Costa Rica (Liberia and San Jose)
Liberia is just a dirty, dusty parking lot at a gas station. So there is little more I can say. Today was a border day and even though we had help from our campground host in San Jose, it took us 6 hours and 50 minutes to complete. It was not hot. It was not any more crowded than usual. It just takes that much time.
So by the time we got to Liberia, we were tired. The four staff fell asleep by 8:30. We awoke to rumbling tractor trailers and wind. We had a short travel briefing then we were off to Belen Trailer Park, one of our few campgrounds on the trip. Our group stopped at Monteverde for milk shakes to go. Bob and I wanted to get in early to check out some optional tours and touch base with the office and family as we had not had any phone contact since leaving the states. We were also anticipating good internet service.
We had been given a heads up that there was an uprising about to take place with the guests. The company had made a change in tours in San Jose and apparently the tour they dropped was the one that a few wanted to do. We were in the process of working on an optional tour but the group got pretty worked up before we could present anything. After several guests spoke their piece, LuAnn attempted to answer their concerns. The answer satisfied some but there were a few that are still upset. The ones that really wanted to go, headed off on their two free days.
Our stop is actually a suburb of San Jose, San Antonio de Belen. The park is very nice and we are glad to be here with services. We are also able to use our washing machine so we did many loads of clothing. A plus here is that with low humidity and wind, the clothes dry very quickly.
Our first day was free so we continued to do laundry, check for optional tours in future locations and touch base with Adventure and Tour Companies. Another thing we have been working on is rerouting the path when leaving Panama. This allows some new scenery using a brand new highway and avoids the Mountain of Death. Some say this is because of the number of people that have died in the past but others say it is because of the fog and color of the mountains. It is a very steep drive so either way it will be nice to avoid it.
Day 2 was a tour to Tortuquerro National Park where the turtles nest. Now before you get too excited you should know that the turtles are not there and won't be there until July through October. It takes 3 ½ hours to get there, 1 ½ hours on a boat then you have to return. So with the 1 ½ at the Muwamba Lodge and two meals, we spent 13 ½ hours on the tour. If we had overnighted there it would have been nice. Muwamba is in a nature area. We could have taken a few “soft” hikes, walked the beach and visited the frog, butterfly, iguana areas. As it was we were just tasting how nice it could be. They met us with a fruit drink and nice buffet. Then we rushed to tour the place because we had to beat low tide. One boat didn't make it and the guides had to use poles to push off the bottom of the river. The ride back over the mountain was just about the scariest thing I have ever endured. It was the thickest fog but the experienced driver didn't seem to let it bother him a bit. Trucks were pulling over, cars were stopped, there were rock slides but we kept going. We tried to wipe off the windows only to find out that they weren't steamed up it was the fog. I told the guide that I didn't even like roller coasters and he told me this was much scarier than any roller coaster.
The next day we toured again. This time we toured the city of San Jose then visited the Aerial Tram at the Rain Forest. We had lunch here also. San Jose is an area of volatile weather. By the time we reached the Aerial Tram it had started to rain. It rained and rained and rained. But we are hardy so we took the Tram Ride in the rain. Needless to say we were soaked by the time we got off. We tried to point out the benefits of visiting the rain forest in the rain but it was getting difficult. After the ride, 15 hardy souls took a walk in the rain forest. Now comes the time to get back on the bus. Our guide, Bernardo, told me we would have to break into two groups and that we would have to change buses as the road out was flooded. We took a shuttle to the road, walked across a hanging bridge then got on another shuttle in order to reach our bus. By this time we were truly soaked. Believe it or not, soaked as we were, we had a great time. We were buzzing with excitement.
Our third and last bus trip started the following morning at 8 am. Today's trip was full with a trip to the Doka Coffee Plantation (supplier to Starbucks), a visit to the Poas Volcano and tour of the La Paz Waterfalls. Doka went great. Good tour. Good shopping for t-shirts, coffee, coffee items and more. As we started for the volcano, the rain started as a fine mist. By the time we got there it had turned to a steady rain. We, the hardy, walked the 25 minutes in a now swirling rain to see the volcano. But alas no luck. The volcano was fogged in. So we returned to the bus to dry off a bit then bus over to La Paz. Now La Paz was the center of a 7.4 earthquake in January 2009. The road was closed for 7 months, the restaurant collapsed, the zoo animals were loose, the falls altered and the river shifted. This is the first tour TAM Travel has done with Adventure since the earthquake. The road is was scary. We could see where the road had just dropped off and they had carved a new road from the mountain. Huge drop-offs, steep, and hairpin turns. On one such turn, the driver dragged. In order to lift the front of the bus, all of us moved to the back of the bus. It worked and we moved off the turn and continued on our way. We were dropped off at the top only to find that we were eating in the now rebuilt restaurant at the bottom of the hill. Off we went into the rain. By the time we got there we were again soaked. The buffet was very nice. Several of us checked out the restrooms. They were beautiful and interesting. The handles were rocks with carved frogs. The faucet was a rock opening with a waterfall. Now this is not in the rain forest but the cloud forest. So of course there were hair dryers in each restroom. I convinced the guide to check out the women's room after I went into the men's room. The men's room was comparable to the women's except the urinal was a rock wall with river stone in the bottom. I convinced a few women to check it out.
Today we checked out the farmer's market next door. Wonderful papaya, melons, mangos and vegetables. We also ate something called a pasterio. A great little flaky pastry filled with shredded carrots, herbs, chicken and who knows what else.
Tomorrow we are off to the city market to find local treasures and experience a city bus.
Central Market
The Central Market is always fun. Several of us took a city bus for 350 colones which is about 75cents. The stopping point had changed from the church to an area close to the market. Luckily LuAnn started to recognize the market area and checked with the bus driver. All in broken Spanish and English. We got off searched for this funky place that Sue Hertz had introduced LuAnn to a few years ago. After several unsuccessful attempts we headed back to the market. LuAnn purchased a fisherman's vest for $11 US, a orange juice hand juicer and earrings (arretes for you Spanish speaking folks). We then met up with the others to head back only to find out that they had found the funky market. We begged for 1 more hour and were granted the time to shop. More t-shirts, earrings, drapes, shirts then back on the bus to find our way home. The most eventful thing was that as 8 – 10 of us are running for the bus, Tim fell. Looked as though it was a small scrape. Brian and Chris went back to the campground with him and while cleaning it discovered that it was quite deep and required stitches. They then taxi'd to two places before finding the hospital which had the ability to do stitches. The first place was only for scrapes and bandages – no stitches.
Friday, March 5, 2010
Friday, February 19, 2010
Liberia and San Jose, Costa Rica
Costa Rica (Liberia and San Jose)
Liberia is just a dirty, dusty parking lot at a gas station. So there is little more I can say. Today was a border day and even though we had help from our campground host in San Jose, it took us 6 hours and 50 minutes to complete. It was not hot. It was not any more crowded than usual. It just takes that much time.
So by the time we got to Liberia, we were tired. The four staff fell asleep by 8:30. We awoke to rumbling tractor trailers and wind. We had a short travel briefing then we were off to Belen Trailer Park, one of our few campgrounds on the trip. Our group stopped at Monteverde for milk shakes to go. Bob and I wanted to get in early to check out some optional tours and touch base with the office and family as we had not had any phone contact since leaving the states. We were also anticipating good internet service.
