i_adam's Travel Blog

Making my Mark on San Marcos - San Marcos, Guatemala

visited Apr 2006

Arriving back in town on the full moon I was invited to a Sauna, being a lovely way to welcome me back. Fasting for three days on arrival also, was a perfect way to adjust to the totally different climate down South. I took advantage of the yoga classes every day here, and pick up my technique. I also got involved with the local kids theatre group, Kabalacha, helping them out with a show, as the whole town celebrated rebuilding after the Hurricane in October, I was honored to be part of such a group, dressed all in black, I fell into the role I was born to play, one side of the curtain! Not before showing the Kabalacha crew that I was a worthy part of the team, an impromptu mime act with some of the kids in the audience cemented my relationship with the team. Torn between my desire to see the world and stay working with Theatre kids in Guatemala, for a while I was at a loss as what to do. It was when the rain started that I decided to call my time in San Marcos, and indeed in Guatemala to a close. Breathing deeply I prepared myself for my next step into the unknown..

posted May 9, 2006 | Comments (0)

Tickled in Tikal - Tikal, Guatemala

visited Apr 2006

So deciding to leave Palenque was a difficult thing to do, but somehow I managed to pull myslef away from the place. Determined not to do the tourist thing I decided not to catch a tourist shuttle and make the way over the border myself, staying over night in Tabasco, and crossing the border by river the next day. Arriving in Flores, I ran into two girls who I'd met at Palenque, they were only travelling for two weeks but had managed to get to everywhere I had been and was going in Guatemala and Mexico, and had clearly got loads out of it.. Its great the way that time bends for your needs! Anyway I stayed the following night in El Remarte and slept through an almighty storm, I noticed that my own perception of time had slowed to such a blissfully slow rate that after a mere two hours in bed awakened by a clap of thunder I thought it was time to get up to go to Tikal. Tikal turned out to be absolutly stunning, especially staying there to watch the Sun rise and set. Often as I explored the epic site I found myself alone except for the monkeys, and was utterly inspired, dancing along singing at the top of my voice, occasionly stopping to greet pasers by. Though no heaven on earth style maya mecca like Palenque, Tikal certainly inspires awe, the Pyramids are just huge! Towering above the jungle touching the sky. When I get a decent computer I'll get some photos up.. NB: Please excuse the lack of updates and photos recently, many of the computers have been giving me grief and I promise that there are lovely photos to see and that they will be up here one day, and if not then you'll see the when I get back.. this travel post thing is more effort than i expected!

posted May 9, 2006 | Comments (0)

One Step Closer to Heaven - Palenque, Mexico

visited May 1, 2006

Mayabell, Palenque is a very special place..built upon the site of the Original Mayan city stands, magic happens here.. How surprised was I, to hear from Mike and Ana, and to find that they are en route to Mexico, I warmly invite them to Palenque, and before I know it the two biggest influences on my life over the past few years are sitting in the cafe at MayaBell. It doesnt take them long to integrate into the ´Palenque Family´and before I know it the two of them are swimming naked in the waterfalls, like fish to water. About a week after thier arrival we instigate a mushroom cermony, after getting an incredible back massage from a tree, I consume my dose. Together in the darkening jungle, Aleina, Ana, Uciel and I sing songs and chant, many of which we are making ourselves. we realize that we are sitting in the jungle in the dark with no flashlight, we decide as a group that it will be more fun to find our way back to the site than to stay in the jungle overnight. Stumbling through bushes, crawling over streams and jumping over trees is something I have got used to since living in the jungle, however the reality of doing this in the dark is veeery different..It doesnt take me long to realise that i can get aqlong much better with my eyes closed, as I am guided by all kinds of spirits which are more than happy to make sure we are protected as we return back to the camp, still it is a difficult journey, yet somehow we emerge back at Mayabell without a scratch.. A few days later we are invited to see Pacals tomb by a guard of the temple, who is also a Shaman.. although the tomb is closed to tourists, he takes us up at the dead of night, after walking us through the jungle, showing us medicinal plants and speaking at length about the Mayan Calendar, and the point we are coming towards, the end of the Mayan Calendar, 2012. As I look at Pacals tomb in wonder, I feel the group awe, the realisation that it is only us chosen few who have this privaledge.. I consider the words of our guide, he spoke with a certain assurety, many people I have met recently are very sure that we are approaching a monumental event, a pole shift? mass flooding? not so much an ending, as a new beginnging.. an opportunity to get things right, to exist in peace.. stranger things have happened, when I look around I can feel the change happening all around, less and less people are buying into the illusion and more and more are seeking thier own answers.. The unification of art/science/religion, is it possible.. what I know is that change begins in the mind, and it is from this beginning that the world goes on to be changed. We do have the choice to shake off the apathy and make a difference to the world. I feel that coming out here, my beliefs that the world is changing are being confirmed. The night before Ana and Mike leave is a sweatlodge, the first I have ever experienced, before we enter we are offered mushrooms, a few of us decide to trip.. and are promptly treated to one of the most enlightening experiences of our lives. Transcending the language barrier was the first step, it didnt take long for the group to ascend to wordless toneing and chanting and beyond into higher realms of empathy and shared understandings.. screaming and shouting, this night we put the howler monkeys to shame! by the end many are writhing around on the floor, as we begin to reach a harmonious equilibrium, I feel as though through this song we are healing each other together, letting go of ideas of who we are supposed to be and how we are ´supposed´to behave, it is all broken down in beautiful naked sweaty chaos. Drawing to a close, I really feel as though I am in the womb of the earth, like a newborn child.. The thank yous continue untill there are only three of us left.. Gracias por Peace Love Intuition OMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM

