Ruins and caves

Hey, so, now that I'm in Guatemala it probably wouldn't be such a bad idea to tell about my last few days in Belize, huh?

When I last left off, I had crossed the country to San Ignacio where I had a couchsurfing host lined up, courtesy of my last host in San Pedro. I didn't know it at the time, but my new host Marcus actually runs a little place called Parrot Nest Lodge. It's about three miles outside of town and guests there have their choice of a treehouse or a cabana. Since I was surfing, I stayed in the main house. But here, take a look at Parrot Nest:

(Common area near the outdoor dining area. You can't see it too well, but there's a treehouse just beyond.)

(One of the cute cabins)

Pretty great, right? Breakfast was made to order in the morning and there was a group meal in the evening. A lot of the guests were doing "activities" every day - riving tubing, horseback riding, ruins exploration. All of these were guided tours and you probably know I'm not much of a guided tour kind of gal. Plus, they were pretty pricey which is fine when you're going all out for a week long vacation, a bit harder to swallow when you're budgeting for three months. In any case, I had some things I wanted to do on my own anyway.

On Friday I took a colectivo (shared taxi) into town to the visitor's center to find out how to get to Cahal Pech, a Maya site discovered in the 1950s, but formerly in use as far back as 1200 BCE. I'd heard that it was only a 20 minute walk from town, so once I got directions I set out. It was only 20 minutes, but damn - that was an UPHILL walk in hot, humid temps!

There was a small, but informative museum as you entered that helped you get acquainted with the grounds and background history. But then it was on to the main event - my first (I believe) Mayan ruins!

(Pretty much the first thing you see from the main plaza)

Probably the most interesting thing about Cahal Pech is that excavation is still happening today, some 60+ years after it began. At one point I just sat and listened to the grad students doing their excavation thang. Seeing the ruins was pretty exciting, although it wasn't nearly on the same scale as the Great Pyramids or Angkor Wat. When I see Tikal tomorrow, I think that will change.

(You get a whole other view from up above)

On Saturday I went into town with Marcus and his friend Carl for the weekly Saturday market. I'd heard that everything was sold at the market, from clothing to wine, pupusas to produce, jewelry to puppies (not so happy about that last one, actually, considering that all of Belize has a major problem with stray dogs). I didn't buy anything, but I sampled some of the local fruit wines (grapefruit, raspberry, blueberry, papaya) and some of the Mennonite made cheeses, and had a really yummy pork, cheese, and bean pupusa (sort of like a stuffed tortilla).

(Don't let the shade fool you - it was a HOT day!)

Later on, Marcus's neighbor invited us to a bbq to celebrate one of their kids graduating. (Side note: Marcus and his family employee a staff to help around the lodge. Over the course of working with these people for the last 10+ years, they've all become really close. In fact, Marcus even puts all the staff's kids through school because it costs money to attend even the public schools.) I ended up talking to a Belizean who is also in HR and it was pretty interesting to find out more about differences in employment laws and how wages are paid (hourly now, but up until very recently it was a day rate). Maybe it sounds boring to non-HR peeps, but I didn't think so.

Yesterday was my "activity" day. I hadn't even planned to go to San Ignacio, but before I left San Diego a friend told me that I absolutely had to go there so I could go to Actun Tunichil Muknal (ATM). ATM is a nearby cave filled with archaeological artifacts ranging from ceramics, stoneware, even human remains, and it was in use as far back as 250 AD. This was a guided tour and a guide was very much needed. Our guide, Luis, took five of us through the cave in about four hours. This was quite long compared to the time some of the other groups were taking, but it just meant that we got LOTS of information. 

(Since pictures weren't allowed *at* ATM, here's what the road looked like on the way there.)

As you make your way through the cave, you occasionally have to swim or climb, being sure the whole time not to step or touch where you shouldn't. The cave has only been open to the public since 1998 and already you can see signs of wear - waxy areas of oil build up from hands and feet, fungus growing, human remains broken because of a dropped camera. (That last example is actually why cameras are now banned. There's some pretty good info and pics here, although the site is a bit outdated now.) Luis did a really good job of explaining some of the rituals that took place at ATM and pointing out some specifics that I noticed not all of the other guides shared. For example, there were a number of silhouettes that were either natural or modified formations. One in particular looked like a talking head which had to be rather terrifying to ancient Maya who were there to appease the gods or cleanse themselves of sin. The other crazy thing that Luis did was have us turn off our headlamps. A few times he did this while we were sitting or standing still, to give us an idea of just how dark the caves really were (and maybe also to force us to listen to him instead of looking around, haha). But then. He lined us up, single-file, had us put our hands on the shoulders of the person in front of us, and then we turned off our lamps and walked like that through the darkness for about five minutes. Holy moly, was that some scary stuff! Water and darkness don't really work for me, but damn if I didn't hang in there - go me! Funny thing is that after we left the cave and hiked out of the jungle, one of the guys in our group said that at any time any one of us could've turned our lamps back on. I swear, that never even occurred to me!

That brings me to today and my first border crossing of this trip. From Parrot Nest Lodge, I took a colectivo into town where I got on a bus to Benque Viejo. From Benque I got a taxi to the border, from the border I got a micro bus to Flores, and from Flores I took a tuk-tuk to my hostel. It sounds a lot more complicated than it actually was (aside from the tuk-tuk drivers who tried to gouge me by charging double).

(Sneak peek of Flores)

Flores is adorable, but there's really not much to do here. I'm here as a jumping off point for Tikal and will be leaving again the day after tomorrow. 

**Btw, after the first few pictures loaded for this post, my internet connection refused to do any more. I'll try to add them later if I can, but they're on Flickr in the meantime. Problem solved!

Random thoughts

In the documentary A Map for Saturday, there's a brief discussion on saying goodbyes and how difficult that can be as a traveler because you build quick connections with people, spend time with them and create memories with them, and then one of you is off to the next destination. I've just experienced my first goodbye of the Central America trip. More on that in a moment.

Yesterday was my last full day in Caye Caulker. I decided to have a chill day (well, they all were pretty chill, in reality) which got started with fresh cut mangoes and ice cold water as I walked along the beach. I ran into one of the locals that I'd made friends with and asked him where a nice shady spot was to hang out for awhile. I figured I'd finish up my water and read for a bit, but Aaron decided to show me his favorite spot rather than tell me - it was at the end of a pier, cooled by a breeze and shaded by a palapa (a thatched roof dwelling) - and we ended up chatting and sharing music for awhile. Using one set of earbuds, we'd listen to a song or two of his, then a song or two of mine. Sometimes we were familiar with the other's song, but sometimes it was brand new for us. It was pretty fun to get an idea of what Belizean people listen to. Finally I needed a pee break, so I promised Aaron I'd catch up with him later and I was off. At around the same time, I decided I also needed some a/c so I grabbed a coffee and free wifi from this coffee shop I'd found a few days earlier.

I also decided that since it was my last night in Caye Caulker that I was going to have LOBSTER for dinner. Because yes, it's lobster season and it's plentiful and cheap and I'm leaving the coast. Perhaps I was trying to convince myself? :-) Anyway, one friend declared it "scary looking" when I texted the picture, but I can assure you it was deeee-lish!

(Lobster with salad and coconut rice, plus a Cuba Libre in the background)

So then it was time for goodbyes. Aaron (the Belizean I mentioned earlier), Peter (Aussie), Brittany (Canadian), and I were all having quiet nights in for various reasons. I met this gang on my first night in Caye Caulker over a week ago and then fell back into step with them when I came back, too. It was a group that shared a lot of laughs and jokes, so I wasn't exactly looking forward to saying goodbye. But we hugged and did the traveler's version of it - "hey, see ya around! Maybe we'll run into each other again!" - and it wasn't so terrible.