We had been given a heads up that there was an uprising about to take place with the guests. The company had made a change in tours in San Jose and apparently the tour they dropped was the one that a few wanted to do. We were in the process of working on an optional tour but the group got pretty worked up before we could present anything. After several guests spoke their piece, LuAnn attempted to answer their concerns. The answer satisfied some but there were a few that are still upset. The ones that really wanted to go, headed off on their two free days.
Our stop is actually a suburb of San Jose, San Antonio de Belen. The park is very nice and we are glad to be here with services. We are also able to use our washing machine so we did many loads of clothing. A plus here is that with low humidity and wind, the clothes dry very quickly.
Our first day was free so we continued to do laundry, check for optional tours in future locations and touch base with Adventure and Tour Companies. Another thing we have been working on is rerouting the path when leaving Panama. This allows some new scenery using a brand new highway and avoids the Mountain of Death. Some say this is because of the number of people that have died in the past but others say it is because of the fog and color of the mountains. It is a very steep drive so either way it will be nice to avoid it.
Day 2 was a tour to Tortuquerro National Park where the turtles nest. Now before you get too excited you should know that the turtles are not there and won't be there until July through October. It takes 3 ½ hours to get there, 1 ½ hours on a boat then you have to return. So with the 1 ½ at the Muwamba Lodge and two meals, we spent 13 ½ hours on the tour. If we had overnighted there it would have been nice. Muwamba is in a nature area. We could have taken a few “soft” hikes, walked the beach and visited the frog, butterfly, iguana areas. As it was we were just tasting how nice it could be. They met us with a fruit drink and nice buffet. Then we rushed to tour the place because we had to beat low tide. One boat didn't make it and the guides had to use poles to push off the bottom of the river. The ride back over the mountain was just about the scariest thing I have ever endured. It was the thickest fog but the experienced driver didn't seem to let it bother him a bit. Trucks were pulling over, cars were stopped, there were rock slides but we kept going. We tried to wipe off the windows only to find out that they weren't steamed up it was the fog. I told the guide that I didn't even like roller coasters and he told me this was much scarier than any roller coaster.
The next day we toured again. This time we toured the city of San Jose then visited the Aerial Tram at the Rain Forest. We had lunch here also. San Jose is an area of volatile weather. By the time we reached the Aerial Tram it had started to rain. It rained and rained and rained. But we are hardy so we took the Tram Ride in the rain. Needless to say we were soaked by the time we got off. We tried to point out the benefits of visiting the rain forest in the rain but it was getting difficult. After the ride, 15 hardy souls took a walk in the rain forest. Now comes the time to get back on the bus. Our guide, Bernardo, told me we would have to break into two groups and that we would have to change buses as the road out was flooded. We took a shuttle to the road, walked across a hanging bridge then got on another shuttle in order to reach our bus. By this time we were truly soaked. Believe it or not, soaked as we were, we had a great time. We were buzzing with excitement.
Our third and last bus trip started the following morning at 8 am. Today's trip was full with a trip to the Doka Coffee Plantation (supplier to Starbucks), a visit to the Poas Volcano and tour of the La Paz Waterfalls. Doka went great. Good tour. Good shopping for t-shirts, coffee, coffee items and more. As we started for the volcano, the rain started as a fine mist. By the time we got there it had turned to a steady rain. We, the hardy, walked the 25 minutes in a now swirling rain to see the volcano. But alas no luck. The volcano was fogged in. So we returned to the bus to dry off a bit then bus over to La Paz. Now La Paz was the center of a 7.4 earthquake in January 2009. The road was closed for 7 months, the restaurant collapsed, the zoo animals were loose, the falls altered and the river shifted. This is the first tour TAM Travel has done with Adventure since the earthquake. The road is was scary. We could see where the road had just dropped off and they had carved a new road from the mountain. Huge drop-offs, steep, and hairpin turns. On one such turn, the driver dragged. In order to lift the front of the bus, all of us moved to the back of the bus. It worked and we moved off the turn and continued on our way. We were dropped off at the top only to find that we were eating in the now rebuilt restaurant at the bottom of the hill. Off we went into the rain. By the time we got there we were again soaked. The buffet was very nice. Several of us checked out the restrooms. They were beautiful and interesting. The handles were rocks with carved frogs. The faucet was a rock opening with a waterfall. Now this is not in the rain forest but the cloud forest. So of course there were hair dryers in each restroom. I convinced the guide to check out the women's room after I went into the men's room. The men's room was comparable to the women's except the urinal was a rock wall with river stone in the bottom. I convinced a few women to check it out.
Today we checked out the farmer's market next door. Wonderful papaya, melons, mangos and vegetables. We also ate something called a pasterio. A great little flaky pastry filled with shredded carrots, herbs, chicken and who knows what else.
Tomorrow we are off to the city market to find local treasures and experience a city bus.
Liberia is just a dirty, dusty parking lot at a gas station. So there is little more I can say. Today was a border day and even though we had help from our campground host in San Jose, it took us 6 hours and 50 minutes to complete. It was not hot. It was not any more crowded than usual. It just takes that much time.
So by the time we got to Liberia, we were tired. The four staff fell asleep by 8:30. We awoke to rumbling tractor trailers and wind. We had a short travel briefing then we were off to Belen Trailer Park, one of our few campgrounds on the trip. Our group stopped at Monteverde for milk shakes to go. Bob and I wanted to get in early to check out some optional tours and touch base with the office and family as we had not had any phone contact since leaving the states. We were also anticipating good internet service.
We had been given a heads up that there was an uprising about to take place with the guests. The company had made a change in tours in San Jose and apparently the tour they dropped was the one that a few wanted to do. We were in the process of working on an optional tour but the group got pretty worked up before we could present anything. After several guests spoke their piece, LuAnn attempted to answer their concerns. The answer satisfied some but there were a few that are still upset. The ones that really wanted to go, headed off on their two free days.
Our stop is actually a suburb of San Jose, San Antonio de Belen. The park is very nice and we are glad to be here with services. We are also able to use our washing machine so we did many loads of clothing. A plus here is that with low humidity and wind, the clothes dry very quickly.
Our first day was free so we continued to do laundry, check for optional tours in future locations and touch base with Adventure and Tour Companies. Another thing we have been working on is rerouting the path when leaving Panama. This allows some new scenery using a brand new highway and avoids the Mountain of Death. Some say this is because of the number of people that have died in the past but others say it is because of the fog and color of the mountains. It is a very steep drive so either way it will be nice to avoid it.
Day 2 was a tour to Tortuquerro National Park where the turtles nest. Now before you get too excited you should know that the turtles are not there and won't be there until July through October. It takes 3 ½ hours to get there, 1 ½ hours on a boat then you have to return. So with the 1 ½ at the Muwamba Lodge and two meals, we spent 13 ½ hours on the tour. If we had overnighted there it would have been nice. Muwamba is in a nature area. We could have taken a few “soft” hikes, walked the beach and visited the frog, butterfly, iguana areas. As it was we were just tasting how nice it could be. They met us with a fruit drink and nice buffet. Then we rushed to tour the place because we had to beat low tide. One boat didn't make it and the guides had to use poles to push off the bottom of the river. The ride back over the mountain was just about the scariest thing I have ever endured. It was the thickest fog but the experienced driver didn't seem to let it bother him a bit. Trucks were pulling over, cars were stopped, there were rock slides but we kept going. We tried to wipe off the windows only to find out that they weren't steamed up it was the fog. I told the guide that I didn't even like roller coasters and he told me this was much scarier than any roller coaster.
