after we checked in at the hotel we slept like a log sleeping off our fatigue from our two days adventure in Palenque. It was a very tiring adventure yet we have seen the beauty of Palenque with the Mayan Pyramids and the cascades as the highlights.

After a good nights sleep, I woke up early in the morning packing my things up and try to ready myself that this trip had to end. My heart is bleeding and I am in denial that I have to leave again. I hate goodbyes and I can see my boyfriend was also been sad. But we have to face the reality.

After taking a warm shower upon getting out of bed, I readied myself and we checked out at the front lobby. Then we boarded at my boyfriend's car parked at the basement then he drove me to the airport. The streets was not that crowded and the weather appears gloomy. It seems that the weather was been mourning for my departure.

While driving my boyfriend was talking about our great and happy adventures and was kind of brushing off the reality that I am leaving today. He's also in denial I guess and I can feel his void. We did this before and everytime I left he is kind of very endearing trying to comfort me that it is okay and that we will be seeing again someday, when I come back again for a visit.

We arrived at the airport devoid of harm's way and he assisted me in obtaining my boarding pass. The line was not that long so I got my pass easily without struggling from the long wait. After getting my pass we went to look for a restaurant to eat and stay until my flight is up. We still have three hours to talk and be together and frankly it was the most poignant times of my entire trip.

It never dawned to me that leaving had made us so intimate at each other despite making our self discrete at the premises of the airport. We hunched some plans about my next trip and he was so excited telling me where to go next time. I dreamt that time that it was my coming back again but I felt the pinch that it was not. We made a promise that we will make the next trip more adventurous and fun and to go to a lot of places especially in Quintana Roo and the Yucatan state.

When the time for me to line up for the security line was up he took me near him and hugged me so tightly and kissed my forehead so endearingly. My eyes was kind of misty and I couldn't help holding my emotions. I hugged him back tightly and pounded his strong back thanking him of his surreal love and affection. I never had this kind of love abandonement which is true and heart piercing. And I hope and pray that we will still last as long as it gets. For I know how it will work out and he just proved to me that he is sincere.

Before entering the security line I hugged him again and tahnked him for everything he did. I promised him that I will come back and that I will be seeing him again in the future. And I will keep that promise as long as it takes.

After getting through the security line he was still outside so I waved at him that I'm okay and then I went to look for the gate that I needed to board. My steps were heavy and my chest was numbed. I always get this feeling everytime I gave goodbye to someone who is dear to me and I really hate how it feels but at that time I have to muster all my strengths and get going to face another avenue of my life in my hometown.

We boarded at 1430H and the plane left Mexico City at 1450H. We taxied the tarmac and I bade my last kiss to the place where I left the man that I have loved. I promised to call him when I arrived in Los Angeles and he indicated that he will wait for me to call.

The flight from Mexico City to Los Angeles was about three hours nonstop and it was a smooth and uneventful flight. So far there was not much raucous inside that plane unlike last time that I have to help a diabetic passenger. I have slept may be almost half the time of the flight and had been reliving the good and fun momemnts of my recent journeys.

Starting with my stay in Mexico City during the first day, our stressful trip to Cuernavaca where we don't know whether we drive his car or take a bus, our solemn experiences in Taxco, Guerrero where we witness the most odd tradition of celebrating the Holy Week, our crazy adventures at the outskirts of Taxco and the thrilling ride in a delapidated Beetle-taxicab on the hilly-narrow-bumpy streets of Taxco, our unplanned trip and journeys to Oaxaca and the heart pounding trip to Cuerpo del Agua Azul, our fight on a bus on our way to Palenque and the nature trekking there starting from the Canyon de Sumidero, the romantic walk at the Mayan Pyramids, the visit at the falls of Misol-ha and the intimate hand-to-hand stroll at the Cascades of Agua Azul. It was being relived mentally by me like a reel of movies in my mind. It was a magnificent feeling at the time.

We arrived at Los Angeles International Airport and then we embarked at the platform near the international immigration office lining ourselves and have our passport stamped. I never had problems in going our there and then I retrieved my luggage without any trouble at all.

I went out of the international airport and called for a taxi to drive me home. It was already 2200H at that time and 0100H in Mexico city. At the taxicab I dialed my cell phone and call my hubby telling him that I arrived safely in Los Angeles and then I gave him a long kiss and the driver was just smiling listening to me talking on my cell phone.

I arrived at home safe and sound checking my dying plants so I have to water them first and then checked my dog if she's okay. She was jumping up and down with excitement when she saw me and was licking my shoes. I gave her a hearty dinner and tucked her at her doghouse.

