Hasta luego Mexico, see ya soon!!!

2600 km, 40 hours of bus and an endless number of military checkpoints later, I arrived in Tijuana, close to the Californian border. It's time for me to leave Mexico, but I really enjoyed my time among Mexicans. It's also incredible thinking how many preconcepts there are on certain countries. Asking infos about Mexico all around the US, I was scared to travel here: almost everybody told me it's a very dangerous country for tourists as it's easy to be assaulted and killed too... But I've experienced a different reality, people has always been friendly to me and I've never felt unsafe. A guy I met in Alaska said that "Americans tend to be scared for everything"... I don't know who's right, from Guanajuato I could see the shape of "Cristo Rey" - the geographical centre of Mexico: for this time I've just seen Mexico's heart, next time I'll try to touch its soul.

Mission completed!

I've arrived today in Guanajuato, a beautiful town not far from Mexico City, considered the best colonial city in the whole Americas. This was the reachest Mexican city in the past, and 20% of all the world silver was extracted from here. Moreover, yesterday I crossed the Tropic of Cancer, I've come a really long way from the Arctic Circle to here but the mission is officialy completed... By the way, for that occasion yesterday I also had a great dinner in a just-for-locals tacqueria: I spent a little bit, about 12 dollars, but I ate 2 Alambres with meat (which means more than 12 tortillas...), 2 tacos, 1 quesadilla and 2 Coronas... It's useless to say I also had some mezcal as it's useless to say the night was fulfilled by nightmares... Well, I gotta go now; there's an international festival here, and all the town is a big party... Let's go!!!

Viva Mexico, cabrones!!!

Two regional buses and a thrilling overcrowded stinking bus among crying children and indios (plus a military stop searching for money or drugs...) brought me to Durango, where I had a stop over to see the city. Plaza des armes and its cathedral is nice but the most exciting thing for me is looking at all the cowboys. They're everywhere, seems to fall into a John Wayne's movie!!! I continued the way South to the beautiful Zacatecas, an ancient colonial city where I've discovered the pleasures of "Mezcal" (a sort of rough tequila: 1 litre for 1 dollar!!!) and the great taste of "Alambre" (is not a drug but a food!) suggested to me by some Mexican guys that also offered me a cerveza. Wow... all these writing is getting me hungry now... it's time to go eating and having some booze!!!

Among cowboys and indios

...And I arrived in Creel, a little mountain town - at 2400 mt high - near the Copper Canyon area. My original plan was to take the train to Los Mochis but checking out at tourist info I knew there were better trips to do (I'm always scheptical about Lonely Planet suggests on train trips: I was in Norway and there was the most scenic train route in the world, in Alaska the best trip by train in the world, and in Mexico? Barranca del Cobre they say is the most impressive train route in the world... But I had already experienced that train trips cannot be panoramic as a car road and they also don't give you a chance to take photos). So I joined a group of cool guys I've been lucky to meet there (Andrea from Germany, Soeren from Denmark, Maria & Jussi from Finland and Will from Usa: thanx you all, see u soon in Europe!!!) that were renting a jeep to drive through Barranca del Cobre and Sierra moutains. What a wonderful sceneries and what a great road that was!!! For the paved part of the road I stayed in the open rear side of pick-up; even if not so comfortable I really enjoyed it! I loved to taste the Mexican warm sun upon my skin and the wind blowing to my hairs with an electric blue sky surrounding all over me... When the road became dusty and dumpy I entered the jeep to look at the amazing views on the way to Batopilas - a quiet and cozy mining town settled in the middle of mountains (and in the middle of marijuana fields too...). Here is where Tarahumare indios live; I've seen many of them and I cryed to have left at home the proper lenses for taking good photos to their colorful clothes and people. Not too bad, next time!

Tacos, tequila y chicas!!!

From El Paso (Texas) I crossed the border and I jumped to Mexico!!! I quickly passed through Ciudad Juarez, considered one of the most dangerous cities for its infamous "feminicides" and for the strong drug cartels. So I arrived in Chihuahua while on the road toward there I've met some funny folks... In this region you can see the real "cowboys", those not for fiction but for way of living. Almost everybody wear large hats, shining belts, leather boots and it seems to me to turn back the years... Great!

