Mamitas Photogs in Playa del Carmen
I popped in on old photog friends who work at Mamitas Beach, right in the heart of the seaside action in Playa del Carmen, MX. Marco and Joakin are both excellent photographers who have beautiful spirits. Both of them are like dear brothers to me. We tease. We play. We all share a passion for [...]
Charmed in Playa del Carmen
When I arrived in Playa del Carmen, America and Pauloko greeted me at the local bus station right on 5th avenue. We swung by America’s apartment to drop off my things before heading toward a hostel to help prep for the birthday celebration of one of America’s friends. So much familiarity, yet so much change. [...]
Sunbathing Topless in Cancun…
I grew up in the conservative, land-locked Midwest, so thong bikinis and sunbathing topless are more than risque… for many Midwestern folk these notions are considered vulgar and even sinful or immoral. But, for the natives of tropical seaside environments where the days are spent in a natural sauna, the locals barely give a second [...]
Soy Latinoamérica from Calle 13
This song from Calle 13 captures the spirit of the people of Latin America – the spirit that lures me back time and time again: Soy, soy lo que dejaron, Soy las sobras de lo que te robaron, Un pueblo escondido en la cima, Mi piel es de cuero por eso aguata cualquier clima, Soy [...]
Back to Paradise
05.03.11 At the airport in Cancun, I made friends with a Virgin American crew member and a fellow traveler from Norway… perhaps we’ll be in touch. I took a shuttle from the airport to the bus station in the center of town. I felt so “at home” again, yet felt my spirit hadn’t quite released [...]
At One
By Laura Rico I am at one with the energy here my spirit opens my soul sings the silent trance calms me… beneath the quiet a glorious celestial choir bursting forth from love… the wind tickles my skin the tropical air warm and moist fluttering fronds of a palm sweetly caressing my face shivers of [...]
Insatiable Wanderlust
I laugh at myself. On the move yet again. Back to Mexico and Guatemala. Just about an hour until I take off from LAX… I could no longer bear how much I missed my friends, so Riveria Maya and La Antigua here I come! I’ll spend about two weeks on the Yucatan Peninsula before I [...]
Flying Through the Caribbean Breeze
A little video of me clinging to some sort of wind swing thing that whips me around like a rag doll off the coast of the Riviera Maya (Cancun, MX, spring 2010): Here’s one where we cruised around the inlets in little toy speedboats before spilling out into the sea and jumping overboard to snorkel:
Mindscraps: Mourning for the Maya
Hector Tobar of the L.A. Times just published For Maya, A Paradise Lost. After reading the article, I’m left with a strong desire to help do something for these immigrants. Having lived 8 months in Guatemala, the country and its Mayan people hold a most special place in my heart. I’m not sure what I [...]
Mind Scraps: A Bittersweet Farewell to My Dear Playa…
Before, thanks to my almost uncontainable excitement for the next step of my journey, I always managed to subdue the melancholy of a “goodbye.” But these past few life transitions these past couple of years have left me red-eyed and profoundly touched. I had to say goodbye to some truly remarkable people during my last [...]
Friendship Poem
For my birthday, a dear friend I met through Couchsurfing in Cancun wrote me the following: Lamneto mucho no estar hoy contigo en este dia tan especial…. Tu cumpleaños! So much I lament not being abel to be with you on this special day… your birthday! Aveces siento que eres un angel que vino a [...]
Mind Scraps: Frogs and Turtles, Princes and Princesses
“Do you have a notebook I could use,” I asked my friend Benny – Biologist Benny we call him. “Mine’s about filled up.” That’s when he offered me The Blue Day Notebook. He had just started using it, but insisted on giving it to me. It’s a cute little blue book with a cute little [...]
Love Note
Just as the tears dry up, the emotions wring my heart again, squeezing out yet more bittersweet tears. I cannot describe the EXCITEMENT and ANTICIPATION I feel for this next, upcoming adventure… this move to L.A. I feel as if the seconds could not fly by fast enough. The seconds that separate him and I. [...]
Back to Blogging with a Blast of Inspiration!
More than 75 days of blogging silence from yours truly. That’s… disappointing actually. But life has thrown me a few curve balls these past 2 1/2 months. You could say at least one of them smacked me dead center in the forehead… hence the proverbial “knockout” and “disappearing blog” act. During the silence, lots of [...]
Power Kite in Cancun
Just a few shots of my friend Benny who proves we can fly… Power Kite Flickr Album
Life of Luxe
Just an fyi: these beds are strewn about the beaches and restaurants here in the city I’m beginning to call home… Playa del Carmen. Jealous? Playa Del Carmen Flickr Album
Mind Scraps: Reverence Before the Radiant Sun
One morning a workmate at Traveo was enchanted by the sun. It was actually one of the workmates who ended up disappointing me, giving me much undeserved trouble. On this morning though, we had connected, shared and, together, marveled at the stunning radiance of the sun. Though the sky was blanketed in clouds her brilliance [...]
Mind Scraps: The Spirit Prince
“You, as I already told you, are a gift, a marvelous talent. You have a most unique, contagious energy that affects everyone!! You are love as a person. There is overwhelming kindness in you. You represent my vision of life: TO ENJOY IT! Tu ya te dije que tienes un don, un talento maravilloso!! tienes [...]
Mind Scraps: No to Nonsense, Yes to Progress!
So my stint with Traveo is already over. While the job looked fun on paper – beach lounges, sunset cruises, nights at the club and beachfront accomodation (with Mexico’s infamous soccer star Hugo Sanchez as a neighbor) – in reality it had its problems. Yet, my blog isn’t for spreading “chisma” as they say here [...]
Mind Scraps: Hitting the Notes or Touching the Soul
Saturday night Playa del Carmen hosted a pre-concert for its International Jazz Festival coming up in November. The main attractions for the 2010 summer highlight includeded smooth jazz singer/songwriter Phil Perry and renowned jazz pop singer Bryan McKnight. Admittedly, I don’t know Perry’s music too well. His performance was fun. I felt his heart and [...]
Graffiti Prophet in Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Not new news. But new to me… I love how this story demonstrates that wisdom and courage can come from the most unexpected sources. I love how it illustrates that practices commonly labeled as “taboo” or “bad” can be used for good. Finally, it’s yet another testament of the power of art and expression. The [...]
RIP: Human Rights Defender Bety Cariño
Tragic news like the murder of two human rights workers in Oaxaca, MX leaves me feeling frustrated, exasperated… yet more determined to believe that this world can change. Thanks to La Cebollita who forwarded this info on to me: Human rights defenders in Mexico paying with their lives, warn UN experts Human rights defenders in [...]
Mind Scraps: Give Drink to the Thirsty
Flashback… During my first few days in the barrancas in Chihuahua, MX I was like Alice in wonderland, marveling at the fish-eye night sky, the majestic rock cathedrals and the exotic Rarámuri – who in their neon-colored blouses, loin-cloth like skirts and biblical sandals seemed to be from a prehistoric epoch. In my eagerness to [...]
Mickey’s Spiritual Odyssey
My latest article to be published on HalogenTV: Book, Film Shed Led Light on One Man’s Spiritual Odyssey Laura McNamara He walked thousands of miles on a quest to find himself. After a trying life journey that took him from preaching at the pulpit, to a mental hospital, to homeless in North Carolina then led [...]
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