The greatest explorer on this Earth never takes voyages as long as those of the man who descends to the depth of his heart. -Julien Green-
Be open, be avaliable, be exposed, be skinless. Skinless? Dance around in your bones. -Wallace Stegner-
And the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time. -T.S. Elliot-
See you soon,
Bren and Kate
Monday, December 19, 2011
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Kate´s most favoritest birthday, EVER!!
´You must learn to be still in the midst of activity and to be vibrantly alive in repose´ -Indira Gandhi-
Sunday! Sunday! Sunday! Hurry on over to the market in Chichicastenango! What do you need? A present for your sweetheart? Supplies for dinner? A new pair of shoes? Step right up, it´s all here! Wander around and stay a while!
Kate and Bren left for the market at eight in the morning from Panajachel on Lago de Atitlan. It was a relativly short drive before the two were set free for a day at the market. Kate and Bren wandered randomly through the colorful shops and displays in order to get a feel for the place, then they skirted out of the conjestion to eat some breakfast and make a game plan. With sugar running through their veins and a rough itinerary they dove back into the maelstrom. They realised that it is not prudent to stop anywhere unless you have an intention of buying something because you will be assulted with prices and offers of anything and everything. So Kate and Bren walked the narrow crowded hallways, weaving this way and that, while almost constantly fighting off the shop keepers with ´no gracias´. At the market there were many beautiful works, and probably at a good price, however Kate and Bren do not need those things and do not want to carry them either. Satisfied that they had seen all they wanted of the market they secluded themselves in a restaurant, which offers protection from people attempting to sell you anything. A few people did make it though the protective barrier but Bren and Kate were able to fight them off with the ´no gracias´ and for the really strong the ´no hablo espanol´spells.
The next morning, Kate´s birthday began at 545 am with a shuttle to the beach town of Monterrico. For whatever reason the shuttle was running late and in order to meet the other shuttle in Antigua heading to Kate and Bren´s final destination of the day there was a need, a need for speed. Knowing this the driver sped, passed cars on curves, honked, and whatever else was needed to get the birthday girl to the next shuttle. They made it to Monterrico at about 1030 in the morning and checked into their new hostel, El Dolphine. It is a relaxed place on the beach with hammocks, food, a pool, and games. After eating some food and playing backgammon they wandered out to the beach. The black sand beach offers some fun waves to play in as well as plenty of sand. It is a wide beach and seems to run a very long ways in each direction. Kate and Bren explored a bit before they played some catch with the frisbee and jumped in the waves. Then it was time for a little rest and reading. They kicked back in some of the numerous hammocks around their hostel. Roused from their nests from a hunger Kate and Bren wandered around looking for a place to eat. There were many restaurants all of which were empty. So they picked one, ate some food, then wandered on. They went to a store and go supplies for the nights festivities. On their wandering they heard of a turtle hatchery which would be releaseing baby turtles at sunset near their hostel on the beach. As the days end grew near Kate and Bren again strolled down the beach to catch a glimpse of the cute little babies fleeing to the sea. After this little miracle Kate jumped into a game of volleyball with the locals with was happening close by. The light was running out seeing as the sun had already set, but Kate and Bren were invited back to play the next day. They strolled back to their room and mixed some drinks for the beginning of the end. After a few games of drinking farkel and 500 the birthday girl went out to the restaurant with Bren to get some dinner. They played more games, like backgammon and snakes and ladders (similar to shots and ladders but with less drinking and a Guatemala twist). As BG (birthday girl) and Bren walked out to the beach to drink some water (not from the sea) they met a couple from Wisconsin. They were playing cards and invited BG and Bren to play. Since they love games so much, they obliged. After some golf and estimations the two Wisonsonians turned in tired from their day. But for BG it was not over! They went back to the room to mix another concoction in their Gatorade bottles then went for a night swim in the pool. As they were spashing around fireworks started going off nearby. Then after hanging out a while under the stars enjoying the warm night the two retired for the evening as well. Making it all the way until 1230 and completing Kate´s birthday.
cheerio,
BK
Sunday! Sunday! Sunday! Hurry on over to the market in Chichicastenango! What do you need? A present for your sweetheart? Supplies for dinner? A new pair of shoes? Step right up, it´s all here! Wander around and stay a while!
Kate and Bren left for the market at eight in the morning from Panajachel on Lago de Atitlan. It was a relativly short drive before the two were set free for a day at the market. Kate and Bren wandered randomly through the colorful shops and displays in order to get a feel for the place, then they skirted out of the conjestion to eat some breakfast and make a game plan. With sugar running through their veins and a rough itinerary they dove back into the maelstrom. They realised that it is not prudent to stop anywhere unless you have an intention of buying something because you will be assulted with prices and offers of anything and everything. So Kate and Bren walked the narrow crowded hallways, weaving this way and that, while almost constantly fighting off the shop keepers with ´no gracias´. At the market there were many beautiful works, and probably at a good price, however Kate and Bren do not need those things and do not want to carry them either. Satisfied that they had seen all they wanted of the market they secluded themselves in a restaurant, which offers protection from people attempting to sell you anything. A few people did make it though the protective barrier but Bren and Kate were able to fight them off with the ´no gracias´ and for the really strong the ´no hablo espanol´spells.