Close to the Mexican border

Well, I've finally found an internet cafe'... I arrived in Albuquerque (New Mexico) last night just in time to sleep in the bus station... From there I reached Santa Fe, tha capitol of the State and one of the oldest cities in Usa. It's a very nice town, with many ancient buildings and a true mexican taste (even if it's overcrowded by elder america tourists...). It's easier to hear speaking Spanish than English here; as the name shows, the mexican border is really close and all of these territories were mexicans in a past not too far. By the way, I headed to Taos for a visit to the amazing Taos Pueblo, a incredible adobe village (which means built just with mud...) where indios still live without electricity: a world heritage considered one of the main examples for that architectural structure. To get there I've got a short lift from John & Shelley from Alaska, which was quite fun. The adventure must never ends...

Where are we heading?

Nobody knows where we`re heading in our lives; about myself I don`t even know where I`m heading on this journey... infact from Tucson I had a little detour from my plan to Salt Lake City (Utah) and then to Denver (Colorado), where I`m actually writing from. Besides home of the 2002 Winter Olympic games, Salt Lake City is the world capital of mormon church and it has been really interesting learning about their beliefs, visiting the ancient Temple Square - the place where the first mormon settled the city - and all the other historical sights. Actually mormons are nearby 12 millions all over the world, they believe in Jesus and the main difference to the Christian religion is that they have a living prophete (which is actually also the president of the whole organization...). I don`t wanna post comments about religion: everybody is free to believe what they prefer and I cannot say if something is right or wrong. But let me notice (and I`m surprised of it!) how some religions here are structured more as a business than a "spiritual healing" community. In L.A., Scientology members were offering on the streets free "happiness tests" or free leaflets how to live and enjoy a better life. Remarkable - I thought - these guys wanna make the Earth a paradise! Then I noticed how the Scientology logo were always well hidden and how they were so interested in getting your personal information. Another fake messiah is just waiting for the paradise of its pocket... Everybody should visit the mormons headoffice building, it`s a huge skyscraper you`re expecting for Wall Street Stock Exchange more than a church!!! By the way, today I wandered around in Denver and I went in Larimer Street too. Does anybody know why I went there? Send me your answer, if it`s the right one you`ll win a free Scientology test...

Travelling freaks

I left yesterday some interesting people in the vibrant San Diego friday night for a bus to Tucson, Arizona. The first surprise has been that the bus was fully booked and I`ve been packed on a front seat near a young marine coming back home from the army... He started talking me that in his previous life was a warrior, and sometimes he has visions of ancient Ireland. He said the Holy Graal was a female, then he shown me his huge knife (always kept with him, without he said to feel unsafe...) and all the tecniques how to throw it... Oh! And at home he said to have many blades and a sword he usually like to sleep with...

Impossible is nothing

I spent great times in L.A.; walking down Hollywood Boulevard I met Tom Cruise and together we went to a big party in Playboy Mansion where I had sex both with Angelina Jolie and Cameron Diaz... but when I woke up I was only on a bus to San Diego... Night life is amazing here, but in all honesty I still cannot stand these cities: public transportation is unbelievable bad, while the different city centres are located many miles far from each other and connected by 10 lanes roads... And there`s more here in San Diego, airplanes land directly on your head `cause the airport is in the middle of downtown...

Becoming an Hollywood star...

It`s my third day here in Los Angeles and I start to feel the need to leave... I`m staying in Hollywood and all the city acts like a movie: it`s completely crazy!!! Here fiction is not too far from reality and everything looks like a TV show. Among many sights I visited the Universal Studios and then I went to Disneyland where, as a doctor, I had maybe the highlight of the whole journey, taking a photo with Mickey Mouse... Today I went to Santa Monica and Venice Beach, it`s very nice and funny to look at all the freaks there... But now it`s time to move away!!!

