Happiest (really?) Place on Earth

Heaven or Hell on earth, depending on the day.





The Beekeeper.

Secret River

Underneath the Yucatan Peninsula lies a massive network of snaking underground fresh water rivers. Cookoo crazy amazing. As if the Yucatan isn't brilliant enough with impossible beauty it has to go and pimp it hard with underground gorgeousness that rivals it's outer hella fine looks.

Our guides brought us to a newly discovered spot call Rio Secreto not far from our digs in Playa Del Carmen. We arrived at a non descript dusty parking lot off the main highway (I was a bit skeptical) and hopped out of the air conditioned van and into the bright broiling sunshine. We signed the typical waiver-no, if I die or am maimed I will not sue. We then climbed into a wacky tonka truck-y vehicle and tore off down the rocky rollin' bumby dirt road away from the busy highway and deep into the jungle.




This was our brave guide, Chris. He had good taste in shoes!



Willy wonka tonka truck.

Bouncing down the jungle path. Hold onto yer hats. Theres a reason those bars are padded.

Chris giving us the down low on the history of the area. It just so happens that a local man was chasing an iguana (this is true) for his supper and the iguana bolted into a hole. The man reached into the hole and the earth gave way, he poked his head in and realized there was an underground river on his property. Fancy that! The cave specialists came and explored and Rio Secreto was born. Voila!

The cave we are sitting in is 2 million years old. Wild. Only groups of 6-7 are allowed down there at once. Absolutely NO chemicals are allowed in for obvious reasons.

This shot shows the scope of the joint. Huge stalagtites and stalagmites....wonderous things that grow excruciatingly slow; my mind had a hard time wrapping around such slow growth. The first espeleogists (cave experts) to map it are serious bad asses. Can you imagine being the first person to hike/swim around down under for the first time!? DARK-PITCH BLACK cavern.....jitters.

The water cool, refreshing and held colors like I've never seen in nature.

Decended 60 feet. At one point we stopped in a 'room' our guide called 'the heart' of the system. He gathered us around and asked that we turn off our headlamps and float in silence. It was blacker than black. Zero point. Complete quiet less the ocassional tummy grumble or water whisper. I imagined lining up all of my chakras, spinning them in perfect symmetry and harmony with mama earth and the cosmos. It was phenomenal. An experience I will never ever forget. I go there even now during meditations. OM.

I still have a scar on my left thigh from scraping against the sharp calcite wall.

Strange Things That Way Went.....

Carl Jung himself would've been intrigued and a little warm in his heart over the synchronistic happenening that happened while I was in Santa no Fea last week. A new friend and I decided to have a pow wow and discuss all things coincidental and throw around opinions regarding 2012 and our impressions on the subject. Two of my favorite topics. Buh-ring it!

The trickster himself inserts his synchro ways into my world on an almost daily basis, but sometimes the scope of the moment is pretty intense and one for the record books. The following is just one of those time warping humdingers.

Way back in 1992, I flew the coop and drove my 19 year old (naive know it all) ass down south to Los Angeles from Northern California. Stars in my eyes, defiance tangled up in my permed hair and hope running through my veins, I barged into the City of Angels. Hahahahahahaaahahah! Yea. Hahahahahaha.

Sitting at my brothers place with freedom singing ants in my pants, I scanned the L.A. Times every day for a cheap place to rent closer to my job (in West L.A.). BINGO! I almost didn't believe my eyes...."$200 a month plus utilities in Westwood." I made the call, made the drive, wrote the check and moved into 612 Landfair within a week. One caveat. 612 Landfair is a fraternity house. In the summer they sublease rooms out to subsidise cashflow. Smart. So, there I was all subsidicey.

I met my very best friend (to this day) Tenya my first night there. I kissed cute boys. I ate primarily out of a microwave (godforsaken raviolis and cup o' soups). I celebrated my 19th birthday there. I counted cockroaches. I fell in love with reggae and The Clash and Lou Reed. I hunkered down and learned how to survive all alone with little to no safety net. I grew my wings at that house. 612 Landfair was a huge jumping point for the rest of my adult life. Not too many days have gone by since that I don't think about my time spent in that big ol' hizzy.

Now, fast forward 16 years. Swirling conversations spiral around and around in Santa Fe creating more and more spacious fascination. Finally:

Me: "What year did you move to L.A.?"

Rich: "1995"

Me: "Really, I lived there from 1992-1994, what part of L.A. did you live in?"

Rich: "Westwood"

Me: "Westwood! I lived in Westwood, on Landfair!"

Rich: "612 Landfair?!"

Me: "NO FUCKING WAY! No Way! You lived at 612 Landfair? It was a frat house! You lived there!!! Holy shit! What are the chances? Are you sure? What did the house look like?

(*note, L.A. being a gigantoid metropolis makes this all the more nutthouse-y)

Rich: "Sigma Pi fraternity house. Big huge two story house. I transferred there from Michigan. I'm serious!!!! (were both laughing hysterically).

Me: (holding back tears of awe) "I mean, seriously. This is fucking crazy."

Things converge and collide in the coolest ways in Santa Fe. I think these sorts of rip roaring things happen wherever we roam. Keep those eyes and hearts open peeps.

The stories are always unfolding and growing and golden thread weaving.

Ojo Caliente

Chasing the sun over Arizona. Yes, I was counting bolts making sure none were missing. Freak.

Delirious sunset.

More tales from Santa Fe coming soon.

Synchrodipity

Mindblowing synchronicity ahead full steam here in Santa Fe.

Tee Hee. and Weeeee!

Headed on a plane to the enchanted land of chili peppers. Green and red!

Laughingly Travelling

Friends, along my travels I often come upon hilarity and such. Much. Here is a witty piece of art whipped up by the oh so talented (and hilarious) artist known as 14 over at Gallery of the Absurd. This my friends is known as:

Cover Your Ears, It's the Elisabeth Hasselbeck Screech Owl

"It is a bleached-blonde Owl that sits erect and is always prepared to tearfully defend its territory should any creature attack the Bush Administration or theistic evolution, or question the Iraq War. The Screech Owl’s feathers are easily ruffled; however, recent field reports indicate the Owl is capable of graciously cooing, rather than screeching, at the most unexpected times. This is the first time the Owl has been known to eat post-election crow."

You laughing?

Kanga

These badmittens allow me to stuff my car key in the side pocket while I skip (all la-dee-da) down the lane. Sunset-y.

Creative Jammin.

Blurred by creativity. I think this ones finished, and it's DONE!








Salvador 'Vane' Dali. He wishes.

We are monkey's.

Buff Buff!

These intoxicating spongey body buffers are the BOMB! Kai's fragrance is super delicious and light and flowery and I love it ALOT. Before my recent trip to Mexico, I paid a visit to my local apothecary to purchase some travel potions, and the owner pulled these buffers out of her hat. They are self contained! No need to pack soaps or body washes. The soap is IN the buffer. My skin was supple as supple can be! I smelled lovely, like an island flower! Packs like a charm, I brought a plastic bag along and kept it there...my suitcase still smells heavenly! There are two in a pack, and one buffer lasts 30 uses. Scrub a dub dub.

Snippets. Snappits.

Scrumptious lunch.

Turtle medicine.

Holy Elephantee

Collective Consciousness

I love this photo. I took it in a magical courtyard at a Bed & Breakfast I had the delicious pleasure of staying at in a super funky neighborhood in San Diego. Wanna go back. Soon.
Let me rephrase that...Going to back soon. Real soon. Before Christmas soon.

Collection of candles. Warmth.

Framed sunshine saint.