After about a week in San Cristobal I am preparing to leave tomorrow and make my way to the Caribbean. I went through a few days of emotional back and forth about where my journey would take me next, but it has been decided. My opportunity to work here has not materialized as yet, so I will revisit the idea somewhere else or on my way back south to Guatemala.
I have grown very attached to this city and its energy. I have seen some beautiful things here and have heard by far the most fantastic live music performances of my trip so far. Last night I went to a free concert given by a trio of jolly old men from Michoacan - they were fantastic. Afterwards I met some friends at a bar and heard an even more exciting quintet play music from Veracruz. The bar was filled to the brim with people and we had a blast until closing.
Today is Easter Sunday, and the Zocalo is bursting at the seams with people dressed in their best celebrating this Jesus fellow. There is a fashion show, the crowning of Miss and Mr Semana Santa and general revelry. As much as I enjoy a good crowd, this particular celebration is not quite my style. Nevertheless, the people watching is very good.
I am beginning to notice some of my classic travel symptoms resurfacing over the days here. Most of my friends know me to be somewhat of a typical German in that I can come off as a little brisk and cold on first contact. I always surprise myself with how socially open I am on the road. I seem to attract all sorts of weirdos and geniuses without really trying very hard. Another drastic side effect of my travels is the tendency to drop vast amounts of weight very quickly - something about leaving the U.S. food culture behind. My clothes are starting to droop a little, my face is becoming more angular, and my stride is much lighter. This instant physical transformation is always a little surprising, and I have intensified the effect by developing a dark tan and cutting my hair short again. On the more unhealthy side, I am smoking like a fucking chimney these days... I'll have to work on that. hmph.
This morning I got an e-mail from a skipper who is offering me a crew spot on his schooner sailing from St. Martin to Trinidad and Tobago. No telling if we will be able to connect, since he is nowhere near me at the moment, but I am encouraged to have made some leeway in my attempts build a connection with the cruising crowd. He may have some good advice for me. I expect to travel to Campeche tomorrow afternoon, then move northeastwards through Merida to Cancun and/or Isla Mujeres exploring the various cruiser ports and marinas. I am giving myself a couple of weeks in the Yucatan and Quintana Roo before I will move south to Guatemala. Geographically, my route is making less and less sense. I am making loops and backtracking here and there, taking on painfully long busrides every time I decide on a new destination. I'll have to work on that.