The next morning, Kate´s birthday began at 545 am with a shuttle to the beach town of Monterrico. For whatever reason the shuttle was running late and in order to meet the other shuttle in Antigua heading to Kate and Bren´s final destination of the day there was a need, a need for speed. Knowing this the driver sped, passed cars on curves, honked, and whatever else was needed to get the birthday girl to the next shuttle. They made it to Monterrico at about 1030 in the morning and checked into their new hostel, El Dolphine. It is a relaxed place on the beach with hammocks, food, a pool, and games. After eating some food and playing backgammon they wandered out to the beach. The black sand beach offers some fun waves to play in as well as plenty of sand. It is a wide beach and seems to run a very long ways in each direction. Kate and Bren explored a bit before they played some catch with the frisbee and jumped in the waves. Then it was time for a little rest and reading. They kicked back in some of the numerous hammocks around their hostel. Roused from their nests from a hunger Kate and Bren wandered around looking for a place to eat. There were many restaurants all of which were empty. So they picked one, ate some food, then wandered on. They went to a store and go supplies for the nights festivities. On their wandering they heard of a turtle hatchery which would be releaseing baby turtles at sunset near their hostel on the beach. As the days end grew near Kate and Bren again strolled down the beach to catch a glimpse of the cute little babies fleeing to the sea. After this little miracle Kate jumped into a game of volleyball with the locals with was happening close by. The light was running out seeing as the sun had already set, but Kate and Bren were invited back to play the next day. They strolled back to their room and mixed some drinks for the beginning of the end. After a few games of drinking farkel and 500 the birthday girl went out to the restaurant with Bren to get some dinner. They played more games, like backgammon and snakes and ladders (similar to shots and ladders but with less drinking and a Guatemala twist). As BG (birthday girl) and Bren walked out to the beach to drink some water (not from the sea) they met a couple from Wisconsin. They were playing cards and invited BG and Bren to play. Since they love games so much, they obliged. After some golf and estimations the two Wisonsonians turned in tired from their day. But for BG it was not over! They went back to the room to mix another concoction in their Gatorade bottles then went for a night swim in the pool. As they were spashing around fireworks started going off nearby. Then after hanging out a while under the stars enjoying the warm night the two retired for the evening as well. Making it all the way until 1230 and completing Kate´s birthday.
cheerio,
BK
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Album Release
-All of us invent ourselves. Some of us just have more imagination than others.-
Cher
While relaxing at Lake Atitlan Bren and Kate found themselves with some free time. They decided to busy themselves with the hopes of entertaining their vast blog following. They hope that the songs they picked are familiar to all of you, well at least one of the songs. They may be holding auditions for the upcoming filming of the music videos. Let them know if you are interested.
A link to Jack Johnsons Banana Pancakes for those of you who need a refresher
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dC-KeoegcHg
A link to Jack Johnsons Banana Pancakes Instrumental Version for all you brave souls who wish to insert the following lyrics.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5igVxsW8BgY
Arroz y Frijoles by Bren and Kate a parody of Banana Pancakes
cant you see that were a traveling
weve just got to get outside
baby, doing Belize and Guatemala
going where the wind blows
this song is meant to tell you
everything weve been doing
like waking up real early
to have some grand adventures
while eating arroz and frijoles
everydays the weekend now
wish that we could do this all the time
cant you see that were a traveling.
weve just got to get outside.
were taking public transporatation
and climbing over mountains
we embrace the sketchyness
of the tours weve been on
crawling through caves with candles
cause we love to do things crazy
swimming with sharks and stingrays
and trying to take some sweet photos
wish that we could do this all the time
cant you see that were a traveling
weve just got to get outside
walk all day walk all day
then we read and we play
games with anyone we find
chicken buses honking beeping
roosters crowing we cant sleep in
we dont need to
weve seen Mayan ruins big and small
and many towns with colorful walls
just so easy
when all our stuff fits inside of our bags
we will sleep anywhere just give us a mat
here we go here we go
baby, doing Belize and Guatemala
going where the wind blows
this song is meant to tell you
everything weve been doing
like waking up real early
to have some grand adventures
while eating arroz and frijoles
everydays the weekend now
wish that we could do this all the time
cant you see that were a traveling
weve just got to get outside
walk all day walk all day
espanol we hablamos hablamos all day
now were free yeah were free
we gotta get on home
And if that werent enough Kate and Bren wrote another song, maybe just for the younger generation but they invite everyone if they are daring enough to check it out.
A link to LMFAOs Sexy and I know it. This is the real music video and may not be suitable for all eyes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyx6JDQCslE&ob=av3e
A link to LMFAOs Sexy and I know it. This is the more appropriate version with lyrics only.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNMyfPZ28JI
A link to LMFAOs Sexy and I know it instrumental version. For those who think they got the skillz to insert the following lyrics.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DyptXV5gamw
Gringo and I know it by Kate and Bren parody of Sexy and I know it
when I walk on by
they be like whatcha wanna buy
Im trying to buy this
but dont know that talk
this is how I roll, snappin fotos, going out control
I get lost ask where to go
cerveza, only word I know
oh look at this gringo
oh look at this gringo
oh look at this gringo
I stand out
oh look at this gringo
oh look at this gringo
oh look at this gringo
I stand out
when I walk into town this is what I see
everybody stops and they starring at me
I got a backpack on my back, and I aint afraid to show it
Im gringo and I know it
Im gringo and I know it
when I need a drink
cant trust what comes out the sink
I go outside, put on sunscreen
trying not to get fried
this is how I roll, got my passport everywhere I go
I got malaria meds, Im not taking no chance
salsa lessons, but I still cant dance
oh look at this gringo oh look at this gringo
oh look at this gringo
I stand out
oh look at this gringo oh look at this gringo
oh look at this gringo
I stand out
when I walk into town this is what I see
everybody stops and they starring at me
I got a backpack on my back, and I aint afraid to show it
Im gringo and I know it
Im gringo and I know it
wiggle wiggle wiggle wiggle wiggle
yeah
wiggle wiggle wiggle wiggle wiggle
yeah
wiggle wiggle wiggle wiggle wiggle
yeah
Im gringo and I know it
oh look at this gringo
oh look at this gringo
oh look at this gringo
I stand out
oh look at this gringo
oh look at this gringo
oh look at this gringo
I stand out
Im gringo and I know it
Enjoy,
Bren and Kate
Cher
While relaxing at Lake Atitlan Bren and Kate found themselves with some free time. They decided to busy themselves with the hopes of entertaining their vast blog following. They hope that the songs they picked are familiar to all of you, well at least one of the songs. They may be holding auditions for the upcoming filming of the music videos. Let them know if you are interested.
