Puerto Escondido

Due to Mexican Independence Day (September 16) and Chiapas' anniversary of becoming a state of Mexico (September 14), I was off to Puerto Escondido on a 12 hour bus ride with friends from school. I enjoy riding the bus in Mexico for the most part, but the winding roads through the mountains can make it difficult to sleep, although it seems to depend upon your driver. On the way out, I slept well, but the return trip was a bit more difficult due to the driving and the blaring mariachi music the driver fired up around 6:00 am! Never again will we sit in the front of the bus!

Zicatela Beach itself was beautiful and very designed for surfers, as the undertow and waves require a red flag and swimming isn't recommended. We were told by two different volunteer lifeguards of a girl who died the day we arrived because she walked out too far and was hit in the back by two waves causing her to drown. We took their advice and exercised caution while taking our occasional cooling dips.

We walked to Playa Carrizalillo the first day which is one of the two only swimmable beaches, but it's very small. The third day we strolled all the way down to the Punto and found that it wasn't ideal at all for laying in the sun. All of the palapas (large, grass covered umbrellas) were too far away from the water, but it made for a good 25 minute workout.

I started everyday with a run near the beach and a perfect breakfast at El Cafecito, run by Carmen, the ex-wife and former co-owner of La Casa de Dan y Carmen http://www.tomzap.com/CDC.html where we stayed. Dan has remarried, but they are still friends and kept the name. There were plenty of delicious restaurants to choose from and we spent the evenings trying a few places and ordering cuisine that isn't available in Tuxtla.

On Friday, September 15, I phoned my dad to wish him a Happy Birthday and was informed that my 90 year-old grandfather had passed away on Wednesday night while he slept. I was very sad, but at the same time happy that he's now in a better place and most likely spending quality time with my grandmother who died 19 years ago and my uncle Duane who passed away in February. I typed a goodbye letter for my dad to put in his casket at the funeral held on Monday. My cousin Jeremy, the perfect candidate, read it at the service to the laughs and sniffles of the listeners. It was a perfect way for me to say goodbye and I'm at peace with the fact that I couldn't make it to the wake or funeral.

I returned to school on Monday and quickly got back into my routine. On Tuesday after school, I heard of the coup d'etat in Bangkok http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/asiapcf/09/19/thailand.chronology.reut/index.html from a former co-worker at TCIS, Lisa, and quickly went online and turned on CNN to get the latest details. I can't imagine tanks rolling through the streets of Bangkok, but I also know it's such a massive city that it would be possible to live there and know nothing about it. I guess TCIS had the day off of school on Wednesday, though...lucky them! I'm hoping the Thai Baht holds up, as it would greatly affect my former co-workers paychecks if it falls drastically. I'll keep my fingers crossed!