Sunday, May 25, 2008

Mexico


Dear all,

Time flies...don't you think.

My last posting I talked about Chicago. Well, I will always remember that trip and the little friends I carried with me to New York.
My legs started itching a week or so after my return. When my mother came one week later, I was waking up at night because the itching was killing me. After seeing a doctor, I realized I had picked up scabies (like fleas) in the Mariott in Chicago.
Don't worry, we parted on good terms and agreed never to cross path again.
As I mentioned, my mother came over for a week. It was good seeing her again and nice to have somebody doing my spring cleaning. My father and I affectionately named her Conchita after the many Mexican cleaning ladies here in New York.

At the end of April, my good friend and fixed travel partner, Genevieve aka fashion police aka Guevarra aka Gene picked me up in Newark Airport to go to Mexico. Our 2.5 weeks there can be described as an epic story but is too long to do via a blog. I will try to keep it as short and entertaining as possible.

We flew to Mexico City where we stayed for two nights. We experienced a little earth quake while there.
Genevieve was sipping her mojito...I started feeling dizzy thinking that they put something in my drink...Genevieve was still enjoying her mojito...people started evacuating the bar...I was still dizzy and Genevieve still sipping...But then the quake abated and Genevieve saw the light... The bar was empty and wondered what happened! Sorry to make fun of you, Gene, it was too funny!!
We rented a car in Mexico City and after having received directions, we got lost. When stopping to ask for new directions, the car broke down. We got a new and bigger one which we called the Batmobile. We lost 4 hours with this incident but were finally on our way for a 3000km adventure full of laughter, some stress, funny incidents and beautiful archaeological sites.
Renting a car to do what we did, is not advisable but we survived.
Road signs??? Where???
Traffic lights??? Mostly bumps on the road or topes like Mexicans call them.
Speed limits???
Highway to no way at all...
Cows on the road...
Police asking if we had a driver's license...
Just have a look at the pictures and you will understand.
http://picasaweb.google.com/Rudiinthecity/Mexico

We ended up in Tulum for a well deserved couple of days on the beach. It was just perfect and also the perfect place to get sunburned. (that is an essential part of holidays).

Upon my return in New York I was greeted with a warm welcome at customs.
They asked why I was in New York to which I replied that it is my home now. They kindly reminded me that NY is not my home but a temporary place in which I have been granted to stay thanks to my visa. Heartbreaking...isn't it.
Anyway, returning to work wasn't easy as I suffered from holidays blues but that is life.

That's all for now, folks. Next trip...Argentina...will explain some other time.

I hope you are all doing well wherever you are.
Take care,

Rudi