Now, I am here in Los Angeles feeling so alone and needed to face the realities of life. I am so happy now that my trip had given me a breath of fresh air and that tomorrow I have to start fresh again. It's just good to be away sometimes and unwind from the busy turmoils of everyday life. I am glad I did it and now I felt good. Can't complain so much...... although tomorrow will be another chapter of my life.

Going Back To Mexico City

April 2, 2013: Tuesday*** After touring the beautiful and magical town of Palenque we will be heading back to Mexico City at night time. We spent an excellent day in Palenque and it's time for us to rest off our fatigue in the bus on our way back to Mexico City.

Our day in Palenque was been loaded with unending adventures despite of the scorchingly hot day but it was woth it. We've been to a lot of wonderful places during the whole day and I was contented about it. The sad part now is that we will live Palenque and cherish all our good times here. I don't know when to come back again but for sure I will come back here again.

After the bus had dropped us off at the hotel, we immediately went up to our room and picked up our luggage then went downstairs to pay for our dues at the reception area then we stayed there for a while at the reception area waiting for the taxi to pick us up and drop us off at the bus station.

Tonight we will be heading back to Mexico City because I will be going back to Los Angeles the next day. When we got to the bus station my friend inquired about the tickets in going back to Mexico and he was advised by the ticket lady that there was no bus directly from Palenque to Mexico City.

In order for us to get to Mexico we have to get a transit bus going to Villahermosa, Tabasco and from there we have to take a direct bus from Villahermosa to Mexico City which last roughly to 8 hours. It will be another long night drive but at least we got the time to sleep until we get to Mexico City the following day.

My boyfriend and I were extremely tired and I am very much relieved that my vacation will culminate with a big bang. I was so happy that everything turned out very much better as what I have expected. It was a wonderful trip full of beautiful memories and unending adventures. I enjoyed it so much along with the company of my boyfriend.

Now, I have to face the fact that I have to end this short vacation and will face reality soon. Reality I never been excited with but it makes the way I am and was been a way of life already. I can't complain.

From Palenque we took a small transit bus and it took us an hour to get there taking the winding and slopy mountain highway from of the state of Chiapas. When we got there it was already nighfall and the city appears twinkly from a distance of top of the mountain.

Villahermosa is a typical colonial town as you can see. Just like Oaxaca and Taxco. I couldn't really describe it hear somuch because we have to time to roam around. All I can tell you is that the bus station was huge and I thing was another hub in connecting to big cities. It was also nice and clean in there and there were a lot of people waiting there for their own respective buses to arrive and leave.

We stayed there for three hours waiting for our connecting bus in going back to Mexico City. I was so stoned already and was just wanted to sleep but I can't because of the ruckus inside the station. It was just very crowded and noisy in there. I was just sitting there trying to observe people passing by and was just quiet at the corner while waiting for our bus.

After three hours the bus arrived and we went up one-by-one inside and waited until it left for Mexico City. When we finally left the city it was already 2200H and I started to fall asleep. I was very tired I guess that's why I have no idea what was happening that time inside the bus and outside as well.

By 0500H, I woke up and felt hungry so I stood up and went to the back to get coffee from the thermos at the back. Islept so good and had no idea what happened suring the night while we headed back to Mexico City. The ride was smooth and uneventful and I am glad that we were all sound and healthy.

We arrived in Mexico City at around 0630H and we disembark at the Union Station and took a subway going to Zona Rosa hopping out at Insurgentes station. The subway was also very crowded and the train was very clean. This is also the first time I rode the train at Mexico's subway. Another thrilling adventure for this trip.

We went back to the Century Hotel where I reserved one bedroom for my last night here in Mexico. We slept during the day trying to slept off our fatigue from our five day adventures and slept like a log until we feel recharge. My boyfriend had invited his friend to come over at the hotel to spend time with us and then we headed to Tom's Leather Bar to see the naked go-go boys dancing on top of the bar counter. It was crazy there as well as highly charge.

After midnight, we went back to the hotel drunk and rested well until morning. My flight back to Los Angeles will still be in the afternoon, so my boyfriend told me to rest off all the fatigue and tiredness that I have. I slept like a baby that night smiling about my adventures for the last five days. I am just grateful that everything went well. And I am so grateful that my boyfriend had stayed all throughout.

It was a very nice week for me and I couldn't just be thankful to my boyfriend for sticking with me until the end. Baby, I am very proud of you. Thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart. Take care and I love you!