A link to Jack Johnsons Banana Pancakes for those of you who need a refresher
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dC-KeoegcHg
A link to Jack Johnsons Banana Pancakes Instrumental Version for all you brave souls who wish to insert the following lyrics.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5igVxsW8BgY
Arroz y Frijoles by Bren and Kate a parody of Banana Pancakes
cant you see that were a traveling
weve just got to get outside
baby, doing Belize and Guatemala
going where the wind blows
this song is meant to tell you
everything weve been doing
like waking up real early
to have some grand adventures
while eating arroz and frijoles
everydays the weekend now
wish that we could do this all the time
cant you see that were a traveling.
weve just got to get outside.
were taking public transporatation
and climbing over mountains
we embrace the sketchyness
of the tours weve been on
crawling through caves with candles
cause we love to do things crazy
swimming with sharks and stingrays
and trying to take some sweet photos
wish that we could do this all the time
cant you see that were a traveling
weve just got to get outside
walk all day walk all day
then we read and we play
games with anyone we find
chicken buses honking beeping
roosters crowing we cant sleep in
we dont need to
weve seen Mayan ruins big and small
and many towns with colorful walls
just so easy
when all our stuff fits inside of our bags
we will sleep anywhere just give us a mat
here we go here we go
baby, doing Belize and Guatemala
going where the wind blows
this song is meant to tell you
everything weve been doing
like waking up real early
to have some grand adventures
while eating arroz and frijoles
everydays the weekend now
wish that we could do this all the time
cant you see that were a traveling
weve just got to get outside
walk all day walk all day
espanol we hablamos hablamos all day
now were free yeah were free
we gotta get on home
And if that werent enough Kate and Bren wrote another song, maybe just for the younger generation but they invite everyone if they are daring enough to check it out.
A link to LMFAOs Sexy and I know it. This is the real music video and may not be suitable for all eyes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyx6JDQCslE&ob=av3e
A link to LMFAOs Sexy and I know it. This is the more appropriate version with lyrics only.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNMyfPZ28JI
A link to LMFAOs Sexy and I know it instrumental version. For those who think they got the skillz to insert the following lyrics.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DyptXV5gamw
Gringo and I know it by Kate and Bren parody of Sexy and I know it
when I walk on by
they be like whatcha wanna buy
Im trying to buy this
but dont know that talk
this is how I roll, snappin fotos, going out control
I get lost ask where to go
cerveza, only word I know
oh look at this gringo
oh look at this gringo
oh look at this gringo
I stand out
oh look at this gringo
oh look at this gringo
oh look at this gringo
I stand out
when I walk into town this is what I see
everybody stops and they starring at me
I got a backpack on my back, and I aint afraid to show it
Im gringo and I know it
Im gringo and I know it
when I need a drink
cant trust what comes out the sink
I go outside, put on sunscreen
trying not to get fried
this is how I roll, got my passport everywhere I go
I got malaria meds, Im not taking no chance
salsa lessons, but I still cant dance
oh look at this gringo oh look at this gringo
oh look at this gringo
I stand out
oh look at this gringo oh look at this gringo
oh look at this gringo
I stand out
when I walk into town this is what I see
everybody stops and they starring at me
I got a backpack on my back, and I aint afraid to show it
Im gringo and I know it
Im gringo and I know it
wiggle wiggle wiggle wiggle wiggle
yeah
wiggle wiggle wiggle wiggle wiggle
yeah
wiggle wiggle wiggle wiggle wiggle
yeah
Im gringo and I know it
oh look at this gringo
oh look at this gringo
oh look at this gringo
I stand out
oh look at this gringo
oh look at this gringo
oh look at this gringo
I stand out
Im gringo and I know it
Enjoy,
Bren and Kate
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Where are we?
-Wherever we have travelled in this great land, we have found that people everywhere are about 90% water.-
Unknown
After a few days of rest in Quetzaltenango Bren and Kate decided it would be a good idea to walk to their next destination as opposed to jumping on one of the famous chicken busses or tourist shuttles. A short three day, 20+ mile trek through the mountains would eventually lead them to San Pedro on Lake Atitlan.
Their journey began bright and early on Tuesday morning where they were picked up at their hostel by their tour guide. It turns out they were the only two travelers who wanted to make the trek so the group consisted of Bren, Kate and their guide Jaicer *sp? They drove for about a half an hour and arrived in a small town where they organized their bags with sleeping bags and sleeping pads and of course food and water. The daring hikers began walking at about 7:00am. They hiked up out of the town for about a half an hour and then the real trek began. They crossed a small river and began up a trail that was steep and rocky. It took about an hour to reach the top of this difficult terrain, and as they reached the top Bren and Kate found themselves walking among fields of corn and other crops that were grown and harvested by the people living in the small village. The hikers stopped to rest along the road, taking in fluids and food so they would have energy to continue. From there Bren and Kate continued to gain altitude as they climbed higher into the mountains. They reached a point high in the mountains, about 3100 m (10,170 ft) , where they had an incredible view of the mountains surrounding Antigua, including Acatenango which they had recently climbed, as well as the beautiful Lake Atitlan and its surrounding volcanoes. They continued through the mountainous terrain until they arrived in a small mayan village nestled high in the mountains. Here the travelers took off their packs, ate lunch and rested. Their guide informed them that this is where the group normally sleeps on the first night, but it was only 12:00 so if they wished to continue to the next village, another 2.5 hours away that they could. The strong and brave backpackers decided they would rather continue on than stay.