The next day we toured again. This time we toured the city of San Jose then visited the Aerial Tram at the Rain Forest. We had lunch here also. San Jose is an area of volatile weather. By the time we reached the Aerial Tram it had started to rain. It rained and rained and rained. But we are hardy so we took the Tram Ride in the rain. Needless to say we were soaked by the time we got off. We tried to point out the benefits of visiting the rain forest in the rain but it was getting difficult. After the ride, 15 hardy souls took a walk in the rain forest. Now comes the time to get back on the bus. Our guide, Bernardo, told me we would have to break into two groups and that we would have to change buses as the road out was flooded. We took a shuttle to the road, walked across a hanging bridge then got on another shuttle in order to reach our bus. By this time we were truly soaked. Believe it or not, soaked as we were, we had a great time. We were buzzing with excitement.
Our third and last bus trip started the following morning at 8 am. Today's trip was full with a trip to the Doka Coffee Plantation (supplier to Starbucks), a visit to the Poas Volcano and tour of the La Paz Waterfalls. Doka went great. Good tour. Good shopping for t-shirts, coffee, coffee items and more. As we started for the volcano, the rain started as a fine mist. By the time we got there it had turned to a steady rain. We, the hardy, walked the 25 minutes in a now swirling rain to see the volcano. But alas no luck. The volcano was fogged in. So we returned to the bus to dry off a bit then bus over to La Paz. Now La Paz was the center of a 7.4 earthquake in January 2009. The road was closed for 7 months, the restaurant collapsed, the zoo animals were loose, the falls altered and the river shifted. This is the first tour TAM Travel has done with Adventure since the earthquake. The road is was scary. We could see where the road had just dropped off and they had carved a new road from the mountain. Huge drop-offs, steep, and hairpin turns. On one such turn, the driver dragged. In order to lift the front of the bus, all of us moved to the back of the bus. It worked and we moved off the turn and continued on our way. We were dropped off at the top only to find that we were eating in the now rebuilt restaurant at the bottom of the hill. Off we went into the rain. By the time we got there we were again soaked. The buffet was very nice. Several of us checked out the restrooms. They were beautiful and interesting. The handles were rocks with carved frogs. The faucet was a rock opening with a waterfall. Now this is not in the rain forest but the cloud forest. So of course there were hair dryers in each restroom. I convinced the guide to check out the women's room after I went into the men's room. The men's room was comparable to the women's except the urinal was a rock wall with river stone in the bottom. I convinced a few women to check it out.
Today we checked out the farmer's market next door. Wonderful papaya, melons, mangos and vegetables. We also ate something called a pasterio. A great little flaky pastry filled with shredded carrots, herbs, chicken and who knows what else.
Tomorrow we are off to the city market to find local treasures and experience a city bus.
Esteli and Granada, Nicaragua
Esteli, Nicaragua
Esteli is really just a stop over point. We do stay at a reasonable spot – Club Campestre. There are cold showers, acceptable restrooms, a pool and a restaurant. We have a company sponsored meal here and we were a bit concerned when no one showed up at the restaurant until just minutes before the meal was to be served. Turns out they were cooking in the back on a grill about the size of a small card table. With the help of Chris and LuAnn to take drink orders and bring out meals. The one guard/maintenance man/waiter did a great job; it is just hard for them to serve 34 people at one time.
In order to put water in everyone's tank – which we were in need of – Bob and Brian used the facilities hoses which sprayed at every junction. They were soaked by the end of the filling process.
Granada, Nicaragua
The drive was uneventful for most but a few were either harassed by the police or truly did something wrong. We think it was harassment. A policeman stood at the intersection and with his arm hanging down at his side waved it back and forth – we thought signaling us to move along the line which had just been painted. Turns out he was signaling us to stop. He jumped in a cab and drove in front of a few slamming his breaks on. Then jumping out and pointing to his badge and saying policia. Amazingly enough when this happened to Chris and Brian, our tour guide, Jose, had just missed his bus and came to their rescue. Took the policeman's name and told them he was not helping the tourist bureau. He left. Chris and Brian then gave the tour guide a ride to town.
We had the normal scary drive through downtown Granada. It is crowded with people, horse and buggies, taxis and narrow streets. Oh and I forgot the low hanging wires. Other than that it is a cute old city. We arrived at what we saw as a much cleaner beach area along Lake Nicaragua than we had seen in the past two trips. Others saw it as a little desolate and trashy. Everything is relative. We park here for 4 nights without electric, water or sewers. For those with very small rigs this is a tough spot.
The afternoon we arrived we took horse and buggy tours of the city – past Guadalupe Church, San Francisco Convent, the old fort/gun powder storage building, the market, a wonderful cemetery and ended our tour at Alambra Hotel and drinks on the veranda overlooking the square.
Our second tour the following day was of Managua – the concert facility, Massaya Volcano (still active), the downtown area, city market and of course lunch. We seem to be having difficulties with lunch service this trip. Chris and LuAnn again took and delivered drink orders. We were also short 4 seats even though they knew we were coming and our number of guests. It is difficult to understand the mentality sometimes. Dinner was on our own. We had dinner at a funky, new age place called El Tercero Ojo (The Third Eye). They served curry, local dishes in a Georgetown atmosphere. A little too yuppy for Bob but definitely to LuAnn's liking.
The next day we had a leisurely start as our tour did not begin until 10 or 10:30. Seems each tour person gave us a different time. The first bus arrived at 10:30; the second bus never arrived. Since we had a short distance to travel we just ran two trips. Our boat trip around the lake lasted about 1 hour. Our boat had a lovely local woman studying to be an opera singer so you guessed it – she would burst into song. We had three songs. It was kind of like a mini-musical. She was very animated and very interested in having her beautiful full-length traditional dress arranged perfectly so if we took a picture she would look perfect. She was knowledgeable in history, geography, etc. but the singing was a bit odd. Chris, LuAnn and two guests – Kathy and Sharon – stayed downtown after lunch and wandered the area. LuAnn was on a mission for ground cacao beans (they are used for chocolate milk). So we ended up in the local market. It was dirty, crowded, hot and LuAnn at least loved it. We found the local shoe cobblers. Had to leave though. With the heat and the smell of uncooked meat hanging in the heat we maxed out and headed for the square. We were in search of t-shirts but also found sorbet, gelato, jewelry. LuAnn found a couple of necklaces – one made of seeds and the other a piece of metal with a lizard cut out of the center. She insisted the artist sign it. The young woman was very pleased. Dinner that night was at the San Francisco Hotel. Again to yuppy for Bob.
Our last day is a free day. Some people headed to town. A few went kayaking and swimming. A leisurely day along the lake. Luckily there is a slight breeze to take a way a bit of the heat. It is 87 degrees inside and outside of the rig. LuAnn is sleeping with the spray bottle at night; it stays in the refrigerator during the day. Tomorrow we head for Costa Rica.
