11:48 a.m. - Jul. 19, 2002
Travel Journal - Part 2 (MX / GA)
(again - this is long overdue...)
Travel Journal - Part 2. Mexico City / Atlanta, GA
I was surprised to learn how large & metropolitan that Mexico City is. Sure, it�s dirty and smelly, but it�s also a big & bustling city. There was a lot of graffiti on just about everything�and a lot of buildings and homes were vacant (or appeared to be). We arrived into Mexico City around 11pm and went directly to a hotel in the city. The hotel didn�t seem so bad (at first). It looked relatively clean. Other friends of Rob & Robin�s were already at the hotel. They had been exploring the city for a couple of days before proceeding to Morelia (4 hours by bus) for the wedding. We all hung out at the hotel and drank. I was the one token female. I seem to always be the one female surrounded by a group of gay men. The next morning Rob had breakfast with me in the hotel and accompanied me back to the airport. Supposedly, it is highly recommended that ladies do not take a cab by themselves in Mexico City. Who knows.
I took a 945am flight back to Houston, arriving around noon. I had 7 hours on the ground before my next flight � which was to Atlanta, Georgia.
Eltin and I rode together to the airport. He took Delta Airlines and I flew on Continental. With my flight delay, we ended up arriving around the same time. Eltin has a friend, Alex that is living in Atlanta. Eltin�s friend, Lisa (lives in Houston) is Alex�s �special friend,� Anyway...Lisa was already in Atlanta with Alex. They picked us up from the airport�which was a complete mess. Atlanta airport is the owrst freaking airport in the world, i must say. Total chaos. Seemed like everyone in the freaking world was flying into or leaving from Atlanta at that exact moment. It was total chaos � people everywhere!
We all went out that night and got shit-faced drunk. It was a blast!!! We went to a tiny little bar that had the ugliest (but talented and fun!) strippers. All of the girls were either old or fat. It was actually quite amusing. Funny thing was that ALL of them were extraordinary dancers. I tipped lots of them all night long and made new friends! After we hung out at this club, we decided to move on. Eltin and I were half carrying each other as we were both really, really drunk. We both thought that we were in the process of walking back to the car. But Alex had a different plan (he usually does!) He is absolutely insane. He can find a party anywhere - or make one! Next thing I know we�re entering into this very dark club at 3 in the morning (it might've been later, who knows)...
Immediately upon walking into the place, you are taken down into this deep & dark corridor�like a tunnel leading down deep into the earth. It was a bit freaky. It was very dark and hard to see�but I could make out some sketchy faces in the dark, standing in the dark areas, smoking and dancing and getting their groove on. There were lots of little rooms to explore � it just seemed like the place was never-ending. Wow, what a night. We got back home around 5 in the morning, delirious and drunk.
We slept for a few hours and then had incredible bagels which Alex dolled up for us � with onions and cream cheese and capers and tomatoes and salmon. I�ve never been one to put any fancy shit on my bagel, but this was incredible. We took our time getting out of the house. Our drive to the �Boogie� was 2 � hours away, but we weren�t on any kind of schedule. We went to the most incredible market � they had fruits and veggies and meats and products from all over the world. I�ve never seen anything like it�and on such a huge scale, too! Similar to Central Market (but multiply it by 100 and you have this place!). We spent hours shopping for our camping trip. It was actually quite fun�(and I usually hate to shop.)
The camping trip was no ordinary camping trip. This year was the 16th annual Boogie. Hundreds and hundreds of people go to this Fourth of July party in the middle of nowhere, get naked, and trip in the woods. It is held on the private land of some old hippie named Bill (I met him twice on this trip). It is a great exercise in community � the way that community SHOULD BE, at least.
Oh, the stories I could tell...
I couldn�t ever really write it all down. But, everywhere you went in this forest, complete strangers would hug & kiss you and yell out to you, �Happy Boogie!� At night, people would dress up in costume and wander from campsite to campsite, partying. It was one huge open community. Naked girls with painted bodies, women dressed in belly dancing attire, girls dressed like fairies, men in kilts, dogs & children running around free.
It was beautiful, really.
It was a wonderful experience to hear the way that music poured out into the forest at all hours of the night & day. We bathed in a waterfall, hiked in the heat, made delicious & healthy food, danced in the firelight, beat on drums, and had a magical fucking time. I made love with Eltin in the woods. It took me days to get all of the mud out of my toe nails. Wow. Simple words do not suffice.
I can tell you the highlight and the most extraordinary moment from that entire weekend. Ready? Here goes�
