“Pura vida” es una expresión que llevaba escuchando desde hacía unos seis años (y desde aquel entonces quise venir a este hermoso país) en diversos programas de TV que hablaban de Costa Rica. Los ticos son personas lindas y abiertas desde el principio. La expresión “pura vida” puede significar muchas cosas; sin embargo, uno de los significados que pude entender mejor durante nuestra estadía es que es la capacidad que tienen de disfrutar la vida; de enfrentarse a las circunstancias desde una perspectiva espontánea, relajada y flexible. Mientras estuvimos aquí tuvimos que resolver algunas cosas concernientes al resto de la x206 y la gente que nos rodeaba nos contagió de un estado mental tan positivo que supimos que íbamos a poder resolverlo todo y aun así podríamos disfrutar de nuestra estancia. No es fortuito que este país sea considerado (según estudios) cómo uno de los países más felices del mundo. Aquí uno aprende a sentirse en familia en el extranjero: pura vida!

Llegamos temprano a San Pedro Sula. El día estaba bastante nublado pero supimos que, a pesar de ello, íbamos a pasárnosla bien en Honduras. Nuestra primera parada fue a desayunar baleadas. Cómo teníamos muchísima hambre nos pusimos muy contentos con este platillo tradicional de Honduras. Después nos fuimos a la playa en Tela, dónde conocimos gente muy linda que iba caminando por la playa o que trabajaba por allí. Llovía y llovía, pero nada parecía borrar la sonrisa de las caras de las personas que nos encontrábamos en el camino. De allí que nos contagiaran su energía:  Kelly, Tony y yo nos pusimos a jugar cómo niños pequeños bajo la lluvia y frente al mar. Después conocimos mucha gente en el Merendón, en San Pedro Sula, que encuentra diversión en correr, caminar y mantener una buena salud y una actitud positiva frente a la vida. ¿Qué más se puede pedir? Pudimos conocer un país que nos recordó que lo sencillo es bueno.

En Honduras sólo hay dos temporadas: una de calor y otra de mucho calor, jajaja . En ésta hace calor pero también llueve. Pero le damos gracias a nuestros anfitriones por traernos a Tela. Aunque está nublado la playa es preciosa

“Pupusas, deben comer pupusas” nos dijeron hace unas cuantas semanas antes de venir a El Salvador. Llegamos a la tierra de las pupusas y desde que entramos al aeropuerto nos dimos cuenta de lo lindos que son los salvadoreños. “Estamos viajando por todo el mundo” dijimos cuándo nos preguntaron el motivo de nuestra visita y ante eso la gente nos regalaba una gran sonrisa y, con mucho entusiasmo, nos pedían el vínculo de la expedición para seguir lo que vamos haciendo. Conocimos muchas personas que nos dijeron que sin importar las dificultades que ha atravesado este hermoso país durante las últimas dos décadas tienen la capacidad de disfrutar de la vida y de valorar aquello que sí se tiene. Perfecto ejemplo de ello fueron los pescadores que conocimos que nos dijeron que aunque no tuvieran empleos fijos atesoraban mucho el poder ser independientes, el estar frente al mar y compartir con los otros pescadores que, según ellos, eran “familia”. Gracias El Salvador, por las historias y por las ricas pupusas.

Recibiendo la botella de El Salvador. La hizo un artesano de aquí llamado Oscar Jimenez: está preciosa!

“México, lindo y querido”: después de muchos años de haber escuchado esta canción por fin tiene un significado mayor para mí. Siempre, a pesar de los pesares, he estado enamorado de mi país. Y ahora, cómo parte de esta expedición, siendo México nuestra décimo novena parada, encuentro nuevos significados al pensar y buscar qué es lo que nos hace felices cómo mexicanos. Tenemos cosas que nos acercan a otros pueblos: somos felices compartiendo con nuestras familias, con nuestros amigos, con nuestra deliciosa comida, con nuestra música. Pero también tenemos infinidad de cosas más que nos hacen felices: el fútbol, las luchas, nuestra rica y sincrética cultura, el Día de Muertos y así hasta el infinito. Sobre todo tenemos la capacidad de sonreír hasta en las peores circunstancias. Y para mí, siendo mexicano, en estos días me hicieron felices dos cosas: compartir con Tony y con Kelly de nuestro país; y me hizo feliz el reencuentro con mis seres queridos. México… México, lindo y querido.

Check out some pictures from my friends:

From Tony:

WHOA, I FOUND HAPPY! I just ate the best tacos in the world at Nopal Inn tacos in Mexico City.

Amazing!  We just had a wonderful talk with Martín the CEO of Pro Natura, a very important NGO who's mission is to conserve the biodiversity of Mexico. They work with Coca-Cola and several projects, mainly on purifying and recycling the water used in bottling plants. "We have one vision, one goal: work together to heal the world" says Martín. We were very touched by this encounter and we have promised him one thing: our commitment is to try to touch the people in every country we go and awaken their conscience.

