Step by step

    Iquitos - Peru

     It has been a while since I posted anything in here, the truth is I have been doing most of my blogging in my journal in a more personal format.

    I have no excuse, I have been MIA from this blog. But how can I not? This last six months has guided me through such experiences and adventures of discovery, further self realizations. Incredible lessons disguised as challenges. Amazing connections and interconnections from those sharing this giant but also small glove. People living in a complete different world. Flowing, adapting, struggling, fighting and overcoming.

    Phew - A lot has happened since Nicaragua, which left nothing but a heart opening wider. Strong yet sensible and still vulnerable. Walking a warriors path, sharing the shining bright light on the reflection of his sword.

    On April 13th I took a bus from Nicaragua to Costa Rica. I had a whole day all to myself in San Jose before flying to Peru. Flying from Costa Rica was cheaper than flying from Nicaragua, and it would give me a day layover in Mexico city which is used to meet with Jeremy. Jeremy is a local parkour practitioner. We moved and trained a little. While still being conscious of my knee, it responded well. It feel good to play. We had a good time.

    Iquitos - Peru

 Peru came to be another chapter of this journey. A journey of further realizations of the sometimes raw world we live in. This chapter was filled with great people, awesome places, amazing lesson and blunt realities. I wrote some thoughts in more depth about the experience, I will be sharing soon. I also finally finished couple of videos documenting the experience. They're filled with a contrast of beauty and the raw nature of humans and this wonderful place we call "our" planet.

I arrived in Lima, Peru on April 16th where I only stayed one night at a host from Couchsurfing, (which has been such a wonderful tool for meeting awesome local people, staying off the tourist trail and saving some money, more of this later). From Lima I passed through Tarapoto, where more couch surfing gave me the opportunity to meet a couple of girls who took us, Julien (a french guy who has been traveling the world for over two year only hitchhiking) and I to some great adventures to her family's farm. 

   Two days boat ride to Nauta - Peru

Julien and I teamed up and decided to hitchhiked our way to Iquitos. This took us to Yurimaguas, where we convinced the boat company (a two day boat ride to Iquitos) to allow us to go in the journey with them for free to Nauta. 

Nauta was very interesting, we stay there a few days with a local family. during our time there  we had the opportunity to speak on a couple of the local radios stations about our views in regards to traveling around south America and the lack of care for proper trash management, the deforestation of the amazon and river pollution we witness as we visited the many places we were blessed to be in. 

View video here

http://youtu.be/18TLv9Sf0-A

We finally arrived to Iquitos. I took about 2 weeks from Lima to get to Iquitos. Julien and I parted ways after a couple of days of our arrival. I stayed in Iquitos for about 4 weeks. While there I met an Australian guy who had just bought a small boat and wanted to make his way to Manaos. Knowing that my next step would be to get to Leticia, Colombia and after speaking with him for a few days I decided to join on an adventure which would take us for 16 days navigating on the waters of the Amazon and visiting some of the indigenous communities along the side of the river. What an experience!

To save me some word which Winter do justicie, here is a video, 

Watch video here

http://youtu.be/eI-c84vyRwM

We fished, joined in a hunting expeditions, helped with some building, taught at a school and did our best effort to participate with the community. Learning and taking with us amazing memories.

That adventure led me all the way to Leticia, Colombia, where we would part ways as I was getting ready for another experience of movement. Three weeks prior to arriving here, little did I know that Bogota would bring me the opportunity of working along side Dan Edwardes from Parkour Generations to deliver the Level I ADAPT certification to a group of awesome people.

   Group photo

Colombia was filled with moments where my coaching skills would be challenged and also given the opportunity to excel. I met some incredible practitioners who I also learned from on the way. Working along side Dan and teaching the ADAPT was a dream come true which I didn't even know I had but was very pleased to fulfilled. 

This was also the time where after realizing my experience in the amazon and returning into the city, I would become vegetarians, for it became strange to me seeing meat on my plate and no having any idea where it came from. That along with the awareness of the mistreat of animal and poisoning involved in the meat industry was more than enough to make a change a never thought I would. 

And after a bit over week in Colombia, I was to return to Venezuela for the first time in 11 years. And that is the next chapter of this history.

Parkour Conditioning - Drill Series - Monkey Four-Play

A fun and simple exercise, good for a warm up (class or jam) or a resistance session if done in big numbers. Adaptable to any skill levels and the variations keep it interesting. This is sort of like a burpee monkey style.

As usual, touch and sensitivity is to be kept in mind, watch your form and go as slow or are fast as you want. Set a timer, maybe, to see how many you can get in a minute. 

Have fun, like and share.

Nicaragua, unexpectedly awesome!

Drawing by Noelia Somalo
Memories of a Caribbean afternoon. 