(Me, Aaron, Peter, and Brittany enjoying Taco Tuesday)

This morning I went to the water store to refill my water bottle and then had the most delicious (and cheap!) breakfast ever. It was eggs and pulled chicken stuffed into a fry jack (a kind of fried dough, almost similar to pita bread). It wasn't until six hours later that I finally started to get hungry again and it only cost me $1.25! After checking out of my room, I headed to the ferry for my last ever ferry ride (well, at least for a while). Back in Belize City, I took a taxi to the bus terminal and there realized that I'd meant to stop at an ATM and found myself with only Bz$17 (a little more than $8). This is a silly mistake, one I should know better than to make, but it wasn't the first time and it surely won't be the last time either. I wasn't sure how much the two and a half hour bus ride to San Ignacio would cost, so I asked about an ATM and started walking in search of it. Now, the thing about the streets in Belize is that they aren't particularly well marked. So if you're given directions, it's usually something like "walk that way for five minutes and then turn left." Kinda crazy. But...not at all crazy that I didn't find it. I could've kept walking, but I didn't want to miss the bus and besides, I was melting in the heat. 

As it turns out, the bus only cost Bz$8. Yep, only four dollars to cross from one side of the country to (literally) the other side (here's a map for perspective). While I was waiting for the bus, I was offered an opportunity to take a taxi instead for only $65 - that's US dollars, ya'll, a mere difference of Bz$122, or more than 15 times the bus fare! I couldn't help but remember the time that same thing happened in India.

Transportation between cities or countries is always a time of quiet reflection for me. Sometimes I'll pop in my headphones and just stare out the window, other times I chat with the people around me or "listen in" on conversations that are happening in a language I don't understand. Today, as I watched the lush countryside pass me by, I couldn't help but feel a peaceful happiness come over me. It was a similar feeling to the one I had upon arrival in Belize. It's kind of hard to explain, but it's a "this feels right" kind of a feeling. Do you ever get that?

One thing I've always loved about this kind of travel in third world/developing countries is the food. Now, that might seem like an odd thing for me to say, but hear me out. There are always people popping on and off of buses and trains selling snacks. (You get hungry and bored after traveling for a while, ya know?) Sometimes the buses and trains are so crowded that the vendor conducts his business through the windows instead. These snacks vary from region to region, but you can count on them being made by someone's mother or grandmother, in a home kitchen and not a factory. In Belize, the most common snack is plantain or cassava chips, but today it was lemon tarts, coconut tarts, and jam-filled pastries for Bz$1 each.

Anyway. I've gone on way too long about the most random collection of things. It's only 10pm and I've been yawning for the last hour and a half, so I think that means it's time for me to go to bed now.

Caves and ruins and archaeological stuff coming up in the days ahead...

The Cayes, Part II

As I mentioned before, I'm back in Caye Caulker, just kind of hanging out, enjoying being shoeless for days on end and eating lots of seafood. Yesterday would've been a great day to snorkel...but I didn't and now today's a bust because we had a big thunderstorm last night. Oh well. There will be other chances. 

I'm slated to go to San Ignacio tomorrow and am waiting to hear back from a potential couchsurfing host (referred to me by my last one). There's not much else to report, so how about some pictures?

(Coral, my scuba diving string doll travel totem courtesy of Toadmama. You'll be seeing a lot of her!)

(Rooftop view at Ak'Bol, a yoga retreat north of San Pedro. Click for a larger view.)

(I got lucky and randomly found this quiet pier from which to watch the sunset.)

(Panoramic view of said sunset - click for larger view)

(Chill spot at The Split where people gather to listen to music and drink rum cocktails)

If you're still itching for more pictures, head over to my Flickr page because everything is posted there.

Back in Caye Caulker

I spent four days and three nights couchsurfing in San Pedro on Ambergris Caye and now I'm back in Caye Caulker. I knew after about a day and a half in San Pedro that I was pretty sure I liked Caye Caulker better and wanted to come back since I'd only spent about 24 hours here before. There is something very surreal about coming back to a place you've only been to very (very) briefly before, and seeing people you know and actually having a clue about where you're going. Kinda wild. I'm even staying at the same place as before because I liked it so much. And now, having been here (for the second time) less than three hours, I'm already thinking that I'll stay for at least one more night than the two I've already paid for. It's just that kind of place, you know?

