Okay, so here's a brief rundown of my itinerary so far as I'm aware to this point. Monday morning, the 1st of February 2010, I fly from Minneapolis, to Atlanta, to Lima, arriving in the Peruvian capital right at midnight. I then have a 4 am flight to Arequipa, arriving in plenty of time to find breakfast before my 08:30 bus departing for Puno, on the shores of Lake Titicaca. As it turns out, the 2nd of February is the main day of the 18-day Virgin de la Candelaria Festival in Puno. From perutravels.net:
"The festival gathers more than 200 groups of musicians and dancers to celebrate the Mamacha Candelaria.
On the main day, February 2, the virgin is led through the city in a colorful procession comprising priests, altar boys, the faithful, Christians and pagans carefully maintaining the hierarchy. This is the moment when the troupes of musicians and dancers take the scene, performing and dancing throughout the city.
The festival is linked to the pre-Hispanic agricultural cycles of sowing and harvesting, as well as mining activities in the region. It is the result of a blend of respectful Aymara gaiety and ancestral Quechua seriousness."
Good timing, I guess. So it sounds like I might have to delay a few days in Puno and enjoy the festivities, but I have a sense of urgency about getting to La Paz, Bolivia because that is where I will meet up with Cappo. We're staying here: http://wildroverhostel.com/ It might be fun. Not sure yet.
So then the plan gets a bit more vague from there. There will be Spanish lessons involved; we plan to see the salt flats; but basically we'll just do what feels good, as that is the number one rule. Eventually we'll make our way down toward Buenos Aires. I would like to stop and see the Iguassu Falls, right where Paraguay, Argentina and Brazil come together. I've been told they make Niagara look like a leaky faucet. Only one way to find out. I also intend to find Mendoza and drink as much wine as possible, but that might have to wait until we head back north and west.
According to an email I just received from Cappo, it sounds like we'll fly from Buenos Aires down to Ushuaia, the southernmost city on the continent, sometime in early March. It looks spectacular down there, so we'll go as far south as we can, then work our way back north by bus.
That's all I've got for 'plans' so far. Of course, I'm planning to improvise, as always. I imagine I'll keep this space somewhat updated as events progress.
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Take It Easy People
while technically correct, some of these labels suggest a more sinister intent on the part of the designers than i believe is necessarily there.
point by point:
"annuit coeptis, novus ordo seclorum" is often pointed to as a reference to a 'new world order', and that this is something we should oppose, when in fact, this is evidence of our founders oft-stated and (in my opinion) enlightened intention.
they quite openly were hoping to establish a secular order in the new world. secular, as in, not governed by the Church. there is no cause for fear of Latin.
on that note, “E Pluribus Unum” is sloppily translated here. “From the many, one.” (as opposed to "One of many") is more accurate in its implications, and again, reflects a rather high-minded ideal that America has in many ways come to embody. we have 50 states represented by each and every variety of human found on this planet, and yet we are one nation.
this concept corresponds to the upward pointing triangle in the Star of David, the masculine principle representing knowledge or wisdom. The wide base angled upward to meet at the apex tells the story of man aspiring to an ideal, or god-like state.
(the downward pointing triangle then, of course, corresponds to the feminine principle, the all-embracing, nurturing concept of “as above, so below”). in fact, this symbol is displayed right above the phrase E Pluribus Unum, consisting of 13 stars. This is so carefully pointed out by the skeptical commentary pasted on the original picture.