Enjoying The Natural Sites Of Palenque

AprIl 1, 2013: Monday*** Palenque was a very tropical place south in Mexico and we were there to visit the famous Mayan pyramid secretly hidden inside a lush green forest of the region, toured the interesting falls of Misol-Ha; and enjoyed the roaring cascades of the Cascada del Agua Azul. It was a jampacked one day tour of the region but it was worth it. It was the last leg of our tour and I tried to be sure not to miss out on all the beautiful places before we signed up for the tour.

We checked out at the hotel in San Cristobal at around 0700H and hired a taxi going to the bus station planning to leave early at 0800H and arrived in Palenque at around 1400H because the ride going to Palenque is almost six hours. When we got to the bus station we inquired for the next bus going to Palenque and we were told by the ticketing lady that the next trip will be at 0830H.

We bought two tickets for the special bus and waited for it to arrive. At 0830H we were told that the bus will be delayed and that we have to wait until the bus arrives from Tuxtla or Oaxaca. At 0915H the bus finally arrived and was readied and prepared for the trip. Ten minutes later they told us that the bus could not leave because there was some engine problems so we have to wait for another available bus coming from Tuxtla. We waited there not until one hour after the alternate bus arrived. We were accounted outside and we started to line up and then instructed us to come up one by one.

The bus finally left at 1030H, so that means that we will be arriving there almost late in the afternoon. The bus ride was quiet and I grabbed the opportunity to take a good rest by covering my eyes with a night cover so that I can recuperate from my hangover from last night's partying. I don't care if I will be snoring in the bus as long as I am well rested when we arrived in Palenque.

While sleeping in the bus, I felt the the road appears winding because the bus was snaking the narrow twisted road sharply and I was been shaken side to side of my seat as teh bus turns left to right of the road. It was a smooth ride and not bumpy at all. I can also feel that my body had become lighter as the altitude gets higher and I've been more sleepy and felt more soporific because of the gradual oxygen depletion as the bus slowly ascend the mountain. I didn't even care how long the trip was as long as I am well rested when we arrived there in Palenque.

We arrived in Palenque at around 1630H and the sun was still scorchingly hot at that time. The town appears very rustic and the bus station was just a minute one. We then called for a taxi after we alighted from the bus and indicated to the driver the hotel's name where we were staying. The hotel was just few blocks from the bus station, we didn't even know not until the driver had dropped us off at teh front gate of the hotel. We then inquired at the reception and gave the lady at the counter our reservation number then we filled up some paperworks and then we were given the key to the room.

The resort was very spacious and nice and there were foreigners soaking themselves in the front pool during this very hot day. I wondered how long they were there in the water because it was very humid at that time there. We took a long nap at the room nursing our fatigue from the bus trip as well as our hangover from the last night's party. Now it's an apt time to recover from all those long walking and enormous lack of sleep. We also took the much needed shower to cool us off from the humidity outside as well as turned on the air conditioner to a magnificently full blast. Hehehe.

We slept like a baby after we ate at the mess hall downstairs. At 2000H my friend woke me up and asked me if I wanted to roam around the town and party and I said yes. We then changed and then called for a taxi to drive us to a Mambo Restaurant wherein we can see the fire dance that was a hit there during that Monday night as what was recommended to us by the waiter at the mess hall during dinner. Ten minutes later we arrived at the restaurant located at the outskirt of the town. The restaurant was packed when we arrived and we called for a table and ordered some margaritas and beer as well as some munchies to go with it.

At 2300H the fire dance started and there were men and women dancing over the fire, tossing the fire, and eating fire. It was a very heart thumping dance and a very spectacular one. I enjoyed it much because most of the guys have nice oiled bodies with firm six packs. It was very captivating to see them eating and tossing fires. Me and my friend loved it so much. We left the restaurant almost midnight and we were very drunk. I then slept soundly that night not knowing what had happened that night when I woke up the next day.

We woke up at 0600H the next day and my friend had called the front desk to schedule for the tour which will pick us up at 0800H. We readied ourselves and then went down to the mess hall at 0700H to have a breakfast and then waited for the van to pick us up for the tour of Palenque and the nearby vicinity. At around 0800H the van came and we hopped in immediately. I think we were the last one being picked up because the driver had convened to us the places we will be going for the whole day. He told us that we will go first to the ruins of the pyramids in Palenque, then go to the waterfall in Misol-Ha, and then culminate our day at the roaring cascades of the Cascadas de Agua Azul.

PYRAMID RUINS IN PALENQUE: First stop was at the Mayan ruins in Palenque. This famous pyramid site well known to the world was secretly hidden in a lush rainforest in south Mexico. The area alone was vast and huge, consisted of 1620 acres of lush green forest. The driver told us that he will drop us off at the north side and then pick us up in three hours at the south side near the museum. He handed us maps of the area and I studied it fully well to get oriented to the places we needed to go.