Esteli is really just a stop over point. We do stay at a reasonable spot – Club Campestre. There are cold showers, acceptable restrooms, a pool and a restaurant. We have a company sponsored meal here and we were a bit concerned when no one showed up at the restaurant until just minutes before the meal was to be served. Turns out they were cooking in the back on a grill about the size of a small card table. With the help of Chris and LuAnn to take drink orders and bring out meals. The one guard/maintenance man/waiter did a great job; it is just hard for them to serve 34 people at one time.
In order to put water in everyone's tank – which we were in need of – Bob and Brian used the facilities hoses which sprayed at every junction. They were soaked by the end of the filling process.
Granada, Nicaragua
The drive was uneventful for most but a few were either harassed by the police or truly did something wrong. We think it was harassment. A policeman stood at the intersection and with his arm hanging down at his side waved it back and forth – we thought signaling us to move along the line which had just been painted. Turns out he was signaling us to stop. He jumped in a cab and drove in front of a few slamming his breaks on. Then jumping out and pointing to his badge and saying policia. Amazingly enough when this happened to Chris and Brian, our tour guide, Jose, had just missed his bus and came to their rescue. Took the policeman's name and told them he was not helping the tourist bureau. He left. Chris and Brian then gave the tour guide a ride to town.
We had the normal scary drive through downtown Granada. It is crowded with people, horse and buggies, taxis and narrow streets. Oh and I forgot the low hanging wires. Other than that it is a cute old city. We arrived at what we saw as a much cleaner beach area along Lake Nicaragua than we had seen in the past two trips. Others saw it as a little desolate and trashy. Everything is relative. We park here for 4 nights without electric, water or sewers. For those with very small rigs this is a tough spot.
The afternoon we arrived we took horse and buggy tours of the city – past Guadalupe Church, San Francisco Convent, the old fort/gun powder storage building, the market, a wonderful cemetery and ended our tour at Alambra Hotel and drinks on the veranda overlooking the square.
Our second tour the following day was of Managua – the concert facility, Massaya Volcano (still active), the downtown area, city market and of course lunch. We seem to be having difficulties with lunch service this trip. Chris and LuAnn again took and delivered drink orders. We were also short 4 seats even though they knew we were coming and our number of guests. It is difficult to understand the mentality sometimes. Dinner was on our own. We had dinner at a funky, new age place called El Tercero Ojo (The Third Eye). They served curry, local dishes in a Georgetown atmosphere. A little too yuppy for Bob but definitely to LuAnn's liking.
The next day we had a leisurely start as our tour did not begin until 10 or 10:30. Seems each tour person gave us a different time. The first bus arrived at 10:30; the second bus never arrived. Since we had a short distance to travel we just ran two trips. Our boat trip around the lake lasted about 1 hour. Our boat had a lovely local woman studying to be an opera singer so you guessed it – she would burst into song. We had three songs. It was kind of like a mini-musical. She was very animated and very interested in having her beautiful full-length traditional dress arranged perfectly so if we took a picture she would look perfect. She was knowledgeable in history, geography, etc. but the singing was a bit odd. Chris, LuAnn and two guests – Kathy and Sharon – stayed downtown after lunch and wandered the area. LuAnn was on a mission for ground cacao beans (they are used for chocolate milk). So we ended up in the local market. It was dirty, crowded, hot and LuAnn at least loved it. We found the local shoe cobblers. Had to leave though. With the heat and the smell of uncooked meat hanging in the heat we maxed out and headed for the square. We were in search of t-shirts but also found sorbet, gelato, jewelry. LuAnn found a couple of necklaces – one made of seeds and the other a piece of metal with a lizard cut out of the center. She insisted the artist sign it. The young woman was very pleased. Dinner that night was at the San Francisco Hotel. Again to yuppy for Bob.
Our last day is a free day. Some people headed to town. A few went kayaking and swimming. A leisurely day along the lake. Luckily there is a slight breeze to take a way a bit of the heat. It is 87 degrees inside and outside of the rig. LuAnn is sleeping with the spray bottle at night; it stays in the refrigerator during the day. Tomorrow we head for Costa Rica.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Lago de Yojoa and Ojo de Agua, Honduras
Lago de Yojoa, Honduras
Where do I begin. Three years ago our friends, Bobby and Marcia, were shocked to hear that we had not gone to the Pulanhapsak Waterfalls while visiting Lago de Yojoa. They said it was the best waterfall they had ever seen. Now I've been thinking about these falls since that time and told myself that if I ever got there again I was seeing those falls. Shortly after the trip began LuAnn contacted the owner of the hotel/restaurant where we stay and asked for assistance in finding transportation and information about the falls. He was more than happy to help and even found another zip-line adventure for us at the falls. We new little more than that.
Twenty-three out of thirty-four people excitedly departed for a view of the falls, a tour behind the falls and a zip-line that would take us across the falls. The first obstacle was our guide – Victor got sick. So Victor #2 came along but he didn't speak any English so Gabriel the owner and his wife rode along; Gabriel was the interpreter. Gabriel was around 30 and had lived in the US until the age of 16 so his English is perfect but he hasn't had the opportunity to use it much in the last 14 years. He was hysterical. He showed several looks of shock and surprise when the guide rattled on for seconds; Gabriel shortened the answer to a few words. Then he expressed concern that he had never stood on a bus while the bus doors kept popping open. Finally we arrived at the falls. Some wanted to do the zip line first then others wanted to take the tour. After several very confusing moments, Gabriel told us the guides wanted to take us on the tour first and asked how many needed a plastic bag to protect their cameras during the tour as we would get wet. They told us we would get wet maybe 4 times. But we didn't really understand what this meant. Then we started to see people coming up from the tour soaked and giddy with excitement. We walked on. Then we got to almost the bottom of the falls and stood on a platform with water splashing around us and off the rocks. We found out that this was the beginning of the behind the falls tour. A few opted out. It was a little scary as the rocks were surrounded by mud and little pools of water. Oh and the path was right next to the drop off of about 20 feet to the water.
The hardy sloshed on. Through the small streams, through the waist high water, over the boulders, and finally under a small stream of water to an overhang. Now we are excited. Two more dropped out of our group but the hardier continued on. We went in groups of four holding hands and being told to breath through our mouths. LuAnn left her glasses back with the two that dropped out. She couldn't see anyway since they were steamed up and water was dripping off them.
I'm not sure what happened then. The water was dumping down on our heads, we were stepping from rock to rock and sometimes dropping into chest high water then waist high. The water falls were so strong you couldn't even look up at times. We held on to each other for life. Sometimes we smashed our hands against rocks sometimes it was our legs. Finally we came to a stop and found ourselves on the underside of the falls and looking up at the 42 meter waterfall. Our last surprise was being able to climb into a cave underneath the falls. The opening was 30 inches wide and about 3-4 foot long. I have no idea how big the inside was since we couldn't see a thing. There were three of us in there repeatedly asking where are you. One by one we backed out of the cave; LuAnn was last and it got pretty spooky in there in the dark by yourself. Back through the waterfalls, the pools, the deluge of water, rocks and more rocks until we found ourselves back at the overlook. We were offered the opportunity to jump off the rocks but only Brian took them up on the offer. We began our journey back up the hill. LuAnn took a little fall. Tripped on some safety wires, then slipped on the mossy wooden walkway. Just a small scrape.