Thirteen (13) is an incredibly significant number in a wide range of traditions, including but not limited to the Masons (obviously), the Mayans, Judaism, Hinduism and numerology. it is a number of completion, of ascension, of re-union with the divine. the idea that it is an unlucky number is a purposeful distortion intended to obscure its true power and importance.
there is obviously a lot to be said about the pyramid, but I’ll try to hit the relevant points. first of all, the pervasiveness of the pyramid shape is a result of its relationship to our current 3-d world. based on sacred geometric principles, the pyramid acts as a stabilizing force, conducting etheric energy and helping the earth maintain its delicate balance.
this is one reason why you find massive pyramids all over the world (even on ocean floors), built by otherwise ‘unrelated’ civilizations who apparently had tapped into this esoteric knowledge and understood the importance of this form.
there is some great Russian research around pyramids, crazy stuff like exposure or vicinity to a large pyramid reduced violent crime and increased IQ. you can do your own google on that. this also helps to explain the purpose of the Egyptian pyramids. the open sarcophagus in the kings chamber of the great pyramid was a superconductor for spiritual energy.
David Wilcock, among others, have described the process in which the initiate lies in the open tomb, and the living power of the pyramid channels massive amounts of ether, or prana, light-force (or whatever you want to call it) directly into the body, significantly raising their vibratory frequency and sending their consciousness deep into astral realms and beyond on a life or death journey.
If they are able to successfully confront their demons and navigate their way back to human form, they would walk the Earth as a fully ascended master, with serious worldly powers (think levitation, instant manifestation, etc). But if they got lost, oops, too bad, come back and try again next time.
These were the Pharaohs. These days I'm convinced they either openly were, or were given profound guidance by, varying entities from non-earth-bound realms.
oh, okay, so anyway, the Masons (the Founders) are clued into this ancient knowledge, as their lineage is said to stretch back to Atlantis, the enlightened survivors of which are the forgotten sources for the founding of the ancient Greek societies (Plato is the earliest, and a significant source of info on Atlantis) and on down from there.
However, we all well know that a mass of worldly influence does not necessarily correspond with any moral or spiritual discipline or purity. Thus, the initiates of this lineage are capable of 3-d magic tricks but little more. They are trapped in a dimensional cage of their own creation. They been hoping to keep us locked down too, under vibrational control, but we are at liberty to transcend them whenever we are collectively ready.
Calling the All-Seeing Eye that is the missing capstone of the pyramid the "Eye of Lucifer" as they do is a gross simplification, and almost qualifies as fear-mongering.
The replacing of the capstone is rooted in the symbolism of the second-coming of what is known as the Christ consciousness. When the metaphorical capstone is returned, a long-prophesied Golden Age will be upon us. The difference is that this time the Christ comes not embodied as one man; the Christ consciousness is sweeping over the Earth even now, inspiring people to live Truth, to become those who Christ himself said would do still greater things than He.
The time is now. We are the One.
The human capstone is your third-eye, your pineal gland, just above where your nose meets your forehead, reaching straight back to that nob at the back of your skull, the little ledge at the top of your spine.
"When thine eye be single, thy body shall be full of Light"... right? Where's my intern to fetch me my precise and properly sourced quotations from scripture?
Yes. Meditation. Invite that Light to invade your Eye. I believe there is also mention of certain Ears to Hear, Eyes to See, no? Same topic, from the same Source.
As it is, the pyramid is becoming less and less central to our worldly situation. as we arise through the densities, different, more complex geometries become more efficacious, shall we say. (google ‘cymatics’, and see how things change as the frequencies increase).
Oops I did it for you:
This is also becoming true in terms of our power structures. currently, the world’s power is set up in a pyramid, right? with the greatest number at the bottom, ruled by a little group at the top. your classic ‘pyramid scheme’.
This is changing. we are transitioning (or need to be) to a more holographic political, economic, etc system, so that each separate piece contains and reflects the whole. Symbiotic like all divinely-spiraled organisms.
I do not know what this imagined society looks like. Yet.
Yet I myself am quite unsure of just what to do about it. Talking about it is all I ever seem to do, all I seem capable of. However it seems that simply sitting in silent meditation aids every other venture. Now I am devoted to the how, not the what; I will continue until doing dishes is ecstasy, juggling a ball joyous, and sleeping in leads to serenely lucid dreaming.
