Tour de Azteca

Amigos y Amigas, la presenta mi Esposa!!

2008-12-07T19:46:00.000-08:00

Well it's been awhile since I wrote...been pretty busy I might ad...July 06 saw Tischa arrive....July 08 saw the kids arrive...Darien decided to try living with his mom for a while..don't think it's going to well for him....and sadly his pride won't allow him to ask to come home.

Anyhoooo....Kids went back in August...Tischa decided to stay on and on October 11,2008 WE WERE MARRIED!!! see pictures below.....

My mom came from Edmonton, her mom came from Mexico city...Darien also was in attendance...in fact he and Tristan were both my best man (S)

Chill Rellenos, Halambre and Tacos dorados...accompiened with cabbage rolls, perogies and kobasa....wine, Tequilla....it was all very good!

Darien and Tristan, Myself, Tischa and her mother all pitched in to cook the feast!

Vincent (moms boyfriend) brought scotch...we drank Margaritas and cooked Mexican food for the guest...a small affair it turned to 30 people very quickly!!

KEEP READING>>>IT ONLY GETS BETTER!!

In for a penny...in for a pound!

2008-07-01T20:20:00.000-07:00

6 Days and Tischa arrives....2 days later Karen and Uriel and possiblliy Bonofaciao (the puppy) as wll...I'm in all the way here...so far it feels great! no red flags...I feel confidence in this even inspite of the 180 degree shift in family dynamics...I'll keep ya posted...it's shaping up to be a good summer.

The Spanish Inquisition

2008-05-27T23:16:00.000-07:00

sooooooo...where were we? ahhh yes.....it is all coming back to me.

Now you have to understand....none of the men in the Aguilar family know I exisit...all the WOMEN know though, and I am and have been the topic of much discussion. did I tell you that although the family IS run by the men...there is a significant amount of power held by the women in this family? no? well I just did...all of them have degrees and are well educated...teachers, bankers, engineers...the women seem to even hold the balance of power...yet it is not totaly a matriarchal regime...just mostly.

Off we go to Queretero, where older sister (Maricella) and husband (Patricio) have cancelled their plans to attend the birthday party of Patricios best friend Bernardo in order to receive Tischa and her new Canadian boyfriend...now according to Tischa...Maricella had to gently break him into the fact that I have been a bit of a fixture in Tischa life since January.........

The phone starts ringing at 5:30 am Saturday...seems that I'm a sensation here...the call is from Senora Lucilia (Tischas mom) calling from the bus depot in Mexico city...asking "where am I going? to Leon or to Queretero to see this man of yours? sister Yazmin then calls and after that Maricella calls to tell us that Patricio has cancelled the birthday party in order to receive us at his home (eeeep!) Mama Lucilia heads for Queretero...we head for Queretero, Patricio and Maricella are in Queretero... and Queretero is where I am to meet my destiny...

I was received with a warm welcome...a beer was given to me...hand shakes, introductions and hugs were the order of the day...quite nice, quite polite. the women head for the kitchen, Pato and I to the back yard to start the BBQ.....no not propane..but real honest to goodness charcoled mesquite branches from the villagers in the hills (no shit amigos)....more beer, nice conversation...I like this guy.

Dinner was carne asada, chorizo, quesdillas w/asagio cheeze and salad...and tons of it I might add and absolutley delicious, I brought a bottle of BC ice wine as a gift, which went over fantastic,as they have never tasted anything like it. dishes are being cleared and Senora Lucilia is quiet...too quiet in fact...so it starts.

questions are being asked about our plans, jobs, intentions how can this be? you are from dfifferent cultures, will you look after my daughter. Pato starts in and for the next hour and a half I am scrutinized by the family... I am speaking a good deal of spanish as well...Tischa is pale but doing a damn good job of interperating so that NOTHING is lost in the translation. I answer honestly and with confidence, I tell them that there is a risk...a calculated risk yes, but a risk just the same as nothing in life is certain. Pato suddenly shifts and becomes an ally instead of the inquisitor as he explains to his mother in law that our intentions are honorable and that he feels good about this. At this point, each member addresses me personally and have their say and voice their opinion...Pato is the last...he stands and then embraces me and says "mi casa et su casa mi compadre" you are one of us and we welcome you. I have just been accepted into an extended family and I am honored!!

At this point the tequilla comes out...the 15 year old vintage stuff..as he is pouring he asks..."colin...do you have a nickname? (Mexicans are HUGE on nicknames) I smile and say oh yes Pato (means Duck) I do have a nickname it is Osito (Teddybear)...I thought he and the rest of the family were going to die laughing(I tower over everone...by at least 6.5 inches),we laugh...we drink...we toast each other...we toast ourselves...we drink some more..Pato even cajoles the Senora to have a shot...pictures of the Senora sitting on my knee and toasting me with tequilla (she's 74 years old!) it is fiesta time, it is a celebration.

We miss our bus back to Leon by 10 min...Pato looks at me and says "well compadre, want to go to a birthday party? Off we go to his best friends Bernardos house, whose wife Rossi has thrown him a surprise birthday party...I am introduced by Pato as his little sisters boyfirend from Canada...more hugs...more handshakes more "mi casa st su casa" from Bernardo and his family...and of course more drinks...we get back to Leon around 3:00 am

Does anybody get to do this kind of stuff? Holy shit....in a million years I would have never been able to even GUESS that this shit would be happening to me...my life has had its many many bumps...and drops and there were times that it downright sucked! There were times that were rich with happiness and humour..and if life experiences were worth money, I'd be the richest man in the world....yet as I hit the rewind button on my life, I realize that I may very well be the richest man in the world it has been one hell of a ride and I am lucky to have been on that ride...few get to have such experiences I am truly blessed.

