San Pedro Trip

Flores, Guatamala

Hola Hola everyone.
How is everybody doing? Kevin and I are doing fine, at the moment we re in a small town named Flores in Northern Guatamala, but wait I jump ahead of myself, lets see where did we leave off, I believe we were still in Antigua(I really need to start saving these messages for my own reference). So from Antigua we took another harrowing bus ride to a place called Lago de Atitlan(Lake Atitlan). The bus dropped us off in a town called Panahachel, which was very touristy so we to a boat to San Pedro on the other side of the lake. By the way this isn t just any lake, its probably the most beautiful lake I ve ever seen. The lake itself is squarish and about 15 miles across. Ringed around the lake are very large mountains 3 of which are active volacanos, this is somewhere I definetly want to return to. Anyway, so we get across the lake and walk into a restaraunt next to the dock and sit down. Along with the food menu the waiter says"All right man, I ve got pot, coke, acid and exctasy" Kevin and I looked at each other thinking to ourselves Hmmmmmm. (by the way those of you who don t approve of my occasional drug use, uh sorry) Anyway so we buy an oz of pot(for 12 bucks) and a couple hits of acid, thinking we ll probably have to hang out for a half hour or so, or even come back later for it, especially with the acid(this was the first time we had seen anything but pot or coke, and we don t like coke), but no the waiter pulls the oz out of his pocket and tosses it nonchalantly on the table. Then he walks over the little cardboard box containing straws on the bar. Grabs the straws, walks over to our table, turns the box upside down, and out comes a little package of acid. Meanwhile, Kevin and I are looking around just waiting for the handcuffs to fall, but no one seems even to notice. So we look at each other, look back "uh, thanks." So later after we dropped our stuff off in the hotel we walk into this small bar, and we re talking to the canadien guy who owns this place and he says "Yeah there s a table out back if y all want to smoke anything or do whatever" Ok this is my happy place.

So Kevin and I decide this would be a perfect time to take a week of spanish school. Where we caught this train of thought I have no idea. Lets see party town, lots of drugs, lets wake up every morning and take spanish class for 4 hours. So we did, and it was alright, I had this cute little guatamalan girl for my teacher named Flora(I like the way she said it better). She was (unfortunately) very traditional, which means very catholic and she wore the traditional dress which leaves WAY to much for the imagination. But she was fun and I think that I even learned a little, she didn t speak any english so I had to use what little spanish that I had the entire time. One night a local bar threw a full moon party, on a beach away from town. They had a dj and a bar set up(I don t know why since everyone was tripping) also a bunch of bon fires. It was pretty cool. Out of the 150 people there we probably met 12 or 15 that we had met before in other towns, including 4 as far back as San Cristobal. A good time was had by all, except for us because we didn t leave the party until 5am and we had class the next day. Try describing the imperfect preterite tense to somebody with a head full of acid in a language they don t fully understand anyway. I felt bad for Flora. Finally after our school was over, we felt that we had to get out of there(although not without buying a little more acid for the road, its the easiest drug to conceal) before our heads exploded. So we went back to Antigua for a couple of days, Kevin has been a little sick lately so we let him get over that, and then yesterday we took a bus up here to Flores, a little town on a island in the middle of a large lake. The big attraction here is Tikal, which is a large mayan ruin, supposedly the most impressive in central america. We re thinking about renting a tent and camping up there tonight, but I guess I ll save that for the next letter rather than speculate. Anyway, if your still reading thank you for bearing with me. I will talk to y all later Buenos Noches. Moe

HueHue-what?

Well good morning everyone, I am writing you from Antigua, Guatemala. Kevin and I finally left Playa Del Carmen and took a overnight bus to Planck, Mexico where we planned to go over the border, but found that we couldn't and so we moved on to San Cristobal, Mexico, but only after seeing the absolutely incredible ruins in Palenque first. We got there in there at 8 in the morning and saw the morning fog rolling up off the huge temples and into the dense jungle. Afterwards, we took off to San Crisobal, and stayed there for a couple of days, we really liked the town, but there was anything that stood out. From there it was on to Guatemala. After taking a short bus ride to the border, and passing through customs we boarded a bus headed for Huehuetanago (pronounced waywaytanago), and this turned out to be quite the adventure, the bus (as are most busses down here it turns out) was a converted school bus, that by looking at the leg room was probably meant for kindergartners. However, they somehow managed to fit three people to every seat, my seat included, although my legs jutted out into the isle which was also crowded with people standing. If you have a problem with claustrophobia, the busses in Guatemala are not for you. My personal bubble was definitely popped. Also they put your bags on the roof which always has me a bit nervous. The scenery was incredible, at least what I could see of it with everyone's heads in the way. We were in very mountainous area that was covered in jungle it was all very beautiful. The one bad aspect of this area is that they don't seem to invest in guardrails, and as close as the driver liked to drive on the edge this can be very disconcerting. Maybe it just me but I like to be able to see the edge of the road, instead all I saw was trees and houses, 300ft down.