I can only pass on what I have seen. The sources on this stuff are varied, and jumbled in web-browser histories so expansive that I'd rather just wait until we can plug into the akashic records directly, find out what truly happens. In any case, we have little choice as a species -right now- in terms of a more holistic existence. Fully conscious Self-creation will save us. Coming soon, we hope.
anyway, I’m way off topic here, but it’s my rant and I’ll digress if I want to. the biggest point I want to impress is that far more than words do, symbols rule the world. symbols speak to us on deeply sub- and meta-conscious levels.
like any tool, they can be employed in the service of the full range of intentions, from total-dark to Source-light. the tool itself remains inherently neutral.
Tt is only when we become aware of the power of symbols that we can realize their influence upon us. As we become aware of ourselves within the thick atmosphere of archetypal (Platonic) symbols - man's shadowy dream of day and night inhabited by mere dense manifestations of a tragic and playful Spirit - we are surrounded at every turn by lessons we have somewhere wisely chosen for our own personal soul-growth. So be nice to strangers.
For further reading, see:
http://www.divinecosmos.com/
http://www.wanttoknow.info/
http://vigilantcitizen.com/
http://benjaminfulford.net/
http://www.mayanmajix.com/
Friday, January 22, 2010
In Response
Jane:
Mr Wilcock is definitely an influence, but I like to think I draw more of my understanding from the Law of One material. Wilcock also draws prominently on this material, and I find that it just resonates so strongly in me that i cannot ignore it.
paradoxically, this influence has inspired me to try and shed as much exterior influence as possible, to learn to trust my own experience and intuition. there is no such thing as good information or bad information, just info that is more or less useful to you at that time. so i love to listen to Jordan Maxwell and David Wilcock and Esoteric Agenda and all these things, but I try not to invest them with undue authority. it's hard, and i'm obviously not perfect at it, but it's a process of recognizing the full force of my personal power and investing that into the free will which is my and your birthright.
in my day to day experience, the Law of Attraction is unquestionably the way things work, and upon reflection, i find myself undeniably guided along a path, so that seemingly random events led me to be at this one place at that one time that led to this and that and woah, man... it amazes me daily. in short, the world continues to unfold before me with abundances of joy and opportunity. and i am not alone in this. every little choice i've made in the past has led me to NOW, and considering how blessed i feel in this moment (and in many moments. funny: the more often i check in, the more often i find that feeling), it seems to suggest that i'm doing something right.
so i suppose i agree with you, that 50/50 odds for humanity are probably about right at this juncture. but the most effective strategy i've come across for increasing those odds as much as possible, is to stay focused on the positive, and work towards bringing my own being into balance, because that has quantum effects on the consciousness field and hopefully makes it just that much easier for someone else to feel a spark until it reaches a tipping point and then...
...i don't know what happens then. but i have unshakable faith that we have all been blessed celestially, and that we will be shown the path that provides the lessons we require. i just hope not to have to repeat the third grade again, ya know?
i will google The Secret Covenant and get back to you. thank you for being a tireless provocateur, providing a forum for me to spout off my improvised personal philosophy as it arises off the top of my head here.
Mr Wilcock is definitely an influence, but I like to think I draw more of my understanding from the Law of One material. Wilcock also draws prominently on this material, and I find that it just resonates so strongly in me that i cannot ignore it.
paradoxically, this influence has inspired me to try and shed as much exterior influence as possible, to learn to trust my own experience and intuition. there is no such thing as good information or bad information, just info that is more or less useful to you at that time. so i love to listen to Jordan Maxwell and David Wilcock and Esoteric Agenda and all these things, but I try not to invest them with undue authority. it's hard, and i'm obviously not perfect at it, but it's a process of recognizing the full force of my personal power and investing that into the free will which is my and your birthright.