We were thrilled, exhilarated. We feel that we are now a part of some club.
The zip-line could not possibly compare. It was 5 zip-lines. There were two that crossed the river. Really neat. Not fast but definitely a thrill crossing the river. Some people dipped on purpose others just happened to dip their feet. The final cross was at the top of the waterfall. We crossed from one side to the other and it was beautiful. Maybe not the same thrill as the behind that falls tour but definitely prettier.
We got back to the rigs a little cold and tired but still buzzing with excitement. Our day was topped off with a delicious dinner of lake tilapia with red beans, rice, cabbage & beet slaw, tamirindo juice and ice cream.
One a day. Our friends were right. This was a fall not to miss.
Ojo de Agua
This is one of our least favorite stops. It is a gas station/restaurant parking lot frequented by dogs, horse and wanderers. It is dirty, dusty and the restaurant closes at 6 pm. We did our best to have fun with a Cuba Libre and Michelada party. With the appetizers it made for a small improvement to the location. We were all happy to be off early the next morning as we were not only leaving this hot, dusty spot but heading to Nicaragua.
Where do I begin. Three years ago our friends, Bobby and Marcia, were shocked to hear that we had not gone to the Pulanhapsak Waterfalls while visiting Lago de Yojoa. They said it was the best waterfall they had ever seen. Now I've been thinking about these falls since that time and told myself that if I ever got there again I was seeing those falls. Shortly after the trip began LuAnn contacted the owner of the hotel/restaurant where we stay and asked for assistance in finding transportation and information about the falls. He was more than happy to help and even found another zip-line adventure for us at the falls. We new little more than that.
Twenty-three out of thirty-four people excitedly departed for a view of the falls, a tour behind the falls and a zip-line that would take us across the falls. The first obstacle was our guide – Victor got sick. So Victor #2 came along but he didn't speak any English so Gabriel the owner and his wife rode along; Gabriel was the interpreter. Gabriel was around 30 and had lived in the US until the age of 16 so his English is perfect but he hasn't had the opportunity to use it much in the last 14 years. He was hysterical. He showed several looks of shock and surprise when the guide rattled on for seconds; Gabriel shortened the answer to a few words. Then he expressed concern that he had never stood on a bus while the bus doors kept popping open. Finally we arrived at the falls. Some wanted to do the zip line first then others wanted to take the tour. After several very confusing moments, Gabriel told us the guides wanted to take us on the tour first and asked how many needed a plastic bag to protect their cameras during the tour as we would get wet. They told us we would get wet maybe 4 times. But we didn't really understand what this meant. Then we started to see people coming up from the tour soaked and giddy with excitement. We walked on. Then we got to almost the bottom of the falls and stood on a platform with water splashing around us and off the rocks. We found out that this was the beginning of the behind the falls tour. A few opted out. It was a little scary as the rocks were surrounded by mud and little pools of water. Oh and the path was right next to the drop off of about 20 feet to the water.
The hardy sloshed on. Through the small streams, through the waist high water, over the boulders, and finally under a small stream of water to an overhang. Now we are excited. Two more dropped out of our group but the hardier continued on. We went in groups of four holding hands and being told to breath through our mouths. LuAnn left her glasses back with the two that dropped out. She couldn't see anyway since they were steamed up and water was dripping off them.
I'm not sure what happened then. The water was dumping down on our heads, we were stepping from rock to rock and sometimes dropping into chest high water then waist high. The water falls were so strong you couldn't even look up at times. We held on to each other for life. Sometimes we smashed our hands against rocks sometimes it was our legs. Finally we came to a stop and found ourselves on the underside of the falls and looking up at the 42 meter waterfall. Our last surprise was being able to climb into a cave underneath the falls. The opening was 30 inches wide and about 3-4 foot long. I have no idea how big the inside was since we couldn't see a thing. There were three of us in there repeatedly asking where are you. One by one we backed out of the cave; LuAnn was last and it got pretty spooky in there in the dark by yourself. Back through the waterfalls, the pools, the deluge of water, rocks and more rocks until we found ourselves back at the overlook. We were offered the opportunity to jump off the rocks but only Brian took them up on the offer. We began our journey back up the hill. LuAnn took a little fall. Tripped on some safety wires, then slipped on the mossy wooden walkway. Just a small scrape.
We were thrilled, exhilarated. We feel that we are now a part of some club.
The zip-line could not possibly compare. It was 5 zip-lines. There were two that crossed the river. Really neat. Not fast but definitely a thrill crossing the river. Some people dipped on purpose others just happened to dip their feet. The final cross was at the top of the waterfall. We crossed from one side to the other and it was beautiful. Maybe not the same thrill as the behind that falls tour but definitely prettier.
We got back to the rigs a little cold and tired but still buzzing with excitement. Our day was topped off with a delicious dinner of lake tilapia with red beans, rice, cabbage & beet slaw, tamirindo juice and ice cream.
One a day. Our friends were right. This was a fall not to miss.
Ojo de Agua
This is one of our least favorite stops. It is a gas station/restaurant parking lot frequented by dogs, horse and wanderers. It is dirty, dusty and the restaurant closes at 6 pm. We did our best to have fun with a Cuba Libre and Michelada party. With the appetizers it made for a small improvement to the location. We were all happy to be off early the next morning as we were not only leaving this hot, dusty spot but heading to Nicaragua.
Friday, February 5, 2010
Honduras - Copan and San Pedro Sula
Crossing into Honduras, first stop Copan Ruins then San Pedro Sula 5 February 2010
This border was a first for us since we have usually gone to Esquipulas then Honduras. As this was a tourist border (no trucks) we were told it was easier. Smooth sailing. Our guide met us at the border and had the paperwork done except for checking and stamping the passports. It was obvious that he did not get to use his English very often as it took an hour before he had the “look of Honduran confidence” to leave. This is actually a very blank stare with one's head tilted slightly to the side. We made it through the border in record time – 2 ½ hours (last year it was 5 ½ hours). We create these enormous spreadsheets that contain all kinds of vehicle information. Having these done and emailed to the tour guide cut the time in half.
Our trip log (the mile by mile guidance) was terribly off for some reason. We lucked out because we had very smart guests. One guest stayed at a critical turn to direct everyone. After the border instead of several miles to a horse field it was only one or two miles. Again we were lucky as the tour guide led us to the field. The Wagonmaster (Bob) and Tailgunner (Brian) worked together to get everyone off the road and parked as quickly as possible.
COPAN
Our problem began that evening – the refrigerator wasn't cooling. Brian and Bob checked wires, banged on the side to get rid of air bubbles, cleaned the flue but nothing. By the next day LuAnn tossed out all dairy products and later in the day any cheese and chicken. Then vegetables. By the second morning, Bob decided to clean the thermo-coupler. This did the trick and the refrigerator is back in operation. Now we just needed a grocery store to replenish our supplies.