Wherever I may roam

What a beautiful city is San Francisco!!! A lot of fun here... It`s one of that places that requires a whole holiday to discover and enjoy... I`m really sad to leave but I must go, my bus pass is expiring very soon and I wanna move South, even if I`ll be back here next month! By the way, today it was Columbus Day (an american-italian holiday in memory of Cristoforo Colombo) and there were parades all over the city: colorful and funny!!! Moreover, it was the "Fleet week" with the Blue Angels acrobatic team all day long high in the sky. I had also an interesting visit to City Lights bookstore, which was starting point of beat generation and first editor of the main writers... But San Francisco is also the hometown for Metallica, and in my mind I cannot stop thinking about this song that`s perfect for what I`m living now:

...And the road becomes my bride
I have stripped of all but pride
so in her I do confide
and she keeps me satisfied,
gives me all I need.
And with dust in throat I crave
only knowledge will I save
to the game you stay a slave
Rover... wanderer...
nomad... vagabond...
call me what you will.
But I`ll take my time anywhere
free to speak my mind anwhere
and I`ll take my find anywhere,
where I lay my head is home.
And the Earth becomes my throne
I adapt to the unknown,
under wandering stars I`ve grown
by myself but not alone
I ask no one.
And my ties are severed clean,
the less I have the more I gain,
off the beated path I reign...

Welcome to California

If last week it was wintertime for me, now I reached California and there`s a beautiful summer sun. I went in Sacramento, the capital of the state, where I stored a part of my luggage that was too heavy to continue and then I`ve had also some great deals: I entered a Salvation Army "Thrift Store" and I bought 3 shirts and a t-shirts, all for 5 bucks total... I felt very safe thinking that "Terminator" was working there to protect all the people... Then I decided that it was better for me to have a short trip to Nevada, instead of paying for an hostel... So I`ve slept on a bus for Reno, that arrived at 1 am, I gambled all night long, and I came back to Sacramento on the 7,30 am bus... That`s what I`ve done!!! And after another bus connection I finally arrived in great San Francisco (California) where I wandered around a little bit, I went in Chinatown and I had some beers in Jack Kerouac`s favourite bar.

America`s big cities

A night bus and I arrived in Vancouver (British Columbia, Canada) where I had an hostel in the worst neighborhood of the city. I cannot say Vancouver isn`t nice, it`s settled between mountains and sea and offers some good views, but it`s too big for my choice. Same for Seattle (Washington State, Usa): it`s the mother of grunge music, Bill Gates` and Boeing`s home. Beside that, cities here are completely different to the European ones; I`m astonished by the absence of a"real" city center, and they look like the asphalt jungles in my nightmares... I`m also surprised by the endless nymber oh homeless people living the alleys, while I feel myself breathless being surrounded by all those huge skyscrapers and buildings. What can I do, maybe I`m just a simple country boy... Actually I`m writing from Portland (Oregon, Usa).

Rocky Mountains high

Hi there! After my last post I`ve done many miles, and I`m fastly reaching South. Northern landscapes are amazing but is getting too cold now and I`m tired of rainy and foggy days! Well... I spent a night in Banff - a lovely mountain town and I decided to reach Jasper along the parkway road, through the Banff and Jasper National Parks. That one is considered the most scenic drive of the all Rocky Mountains, so I couldn`t miss it!!! Because of the bus connections lack, I decided to get a lift but before I had to walk few km out of Banff under a light snow. I took a ride from an Australian guy to an highway junction, where I had to wait for a lot of time... When I was quite completely frozen by a chilly mountain wind, I`ve got a lift from Al Horton - a very kind guy working there for the parks. He has been thw very best guide for me, tellin` me everything about thr parks and driving me directly to Jasper, after some visits to the amazing Lake Louise, Moraine and Pejto (which they`re not on the main road). I was really impressed about those mountains, I expected great sceneries but they`ve been too much... unforgettable... More than 250 km in a valley looking like Dolomites, surrounded by huge mountains with incredible colours: the turquoise of lakes and rivers, the yellow of trees and the snow... Then, to end such a beautiful day, nothing`s better than eating nachos and drinking beer in lovely Jasper. Thanks Al!!!

Canada, again!

After 2 days on a ferry to cover the inside passage to Prince Rupert (British Columbia, Canada) I`ve bought a 21 days bus ticket valid for western Canada and Usa. So I took the bus from there to Prince George and then a nightly service to Calgary (Alberta) where I`m actually now. I went on the top of the city tower (which was ridiculous expensive...) and now I`m waiting for the bus to Banff, where I`ll overnight and where tomorrow I`ll explore the national park in the middle of Canadian Rocky Mountains.