in my day to day experience, the Law of Attraction is unquestionably the way things work, and upon reflection, i find myself undeniably guided along a path, so that seemingly random events led me to be at this one place at that one time that led to this and that and woah, man... it amazes me daily. in short, the world continues to unfold before me with abundances of joy and opportunity. and i am not alone in this. every little choice i've made in the past has led me to NOW, and considering how blessed i feel in this moment (and in many moments. funny: the more often i check in, the more often i find that feeling), it seems to suggest that i'm doing something right.
so i suppose i agree with you, that 50/50 odds for humanity are probably about right at this juncture. but the most effective strategy i've come across for increasing those odds as much as possible, is to stay focused on the positive, and work towards bringing my own being into balance, because that has quantum effects on the consciousness field and hopefully makes it just that much easier for someone else to feel a spark until it reaches a tipping point and then...
...i don't know what happens then. but i have unshakable faith that we have all been blessed celestially, and that we will be shown the path that provides the lessons we require. i just hope not to have to repeat the third grade again, ya know?
i will google The Secret Covenant and get back to you. thank you for being a tireless provocateur, providing a forum for me to spout off my improvised personal philosophy as it arises off the top of my head here.
Bless the Executioners
Bless the executioners. Without them we would not be awakening at this rapid pace.
they have done nothing but play a role we collectively requested of them. they are the real-world manifestations of our personal shadows put together, that part of ourselves that many (most) repress and prefer not to acknowledge as part of them. the fact that more and more people are becoming aware of their presence is amazing! it portends of a purging of that darkness which is no longer necessary.
their plans will not come to pass. they are already behind schedule. these elites painted themselves into a corner with the derivatives market. they no longer create anything of value. they will soon (very soon) be forced to release the free-energy technology they've kept suppressed so long in order to survive financially. the current collapse of the financial system represents a complete neutering of their influence. just wait until the dollar falls apart completely and the Fed is dismantled! this is already in process! does this not thrill you?
these 'evil' men (and women!) and their diabolical deeds are but catalysts for our growth. thank them. they provide us the opportunity to take responsibility, to make a different choice, to finally stand up and embody our full human potential which has lain latent until this prescribed time. it seems this world will continue to polarize until it has no choice but to SNAP back together, creating unity once more.
indeed, the Law of One material states that, in general, the greatest opportunity for the piercing of the veil exists between to polarized entities.
does anyone else see how exciting this is? would you want to be alive at any other time? after incalculable births, we have earned this opportunity to combine all our lessons, take strength straight from Source, see all others as sisters and brothers and be reborn as our true selves. i can barely contain myself as it is!
be patient, keep hope. these are meant to be frightening times. the birthing process is often traumatic but it need not be cataclysmic. we do not need to experience 'purification by fire' as its called -- unless we decide we deserve it! so embrace your shame and hatred, show it the love it's been chasing all these years. with open arms, turn and face the evil force who pursues you in your dreams. apply the law of forgiveness and release this dark and heavy energy so it may be recycled in Light and reintegrated into existence at a higher vibration!
awareness of these secret societies and their plans and supposed 'power' is a positive, for they are like vampires: they feed on our fear and can only operate in the dark of night, shriveling at the first Light of day (isn't funny how we are all of a sudden obsessed w vampires as a society). but please discern between healthy fear, which acts as motivation, and the Fear that provides you further excuse to project your personal shadow onto others for a little while longer.
the beauty of this existence, as proven by quantum mechanics, is that the world quite literally becomes what we expect it to be. so please join me in expecting Eden.
om shanti.
namaste.
love and light.
they have done nothing but play a role we collectively requested of them. they are the real-world manifestations of our personal shadows put together, that part of ourselves that many (most) repress and prefer not to acknowledge as part of them. the fact that more and more people are becoming aware of their presence is amazing! it portends of a purging of that darkness which is no longer necessary.
their plans will not come to pass. they are already behind schedule. these elites painted themselves into a corner with the derivatives market. they no longer create anything of value. they will soon (very soon) be forced to release the free-energy technology they've kept suppressed so long in order to survive financially. the current collapse of the financial system represents a complete neutering of their influence. just wait until the dollar falls apart completely and the Fed is dismantled! this is already in process! does this not thrill you?