Ya just had to be there....really!

2008-05-21T23:26:00.000-07:00

Well my plane from Dallas was late, so I emailed Tischa to let her know "I'd be meeting her on the net just a" leetle beet later" than our usual 10:00 pm (we talk on skype dailey you see) but little did she know that I at that very moment she was reading the email from Dallas..that her amor, her hombre was streaking through the night on AA778 on it's way to Leon Mexico where destiny and unrequited love were to meet in a head on collison! (ooooh...I write soooo good after a scotch or three).

I landed around 10:45...grabbed a taxi gave the driver the Address #220 condesa de la Rocofort and off we went into the night...right?...nope...he looked at me and then asked me...where is this place? Jeezuz! I live in chilliwack and he expects me to know the geographical location and grid coordinates for this street address? After consulting on three occaisons with two taxi drivers and a police man..(riiiight...I forgot this is Mexico...where all things are possible) we got to her house, paid the driver and knocked on the door.....the bedroom light came on...she opened the window and in a very tired voice asked "bueno?" I replied....buenos noches senora...tengo sed...tienes cervesa por favor? I thought she was going to fall out of the balcony when she realized who I was....!!! laughing crying surprise excitment all packaged into one emotion...now this you have to see to bealive...kinda like a tornado...the same emotion one might feel when being notified that they won the lottery. It was good...she was happy...I was happy all was right with the world.

check the next installments...this gets pretty good as we go along....did I mention I was in love with this woman? Yup! I am!

Ahhh...What The Hell!

2008-05-14T13:43:00.000-07:00

On my way to Leon Mexico!! Tischa does not know I am arriving...all she knows is that she will be receiving a bouquet of flowers and that she needs to be at home Thursday between 1 and 3 pm.

What she doesn't know is that it will be me delivering said flowers....Does anyone ever get to live a scene out of a movie? I am sooooo excited by this!!

Whats really cool is that I've pretty much kept this to myself...Darien and Tristan know...Greg does as well, guys at work, mom, my family all were in the dark until last night...bascally I wanted this trip to be on a need to know basis...an exercise for myself...hope nobody takes it personal...but those that do need to know...have been informed....reactions were pretty cool too!

Pictures when I'm there.....Mexico twice in one year...can you DIG it?

Epilogue

2008-03-30T08:39:00.000-07:00

An old saying from the middle east, set into terms meso-american.....should you be unable to enter into the one world...let the one world enter into you and fill you.

Well my friends...that is what has now happened...Tischa against all better judgment and rules largely dictated by the culture she lives in, bravely boarded flight AA330 from Leon Mexico and made the trip to Vancouver, BC...this in order to see what the future may hold for both of us (together). You see we only had a finite amount of time in Mexico...2 days to be exact and there was no time for any intimate contact of any kind...but a connection was made nevertheless. Was a good idea in Mexico on a holiday still going to be a good idea back at home in my normal life? with is normal day to day grind? would the test of time (3 months) see us still feeling that connection? What would her family and friends think of this nonsense? (my family and friends would support me 150% ...not much surprise there, but was overwhelmed this last two weeks with just how much support we received....so that wasn't an issue). and the distance....Madre de Dios! you should see my friggen phone bill even with YAK communications helping out!!

Plans were made, then remade and then made again, we spoke everynight after we left San Miguel...Greg started teasing me, but soon gave up as he started getting emmersed in phone calls and text messages every night from Cindy...not to much he could say to me was there? and then we spoke every single night when I returned home (see above re: phone bill)...the more we spoke and shared the more the connection grew stronger and the idea seemed better and better. The trip was booked for 5 days...then we decided 5 days wasn't enough...it turned to 10

My friends Joss and Feenie told me that after all of the nervousness and butterflys and "what if " thoughts...wheni went to pick Tischa up at the airport...once I saw her I would "know" right then and there without doubt.

I waited and waited...I saw her and yes I knew without doubt that I not only was the idea sane...I was falling hopelssly for her! thank you to Joss and Feenie for this sage bit of advice.

The last 10 days have been great...Easter weekend saw us doing the "holiday activities" days off, Manning park, drinking wine, Harrison hot Springset al...Monday through thueday were work days...normal day to day stuff...Hockey game on tuesday night...rented movies...cooked dinner, growing closer. Tischa had appointments at Douglas College (she has a masters degree and a degree in international trade relations) that look very promising...must be as they decided to call me in as well for a breakfast meeting (??).

Today is day one without her in my life, she has returned back to The One World and my heart aches, plans have been made for her to return to me and BC in July, for the summer....her kids as well as we both think it may be a good idea to have both sets meet...compatability now is important...so far Darien and Tristan seem excited by the prospect...we'll see. I did receive a text message this morning....as she was quite nervous about speaking with her mother on this subject she knew she had to...so upon arriving in Mexico city last night...the first thing she did was speak with Mom...who totally understood and gave her the support! Green lights everywhere..Desitny possibly?

Ok..to those who know me, this may seem a bit fast yes? I at times think so too! but as fast as this is going, there have been absolutley NO obstacles...NONE!, NADA! everytime we think of an idea...the door opens and we are INVITED in...I shit you not my friends...I have found this more times than not very eerie, so as doors open I enter (damn the torpedeos full steam ahead I always say..although thoughout my life it ended with varying results!).

I think this may end the Tour de Azteca Blog...and another blog may pop up to give you readers my further adventures...2009 may see Darien in Japan at the JKA World Karate champioships, 2011 hopefully will see Greg and myself (and our families once again in the Heart of the one World at Palenque witnessing the end of the world...I myself know that trips to Mexico will be a part of me and the boys lives now...and hopefully another Visionquest with Greg down the Amazon river is being discussed...possibly 2013 or 2014. I will keep you posted.

