Palenque

Ok so there was more to it to Palenque

Pyramid were beautiful and Agua Azul was as well. Perhaps biggest reason for leaving had to do with my lack of selectiveness or assertiveness with my couch host.

I asked him to drive his car in return I will pay for his entrance fee. He took it more as a guide line and decide to come with and me having to pay for all transportation and food.

After all it's lack of communication. My Spanish sucks! Especially when I have to be assertive.

He was gay and he took string interest in me. Drawing the line between doing things for him because he lets me sleep at his house, use his shower, drink his water, and makes me breakfast with clean house.

So when he invited me to sleep in his bed second night with his all excuses. With knowing his intention I slept in his bed.

Next day he had a car borrowed from his dad and drove me to few places including Mayabel camping ground. In federal park near pyramid.

Mayabel had vast spots to pitch tents, many RV parking spots (first time seeing them in mexico) . Also many log cabin housing and huts with hammocks.

Seeing how empty and available these hammocks were I decided to park myself in one. Have not had wifi for few days because my host is broke like that. Read many ny times articles. Thought of Lindsey giving me access came up and why she did.

When it got dark, I heard tribal music so I followed. Reception area, girl dancing passionately, I was fixated and mesmerized. She was dancing beautifully. I wanted to talk to her but my lack of Spanish held me back from growing a courage. Frustration grew even more. I really like girls who dance.

I had salad, motivated by ilans blog. Two beers. Two cig. Cane back to my hut. An hour later, angry talk whitemsn speaking Spanish barged in talking loudly. I told him no espanol and he said "this Is my place, chow"

Thing that I was afraid happened, do I look for vacant hut and they were all full. There was house next to reception, vacant area, nothing but concrete, looks like storage full of tools, smells like dust and concrete. Looking for safe spot where I won't be spotted because the guy who kicked me out was with his girlfriends all looking at me laughing. It was annoying because all my trip was full of happiness. I should have just paid, Juan told me its really cheap.

Saw a wooden ladder, looked up, there was attic. Went up. Bunch of mouse shit everywhere. Found cardboard, flipped them, lay down my thermal plastic blanket from marathon, cold, wore my jacket, uncomfortable, grabbed bag of clothes for pillow . Fell asleep around two or three. Thank god for iPhone otherwise I would be bored out of mind in the darkness.

It started dumping like rainforest that it is. Without remorse. Left Palenque to get espanol lesson in San cristobal.

Palenque

Palenque was Warm. It had many cool sightseeing unfortunately my frustration of my lack of espanol caused me to flee to San cristobal for a lesson.

Villahermosa

I ended up staying there for five days. Daniela my host asked me stay till Christmas and I thought it would be nice to stay with a family for Christmas and also experience what it's like. Daniela likes to party and December is popular time for fiestas.
So I drank everyday. It was fun and tiring at the same time. Finally sent post cards. Cost $56 pesos. $14 pesos per card.

I talked to Lindsey via text briefly and she was cold And I was disappointed but got over it.

Romance is tricky and dangerous. After many flings, I'm more certain that it is not my priority. I find myself thinking more about achieving my dreams of creating a business that is good for this world.

For that matter i believe I'm in the wrong region or perhaps wrong country

Many people that I meet talk of sane things in Mexico about lack of job opportunity but they don't seem to be really driven to advance either rather take it easy and enjoy life. Have roof over head and food in belly and it's good.

Perception about USA is similar. Either hate and against or envy and want to be like. One thing common is that USA do not have a culture and I agree too

I met a guy who used to work for wal Mart and he was fond of US open minded culture. I had to correct him for " not all USA ate open"

I'm at the verge of finish reading Steve jobs. He is about to die and I cried pretty hard when he asked his old friend how he was like when he was young . She answered with "you were petulant and difficult but had a vision "
That made a big important remark in point in my life at spn. I cried in the middle of bus terminal. I'm very happy and very emotional these days. I like it. Feel like a human again who is hungry humble respectful. Remind me of my absolute driven days in high school .

Lost bag/ Villahermosa

Craziness never stops in my life.

I arrived in Sur Mexcio Autobus Terminal at 10pm. I need to go to TAPO. don{t know what it is but Juan told me to go there to take the bus to Palenque. 

1045pm i arrive. 

1105pm I get to the desk after waitin in the line for long time. There is no more bus going to Palenque tonight and I must wait till tomorrow. This is a problem because I did not plan where I would sleep. I didnt think about sleeping in terminal and just waiting till 1pm so I think fast. I need to find wifi. At this time i have saved many passwords in my phone throughout the city

metro stops running at midnight so I hurry back to metro. it{s only 6 stops away.