Bren and Kate guided by Ceasar sp? walked down a ridge for a long time. They continued to walk down the mountain they had just climbed up. Down, down, down into a burning ring of fire. Actually a flowing river. They sat among the rocks and rested. Then it was time for Kates favorite activity of the day, crawling up hill. After a half an hour Kate and Bren reached another village translated to ´the land of the avocado´ from Quiche. Xavier sp?, their guide, opened up the door in a village owned house. The house was a cement box with a door. It was not funished at all execpt for a painting of The Last Supper. While sitting in their little prison Kate and Bren discussed the fact that they had no idea where they were or how to leave without the help of Yahir sp?. But they were fed and told when they would depart in the morning. Trying to be social to people in the village Kate and Bren kept their door open and greeted everyone that walked by and peered in curiously. Like moths to the light, three little boys were brave enough to cross the threshold when they were invited in. Kate and Bren tried to think of a card game which Kate could teach the boys in Spanish. They came up with spoons, or waterbottles, since Bren and Kate do not typically carry four spoons. The kids were terrible but they were having fun. Bren and Kate started cheating in English because the boys were probably cheating in Quiche, their native language. As Kate and Bren were laying down to sleep on the floor the boys would run by, knock on the door, giggle, and run away. Their version of ding-dong-ditch.
The next morning Bren and Kate steadily walked uphill for a few hours, climbing over yet another mountain. Then after climbing close to an elevation of 3000 m they decended downhill again. They exited the mountains and made it to Santa Clara at 11 am. This was supposed to be the location of their second night of sleep. However, Kate and Bren decided that since they were only two hours from San Pedro they would not stop for the day. They ate lunch in Santa Clara then set off again with Pablo sp?, their guide. Down, down, down to a burning ring of fire. Or Lago de Atitlan. Lago means lake for all you gringos. The three day trip was finished in two days.
Exhausted. Kate and Bren said goodbye to Andrew sp?, their guide. They found a hotel and Bren signed up to climb Volcan San Pedro the next day even though they could hardly walk up stiars. Kate opted out because of her intelligence and the blisters on her feet.
Bren woke up early, climbed stairs for two hours, reached the summit of San Pedro at about 3000 m, saw the incredible view for less than 29 seconds before the clouds closed in again. Then reverse stairmaster, down, down, down into a burning ring of fire, or back to the hotel to find Kate swining in a hammock reading her book. Both humans were happy with their choices so far that day.
chillin and relaxin,
Kate and Bren
Unknown
After a few days of rest in Quetzaltenango Bren and Kate decided it would be a good idea to walk to their next destination as opposed to jumping on one of the famous chicken busses or tourist shuttles. A short three day, 20+ mile trek through the mountains would eventually lead them to San Pedro on Lake Atitlan.
Their journey began bright and early on Tuesday morning where they were picked up at their hostel by their tour guide. It turns out they were the only two travelers who wanted to make the trek so the group consisted of Bren, Kate and their guide Jaicer *sp? They drove for about a half an hour and arrived in a small town where they organized their bags with sleeping bags and sleeping pads and of course food and water. The daring hikers began walking at about 7:00am. They hiked up out of the town for about a half an hour and then the real trek began. They crossed a small river and began up a trail that was steep and rocky. It took about an hour to reach the top of this difficult terrain, and as they reached the top Bren and Kate found themselves walking among fields of corn and other crops that were grown and harvested by the people living in the small village. The hikers stopped to rest along the road, taking in fluids and food so they would have energy to continue. From there Bren and Kate continued to gain altitude as they climbed higher into the mountains. They reached a point high in the mountains, about 3100 m (10,170 ft) , where they had an incredible view of the mountains surrounding Antigua, including Acatenango which they had recently climbed, as well as the beautiful Lake Atitlan and its surrounding volcanoes. They continued through the mountainous terrain until they arrived in a small mayan village nestled high in the mountains. Here the travelers took off their packs, ate lunch and rested. Their guide informed them that this is where the group normally sleeps on the first night, but it was only 12:00 so if they wished to continue to the next village, another 2.5 hours away that they could. The strong and brave backpackers decided they would rather continue on than stay.
Bren and Kate guided by Ceasar sp? walked down a ridge for a long time. They continued to walk down the mountain they had just climbed up. Down, down, down into a burning ring of fire. Actually a flowing river. They sat among the rocks and rested. Then it was time for Kates favorite activity of the day, crawling up hill. After a half an hour Kate and Bren reached another village translated to ´the land of the avocado´ from Quiche. Xavier sp?, their guide, opened up the door in a village owned house. The house was a cement box with a door. It was not funished at all execpt for a painting of The Last Supper. While sitting in their little prison Kate and Bren discussed the fact that they had no idea where they were or how to leave without the help of Yahir sp?. But they were fed and told when they would depart in the morning. Trying to be social to people in the village Kate and Bren kept their door open and greeted everyone that walked by and peered in curiously. Like moths to the light, three little boys were brave enough to cross the threshold when they were invited in. Kate and Bren tried to think of a card game which Kate could teach the boys in Spanish. They came up with spoons, or waterbottles, since Bren and Kate do not typically carry four spoons. The kids were terrible but they were having fun. Bren and Kate started cheating in English because the boys were probably cheating in Quiche, their native language. As Kate and Bren were laying down to sleep on the floor the boys would run by, knock on the door, giggle, and run away. Their version of ding-dong-ditch.
The next morning Bren and Kate steadily walked uphill for a few hours, climbing over yet another mountain. Then after climbing close to an elevation of 3000 m they decended downhill again. They exited the mountains and made it to Santa Clara at 11 am. This was supposed to be the location of their second night of sleep. However, Kate and Bren decided that since they were only two hours from San Pedro they would not stop for the day. They ate lunch in Santa Clara then set off again with Pablo sp?, their guide. Down, down, down to a burning ring of fire. Or Lago de Atitlan. Lago means lake for all you gringos. The three day trip was finished in two days.
