I am back in the United States! After getting out of Cancun no problem, I arrived in JFK airport to find out my flight to Boston had been cancelled! Luckily I begged my way onto a delayed flight that was supposed to be gone already. The lesson as always: it never hurts to beg...
Some final thoughts about my trip:
After 12 days in Mexico, what was I happiest to return to? Besides my gf, friends, and family of course, I would have to say.... drumroll... American plumbing!
I came to the revelation that being a sports fan helps you learn Spanish. Case in point:
Former Red Sox Wilfredo Cordero last name means lamb.
Our grammar classes shared a name with NFL kicker Martin Gramatica
Oriole Felix Pie is named after your foot.
John Cena, though not Spanish, has a last name that means "(he/she) eats dinner"
Best purchase of my trip was DEFINITELY my beach towel, which took a beating all 12 days. Worst purchase of my trip? $10 on Skype that didn't clear until the people i needed to call had already left Playa Del Carmen!
Casualties of the trip: My sunglasses, a Billabong tshirt, my bank account, the outer layer of my skin.
Best meal of the trip: strangely enough, it was a Cuban restaurant. REALLY good. I had some good Mexican food, especially Tacos al Pastor, but I have to say the best fajitas I have ever eaten were at Jose's Mexican Restaurant in Cambridge right BEFORE my trip...
On the way back on Jet Blue (including an extra 2 hours on the runway in NYC) I got acquainted with my scar sister, Padma Lakshmi when I saw 5 straight episodes of Top Chef Washington, DC.
The jury's still out whether I would be extremely rich or extremely poor (there are no other alternatives) if I lived next to a Sportsbook. Pretty much ended up even after 12 days. Of course, on the last day I realized there was a sportsbook 1 minute away from my hotel (I had been walking to one 20 minutes away). Things might have been different...
Most perfect gift: Dora the Explorer lucha libre masks and capes for my nieces. Luckily the vendors didn't know me, as they could have charged me A LOT more and I would have bitten hook, line, and sinker.
Almost perfect gift: A hand drawn sketch/portrait I had drawn of me and Darcel. It would be totally perfect, but I kind of think it looks like Darcel with her new boyfriend, Peyton Manning =P...
Ok folks, I feel like this hasn't been my best note. Maybe the Montezuma's revenge has spread to my brain. But i'll be back in full force during my next adventure. Until then....
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Monday, July 19, 2010
Mexico Day 9
Hola ninos y ninas!
We are reaching the tail end of my trip, but I actually have decided to stay 2 more days and come back Wednesday. I really wanted to see Cozumel, Cancun and tulum before I left, and didn’t get a chance during my first ten days. Now we are planning a couple of excursions. Once those are checked off my list, I think I will be all Mexicoed out.
Yesterday was an awesome tour. First we went to Chichen Itsa, the Mayan religious site. The Mayans are famous for their advanced architecture, knowledge of astronomy, and religious sacrifices. Their architecture was really cool- I got a lot of great pictures that I will be posting first thing when I get back. The main temple is spectacular- it is at a 45 degree angle and the Mayans built it so that on both equinoxes, the sun shines on it in a way that creates an optical illusion (of a snake slithering down the steps). Obviously I wasn’t there on the equinox, but that’s nothing google images won’t fix. Another architectural marvel is the 300 yard ball field with walls and temples positioned in a way that people could talk normally on one end and be heard at the other end.
The Mayans somehow were able to learn about the stars completely by staring DOWN at puddles of water. Like 3000 years ago they calculated that all the planets will be in a line in December 2012 and were RIGHT?
Finally, the Mayans worshipped many gods who gave them life and to show their thanks made frequent sacrifice. Apparently to decide who was to be sacrificed they played a 7 on 7 game of what is strangely close to basketball with a 25 foot high ring and a much heavier ball. The WINNING team’s captain got the honor of being sacrificed. Crazy.