(Not in Caye Caulker. Also not a great picture, but at least you can't tell how sweaty I am!)

So, here I am, eating fresh (super yummy) fish for at least the fourth time in the last five days, having a 2-for-1 rum and coke, and waiting for my friends (from the last time I was here) to join me. 

The weather had been a bit rainy when I first arrived to Belize which meant the waters were a bit murky. It's cleared up quite a bit, so tomorrow I'd like to try my hand at some snorkeling. Other than that, I imagine I'll be taking it easy at the beach for a couple of days before I head west, away from the coast, for some culture and Mayan ruins exploration.

The Cayes

(I just love the colors and whitewashing of the Caribbean.)

(It's been mostly rainy and overcast, but we did have this lovely day at The Split, an area at the northern end of Caye Caulker that had been cut by a hurricane in the 60's.)

(She asked if I wanted her to remove her feet from my shot. You can probably figure out what my answer was. ;-) )

(There are a few good things about the rainy season: it cools things down and the rains never seem to last too long.)

By the way, in case you're wondering, caye is pronounced like key. Even though I know that, it's still tough sometimes to look at the word and not say "cay" in your head instead.

Also: more pictures posted at Flickr.

Also: Lobster Fest is this weekend. It's the celebration of the return of lobster season (in which everyone makes up for lost time by...eating a lot of lobster). So, guess what I'll be doing? :-)

Go with the flow

Last Friday as I was preparing to leave San Diego, I was feeling pretty anxious. Anxious about being back on the road, living out of a pack, not knowing what was going to happen from moment to moment, day to day, week to week. But then I got to Dallas, spent a few days catching up with friends, and forgot all about the anxiety...until Tuesday morning when I found myself packing...again...this time for the real deal.

And although my flight was an hour late taking off due to mechanical issues which meant that I arrived in Belize City an hour late which then meant that I missed the last ferry and had to make a last minute decision to stay a night in Belize City after all - the "plans" have already changed, practically before they even had a chance to get started - all of that, and yet all of my anxiety melted away as soon as I stepped off the plane. It's kind of strange how it all just came back to me. This is what traveling is all about for me - rolling with the punches and not letting anything bother me.

So I grabbed my bag from the carousel, bought a bottle of tequila for my first couchsurfing host, and skipped the long "nothing to declare" line in favor of the much shorter "to declare/duty free purchases" line and was quickly through customs. I consulted my travel guide and chose a guesthouse almost solely on its near proximity to the marine terminal.

At the North Front Street Guesthouse, I was lucky enough to snag a triple room all for myself. Bathrooms were shared and cold water only, but I've never been so grateful for a cold shower after the humidity that greeted me upon arrival. I found out the guesthouse has been in the same family for 38 years - apparent from the way they treated me just like family almost from the moment I arrived. I settled in, asked for a restaurant recommendation, and ended up at Nerie Restaurant II, also family owned and operated.

Again I asked for a recommendation and I wasn't steered wrong. I had a whole fried snapper (caught fresh that morning), stewed beans, white rice, coleslaw, and fried plantains with a fresh watermelon juice to drink. It was a-maz-ing. SO good. I ate until I couldn't eat anymore. And...then I ate some more. :-) My server was a sweet gal who asked me if I lived in Belize. "No, I actually just arrived for the first time, oh, about four hours ago. Why do you ask?" Apparently, I look Belizean with my style of dress. Now THAT takes talent! Less than four hours and already being mistaken for a local!

After getting a second watermelon juice to go, I headed back to the guesthouse with the intention of sitting on the back porch, soaking everything in, and maybe reading a bit. What I ended up doing was spending hours talking to one of the family members, Briony, and one of the long-term guests, a retired Canadian army vet named Norms. We chatted, shared stories, listened to the lizards croak and watched the bats fly, and ducked for cover when a super strong, super quick thunderstorm poured in.

As I finally was saying goodnight and turning in, I couldn't help but think: "Ah. This is what I've been missing."