Not Exactly An Old Timey-Praise-Be-To-Besus Faith Healthing

The day we've all been waiting for came, and with it the non-stop pounding of rain. Far from the mudslides in Oaxaca we are still close to the effects of too much water. Such was the case as we set the alarms to well before sun-up at the ripe early hour of 420am. Yes, the time is significant and is probably what you think. We decided since it was coming down Gurns and Dogs we could get there an hour later and went back to sleep.

Since Marcos is a popular guy we knew we needed to get there early. Setting out at 5am ED, AM and I caught a taxi and showed up at Marcos' office at 530a. The way Marcos the Shaman works is that people line up and at 6 o'clock AM he walks across the street from his house to his office and hands out numbers on little wooden chips. Marcos isnt an actual healer, he is a gateway to the 10 saints and merely diagnoses your ailment, (I like that word,. "Gateway" it has a ring of something cool.) Since we were the first to arrive, we drew the first batch of numbers. Since I'm the second sickest I got...

I Know, I was Thinking It Too,  Shouldn't Pablo be Numero Uno?

 After drawing our lot we waded back to hotel for another hour or so of sleep. By "waded" I mean navigated the waterways that once were the back streets of Ixtepec, carefully stepping in the least deepest puddle. I tried not to flaunt my gratitude for the waterproofing of my Merrill's, but alas, it was a toughie as ED and AM sloshed along feet soaked. .

Getting up that third time at 730a was pretty rough. The body just wanted to keep sleeping, but we made it to a cab on onto Marcos'. Shortly after 8 ED went in as I waited my turn, a little nervous not knowing what to expect.

Armed with a Number In One Hand And 2 Eggs In The Other

10 minutes later it was my turn. I entered the large room of his office occupied only with 2 chairs in a medium sized room with 2 small chairs in one corner, blank walls and a little table with pictures of saints and candles. I spoke to him in Spanish and ED translated his answers to make sure I didn't miss anything.. Marcos is a big fella with a common and approachable manner. Unremarkably dressed and speaking slowly he asked me what my problem was and I told him about the AS diagnosis I was given and my symptoms. He said place your hands palm up open on your knees, close your eyes and try to think of nothing. Placing his hand on top of my head he began speaking in Aramaic. A few minutes and a few sprinkles of Holy Water he said my problem is the digestive system and something I ate about a year ago had steel and aluminum in it and that my gut can not longer absorb food. He says I'm not Gluten Intolerant and read off a list of herbs to make into a tea that will cleanse the metals from my gut. "Make a tea from these herbs and drink it three times a day and come back and see me in 20 days" he said. The gut jives with what I think (and hope) it is and what I'm feeling. Plus if it works it'll be the best 50 pesos ($4USD approx) ever spent, ever.

Immediately after leaving the room with Marcos I noticed the fatigue and pain from the fatigue are gone. Completely. I wouldnt say it was a life changing religious and spiritual experience, but there was something of substance to it. I still feel tired and know I'm sick, dry eyes and mouth etc, but I feel some relief. I know, I know I hear what your thinking, "PLACEBO EFFECT! PLACEBO EFFECT!"  You can argue placebo effect and you'll get no fight from me. Then again I don't really care, relief is relief whatever you call it. I was expecting a diagnostic, not relief. I don't know what but there's something to it. As irrefutable scientific proof positive here is a foto of ED's hands before and after his visit with Marcos the Shaman

Before Swollen

After Less Swollen

Relief however is not what we found when we arrived to the bus station to catch the next jet out of Dodge. All buses canceled due to the flooding and roads. The only bus leaving Ixtepec was to Huatulco on the Oaxaca Coast, and we would catch a flight from there to DF and on to Tijuana. So off we went on the 11pm edition

Off To Huatulco On The Red Eye

Tough ride on a packed bus with poor sleep, I was left feeling a little thrashed at 4am when we arrived in Huatulco and my normally perky end energenic "Pablo on the go" pose suffered.

Must...Be...Perky...

 ED found us a nice little hotel room to crash in until our flight left at 2p. AM and I got up about 9 and toured Huatulco. Having never been to the Oaxaca coast I knew Pablo Travels readers expected a report, and feeling better, and always eager not to disappoint, we toured the small city center.

Huatulco Zocalo

I love this little place! It reminds me of how I remember Puerto Vallarta 30 years ago. I know what your thinking, "Pablo, isn't 30 years ago before you were born?!?!" Pablo prefers to count age in dog years and speak of himself in the third person. Here's another shot of how lush and green the surroundings are.

Green Stuff Is Cool, Like Pablo.

We did some shopping and were pleasantly surprised that the sales people hadn't received training in "the Pushy Tijuana Method.".

Zoolander Pablo Busts His Best Oaxaca Look

Getting back the states was still far from certain but getting more likely as we pulled up to the airport

When Was The Last Time You Saw A Thatched Roof Airport?

and from inside the terminal

Blast Protective Factor Questionable

 After checking in we toured the local culinary delicacies.

Yummy Insect Grasshopper Gluten Free Goodness or "Grasshopper", Eat Grasshopper!

Always eager to please his readers Pablo does his best not to disappoint with exotic food tasting porn.



Of course it has occurred to me that that if I have steel and aluminum in my gut I should probably refrain from questionable eating experiences like guinea pig, Mescal worms, and grasshoppers. Hmmmm, ponderings for another blog entry perhaps.

As if thatched roof airports aren't primitive enough, tarmac plane loading should do it for you.

Jetways Are Soooo Overrated

After a short flight to Mexico City, followed by a monster layover in the DF airport FINALLY we made Tijuana and I'm pleased to present you with a "Pablo made it" shot.

"Home" In Tijuana

Flash forward past the shortest 38 minute border crossing followed by the longest 50 mile drive home I spread out the fruits of my visit that would the healing wealth of the trip at about 2am.

Yes, HSW This Will Make Me "Magically Delicious"

Throwing it all in a pot, (eye of newt excluded) I boiled my tea

Boil And Bubble Cauldron Tea Trouble

And with that I will leave you with my tale of not an Old Timey Faith Healing but hopefully a healing tale none the less as I consider renaming Pablo's Travels, "Pablo's Healing Adventures Travel Old Timey Travel Blog."

Meanwhile back at the ranch the Health-o-Meter doesn't love me at 19 pounds lost and counting

The Health-o-Meter Doesn't Love Or Hate, It's Just Sayin'

I'll let you know....