An epic time to be alive
If only I could put the feelings and thoughts of this weekend into words, to express the gratitude, the enlightenment, the pure bliss that I felt, I could then transcend the experience without having to say anything. Perhaps only similes could do it justice.
Like the feeling of being suspended in the air for less than 5 seconds when you bungee jump.
Like the sound of the ocean waves crashing against the rocks on a stormy day.
Like the first time his soft lips pressed upon you, sending shivers down your spine.
Like the start of a new day when everything is whole again.
Like the freedom of a bird who escapes its cage.
Like the selflessness of the moon that gives to the sun.
Like the innocence of a young child learning to ride a bike.
Like the sensational touch of mother's love.
Like the taste of fresh coffee on top of the mountain during a morning sunrise.
Like the earthy aroma of rain drops watering the plants after a dry season.
This was one of the most incredible weekends that I have ever experienced. Every day was something new, something exciting, and every moment was in motion; moving from one activity to the next, one place to another. The only time we stopped was to catch our breaths, to close our eyes on the bus, and to soak in the beauty that surrounded us. We left at around 7:30 on Saturday and returned late last night. The first site was the Sierra Gorda where we left the city and trekked through what felt like a magical fairy island. Raindrops danced across the clear blue water. My barefoot squished between the mud, the energy of the Earth was holistic and peaceful. We balanced through wooden ladders across the river and made our way to a cave. 4 out of the 8 of us swam through the cave where we discovered two waterfall, one flowing into the other. It is here that we laid down on the rock, staring up into the moss covered mountain, the delicate rain drops caught in the spider webs with the rush of the cold water against our back. I had caldo de pescado at a place called Tequila. Each one of us was given a shot of tequila for the meal, meant to be sipped on throughout the evening. After a quick visit to the Mision de Jalpan de Sierra, we checked into our hotel for the night, bought homemade hot chocolate and dipped it with sweet bread while watching the soccer game between the U.S. and Mexico.
The last morning, we got a bit of a later start. After packing everything up, we climbed back on the bus and it took us to another swimming hole. This place reminded me of spots in Oregon where I felt like I could stay there forever. Jumping off the rocks, diving into the water and flowing with the currents, I couldn't believe how joyful I felt in that moment. Then we visited a tree that was 1,300 hundred years old. Some kids tried to burn it down a couple of years ago, but failed. The area surrounding it was the cleanest river filled with fish life. I hugged the tree, smelling the trunk, trying to take in everything that the tree had endured, every pain and love that it ever felt over all of those years. On to our last adventure of the weekend, we saw the ultimate and final waterfall. It was huge and epic and the water here was not so warm, but nonetheless, we all got underneath it. After our third mission visit to Mision de Conca, we had comida at the restaurant where we had beers the evening before. I had a headache from the powerful sun and my stomach didn't feel as well so I ordered a small bowl of soup. This time, on the way back, I only take half a pill of Dramamine because I felt so drowsy when I took a whole one on the ride here. Two hours into the ride, I felt sick and could no longer hold it back. We stopped to rest at a gas station. The motion of the van and the windy, windy road was overbearing. They dropped Kelly and I off in the middle of both of our houses and I returned to a plate with my name on it at the dinner table. I couldn't sleep for another two hours, finishing up with homework and the excitement of the weekend kept me awake until 2.
Pictures of the different Missions that we visited:
Like the feeling of being suspended in the air for less than 5 seconds when you bungee jump.
Like the sound of the ocean waves crashing against the rocks on a stormy day.
Like the first time his soft lips pressed upon you, sending shivers down your spine.
Like the start of a new day when everything is whole again.
Like the freedom of a bird who escapes its cage.
Like the selflessness of the moon that gives to the sun.
Like the innocence of a young child learning to ride a bike.
Like the sensational touch of mother's love.
Like the taste of fresh coffee on top of the mountain during a morning sunrise.
Like the earthy aroma of rain drops watering the plants after a dry season.