Mi casa es su casa, mi corazone es su corazone...

Colin

Hey! this just in!

2008-02-16T10:36:00.000-08:00

Well..it's been a while...so a bit of news to those who are stillreading this.

Been in contact with Leticia over the last little while, and remember when I told you she was coming for a visit? Supposed be from MAr 20-26....she/we has since decided that maybe a few extra days wouldn't hurt....so she'll be leaving not on the 26th as planned but on the 29 or 30th...WOW!!...me thinks me in trouble...the good kind of trouble...so I'm really anticipating and getting excited about this meeting and holiday with her...then if all works good...I'll be back in Mexico in August on that free ticket I got.

By the way, for those who are in the know...The irony of how that ticket came to me is absolutley delicious!!

There will be more pix being posted...these will be of her time in the frozen north....talk soon kiddies!

The Last Post (we're home and it sucks)

2008-02-03T09:01:00.000-08:00

Yeah...nothing really I can add to the above sentiment.

Good news...Leticia has decided to come to Chilliwack for a visit (oh yeah and to see Stanley Park...my story and I'm sticking to it).

Planning another trip to the One World in August for a quick 5 or 6 day visit to the city of Leon (uh...they have a nice park there too, I've heard...) Then I'll take Darien and Tristan on a 10 day adventure similiar to the one Greg and I just finished the following year, they will be ready for it...maybe not quite as many clicks though.

It was good my amigos...the one thread that keeps running through my mind...Carlos Casteneda said that in his dealings with Don Juan Matus (The Yaqui shaman) many times he had imparted to Casteneda that to follow the path that has a heart is always the right path to follow. I am convinced that the reason our trip went so smoothly is that right from the beginning both Greg and I felt that taking this trip the way we did, definitley had heart.

Try a holiday thats out of the box my friends, you will not be disappointed, I promise.

Colin

PS: Keep checking this site over the next couple of weeks...there are more pictures and entries that Greg and I have yet to add.

Mexico city...on our way home

2008-01-30T07:50:00.000-08:00

We arrived safe and sound in Mexico city...readers you have to see this place to believe it...over 30 million people (Canada just tipped over 33 million last cenus). We took the metro and it was way easier than you might think, to Leticias parents place where we were greeted by her sister Yasmin, Mamma Aguilar, Joquin, and the two daughters Melissa and Jessi. Awesome family!! First thing that Mama told us ( after telling us to take off our shoes that is) was ¨"mi casa et su casa" Had a beer, dinner and a shot of tequilla then went to bed...due to lack of sleep (re: bus ride from hell post).

L-R Melissa,Carlos,Mama, Jessi and Joquin.

Greg and Jessi

Melissa and Jessi playing Volly balloon with Greg.

Yasmin Leticias sister

Went to the Mexico Museum of Anthropology.....ay! Caramba!! we basically had about 6.5 hours there...need three days to really get it all...this place is a must see for anybody. Absolutley fabulous! Saw the sarcophagus and lid of Pakal The Great (Ruler of Palenque) and yup...there it was carved in stone on the lid...what definitley looked like the Mayan King in a reclined position working controls with fiery flames leaving what could only be propulsion jets...pretty cool!.. couldn´t get a shot though...hard angle and low lighting...maybe Erik Van Daniken had stumbled on to something here. Remember I was telling you about the murals of Cacaxtlan? Well some have been brought here to be put on exhibition while the reconstruction of the temple is being completed...figures in blue are sacrifice victims. Oh by the way...people here are not at all afraid of the Popol Vuh's {Mayan Prohecy} prediction for the end of the world...the date just marks another change in the earths cycle and is nothing to worry about.....or is it ?

Well thats pretty much it...we're on our way home this afternoon and not liking it one bit. It's been a hell of a trip and something that I will definitley do again...hopefully with Darien and Tristan being my travel partners. This really is the way to get the pulse of the people and country...I am so fortunate to have had this experience, and to have a buddy like Greg come with me...it´s been a journey that is good for the soul...thanks amigo!!

I'd recommend it in a heartbeat to anyone who wants to try this and i you want info or help...give Greg or I a call...we´ll be glad to help you anyway we can.

The land of distractions and the bus ride from hell

2008-01-28T08:17:00.000-08:00

So we wake up and decide it´s time to visit the mineral springs called Los Estacos resort...a mere 13 km out of a nearby...did I say nearby? town called Jojouatla...well as usual we get distracted and decide to go to the Bodega super store for hot sauce and tequilla...good bargins too! and then we´d grab the bus and stay the day at the springs...this started at 9 am....well we wandered the market once more took some pics and finally grabbed the bus to the NEARBY town of Jojouatla.........2 hours later we arrive at the spring to find it closing in the next 45 min or so...just friggen great! But what a spot...absolutley beautiful!!

Just when we thought things were going smoothly it happened....oh man did it happen! The springs close...we need to get back to Cuautla...find a combi to take us back to the bus depot where we can catch the bus back right? Not a chance...Tlaloc was going to have a bit of fun with us first....Mario the combi driver gets us to a cross roads where he tells us that the bus right there...is going to Cuautla...we thank him jump out and after having the bus driver confirm that he is indeed going to Cuautla with a simple "Si" we jump aboard....this is around 630 pm. I soon notice that we are heading in an unkown direction...no familiar landmarks and the one that is familiar...the strip club I noticed...is on the wrong side of the road. After about 2 hours we arrive in a town...don´t know which and find the bus depot closed...bus driver says no problema we´ll go to another one...it´s also closed...after another half hour he drops us off on the side of the road witha few others, and tells us the next bus to Cuautla will be here soon.