Our Happiness Bottle from Mexico has the main icons of Mexico : wrestling, party, music, nature and the day of the dead.

Los tres con Nacho, el fan numero uno del América! 

Ici au Mexique, au lieu d'interdire le graffiti, le gouvernement encourage les artistes à s'exprimer en leur proposant de décorer les enceintes de chantiers.

As I was looking at the flowers in a local market the lady who owns the stall came up to me and put this lovely rose in my hand. "A gift" she said. Now that really made my day!

It's so good to be in Antonio's home. The happiness in his mom's voice when she hugged him was priceless. Seeing them together warms my heart. At the same time, it breaks me in two to realize that throughout this year, I won't have this feeling. Because we don't stop in DC or Munich, I don't get a chance to show them my family, my home or the things that make me happy in those places. Seeing Antonio with his mom makes me miss my mom, my family, my friends and my home all the more.

Un país lleno de gente cálida y sencilla que, desde el principio, encuentra felicidad en hacer felices a otros seres humanos. Un país con gente dedicada y trabajadora que encuentra alegría al compartir con personas de otras culturas, de otras latitudes. Un país con gente dispuesta a hacer lo que pueda con tal de hacer sentir a gusto a sus invitados. Un país con gente que sonríe y, mientras lo hace, comparte una larga tradición y una cultura preciosa de la que podemos aprender mucho. Un país que visitamos y en el que encontramos la felicidad  al ser recibidos y tratados cómo lo fuimos. Un país dónde observamos la felicidad a través de sus calles, de su historia, de la calidez de su gente, de los paisajes preciosos. Un país que tiene muchísimas cosas: tradiciones, mercados, música, café, jade, volcanes… e innumerables cosas más. Un país que se comparte de manera abierta. Un país llamado Guatemala.

A big surprise awaited us at lunch. We were chatting to journalists when suddenly the sound of drums filled the place. The next thing we see people dressed up in colorful outfits, painted faces and sporting the biggest grins ever. It wasn't long before their infectious energy caught us and got us dancing along with them!

Desde la hermosa ciudad de Antigua en Guatemala!

We were in the small town of Antigua in Guatemala, surrounded by the Mayan culture. You could see and sense the happiness in their culture and traditions.

Nicaragua -  the land of volcanos and lakes

From the plane we saw a very interesting landscape. Nicaragua means the land of volcano’s and lakes. So our first stop was the lake Cocibolcai. It’s a huge lake bordered by lush vegetation and dotted with tiny islands. On every island we passed something different was going on : live music, people fishing, a luxurious hotel, private homes, people swimming, and even a little rock of an island with a couple of monkeys. 

We're on a lake in Nicaragua called the Cocibolcai. It's HUGE! There are lots of little islands with houses and even hotels. It' beautiful!

Next we headed to the town of Granada which is a beautiful and colorful little town were most of the tourists go. We went to the town square which was full of locals hanging out, selling their trade or offering horse rides. We spoke to an owner of one of the carts who, as soon as we mentioned happiness, started singing a serenade. Happiness is in the work, he said. It’s in making other people happy by giving them a ride. 

The next day we headed to Masaya, an active volcano from which clouds of sulphur constantly escape. It was a very emotional experience for us to look into that enormous crater. We felt so small compared to the greatness of nature at it’s greatest. Such a force is most feared and admired. 

We're looking down into the crater of an active volcano and it's the most amazing sensation! Masaya, a young volcano, offers incredible views and a landscape like no other. We also received our Nicaragua bottle here which is a perfect setting. We're on a volcano and can spot a lake in the background. How fitting for the land of volcanos and lakes.

Tuvimos un momento muy emotivo y de mucha felicidad en el volcán Masaya en Nicaragua!

Nicaragua is a poor country and thus a lot of people find their happiness in working to be able to sustain themselves and their families. So many people and mostly children are out on the street from dawn till well in the night to sell to tourists, entertain them or beg in hope of getting a day’s earnings. 

When we asked one child who sold us pottery what made him happy, all he could say was ‘selling’. ‘What about playing?’ We asked. He looked dumbstruck, as if such a thing could hold no importance in life.

Entrevistando a un señor mayor que nos dice que es importante comer tres veces al día para ser felices!

Panama – “one of the wonders of the modern world”

The one thing we never have the time to do because we’re moving so fast is to research the countries we’re going to. Panama is famous for it’s canal but that’s about all we knew. What a surprise to see all those sky scrapers in the distance as we came into the city. 

Our first stop was of course the Mira Flores locks. Listed as “one of the wonders of the modern world” by the American Society of Civil Engineers. We were lucky enough to go beyond the fence into the thick of it. We were within touching distance of the huge ships coming into the locks. You feel so small faced with such a gigantic marvel of technology. We also learned a bit about the history of the canal. It took the French 20 years before they gave up and handed it over to the US who then completed it in 10 years. One thing the canal has brought to the people of Panama is better sanitary dispositions that helped eradicate deadly diseases. 

