Friday 13 June 2008

Port aft...

That is the port or puerta vallarta at the back for your landlubbers... (not port as in left..) Off to the 1012 line, on a sublime wave of positive enforcement provided by the dutch teams' historic result against the french, negatively affected by the french captain Cedric and moderated by the third crewmember, Jeramy, an american with german ancestry who is taking all the blame on behalf of the german referee who caused the french defeat.., not..

Every other word will be too much... there is only but to enjoy the moments to come. See you again in the french polynesia.

Saturday 7 June 2008

A day in sailers' portside life..

'Cedric the sailboat captain' turns out to be a nice guy from France, who is doing a 2 gapyears travelling around the world, away from doing or managing geology surveys on oilrigs in the North Sea and Brazil. The boat, Thira, is well equiped and will provide a home for months to come.


The other crewmember David-the 2nd so far- has left and decided to stay in Mexico with his girlfriend.. apparently she put him to the ultimatum -fuck off or fuck me-... or did he chicken out.. Anyways, another 'Jeramy US Navy man'..., is on the way but we could do the trip with 2 as well..

We do have to leave soon because the hurricane season is on the way.. and considering that the insurance company does not want to insure the ship for our Pacific ocean passage...

Being a sailer... or more apt.. becoming one, we enjoyed a night out on the town with life music, lots of interesting and friendly people and.. a barbrawl, my major contribution being.. getting the Jerome doorman to ward off the unexpected aggresor waving the poolcue he had used earlier on a very composed Cedric.


Besides watching Euro 2008, the ship preparation for departure, going over the equipment and emergencies, and stocking up the pantry (foodstore on board.. jeje) is taking most of our time. Puerta Vallarta is a nice place.. very americanised and the weather is more tropical than dry.. One up for the Caribe.

Friday 6 June 2008

Unity Consciousness

Just before embarking on my journey across the ocean I must allow for a little contemplation.. this time on the purpose of my trip.. Why, as asked..

Well, Guadelajara was great, I went to great contemporary jazz concert in an old temple, enjoyed the most mexican cities of mexico with mucho culture, clean, a lot of people, wide variety of food and great vistas across the surrounding mountains. After which Puerta Vallarta set me back a bit.. the old town center is one up on PDC, admittedly the sun sets into the ocean as it should do and the mountains provide a suitable backdrop.. as per my dreams.. however.. it is worse than PDC.. enough said.

As for the contemplation.. Over the last few years I struggled my way up and down and again... through levels of personal development as there are... persona (persona vs shadow).. ego (ego vs body).. Organism (total organism vs environment) and finally and ever so elusive.. the unity consiousness where all opposites dissolve.. All this most satisfyingly stuborn, and most possibly to my own disadvantage without using any structured and established recognised methodologies.
Besides finding the meaning of life and something useful to contribute to this world, to at least offset all the blessings I receive on a day to day basis, it may be well be the study and traverse of the neverending road of personal transference to the unity consciousness that drives me... Jung, her I come.. or maybe Vedante, or Mahayana Buddhism or Taoism or Esoteric Old Religions or... maybe I will just do it my way..

Or maybe it is yet another way to avoid reality by riding the next wave of exitement, fun and diversion... you decide..

Tuesday 3 June 2008

Respect the ocean

Now I know why I bought two pairs of sunglasses.. so that the nice cheap ones could serve as an easy target to those going through my luggage in the San Christobal de las Casas luggage guardaria.. at least I have the nice expensive ones left.. Apart from this.. everybody is very friendly this oceanside.. same as everywhere in Mexico.. and they actually look up when I walk passed, wispering.. huero, huero.. which says much for the level of tourism, another plus!

In return I also walked into a place in Puerto Escondido where my mp3 player was beefed up with 4gb of my personal favorite mp3 tracks... for 100 pesos.. great service and at least I will have something to bring to the ship that benefits the crew, or so I imagine....

Together with Hillary from Vancouver Island, Canada I explored a bird sanctuary laguna by kayak at 7 in the morning, looking for birds.. we counted 12, and that was including the birds offered on the menu in the restaurant organising eco-kayak tours.. Of course migratory birds fly by in january to march.. Hillary has been living an amazing life filled with volunteer jobs around the world, sometimes paid and more-often not, and now returns to medical school.. an inspiration and much food for thought.. although following cougertracks in Canada/Alaska may not be for me..

Acapulco proves a great disappointment, apart from the everpresent sea in Mexico, seemingly the only nature the average mexican has an healthy respect for, judging by the piles and piles and piles of rubbish next to the roads.. only interupted by church squares, school yards and army barracks. The Quebrada cliff divers proof the point and show how to embrace the ocean with a healthy respect and sence of adventure.. Ever onward, manana to Guadalagara... and then Puerto Vallarta..

Sunday 1 June 2008

Pacific Coast!!

Decided to forego the pleasures of rainy San Christobal de las Casas and move straight on to Puerto Escondido. Capitalism is winning over socially aware community based concepts .. Even here a small bottle of water is charged at an outrageous 15 pesos.. (1 Euro) and while sipping my badly needed coffee after 18 hours in the bus with another 12 to go... I overheard 2 dutch girls answering their mobiles to calls from the Netherlands!!! (This is a, in the middle of the wild mountains of Mexico, supposedly very much off the beaten track, original indian dominated colonial town..

Puerto Escondido is another story.. laid back surfing town with great bookstore/bar, home cinema at the videostore and affordable... 50 pesos for the night in a cabana under palmtrees.. and a full 3 course meal set me back 60 pesos.. There is no mass tourism.. few obnoxious tourists... and friendly locals who enjoy their life and do not try to earn as much money as possible from you as a dayjob... Anybody from the Caribean coast reading this should consider a move.. I certainly am very pleasantly surprised.. and there are mountains, waves and a sunset... although no cristalblue waters with reefs and white sands... that is a minus...

Another few days mixing it up with the surfdudes before I move on to the yachtie crowd.. (note to myself..... when everybody starts jumping on to their mopeds, and into cars and taxis with their boards to catch the waves in the next bay... just let them go... surfing is not for me..)