Another incredible weekend. Amazing vistas of rolling hills, tree covered mountains, Lush green valleys, sparkling bluegreen pools with waterfalls and moss covered limestone. Granite hills, quartz beaches sparkling next to crystal clear rivers.
I'm still recovering from this latest outing. Blisters on my feet from falling in the Colorado River and getting about 6 cups of water in each boot. Wrenched knee and bruised leg from having a very dear friend jump on my back going "Carry me!" while on the rocks in the river... and stepping on an unstable mossy stone and taking a very cold dip. Twisted ankle from running up the trail to Hamilton Pool ... and the Perdenales river. Looking up that steep trail to go back to the parking lot, knowing that nobody can help me, and laughing at the situation and attacking it wholeheartedly. Miles and miles and miles of back country twisties. Deer, armadillos, coyotes, raccoons, more deer, MORE DEER, goats and llamas and sheep and horses and more cows than you want to try to comprehend. Prickly pear everywhere.
So many folks get so damn squeamish about food. What's wrong with new experiences? It can irritate me to no end how folks think that food means it comes prepackages in some styrofoam container, lacking all resemblance from what it actually was. Screw that. Meat is meat. It irritates the **** out of me how people will hear about something other than beef or chicken or pork and go EEEEWWWWW! What the hell?! .. Let me give a for instance....
One of our favourite places to stop when we're out on the road and want breakfast is Taquerias. Good, CHEAP, filling breakfasts. To the tune of 18$ (including tip) for 3 people... with plenty left over! There's many excellent dishes on the menu, and we had a new friend with us out for the first time. She'd never been in a place like this before, and needed a translator as she spoke NO spanish whatsoever. Barbacoa.. cow cheek meat.. very flavorful and tender. Cabritos = barbecued goat. Lengua = beef tongue. Chicharrones = similar to pork rinds, but much much better. During this description, she turned various colours of green, white, and other less than savory shades. Finally we all got our orders and she was of the opinion that she didn't want to hear any more of the menu or what it was that we ordered. At work, talking about various things and the subject of food comes up. A comment on duck eggs brought on the reaction of EEEWWW! and it went downhill from there.
People always hear of my travels and want to come with me. They hear of the glorious scenery, the wonderful people I meet, the new friends in far away places, and want to experience it... but they don't want to experience the whole thing. They balk at the idea of a goat bbq cookoff, or tamales on the side of the road, or of lengua breakfast tacos, but this is the essense of the places we find ourselves. When experiencing life, you make a choice. Styrofoam contained "all american beef" preformed patties... the same food you would get in New York City or New Orleans, or you can experience the life the people there lead. Jambalaya from our lovely coast, fresh fish and shrimp caught just earlier that morning in the gulf. Barbecue from a falling down tin shack on the side of the road. Tamales made by a grandmother according to a generations old family recipe. Make new friends in far away places. Find a family you never knew you had.
The writeup of this latest trip will come later. I have so many things I need to write up as is, but time constraints get in the way. I would rather be out doing it. Experiencing life at its fullest. More posts will follow soon... until then remember to live the life you've got now.
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