Unfortunately, when the Spaniards saw this ritual they thought the culture was consumed by the devil and destroyed all their books of “black magic.” So any record of HOW a society was able to do so many amazing things were lost. That’s why we think James Naismith invented basketball! And Galileo knew the most about the solar system?
After Chichen Itsa we stopped at a cenote: a natural formed pond in a cave. It was a little dirty but this was a once in a lifetime opportunity so I was the first one in! With bats flying overhead it may not be everyone’s definition of cool but it was probably my favorite part of this whole trip!
Last night we decided to check out the Playa Del Carmen nightlife. Basically they have a strip of bars/clubs where they all have promoters trying to convince you theirs is the best. We went beachside which was a novelty for me, but quickly turned into a reminder of why I don’t usually go to clubs, in any country!
This has been a long-unfunny account of my sightseeing. Lets see if I can add in any interesting observations…
The best place to buy meat in Mexico? Believe it or not, Wal-Mart!
My hotel has a rule paper that asks me not to keep food in my room to “Prevent the generation of plagues.” Apparently the Pharaoh was eating in his hotel room.
If you think I could pass up the opportunity to buy a Mexican scratch ticket with a Lucha Libre wrestler on it, you just don’t know me that well.
The Mexican equivalent of a penny is the size of a lithium ion battery. You could seriously make good money running a scam with these things. It’s the only real value they have.
What I have experienced more than anything is shopkeepers/restaurants trying to get my business. They have different methods. Some go with “Hola Amigo”. Some “Hey man what you want? I got it”…. One guy actually barked at our group. Some restaurants just have a beautiful girl stand outside smiling (completely silent). There are tons of drink and food specials. One seeing me walk with my German friend (a guy) said “Hey Honeymooners.” I long for the days of no-pressure sales where you can look at a posted price and decide if it’s enough for you…
Tomorrow I am moving to a room with a spotty internet signal so you may not hear from me until I make it home. Until then….
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Mexico Day 7 (already?!)
Hola mis amigos!
As the title suggests, I can’t believe I have been here for a week already! And that I only have one day left of Spanish classes. On a confidence scale of 1 to 10, I have gone from about a 1 to a 9. I am no longer a beginner. Now I am an intermediate beginner! Of course, I can only speak in the present tense, but nobody’s perfect!
The school has done a good job of varying activities. On Tuesday we had a cooking class. It was interesting to feel like a student in a foreign school, only being able to pick out key words and get the gist of things. Of course, learning to cook potato stuffed taquitos is probably easier than learning the causes and effects of World War II when you only understand one of ten words.
Wednesday is the weekly school social night. They arranged for it on a rooftop bar overlooking the city’s main commercial avenue. My group of friends I have made is great, and it is growing every day. But also we have noticed a lot of people in the school are clique-ish. Come on! No need to act too cool for school while you are living in paradise!
Speaking of paradise, after class each day has consisted of beach, beach and more beach. Each bar and hotel offers rows of chairs overlooking the ocean. Our favorite place rents out 2 chairs and an umbrella all day for about $4 and they bring you buckets of 6 drinks for $8. So its no wonder I have stayed so long I have been burnt to a crisp. My sunburn turned to ugly peeling- so I decided to try one of the massage/spa places. I got a special skin peel and massage for under $30, which is unheard of in the states. Though my friend has told me in Thailand it would cost $5… Anyways, my back is totally fixed, but I made the amateur mistake of doing this around 6 PM-prime mosquito time! So instead of bathing in aloe I am now covered in Benadryl Anti Itch gel. .. And by the way, I had quite the embarrassing surprise when I put my head down during the massage and when I looked up again my friendly female masseuse had passed me off to her male co-worker! Enough said…
Last night we went to karaoke after the social night. They only had a few American albums, including Queen, but NO Somebody to Love! I guess my future fame will have to wait for the US. We tried to sing Bohemian Rhapsody, but the Mexican DJ skipped over us (not before the girls in my group fit in Dido and Shakira, however). Speaking of music, my teacher says they have never heard of Lady Gaga down here! That’s crazy! Speaking of Lady Gaga, how blatantly obvious is Christina Aguilera RIPPING HER OFF in her latest video???Today at school was salsa class, proving once again that dancing with me should only be attempted with steel reinforced boots. Actually it didn’t go as bad as expected, but if meringue, bachata, or salsa come on, don’t expect me to be jumping on the dance floor!
