Monday, June 5, 2017
A Gringo from Alberta in Central America. Part 2
Day Ten Today we decided to go down country to see Punta Gorda in southern Belize. From Punta Gorda if you wanted you can take a boat and go to Guatemala which is about an hour away. The drive to Punta Gorda is scenic following the Mayan mountains most of the way. It was sunny and hot along the coast. The people were out and about in this little city. Stopped and had a fish sandwich and watched the long boats go by.
What is interesting about southern Belize is there are more Mayan ruins with about three areas that are assessable by car and foot.
Drove back and spent the night sitting on the deck listening to the night sounds
Day Eleven Today was a scuba diving day. I got is two dives while Sherry snorkeled by the cayes. An hour boat ride out. Both dives were great and on one of the dives 7 large spotted Eagle Rays swam past as we moved along the sea wall. It was an impressive sight to see. The boat ride back was calm and sunny and we spent the time talking with the other divers and where that had dove before.
Day twelve Well went diving again today. We stopped at a Caye on the way out to Glover's Atoll where we were going to dive. We dropped off our friends on Thach Caye and they spent the day hanging out in the Cayes. I did three dives this day. All were very clear with alot of color. The highlights was seeing a Moray Eel and getting up close and personal with a 6 foot nurse shark.
We spend the night at a local restaurant sharing tales of our day and the things we saw and did
Day thirteen spent the day reading and sunning on the beach with a trip to the produce stand to stock up on vegetables and fruits. I can't say enough about fresh vegetables and fruits in the tropics. There is so much flavor and color. Cooked up on the beach grill and had an early night.
Day fourteen Today we went hiking in Cockscomb park. The trail took us up a large mountain and down the otherside to a waterfall and jungle pool. It was nice and cool sitting next to the pool after the long hike. Hiking in 85% humidty is tough. Sweating is a constant. There were great vista's to see in this park and we completely enjoyed the day.
I met a young guy who was travelling the length of south and north America. We exchanged a few stories and I gave him a few places to visit in western Canada. I thought was a cool journey he was on.
Day fifteen Today i spent some time in the morning reading and they hanging on on the beach. The days are enjoyable and I am able too get alot of swimming in. Got on the Kayaks and dis a paddle along the beach. This was a very enjoyable day.
Day sixteen We started out the day with a drive out to Gales point. This is a very small community located on the southern lagoon it takes about an hour off the humming bird highway on a dirt/clay road to get there. Our hope was to see Manatees. When we got there the wind was up and the waters were murky so no Manatees were seen.
We decided to do an afternoon hike in Mayflower Bocawina park. The trail we went on takes us up a mountain. The first third of the trip takes us by a Mayan ruin which is partially excavated and the trail is flat. The next part of the trail is called the stairs portion. There are stairs built into the trail to get us up to the bottom of a long falls. The last section is what is called the rope section. Here there are ropes along the trail to get up to the top falls and pool. It is very steep and the ropes keep you from falling into the jungle.
The hike was well worth it. We had a swim in the pool and were able to get some pictures of the jungle and the Caribbean off in the distance.
Day Seventeen Today we left Hopkins and went to stay our last few days in Placentia. We spent most of the day walking around the town and lounging by the ocean. Finished off the night at a little restaurant taking with some local people and their kids
Day Eighteen We walked for hours today all around the town looking at the ocean the lagoon and some of the local houses. It is a small but cool little town. The afternoon was spend walking more and my wife went to look in some of the local shops. We finished off the day on the beach and a birthday dinner at a local restaurant eating local fish.
Day Nineteen and Twenty We packed up our stuff and drove to the airport to head home. This was a great trip on this go around. After flying in to Houston we spent the night then arrived home later that day.
Verdict: a successful trip
Blog update
I have not posted in a while but I have been blogging. One of my requirements this year for I Ho Chuan is to write about the things I do and see on my Travels. As this is for my sanity and to have an artifact of my travels down the road, I have not posted it here. I am hoping by doing this that I can describe things better and be able to remember them down the road.
If anyone wants to read about this they can go directly to my blog.
If anyone wants to read about this they can go directly to my blog.
Monday, May 15, 2017
A Gringo from Alberta in Central America. Part 1
I have decided to blog about this trip and to write down the little and big things that I do and see. The day starts out early at 4 am my old dog always know when something is amiss. He knows I am going and he is not coming. But he will have fun with my boys for two weeks.
The first day we had a lay over in Houston. We stayed at a hotel at the airport. One thing I don't like about travelling is airports. Airports in my mind are artificial. They are also magnify what is wrong with the world: over consumption, general lack of awareness of the people around you and people speeding to get to places that have no meaning.
