Mexico Adventure

Wow I have loved Mexico in the past and absolutely loved it this time again.
However this time around it felt so much more significant to my life and my path. It seemed as though every experience I had brought about clarity and focus on what is important in my life and where I am headed.
Im going to start writing about it as I feel there is much coming through.
The main reason for going was because I had a free flight and also because I wanted to get a big shipment of bamboo to make bamboo didgeridoos out of.
Spent the first night in the tent on the beach of Lake Chapala, the biggest lake in Mexico. So huge you cant see the other sides in many places. I was expecting it to be a mostly nature area but most of all the coast was city town or homes. It was still quite beautiful and most defiantly a rain forest. Fruit trees grew wild all over and the temp was about 85 in the day and 50 at night.
Met a guy there as we woke up in the morning who cleaned the beach with a big tractor thing and he stoped to ask what the didj was. I told him and offered a tune. He turned off the truck and I played into his cab. A most powerful tune flowed and he loved it. He gifted me his hat in thanks.
As we traveled we asked about bamboo. We met someone who told us of bamboo in a town not to far away. So we hitched rides until we came to the little town. We got dropped off on the side of the road where we walked down a rocky over grown path down the ridge to get to the town. It was a very small town. We asked a lady running a little convenience store out of her home that is so commonly the practice, where we might find this bamboo. She was unsure but directed us to a place that may be of help. As we stood outside this house where no one was home a man came over and talked to us. Telling us about these people and how he could take us to where he worked in the day. He also offered his house for us to stay. It was a small house with bathroom doors as tall as my shoulder and a scorpion in our sleeping room. It was perfect! ;-) I fully enjoyed the synchronicity that was occurring as we followed the flow. We only talked to him for 20 min before we were like family. (I have pics of all these points on my FB and will on my web site)we walked to where this man was the care taker for a large beautiful estate that had bamboo growing on it. We enjoyed the walk and the visit to the estate but it was not the place to where we would be getting the bamboo. It seems that we were led there to meet this man who offered his house. We stayed there for two days and nights and quite enjoyed it. I would walk around the town and groups of kids would follow me around and ask me to play the didj and more kids would come and ask and more would come and we would just play and interact without any words. I loved the kids there. So open and clear to say what they felt, to ask for what they wanted and to look me in the eye with no reservation or fear. I would meet little girls who would look at me in curiosity and I would look at them in the eye. I would connect with love and acceptance and feel it, they would feel it and go there and we would just go higher and higher back and forth with each other for minutes of eternity.
We went to a local festival one night celebrating a virgin and it seemed as if all the surrounding towns were there. It was a week long and the locals said they go there every day. Food, games, vendors, and drink. We hitched a ride back one night around 2am. Got a ride in the back of a truck as was common for us and told them which town we were going to. As we neared our area we were keeping an eye out trying to locate our guest house but it was dark and unfamiliar. The truck stopped and it was our house! It seemed everyone already knew where we were staying hehe. If I stand out here man there a 6 and a half foot tall long haired didgeridoo carrying white guy really does there.

We left there feeling alive, in connection and ready to continue the journey for the didgeridoo bamboo. Taking a bus to the big city we went to a street that has hundreds of vendors and little shops where I had seen large bamboo for sale as interior decorative bamboo. We went to many shops selling it and in one the guys introduced us to the man who cuts and provides all this decorative bamboos for him. We asked to come to his house to see his place and see all the bamboo. He accepted and off we went in the back of a truck.
Upon arrival the whole family was there to great us. His 8 kids Father (grandfather to 30 kids already and more to come) wife brother sister in laws and a whole bunch hehe. They are very family oriented and it is so nice to see so many people getting along in such small quarters. They were all very interested to meet us and be wonderful hosts. We spent the night playing with bamboo which he had a lot of and me playing the didj for them all and there friends that they went to fetch to be part of such an experience. They offered us there master bed room and we graciously accepted. The grandfather took us on a walk around the town at 10pm to show us his town. We went to eat at a little house restaurant across the street from his house and ate some food and talked with the family. I love how its seems as though 70% of the people there have business's out of there home. Anything from shoe stores, general stores to restaurants and candy shops. So easy so local and so free. The kids at this particular place seemed quite well off as they had a computer and internet which was quite rare. He promptly asked me if I had myspace to which I replied yes. They were quite excited to see what kind of stuff was on the site and ran off to check it. We laughed and talked for at least an hour and quite enjoyed our self's. They invited us back in November for a huge wedding.
We spent the night and on the next day went to experience this towns festivities for the celebration and honor of another or the same virgin hehe. This town was quite a bit more interesting in its custom where many boys and men played a violent game in sacrifice to the virgin. They would erect these big cages and there would be men who wore cowboy hats or sombreros and carried machetes and mesquite branches (branches covered in huge strong thorns)to beat other men (in beautiful wooden carved and painted masks with horse hair) while they tried to take the hat. The tradition was that if a masked man got the hat off of the armed man the armed man had to buy everyone playing the game food and drinks. Watching the festivities there were little boys teenagers and men who played in different age classes. It appeared that most people in masks played more to be beat and be tough than to get the hat. Some people played with no shirts and some would even drop to there knees and take a beating where upon they would be given high fives and congrats from there fellow friends.
We went to a less official sacrifice session in another square without the fencing, ambulances and huge crowd. It appeared as though there were many people who wanted and loved to play this game that were not or could not get into the official games. The game was the same except for instead of a machete and a thorn branch they just used the thorn branch. People quite enjoyed to play and the audience quite enjoyed watching. Girls kept coming up to me asking me if I would play to which I replied it seems as though this game is about sacrifice not getting the hat. I know I will get the hat and I do not want to offend anybody. Also I do not believe in sacrifice, so there is not much reason for me to play. Then one of the main hat wearing men came over to me and handed me a mask. I accepted hahahhaha. The women did not want me to play saying you will be hurt. The crowd was quite excited and I feel that they quite expected me to be not as tough as them. I got the hat from the first guy quite easily and the head honcho promptly stepped in to wear the hat and regain the honor. The hardest part of the game was that I could not see through the mask as it was loose on my head and the eye hols quite small. It took a bit longer but I did get the hat from him as well and I do not remember feeling any pain.
It was one of the first intensely competitive activities I have been a part of in quite some time. It felt strange though I did enjoy the physical requirements of it.
We left that night and I really felt as though I were leaving family. I so much enjoyed the stay and interaction with the family and town. It was beautiful.