So anyways that’s why time has flown by. On Saturday we have an all day excursion to Chichen Itsa, one of the 7 ancient wonders of the world! We are all looking forward to it! I am sure I will have plenty of pictures and stories to recount! Until then…
As the title suggests, I can’t believe I have been here for a week already! And that I only have one day left of Spanish classes. On a confidence scale of 1 to 10, I have gone from about a 1 to a 9. I am no longer a beginner. Now I am an intermediate beginner! Of course, I can only speak in the present tense, but nobody’s perfect!
The school has done a good job of varying activities. On Tuesday we had a cooking class. It was interesting to feel like a student in a foreign school, only being able to pick out key words and get the gist of things. Of course, learning to cook potato stuffed taquitos is probably easier than learning the causes and effects of World War II when you only understand one of ten words.
Wednesday is the weekly school social night. They arranged for it on a rooftop bar overlooking the city’s main commercial avenue. My group of friends I have made is great, and it is growing every day. But also we have noticed a lot of people in the school are clique-ish. Come on! No need to act too cool for school while you are living in paradise!
Speaking of paradise, after class each day has consisted of beach, beach and more beach. Each bar and hotel offers rows of chairs overlooking the ocean. Our favorite place rents out 2 chairs and an umbrella all day for about $4 and they bring you buckets of 6 drinks for $8. So its no wonder I have stayed so long I have been burnt to a crisp. My sunburn turned to ugly peeling- so I decided to try one of the massage/spa places. I got a special skin peel and massage for under $30, which is unheard of in the states. Though my friend has told me in Thailand it would cost $5… Anyways, my back is totally fixed, but I made the amateur mistake of doing this around 6 PM-prime mosquito time! So instead of bathing in aloe I am now covered in Benadryl Anti Itch gel. .. And by the way, I had quite the embarrassing surprise when I put my head down during the massage and when I looked up again my friendly female masseuse had passed me off to her male co-worker! Enough said…
Last night we went to karaoke after the social night. They only had a few American albums, including Queen, but NO Somebody to Love! I guess my future fame will have to wait for the US. We tried to sing Bohemian Rhapsody, but the Mexican DJ skipped over us (not before the girls in my group fit in Dido and Shakira, however). Speaking of music, my teacher says they have never heard of Lady Gaga down here! That’s crazy! Speaking of Lady Gaga, how blatantly obvious is Christina Aguilera RIPPING HER OFF in her latest video???Today at school was salsa class, proving once again that dancing with me should only be attempted with steel reinforced boots. Actually it didn’t go as bad as expected, but if meringue, bachata, or salsa come on, don’t expect me to be jumping on the dance floor!
So anyways that’s why time has flown by. On Saturday we have an all day excursion to Chichen Itsa, one of the 7 ancient wonders of the world! We are all looking forward to it! I am sure I will have plenty of pictures and stories to recount! Until then…
Monday, July 12, 2010
Mexico Day 4
Hola from Playa Del Carmen!
Have I really been here 4 days? feels like its going so fast. But not as fast as my clean laundry. Btw, I totally botched my packing job. None of my good tshirts are white- but thats about the only thing you can possibly wear here without dying. You may be reading about Mexican Laundromats in a few days...
Yesterday was my last day on my own- my new Mexican friends bailed on me but I stopped by a couple places to watch the World Cup finale and met a cool Australian guy and English woman. (Not even near the strangest international couple i have met- on my first night i met a 40 year old Ecuadorian guy with his 26 year old Lithuanian wife. they have 4 kids, and she made a strange habit of hugging everyone at Senor Frogs. Buthe was super cool- he looked real young too. couldn't tell they were different age).
