Hello everyone

Click here for Fast Link to W2 & W3 images  http://www.lazyblueskies.com/wp/wpg2-2?g2_itemId=9542

I know its only a few days since the last post but we are seeing and doing so much.

Where on earth do I start about Mexico City. It is a vast, sprawling metropolis that seems to capture ancient history, mixed in with devastating poverty ridden slums next to secure housing areas, stunning architecture, shotgun toting security guards in Domino’s Pizza and a culture and people the likes of which I have never met before. They always say, ‘judge a country by its people and its history’, well we only know one Mexican (hey ?Mauricio que pasa amigo?) and that speaks volumes as the people here as just so friendly and fall over themselves to smile and try to make conversation.

Mexicans as a race like hot food, we all know that. But what you probably don’t know is that they also like food surprises, namely Croissants with cheese and ham……mmm nice, but the surprise (a sodding great jalapeno pepper hidden from plain view for a poor unsuspecting English bloke who on the middle of the Metro thought he was going to die after biting and swallowing the damn thing) - thanks Mexico.

What makes us laugh here is just how the people survive without all the political hairy round things that is currently befalling the entire UK. Yesterday a bloke jumps onto the Metro wearing a dirty black backpack, with wires sticking out of the side and the top. Fixed to the top of said rucksack was a clear glass tube with red and black wires poking out of each side. In his hand he held a red button with black tape wrapped round it. Now in London, I would have had a hot chocolate pudding moment in my sturdy underpants, and of course SO19 and Cressida Dickface would have immediately had the bloke dispatched under a hail of 27 headshots in true Jean Charles De Menez execution styliee.

So we took and deep breath and closed our eyes waiting to meet our maker, but, suddenly music blared out, Elvis Presley to be precise, YOU AINT NOTHING BUT A HOUND DOG proffered on CD for 20p blared out of the backpack, and he went on his way to be replaced at the next stop by a young girl playing pan pipes. What a difference in perception a small button makes.

But the Metro is not the only place where they like to surprise you. Picture this, you are on the Number 32 bus to town quietly watching the world go by, when the bus pulls over and on get 8 Mexicans dressed in full traditional dress, including Sombreros and huge guitar things. You look and assume they are going to a fancy dress party, Oh no! Once one start plucking they all start shouting and whooping and singing/shouting at the top of their lungs. 15 minutes, $2 and 6kms later they get off and sit under a tree in the shade to count my $2. Unreal and very very loud.

The Mayan Ruins that you can see on the latest images are beyond words. The two main temples that you can see are the Sun and the Moon Temples. Interestingly The Sun Temple is the 3rd largest and highest pyramid in the entire world. We have a pedometer working each day and it clocked an incredible 15,000 steps that day!!! To give you a clue of how big this site is, it is 2 miles along THE AVENUE OF THE DEAD, I’m going to suggest that Bournemouth Council twin with Mexico and start naming streets after these names.

Oh one really funny thing that I just don’t understand is ‘Sacrificial Offering to the Gods?’. Now here’s my theory, for as long as can be remembered the people of these parts have, for want of a better word, pulled out live peoples hearts and held them up in the sky as on offering to the Gods. Now Id be pretty pee’d off with that. Imagine, there you sit one day chopping at a stone with a bit of stone making your stone pillow for your stone bed when some dude walks up to you and says, ‘Oih Pedro, need a fav me old matey, bit short on the old volunteers for tonights offerings, do us fav and stand in? Make it worth a new stone for you? Okay you say, and next thing you know some dude has ripped out your heart, chopped off your nads and sends each of your limbs to different parts of town……mmm that would not be a good day.

Yup by the way they pronounce it Tay-oh-titty-cheh-wan. But not as funny as Oaxaca (pronounced Whaca-whaca-whaca)……just make the old Pacman noise from the video game ha ha ha, on which note I had better go. Enjoy the images.

So we leave for Acapulco tomorrow by donkey bus and then we start the trek to Guatemala and Tikal.

Rather than email everytime I post a blog probably best if I just upload images to my front page and you can check when you have time, but Im open to suggestions as this mail goes to almost 200 people (I dont even know 200 people!)

Hugs and Saludos 

Skono and Blondie