Colors of Awakening

11/10/2024

01/06/2024

It has been a few weeks since we posted and updated you about our journey.
We made it to California exactly 4 weeks ago and our fluffy Zill crossed the border into the US with us without a problem, something we'd been dreading with all sorts of new requirements for dogs since we'd been gone.

California is Glen's birth state, and the state in which he grew up. Coming back has been emotionally intense to say the least.

First, we drove back from Costa Rica over the course of 10 weeks, saying goodbye to only some of the amazing friends we had made during the first leg of our journey South. Our route had involved difficult choices, knowing well we could not possibly retrace the one that had taken us more than 2 years.

Additionally, Glen had decided to close his storage in Washington. While this gave us an opportunity to visit with some of my extended family, it also meant closing a chapter for Glen... And a whole lot more driving!

Eventually, we are approaching the time to depart for Puerto Rico, where we will prepare for the next leg of our journey towards Argentina, this time on bicycle, while working on Glen's house and on our films from the past 3 years on the road.

In the next couple of weeks, we will busy ourselves with traveling to and settling in Puerto Rico.

Until the next update, enjoy this short film, an ode to the wonderful families and people who made the past 3 years of our lives so meaningful...

From Washington state to the border of Panama: many thanks to you who have filled our lives and our hearts with so much love... Whether we laughed or cried yogether, often both, we carry a piece of you with us for ever now...
With love,

Genevieve & Glen

During our journey towards Argentina, Glen and I help wherever we are called to, as we can. Sometimes it's as simple as buying some extra food for the animal...

13/05/2024

🌵🏞️ Exploring the enchanting Pueblo Mágico of Bernal was an unforgettable experience! ✨ From the moment we set foot in this charming town nestled against the majestic Peña de Bernal, we knew we were in for something truly special.

Wandering through the cobblestone streets, flanked by vibrant colonial architecture, we couldn't help but be captivated by the richness of the local traditions and culture. 🎨🎶

What truly sets Bernal apart is its deep-rooted connection to its indigenous heritage. 🌺🌄 From the rhythmic beats of traditional music to the intricate designs of handmade textiles, the soul of Bernal pulsates with a timeless rhythm all its own. Quite an experience! 🌟✨ 💖🌵 🇲🇽🎨

12/05/2024

Tu parles français? Suis notre périple au travers des Amériques sur notre chaîne Youtube, Playlist "FRANCAIS"! Click le lien qui suit et n'oublie pas de t'abonner pour découvrir nos nouveaux épisodes au plus vite et soutenir notre travail !

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvLg2_kQ8EUurceV3JWMEKATGNwEO0rBK&si=5HL_f9NfT-GyUTF3

11/05/2024

🚗✨ Our journey began on June 18, 2021, with a simple yet profound decision: to embark on the journey of a lifetime! 🌎🌟

For years, the trusty Mazda CX-5 has been more than just a mode of transportation; it's been our home, our sanctuary, a protective bubble, and constant companion on the road less traveled.

Through 12 states in the United States and 7 countries in Central America, this car has been our faithful companion, carrying us through breathtaking landscapes and unforgettable encounters. 🗺️❤️

We have been welcomed into countless homes, embraced by the warmth of strangers turned friends, and immersed ourselves in the rich vibrancy of cultures and traditions.

🚙💫 As we reflect on the emotional connections forged and the memories made, we're reminded of the profound role this car has played in this journey of discovery, growth, and healing.

Here's to the Mazda CX-5! A steadfast companion, our protective bubble, and the silent witness to this magical journey! 🌟🚗 🌟🌿

10/05/2024

🌟 Discovering ancient wisdom at Tula, Mexico! 🏛️✨

The captivating ruins of Tula, home to the enigmatic Toltec civilization!
Known for their mastery in art, architecture, and philosophy, the Toltecs left behind a legacy that still mesmerizes us today.

As we strolled through the remnants of this ancient city, we couldn't help but feel a connection to the timeless teachings of the Toltecs. Their pursuit of wisdom and their commitment to living in alignment with their true selves and nature resonates deeply, reminding us of the importance of integrity and authenticity.

In the spirit of the Toltec wisdom, we reflected on don Miguel Ruiz's "Four Agreements":

1. Be impeccable with your word
2. Don't take anything personally
3. Don't make assumptions
4. Always do your best. 💡

📜 Over the course of our journey, realigning our roadmap with these powerful agreements for personal freedom and fulfillment, has echoed the timeless principles embraced by the Toltecs.

🌿🌎 🗿📘

09/05/2024

More roadside oddities from this crazy journey.

07/05/2024

We don't get far without the help of people. Whether it's asking for directions, probing for a local treasure, or inquiring about good local food, none of it can happen without asking for help. Sometimes it can be awkward talking to complete strangers, but it's hard to think of a single time that it went wrong.