these 'evil' men (and women!) and their diabolical deeds are but catalysts for our growth. thank them. they provide us the opportunity to take responsibility, to make a different choice, to finally stand up and embody our full human potential which has lain latent until this prescribed time. it seems this world will continue to polarize until it has no choice but to SNAP back together, creating unity once more.
indeed, the Law of One material states that, in general, the greatest opportunity for the piercing of the veil exists between to polarized entities.
does anyone else see how exciting this is? would you want to be alive at any other time? after incalculable births, we have earned this opportunity to combine all our lessons, take strength straight from Source, see all others as sisters and brothers and be reborn as our true selves. i can barely contain myself as it is!
be patient, keep hope. these are meant to be frightening times. the birthing process is often traumatic but it need not be cataclysmic. we do not need to experience 'purification by fire' as its called -- unless we decide we deserve it! so embrace your shame and hatred, show it the love it's been chasing all these years. with open arms, turn and face the evil force who pursues you in your dreams. apply the law of forgiveness and release this dark and heavy energy so it may be recycled in Light and reintegrated into existence at a higher vibration!
awareness of these secret societies and their plans and supposed 'power' is a positive, for they are like vampires: they feed on our fear and can only operate in the dark of night, shriveling at the first Light of day (isn't funny how we are all of a sudden obsessed w vampires as a society). but please discern between healthy fear, which acts as motivation, and the Fear that provides you further excuse to project your personal shadow onto others for a little while longer.
the beauty of this existence, as proven by quantum mechanics, is that the world quite literally becomes what we expect it to be. so please join me in expecting Eden.
om shanti.
namaste.
love and light.
note: in my mind it's a war of consciousness, not conscience. the idea being that there are factions out there (in here) fighting for influence on where we place our attention and how aware we become. obviously there are those (with little conscience) who would like to see our consciousness remain restricted to what television tells us, and then there are plenty of entities attempting to help us snap out of it. in the end we're all one and embodiment is a big virtual reality game for us to learn our lessons, but it comes down to us deciding as individuals and as a species, what kind of game we want to play, what will we choose as the nature of our experience? right?
Sunday, November 22, 2009
The Editing Is Over
I bought iHome Portable Speakers at the Carlsbad, CA Apple Store.
The first time I took them out mi amigo Max asked if I "was holding the future".
Fifty buxx.
I'm telling you: this pair of speakers are magnetic.
The size of two limes, they stay together but also bounce out.
For better depth.
A simple press-and-twist maneuver pops a spring,
releasing the top to create space for bass.
And they bump.
Like I said, the bottoms click and clasp for compact storage or
hand-held portability, plus long-lasting lithium ion batteries
which charge through a USB to the computer.
So here's the point: my iPod plus these speakers equals
me being a super-mobile potential-dance-party at-all-times.
This excites no one else?
Plus I think I can use it in class, so kids can learn
a new language through music, and or video if appropriate.
Use it to trick them into comprehension.
Fools. Oops oh no. I'm nice. Right. So,
here I am in Mexico, high on a balcony for the first time.
Took more than five days to find it, though
it was above my head the whole time but I was too timid
to even wander up those mysterious stairs behind the communal kitchen
just to see.
I like it here. I have fast internet access and a hammock,
except for now I choose plastic table and chair.
Still slouching.
Shouldn't I be writing in Spanish?
That would take too long.
How else will I learn?
I only know the present tense.
Is that in no way profound? I speak like a child,
except with less vocabulary.
But I'm learning, even starting to dream en español.
I have my little phrases, becoming more and more rehearsed.
Te amo. Lo siento. Perdonáme por favor. Muchas gracias.
Who else just learned about Ho'oponopono?
I did. I like it. Hawaiian-style healing. Look:
http://hooponoponoinsights.wordpress.com
Cool, well, great. Hope everyone out there is feeling fine tonight...