Exhausted. Kate and Bren said goodbye to Andrew sp?, their guide. They found a hotel and Bren signed up to climb Volcan San Pedro the next day even though they could hardly walk up stiars. Kate opted out because of her intelligence and the blisters on her feet.
Bren woke up early, climbed stairs for two hours, reached the summit of San Pedro at about 3000 m, saw the incredible view for less than 29 seconds before the clouds closed in again. Then reverse stairmaster, down, down, down into a burning ring of fire, or back to the hotel to find Kate swining in a hammock reading her book. Both humans were happy with their choices so far that day.
chillin and relaxin,
Kate and Bren
Saturday, December 3, 2011
not for the faint of heart
"He who goes up step by step always finds himself level with a step." -Antonio Porchia-
Bren and Kate woke up at 4:30 am packed their bags and scooted a few blocks to catch the shuttle to the mountain. The summit of Acatenango was their destination. This is the third highest volcano in Guatemala reaching 3975 masl (meters above sea level) or 13041 feet. After an hour drive the two reached the trailhead along with a few other hikers, two guides from the company, two guides from a local village, and one six year old guide in training from the village.
After a half hour trying to part the van because of difficulties due to heaps of loose dirt and gravel everyone was off through the fields. The hike started up a steep path, made of loose dirt, taken daily by farmers who work the land around the base of the mountain. Some of the crops were corn, snow pea, and lily. About an hour into the hike Kate and Bren reached old growth cloud forest. The trail began to do a few more switchbacks and was a little firmer. The Duglas (six year old boy) was full of energy, he was continually running ahead and climbing trees, only to jump out and yell in an attempt to scare the hikers. The Duglas managed to do all this in his cute little rubber muck boots. The trail then became less steep as Kate and Bren started to traverse around the mountain through the red pine forest. The pine beetle had been working pretty hard so many of the trees in this section were dead. Bren and Kate popped out into the saddle of the mountain, partially covered by dwarf pine trees. From the saddle there were two peaks with trails leading to each. Kate and Bren had signed up to go to the higher of the two, obviously. The last push up the mountain led the trekkers up steep, loose, gravel/sand slopes. After every step one would slide back half a foot and feel as if little progress was made. *reminder: the courageous crew had carefully climbed close to 13000 ft at this point and were feeling the low oxygen levels* Everyone struggled to the crater rim then took a short walk to where lunch would be served. Depending on the speed of hiking it took between 5 and 6 hours. Sitting on the south side of the crater they enjoyed a typical Guatemalan tuna taco lunch with views of Volcan de Fuego, Volcan de Agua, Volcan de Atitlan to name a few. Aptly named Volcan de Fuego put on a show and spewed smoke and rocks out in large powerful bursts every ten minutes. Everyone rested for a while before they made a short hike to the highest part of the crater and the summit.
Tired and weary...thankfully it was all downhill from there. The descent was much quicker taking only 3 hours. Everyone was taking a short break in the cloud forest when all of a sudden the lead guide says, "everyone go now! I hear voices". Everyone hustled really quick for a while in fear of the voices. Luckly the two local guides carried machetes, not that they were used.
Sleep. Then the alarm went off at 4:50 so Kate and Bren could catch the shuttle to Quetzaltenango (Xeha). And here thee be.
ooduhlaley,
BB-KK
Bren and Kate woke up at 4:30 am packed their bags and scooted a few blocks to catch the shuttle to the mountain. The summit of Acatenango was their destination. This is the third highest volcano in Guatemala reaching 3975 masl (meters above sea level) or 13041 feet. After an hour drive the two reached the trailhead along with a few other hikers, two guides from the company, two guides from a local village, and one six year old guide in training from the village.
After a half hour trying to part the van because of difficulties due to heaps of loose dirt and gravel everyone was off through the fields. The hike started up a steep path, made of loose dirt, taken daily by farmers who work the land around the base of the mountain. Some of the crops were corn, snow pea, and lily. About an hour into the hike Kate and Bren reached old growth cloud forest. The trail began to do a few more switchbacks and was a little firmer. The Duglas (six year old boy) was full of energy, he was continually running ahead and climbing trees, only to jump out and yell in an attempt to scare the hikers. The Duglas managed to do all this in his cute little rubber muck boots. The trail then became less steep as Kate and Bren started to traverse around the mountain through the red pine forest. The pine beetle had been working pretty hard so many of the trees in this section were dead. Bren and Kate popped out into the saddle of the mountain, partially covered by dwarf pine trees. From the saddle there were two peaks with trails leading to each. Kate and Bren had signed up to go to the higher of the two, obviously. The last push up the mountain led the trekkers up steep, loose, gravel/sand slopes. After every step one would slide back half a foot and feel as if little progress was made. *reminder: the courageous crew had carefully climbed close to 13000 ft at this point and were feeling the low oxygen levels* Everyone struggled to the crater rim then took a short walk to where lunch would be served. Depending on the speed of hiking it took between 5 and 6 hours. Sitting on the south side of the crater they enjoyed a typical Guatemalan tuna taco lunch with views of Volcan de Fuego, Volcan de Agua, Volcan de Atitlan to name a few. Aptly named Volcan de Fuego put on a show and spewed smoke and rocks out in large powerful bursts every ten minutes. Everyone rested for a while before they made a short hike to the highest part of the crater and the summit.
Tired and weary...thankfully it was all downhill from there. The descent was much quicker taking only 3 hours. Everyone was taking a short break in the cloud forest when all of a sudden the lead guide says, "everyone go now! I hear voices". Everyone hustled really quick for a while in fear of the voices. Luckly the two local guides carried machetes, not that they were used.