We commonly joke about certain parts of Mexico where everyone is simply trying to be helpful. If you ask for directions to a place they are unaware of, they will give you directions to a friend, hoping that HE can help. It can be quite comical at times, driving from stranger to stranger asking for a simple location. Always an adventure... 😅

05/05/2024

https://colorsofawakening.com/blog/2024/devils_cave

Devil's Cave

05/05/2024

Tolantongo...

04/05/2024

This road is filled with things we will likely never see twice. Here are some photos from a couple years back.
The first photo, some fighting roosters in the front yard of a cartel home.
The second photo, a fallen drunk man being helped to his feet from passersby.
The third photo, a beachside pallet hut.

03/05/2024

More signs from the beginning of this journey...

02/05/2024

After a couple of days spent by the warm pools of Tolantongo, we were navigating the long desert road back towards Ixmiquilpan in Hidalgo, Mexico. The landscape around us became more arid and expansive. Occasionally, we passed clusters of roadside shops displaying flashy plastic water gear and floaties, contrasting sharply with the natural beauty we had just immersed ourselves in.

As we reached an even more desertic area, a unique roadside shop caught my attention. The rare sight of a shop dedicated to traditional crafts, including "bottles" made from local hard squashes known as "calabazas", compelled us to turn the car around.

We parked near a tree with these gourds hanging and I stepped out to explore. The shop was housed in a structure resembling an unfinished hangar, with its bare, unpainted bricks. Inside, the space was filled with traditional goods that spoke of a deeper narrative.

Upon entering, Marcela welcomed me with genuine warmth. Her enthusiasm surged as she began to show me the gourds, explaining their significance and traditional uses. I shared with her our quest to document healing and traditional practices and asked if she would mind being filmed. Marcela’s response was enthusiastic, and she immediately began to prepare, excited to share her cultural heritage.

Glen came out with his camera and introduced himself. We were soon led through the shop by her enthusiastic sharing. Each item had its story—from the gourds, crafted into various shapes and sizes, to an astonishing container that turned out to be a sheepskin! The skin had been skillfully pulled off the animal without a tear, retaining its shape... Meticulously cleaned, dried, and closed up, they were used to store water, as well as the drink of the Gods, the famous Pulque...

Trying on a raincoat and hat woven from palm leaves, I was reminded of the thatched Mayan roofs we had seen, designed to channel rainwater away efficiently. The craftsmanship spoke of the hñahñu people's ingenuity and their deep connection with their environment.

Marcela was a fountain of knowledge, sharing not only the uses and fabrication processes of these items but also their cultural significance. Her enthusiasm was palpable as she described how each piece was intertwined with the hñahñu traditions. This was not just any shop; it was a lifeline for preserving her culture, supported by her husband and son, together celebrating their heritage in a world that often overlooks such values.

Artesanías Sabanillas

01/05/2024

We set out to find a place to wild camp in the mountains near tolantango and when we finally arrived at a spot that we found on iOverlander, the location was blocked by large rocks, so we kept driving into the mountains until we saw a town on a ridge with a prominent church perched at its crest.

Some well hidden dirt roads led us to the church and the few houses that assembled what could possibly be called a village. We stopped at the church to inquire about camping in the area, and noone was there, so we kept driving down the ridge looking for any signs of life, but other than a few dogs in the roads, no humans were in sight.

The ridge road came to its end as it funneled into a narrow path leading to the valley of Tolantango below. It couldn’t have been a better time, as the sun was sitting just above the mountain tops, casting a golden glow. It seemed to be the perfect spot to set up camp, but out of respect for the community, we decided to give one last try at finding someone, anyone, in the village to confirm our welcome.

We tried 5 houses with no luck. All of them looked to be vacant, abandoned, or in the process of being built. Finally, at the top of the hill, we found one of the houses with a decor of flowers and plants and dogs in front. Someone had to be home!

Genevieve started with a “hola” and no reply. She asked me to honk the horn, also to no reply as the dogs barked loudly in the driveway. A moment later, she noticed a bell at the entrance to the driveway and rang it - creating a loud jingle from inside the house, still with no reply. As we started to give up, a woman came out of the house and greeted us with an enthusiastic “buenas tardes!”

Wearing a bright red shirt and yellow scarf draped over her head, Julieta was very curious about why we were there.

After explaining that we were looking for a place to camp, she told us that her son would be home soon from working in the vivero, he could help us as it was his house and land.

Julieta was eager to show us her embroidered cloth art, as she shared about her family and upbringing in the area. She had recently lost her husband, and had lost a few children as well, but still found space to joke about her uncountable number of grandchildren and great grandchildren.

She showed us around the land, starting with her newly constructed concrete bedroom and a mud lined wooden kitchen. Out back, she showed us a donkey and goat in stables overlooking a plot of land containing many plants and trees.

Soon it was time for Julieta to start making dinner, so we assisted with gathering firewood and cleaning dishes while we awaited her sons arrival.

She prepared and cleaned a bucket of corn to send through the electric grinder outside her kitchen. She buys the corn in the nearest town of Cardinal, some 30 minutes away.

