He has Returned!

After a late night, watching my fellow renter get arrested by the Mexican police, I awoke late the next day, asking everyone in the house what the latest was for our friend. At this time, he was still in the jail, but our other host who I met on the first day, had a plan to go down to the station and attempt to get him released.

I go on with my day, and after some hours of dodging the heat, go down to the beach to get a good swim and spend some time outside. I went with the Canadian, and we took a colectivo down to Zicatela, which is maybe a 15 minute drive or so. At this point, I am getting much more comfortable with how people drive here, and it is very interesting to observe. As I stand on the back of the pick-up truck, I watch cars glide into whichever lane has more space with no turn signals, and I watch scooters dodge the large speed bumps, as everyone else has to slow down to less than 10 miles per hour. People walk across the streets when there is space, and bikes go around them with ease. This is s0mething I am learning as a walker that I am able to walk much more fluidly, rather than waiting, unsure, on the side of the road for the street to be empty. Walking out in front of vehicles is actually quite acceptable here, and they just slow down a bit and then drive around you, and everyone goes on with their day. It was a swimming day, and we swam for close to two hours, body surfing wave after wave. After this, I was considering renting a surfboard for the last hour of daylight, but most of the shops close at that time, so I will go earlier next time.

Returning to the beach, watching all of the people who gather to watch the sun disappear, I find the Canadian and am walking back. As I get closer, I see our German friend, a free man, standing on the beach like nothing happened. I come up and welcome him back, and apparently he was released with no record, for just 600 pesos, which isn't more than $35. He describes a room smaller than most kitchens, with 10 people in total, with the toilet in the same room. Someone was throwing up on the floor of the cell, and he says the smells were terrible, but it is a great experience for his life story. It is so interesting to hear other perspectives. He explains that this is not his first time in jail, and it reminds him how thankful he is to be sitting on a beach, feeling the breeze and listening to the ocean. We talk for a while more about various things, and then I decide to sit down and meditate for some time.

When I open my eyes, my body is still locked in place, and I stare deeply, into the red sun, low in the sky. As I continue to look around, I continue to keep the rest of my body still, just moving my eyes, and take in all of the different surroundings. My two friends are sitting the same as me, legs crossed, still with their eyes closed, and I just sit and feel everything. The amount of information that is around you at once, is incredible, with all of the different noises, and sights and feeling, inside and out of you. Taking time to focus on one thing at a time, is really quite neat. Then coming back to all of your senses, really gives a new appreciation.

Back at the appartment, we offload some of our stuff, and then take a trip down to a taco place, with tacos de pastor, and I order 5 for 50 pesos, as well as a pastor burrito for another 50 pesos, with plans to eat the burrito in the morning. Didn't get there. We then find a local soccer field, where there are two games going which seems to be an adult league, and we sit to watch. They are not super fast pace, but have good touches on the ball, and make smart passes, and it is enjoyable to watch. There is sand under the bleachers, and through the metal bars, I see some bottles and cans of beer which I found amusing, for primarily a children's playground, parents coming to watch and having beers as if it were a game in a stadium. There is a speaker blasting J Balvin and other similar artists, kids running around in the sand, kicking soccer balls, and one girl shooting off roman candles right at the walkway when no one is walking by. One of the roman candles gets dropped on the ground, and nearly shoots onto the field, and I am once again reminded that I am not at home, as no one else around me seems alarmed whatsoever.

Walking back, we take some back roads, where there are fewer street lights, and hardly any traffic, giving us the opportunity to walk down the middle of the street, seeing stars in the sky, trees that are much older than me, with beautiful leaves, and hearing nothing but the occasional dog barking off in the distance. I am back at the appartment, and sit up on the roof, and the breeze is no longer. The air is very still, and I stare up at the full moon, not a sound in my ears. As I continue to stare up into the sky, I feel so thankful for where I am, and then realize I do hear something, and in the distance, I can hear the waves lightly crashing from a few kilometers away. Life is not perfect in many regards, but I don't believe we should want it to be. Thank you for reading. :)