The world cup was a fun time. a few die hards from both sides but a bit of a let down for the biggest sporting event in the world. I think my Super Bowl parties are better. Would have been different if Mexico made it of course.
Today was the start of my Spanish classes. The school is really nice and all the classrooms are in (well ventilated) outdoor huts. My class is for intermediate beginners and contains me, a mother and 13 year old son from Colorado, and a recent college grad from England. Actually, besides a couple families like the one in my class, pretty much EVERYBODY is foreign. There are Swiss, German, Brazilian (a guy, Darcel), Japanese, English, Scottish, Canadian, and I know I must be forgetting some. They all are decent english speakers and all nice, so it should be a good week. Tomorrow we are going to Tulum, a Mayan Ruins/Beach spot.
Of course having all international classmates, primarily European, means they ALL SMOKE. It is crazy. I feel like the ashtray on Hell's Kitchen. Luckily everything is open air.
Also, we now know the answer to "what will an american guy and a German guy have to talk about after they decide to go to the beach together" and the answer is pretty much nothing. A little soccer talk and a few "whats this like in your country" type questions, but it was really just kind of awkward and we spent the last hour reading on our own.
My teacher told us about one bar/club that projects a movie every monday night out in the open air near the beach. So I told every body that i would be coming and they should meet me. Then I couldn't actually find the place and they all probably think I stood them up =P. So it was back to the sports book for me to watch Big Papi take down the Home Run Derby. But first...
I decided to search around a little bit for a good cheap deal for dinner and found a cool looking taco truck a block off the main strip operated by a nice lady and her daughter. So i ordered 4 tacos (they seemed awful surprised I wanted so much even though they were the size of silver dollar pancakes). Then I sprinkled a tiny amount of green salsa and some cilantro and sat down to eat. First 2 tacos no problem. Third one started to feel the spice a little. By the fourth one it seemed like I had rubbed a habanero all over my mouth and lips. I started sweating and tearing up while the little girl chuckled at me. And jumped out of my seat and bolted for the main strip. No convenience store in sight, a slow walk turned into a semi jog through the crowds as tears streamed down my face and I found my saving grace, Hagen Daas. I ran in and quickly ordered a strawberry ice cream. She asked if i wanted 2 scoops and I said YES before reading the $9 price. Then downgraded to 1 scoop ($5.50, so much for saving money on dinner). She started trying to offer me toppings when I basically just blurted out I NEED THE ICE CREAM NOW and shoved my face right in it.
Free from my spicy fate, I was able to watch the derby in peace. But next time I think i'll pass on the salsa verde.
Ok, next time i'll have some Mayan ruins to speak of and finally some decent pictures! Until then...
Have I really been here 4 days? feels like its going so fast. But not as fast as my clean laundry. Btw, I totally botched my packing job. None of my good tshirts are white- but thats about the only thing you can possibly wear here without dying. You may be reading about Mexican Laundromats in a few days...
Yesterday was my last day on my own- my new Mexican friends bailed on me but I stopped by a couple places to watch the World Cup finale and met a cool Australian guy and English woman. (Not even near the strangest international couple i have met- on my first night i met a 40 year old Ecuadorian guy with his 26 year old Lithuanian wife. they have 4 kids, and she made a strange habit of hugging everyone at Senor Frogs. Buthe was super cool- he looked real young too. couldn't tell they were different age).
The world cup was a fun time. a few die hards from both sides but a bit of a let down for the biggest sporting event in the world. I think my Super Bowl parties are better. Would have been different if Mexico made it of course.
Today was the start of my Spanish classes. The school is really nice and all the classrooms are in (well ventilated) outdoor huts. My class is for intermediate beginners and contains me, a mother and 13 year old son from Colorado, and a recent college grad from England. Actually, besides a couple families like the one in my class, pretty much EVERYBODY is foreign. There are Swiss, German, Brazilian (a guy, Darcel), Japanese, English, Scottish, Canadian, and I know I must be forgetting some. They all are decent english speakers and all nice, so it should be a good week. Tomorrow we are going to Tulum, a Mayan Ruins/Beach spot.