What I thoughts would only last two weeks turned into nearly two months of incredible experiences. And now it's time to say my good byes to Nicaragua. Here are some of the highlights of this incredible journey.

Feeding, interacting and rescuing monkeys. Doing lots if yoga. Hiking Monbacho volcano. Visiting playa gigante. Cleaning beaches. First Pk session since injury. Teaching a handstand workshop. Inspiring movement. Hiking in Ometepe.
Hanging out with howler monkeys. Rescuing a capuchin. Kayak in a swamp. Spotting a Kaiman just few feet away from me. Getting hizzed at by the caiman. Helping in a garden. Holding and hanging out with a scorpion. Doing capoeira. Witness a fight. Going to the Caribbean. Visiting the pearl cays. Spear fishing. Back flipping for kids. Milking cows. Staying in a farm. Pulling thicks of a horses ear. Eating cacao seeds right off the tree. Jumping of a falling tree. Jumping off of waterfall in miraflor. Attempting to save another monkey. Getting enchanted by humming birds. Walked, bussed and boated countless of miles.

If you are ever in Granada, Nicaragua be sure to stay at Posada Las Brisas and visit Pure. Awesome places, good vibes, great people.

And onto Peru I go.

White-Faced Capuchin Rescue - Isla Ometepe, Nicaragua

During one of my adventures exploring Nicaragua, we had the opportunity to visit, Ometepe. A volcanic island in the middle of Lake Nicaragua. What you are about to watch is the result of taking action after witnessing a captive white-faced capuchin monkey tied up to a tree and in pretty bad conditions.

We decided to film it, hopefully to inspire taking action and give some pointers should anyone see themselves in a situation where the opportunity to protect any animals suffering injustice by human hands arises.

This has been one of the most touching experieces in my life. I will never forget it and let it be a reminder of how we can always help.

Enjoy and please share. 

Recovery Movement

As some of you know I have been healing from a bad fall which hurt my knee pretty badly.

While in Nicaragua I found this spot I could not resist to do a mellow session in.

While for some it might look like I'm moving well, I'd say Ive healed to about 70% and still having minor discomforts. I cant yet run or take much impact. My lateral support is still weak which prevents me from doing much lateral agility type movement. Currently Im still dealing with certain limitations such as limited range of motion, muscle mass loss and power reduction.

While being mobile and doing what I can to stay strong and in shape this sessions are not as often as to prevent further damage to my knee while healing.

However, this type of movement session is good for low impact training or for anyone looking to condition for Parkour.

Keep moving, no excuses. We train to adapt.

A Good Bye Beyond Words

Last moment with Osama

Osama, as I affectionately called him, is an adult spider monkey at the rescue center. He's the lead and only male in the large enclosure of 6 spider monkeys in last stage of rehab before they're released back into their natural habitat.

From my first day, this curious little guy caught my attention - not only because his brachiation and agility inspired my movement creativity, but he's also pretty outgoing and talkative, coming to check out anyone who walked by the enclosure. Sadly, most workers would do only that - just walk by. 

During my time at the center, Osama and I managed to build a bond thru the fence which kept us separate. Despite Monica's words of caution when I was first introduced to the center's facilities, I approached the fence to offer my hand. From that moment, every time I walked by, I would either stop for second or talk/exchange vocalization with him. He would move along with  me on the other side of the fence, getting my attention by offering his back for grooming while making sounds characteristic of spider monkeys. A sound almost like a kiss from an alien... Because I know what a kiss from a alien sounds like.

My interactions with him would be spent mostly feeding him with worms or simply grooming his back while holding his surprisingly baby soft 4 fingered hand. 

We affectionately gave him the name Osama for he was a bit of a "terrorist". Sometimes he would reach thru the fence to grab you or whatever it was you were carrying at the moment - maybe as a sign of dominance, or simply to get your attention. 

Today,  during what would most likely be our last day at the center, we decided to get some worms to treat the capuchins, the coatimundis and finally the spider monkeys one last time. 

They would all love it. It was shown in the way they excitedly reacted when they saw the small plastic container full of the little meal worms destined to be food. The alphas, of course, claimed as much of them as they possibly could. This was Osama's time of "terrorism" - using his slightly longer reach, he'd quickly snatch the worms (which were  intended for someone else) out of Monica's or my hand. 

It was after this last moment of feeding-terrorism-frenzy that my communication with him went beyond any words I could have spoken. While Monica spent some time with "Lil Mama," another sweet spider monkey, I spent my time with Osama, just a few feet away from them. 