We were dropped off at the north side parking and the parking was been full of buses and vans loaded with tourists. The parking was packed and the vendor area were teeming with people eating breakfast before going inside the forest. It was a pandemonium there at this time of the day because all the tourists were lining up and queueing for the tickets at the entrance. It was crazy there at that time.

After taking our breakfast there at the kiosk we decided to line up at the entrance. The line was not that busy so we entered the park with ease. The entrance was not that of a long walk. We were guided by a concrete path going to the mouth of the park and when we were near the mouth of the park a magnificent site had been laid and spread in front of us. The ruins of the pyramids had been naturally presented to us upon entering the mouth of the park and it was a very striking scenery. The ruins were very captivating spanning horizontally at our midst from east to west and were very beautiful and magnificent to look at.

It was so hot there but I just can't stop clicking my camera to capture good pictures with nice angles and perpectives for my online albums. I was enticingly captivated of the vastness of the park and I meticulously studied the map and told my friend that we needed to take time perusing the area because I don't want to left out something since we were there already. Anyway the driver had given us three hours to roam around the place. And it was a pretty ample time to roam around with much inclination to the details of the individual structures.

The park were teeming with people and as we tread ourselves going east to west inspecting each single pyramid structures individually the scorching heat of the bright sun had gave a toll on us. I was already been sweating a lot so I took off my white Inc. polo shirt and just let my grey undershirt on which was already soak with my perspiration. It was very uncomfortable but my excitement about the place had overruled and masked my uncomfortableness.

We passed by the "Temple of Inscriptions" which was formerly the home of the Mayan's high priest. It looked stunning nearby and it looks like a mystical huge palanquin from a distance sans the handles. The little house on top was the most beautiful and intricate among the pyramids in there and it had depicted that only a royal can live there which according to my massive online readings had been discovered a lot of gold and precious stones there especially in a tomb hidden underneath there. The pyramid was been cordoned for the public because they were protecting the structure from the effects of erosion as stated in a latin caption at the entrance.

Since we could not explore the temple we then crossed the nearby "Imperial Palace" and explored it thouroughly especially its nooks and crannies. It was also a massive structure complete with a receiving chamber, magnificent rooms, playground, mess halls, and meeting rooms. The ruins were so majestic and I was lost several times in roaming the whole place. It was crazy cool and I like it despite of the hot weather that was quite uncomfortable during that time and the eager tourists crowding the building.

After perusing the royal palace we then moved to another site seeing another group of pyramids on the west side of the park on top of the intricately manicured hill. There were three beautiful pyramid structures there which was similar to the "Temple of Inscriptions" but appears a little bit smaller than the latter. We also tried to climb and peruse each one individually and meticulously explored it's bowels and innards. I was fascinated on how the Mayans had been thriving in this beautiful and serene place and it was very interesting to know about it.

After seeing and climbing each of the three pyramids we were very very tired so we rested at the bottom of a shady tree appreciating the beautiful pyramid structures of the enormous park. After our quick rest we then crossed an open court where the Mayan people were playing. There were two grassy courts in front of us and it appeared like a rectangular court with high walls on both sides where we had gathered was the site where they were playing the life and death game which I forgot what they call it. I was wondering how many adept players they were sacrificing there after being defeated by their equally skillful opponents. It was harrowing to know that kind of game had existed but at the same time curious about its death defying rules.

After crossing the huge court we then looked for a restroom for us to leak out and then went inside a lush green cool forest and saw more small groups of minute pyramids. The forest was very thick and it was cool there so I told my friend to make our tour there longer. We passed by a small stream with a small man-made falls and a small hut at the side. We then ambled inside the forest and then continued looking for more pyramid groups.

It was almost 1100H when we decided to leave the bowels of the forest and continued to amble west going to the library museum where we will convene and be picked up by the driver. We passed by some edgy slopes, grassy cliffs, and downward man-made spiral stairs on our way out of the forest or park going to the libary museum where we will all meet later. It was a long walk but very fascinating. The tall trees inside the forest were huge and old and I appreciated the beauty of it. It was arcane. Few minutes later we were at the back of the forest and then heartachingly exited the park which had culminated our long tour inside the park and forest.

We then gathered in front of the big tree near the libary and by 1200H the driver had picked us up so that we can still continue the trip around Palenque and the surrounding areas or region. Next stop will be the Falls of Misol-Ha.

LA CASCADA DE MISOL-HA: From the ruins of teh Palenque pyramids the driver had picked us up at the meeting site at the big tree near the library museum. From there we drove almost like two hours going to Misol-ha where we were disembarked at the entrance of the falls.