Bus comes, we board..ask the driver..¨does this bus go to cuautla...answer is inevitably a hearty "SI!" another hour goes by and we arrive in town...only the depot does not look at all familiar...this is Cuautla i ask...the answer is "SI"....(sigh) After disembarking we find out the town is call Igualo and the next bus is at 530 tomorrow morning.....(?????)

I decide to give Leticia a call to let her know were ok and to find out where the hell we are, as suddenly our spanish speaking abilities are not doing very well at the moment.... she has a good laugh after settling down and tells us that we´re in a completely different state (Guerreo) about 3 hours north of Acapulco...we finally got a bus at 130 am, I think the guys at the desk re-routed one from Puebla just for us and we arrived back in Cuautla at 430 am...had to pay him a two cerveza bribe...it was worth it....ahh i just get to sleep in my bed...when....I was woken up by a marching band in the square...some sort of Flag honoring day...speeches, pledge of allegiance the whole nine yards.

I laughed to my self and said only in Mexico...I must have looked a site...2 hours sleep...hair askew...no shoes and shirt on backwards, shooting the above pictures for you readers..Greg was blissfully asleep having the forsight to put in ear plugs.

Cost of the ticket to Jojutla.....20.00 pesos

Dinner at the all night Fonda in front of the bust depot in Igualä ( with 6 pack)....85.00 pesos

Bus ticket back to Cuautla....185.00 pesos and 8.5 hours

The experience of the adventure?....PRICELESS!

In Cuautla

2008-01-28T07:47:00.000-08:00

We landed under the cover of dark on the 25th of January to what seemed to be a dark dingy town...no vibe, no people, no internal music playing and we were tired. Oh well we're here, so we walked the 4 blocks to the Zocalo and again woke up the propieter of the Hotel Colon...even at this late hour he was all smiles...room was 250.00 pesos per night...again we were tired so we thought we'd sleep and then push back to Cuernavaca after a day of market research. Greg was pretty much the walking dead and I wasn't much better { after my climb at Cacaxtla}, we needed some down time although didn't know it.

I woke up at 730 am and blasted out of the room leaving Greg to sleep...as I had to check out what kind of town this was in the light of day.....manomanonman! was I in for a shock!! the town was alive! people everwhere...vendors, kids, mamacitas and me. I was going to jsut sit and have a coffee and watch, but decided to take a boo around...the streets were jamm packed...it's like the entire town is one big market.

See the pic...all of the streets were like this..no kidding! Greg joined me in the square and we both decided that we needed a day with out packs on us , so we'd stay a night...do the mineral springs the next day and then head to Mexico City to meet up with Leticia parents and family.

Typical Street scene in Cuautla every morning

We ended up staying three days in thsi town...people extremely friendly and helpful...certainly like to come back and visit it again...on to the springs.

And at night...the Zocalo is the place to be for families and teenagers....it's where it all happens.

GREG WITTALS WILD KIÑGDOM

2008-01-26T09:32:00.000-08:00

It all happened back on Jan 22 at El Tajin.As we were walking around the ruins we accidently wondered off a path and into the jungle, where we proceded to get hopelessly lost.

This is the map that we did not have.>>>>>>>>>

Feeling all Indianna Jones like( actually Colin wanted to be Allen Quartermain this time)we fearlessly proceeded on totally unaware that we had also left the :VOICE OF REASON : back somewhere at the entrance.

We then split up i followed the stream and Colin the path.

When all of a sudden i heard this HORRIBLE NOISE.The first thought that came to my mind was another Mexican Jaguar,the most dangerous of all predatory felions.I heard Colin scream,so i started to bushwhack in that general direction when i heard that HORRIBLE SOUND again.I crouched low and strained to see threw the jungle,my heart felt like it was about to explode as i caught a glimpse of something moving,and realized there wasnt one but there were two.Thinking quickly i pulled out my camera (i wasnt allowed to bring a knife on the plane) and i and took a quick picture hopeing the flash would momentarily blind then just long enough for us to :RUN AWAY:As we fled like frightened school girls we came upon a ñarrow opening in the jungle.We climbed threw getting all scratched and bloody by these sharp thorns on the trees.Way WAY worse then climbing threw a barbed wire fence drunk.

Once threw we saw what what was shurly a never before seen small temple, and beside the temple somthing TRUELY AMAZING. It all suddenly became crystal clear,the answer to the age old question, of why the Mayan race disapeared?........NO wonder they vanished: A CIVALIZATION CAN ONLY GO SOO FAR ON A SQUARE WHEEL:

After escaping the deadly ferrel turkeys and solving the ancient mystery,we proceded to work our way threw the jungle back to the ruins.

we were entering the archological site a man with a clip board(which looked suspicously like an M16) said YOU GRINGOS ARE IN DEEP TROUBLE FOR BEING OUT OF BOUNDS. YOU HAVE A CHOICE: EITHER JAIL or REBUILD THAT TEMPLE OVER THERE........

Man

Temple

I was working at a feverous pace not wanting the alternative.It was unbearably hot and humid.

Colin said: im thirsty lets go for a cervesa.So we snuck off the site threw the gates for a bite and a beer.............THE END.......