Soon after the corn was processed into a paste to prepare tortillas, a red truck pulled into the driveway. It was Julieta's son, but we could sense that something was amiss. He stayed in his vehicle for a few minutes, then seemed to intentionally avoid us, the strangers in his backyard with his mom. After five more minutes, Julieta started to notice that something seemed odd also, so we headed to the front yard to introduce ourselves.

With closed body language and great hesitancy, Jeronimo finally introduced himself but was reluctant to say much.

We asked about possibly camping down the road where we originally arrived and he started to explain a process where we should have contacted the leader of the community first before entering. Then he referred us to the tourist attraction of La Gloria, about 30 minutes down the road.

It was clear to us that we weren’t welcome then, and Genevieve turned to me and said in English, “he doesn’t want to help us, so let’s get going”

Jeronimo started to explain the natural wonder of La Gloria, and soon Genevieve started to explain how we travel and showed him a link to one of our films. He seemed impressed, or more trusting of us, after watching the first 30 seconds of our film about another Mexican family, pushed pause and started to speak to us in very clear English.

From then on, it was like speaking to a completely different person. He smiled while he talked, and shared about his life in the United States, and his recently found passions for nature, plants and trees.

Jeronimo showed us around his land where he is raising thousands of baby trees - everything from avocados and peaches, to cacti and magueys. His face lit up as he explained the process of growing greenery on such an apparently barren ridge.

After the sun fell below the mountains, it began to get extremely cold and windy, and we still needed to set up camp more than 45 minutes down the road, so we went back to the kitchen to say goodbye to Julieta.

When we entered the kitchen, we found that she was not alone. Her daughter had come to visit, and moments later, 2 grandsons made their entrance. We were invited to stay for dinner, but we needed to leave to set up camp before it was completely dark. Julieta insisted that we try some of her tortillas which, for the first time, we tried with cauliflower... It was delicious! A perfect treat before hitting the road in anticipation of the adventure to come.

~ Glen

30/04/2024

Tolantango!

Like so many incredible experiences throughout this journey, Tolantango came without plans. As we were heading north past the city of Hidalgo in Mexico, it was getting late as we were driving so we decided to settle in a large town in the desert. As we entered the town, we noticed no water anywhere, but it seemed that every tienda was selling water shoes, and it made us curious. When we finally realized we were about an hour down the mountain from this amazing geological feature, we knew we had to go explore and camp, so we did. We ended up staying for three days, and it was absolutely incredible.

Tolantongo is a box canyon with unique geological features. Crystal clear turquoise waters pour from its hilltops and caves, mixing hot and cold springs that range from 100º to 70ºF.

Many of Mexicos wonders are yet to be discovered (or rediscovered). This majestic place was only "discovered" and put on the map in 1975, where they misheard the Nahuatl word Tonaltonko meaning (Home where it feels warm) - this is how it "officially" got the name Tolantongo.

For us, this experience was made all the better, as they allowed us to camp near our own pools. It was off season, and even through a weekend, we were not bombarded by hoards of people. Though, we did meet an amazing family from nearby Mexico City. =)

March 12-13, 2024 (Day 1029-1030)

29/04/2024

This week, we made note of how much Zill has changed on the road. For the first year of travel, Zill would pant and panic as we would drove, and we explored many things to remedy this behavior, including Benadryl, medications, and eventually, natural treatments and treats. Some of these natural treats worked well for a time, then stopped functioning.

In the end, time and trust have proven to be the best medicine. It took about 2 years on the road for Zill to start "chilling out," though, there are still some things that validate the name "King of sh*tbirds."

29/04/2024

April 9, 2024 (Day 1027) We were driving north, eager to progress towards the U.S. border. I pulled over at a little chalet-style house with ample space in the front that seemed perfect for a short pause to give Zill a break.

A young man emerged from the house. With a friendly demeanor, he invited us to park our car under the shade of the nearby trees and even offered us to come inside for some water. Initially, we declined his kind offer, but his genuine warmth and hospitality soon swayed us. Touched by his thoughtfulness, we decided to introduce ourselves and express our appreciation for his welcoming gesture.

During our brief visit, we learned that his name was Mario and that the charming little house was not only his home but also the future site of a new restaurant he was launching with his father. At just 22 years old, Mario exuded a kind-heartedness and maturity beyond his years. He spoke enthusiastically about his plans for the restaurant, which would cater to travelers and locals alike, offering a refreshing respite along the roadside.

After a quick chat and a reaffirmation of his offer for some water, we bid Mario farewell, shaking his hand with gratitude. As we left his budding little Puebla-style restaurant, we were reminded of the profound kindness and generosity we often encounter on the road, enriching our journey with new friendships and memorable moments.

~Genevieve

28/04/2024

Did you know we have a series of films and short videos on YouTube? Be sure to subscribe to our Youtube channel and get notified when more films come out.

For those of you who speak Spanish or French, we have playlists just for you as well. =).

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvLg2_kQ8EUu4eMn9NTsyCo7ZhJvInWod&si=DmrPEtJaaRr93HM0