Real de Catorce (Ghost town) y Media Luna

Real de Catorce:
It was a wealthy silver-mining town of 40,000 and later deserted as it happens to most mining towns. However, over the last few decades, the city has experienced a revival. Yet maintaining the name of "ghost town". Energy, in a spiritual sense, can be used to describe this city. This is not a city I had planned to visit, but as I got on the bus, watching the wide expanse of desert road and mountain, made my heart ache as I had the strongest urge to melt and become part of this desert. Unresistable sobs overcame me as I knew I had to be here. Why? I don't know. (as of today, 1 1/2 week after I paid the city a visit, the roadways to the city isclosed and the desert partly inundated thx to the raging Hurricane Alex!)
I've always loved mountains and I could only feel more attached to them and wanted more of them in my life! The scenery is breathtakingly beautiful and serene. And the air, the purest mountain air!! What a delight just to be breathing!! At 2756m altitude, I did not felt nauseous at all, however, climbing stairs was definitely more of a challenge :D

On the way, I met some Mexicans and ended up hanging out with one called Pepe. We ended up traveling a lot together. He later invited me to visit his hometown, in San Luis Potosi, and family (whose computer I am writing from right now!) We went on 2 horse rides, 1 to visit the abandoned ruins that used to be part of the town, and another to "El Quemado" (at almost 3000m) the sacred mountain of the Huichol (one of the many indigenous tribe in Mexico).

When we first visited the abandoned ruins, a voice in me spoke to me and told me that I needed to revisit it and continue relishing "The Alchimist", alone, amidst the abandoned ruins of the semi-desert. And thus, I did. (Phil, you'd be proud of me!) Those 4 hours of reading were a true delight! Where in the world can one be completely alone with such a beautiful panoramic view of the semi-desert while enjoying a delightful book? It is better than dessert. It is food to my soul, in a spiritual way. Highly recommended, to all those who love the mountain, need time out from the noises and chaos of cityl ife, or simply want to see something more out of the ordinary :)

As for traveling with Pepe, it was a very interesting experience as well as a challenging one. As a solo traveler, I enjoy the company of others, but never had I travel so long with another aside from mom and bf. He did teach me a lot of "caliche", which is a Mexican slang that is almost impossible to understand. It feels like I am learning a whole new set of vocabulary!! Somehow, a constant presence of another one made me feel impossible to have a tranquil conversation with myself. For all the time we were traveling together, I did not make a single comment on his heavy consumption of alcohol, cigarettes, and Mary Jane. However, while we were back at his hometown, one day he went over and started behaving like a fool, at which point, I decided it was high time to leave. My patience was running low. However, I couldn't because my clothing was still at the laundry service!! So, once again the circumstances of events have made a decision for me. We ended up going to Media Luna, a natural lake, where thermal spring water oozes from the bottom and in which I swam and swam, to my heart's content!! What a delight!! We later shared stories at the bondfire, and he told me a lot about the current Mexican political instability, as well as how, as a child, he used to play soccer with his friends in the woods by using captured fireflies (about 50 of them) as a light source.

Looking back, with all the ups and downs that we've had, I can say that I don't regret coming here or traveling with him, as he has been more than generous, let me sleep on his bed as he slept on the couch, his family has taken care of me as well while I got food poisoninig (yet again...), his cousin shared his knowledge of Mexican traditional plants to cure ailments, his mom taught me to make "Rajas" (a traditional Mexican dish with chile poblano, butter, garlic, cream and cheese). His mother has spoken to me about her concern of her son, who's have had a troubled past, a very difficult life but she was happy to see that meeting me, made her son lift his spirits and that I seem to be the only one that can get through to him. Dealings with narcotics, divorced with a child of 10 y.o. (he needs to pay his ex-wife everytime he wants to see his son), watched his son go through heart surgery at the age of 7, watching friends go due to the business he used to be involved in, incredibly stressful jobs as well as ruining his right hand by painting cars... and the list goes on. That list gave me a lot to think about my own life!

Throughout the times we were together, I never judged him and tried to give him the voice of reason. The time when I knew I did the right thing is when Pepe told me, on our way back from Media Luna, "Before I knew from what I will die from. But now, I am enjoying life and want more of it". And I know, from the bottom of my heart, that he can change and has the will to. But that'll take a bit more time thanks to 15yrs of heavy consumption. I am greatful for a happy childhood with lots of love from friends and family, which allowed me to grow up to be a balanced individual, and thus in order to help others who were not as fortunate, as my friend Pepe. I am happy I have given him the benefit of the doubt, or rather the circumstances have made me take that decision!

No, this is now how I envisioned my travel to be, and I am behind my initial itinerary by lots. But then again, I purposely wanted to let the unexpected happen and ride the stream of life. As I am finishing this post, my infection is slowly fading and I have an appointment with a reflexologist who has studied 8 years in China and seem to be quite a savant!

*****

On anothe note, I'd like to quote my good friend who has written the following to me, after my post of Querétaro. It has given me strength to go on! He/She has encapsulated the essence of my feelings so eloquently that I must share with my readers:

"You can be free any place you are and at any time. Now that you know what it is you search for, you will simply have to do it whatever situation you find yourself in. Flirting based on my humble observation, is the natural dance that humans do when they interact. It is a beautiful melody that can be watched and experienced by all. Simple, electric and so full of energy, it leaves the spirit and soul with this really good groove for days afterwards. You are beautiful Jenny, inside and out, and you are radiating all the fireworks that are happening to you to the world. Gosh, those guys and girls are really lucky to have you around - Firecracker, that is my name for you."