Tlaxcala and Cacaxtla

2008-01-24T20:25:00.000-08:00

Well...we found the one town that we don't like...this place reads good in the guide books but really has nothing to offer...San Miguel de Allende does if you want to hang out with your neighbors...2.5 hours looking for a hotel..did I mention that the town is made of hills and all of them seem to be uphill....all the vendors seem to sell in the plaza are hot dogs for petes sake! yep we're outta here. One cool thing...Greg went to bed while I blogged for you guys, but was speaking to a Cop on my way to get some beer...he had been to Canada more than a few times...Vancouver, Toronto, etc...but his most favorite place was a small town he couldn't remember the name of, but had mountains called the Three Sisters! Jeeze of all the places to run into somebody who has been to Canmore....I told him that I used to live there and that Greg still does..I don't think he believed me at first, but then when he saw how surprised I was...he thought it a bit odd as well to say the least, anyway.... On a more of a downer...it is clear that we are not going to be able to see and do everything we planned...oh well another trip...On to the ruins!

In 1993 a discovery was made and excavation began on Xochitecal or the Pyramid of flowers...also found were human remains ...from sacrifices no doubt and over 5,000 clay female figures. When we arrived at the site it was closed! The Government is putting a big chunk of cash into building and preserving the site especially the murals...apprantley the creators of said murals went to some lengths in preserving them for future generations by putting a layer of very fine sand overtop and then filling in the rest with soil rocks etc...again the site was closed...but after a bit of persueding and all in the interests of entertaining you dear readers...we were allowed to walk up to the Pyramid of flowers site...so I did { Greg was in a bit of pain today so he opted out} nice little 3.5 km jaunt up a friggin hill!! I really have to stop listening to that little voice in my head...I came down sunburnt, thirsty and tired...but I climbed the damn pyramid...

One of the really neat things is that Mt. Popocatepetl is smoking again...Greg was speaking to this young lady we met on the bus, the volcano has been smoking for 3 years now and in that time the valley citys...Tlaxcala, Cuenevaca, Puebla etc have been put on red alert more than a few times...now it's in the green but everybody is very wary of Popo and wondering when she'll blow her stack....hell hath no fury as that of a woman scorned. Sorry about the pic...hazy day, but that is a plume of smoke and not a cloud.

Vera Cruz

2008-01-24T20:18:00.000-08:00

Left Papantla on the way to Vera Cruz, the Gulf of Mexico coast is quite beautiful and does require more research as there are ton of little villages all the way to Vera Cruz. Ahh Vera Cruz, what a city....tourist town for sure, but with enough of a work ethic to make it palatable, lots of Mexican touristas here...not so much North Americanos, guess this is because of the popularity of the Mayan Riveria and plcaes like Puerto Vallarta. Jan 29 sees the start of their Carnaval...it's supposed to make the one in Rio look like church...what a drag...we need to be in Mexico City so we can fly out the next day. On our way to Tlaxcala and then to the ruins of Cacaxtla...see ya soon.

The Ruins at El Tajin

2008-01-22T16:19:00.000-08:00

My very first set of ruins....if you think being in one of the Cathedrals (see past blogs with pics is a powerful experience, it does not begin to hold a candle to this...ancient and powerful, what it took to uncover these ruins from the jungle...what it took to build this city.

Shot of the Pyramid of Niches, just a guess, but they are supposed to represent the cave that are entrances to the underworld. This pyramid was bright read with the insides of the nicehes gloss black...Hard to imagine, but these and all pyramids were covered with plaster and then colored in bright pigments.

This is what the city looked like back in the 12th century, over 150 buildings found but only 20 excavated so far.

Sacrificing Greg to Tlaloc, I thought it might be a good idea to do this...Greg didn´t.

Tuxpan Musings

2008-01-21T21:50:00.000-08:00

So we made it to Tuxpan, arrived at 2:45 am and walked to our hotel...well once we found one...had to wake the poor guy up, but he was still pretty amicable once we told him we were Canadian...nice card to play when travelling by the way.

We walked around town a bit...nice place, but a working town and not much on tourism...tourism for us north americans anyway. The place has not been touched by the ex-patriot fanatacism that has been sweeping the country, especially places like San Miguel. Spoke with the locals...mine and Gregs Spanish is getting pretty good, we even try to speak Spanish with each other, results are not too bad. Need another month here and we would fit right in with the locals.

Most noteworthy, this towns claim to fame is that it was the location Fidel Castro chose to plan his take over of Fenucido Batista in Cuba, as it was the most direct route for hm to travel to his home. In fact he rented a house here to do all the planning...must of been pretty cool...Fidel, Raoul and Che all hanging out in Mexico planning the revloucion de libertad in Cuba.

Hit the beach and walked...probably 5 clicks..like I said, this is not a tourist town...for the locals it is...the beach is covered with beach front palapas,restaurants and bars...mostly closed..but there are crews running all over the place cleaning the beach...must have been one hell of a weekend...too bad we missed it. Greg went for another walk and I sat and watched the water and as usual got taken away by it.

AS usual when being hypnotized by the water, I lost all track of time and did not realize I was BELOW the high water mark...and yep as ka would have it the tide came in...made it just in the nick of time.

This country is one of extreme contrast...abject poverty to the powerfully rich....world class arts, literature to corruption at the lowest levels...world class technological advances and construction practices that would make the leaky condo owners in BC blush with embarrasment at their whinning and complaining. Yeah I like this place.

Greg Wittals WILD KINGDOM

2008-01-20T17:36:00.000-08:00

As the sun was setting in San Miguel de Allende, we were observing wildlife at a local watering hole, suddenly my sixth sense started tingling, I then caught out the corner of my eye the fleeting shadow of what could only be a predator. Colin as he was consuming water was blissfully unaware of the danger around him.

A chill ran down my spine as I recognised the harbinger of his impending doom, not to be confused with the much feared North American Cougar, the Mexican Jaguar pound for pound is the worlds most dangerous cat. Not only does she hunt for survival, she also kills for pleasure. I was faced with a most critical decision do I RUN AWAY and save myself?, or do I risk my own life attempting to save my amigo? Thinking how hard it would be to explain his sensless death to his children and equally driven by guilt I made a snap decision and said " my throat is getting sore, lets call it a night and head back to the hotel." We then then left and Colin was still innocent and unaware how close the shadow of death had passed. I just saved a life....