We ambled inside the little compound and were surprised with a very stunning waterfall falling from a cliff nearby. The lake where the misty clear water from the falls fell was just very miniature but the water down there appears so magnificently blue and clear. We continued ambling towards it and we found a concrete stairs going down the lake.

We went down the stairs and stayed at a little stage down there near the small boulders where we posed and took plenty of pictures of the magnificent falls nearby as our backdrop. The weather was kind of humid and hot at that time (just like the one at the pyramids) and I was already drenching in sweat but I really don't mind it.

We went back up and look for another way to go near the falls and the nearby caves. We saw a lot of tourist lining up on a one-way traol going near the rocky border right under the falls where we can see the falling water swifting underneath the hollow cave. The temperature there was cool because of the mist created by the clear falling waters. I still continued to get more pictures of the falls from different angles and I just can't stop clicking my camera and capture a lot of beautiful pictures.

When we reached the mouth of the small cave in there we were dismayed because they were charging the tourists just to go inside and see the innards of the cave. What a ripoff actually. We heard that the cave becomes narrower when you go inside so we decided not to go inside then because it was really hot there during that time and I can't stand the humidity anymore.

We went back through another route and waited at the parking lot where the van had waited for us and where we will convene after one hour of touring the falls. We left the place at around 1430H and then we drove another hour going to Agua Azul which they say was more stunning than the Misol-ha Falls.

LA CASCADA DEL AGUA AZUL: After a one hour drive from Misol-ha the van stopped at the entrance of the famous cascades of Agua Azul. The place was also teeming with people and tourists just like the ones at the pyramid ruins. I can personally feel that the place was also well-known because of the crowded parking lot overfilling with huge tourist buses and vans loaded with hundreds of awestruck tourists.

After alighting from the van, we ambled quite a bit silently into the walkway going directly inside the location of the cascades and from the entrance we can hear the loud roaring and splashing of the cascading waters from the distance. My heart thumped greatly as I anticipate to see the enormous white cascades looking like melting snow from the slopes of the hilly area flowing magnificently on the numerous natural basins from the top of the hill going down its base. I was so excited to see it in person and was amazed and mesmerized seeing it personally in reality.

At the entrance, the walkway was filled with stalls of vendors and restaurants selling their products and memento items to the walking and perusing tourists and I can hear the loud splashing of the water rapids as they heavily dropped from the boulders of the descending river from the top of an inclined hill. The site was magnificent because the water was clear and aquamarine in color. The roar of the cascades appeared like growling or rumbling thunder from a distance. People of all walks of life had adorned the place sporadically enjoying the wonders, mysteries, and the mysticism of the place.

The climb to the hill were composed of stages or levels and there was a makeshift platform for the tourist to have pictures with the roaring cascades as the beautiful backdrop. We gradually climbed the hill taking our time and making use of the platforms to get tons of pictures for my online album collection and I just wont stop clicking my camera to capture a lot of pretty pictures.

My boyfriend and I continued to amble going up the hill and stopped at each platform appreciating the beauty of the cascades from different angles and perspectives. It was very beautiful there and we even perused and inspected the place thoroughly. When we reached the topmost portion of the hill we even crossed the makeshift narrow wooden bridge and checked out the numerous smal and large basins of aqua-blue water from there. We even took our shoes off and waded at the inviting waters enjoying the cool feel of the blue waters as they rapidly run down the hilly incline.

We were playing at the waters like small children, laughing and splashing water at each other, wetting each other to cool us off from the warm and humid temperature of the weather. It was a very candid way of enjoying our visit there and I like it very much. When we got tired of roaming around we re-took the previous route we've passed earlier and went out of the cascades looking for a place to eat for we were starving at that time.

When we got out from there, my boyfriend found a restaurant with a middle-aged woman cooking some "empanadas" with different fillings consisted of cheese, chicken and beef asada, chorizo, chili, etc. It was very delicious when coupled with the pickled cabbage, jalapeno peppers, and carrots. I ate three of those delicious "empanadas" and my boyfriend had bought me also a whole coconut nut where I enjoyed sipping it's tasty juice. I was heavily stuffed after that. He even had the flesh of the coconut carved out and sprinkled it with powdered chili, salt, and squeezed lime. I didn't know it was that yummy.

After eating we climbed down the hill along the rows of stalls and restaurants perusing some souvenir stores trying to chose some memento items for my friends back home. We took our time in shopping for the souvenirs because we still have one hour left before leaving the place and to gather at the meeting place as well.

