tanto tiempo sin cuentos...

I know it´s been awhile since I´ve last written an exciting mexican tale, however I have a good excuse. I went to the beach again. I just got back from probably the best weekend beach vacation ever (and that´s saying a lot). The theme of this trip was ´puro lujo´or pure luxary. First, the idea came to us wednesday night over wine and beer at a cool bar called zona central (which ironically is not located in zona central). Heather was already planning on going to Puerto Escondido, so Roberto and I decided to join her (although she would be taking a different bus). Roberto and I went to veracruz on thursday, ate with his family and got on a bus at 8pm. There are many levels of buses here, Deluxe, first class, second class, intermediate, and economy. Yes, we took economy. It would have been fine if I hadn´t run into my professor that morning to tell her of my plans and she told me specifically not to take economy because they are known for mountain side wrecks and being stopped by robbers in the middle of the night. Anyway, obviously I survived without incident, but I did pass a nervous night on a rickety bus. We did end up on a first class bus for part of the ride. So, 15 hours later (and 5 buses later...the economy buses make more stops), we were in puerto escondido. We met up with heather, and had planned on camping, however, the tent is for 2 and we were 3, thus, we found a very lovely hotel for the price of about 10 dollars a night total. Granted, the walls were cinder block and the toilet and shower were next to the one bed, but we all fit quite nicely and at the price of 3.33 a night, who can complain. Basically we watched a lot of surfing, drank beer and tropical drinks in hammocks, played jenga at a beach side bar and roamed the streets in search of the perfect tlayuda (a big tortilla folded in half with beans, quesillo (cheese from oaxaca, like string cheese but a stronger flavor), tomato, avacado, lettuce or cabbage and salsa then toasted). The next day we took a bus to Mazunte, another beach where we took a camioneta (you know the trucks filled with people in the back standing in mexican movies) to the beach zipolite. There, we found another hotel for 12 dollars anight. This one had 2 beds and the bathroom was quasi enclosed. Plus, it included a beach view (no pillows, soap or tp though). We made tacos as the sun was setting and drank mezcal, which is like tequilla but unique to the state of Oaxaca. The next day, more tlayudas (also unique to Oaxaca) and another camioneta to Mazunte. Next we took a bus to Huatulco where we found a beach to camp (it was a tight squeeze) this beach had a river and the ocean and cool rocks. We ate what was left of the taco fixings, I tried to cook them unsuccessfully over the fire, and drank the rest of the mezcal. The next day, we took a community taxi (it´s a type of taxi that looks normal, but is cheaper because you fit as many people in as possible) we went to another beach in Huatulco called Chahue. I reccommend Huatulco to anyone that is used to a nicer beach vacation with pools, tennis and golf and nice hotels. It reminded me of Hilton Head but with crazier drivers. We stayed there until we were really hungry (as we had finished the food the night before) and searched for a restaurant. However, as I was sunburnt we got the bright idea to leave earlier than planned, so we could travel through the day and I wouldn´t be so nervous. Heather took a bus to puerto again to meet up with her boyfriend and Roberto and I left at about 3 pm. We got to the midway point at 11 and ran into our friend Rogers in the bus terminal, he was heading to Xalapa, but we were going to Veracruz first. We got to veracruz at ¨330 am and Robertos parents were there to pick us up. We went to his house, ate quesadillas and licuados (smoothies) slept 2 hours or so, then his parents took us to the bus terminal to catch our 630 am bus to Xalapa. I got home at 830 and since have been packing and doing some last minute shopping as I leave tonight at 2am on a bus for the airport in el DF. So, I have spent and will spend a lot of time traveling in order to return. It was worth it because I´m now pretty morena. A funny story from the bus- we were sitting in the incorrect seats because someone had sat in ours when the bus wasn´t full. At one of the stops a family got on and the mom asked the daughter ( a girl about 15) who was in their seats, the daughter responded in spanish of course, ¨a couple of gringos are in our seats¨I thought it was really funny, because roberto is clearly mexican, but it´s my fault (since he was with me) that he now falls under the gringo category. Also an irony of the trip, thus far in mexico, I have been one of the only people not to get sick from water or food...until today, my last day. Just a note for anyone planning on traveling to mexico, it´s probably not a good idea to eat boiled corn from street venders in the bus station no matter how good it looks and no matter how much chili and lime you add.

that´s all for now, it was a lot, but i´m headed for the airport at 2 am.