Sleep. Then the alarm went off at 4:50 so Kate and Bren could catch the shuttle to Quetzaltenango (Xeha). And here thee be.
ooduhlaley,
BB-KK
Schooooool's out for Summer!
"Personally I'm always ready to learn, although I do not always like being taught." -Winston Churchill-
Kate and Bren finished an entire week of spanish school. Graduated with honors even though Bren slacked on his homework a little.
Love,
Kathy and Brain
Kate and Bren finished an entire week of spanish school. Graduated with honors even though Bren slacked on his homework a little.
Love,
Kathy and Brain
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
No more teachers. No more books.
"The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and the lightening bug." -Mark Twain-
Kate and Bren found a great little hotel that no one knows about because the name is Juma Ocag, which does not mean anything in Spanish or any Mayan language. It is an acronym for the first letter in peoples names. It is right across the street from a giant market, a bakery, and a pet shop. Kate and Bren have been enjoying their time in the old colonial town of Antigua. The buildings are typically no more than two stories and very colorful. The town is surrounded by volcanoes, some of which are active.
Kate and Bren started language school on Sunday. They have class from 8-noon for five days before they graduate. The school offers random free activities in the afternoon. Bren and Kate signed up for a hike. They started the hike walking across town, through the market, then got on a chicken bus. This is about the time when the would be hikers started to wonder where they were actually going. However, their adventurous spirits kept them on the bus. The bus drove to a nearby town, San Juan del Obispo. The bus stopped and everyone got off including the "hikers". They walked around the corner and into a museum/convent. A nun gave a quick tour describing some photos but never getting close to using 1000 words. Bren was super excited because everything was in Spanish. They saw a picture of a great view of Antigua and the volcanoes then took two steps to the left and saw the same view out the window. Everyone was confused, but thankfully the nun told the tour the picture was taken from that exact location. Then Kate and Bren were led outside to look at the same view not obstucted by glass. The tour guide was telling everyone about snake skins and leather working meanwhile the bus left. Which gave everyone that had not had a chance to take in the view or photograph it for themselves time to do so.
Kate and Bren discovered a great little bagel place near central park which plays free movies on a nightly basis. They saw a documentary about the civil war in Guatemala, which ended in 1975. Last night after their hike they had two great cups of hot chocolate and watched a Hollywood movie in English. Hot chocolate? That is correct, it is freezing here at night says the over exaggerating Kate. However, they have been putting on a few more layers in the evenings since moving into the highlands.
Bren and Kate also eat food typically three times a day.
Kate and Bren decided to attempt another after school activity. This time they started walking not towards the market and bus station but out of town towards a hill with a view. A great view of the town and another volcanoe. Kate and Bren were sad because at this viewpoint there were no photographs of the view. They only had that real thing to enjoy. Since attending school life has slowed down for the adventurers so this brief hike was a welcomed bit of excercise.
The food eaters also have experimented with different sources of food including but not limited to restaurants, markets, bakeries, random street vendors, and ice cream shops. One of their favorites is the "Travel Menu", the food is more exciting that the name would lead you to believe. Their favorite is the giant plate of guacamole, chips, and salsa all for $2.50 US. Last night Bren and Kate consumed an estimated four avacados while playing board games supplied by the restaurant. The music was in English and awesome. If one is lucky they can even catch some good old American football.
peace out,
BK
Kate and Bren found a great little hotel that no one knows about because the name is Juma Ocag, which does not mean anything in Spanish or any Mayan language. It is an acronym for the first letter in peoples names. It is right across the street from a giant market, a bakery, and a pet shop. Kate and Bren have been enjoying their time in the old colonial town of Antigua. The buildings are typically no more than two stories and very colorful. The town is surrounded by volcanoes, some of which are active.
Kate and Bren started language school on Sunday. They have class from 8-noon for five days before they graduate. The school offers random free activities in the afternoon. Bren and Kate signed up for a hike. They started the hike walking across town, through the market, then got on a chicken bus. This is about the time when the would be hikers started to wonder where they were actually going. However, their adventurous spirits kept them on the bus. The bus drove to a nearby town, San Juan del Obispo. The bus stopped and everyone got off including the "hikers". They walked around the corner and into a museum/convent. A nun gave a quick tour describing some photos but never getting close to using 1000 words. Bren was super excited because everything was in Spanish. They saw a picture of a great view of Antigua and the volcanoes then took two steps to the left and saw the same view out the window. Everyone was confused, but thankfully the nun told the tour the picture was taken from that exact location. Then Kate and Bren were led outside to look at the same view not obstucted by glass. The tour guide was telling everyone about snake skins and leather working meanwhile the bus left. Which gave everyone that had not had a chance to take in the view or photograph it for themselves time to do so.
Kate and Bren discovered a great little bagel place near central park which plays free movies on a nightly basis. They saw a documentary about the civil war in Guatemala, which ended in 1975. Last night after their hike they had two great cups of hot chocolate and watched a Hollywood movie in English. Hot chocolate? That is correct, it is freezing here at night says the over exaggerating Kate. However, they have been putting on a few more layers in the evenings since moving into the highlands.
Bren and Kate also eat food typically three times a day.
Kate and Bren decided to attempt another after school activity. This time they started walking not towards the market and bus station but out of town towards a hill with a view. A great view of the town and another volcanoe. Kate and Bren were sad because at this viewpoint there were no photographs of the view. They only had that real thing to enjoy. Since attending school life has slowed down for the adventurers so this brief hike was a welcomed bit of excercise.