Day two was much cooler. Early on the plane and a quick two hours to the Central American country of Belize. Off the plane in a typical Central American airport to a line to clear customs. Anyone who knows me knows lines are not my thing. We get through the line chatting with the people around us exchanging the normal pleasantries about out travels and where we are from. Next into the rental car and headed to the jungle. Because Belize is a small country it doesn't take long to get any where. A quick ride and a lunch stop and we are in the jungle listening to all the weird noises of the night. I woke up twice with the heavy rain and the sound of it on the tin roof of our cabin.
Day three. We spent the day exploring two Mayan ruins both a short car ride from San Ignacio. The sheer beauty and immense scale of the ruins is humbling. To see that societies could build such structures thousands of years ago to me is inspiring. The Mayan people understood astrology, advanced mathematics and were one of the few societies that incorporated the concept of zero in their math.
We explored San Ignacio in the afternoon and were able to get some sweet bananas and mangoes at the market. For those that have ever ate bananas in the tropics you know what a treat that is. They have an incredible flavour that is not in the banana in CANADA after it has been shipped thousands of miles in a sea can.
Day four. We are up earlier and are real excited. There are three reasons: we are in the tropics, we are going into Guatemala to visit the ruins at Tikal and today is our anniversary. All incredible reasons to have a great day.
We spent the day at the ruins in Tikal. The size, the scope, the ingenuity of the Mayan people floors me. Of all the things I have seen in my life, other than the birth of my sons, I can't put words together to describe how I feel after experiencing today. I will think some more on this and try and put my thoughts together.
Beyond the archeology, we saw Tucan's, stick birds, an owl and its chick, a little hairy animal with long tail long nose about the size of a small dog ( a guy told me it's name but no way can I pronounce it), two different kinds of snakes, spider monkeys, howler monkeys and big bugs that I named Dinosaur bugs (I think they had 8 wings)
And it was stinking hot
Day five. Today we drove from western Belize down to Hopkins. Hopkins is a Garifuna village on the Caribbean sea. The drive took us through the capital of Belmopan on the Hummingbird highway. The hummingbird is the most picturesque drives in Belize. It goes through the highlands and is a tropical wonderland. We stopped to explore a few limestone caves and had my favourite Belize treat. People will sell small plastic bags of coconut water that they keep in a cooler. It is ice cold coconut water and I don't think there is anything more refreshing in the tropics.
After getting to Hopkins we spent an afternoon in the warm Caribbean Sea and walking on the beach.
Day Six Spent the morning walking the beach them walking through town over to the marina. A beautiful spot on the Sittee river in the afternoon went for a drive down country with some people we met and walked around a small town on a big bay. You could see the palms on they Caye islands in the distance
Finished off the night at my favourite restaurant the Drift wood. Where the music changed from Garifuna music to reggae to old country and western. A great night with some new friends.
Day Seven Today spent some time relaxing in the ocean and walking and biking around town. Bikes are the mode of transportation for most of the town. From the little kids on up to the grandma's and grandpa's. We stopped at one of my favourite spots sat in the sun watching the ocean and the people engaging in conversation with everyone around us. Ended the day cooking up on the beach and talking with some new friends.
Day 8 We spent the day fishing and snorkelling out in the Caye's. Very much Belizian style, we got off a few hours late but that is the tropics. A quick hour ride out to the cayes and bottom fishing. We caught a lot of fish, way more than we could eat. Our guide told me that none would go to waste as they would give the fish to local families. Our guide caught a 10 lb barracuda and that's what we grilled up on the beach on one of the cayes. We got to do some snorkelling seeing conch, butterfly fish, spotted moray eel, eagle ray and the bright corals of the barrier reef.
Day 9 Slept late today after the day before the ocean takes a lot of energy out of a person. I think we slept till 7:30. We spent a lazy day around the pool and walking the beach. Down time allows for reading and enjoying the day.
The first day we had a lay over in Houston. We stayed at a hotel at the airport. One thing I don't like about travelling is airports. Airports in my mind are artificial. They are also magnify what is wrong with the world: over consumption, general lack of awareness of the people around you and people speeding to get to places that have no meaning.
Day two was much cooler. Early on the plane and a quick two hours to the Central American country of Belize. Off the plane in a typical Central American airport to a line to clear customs. Anyone who knows me knows lines are not my thing. We get through the line chatting with the people around us exchanging the normal pleasantries about out travels and where we are from. Next into the rental car and headed to the jungle. Because Belize is a small country it doesn't take long to get any where. A quick ride and a lunch stop and we are in the jungle listening to all the weird noises of the night. I woke up twice with the heavy rain and the sound of it on the tin roof of our cabin.
