central america   bAck January 2007: I haven't written for a long time. Many countries and cities ago! Sometimes I get a bit lazy for that, but sometimes it can also mean that one is completely engulfed by the place where one is. I think this is what happened to me. Like those old songs and dances, where they say "one step forward, one step back", that is what happened to us. And I say "to us" because, on top of being my trip and show mates, we formed the Correquetepillo Muppet company, with Palacete, Antonio, Toñito and a new brazilian friend, Chico Da Beixo Sabroso (a rasta that met Antonio in Amazonia) Under that name, we travelled to our first festival, in Nicaragua, so there we go backwards, again towards that part of central america. Playing cards Hmm... today's my lucky day!! The event was great. It was a good artistic experience for me, and also a new reminder of the poverty of many parts of that country. Many teenagers, I would even say girls, already carrying a baby with them. A country where, like in many other areas on Earth with a long history of suffering, people is able to smile to you... and, despite their problems, usually accompanied by a plate of food, given with a lot of affection. When I see this, or a wonderful sunset, I feel happy that I decided to go on this trip. Then we spent some time in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, where we met old friends and made new ones. And I was again on TV... Cristián and me on a TV program! Telling our stories Cristián tells my adventures... ...what an experience!! After a good long month, we resumed our trip southwards. Nicaragua and then Costa Rica. The later is a nature wonder, an incredible diversity of landscapes and animals. But there is something that attracted my attention, and made me think: in many of the places we visited, there was a notice saying in English "For sale"... That means that very soon it will become a hotel or private land, just in the same way it has already happened in so many places in this beautiful country. Ahh, you probably noticed that I said "THIS country", because I am actually still in Costa Rica, while writing these lines. And I have some news to tell, so I'll put some water to boil to prepare a "mate" drink, and I'll be back, or maybe a beer? (the people in costa rica, like in many other places, say they have the highest beer consumption in the world)... maybe a mate, it will be great to watch the sunset over the Taquicardia Beach, in Montezuma, Costa Rica. We arrived to this magical place just before the end of the year 2006 with my travelling brothers, and another friend, an uruguayan pupetter called Alexander Castiglioni. We spent very good festivities and a spectacular full moon. Ahh, the moon... it fills me with energy! I remember a night, lying down at the Taquicardia beach, I saw her appearing like a sailboat, as if she was a melon slice that someone had forgotten at the horizon, resting, maybe meditating. I was so enchanted, I didn't know if I should cry or laugh. It also made me think that I would like to stay here for a while, before resuming my trip. Because of the moon, but specially because I met an argentinian friend, a woman called Maya, and his boyfriend Luis, from Uruguay. I would like them to be my new trip companions. They are jugglers and craftsmen, so I think I could learn something about balls, clubs and monocyles, as I learned already about muppets. I could also learn to weave butterflies and dragonflies... After 2 days of farewell party... ... I had to take Palacete back home. At this beach, I would also like to know more about Oki, a crazy character, one of these wise men from the streets. How couldn't I want to, if his name is Oki and mine is Aki! Could we even be relatives? I would also like to do something to help people understand the problem related with the amount of trash that is thrown daily to the oceans and beaches. Well, so many plans that I hope the moon will help me... Now I'm filled with a mix of nostalgy and happiness with a couple of droplets of magic, that always accompanies the moments when you leave people you love, and you start loving others. I know I will miss Antonio, Chico, Toñito and Palacete, but they will be fine on their trip south, and we will always be connected... I would like to tell you more, but my "mate" drink is ready and Maya is calling me. She wants me to come with her to experience how the sun sets and a new night rises. With a pleasant dark wind, the one that blows when a new moon is being born. <<<< see ceNtral amErica pReviOuS pArt