1140pm i arrive in insurgentes, zona rosa, use wifi at a taco restaurant. there I make many contacts including couch surfing, friends i met in acapulco. did not want to reach out to liz or luz because i have already burdened them enough

1155pm oscar responds and we decide to meet. he gave me address and I find it on the map

122am i ask the taxi driver to take me there but he says $150 pesso. rediculous price becausse when I talk to waitor at the restaurant he said about $40 pesos. I was so impressed with myself to understand him and able to carry a small conversation. all thx to Irina and experiencia in Acapulco. My spanish is much better. plus I studied quite o bit on the bus using many apps i have downloaded

135am i arrived at the destination. i took the bus majority of the way and took a taxi and paid total of $55 pesos. it is pitch black, quiet street, nobody is around, scary, i could get mugged easily and nobody would know. I can{t find the exact door to knock on so I see couple guys far away. Biker on harley. what the hell people are not that bad. I ask for direction, barely using my spanish. they were helpful

1:45am i knock on the door. nobody answers. then somone yells from the upstairs window. I say {yo buscando oscar} he asks for oscars last name {no se} then his girlfriend speaks to me in english. the guy comes down to talk to me face to face. and then other old man comes down. I show them my address on the phone and they know i came to the right place and i{m not a bad guy. come on. im small, asian, barely speak spanish, with large backpack on. im more vulnerable than they are. i know this in my heart. i always approach people with caution. i give them oscar {s number and he calls oscar. its all good now because oscar is coming. they gave me rum and coke and we smoke cig together and chat, wait.

200am oscar shows up. we go to a party. there i meet many mexicans. all younger than me. small party with 18 people. they gave me drinks and we share many music together including raggetone, electronic. they were very nice to me and curious about me. its like me being in usa back in 11 years ago. this is very good for me. only makes me stronger, independent, humble and respectful.  some gay guys were hitting on me. but i say no. 

6am we leave. im super tired. have not been able to sleep well for many days. because of heavy partying on fri and sat as well as staying up all night with irina, uncomfortable bus ride sleep. finally we get to oscar s house at 7AM  sleep till 2pm. shower. eat. oscar drives me to TAPO. he is very nice kid. i will remember him. and return the favor one day. many people are surprised by the fact that im traveling alone. i know it takes courage. oscar says i got balls to come to meet him with only a address in my hand from zona rosa. esta bien para mi.

5pm i arrive at  TAPO. bus to ¨Palenque is full. so the guy sugggest me to go to villahermosa which is near. I check it on my map. and I said ok.

11pm. we stop at truck stop so everyone can eat, use the bathroom. there were many people and i struggle to pay for my food. long wait. while i was eating. i was chatting with this guy who spoke little english but we carried our conversation in spanish. I turn around and my FUCKING BUS IS GONE!!!!

i{m freaking out. my bag is in the bus with my money and passport. good thing i got my wallet, iphone and ipod in my pocket. the staff there immediately notice my concern and told me not to worry. they try to make a call to bus driver but no funciona, or no tengo numero. shit. i have no idea what{s going on. knowing spanish would have been really helpful at this time. 

12am i get on different bus which is eventually heading to villahermosa. 

5am. I arrive in villahermosa. bus driver was kind enough to help me out and talk for me. bag checker says that my bus left to another city with my bag in the bus. WTF.  told me to wait for 7 hours. shit

so I wait and wait. sleeping in the terminal. eating some tacos around. 

12pm im tired of waiting. decide to go for a walk. nothing special to see. im very concerned about my passport more than anything so i don{t have desire to explore.

1215pm. it{s been 7 hours. so yo buscando mi saco. the guys understood my broken spanish. i gave them my bag ticket and bus ticket. do some reserach and told me that my bag will arrive at 4 pm. WTF i have to wait even longer shit.

115pm i decide to wonder about. because i have now more confidence that something is going to work out and i{m done worrying. i have my wallet. if worst comes, i go to embassy and isssue a new passport. which will be a expensive trip back to ciudad de mexico and buying new passport but whatever. i was already asking for this crazy extracavanza when I decide to order a meal at the truck stop. i knew bus would leave soon and i was just pushing the limit like always because that{s waht i do. 

2pm i get a real meal. go to internet shop and make many request on couchsurfing and get on facebook and share my story. many people commented and many likes. hahaha ashina mentioned about me missing my plane to mexico and ilan says simply {you would} and yes i would  and esta bien.

230am Daniela in villahermosa responds and i decide to stay in this city, chill and meet some people.  it is good. 

430am  Daniel picks me up with his boyfriend Javier. We run some errands, go buy some meat, i cook for them at their crepe store that they run. javier{s sisters keeps looking at me and sisters friend hitting on me and telling their friend she is gonna show me how mexican girls are. i get many attention, but im cautious because it is my first day with my new host and i must be royal and stick with them. 

5am sleep.