Anyway after a night in Huehuetanago, it was off to Chimaltanago (by the way I feel much smarter writing these name than when I try to say them) Now this bus ride was the most scariest of my life (with one obvious exception). The bus was very full, but the driver drove like he was suicidal. The bus driver look like a reincarnated Indian chief very stoic never showing any emotion except to swear at the drivers in front of him who callously driving in front of him at a safe, reasonable speed. Luckily, there were bumperstickers all over the inside of the bus saying, that god blesses this bus, god blesses this driver etc. I often looked at these stickers while we were passing somebody around a blind corner, with only a 3 or 4 hundred-foot cliff, to escape an oncoming car. I was just hoping and praying that the piousness of these stickers would outweigh my agnostic beliefs. The funny thing is nobody else on the bus seemed worried besides Kevin and I. It certainly didn't stop the couple who were making out in the seat in front of me. After the blood was completely drained out of my knuckles we finally made it to Chimaltanango, and on we went to Antigua.

Antigua is a town that has more foreigners living here than Guatemalans. Everyone comes here to learn Spanish. But we are having fun, and yesterday we climbed an active volcano, which was all right, the hike for the most part was easy, except for the last 600 yards or so which was pretty much straight up climbing in shin deep little magma rocks, which made you slide a step for every two you take, with wind whipping at us at about 70 miles an hour. We also seemed to be in a cloud, which made it hard to see anything, once we finally did get to the top. But it was an experience, and coming down the top incline was a lot like skiing because as you slide the whole mountain seems to move with you. Alrighty that about brings you up to date, please forgive my being so long, but I had a lot to talk about and a morning with nothing to do. Moe

Mexico to Brazil - The Beginning

11/12/00 – Seattle, WA The Beginning

Hello, hello, once again,

I know that a lot of you have not heard from me for a very long time. I am very sorry about that. I've been in hibernation for the last eight months, on a very isolated steamboat. To those of you who I've lost contact with, I'm very sorry, and although I may have not been communicating with you, I have not forgotten you.(not yet) Anyway, I am a few short days away from once again starting on a journey. This time, to south america. There is a difference between this trips, and trips in the past, as that during this trip I will be doing as little work as possible. Now I, know most of you are saying to yourselves, "I don't see any difference". But this time I will not actually be holding a job as I travel.

Allrightythen. For those of you who haven't been paying attention in the last few months let me give you a bit of a background on the story that is about to take place. (Remember, if any of this, or any following messages, bore you, DON'T READ THEM. Just hit the delete box without even opening the message, like I've been doing with most of you lame-o group emails. However if you do find them at least slight bit interesting, and happen to respond I will try to respond back, in a if not prompt, but leisurely manner.) Anyway, where was I. (scroll up) Right background. For the last eight months I have been working on the American Queen,(THE STEAMBOAT, get your head out of the gutter) trying to make enough money to take a trip to south america, for at least 4 or 5 months. In this task, I'm pretty sure that I have been successful. Along the way, on the boat, I met a lot of cool people, however, none more important to my future than Kevin Pile, and Jessica Morris. Kevin Pile, is a kid from Brewster, WA,(where??) who I've somehow convinced to come along with me to south america. He is super cool, and I know will be a perfect traveling companion. Whether he is naive, or cunning, for listening to me is yet to be seen. Jessica Morris, is a girl from Pratville, Alabama.(where are you finding these people?) who has fallen in love with me, and I vice versa. Those of you who know me already know me know that the verdict came in on her long ago, on the cunning or naive question. But it's OK, we can't all be wolves. Anyway, here's the deal. Jessica, and I leave for Mexico City on Wednsday the 15th of November, and we'll take either a train or a bus for playa de carmen for the 19th. Those of you who know the story of what happened last year at this time in playa del carmen, might ask why I would risk going back there. It just so happens that I was on the internet one day, and oops I bid on a five day all inclusive vacation to playa del carmen in a e-auction or whatever. I wasn't expecting to get it, but these things happen. Anyway, so the lovely miss jessica and I will be spending five days there and then she will be flying home, and Mr Kevin, will arrive and our adventure will start.

OK for those of you who are still with me, I appreciate your patience, as I know this is a longer than normal email, but I figure while I still have free email at my mom’s house, and I have a few beers in me what the hell. Y'all will be hearing much more from me in the future. Hasta la pasta Moe