Of course having all international classmates, primarily European, means they ALL SMOKE. It is crazy. I feel like the ashtray on Hell's Kitchen. Luckily everything is open air.
Also, we now know the answer to "what will an american guy and a German guy have to talk about after they decide to go to the beach together" and the answer is pretty much nothing. A little soccer talk and a few "whats this like in your country" type questions, but it was really just kind of awkward and we spent the last hour reading on our own.
My teacher told us about one bar/club that projects a movie every monday night out in the open air near the beach. So I told every body that i would be coming and they should meet me. Then I couldn't actually find the place and they all probably think I stood them up =P. So it was back to the sports book for me to watch Big Papi take down the Home Run Derby. But first...
I decided to search around a little bit for a good cheap deal for dinner and found a cool looking taco truck a block off the main strip operated by a nice lady and her daughter. So i ordered 4 tacos (they seemed awful surprised I wanted so much even though they were the size of silver dollar pancakes). Then I sprinkled a tiny amount of green salsa and some cilantro and sat down to eat. First 2 tacos no problem. Third one started to feel the spice a little. By the fourth one it seemed like I had rubbed a habanero all over my mouth and lips. I started sweating and tearing up while the little girl chuckled at me. And jumped out of my seat and bolted for the main strip. No convenience store in sight, a slow walk turned into a semi jog through the crowds as tears streamed down my face and I found my saving grace, Hagen Daas. I ran in and quickly ordered a strawberry ice cream. She asked if i wanted 2 scoops and I said YES before reading the $9 price. Then downgraded to 1 scoop ($5.50, so much for saving money on dinner). She started trying to offer me toppings when I basically just blurted out I NEED THE ICE CREAM NOW and shoved my face right in it.
Free from my spicy fate, I was able to watch the derby in peace. But next time I think i'll pass on the salsa verde.
Ok, next time i'll have some Mayan ruins to speak of and finally some decent pictures! Until then...
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Mexico Day 2
Hola from Mexico!
For those of you who didn't know, once my Seniors graduated I used my extra free time searching for a summer travel experience. It led me to Playa Del Carmen, Mexico where I will be taking Spanish classes for a week, doing tours, and spending quite a bit of time on the beach! I have internet access in my hotel room. I will be trying to keep up on a travel journal on here (and on my official blog, which has probably been hit free for 12 months, but why not?)
The trip down here was uneventful, but I can sum it up in two words: LEBRON JAMES. You probably all thought the LeBron over coverage couldn't get any worse either- imagine how bad it was for me sitting on JetBlue trying to find ANYTHING else to watch at 9 AM Friday morning. Unfortunately, I overdosed and now have a permanent twitch. Damn that man.
After the trip, yesterday I got a lay of the land. Definitely the nicest beach I have ever seen. Reminds me a little of South Beach, but nicer. And the water's a lot warmer than Nahant Beach in Revere...
One street away from the beach is maybe a 3 mile stretch of overtouristed (Playa is a frequent stop for cruises i guess) bars, souvenir shops, and street merchants. I have already been offered illegal drugs upwards of 20 times. The first couple times i didn't know that if someone walks up to you and says "hola amigo, where are you from?" put your head down and keep walking.... But its worth putting up with the harassment for the guaranteed food, entertainment, and any necessity you may need.
Today I accomplished my goal, of making friends with some Mexicans on the beach and making the requisite "you teach me English and I'll teach you Spanish" deal that every Mexican I have ever met has offered me. Hung out with them for most of the day- they got there early and got one of the beach club chairs, then knew an off the beaten path restaurant with huge portions for a tiny price. International Travel 101: try to befriend some locals, because they know all the secrets. A Canadian guy obviously took this course, because he joined us too. Was nice to have someone who spoke perfect English.
Of course, the day at the beach has led to the inevitable sunburn. Spending the night in and have Independence Day on tv. Bill Pullman is my number two fictional president right after David Palmer.