We continued ambling down and continued to roam around the place trying to be observant of the people around us who were also very eager and excited to see the roaring cascades. The place was really crowded at that moment and it looks like a fair ground there at that time. I felt so lucky to go there and my boyfriend was also happy seeing me excited and fulfilled.

We went back to the meeting place where our van was parked waiting for us to leave and go back to the town of Palenque. When all were accounted well, the van left and drove back to the town. The drive back to the town from Agua Azul was more than two hours and the passengers appeared more tired and quiet inside the van.

We arrived at Palenque at around 1700H and the van dropped us off at the gates of the resort where we were staying. We went directly to our room and packed our bags and belongings and then went down to check out at the reception area, for we will be leaving tonight back to Mexico City via a long hour bus drive.

At the reception area we called for a taxi to drive us off at the bus stop and then we bought two tickets going to Mexico City but the bus receptionist told us that there was no bus leaving Palenque directly to Mexico City. She advised us to pass by Villahermosa first then from there we can connect directly to Mexico City. My friend did exactly as what the ticketing lady had told him and soon after one hour we left Palenque via a chartered van going to Villahermosa.

Our visit to Palenque was a success, visiting the most awesome and beautiful places of the region. It was the best part of my trip in Mexico and I never regret deciding to go there. I thanked my friend for bringing me there and roaming me to the beautiful and famous places of Chiapas State where the beauty of nature abounds. I felt like a lucky person during that time smiling of my very fortunate opportunity. It was the best feeling I've ever felt ever since. Thanks be to God!

Partying In San Cristobal de las Casas

March 31, 2013: Sunday*** We slept in the bus the whole night from Oaxaca de Juarez going to San Cristobal de las Casas and I have no idea what were happening outside because I was totally knocked out and was tired from our whole day tour around Oaxaca. It was a smooth ride I think for we had arrived in San Cristobal in whole and healthy piece. Hehehe. Honestly, I kind of like this night traveling lately and might probably do a lot more of it in the future. It was just very exciting to have done it in the first place.

Honestly, in all of the ten-hour trip I was really unconscious and do not have any idea at all what had happened for the whole night. I woke up at 0600H feeling my tummy growling because I was still having some loose bowel movement ever since we left Taxco. We had arrived at San Cristobal de las Casas which is a very charming place, very tired and sticky because frankly we hadn't had time to change our clothes yesterday because we had just dropped off our luggage at the hotel lobby then rapidly hopped in the tour bus for a whole day tour, after we had arrived in the city Oaxaca from Taxco, Guerero.

It was as well frigid and nippy there in San Cristobal when we arrived at 0730H and the sun was already happily brightening up and gradually spreading it's yellow rays at the whole town. We had arrived there just fine and the place was all sunny and bright despite of the cool morning breeze and the thick blanketing fog. We tiringly went out of the bus terminal and laconically hired a taxi which my boyfriend had an one-on-one talk about the best hotel to stay. The driver had brought us to a hotel near the Centro and there we asked for an available double bed for us to rest but apparently there were no double bed instead we were placed in a one bedroom wherein the wi-fi was not that very receptive as what the receptionist at the front had told us. We politely declined the room and patiently decided to wait until 1200H when some of the best room will be vacated.

We paid the double bed room that will be available at noon in advance and decided to leave our luggage there at the hotel's storage, just like what we did in Taxco and Oaxaca, while we were excitedly roaming the whole town appreciating its morning beauty and glory devoid of the rush of the traffic. Before we left we reminded the receptionist that we might be probably going back at night time because we were planning to go to Tuxtla de Gutierrez and Chiapa de Orzo to see the Canyon de Sumideres which was really famous in Chiapas state aside from the Palenque pyramids which we will be seeing tomorrow.

After leaving our luggage at the storage and paying the room in advance for tonight's respite, we were now ready to tour the whole town since it was still early in the morning. It was about 0800H that time when we left the hotel. We had no idea where to go, but since we are right in the Centro we decided to stroll there first then may be look for a tourist bus later once the town is fully awakened. By that moment the town was still half asleep because it was still early.

We hopped in at a taxi near the hotel entrance then politely asked the driver where to find a place to inquire where to tour the beautiful and fascinating places of San Cristobal. The driver had told us that there were not enough sceneries here in San Cristobal except the town itself and he advised us to go to Tuxtla and see the Canyon de Sumideres and maybe go to Chiapa de Orzo after that. He recommended us to go to the bus station and inquire there personally. So we asked him to drop us off at the bus station so that we can inquire there when we got there.

