YAY ME!

2007-10-30T12:07:00.000-07:00

at a random moment I have decided to go check out the cenote Mayan rivers. I took a very long flight to Cancun and then a bus to the pits. I got there in my bathing suit and they told me to just jump in. I was excited so I went to the highest step and jumped. For a moment in the air I got freaked out but once I hit the water it was awesome. I started going under, being pulled farther and farther by an unknown force. The sun started to disapear from the surface untill it was completly gone. Everything was black and I thought I had drowned. Untill I relized that I was breathing. I was breathing under water! That is sooo cool. I wish I had a camera. I was so depressed that I didnt. Then withen seconds I was undepressed because i saw llamas swimming in the water!! With a ton of ancient looking people screaming and singing around them. I was soo scared and happy. This is weird. I mean how many times in your life do you get to breath under water and see swimming llamas? Then this young girl (probably only like 5) came up to me and started talking. "Who are you? What are you doing in the Mayan underworld? Are you dead? Because if you are you shouldnt be here since you aren't Mayan." I explained who I was and what had happened and she just shook her head and walked away. This is the Mayan underworld? I thought. Thats awesome! and I can speak to them. If I get information about their writing and their culture and why they left I would be rich!!!

This blog has helped me evaluate and synthesis Latin America. I have discovered what it might be like to travel through Latin America. Through traveling I have learned things about different cultures and traditions. I have also learned about ancient cultures that have helped me in class.

Me as Maria

2007-10-23T12:23:00.000-07:00

I feel old.....and like the skin is about to fall off of my face

Today I am going to the Pampas to study the ancient Nazca line. These lines are a mystery to me. Why would an ancient Latin American culture draw giant lines that make up animals, people, and random rays? Since you can only see them from the sky then there wouldn't be much of a purpose for them. I'm pretty sure they didn't have helicopters then. Are they for astronomy? fun?

My trip

2007-09-18T12:22:00.000-07:00

Hey I'm back from my awesome trip to Brazil!

I started out with a flight from O'hare airport in Chicago to Brasilia. From Brasilia i took a bus to Elevate Destinations resort and spa. After i checked in I had to go explore. So I left my private Bungalo onto the main grounds. There, the people at the desk told me that they offer Surfing Lessons, Rainforest hiking, Ocean kayaking, horseback riding, snorkeling, yoga over looking the ocean, massages, and all other spa treatments. I knew that I had checking into the right place. After that I was so tired from traveling I went back to my Bungalo and got some sleep. I woke up the next morning really early so I would have all day to go shopping at Midway Mall. I got on a bus and i was ready to shop. When i got there I was really suprised. There were people everywhere with bags and bags of stuff in there arms. I wasn't expecting it to be so much like an american mall. I was expecting it to be more Latin American. I decided that I could do this at home, so instead i took the bus back to the resort and went to the front desk for suggestions on what to do. The lady said in very good english that since i hadnt planed what i was going to do, the spa would be my best bet. So I went to the spa and they immediatly put me in a really really comfortable bathrobe. Then they pointed me in the direction of the mud bath. OMG THAT FELT SOOO GOOD! after that i got a mani, pedi, facial, hot rock masage, aroma theropy, and heat theropy. It was like the best day EVER!!

The next morning i wake up, and im soo sad. Its raining really really hard and there is no way that im going hiking =[. So instead i alter my plans and go to the airport. From the airport i take a plan ride to Cuzco. Once i landed i lined up a hotel and i droped off my bags, got changed out of my icky airline clothes, grabed a bag with my cellphone, ipod, camera, a notebook, book, and money. Then i got outside, and went to a train station to take a four hour train ride to Machu Picchu. Im really excited to see the Incan ruins. It was abandoned for 300 years! Then in 1911 it was found again. Nobody knows how or why it was there. It is way below the city of Cuzco and Machu Piccu doesnt seem to have a reason for excistance. On the train I was going to sleep but it was too hard. There were alot of people everywhere and the sound of the train was awful. But i loved it. I liked being in a different culture.

Once the train stoped they said that we had to take a 20 minute bus ride up to the ruins. The entire bus ride was CONSTANT switchbacks! back and forth and back and forth and back and forth...Plus the motion sickness did not go well. The second we got off the bus a ran behind a tree and well take awhile guess. Hey not that many people can say that they blew chunks at an ancient Incan ruin. So after i was done getting sick i stoped at the top and stared down.

Its sooo beautiful. Its weird that nobody knows anything about its history. I took pic after pic after pic. I was soo sad to find out that the bus was leaving and we are heading back. Luckly this time after the bus ride i was much better.