We then headed to the Varicruz area where we have a friend living there. It took about a day to arrive via buses to the small town of Xico. I really really love how well the bus system works in Mexico. We can get almost everywhere in every town or city no matter how big or how small, we can get from every city or town to every city or town.
Xico is a smaller sized town, many small shops and home businesses. Getting off at the bus stop we make our way to the end of town. Its cool cause the town just ends as it nears the valley and the ground slopes quite quickly. Emerging from back to back homes, roads and construction into lush green living forest. Sloping quickly in the valley to the powerful rushing river. Our friends live in a little house that is built onto the mountain so 1 wall in there kitchen and living room is a huge rock! Its a very simple house but it has running water, electricity and even a flush toilet! They are about 20ft from the river where we bath and swim on a daily basis. Its quite cool and fast flowing but its so energizing and full of life. I love getting in there on cool over cast days just to be energized by the intensity. There is a beautiful swimming spot with a large rock 12 from the water for diving and a great diving hole that I could dive right into. Also a long silk hanging from the trees for swinging or ariel acrobatics. There are wild coffee bean trees, banana trees, and ice cream bean trees quite abundantly. There is so much beauty just growing there that I went on a photo session and over the course of 2 hours hiked about 1/4 mile and took a couple hundred pictures. Lots of fantastic pics of bugs, plants and water.
We really enjoyed the stay there. Laying in the sun, listening to the rush of water 24/7, the natural beauty and peace. We left the house a few times once to go to town square and do a performance. Fire spinning and acrobatics. The crows was very interested and supportive. Went on a couple hikes and the beauty was just life fulfilling.
I really loved seing my friend Zerek who is 5 engage his business as a merchant. He makes bracelets, neckleces, wallets, bags and sells them on his blanket inspired by all the mexican merchants all over town. He runs up to people bringing them to his blanket and sells about as fast as he makes them. He doesnt make much but for him it is perfect. At first he spent most of the money on candy and such but now he even invests is earnings into materials for more products! It great to see how engaged and empowered he is in the ability and process of earning his own money.
We headed back to Mexico city after our peaceful stay in Xico and what a contrast our arrival was! From quite peaceful town and people to loud, fast and stressed people. We did enjoy the biggest market in Mexico where I was totally blown away by the many square mile market. The fish section alone was as big as our malls and all for sale was sea food! There would be hundreds of people selling the same thing. We walked for hours and only saw a fraction of it. It is the best quality and price that can be found anywhere besides the exact source. What an amazing thing to behold and what a cool resource to be able to utilize!
We then went to the airport and were right back in fear and control based environment. Spent tens of minutes in various lines to be checked checked and rechecked. So many rules, regulations and enforcement. There was a sign in the line for security scanning that read caution! swine flue alert! take all pracautions. Then I said " OHH NOOOO now I am going to get athletes foot too because they made me take off my shoes!" ;-)

We then arrived back in the states and it was quite apparent that we were back in the land of Big and fast. I very much appreciate how efficient and organized we are in relation to business and also how abundant we are. I would love to see a balance of the mexican life style with our business ability. Its amazing just how different the design of everything is here compared to there. There really is a large difference in values.

All in All I was very moved and fulfilled by the trip. I was very inspired by the simplicity with which the common mexican lives and the peace and slow pace of the lifestyle. I really really liked how many small business/home busineses there were being utilized by men, woman, children and grandparents alike. I really really loved the abundance of the land. The earth in so many places was so fertile. Its amazing to see banana trees growing everywhere and so many fruit trees and plants alike in abundance without even needing to be watered or taken care of in any way.