We alighted in fornt of the bus station but the town was still blanketed with a cold fog. When we got there at the bus station the travel agency was not yet open so we decided to walk around from there looking for good and interesting sceneries like old churches or some quiet placitas we could sit and talk. While walking at the sidewalk I felt that my tummy was been cramping heavily so I asked my boyfriend if we could buy some Immodium so that my diarrhea could be abated. When we found one pharmacyb at a corner we immediately inquired inside if they are selling Immodium and the charming pharmacist had told us that they have it in generic, with the name of Loperamide, so we asked for five tablets but they sold it in twos so I bought six tablets for me to take in three doses.

After coming out of the pharmacy we continued ambling towards the Centro, because it was just walking distance from the bus station. We stopped at the first church which was painted in immaculate white and bordered with a ciel blue paint on the sides and it's corners. It appears very immaculate and captivating at a distance. Although it was a small church, when I went inside it was very clean and beautiful. I just can't stop taking pictures of it internally and externally. The outside placita was very spacious and there were few people practicing there for a choir.

We went out of the church and decided to look for a coffee shop and fortunately we spotted one just in front of the church. It looks like they were brewing their own coffee at the shop and we can't resist in ordering one. It tasted palatably good and authentic wherein we enjoyably sipped the tasty coffee with much gusto and gleefully enjoyed our intimate moments at the shop. The coffee was even magnificently good compared to the commercialized Starbuck's. It was very refreshing and we even thought that it can compete with Starbuck's in America if they put up a branch there.

After enjoying our coffee at the cafe we went back to the bus station thinking that the travel agency was opened already and a few stalls down the coffee shop we accidentally spotted a travel agency while strolling back to the bus station. We went inside to inquire about the tours they're offering and my boyfriend had told me that they tour the canyon and also goes to Chiapa de Orzo afterwards. We bought two seats and then patiently waited for the van to arrive to pick us up. Few minutes later the small bus arrived then we excitedly hopped inside and then left off going to Tuxtla. We were the last ones I think because the bus did not tour around the town to pick up for more passengers.

The drive to Tuxtla was about a boring fifty minutes on a serene and smooth highway and the bus was quite jampacked. We arrived in Tuxtla safely and from there the driver had gathered us at the parking lot and told us that he will get us the passes and the life jackets then we will be boarding a speed boat to tour the canyon.

We went down at the office beside the lake then waited for the driver. Few minutes later he gathered us together and gave each one of us an orange bracelet, individual tickets, and pointed us to the guys whose fitting the passengers with customized life jackets. We selected and grabbed our individual jackets then went in line for the boat at the entrance. Ten minutes later everyone of us was in the boat and then we left off for the long tour of the canyon.

The boat speeded gently until it reached to an opening wherein a very fascinating view of the towering mountains and the steep ravines, that had split the canyon into two, had given us some unexpected "oohs" and "aahs" and a magnificent view of the blue skies. It was overwhelming to see those beautiful gorges of gargantuan mountains and the tranquil waters of the lake was very captivating rocking the speed boat as it travels rapidly going south of the lake. In the mixture of the nature laden site were a wide array of faunas that habituated the lake and we have seen various kinds of animals distinct and unique to the place like the feisty black condors sitting at the edge of the lakes as well as the mighty alligators and the towering white cranes and the blackish to brownish pelicans and the loud cormorants graciously fishing on the surface of the deep green waters. It was very beautiful to look at.

The speeding boat had blasted our faces with the cool breeze of the misty air wherein we didn't even feel the scorching heat of the sun burning our skin already into a red hue. All the passengers were really in awe of the beautiful site laden in front of us and the scenery of the oddly shaped gigantic mountains had appeared like splitting trees in our midst while we were heading into the inner bowels of the elongated lake. It was very stunning from a distance and I just can't stop clicking my camera to capture more pictures for my collections. There were a lot of land formations we saw and the lush green trees we saw at the side of the mountain were very beautiful and natural as well. It was a very captivating trip we had at the lake. It took us less than an hour to go one way and another less of an hour in going back.

At the end of the lake, near the border of Mexico and Guatemala, we stopped quickly for a little while, where we saw an electrical plant that was powered by the lake, supplying electricity within Tuxtla and it's nearby communities. After stopping at the border for ten minutes we went back to the entrace where we parked earlier and it took us another less than an hour drive with the speed boat. All in all the trip at the canyon was very fascinating and beautiful. It was the best trip I've ever had I think (well, all the trips I've had was very fascinating anyway). I didn't even knew that I had a sunburn on my face already not until we were on the bus where I felt that my face was burning and hurting. My boyfriend had told me that my face was entirely raw read. Well, it was a good remembrance I think for this lovely trip.