Some other random thoughts...
There is a sports book on the beach strip. As you probably guessed, this immediately became my favorite place.
Some guys walk down the beach selling bags of sliced mango, papaya, etc. When one of the Mexicans i met went to get some, I asked for one too.... Little did I know they put hot Chili Powder all over it! Only in Mexico...
There are guys on the street who have pet monkeys that they let you take a picture with (for a tip). I'm not sure if I should get a picture or if I should not encourage the animal exploitation.
I haven't met anybody from my program because i guess the others chose home stays instead of the only slightly more expensive hotel. Hopefully that and not that there are no others.
For some reason I can't get the Costa Rican currency translation out of my head. Since in CR 1 dollar is 550 colones, I keep seeing Mexican prices and thinking "WOW, that is really cheap." Then i realize I should be dividing by 12, not 550. Sigh.
Ok, if you read this far you are probably related to me or share a space on my profile picture. I miss you all! I have written a lot. Probably will write after my first day of school Monday. Until then...
For those of you who didn't know, once my Seniors graduated I used my extra free time searching for a summer travel experience. It led me to Playa Del Carmen, Mexico where I will be taking Spanish classes for a week, doing tours, and spending quite a bit of time on the beach! I have internet access in my hotel room. I will be trying to keep up on a travel journal on here (and on my official blog, which has probably been hit free for 12 months, but why not?)
The trip down here was uneventful, but I can sum it up in two words: LEBRON JAMES. You probably all thought the LeBron over coverage couldn't get any worse either- imagine how bad it was for me sitting on JetBlue trying to find ANYTHING else to watch at 9 AM Friday morning. Unfortunately, I overdosed and now have a permanent twitch. Damn that man.
After the trip, yesterday I got a lay of the land. Definitely the nicest beach I have ever seen. Reminds me a little of South Beach, but nicer. And the water's a lot warmer than Nahant Beach in Revere...
One street away from the beach is maybe a 3 mile stretch of overtouristed (Playa is a frequent stop for cruises i guess) bars, souvenir shops, and street merchants. I have already been offered illegal drugs upwards of 20 times. The first couple times i didn't know that if someone walks up to you and says "hola amigo, where are you from?" put your head down and keep walking.... But its worth putting up with the harassment for the guaranteed food, entertainment, and any necessity you may need.
Today I accomplished my goal, of making friends with some Mexicans on the beach and making the requisite "you teach me English and I'll teach you Spanish" deal that every Mexican I have ever met has offered me. Hung out with them for most of the day- they got there early and got one of the beach club chairs, then knew an off the beaten path restaurant with huge portions for a tiny price. International Travel 101: try to befriend some locals, because they know all the secrets. A Canadian guy obviously took this course, because he joined us too. Was nice to have someone who spoke perfect English.
Of course, the day at the beach has led to the inevitable sunburn. Spending the night in and have Independence Day on tv. Bill Pullman is my number two fictional president right after David Palmer.
Some other random thoughts...
There is a sports book on the beach strip. As you probably guessed, this immediately became my favorite place.
Some guys walk down the beach selling bags of sliced mango, papaya, etc. When one of the Mexicans i met went to get some, I asked for one too.... Little did I know they put hot Chili Powder all over it! Only in Mexico...
There are guys on the street who have pet monkeys that they let you take a picture with (for a tip). I'm not sure if I should get a picture or if I should not encourage the animal exploitation.
I haven't met anybody from my program because i guess the others chose home stays instead of the only slightly more expensive hotel. Hopefully that and not that there are no others.
For some reason I can't get the Costa Rican currency translation out of my head. Since in CR 1 dollar is 550 colones, I keep seeing Mexican prices and thinking "WOW, that is really cheap." Then i realize I should be dividing by 12, not 550. Sigh.
Ok, if you read this far you are probably related to me or share a space on my profile picture. I miss you all! I have written a lot. Probably will write after my first day of school Monday. Until then...
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