Day 1 we took some open air trucks to the Copan Ruins. Great tour as always. We had an incredibly cool day so the ruins were even better than they have been in the past. As we all needed limperas (Honduran dollars) we took the open air trucks to town. Town is charming. Many shops, restaurants surrounding a square. Internet cafes on every street. We found a great little restaurant to have a local delight called anafre (Honduran nachos). They are served in a clay bowl sitting on top of a wood fire. That was actually Brian's meal but he shared. We then took a tuk-tuk back to the field. A tuk-tuk is a three wheeled motorcycle with a cab placed over it. Three people can ride comfortably and the cost was 50 cents to 1.00 per person. That evening the staff prepared margaritas and Honduran Hot Dogs for the guests. Honduran Hot Dogs are served with salsa in a tortilla.
Day 2 started with Fran and LuAnn heading to town for a traditional Mayan sauna then massage. We stripped down to our bloomers as the woman asked, wrapped ourselves in a towel, left our glasses, jewelry and sandolas in the changing room and headed to the sauna. We found ourselves walking through the backyard with some visibility into the neighbors yard. I say some since neither of us could see without our glasses; it was like playing peek-a-boo as a child and thinking that if your eyes are closed they can't see you. Well our eyes were just as good as closed. Oh and I forgot to tell you that we needed those sandolas because the path through the backyard was filled with sharp little rocks. We steamed for 15 minutes throwing herb soaked water on the coals then we would take a cold shower. Then 15 more minutes steaming. We did this routine for 45 minutes then headed to the massage table. The sauna and massage was operated by a Chorti (sp?) Mayan woman. It was wonderful. We felt completely free and loose. Fran and LuAnn headed off for a bank to change money, lunch, an internet and a little shopping. We then took a tuk-tuk back to the field. All and all we had a great day. The evening was topped off with a typical Honduran meal of grilled garlic chicken with chismole (fresh salsa), cheese, sour cream and thick corn tortillas. The appetizers were anafre, tamale of the Jaquar and dessert of espresso, cappuccino, cafe late, coffee or cafemoka.
SAN PEDRO SULA
We park at a very nice hotel in a city that seems more like Miami, FL, than Honduras. The hotel has a hair salon, two restaurants, pool, sauna, fitness center, WIFI, two nice malls within walking distance, etc. Quite a nice change from the field of yesterday.
The first day we took a tour of a banana plantation run by Dole. Hard to believe with that much hands on labor that bananas cost so little. The most amazing thing to me was that the bananas are shipped green and stay green until they are hit with gas and the temperature allowed to rise above 55 degrees. They ripen in 24 hours. We were told that those bananas are grainier than one that is allowed to ripen in two weeks.
The mahogany factory was a little disappointing as there were only a few workers. They were interesting but since tourism is down so are their hours. We were delighted with a beautiful buffet lunch at a hotel downtown followed by a short tour of the local city market. Several bought anafre pots for souvenirs and as gifts. Last stop of the day was the grocery store. Our first real grocery store in about 10 days. They had fresh vegetables, meat, coffee and liquor. The grocery stores up until this point were 20x20 stores with minimal items. LuAnn bought some fruit that sounds like rabotin – a raspberry fruit with hairy, spiny things on it. The fruit inside was white kind of like a grape. We were told to split the outside and pop the grape like thing in our mouths and suck the fruit off. It tasted pretty good but was weird. Most people on the trip tried some. LuAnn also bought some zapote fruit. It is about the size of a sweet potato. The inside was the texture of avocado but tasted like a sweet potato with sugar on it. Kind of an acquired taste but pretty good.
The third day was a free day. Bob and LuAnn stayed around the camping area. Several people went to the beach (a 3 hour round trip). Bob, LuAnn, Chris and Brian checked out the two malls, did some work and had a nice day of nothing. Tomorrow we head to Lago de Yajoa for a waterfall tour, zip line and dinner of local fish.
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Tikal to Rio Dulce (Guatemala)
Tikal - We are spending three nights in Tikal National Park.
Day 1 - Our day started with a hard rain that luckily stopped right before our tour of the ruins began. We split into two groups – Francisco our tour guide was very good for me but a little long winded for most. He told us of the plants, the fruits, the animals, the medicinal values of many of the plants, the Mongolian birth mark linking the Mayans to Mongolians and proving the passage of man from Mongolia to North and South America, the Mayan Calendar, 2012 predictions and how NASA has visited Mayan ruins to discuss Mayan predictions for the future.
Day 2 in Tikal – The day again started with a heavy rain. Several of us had signed up for a Zip-line tour. It was a rain or shine tour so with our ponchos, hats, jackets we started out. By the time we got to the zip line station the rain had stopped. Two of the women chose to have a personal guide – he held on to them and zipped with them. Wendy after two jumps went solo; Gerry chose to zip together until the last one. It was thrilling, exhilarating. Several of our guests were in there 70s and couldn't wait to tell the grandchildren what they had done. Our next zip line will be in another week. Several are anxiously awaiting the date.
In the afternoon 7 of us went for a horseback ride in the jungle. It was a kind of one size fits all horse and saddle. One horse had a hand tied rope halter; no bit. We rode for 1 ½ hours then back to the campground for a dinner out as a group.
Rio Dulce - We are sad to leave Tikal but must continue on our journey. Today we (or most of we) had a leisurely start as the caravan did not begin departure until 7:45. I say “most of we” because Brian, the thumped, discovered a low tire on Rig 11. It was filled and off we went anticipating our visit and lunch at Finca Ixobel and let's not forget the pick up of the long anticipated bread order. We arrived suspicious of the turn, the cowpath/farm road leading us who know when as we round the corner we see a lovely spot with a circular drive and plants every where. What a beautiful spot. We were greeted by Maria, the daughter of the owners. Maria was born in Guatemala and adopted by the owners, a couple from the US. During the 60s her parents bought the farm/ranch and split their time between Minnesota and Guatemala. Maria and her parents eventually moved to Guatemala. They now run the hotel, bakery and restaurant. We had a delicious meal – hamburgers, eggplant, chicken and avocado, omelets, steak, and fried chicken. Several toured the dessert table and sampled the chocolate cake, carrot cake, strawberry/banana pie, banana cream pie and butterscotch brownies. Everything was done perfectly and professionally. Some took advantage of the WIFI while others toured the bakery and kitchen. Too soon we were off to Rio Dulce.
In the past we parked in a horse field at a hotel in Rio Dulce. This year we parked in the second boat storage area before the hotel. What a surprise!! They built a new reception area, new restaurant, new showers/bathrooms and added on to the pool. The facilities are absolutely gorgeous. The guests took advantage of the pool and bar. What a welcome sight. By far this is the best parking lot we have ever stayed in.
The next day we took a boat ride to Livingston which is on the sea. It was spectacular. We went by beautiful homes, simple hut type screened in porches with very nice sailboats, simple homes on the river with women washing clothing in the river and some bathing. Many wooden canoes with children selling shells, carvings, turtles and turtle shells. Birds, lily pads, fish. We visited the hot springs that feed into the river and enjoyed some home made coconut rolls. Just like mom's with a hint of coconut. We also stopped at a Mayan school where in addition to the normal classes they teach customs and crafts for their people. Several bought banana leave bowls, blouses, bags made of banana leaf paper. Finally to Livingston where we had a local meal. Livingston is a small town but very important little port city. Many nationalities visit and decide to stay on. Our visit was a short one and then back to Rio Dulce. We had a wonderful meal in the open air restaurant overlooking the river and those beautiful sailboats. Off to Honduras tomorrow.