The food eaters also have experimented with different sources of food including but not limited to restaurants, markets, bakeries, random street vendors, and ice cream shops. One of their favorites is the "Travel Menu", the food is more exciting that the name would lead you to believe. Their favorite is the giant plate of guacamole, chips, and salsa all for $2.50 US. Last night Bren and Kate consumed an estimated four avacados while playing board games supplied by the restaurant. The music was in English and awesome. If one is lucky they can even catch some good old American football.
peace out,
BK
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Guatever...
"There is no solution because there is no problem" -Marcel Duchamp-
Kate and Bren enjoyed their relaxing time in the quaint island town of Flores. They went swimming off the dock, caught a boat across the lake to a look out, and played Farkel with their new Canadian friends, Mason and Brit. Bren and Kate also went to a nearby national park to do some zip lining. There was also a nature walk with sky bridges at the same park. So why not? They started off into the jungle crossing a couple low sky bridges to get the feel for it. As they started to hike up the steep trail Kate started going crazy. Mentally, she was all there but somehow she managed to make angry a swarm of black flying insects. The bugs started biting her all over, their favorite thing to do was get stuck in her hair. Kate began to flail all her extremities and rip off her clothes. Bren decided it was a good idea to leave the area so he instructed Kate to continue fighting the bugs as she ran up the trail. Bren was gracious enough to hold her daypack as she fought the beasts. After the battle, all seemed to be safe but for the rest of the hike any hint of a flying insect sent shivers down their spines. Kate found some deceased insects that night in her hair as she showered.
Kate and Bren decided to leave Flores in style so they spent the extra money ($5 more each) not to ride a chicken bus out of town. They were headed half way down the country and decided that they would like their own seats for the nine hour bus ride. They arrived in the dark at Lanquin. Thankfully the Zephyr hostel had room since they have not been making reservations anywhere they go. However, they did have to sleep in the noisy, smokey loft above the bar. There were no doors and three other beds in the loft. The first night a cat decided to eat a hole in Kates bag in order to get to some tortiallas.
They woke up bright and early on Thanksgiving day. Kate and Bren had made plans to go on a tour of some caves and natural pools. They hopped in the back of a truck with four other guys from all over the world and rode along the winding mountain road picking up locals along the way, standing the entire time. When they arrived at their destination everyone stripped down to their bathing suits and prepared for the rope swing into the river. It was not just a rope that you swing on, it was a literal swing that one would sit on then awkwardly try to jump off when the guide yelled jump. Next it was into the cave. The guide insisted that no one should wear shoes. Even though the rocks are sharp, you have to swim and climb, and you can not see. But not knowing those things everyone on the tour remained barefoot. A short hike brought them all to the mouth of the cave. Thankfully Kate and Bren were on a guided tour which provided the latest technology and safety gear. They were given one candle each. Then they waded into the cave, obviously there was a river flowing through the cave because that is how they are formed. The crazy tour then lead them deeper into the cave. They reached a pool of water that needed to be crossed. The guide told everyone there were rocks so be careful when swimming. Holding their candles above their heads, trying not to use their feet for fear of sharp rocks, they doggy paddled with one arm. Kate and Bren climbed a few ladders and swam through a few more pools before they reached an underground waterfall. Now these Guatemalans know how much white people love stupid dangerous adventures because there was a rope leading up the waterfall. It was an optional climb but Kate and Bren did it anyway. Not thinking about the water pounding down into your face, or the wet rope, and definetly not considering they were in a dark cave with sharp slippery rocks at least (hopefully) four hours from a hospital. Everyone managed to scramble up the waterfall, only a few scrapes and bruises along the way. Deeper into the cave the guide showed them a "deep" pool and a cliff to jump off into it. Bren was foolish enough to attempt. He survived. That was the farthest into the cave the tour lead, so they turned around to make their way out. Swimming through the pools, down the waterfall, all while trying to keep at least one candle lit (so the others could be relit). On their way back through the cave there was a crack big enough for a person in the rocks. Water was flowing through the hole so no one could see, anything on the other side of the crack. With a few words of instructions our guide slipped through the crack leaving everyone hoping that they would make it through as well. Everyone made it, as all the people on the tour huddled together waiting for who knows what they began discussing how this tour would not be legal very many places in the world. Then when their guide came back they continued out of the cave. The sunlight never felt so nice.
Even though the adventures Kate and Bren had endured so far would have been worthy of the $25 it cost for the tour, it was not over. Next the guide led us to a bridge to jump off. Bren jumped off along with some of the other boys. They had a quick lunch then hiked up a very steep trail to a lookout above Semuc Champey. Semuc Champey is a national park located in the mountains. The hightlight of the national park is at the bottom of a valley where the river runs partially through a tunnel and partially through a series of pools and waterfalls. Arguably the most beautiful place seen so far by Kate and Bren. The guide led us to the big waterfall at the site, which of course we were going to jump off of. The guide claimed it was 20 meters high, but Bren as well as many of the others thought it was more like 14 meters or 45 feet. Whatever the height, all of the boys threw their bodies off. Surprisingly everyone survived yet again. Kate was kind enough not to jump off in order to take photos of all the guys, and preserve her life. You are welcome mom. The guide still had some aces up his sleeve. Everyone jumped off (yes even Kate) a smaller safer cliff. There was a natural waterslide which the guide safely pushed eveyone down. The guide then led us to the last thing on the tour, a rock wall. It was not very inpressive, but the guide instructed everyone to tilt their faces up so they could swim under the rocks where there was a space just big enough for your face, and the vital thing called air. Snaking our way through, while keeping their heads above water, until the guide said take a breath and swim for a little bit until you get out. Hmm that is descriptive. Hopefully his estimate of the time it takes to get above water is better than the estimate of the waterfall height. But yet again everyone trusted the guide and swam safely to saftey. Job well done. Everyone felt a little closer after all the near death experiences of the day. There were many crazy sketchy events that took place that day which everyone escaped without serious injury. However in the morning while Bren was walking to the rope swing he stepped on a sharp rock which punctured his foot. It was pretty deep and bleeding quite a bit, so with his medical knowledge he put on a sock and went ahead with the rest of the day. Kate was kind enough once they returned to the hostel to rinse out a few sand particles. It is still healing but does not seem to be infected.
