Gomez
Finally got to see The Mexican Curandero (healer) in Santiago. Here’s a part of the story.
Since I had been to the Curandero's home twice before (without luck finding him home) I made it there in record time and caught him before he was.....showered and shaved!! When I walked up to the house, he looked out the upstairs window (with shaving cream on his face) and called down, hola. I replied and asked, are you the Curandero? This is all in Spanish form this point on. He said yes and when I asked if I could see him today, he said yes and would be down pronto. Waiting in his front yard was an elderly Mexican man and we struck up a conversation while we waited. This man lived in Cardonal years ago and now lives in LB. An old Caballero (cowboy). He was there for some foot work.
When The Curandero, Rubin Burro, came out he was a surprise. Not the old, grizzled wise man I expected but a nattily dressed younger (50's?) man in a baseball hat. A little chunky, about 5'8", lots of dark black hair, nice smile. I explained the problem and he took me right away into a small room downstairs with a single bed and a hard backed wooden chair. No dark abode with shells, bird wings, incense etc. As plain a small room as you can imagine. There went my imaginary classic "Curandero". He had me take off my shirt and lie on my stomach on the bed. He put his hand on my neck and immediately said, "ah, malo (bad), malo". As he worked his fingers down my spine he found EVERY hurting place I had and a couple I didn't even know about. At each one he pushed deep with his fingers and kind of "shoved" stuff around. Then he had me sit in the chair and messed with my right arm a bit, found two more REALLY, REALLY sore places and brought me almost out of the chair when he moved some of that stuff around. Then he took my head and cracked my neck loud enough I'm sure for the neighbors to hear.
On my stomach again and same routine with him saying, "bien" (good) and "mejor" (better). Back in the chair again, same routine. Back once again on the bed. Then he said to come in again tomorrow because today was to "open" me up and tomorrow we "heal". All in all I would say it was about like going to a Chiropractor but I did feel something else going on too. Maybe just wishful thinking. I know way better than to think that the pain can just be relieved, Curandero Power" or not. $18.00 American dollars.
So there you have it. I was all ready for a quasi-mystical experience (perhaps with some sacred mushrooms) so am somewhat deflated. Nevertheless, I am hoping that tomorrow will be a breakthrough. Right now there is a fair amount of pain due to his ministrations. Not a surprise.
That's it, he said NO exercise today so back to reading NGM again (ALL the books have been read, big delivery on the 18th Oct).
BTW, it is now the 10th of Oct. and I am definitely on the mend from the refrigerator episode…..NEVER AGAIN.
Having not been out in my kayak for a couple of months I had another visit from my “Pangero” Vicente. If he doesn’t see me around for a week or so he always comes over to see if I am all right. Makes me feel real, real good to have someone in The Village checking to see how I’m doing. Vicente has of course become more than just a friend. He is my partner in the study of The Humpbacks here and has become a true Whale Aficionado.
Mi especial amigo, Vicente Lucero
Due to our severe lack of rain this year (only ONE tropical storm so far) the insects didn’t get their full season of reproduction. My least favorite animal, the fly, has been almost non-existent, same with mosquitos. The BoBo’s (gnats) were pretty much gone a week ago and were nothing like last year. Truth to tell, all in all we get VERY little in the way of insect problems here on the East Cape anytime…..just too dry, it’s desert after all!
I have continued to hunt Scorpions and am up to 76 killed since June. There are over 1700 species of scorpion in the world and only 25 that are lethal….ours aren’t. Nevertheless, as I have said before, they are not welcome around the property. They eat other Arthropods and are in turn eaten by birds, lizards, mice, rats and centipedes.
Did some laps on the 4th to see how my back would react….not good but I did see a beautiful Zebra Moray Eel and a Green Panamic Moray as I was swimming. The Sea was very flat, perfect temperature and very clear; I could not resist the swim. I also saw lots of baby fish in the shallows.
Zebra Moray Eel, not my pic
Green Panamic Moray Eel, not my pic
Isn’t this a wonderful sculpture? I love it, so very evocative of human life at this time.
"Freedom", not my pic
Did another kayak on the 6th but my back STILL not up to it. I so need an “ADVENTURE” out in the WZ but I can’t risk re-injuring the back…..DAMN!!!
Me and "Haldjas", The Estonian Goddess that protects us from harm
Nights started cooling off on the 5th and news of a hurricane (Jova) moving our way. Last prediction however carries it well to the SE of us so maybe not even any rain.
Jova as of an hour ago
Went to the itinerate chiropractor again in Los Barriles and I think I am now truly on the mend. Ironically I could have paid for some men to come and do the heavy lifting work that started the problem with all that I have spent on pain killers, chiropractors, Curanderos, Doctors and gas. Something to think about!
I know that my Humpback friends are starting to return already and I would sure like to be out there in The WZ to greet them and take a swim with them. You have no idea how that “powers” me up!
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