A craftsman has decorated a coke bottle for us in a very traditional way. It took the man 8 hours to weave the beads around the bottle. It's very panamanian to create all sorts of trinkets and jewelery out of beads.

Next, we headed to the old city center to chat to some locals. Most people told us that their work made them happy. An ice cone seller told us he loved doing what he did every day because it gave him the chance to meet different people and make them happy. How refreshing to see such a happy smile on that man’s face.

After melting in the hot Panama sun we headed back to our hotel to get some rest and get ready for our next destination, Nicaragua.

In every country we love to taste the local cuisine. In Panama it seems to be mostly fried food : ropa vieja, tortilla, arroz con pollo... All good stuff!

“Yo soy boricua pa’ que tú lo sepa”. Es una expresión que siempre que escucho (desde pequeño) me hace sonreir. La cultura puertorriqueña se viste de un espíritu alegre, lleno de una vibra particular y la alegría propia de este hermoso país caribeño. La Isla del Encanto envuelve a la gente –tanto extranjera como local- de una atmósfera de calidez. La música, la familia y los amigos, las playas, la naturaleza, la comida (la deliciosa comida boricua) y muchas otras cosas más hacen felices a este pueblo borincano. Un ejemplo de ello fue que después de cumplir con parte de las responsabilidades de la expedición le pregunté a nuestros anfitriones puertorriqueños si podía visitar a mi familia (a la que llevaba 12 años sin ver) y recibí una sencilla y elocuente respuesta: “Antonio, tú sabes que la familia va primero, ve con ellos”. El puertorriqueño –cómo mucha gente del mundo- entiende la relación existente que hay entre la familia y la felicidad. Gracias Borinquen por habernos recibido, gracias.

A punto de tomar la lancha de Cataño para ir a la escuela de Artes Plásticas a recibir la botella decorada por un joven artista de Puerto Rico! 

We are finding that happiness comes from a friend to lean on and those stolen moments of relaxation.

Una foto con Bianca, la artista que pintó la botella de Puerto Rico! Es bueno encontrar a otra persona que pinta!

Bianca an artist from the school of plastic arts of Puerto Rico gave us a beautifully decorated Coke bottle representing the happines of her country. Musical instruments and la fiesta de San Sebastian.

From the plane Curacao looked like any other island but as soon as we entered the main city we saw something we had not expected. With its canal and bordering houses it felt like we were in Amsterdam except with more color and extra sun!

The Curaçao waterfront is amazing! It's like being in Amsterdam because of the architecture except it has all the colors and the sunshine of the Carribean. Quite an exotic blend!

This beautiful town had to have some happy people in it! So we headed out armed with our cameras and microphones. Hang on… Were is everyone? Oh, it’s Sunday. No one  was out. We did run into a couple of people who told us they loved their jobs and were happiest when working. Unfortunately all the other people we encountered were tourists.

Just as we were about to give up we spotted some skaters hanging out in the downtown area. Hello! They were very happy to show off some of their tricks and chat to us. We understood that their one and only love was their skateboard. When a hobby becomes a passion you start to find fulfillment in pursuing that dream.

Passion is a theme that has often come up in our pursuit of happiness. It’s all about following that dream you had when you were a child and never giving up on what you want. We understand that feeling. Our dreams are coming true. We have come to see that the fulfillment of following your dream lies in the work and effort you put into it and the realization that what you’re living is never to be taken for granted.

Flying into the island of St. Vincent, you get a gorgeous view of some very expensive houses and my first wonder was how that would contrast with the reality of the island.  As I began to explore the town, I realized that the contrast between the local poverty and the rich community was deeper than you would expect, yet somehow, that divide did nothing to affect the jovial attitude of those at the lower end of the economic spectrum.

All around the world, it's been proven that those who carry religion close to their hearts are happier people.  On St. Vincent Island, religion was a way of life.  Although those I talked to were very reluctant to be filmed, they spoke freely with me about their source of happiness and without fail, every single person answered with some form of religion.  Couple that with a deeply relaxed and laid back character and you have the perfect description of the natives on this island. 

My experience at a local restaurant in town provided the perfect example of the vibe that permeates the entire island.  After sitting down, I was approached by the owner of the restaurant and if you can imagine a deep Caribbean, Rastafari accent, our interaction went something like this:

Owner: "Whatcha want?"

Me: "Umm... Can I see a menu, I want some food."

Owner: "Ya mon, whatcha want?"

Me: "Umm... I want to see a menu, I want some food."

Owner:  "Ya want fish?"

Me:  "Umm... sure."

Owner:  "Okay, I make ya some fish."

Then, without ever presenting a menu, he went into the kitchen and proceeded to make me some of the best flavored fish I have ever eaten.  Chill, laid back, relaxed and with a smile.  That's St. Vincent's Island.