Day three. We spent the day exploring two Mayan ruins both a short car ride from San Ignacio. The sheer beauty and immense scale of the ruins is humbling. To see that societies could build such structures thousands of years ago to me is inspiring. The Mayan people understood astrology, advanced mathematics and were one of the few societies that incorporated the concept of zero in their math.
We explored San Ignacio in the afternoon and were able to get some sweet bananas and mangoes at the market. For those that have ever ate bananas in the tropics you know what a treat that is. They have an incredible flavour that is not in the banana in CANADA after it has been shipped thousands of miles in a sea can.
Day four. We are up earlier and are real excited. There are three reasons: we are in the tropics, we are going into Guatemala to visit the ruins at Tikal and today is our anniversary. All incredible reasons to have a great day.
We spent the day at the ruins in Tikal. The size, the scope, the ingenuity of the Mayan people floors me. Of all the things I have seen in my life, other than the birth of my sons, I can't put words together to describe how I feel after experiencing today. I will think some more on this and try and put my thoughts together.
Beyond the archeology, we saw Tucan's, stick birds, an owl and its chick, a little hairy animal with long tail long nose about the size of a small dog ( a guy told me it's name but no way can I pronounce it), two different kinds of snakes, spider monkeys, howler monkeys and big bugs that I named Dinosaur bugs (I think they had 8 wings)
And it was stinking hot
Day five. Today we drove from western Belize down to Hopkins. Hopkins is a Garifuna village on the Caribbean sea. The drive took us through the capital of Belmopan on the Hummingbird highway. The hummingbird is the most picturesque drives in Belize. It goes through the highlands and is a tropical wonderland. We stopped to explore a few limestone caves and had my favourite Belize treat. People will sell small plastic bags of coconut water that they keep in a cooler. It is ice cold coconut water and I don't think there is anything more refreshing in the tropics.
After getting to Hopkins we spent an afternoon in the warm Caribbean Sea and walking on the beach.
Day Six Spent the morning walking the beach them walking through town over to the marina. A beautiful spot on the Sittee river in the afternoon went for a drive down country with some people we met and walked around a small town on a big bay. You could see the palms on they Caye islands in the distance
Finished off the night at my favourite restaurant the Drift wood. Where the music changed from Garifuna music to reggae to old country and western. A great night with some new friends.
Day Seven Today spent some time relaxing in the ocean and walking and biking around town. Bikes are the mode of transportation for most of the town. From the little kids on up to the grandma's and grandpa's. We stopped at one of my favourite spots sat in the sun watching the ocean and the people engaging in conversation with everyone around us. Ended the day cooking up on the beach and talking with some new friends.
Day 8 We spent the day fishing and snorkelling out in the Caye's. Very much Belizian style, we got off a few hours late but that is the tropics. A quick hour ride out to the cayes and bottom fishing. We caught a lot of fish, way more than we could eat. Our guide told me that none would go to waste as they would give the fish to local families. Our guide caught a 10 lb barracuda and that's what we grilled up on the beach on one of the cayes. We got to do some snorkelling seeing conch, butterfly fish, spotted moray eel, eagle ray and the bright corals of the barrier reef.
Day 9 Slept late today after the day before the ocean takes a lot of energy out of a person. I think we slept till 7:30. We spent a lazy day around the pool and walking the beach. Down time allows for reading and enjoying the day.
Wednesday, May 3, 2017
Eredera Choruti
This blog is going out to the team. I will not be able to be around for Pandamonium. I don't like missing Pandamonium as it is a great event for the community of Stony Plain and for the community of Silent River King Fu. Pandamonium is a time to shine in the community and let people know that the martial arts are not about a bunch of individuals wanting to learn to hit people but people working on mental strength, physical strength, spiritual strength and community strength. Pandamonium brings people together to get to learn about each other.
Now the reason I can't make it is a biggie. On May 16, 25 years ago , my wife and I decided to start a life together. None of my friends thought my wife would put up with me for this long but it says a lot about her patience and generous nature.
To celebrate our life together to this point, we decided to travel through Belize and Guatemala for a few weeks. While everyone is doing Kung Fu at Pandamonium I will be doing forms on the sand in southern Belize.
Eredera Choruti (in the Garifuna language this means stay safe)
Now the reason I can't make it is a biggie. On May 16, 25 years ago , my wife and I decided to start a life together. None of my friends thought my wife would put up with me for this long but it says a lot about her patience and generous nature.
To celebrate our life together to this point, we decided to travel through Belize and Guatemala for a few weeks. While everyone is doing Kung Fu at Pandamonium I will be doing forms on the sand in southern Belize.