Laying his tender hand over mine and resting his face on the fence, he wrapped his tail around his body and held onto the wire with it, hammocking himself comfortably. I sat on the ground on my side of the fence and groomed his shaggy hair while having homie talk. Realizing that we were soon about to leave, my energy shifted from homie talk to a sense of departure. It was right at this moment that his behavior changed. He became more eager to feel my touch, to pull me in as if wanting to hug me. His hands held tightly yet gently onto mine. His eyes fixed on me as he continued to vocalize. I had never seen him so eager to be groomed and to have me close as he now had. Does he know? I wonder....

This interaction went on for a few minutes. At this point there were no words from me; our communication went beyond them. Slowly and getting ready to leave, I stood up. With a quick climb on the fence he matched my height. We were looking eye to eye as I said, "Ok Osama, portate bien" (which translates to "behave well"). With these words, it was as if I had just taken something from him. His pull became stronger and his vocalizations much more excited. He let go of me and, like a kid throwing a tamper tantrum, he walked backward and forward, falling on the ground, rolling on the dirt, always keeping his eyes on mine. He repeated this behavior over and over. And I knew then that he knew I was leaving. I called him close and he approached me, still excited. I knew he'd soon be back in a place he would know as his home. 

It became harder for me to leave, but it was something I had to do. As I walked along the fence on my way out, he ran with me, screaming and seeming sad. A couple of tears ran down my face as I felt the passion of his reaction. I had connected with this creature beyond any words. And with his long arms, he had reached all the way into my heart. 

Eventually I walked away, but only a few meters from his enclosure I found something that I knew would appease him. I walked back and handed it to him. He delicately grabbed it, looked at me and started munching on it. Who says a sweet fresh mango can't heal a momentary heartache?

This experience won't be forgotten. It's a reminder of how much we can actually impact not only our human interactions, but in everything else that we touch as well. Let's touch delicately, let's touch with our conscious awareness and a heart full of love. We are constantly leaving traces behind our steps, whether we like it or not. 

Monkey business. Two weeks in.

Offering my smell to a very nervous Gray Fox

I believe tomorrow marks my second week in Nicaragua, yes, another unexpected stop in my travels that has turn into a task for bringing awareness to a cause which has touch my life.

For the last two weeks I have been volunteering at a non profit wildlife rescue center (managed by non-profit organization FAZOONIC), the only one in the entire country of Nicaragua. It has been a twister of emotions, between wanting to help them by participating in a campaign to raise awareness, as well as money to build a bigger enclosure for the white-face Capuchin monkeys (which are being held in very small cages while they are being rehabilitated) and wanting to free them all.

Where is the little yummy worm?

For the most part, I have been helping with the monkeys, mostly the white-face Capuchin. I have been learning about how to stimulate their natural instincts with enrichment exercises, such as wrapping worms in banana leaves tied up in sticks to stimulate foraging. Today we started the building of climbing structures and bedding platforms high up the ground, as they would in the wild to stay away from predators.

Sometimes it's just so rewarding to see what its being done, what I can do to help. Other days I continue to see how a lot of these animals, like a Gato Ostroche (or as they know it on the US, a Gray Fox) who was just turned into the center the other day, is being kept on a 3x2x2ft cage, sleeping on the raw metal bars. Now, this is not to blame the center, they are doing what they can with what they have. This center does not turn any animals away and while way underfunded they continue to save many wild animals from being kept as pets. While at the center, this animals get the treatment needed until fully rehabilitated and released back into their natural habitat. Without funds, this is not an easy task, and sometimes they stay there, longer than they appear to need to. But this is my opinion, and Im not a animal behavior specialist.

The truth is Marina, the director of this center has so much heart and passion for her mission of helping these animals return back to their natural habitat, and this is shown in the numbers of animals release since they open in 1997, over 2000 animals, have return back home.

Happy moment, spreading its wings to freedom.

So speaking of helping these animals, I'm sure you are wondering how you can help as well, and good things is, there is an answer to that.

First of, you might want to know how this cause got started and who is behind it all, so you should Meet My Friend Lolo... It just so happens, he's got a blog. Whoislolo.wordpress.com

Also, do you want to know how these white-face Capuchin monkeys end up as a pet?
Read about the dirty business of the pet trade from my friends awesome article.

Lastly, I KNOW you want to help, so check this out, YOU can actually help.
We are trying to raise 11,000 before April 3rd, Did I mention that? And there is also a site where you can learn more about it. You can donate as much or as little as you want by going to this site.

The money will go towards building bigger enclosures for this monkeys as well as acquiring equipment necessary (incubators, nursing facilities etc) to help other species of animals (parrots, toucans, raccoons and many more) as well.

And if that does not motivate you enough, I also made a video for all of my friends in the parkour community who I know are monkey lovers, for many many reason. Here is my try at being a spoke person for these monkeys.



Well, that went from sharing my thoughts about my experience in Nicaragua, to totally promoting this cause, but well, that has been so far my experience in Nicaragua for the most part, so there.... I shared it.

As always, much love and aloha to you all.