posted Apr 20, 2006 | Comments (0)

"Welcome home Brother!" - Palenque, Mexico

visited Mar 20, 2006

As I have continued along my path, the people I have met have become more connected, closer more inspiring and interested. Stopping off in San Christobell the night before moving onto Palneque I had the good fortune of finding myself invited to a show, featuring Danielle and Chad, a beautiful partnership. Dani the singing goddess and Chad, her wonderful accompainist. It was here that I really felt that I was walking in the footsteps of Ben, as it transpired that they both knew him.. I was sure I had seen his jumper in a shop earlier! On to Palenque and I was greeted with some very powerful energy, feeling like I was tripping, I set up my Hammock in Mayabell, a place which has become like a dream home to me. On the morning of the Equinox, me and Chad took a jungle path up to the ruins.. At first we were alone, exploring the incredible temples. Moving out in to the main plaza to be overwhelmed by heat.. sitting on the top of a temple, channeling cosmic laughter. The next day we went to the Waterfalls, like a shower only better, feeling very close to my new friends, five of us, exploring the jungle together. A mushroom trip guided us back out of the jungle and eventually up into the temple, where I did sleep this night. Back at Mayabell a jamming revolution was taking off and I sang for my new friends late into the night, as the rain poured down. More like a dream than anything else, Palenque is a place I will never forget, a Spring Equinox like no other before.

posted Mar 25, 2006 | Comments (0)

¡Yo Amo Atitlan! - San Marcos, Guatemala

visited Mar 14, 2006

What a humbling place.. Its everything I didnt expect to expect and so much more. I spent my first night by Atitlan in San Pedro, which was cool, but too much of a pardy town, nothing special other than the interesting integration between the Gringos and the Mayans, I went to a bar named freedom and there was a Mayan guy singing in a reggae band, "Reggae is coming" I got a Boat over to San Marcos the next morning, to be accompanied by two beautiful angel girls were doing a Shiatsu massage course and asked if I would be thier practise body.. it didnt take much to persuade me. Lying on a mattress while amazing things were being done to me I had a realisation that I must go to Palenque for the Spring Equinox, it was a very clear message illustrated with little Mayan Ruins, which sprung out of nowhere in my minds eye. So a few days in San Marcos, learning a bit of Spanish in a local school, swimming in Lake Atitlan everyday.. surrounded by some beautiful people, from Merlin, the resident wizard, to many many naked people, to the hillarious Mayan kids, this was certainly a taste of paradise. My Spanish school was very good at teaching me about the Modern Mayan culture, I mentioned before about the close families in the city, but this took on a whole new level out here, the family becomes the little tribe, everyone from the oldest Esposo to the youngest Nieto unite under the same roof, quite a beautiful sight to behold..and the colours of their clothes, are increadible, the flowers weaved into the clothing, rainbows everywhere! I also find it very heartening that the Mayans can take on Catholosicm along with may of their traditional beliefs, they are so open, makes such a nice change from, us over in England, always creating seperations between everything, Science vs Religion anyone? The Maya do not let such thoughts trouble them, economic crisis? No sweat..as long as we,re close to our family theres nothing to worry about. Late for Spanish class? No stress Amigo. We could all learn something from the lifestyle of the modern Maya, laidback, taking life as it comes, but hardworking, the women carry heavy loads on thier heads.. I,ll get a photo before this trip is out..just need to learn how to ask in Spanish. San Marcos has been the perfect place to connect with some wonderful people and prepare myself for the next leg of my journey, the mission to Mexico!

posted Mar 17, 2006 | Comments (0)