After perusing the canyon for two hours we disembarked off the speed boat and gathered at the parking lot where the driver had accounted us rigidly. It was already 1130H and it's almost lunch time. The driver told us that we will be having lunch at Chiapa de Orzo. The drive in going there was only thirty minutes but it was already hot at that time of the day. It was almost noon when we arrived at Chiapa de Orzo and we decided to parked near the zocalo where we can see the famous crowned gazebo at the center of the placita which was the symbol of Chiapa de Orzo. Our driver had given us one hour to tour the place to have lunch and then we will convene there for our trip back to San Cristobal.

Me and my boyfriend had disbanded with the group and looked for a restaurant to eat because I was already terribly starving at that time. We found a very nice restaurant and we ordered chicken fajita where we savoured it with much gusto. After eating our lunch, it was still hot outside so we decided to go to the mercado and browse something to buy as more memento for my friend back home. The mercado was quite crowded at that time, because of the tourists roaming around there, but we were able to squeeze and blend in to see and browse the area. There were very nice potteries and woven cloths everywhere and the smell of the local food had emanated all over the place.

After doing a tour at the mercado we decided to go back to the placita and waited for the others to convene in the bus. Once everybody were been accounted, we left twenty minutes later going back to San Cristobal. We arrived at San Cristobal at around 1400H and we then went back to the hotel and rested there for a while. My face was kinda baked already from the scorching heat of the sun maybe from the lake tour and it hurts grandly. I dabbed it with cold water and waited till it gets numb.

We got ready at 1600H, after an hour rest at the hotel, and then got ready for the weekend party tonight. We were lucky there was a festival at the town's plaza and a television program was being televised at the front of the municipal hall. When we went to the zocalo the church was teeming with people attending the Sunday mass. There were also some indigenous people or Mexican Indians dressed in their native costumes standing outside the church waiting for some tourist like me to approach them for a picture memento. I myself could not resist asking the guy and have a picture post of one of the Indian dressed in white feathers and headdress holding a real human skull. He looks spooky and crazy as well scaring me of the bony skull he was holding.

After paying homage to God inside the church we then went to look for the main street and joined the crowd in browsing the opened bars and restaurants, joining them in the party. We walked from east-to-west and west-to-east crazily squeezing ourselves among the crowd just to bask in the essence of the merrymaking and also to observed the townspeople and the revelers celebrate the weekend parties there. There were amateur and professional musicians singing on the streets competing each other whose the loudest and the best. I can also see some depraved vendors approaching tourists to buy their items and also some upbeat gypsies walking in colorful clothes. It was chaos there on the street but it's fun and faciful.

We then decided to look for a restaurant and eat for our dinner. I wasn't actually hungry at that time, so I decided to just eat some "caldo de res" which was very delicious. The restaurant we chose to eat has a bar lounge and at 2000H the lounge opened. There was an in-house singer singing beautiful songs in English and Spanish and enetertained the customers like us very well. We stayed there for few hours and ordered drinks and then enjoyed the beautiful songs that the professional singer had magnificently delivered to us and his audiences.

We left the bar at 2300H and the town was still up and alert for a more louder party. I was extremely tired at that time due to our whole day tour we had this morning and I tought I was already buzzing because I admit I drank a lot at the bar earlier. We had sipped margaritas and martinis alternately and coupled it with beers in between. It was a nice and enjoyable party we had at San Cristobal that time. We went to bed at almost midnight because we have to leave at 0800H going to Palenque. Whatever happen in Palenque will be quite a surprise to us, just like the rest of the places we've been, because we both don't know what's still in store for us there.

But for the meantime we have to sleep off our drunkenness, get sober, and then brace for another great adventures in the beautiful place of the Mayans in Palenque. I can't wait to get ahold of the place but I have to rest assure of myself because I already booked a hotel there for us to stay because I know the trip going there from San Cristobal is almost five hours so we have to waste one day for the trip and spend another night there. Hopefully Palenque will give us more thrills compared to what we have experienced in San Crisobal. I can't complain for more because all of my trips have given me a once in a lifetime experiences that I will never trade as well as some good lessons to learn. Thanks to my very handsome and very gentleman confidant.

San Cristobal was a very beautiful place and captivating place. Tiny as it is but full of magic and promise. I just couldn't forget it's rustic ambiance and it's smiling indigenous people. I am so blessed to have come here and experience a lot of unforgettable stunning places that I never dreamed of going and exploring. Thanks a lot for the hospitality, the welcoming ambiance, and the vibrant spirit and of course I will surely come back here again and dreamily scour more of the interesting, magnificent, and beautiful places I've never been. From the abyss of my beating and loving heart, gracias a todo amigos!