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From the Center of the Universe

Tuesday, July 31st, 2007

New York City, that is… Well, I am on the road again.  I am writing from the world’s most expensive internet “cafe” (Kinko’s – no food/drinks allowed) – $18 per hour (Bolivia = 25 cents!!!!).  I love NYC, but the prices are astronomical.  Time off has been good.  Too long maybe, but I am ready to go to Brazil.  We (my friend, Randy, included) will be there for a month before I head to Morocco. 

I have to thank the following friends for putting me up (and putting up with) for the past few weeks – I love all of you!… Bryan and Matthew, Ilene and Jim, Randy, Robert and Donna, Terry and DiAnn, Mom!, Joan and Joe, John, Anita and Alex, and Hal.  Throw in all the food and I am definitely the best cared for homeless person in America.  I would be embarassed, but I am settling into this life very well and it looks now like I am truly going to do this for a while so you’ll all probably have to see me again 🙂 

I am more than ready to get back to my life on the road.  I have missed it a lot even while having adventures galore here in the USA including nearly being crushed in a my kayak by a flying 8-point buck (I kid you not), seeing Randy take a kayak for its first submarine adventure, watching bald eagles on Lake Sonoma and near Turner’s Falls, MA, paddling on Cape Cod, meeting Jillian’s guy, washing pots and pans and what-not at a wedding for 200 guests, and a few other that I am probably forgetting. 

I also survived electronics meltdowns.  My camera never recovered from the very wet and miserable return from the Amazon.  A new model is now onboard.  My laptop hard drive became increasingly flakey and troublesome.  The laptop will recover, but is not going to Brazil.  That’s too bad and the reason I am paying $18 per hour to sit here.  I gotta go.  Next dispatch… From South of the Equator!!!!!!!

Mexico City

Friday, December 15th, 2006

I get the feeling that no matter how hard I try not to have preconceptions about places, I will still carry them in and they will all be thrown out soon after arriving.  I went into Mexico City expecting a filthy, rundown, over-crowded second-class large city.  While I can’t report that it is not over-crowded, it is not as densely packed as many cities due to lack of sky-scrapers.  This is a world-class city that I truly believe is on par with New York, London and Paris.  It has the architecture, history, culture, arts, diversity and worldliness of the others.  And all at a fraction of the cost.  I stayed at Hotel Isabel near the zocalo in Centro Historico in a very large, clean albeit rundown with a comfortable bed for $20 per night.  It gets cheaper and more expensive in Mexico City depending on your needs, but specifically with my place, where in NYC, London or Paris could you stay for that?  Aside… I am currently sitting in Guatemala on a deck off my room overlooking Heaven on Earth.  I’ll save the location for a future post, but I will say that I am looking out over one of the most beautiful lakes I will ever see ringed by volcanoes with the last rays of sunlight shining.  This makes it very difficult to go back to Mexico City and tell you about it…

[read on]

What Goes Up Often Comes Down

Wednesday, December 6th, 2006
My great times in Mexico City came to a halt very early Monday when I woke up with Turista or Montezuma's Revenge.  Went out to an Argentinian restaurant Sunday night and had a nice meal (a bit heavy on the ... [Continue reading this entry]

Instituto de Lengaujes Puerto Escondido

Saturday, December 2nd, 2006
Tomorrow finishes off my stay in Puerto and I would like to bring attention to the school which has provided my first lessons in Spanish.  Instituto de Lenguajes has been fantastic.  I am just now starting to get comfortable with ... [Continue reading this entry]

Strange (But Charming… Sometimes) Things in Mexico

Friday, December 1st, 2006
There's always something different about another country (let alone your own) which gets your attention usually wondering why it exists or why it is allowed to continue.  Here are some that have caught my attention in Oaxaca State, Mexico... Unfinished buildings are ... [Continue reading this entry]

Oaxaca Photos

Friday, December 1st, 2006
Here are some photos from my adventures in the state of Oaxaca... Oaxaca City: View of City from Monte Alban Oaxaca Cathedral Javier Martin Scupture 1, [Continue reading this entry]

Nocturnal Hummingbird?

Wednesday, November 29th, 2006
So I am sitting on my veranda this beautiful evening in Puerto Escondido processing my Oaxacan photos (which I will try to post this week) and I head some squeaking.  I thought it was just one of the many geckos ... [Continue reading this entry]

Retired Surfer!

Monday, November 27th, 2006
I took three surfing lessons last week.  One was a land lesson and the other two were in the water.  Land lesson - good.  The first water lesson went OK.  I had some problems getting some balance on the board ... [Continue reading this entry]

Schedule…

Monday, November 27th, 2006
I have decided to push off to Mexico City next Saturday rather than the previously scheduled flight the following Monday.  This will allow me to get to the bullfights on Sunday - another event loved by PETA.  I'm not sure ... [Continue reading this entry]

Oaxaca Village Trip

Monday, November 27th, 2006
It looks like I made the right decision to go to Oaxaca last weekend and miss the surfing competition here because things have gotten more out of hand this weekend in that lovely colonial city.  From what I just read, ... [Continue reading this entry]