This was one of the most incredible weekends that I have ever experienced. Every day was something new, something exciting, and every moment was in motion; moving from one activity to the next, one place to another. The only time we stopped was to catch our breaths, to close our eyes on the bus, and to soak in the beauty that surrounded us. We left at around 7:30 on Saturday and returned late last night. The first site was the Sierra Gorda where we left the city and trekked through what felt like a magical fairy island. Raindrops danced across the clear blue water. My barefoot squished between the mud, the energy of the Earth was holistic and peaceful. We balanced through wooden ladders across the river and made our way to a cave. 4 out of the 8 of us swam through the cave where we discovered two waterfall, one flowing into the other. It is here that we laid down on the rock, staring up into the moss covered mountain, the delicate rain drops caught in the spider webs with the rush of the cold water against our back. I had caldo de pescado at a place called Tequila. Each one of us was given a shot of tequila for the meal, meant to be sipped on throughout the evening. After a quick visit to the Mision de Jalpan de Sierra, we checked into our hotel for the night, bought homemade hot chocolate and dipped it with sweet bread while watching the soccer game between the U.S. and Mexico.
Early the next morning, breakfast was served at the hotel which consisted of a bowl of papaya and melon smothered in yogurt and granola. A plate of scrambled eggs with verde sauce and of course tortillas. We left the hotel early and journeyed to a breathtaking mysterious placed called Xilitla. It is here where the English artist Edward James created the Surrealism Garden. Renowned artists such as Diego Rivera and Frida Kohl have visited this place. Castles made of cement, an eye with plants around it looked like lashes, lush vegetation everywhere you looked, and of course breathtaking views of waterfalls. The water, so clear and warm, is known to heal your spirits. We walked to a secret spot where we once again felt the rush of the water upon our backs. After admiring this paradise, we visited the second mission on this trip called the Mision de Landa de Matamoros. Our art teacher and her husband has been accompanying us, leading us through the mysterious secret spots and filling our minds with information about Baroque styles and the difference between that and neoclassic styles. Their dynamic was such a joy to be around. It's been a long time since I've been around two people that work so well together like they do. I had filete pescado at another amazing restaurant. The seafood here is so rich and compared to anywhere else, very cheap. The tropical air was for once, not sizzling hot like Queretaro, but pleasant with a slight wind. When we returned, we swam a little more in the pool at the hotel, and got ready to explore a bit of the night life in Japon. Before long, Regina (our art teacher) saw someone that she knew who invited us to see the stars. 15 minutes later, we escaped the city lights and sure enough, the brilliant sky was lit up with stars. I didn't realize how long it was since I last saw them and the view took my breath away. We walked to this natural cave where a ritual included hand holding, a story spoken through speakers, and people randomly screaming to scare us. The energy shifted and everyone was on edge, paranoid about who was standing next to them and who wasn't. After walking back, we stared long and hard into the night sky and I saw two shooting stars. Finally in Japon, we went out for drinks, but by this time, I was already so exhausted.
The last morning, we got a bit of a later start. After packing everything up, we climbed back on the bus and it took us to another swimming hole. This place reminded me of spots in Oregon where I felt like I could stay there forever. Jumping off the rocks, diving into the water and flowing with the currents, I couldn't believe how joyful I felt in that moment. Then we visited a tree that was 1,300 hundred years old. Some kids tried to burn it down a couple of years ago, but failed. The area surrounding it was the cleanest river filled with fish life. I hugged the tree, smelling the trunk, trying to take in everything that the tree had endured, every pain and love that it ever felt over all of those years. On to our last adventure of the weekend, we saw the ultimate and final waterfall. It was huge and epic and the water here was not so warm, but nonetheless, we all got underneath it. After our third mission visit to Mision de Conca, we had comida at the restaurant where we had beers the evening before. I had a headache from the powerful sun and my stomach didn't feel as well so I ordered a small bowl of soup. This time, on the way back, I only take half a pill of Dramamine because I felt so drowsy when I took a whole one on the ride here. Two hours into the ride, I felt sick and could no longer hold it back. We stopped to rest at a gas station. The motion of the van and the windy, windy road was overbearing. They dropped Kelly and I off in the middle of both of our houses and I returned to a plate with my name on it at the dinner table. I couldn't sleep for another two hours, finishing up with homework and the excitement of the weekend kept me awake until 2.
Pictures of the different Missions that we visited:
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