Eredera Choruti (in the Garifuna language this means stay safe)
A pattern is emerging in my blogs
When is a goal not really a goal; if you enjoy doing something so much you rather do it than most anything else? I am not sure but yondering in the mountains may be my none goal.
I write and talk a lot about the mountains because that is where I am always in the moment. From the time I start walking in the morning till I end in the afternoon or at night.
I set a goal this year to hike 300 km in the mountains this summer with at least two over night hikes. Well the snow is barely above the valley floor and I went past 100 km this weekend. I was able to leave work a little early Friday and found myself in Banff and did 40 km over the weekend.
Friday night I was able to scramble up a tight little valley there was still ice around the little stream. It was quite in this little valley with only the sound of the slowly moving steam headed to the lake. Saturday was a typical mountain spring day with it going from snow to rain to sunshine all through the day. On sunday I had every thing as I headed home. I went through two white out snow storms and was able to stop and walk two places on the road between Banff and Jasper.
I am really not sure where I am going with this blog other than hiking makes me happy and it keeps me in the moment. I think those two things are the secret to a great life.
I write and talk a lot about the mountains because that is where I am always in the moment. From the time I start walking in the morning till I end in the afternoon or at night.
I set a goal this year to hike 300 km in the mountains this summer with at least two over night hikes. Well the snow is barely above the valley floor and I went past 100 km this weekend. I was able to leave work a little early Friday and found myself in Banff and did 40 km over the weekend.
Friday night I was able to scramble up a tight little valley there was still ice around the little stream. It was quite in this little valley with only the sound of the slowly moving steam headed to the lake. Saturday was a typical mountain spring day with it going from snow to rain to sunshine all through the day. On sunday I had every thing as I headed home. I went through two white out snow storms and was able to stop and walk two places on the road between Banff and Jasper.
I am really not sure where I am going with this blog other than hiking makes me happy and it keeps me in the moment. I think those two things are the secret to a great life.
Sunday, April 23, 2017
Dad's sayings
I am sitting here this morning contemplating if I will go on my walk as I planned, last weekend I left dodge to get away from the snow and this morning there is even more snow than last weekend . Oh well that's Alberta, the birds are still singing.
Yesterday while driving home after being in at work and doing some errands a song came on. It hit me that is was a song my Dad liked and it got me thinking. What are the things I got from him that got me to where I am today?
I started to chuckle to my self and thought it was sayings he said all the time. I began to think about them and started to write them down:
"You can't have a bad time fishing"
"You can"t beat that sunset"
In the middle of a heat wave in the summer he would say "Let's go swimming before the lakes are covered with ice"
"0keydokey"
"That's a damb good fire tonight"
"Everyone has some good in them"
Those are the ones I remember, in the song he liked the saying that made both of us laugh was:
"If the horses tail is facing South you must be headed North"
Yesterday while driving home after being in at work and doing some errands a song came on. It hit me that is was a song my Dad liked and it got me thinking. What are the things I got from him that got me to where I am today?
I started to chuckle to my self and thought it was sayings he said all the time. I began to think about them and started to write them down:
"You can't have a bad time fishing"
"You can"t beat that sunset"
In the middle of a heat wave in the summer he would say "Let's go swimming before the lakes are covered with ice"
"0keydokey"
"That's a damb good fire tonight"
"Everyone has some good in them"
Those are the ones I remember, in the song he liked the saying that made both of us laugh was:
"If the horses tail is facing South you must be headed North"
Thursday, April 20, 2017
5 inches of snow
When you wake up on a spring morning and there is 5 inches of snow what do you do? I decided to go hiking. I found out there was no snow in the mountains and headed out.
The trails are dry up in the mountains and the life is beginning to start growing. The snow line is very low on the mountains but the valley floor does not want any more snow this year. Elk and sheep are abundant everywhere and are enjoying eating the dry grass on the valley floors. The young elk are full of life and energy.
This is a great time to be in the shadows of the Rocky Mountains. The sun does not yet have the heat of the summer, but just enough to put a smile on your face. The wind is light and there is very little sound other than the odd cry from a crow.
The trails are dry up in the mountains and the life is beginning to start growing. The snow line is very low on the mountains but the valley floor does not want any more snow this year. Elk and sheep are abundant everywhere and are enjoying eating the dry grass on the valley floors. The young elk are full of life and energy.
This is a great time to be in the shadows of the Rocky Mountains. The sun does not yet have the heat of the summer, but just enough to put a smile on your face. The wind is light and there is very little sound other than the odd cry from a crow.
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