Day 1 - Our day started with a hard rain that luckily stopped right before our tour of the ruins began. We split into two groups – Francisco our tour guide was very good for me but a little long winded for most. He told us of the plants, the fruits, the animals, the medicinal values of many of the plants, the Mongolian birth mark linking the Mayans to Mongolians and proving the passage of man from Mongolia to North and South America, the Mayan Calendar, 2012 predictions and how NASA has visited Mayan ruins to discuss Mayan predictions for the future.
Day 2 in Tikal – The day again started with a heavy rain. Several of us had signed up for a Zip-line tour. It was a rain or shine tour so with our ponchos, hats, jackets we started out. By the time we got to the zip line station the rain had stopped. Two of the women chose to have a personal guide – he held on to them and zipped with them. Wendy after two jumps went solo; Gerry chose to zip together until the last one. It was thrilling, exhilarating. Several of our guests were in there 70s and couldn't wait to tell the grandchildren what they had done. Our next zip line will be in another week. Several are anxiously awaiting the date.
In the afternoon 7 of us went for a horseback ride in the jungle. It was a kind of one size fits all horse and saddle. One horse had a hand tied rope halter; no bit. We rode for 1 ½ hours then back to the campground for a dinner out as a group.
Rio Dulce - We are sad to leave Tikal but must continue on our journey. Today we (or most of we) had a leisurely start as the caravan did not begin departure until 7:45. I say “most of we” because Brian, the thumped, discovered a low tire on Rig 11. It was filled and off we went anticipating our visit and lunch at Finca Ixobel and let's not forget the pick up of the long anticipated bread order. We arrived suspicious of the turn, the cowpath/farm road leading us who know when as we round the corner we see a lovely spot with a circular drive and plants every where. What a beautiful spot. We were greeted by Maria, the daughter of the owners. Maria was born in Guatemala and adopted by the owners, a couple from the US. During the 60s her parents bought the farm/ranch and split their time between Minnesota and Guatemala. Maria and her parents eventually moved to Guatemala. They now run the hotel, bakery and restaurant. We had a delicious meal – hamburgers, eggplant, chicken and avocado, omelets, steak, and fried chicken. Several toured the dessert table and sampled the chocolate cake, carrot cake, strawberry/banana pie, banana cream pie and butterscotch brownies. Everything was done perfectly and professionally. Some took advantage of the WIFI while others toured the bakery and kitchen. Too soon we were off to Rio Dulce.
In the past we parked in a horse field at a hotel in Rio Dulce. This year we parked in the second boat storage area before the hotel. What a surprise!! They built a new reception area, new restaurant, new showers/bathrooms and added on to the pool. The facilities are absolutely gorgeous. The guests took advantage of the pool and bar. What a welcome sight. By far this is the best parking lot we have ever stayed in.
The next day we took a boat ride to Livingston which is on the sea. It was spectacular. We went by beautiful homes, simple hut type screened in porches with very nice sailboats, simple homes on the river with women washing clothing in the river and some bathing. Many wooden canoes with children selling shells, carvings, turtles and turtle shells. Birds, lily pads, fish. We visited the hot springs that feed into the river and enjoyed some home made coconut rolls. Just like mom's with a hint of coconut. We also stopped at a Mayan school where in addition to the normal classes they teach customs and crafts for their people. Several bought banana leave bowls, blouses, bags made of banana leaf paper. Finally to Livingston where we had a local meal. Livingston is a small town but very important little port city. Many nationalities visit and decide to stay on. Our visit was a short one and then back to Rio Dulce. We had a wonderful meal in the open air restaurant overlooking the river and those beautiful sailboats. Off to Honduras tomorrow.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Chicanna, MX to San Ignacio, Belize
Chicanna, MX to San Ignacio, Belize (Jan 22 - 25)
We had a lovely but bumpy ride to Chicanna. This is another Mayan Ruins and tonight we stayed packed like sardines in the parking lot. Our grade school Spanish continues to amaze us. We were able to ask for taxis in Villahermosa, tours and parking at Chicanna. Several people went for a walk around the ruins the of course we had a social and snacks. The temperature was most likely 95-100 in the rigs so several were forced to run their generators just to cool it off enough to go in. By bedtime it was comfortable enough to sleep.
The Belize border was the smoothest we have ever had. Our guide Henri had done a superb job. Our insurance was done and ready to sign (two years ago we sat for two hours while they typed). The Agricultural inspection was not. We paid them a “fee” of $10 US per rig; they did a cursory inspection of two or three rigs. Time: 2 ½ hours. A record.
We arrived in Corozal to electric (although a little erratic), water and sewers. We still can't run air conditioners without generators but our perception of the necessities is changing. Several walked to town for groceries, liquor, beer and some for dinner. There is a large population of Asians here so many of the restaurants and markets are Chinese. These was from the number of Chinese slaves brought to Belize over the years. We left Spanish and entered an English speaking country that actually speaks English, Spanish, Creole and some Island languages thrown in. We had dinner at Tony's and it was great. Grilled grouper – picante, garlic and ginger. And one fajita. Food was very good and the local beer, Bellikin, seems to be a hit with all.
The next day we took a boat ride to the Lamanai Mayan Ruins. This settlement existed for 3000 years. The name means Submerged Crocodile. The boat ride yielded many bird sitings and one croco-gator (can't remember which it was so now they are all the same). Every ruin is different and special. In addition to the ruins the howler monkeys love to put on a display. LuAnn was able to visit with the village mid-wife who was also a specialist in herbs. She was amazing; had learned about medicinal herbs from her three grandmothers. She is now passing the language on to her children. She was also knowledgeable in the properties of minerals and stones. The local women have set up a co-op to raise money, pass on the knowledge of the ancestors. The shops there have stone-work, metal work, needlework, basketry, and more. Yes , LuAnn bought a pendant with a jaguar on it from the co-op.
The drive to San Ignancio was uneventful but interesting. Belize is such a mixture. Sometimes it looks like Jamaica with small colorful wooden houses, then Bermuda with the colorful stucco bungalows with neat yards, then it becomes a mixture of markets and stuff. The majority of us stopped at the Belize Zoo – the world's best small zoo. Every animal here is rescued, born there or confiscated from locals who are domesticating against Belize laws. A few brave souls took a tubing trip complete with miner's hats and lights on a river cave. They said it was spectacular. We plan to add this to the trip itinerary next year. And we personally plan to come back to Belize for our own tour.
We arrived at the pivotal point in our drive and found the bridge we were supposed to cross was closed and we had to drive downtown and cross the very small single lane bridge. A man stopped us by flashing his lights. He was from Knoxville, TN and knew we would need help getting through town. The owner of the campground met us at the roundabout in town to provide direction. The Knoxville friend led us to the campground. We then found we had bushings missing from the rear axle. Bob with the help of a local mechanic took the “thing” apart and then the campground owner and Bob drove three towns away to find parts. It was a little scary for awhile since the next day we were scheduled to eratacross into Guatemala. We briefed Chris and Brian on the possibilities. (1) We stay behind and get the rig fixed and they take the caravan on to a border they have never been to before. OR delay by a day and shift the entire caravan by one day. Luckily the owner and Bob found the part and the mechanic (he had been in Guatemala drinking beer because it is cheaper there) AND they fixed it in the dark.