On our way to Tuxpan

2008-01-20T16:44:00.000-08:00

In Pachuca at the moment waiting for the bus....another 6 hour ride to contemplate all we have done and seen.....hey I did revceive some info that there are those who would like to leave a comment but do not know how...just scroll tot the end of the blog entry and click on the orange comments line...you can read what others have sent and then leave your own mark for us to read. Ok lets see what we got for todays entry....oh by the way everyody...I just got word that my oldest son Darien recieved an award for football last night and then was named onto the ALLSTAR team...WAY TO GO Darien!!

Like I said, we didn´t like San Miguel to much, and in fact as we were leaving there were two couples asking us if we were Canadian...yes was the answer...and when did you get in...I answered last night...and you´re leaving so soon? she asked...yes I said, too many white people here (eep!...remove foot here!) she kind of took offence to that. So as we are travelling today, not alot to tell so here´s some random pics for you to ponder.

To the right...a local delicacy..RATUN FRITO (deep fried rat) quite tastey,,,I had two...so did Greg....mmmmmm...

A typical acroument to many of the hostels we stayed in...it´s a lamp I think, but couldn´t find the switch.

Loading up this weeks supply of Agua especial

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Leticia and family...left to right

Uriel age: 11, Leticia...age: unknown (apparently none of my business haha) and Karin age:15

We´ll be staying at Leticias mother house in Mexico city ariound the 28th...hopefuilly Teotuhicuan and Tula will be a couple of stops.

Time is our enemy

2008-01-19T17:36:00.000-08:00

Looks like we're not going to have enough time if we want to do it all...so we're going to cut out of here tomorrow and head for Tuxpan...then Vera Cruz....thats ok...too many white people here anyway...can't swing a dead cat without hitting someone form Edmonton or Vancouver or any other city...looks nice enough but we can get this at West Edmonton Mall if we want.

Leticia and her kids drove us from Guanajuato to San Miguel today...kids love us think were pretty cool...and we are! Leticia invited us to stay at her sisters and or mothers house in Mexico City when we get there and has contacted them to that end. Yazmin (the sister) has demanded that she or her husband take us to the Museum possibly Tula and Teothuican and of course a ride to the airport when we are ready to leave....gotta love this country!

Greg keeps whining how much he is missing Cindy...see ya all tomorrow somewhere on the road.

We apparently have some un-believers out there...

2008-01-19T17:28:00.000-08:00

Just in case any of you are wondering...all the statements and facts contained in this BLOG have been verified by the independant firm of: Correlejo, Don Julio and Daniels.

I do not think any one would question their credintials, however should you wish a reference please contact the firm at tequilacorralejo.com.mx
Thank you for your attention in this matter.

Colin and Greg

Mueseo de Los Mommias

2008-01-19T09:17:00.000-08:00

So we finally made it...I have always wanted to see this place, and now I know where I want my body to be interred when I die....right here at the museo. A bit of history....the natural minerals and gases in the soil of this area create an unusal mummification process not found antwhere else in Mexico...sooo...when greedy beaurocrats decided to exhume the bodies of family members who did not pay burial fees...this is what they found, well what do you do with 111 mummies? make some money of course! Notice the knife wound in the abdomen of the figure on the extreme left.

After this macbre tour, we found a museum that was bit lighter and full of joi de vivre...follow closly as this place we went to next was more fun then Disneyland.

Yes this is the Mueseo de la Inquisition...a museum of torture...it is absolutly amazing what human beings are capable of doing to one another.

This snazzy device basically puts a 10 inch long spike through the back of you head by turning the corkscrew...answer the questions correctly and they still turn the screw until you become a rag doll...but first you get the pain..and tons of it.

Here is a nice way of being buried alive...after everything else is done and you´re almost dead but not quite...they drop you into this coffin on top of the 12 inch spikes..impale you and then bury you alive while you die in complete and utter agony.

Another version of the first pic..only this oneslowly crushes your skull from the top and the side simultaneously

Here is a portrait of the Chief Inquisitor...the SOB actually had the nerve to call him self Fernando de la Cruces( Fernando of the Cross)...he´d sit at the table asking questions to to or three prisoners at a time...one on a rack, one in an iron maiden and slowly kill them. He had this place built with the walls extra thick so you could not hear the screams from inside...I want this guy at my next party! This tour could not have been done properly without the aid of my new friend Leticia, she did all the translations for us...it was quite exciting as she would actually gasp when the tour guide would tell her what these things all were..she would then translate for us..after this journey we were all hungry and went to a nice Italian dinner. On our way to San Miguel de Allende. oh yeah if you are wondering...this place is totally haunted...and why would it not be?

Gregs first post by himself.....good luck with this

2008-01-19T00:02:00.000-08:00

When we got on the bus for Guanajuato..Colin accidently knocked over the bus drivers lunch...... I mean it spilled all over the place...sandwiches, juice, fruit..chips..everthing then he said quick sit down and act like nothing happened.The bus driver theñ got on all serious and started this long and very intense speech. For the benifite of of all U in blogland i will translate it-SOMEONE HAS COMMITED A MOST HENIOUS CRIME-MY LUNCH HAS BEEN DELIBERATLY DESTROYED,THIS BUS WILL GO NOWHERE UNTIL THE CULPRIT HAS IDENTIFIED HIMSELF....IF HE DOES NOT COME FORWORDON HIS OWN ACCORD I SHALL INTERROGATE EACH AND EVERY ONE UNTIL I HAVE FOUND THE PERPETRATER......HE WILL THEN BE LINED UP AGAINST THAT BACK WALL ( he then points to this 8 foot high wall with red stains and what looked like BULLET HOLES ) AND SHOT.Needless to say we both looked at the floor trying to be nonchalante.The driver then dragged a dubious looking character from the front row off the bus-it was the last we saw of him.( he was shurly guilty of numerous other offences) The bus continued on its way,we both felt like we dodged a bullet........PLS excuse the spelling as it is late and i did go to school in STRASBOURG.