Boy I tell ya what, that Brett Favre sure is sorta talented, isn't he?
I suppose I always knew, but now I know that I never knew until now.
My one wonder, is why we resigned Childress so quickly.
He has not done anything yet. We've had half of one good season.
Now the guy who was about to get sacked is worth what, 5 more years? Really?
Anyway, we won. We're 9-1 for the first time since 1998
(knock on wood with your fingers crossed) and are only getting better.
AP's mere presence disrupts the entire defense. And Percy Harvin, woo.
The Seahawks had negative rushing yards at the half today, an ended up with 4 total.
We controlled the ball for 42:11 of the game and did not turn the ball over.
That's the recipe for victory if I've ever seen it.
Okay I'm done for now. Not a good sign if even I'm getting bored.
Think iHome will pay me for writing nice things about their product?
Mom, will you refresh this page about 500 times for me so I have a lot of traffic?
Thanks.
The first time I took them out mi amigo Max asked if I "was holding the future".
Fifty buxx.
I'm telling you: this pair of speakers are magnetic.
The size of two limes, they stay together but also bounce out.
For better depth.
A simple press-and-twist maneuver pops a spring,
releasing the top to create space for bass.
And they bump.
Like I said, the bottoms click and clasp for compact storage or
hand-held portability, plus long-lasting lithium ion batteries
which charge through a USB to the computer.
So here's the point: my iPod plus these speakers equals
me being a super-mobile potential-dance-party at-all-times.
This excites no one else?
Plus I think I can use it in class, so kids can learn
a new language through music, and or video if appropriate.
Use it to trick them into comprehension.
Fools. Oops oh no. I'm nice. Right. So,
here I am in Mexico, high on a balcony for the first time.
Took more than five days to find it, though
it was above my head the whole time but I was too timid
to even wander up those mysterious stairs behind the communal kitchen
just to see.
I like it here. I have fast internet access and a hammock,
except for now I choose plastic table and chair.
Still slouching.
Shouldn't I be writing in Spanish?
That would take too long.
How else will I learn?
I only know the present tense.
Is that in no way profound? I speak like a child,
except with less vocabulary.
But I'm learning, even starting to dream en español.
I have my little phrases, becoming more and more rehearsed.
Te amo. Lo siento. Perdonáme por favor. Muchas gracias.
Who else just learned about Ho'oponopono?
I did. I like it. Hawaiian-style healing. Look:
http://hooponoponoinsights.
Cool, well, great. Hope everyone out there is feeling fine tonight...
Boy I tell ya what, that Brett Favre sure is sorta talented, isn't he?
I suppose I always knew, but now I know that I never knew until now.
My one wonder, is why we resigned Childress so quickly.
He has not done anything yet. We've had half of one good season.
Now the guy who was about to get sacked is worth what, 5 more years? Really?
Anyway, we won. We're 9-1 for the first time since 1998
(knock on wood with your fingers crossed) and are only getting better.
AP's mere presence disrupts the entire defense. And Percy Harvin, woo.
The Seahawks had negative rushing yards at the half today, an ended up with 4 total.
We controlled the ball for 42:11 of the game and did not turn the ball over.
That's the recipe for victory if I've ever seen it.
Okay I'm done for now. Not a good sign if even I'm getting bored.
Think iHome will pay me for writing nice things about their product?
Mom, will you refresh this page about 500 times for me so I have a lot of traffic?
Thanks.
Monday, November 16, 2009
Little Different
And so here I am in Mexico. Of this there can be no doubt, for I comprehend about half of what is said, and then have very little, if anything, with which to respond. Not so abnormal, I suppose.