We are off to the border tomorrow. n
We had a lovely but bumpy ride to Chicanna. This is another Mayan Ruins and tonight we stayed packed like sardines in the parking lot. Our grade school Spanish continues to amaze us. We were able to ask for taxis in Villahermosa, tours and parking at Chicanna. Several people went for a walk around the ruins the of course we had a social and snacks. The temperature was most likely 95-100 in the rigs so several were forced to run their generators just to cool it off enough to go in. By bedtime it was comfortable enough to sleep.
The Belize border was the smoothest we have ever had. Our guide Henri had done a superb job. Our insurance was done and ready to sign (two years ago we sat for two hours while they typed). The Agricultural inspection was not. We paid them a “fee” of $10 US per rig; they did a cursory inspection of two or three rigs. Time: 2 ½ hours. A record.
We arrived in Corozal to electric (although a little erratic), water and sewers. We still can't run air conditioners without generators but our perception of the necessities is changing. Several walked to town for groceries, liquor, beer and some for dinner. There is a large population of Asians here so many of the restaurants and markets are Chinese. These was from the number of Chinese slaves brought to Belize over the years. We left Spanish and entered an English speaking country that actually speaks English, Spanish, Creole and some Island languages thrown in. We had dinner at Tony's and it was great. Grilled grouper – picante, garlic and ginger. And one fajita. Food was very good and the local beer, Bellikin, seems to be a hit with all.
The next day we took a boat ride to the Lamanai Mayan Ruins. This settlement existed for 3000 years. The name means Submerged Crocodile. The boat ride yielded many bird sitings and one croco-gator (can't remember which it was so now they are all the same). Every ruin is different and special. In addition to the ruins the howler monkeys love to put on a display. LuAnn was able to visit with the village mid-wife who was also a specialist in herbs. She was amazing; had learned about medicinal herbs from her three grandmothers. She is now passing the language on to her children. She was also knowledgeable in the properties of minerals and stones. The local women have set up a co-op to raise money, pass on the knowledge of the ancestors. The shops there have stone-work, metal work, needlework, basketry, and more. Yes , LuAnn bought a pendant with a jaguar on it from the co-op.
The drive to San Ignancio was uneventful but interesting. Belize is such a mixture. Sometimes it looks like Jamaica with small colorful wooden houses, then Bermuda with the colorful stucco bungalows with neat yards, then it becomes a mixture of markets and stuff. The majority of us stopped at the Belize Zoo – the world's best small zoo. Every animal here is rescued, born there or confiscated from locals who are domesticating against Belize laws. A few brave souls took a tubing trip complete with miner's hats and lights on a river cave. They said it was spectacular. We plan to add this to the trip itinerary next year. And we personally plan to come back to Belize for our own tour.
We arrived at the pivotal point in our drive and found the bridge we were supposed to cross was closed and we had to drive downtown and cross the very small single lane bridge. A man stopped us by flashing his lights. He was from Knoxville, TN and knew we would need help getting through town. The owner of the campground met us at the roundabout in town to provide direction. The Knoxville friend led us to the campground. We then found we had bushings missing from the rear axle. Bob with the help of a local mechanic took the “thing” apart and then the campground owner and Bob drove three towns away to find parts. It was a little scary for awhile since the next day we were scheduled to eratacross into Guatemala. We briefed Chris and Brian on the possibilities. (1) We stay behind and get the rig fixed and they take the caravan on to a border they have never been to before. OR delay by a day and shift the entire caravan by one day. Luckily the owner and Bob found the part and the mechanic (he had been in Guatemala drinking beer because it is cheaper there) AND they fixed it in the dark.
We are off to the border tomorrow. n
Friday, January 22, 2010
Pharr, TX to Palenque, MX
Sorry it has been so long since I have updated any of you. We left a very cold Pharr, TX on January 13. It had been freezing or below for two nights and was rainy for several days we were there. Entering Mexico was uneventful. No breakdowns or banditos (I know you were all worried about that).. Once again we have been blessed with a wonderful group of travelers. About half are from Canada and half from the US. We are currently in Palenque getting ready to leave for Chicanna, MX. We have toured two Mayan ruins, one Olmec museum and eaten some wonderful meals. I have a new recipe for Chicken Pipian (Chicken with a green sauce of cilantro, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds).
Our first incident was Poza Rica. Rig 7 got their 32-34 foot motorhome stuck in the campground. The hotel had a campground put in for the Rver's but didn't realize it should be severely packed down before using. We spent the next three hours finding parking spots at the hotel during an event for all but the very small rigs. The hotel is in a beautiful location unfortunately it is at the top of a very large hill. So for those of you worrying about LuAnn not be able to exercise – don't she's getting her walking in. Our first breakdown occurred in Veracruz after some very difficult roads. Rig 6 had four broken shocks and some bad springs. The Tailgunner stayed behind with them to find a welder. The rest of the group headed on down the road. We arrived at a beautiful hotel with swimming pool, restaurant and natural swimming lagoon where we parked for the night. No hookups but who cared AVC rented a room for guests to shower and the atmosphere was great. Palenque was inspirational as it was before. It is one of the largest Mayan ruins. Scientists have discovered inner walls, tomb of the Red Queen (very unusual to have a woman in a position of significance). On to Cascada Agua Azul (Blue Water Cascades) where we swam in the beautiful river with cascades and little pools. The color is unbelievable. For those of you with clay pit swimming experience the color is similar. Last for the day was Misol Ha Falls. Reminded me of Fall Creek Falls in Tennessee except visitors can walk behind the falls. Tomorrow Chicanna then Belize on Saturday. Will keep you updated as internet becomes available. Miss you all but love this traveling. I will get some pictures up at the next update.
Our first incident was Poza Rica. Rig 7 got their 32-34 foot motorhome stuck in the campground. The hotel had a campground put in for the Rver's but didn't realize it should be severely packed down before using. We spent the next three hours finding parking spots at the hotel during an event for all but the very small rigs. The hotel is in a beautiful location unfortunately it is at the top of a very large hill. So for those of you worrying about LuAnn not be able to exercise – don't she's getting her walking in. Our first breakdown occurred in Veracruz after some very difficult roads. Rig 6 had four broken shocks and some bad springs. The Tailgunner stayed behind with them to find a welder. The rest of the group headed on down the road. We arrived at a beautiful hotel with swimming pool, restaurant and natural swimming lagoon where we parked for the night. No hookups but who cared AVC rented a room for guests to shower and the atmosphere was great. Palenque was inspirational as it was before. It is one of the largest Mayan ruins. Scientists have discovered inner walls, tomb of the Red Queen (very unusual to have a woman in a position of significance). On to Cascada Agua Azul (Blue Water Cascades) where we swam in the beautiful river with cascades and little pools. The color is unbelievable. For those of you with clay pit swimming experience the color is similar. Last for the day was Misol Ha Falls. Reminded me of Fall Creek Falls in Tennessee except visitors can walk behind the falls. Tomorrow Chicanna then Belize on Saturday. Will keep you updated as internet becomes available. Miss you all but love this traveling. I will get some pictures up at the next update.
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