Guanajusto in the morning

2008-01-18T23:39:00.000-08:00

Ok...it{s late i have had 2 scotches...3 beers and 3 tequillas...celebrating you might say..met a very lovely woman...and like her alot...anyway....this morning...standing on the corner minding my own business...just finished the morning shot of agua especial...passed it to Greg for his morning shot ( well maybe the third...) I did not notice the Federale walking towards me...Greg did and promptly passed the bottle to me and said "here hold this" and walked away leaving me with the bottle right in front of the Federale...looking kinda sheepish...ah best friends...what do you do with them? anyway...fading fast..got lost of pics of the mommies for you...so here is Greg with some sort of an update.....good luck understanding it.

Guanajuato at last

2008-01-17T16:17:00.000-08:00

Just arrived in Guanajuto... City is carved into a mountain...tunnels galore, absolutley alive with backpackers, students and travelers from all ove. this is MEXICO my friends and a definite must see again city.

Went to a restaurant for dinner tonight...BBQ in a brick oven...absolutley fantastic...had the carne asada Greg had the Puerco asada...dinner was almost ruined when a local came begging at the tables for pesos...this was so she could buy herself some new false teeth...made no qualms at all about showing us in livid detail..sorry no pics of this...but your imagination could not begin to touch the real image....yeechh! Two guys packing gutars came in and played some songs for us...did a terrific version of La Paloma for all of us...we sat and drank beeer with an entire family spending holidays together...after the musician left two of the younger boys sang about five songs for all acapella..strange how each of the songs had the exact same tune. I just have to say, that this trip is absolutley everything I thought it would be (and only day 3!!) yet it is eclipsing the trip to Guadalajara and San Blas I took almost 4 years ago. Hey please leave us comments and suggestions and some ADVICE for us...as we still seem to be lacking THE VOICE OF REASON. See you tomorrow after the meseo de los mommias.

The Casa De Zacatenas

2008-01-17T09:19:00.001-08:00

Handsome don'tcha think?...this is in the tower at the Casa de Zacatena..the place where one women wanted it all and couldn{t have it...as the story concludes, shortly after she dispensed with her husband...and the servant (no one knows who the second body belonged to), her body as found in the street with multiple stab wounds...further investigation showed that the perpatrators climbed a ladder to her bed chambers, stabbed her (all the blood on the bed sheet proved this...and quietly took the body and dumped it in the middle of the street (to show others what infidelity can bring you) about a block away from the mansion.

In an un related story, Greg was hungry and is getting ready to eat a sandwich..it was really good.

On our way to Guanajuato....but first before we need lunch and a bathroom break...lunch was something called GORDITAs....40 cents each we had two each and a Coke...that was lunch and was it filling!!

Heres Greg with his experience with an underground bathroom, an M16...nah why ruin it for you...Heres Greg......I went to a public bathroom in an underground parkade,there was a Federale with an M16 and way too serious look on his face...after my 2 peso break,i tried to ask him if he was guarding the toilet, he did not

quite understand me (a good thing perhaps as THE VOICE OF REASON was obviously still AWOL).

Finally some pics for yàll

2008-01-16T17:57:00.000-08:00

Yeah...pictures for you!! Could not find an internet cafe when we needed one...but we did stumble time and time again to the Mexican Rasta shop, where we got a picture taken with JOSE MARLEY. Interestingly enough...Greg noticed a Federale taking an unusal interest in us going into (and leaving) senor Marleys shop...he kinda watched us for a good block or so in fact. anyway around 8:30 or so we found what was a computer university where two of the teachers took a good hour of their time to help us get photos on this site...so..Manuel and Estoban...if you read this...Muchos Gracias Mi Amigos!

The aquaduct...built between 1726 and 1738 as Queretero was suffering from a shortage of fresh pure water...this aquaduct is still considered to be an engineering marvel by todays standards...4200 feet long, and the channel runs over 74 standstone arches reaching a maximum height of 75 feet. Guess they need more of these as my shower sucked this morning...please see picture of toilet and shower facilities in previous post.

Here is the Santa Clara Catherdral...told you about it last post...celebrating it tri-centennial. Absolutley breathtaking, as all of the churches in this country are.

Day 2 and not in jail....

2008-01-16T14:00:00.000-08:00

Colin writes: Have any of you ever seen a Mexican Rastafari?...I mean really...totally Mexican with dreadlocks down to his butt...aand of course with that leetle beet of mexican accent...and running headshop to boot.....still laughing.

Greg found us a beaut of a hotel room...100 pesos each...beautiful pink walls, no toilet seat...extra for paper(not the reading kind) .

Went to the Mueseo de las Zacatena today....haunted house...murders, love affairs and bodies in the basement...quite interesting..husband leaves wife to go and get more business so he can keep here happy, wife has affairs, wife kills husband with help of servant, then kills servant and throws both bodies in basement.

Greg Writes: I can't believe how many different types of Chevy's there are here...none that we see in Canada. Tornado for one..kinda like a snaller type of el camino. Slowly working on our bottle of agua especial as we go along...really smooth. Time for a cerveza and a bite to eat.

Greg out

And it starts.....