Arrived at 5 this morning. Had an intense nap on my hostel cot. Showered far longer than normal, then took to the streets. I managed to buy water. Failed to find a proper school notebook, though I think I now know where one will be found. Strolled the streets of Guadalajara, gave myself a downtown orientation course. I zigged and zagged and did my darndest to misdirect my sense of direction and am happy to find I failed. Pretty simple city it seems. Some spectacular old churches, the very best of colonial architecture standing nobly in the midst of a bustling commercial district - an open-air mall (almost, except I think it went underground and indoors through passageways I was not yet willing to explore) chock full of colorful linens, questionably brand-name electronics and funky sunglasses.
In the central square I stumbled upon a mime show. I stopped to watch. Turns out my Spanish is sadly lacking, for I was unable to comprehend even this, a silent drama.
Surrounding the central mall, two styles of store are clearly dominant. Wedding gowns and mattresses dominate the landscape. I'm not saying they are related (though this is a thoroughly Catholic country), but one after another they align themselves down the street, los vestidos de novia elegantly displayed in window after window along el Calle de Juarez, walking East towards downtown, the white gowns interrupted only by sidewalk construction and showrooms putting every sq ft to good use with fresh bright white colchones. I suppose people gotta sleep and get married (not necessarily in that order) no matter where one goes.
Seriously though, I do not speak Spanish. I find myself shy about using even the few phrases I assumed I knew. Speaking aloud in English, muttering the proper Spanish under my breath, after the fact. I trust that this must change before too long (tomorrow, maybe?).
This is good though. I believe I have successfully exited my comfort zone -- a zone which, as it turns out, is rather expansive, showing me new and old hometowns that stretch from Maine to Carlsbad, NYC to LA, and includes places I failed to find this time. I am ever more amazed at the grace I encounter on a daily basis.
And to be perfectly clear, human grace continues to unfold before me more and more. Most everyone I've met (ie smiled at) since I crossed that Southern border has been kind as can be. It's just that I don't yet recognize the vocabulary they employ in the process of explaining just why exactly it is that they're smiling.
Soon... Soon.
Arrived at 5 this morning. Had an intense nap on my hostel cot. Showered far longer than normal, then took to the streets. I managed to buy water. Failed to find a proper school notebook, though I think I now know where one will be found. Strolled the streets of Guadalajara, gave myself a downtown orientation course. I zigged and zagged and did my darndest to misdirect my sense of direction and am happy to find I failed. Pretty simple city it seems. Some spectacular old churches, the very best of colonial architecture standing nobly in the midst of a bustling commercial district - an open-air mall (almost, except I think it went underground and indoors through passageways I was not yet willing to explore) chock full of colorful linens, questionably brand-name electronics and funky sunglasses.
In the central square I stumbled upon a mime show. I stopped to watch. Turns out my Spanish is sadly lacking, for I was unable to comprehend even this, a silent drama.
Surrounding the central mall, two styles of store are clearly dominant. Wedding gowns and mattresses dominate the landscape. I'm not saying they are related (though this is a thoroughly Catholic country), but one after another they align themselves down the street, los vestidos de novia elegantly displayed in window after window along el Calle de Juarez, walking East towards downtown, the white gowns interrupted only by sidewalk construction and showrooms putting every sq ft to good use with fresh bright white colchones. I suppose people gotta sleep and get married (not necessarily in that order) no matter where one goes.
Seriously though, I do not speak Spanish. I find myself shy about using even the few phrases I assumed I knew. Speaking aloud in English, muttering the proper Spanish under my breath, after the fact. I trust that this must change before too long (tomorrow, maybe?).
This is good though. I believe I have successfully exited my comfort zone -- a zone which, as it turns out, is rather expansive, showing me new and old hometowns that stretch from Maine to Carlsbad, NYC to LA, and includes places I failed to find this time. I am ever more amazed at the grace I encounter on a daily basis.
And to be perfectly clear, human grace continues to unfold before me more and more. Most everyone I've met (ie smiled at) since I crossed that Southern border has been kind as can be. It's just that I don't yet recognize the vocabulary they employ in the process of explaining just why exactly it is that they're smiling.
Soon... Soon.
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