Every day is a Holiday

I've said it once and I'll say it again. Every day is a big day when you're on the road. So much has happened on every level in the past three or four days it is making my head spin. 75% of my job is inspiring and wonderful. I love going on the tours and shooting. I'm very grateful to be able to make little films each day. This job is so "me" it is ridiculous! The other 25% of my job is stressful and a nightmare but I have gone to battle and I will win. I have great and influential people on my side and a major resolution should happen soon. I feel exhausted but inspired. The internet has made the world an even smaller place so I will leave my work woes to the side for now and retain the mystery. Here are some highlights of the past few days. There are more pictures to come but I am dealing with internet that is worse than in 1999. For those of you out there that I have not replied to, please forgive me! I'm not being a snob.

HUATULCO, MEXICO

I went surfing! I went surfing! I got this port off and went to a wonderful beach called La Bocana in Huatulco, Mexico. It had these wonderful small longboard waves. It was a short taxi ride to the beach and I rented a surfboard for $200 pesos ($17) and I was paddling out in no time. Wonderful. I caught several waves and marvelled at the stunning scenery. Afterwards we had an amazing Mexican lunch with top notch Margaritas, chicken with authentic black mole sauce, ceviche, and grilled fish with garlic, and a few beers to wash down the Margaritas with. Heaven. A few of us on the ship are foodies and I have found another crew member who appreciates cocktails as much (but probably more) than I do. The bar in my room has gone pleasantly out of control. I will photograph it and give a detailed list of my wonderful acquisitions later on. High quality Tequila is cheap and plentiful among other spirits. I have been stocking up on high quality coffee in every central American port. Plus they are practically giving away Cuban cigars.

PUERTO CHIAPAS, MEXICO

I shot a tour of the Myan ruins in Izapa where the Mayan's invented their calendar! Most of the interesting rock carvings have been taken to the museums but there was still a lot to see. After that we went to "Chocolate City" where they first discovered the process of making chocolate. We got to open a cocoa pod, which is rather large, and taste the white fleshy fruit inside that surrounds the bean. It looks horrible and slimy but tastes fruity, like mild passion fruit. The bean inside is nutty and bitter when you bite it. We tried a drink made from the white fleshy part of the insides and it was fantastic! Again, it was similar to the taste of passion fruit. Street vendors sold local chocolate in bars and in what is kind of like a paste. I bought a ton or two. A crew member and I had lunch at a local taco cart. She speaks fluent Spanish and appreciates food too. I had a cold drink that was made with corn and cocoa! It was excellent and had these chunky bits on the bottom.

PUERTO QUETZAL, GUATAMALA (ANTIQUA)

I shot a tour of a coffee plantation called Filidelphia that resembled an expensive winery in California or British Columbia. I learned that growing coffee plants and making great coffee beans is the same process as as growing quality grapes at a vineyard. Coffee plants are often grafted, they will use the roots of one plant and merge them with the stem of another varietal. Coffee beans are ready to harvest when they are red and luckily it is almost harvest time. Yesterday I picked my own coffee beans off of the vine! When you peel away the skin of the fruit it is similar to the cocoa pods. The insides are white and taste fruity like passion fruit. Inside each one is two coffee beans. They have a nutty taste but are quite bitter. The coffee is like wine in that each year there are different flavours and levels of quality. They also make blends or have roasts that are of one variety only. The coffee is smooth, clean, and balanced and there is no need for sugar as there is absolutely no bitterness. Fantastic.

After that we went to Anitiqua, a European styled city which is again … fantastic. I went back to the Chocolate Museum to stock up on goodies. I remembered the woman who worked there last time. The women in Antigua are really striking. Even their skin is rich like chocolate! They don't look Spanish and they don't look Mexican, they look Mayan which is hard to explain. Well, they look hot. I shared a quiet 100% hot chocolate with the gorgeous manager who just happens to be single so who knows? I have always dreamed of being an expat. Guatama has surfing, great rum, perfect coffee and chocolate, great food and stunning women. What more could you want? That is the wonderful thing about working and traveling. You go to places that you would not normally go to and are often pleasantly surprised.

I forgot to mention Halloween on the ship and Los Dias De La Mortes in Mexico but I have to go for now. In a few days I will be in Cartagena, Columbia! It makes me want to watch the films Scarface and Blow. All the best!

Tiki Moonrise in Guatamala