2008-01-15T00:12:00.000-08:00

Ok...so the bus guys in Chilliwack gave us wrong information...got off and then on the same bus 3 times before we got it right...finally arrive in Seattle greyhound station...oh what a pleasent pvlace that is at 11:00 pm at night...not being much of a risk taker...why walk in downtown s
Seattle when you can be safe and take a cab....so we got us a cab...Greg, me and Moe...who is hearing impaired...to take us to the Westin Hotel so we can get a shuttle to Sea/Tac...a $3'00 ride less then 2 blocks...boy were we smart...anyway...decided to have a beer while we waited for the Shuttle...Moe had nothing..Greg a kaluah and milk...me a Heiniken...19.00 later...oh yeah they gave us some peanuts to make the deal better. So far we are in Mexico and haven\t even got there yet! total price for the cab fare to the Weatin and then to SEA/TAC? 34.00...price just for a cab? 28.00. Yep I'm glad Greg is the voice of reason on this trip..otherwise who knows where we'd be by now?...need beer but all bards are closed aright now....shit!

Greg writes: it was always good for me to have Shawn along on trips....because he was THE VOICE OF REASON ...I was thinking that Colin being the father of two sons...could in fact be THE VOICE OF REASON on this trip....but has since informed me that it will in fact be me who is THE VOICE OF REASON...this is somewhat forboding...oh well no saftey no danger...what could happen? See you in Mexico

The Beginning

2007-12-23T07:54:00.000-08:00

To get a sense of the scope of this trip and what it means, you need to know how it all started and how it finally came to this place. It also wouldn't hurt to read or summarize some of the following books: A Yaqui Way of Knowledge (The teachings of Don Juan) , A Separate Reality(Further Conversations with Don Juan), both by Carlos Castenada, Chariots of the Gods(ErichVon Daniken), the Outer Space Connection (Alan Landsberg) Aztec (Gary Jennings) and any and all National Geographic Magazines that deals with anything Mexico)

Almost 20 years ago, my best friend/bro and I (Greg...and he will be doing his share of posting here, so don't worry) after reading and falling in love with Carlos Castenada's Mexico, fueled by all things Meso-American(especially the pre and classic period of the Aztec empire) a healthy dose of ErichVon Daniken and a smattering of conspiracy theory, we started planning the ultimate trip...one part tourist, one part research and one part spiritual...well as they saying goes "the best laid plans of mice and men..."and our paths went in very different directions, I somehow jumped onto a path that would see me marry my future ex-wife and have a family, the more practical and mature path I guess, Tristan and Darien were the results and I wouldn't trade them for anything as they are growing up to be fine young men, I truly am proud of both of them. In spite of this, Greg maintained his course and his path did lead him to Mexico and even further south then I think even he thought he'd go, right into the heart of the Maya. As you might well imagine, our friendship was duly tested because I bailed on him, luckily it all came back and we're still best friends and brothers, I am very thankful for that as who else but a best friend would put up with so much of my bullshit over the years?

Over the course of time, there were token, half hearted attempts to fulfill the promise we made to each other and take the trip to the heart of the one world, all attempts resulted in one or the other of us doing something else or having other commitments (kids and careers, other relationships etc). Finally earlier this year ('07) I broke out of a relationship that in the end had me being no more than a marionette in it, suddenly I let go and was free!, but this is stuff that you really don't want to know, suffice to say choices were made, mistakes were made, choices were made again and I came out free and still me....The End.

Anyway, on a whim I called Greg just to see where he was in life...and yes to get a bit of sympathy/empathy from him as well, only to find out that he did have the time, money and inclination to make the trip...his partner Cindi told me that she would never stand in his way as even though she has been with Greg a relatively short time she understood the importance of the trip (Greg told her about the plans we had made so long ago) and gave her blessings to both of us...what a special, trusting woman! Love ya Cin!!

This journey will either sate our passion and desire for Mexico or fuel it even more, I hope for the latter to tell the truth. So... now we have come full circle and on January 15 we leave from Sea/Tac to The Heart of the One World and I/we are very excited.
Should you decide to follow our exploits via this BLOG you may get the feeling that Greg and I are on some sort of spiritual journey, and at time of writing this it does certainly feel that way for me anyway, I can't speak for Greg on this matter...although if I had to bet, I'd say yes for him too...otherwise why would he have called me late one night about a month ago telling me that we just had to chronicle this journey and maybe even publish it?

The places that we are going to visit are the places that (some theorists think) have proof that the Maya and Azteca had been visited and assisted in setting up the empire by visitors not of this world...Giants at Tula, Teothuican and El Tajin and Cacaxtla to name four (read Chariots of the Gods circa 1972) and hey! December 21/2012 is just barely 4 years away and if you believe the hieroglyphs at Chitzen Itza and Tikal or Tula...the Calender ends (and so does the world some also speculate) and Quetzalcoatl and his Maya come back to see how their experiment worked out (are they in for a dismal shock!!) and take everybody home with him (sound familiar?...that story by the way pre-dates Christianity). This might very well be a research pre-trip to one that maybe taken again in 2012. So there it is...you now know why we're doing this even though it may sound a bit strange...it'll be fun! Follow along with the map, it'll be like a treasure hunt.

Journeys

2007-12-22T20:00:00.000-08:00

Well this is the first post, this is me...nothing more to say about that, you can read the profile to find out more. January 15/2008 Greg Wittal(my best buddy and partner in crime) and I leave on a journey that is sure to have some sort of impact on both of us, this is something that should have been done a long time ago, although maybe now that we're more mature we will be able to appreciate and understand it more, maybe we were not supposed to go until now. Keep up with us dear reader...theres more to post and I'm sure it will be interesting in the very least.