Nine hour bus ride to Antigua...and here they are.
cheers,
B and K
Kate and Bren enjoyed their relaxing time in the quaint island town of Flores. They went swimming off the dock, caught a boat across the lake to a look out, and played Farkel with their new Canadian friends, Mason and Brit. Bren and Kate also went to a nearby national park to do some zip lining. There was also a nature walk with sky bridges at the same park. So why not? They started off into the jungle crossing a couple low sky bridges to get the feel for it. As they started to hike up the steep trail Kate started going crazy. Mentally, she was all there but somehow she managed to make angry a swarm of black flying insects. The bugs started biting her all over, their favorite thing to do was get stuck in her hair. Kate began to flail all her extremities and rip off her clothes. Bren decided it was a good idea to leave the area so he instructed Kate to continue fighting the bugs as she ran up the trail. Bren was gracious enough to hold her daypack as she fought the beasts. After the battle, all seemed to be safe but for the rest of the hike any hint of a flying insect sent shivers down their spines. Kate found some deceased insects that night in her hair as she showered.
Kate and Bren decided to leave Flores in style so they spent the extra money ($5 more each) not to ride a chicken bus out of town. They were headed half way down the country and decided that they would like their own seats for the nine hour bus ride. They arrived in the dark at Lanquin. Thankfully the Zephyr hostel had room since they have not been making reservations anywhere they go. However, they did have to sleep in the noisy, smokey loft above the bar. There were no doors and three other beds in the loft. The first night a cat decided to eat a hole in Kates bag in order to get to some tortiallas.
They woke up bright and early on Thanksgiving day. Kate and Bren had made plans to go on a tour of some caves and natural pools. They hopped in the back of a truck with four other guys from all over the world and rode along the winding mountain road picking up locals along the way, standing the entire time. When they arrived at their destination everyone stripped down to their bathing suits and prepared for the rope swing into the river. It was not just a rope that you swing on, it was a literal swing that one would sit on then awkwardly try to jump off when the guide yelled jump. Next it was into the cave. The guide insisted that no one should wear shoes. Even though the rocks are sharp, you have to swim and climb, and you can not see. But not knowing those things everyone on the tour remained barefoot. A short hike brought them all to the mouth of the cave. Thankfully Kate and Bren were on a guided tour which provided the latest technology and safety gear. They were given one candle each. Then they waded into the cave, obviously there was a river flowing through the cave because that is how they are formed. The crazy tour then lead them deeper into the cave. They reached a pool of water that needed to be crossed. The guide told everyone there were rocks so be careful when swimming. Holding their candles above their heads, trying not to use their feet for fear of sharp rocks, they doggy paddled with one arm. Kate and Bren climbed a few ladders and swam through a few more pools before they reached an underground waterfall. Now these Guatemalans know how much white people love stupid dangerous adventures because there was a rope leading up the waterfall. It was an optional climb but Kate and Bren did it anyway. Not thinking about the water pounding down into your face, or the wet rope, and definetly not considering they were in a dark cave with sharp slippery rocks at least (hopefully) four hours from a hospital. Everyone managed to scramble up the waterfall, only a few scrapes and bruises along the way. Deeper into the cave the guide showed them a "deep" pool and a cliff to jump off into it. Bren was foolish enough to attempt. He survived. That was the farthest into the cave the tour lead, so they turned around to make their way out. Swimming through the pools, down the waterfall, all while trying to keep at least one candle lit (so the others could be relit). On their way back through the cave there was a crack big enough for a person in the rocks. Water was flowing through the hole so no one could see, anything on the other side of the crack. With a few words of instructions our guide slipped through the crack leaving everyone hoping that they would make it through as well. Everyone made it, as all the people on the tour huddled together waiting for who knows what they began discussing how this tour would not be legal very many places in the world. Then when their guide came back they continued out of the cave. The sunlight never felt so nice.
Even though the adventures Kate and Bren had endured so far would have been worthy of the $25 it cost for the tour, it was not over. Next the guide led us to a bridge to jump off. Bren jumped off along with some of the other boys. They had a quick lunch then hiked up a very steep trail to a lookout above Semuc Champey. Semuc Champey is a national park located in the mountains. The hightlight of the national park is at the bottom of a valley where the river runs partially through a tunnel and partially through a series of pools and waterfalls. Arguably the most beautiful place seen so far by Kate and Bren. The guide led us to the big waterfall at the site, which of course we were going to jump off of. The guide claimed it was 20 meters high, but Bren as well as many of the others thought it was more like 14 meters or 45 feet. Whatever the height, all of the boys threw their bodies off. Surprisingly everyone survived yet again. Kate was kind enough not to jump off in order to take photos of all the guys, and preserve her life. You are welcome mom. The guide still had some aces up his sleeve. Everyone jumped off (yes even Kate) a smaller safer cliff. There was a natural waterslide which the guide safely pushed eveyone down. The guide then led us to the last thing on the tour, a rock wall. It was not very inpressive, but the guide instructed everyone to tilt their faces up so they could swim under the rocks where there was a space just big enough for your face, and the vital thing called air. Snaking our way through, while keeping their heads above water, until the guide said take a breath and swim for a little bit until you get out. Hmm that is descriptive. Hopefully his estimate of the time it takes to get above water is better than the estimate of the waterfall height. But yet again everyone trusted the guide and swam safely to saftey. Job well done. Everyone felt a little closer after all the near death experiences of the day. There were many crazy sketchy events that took place that day which everyone escaped without serious injury. However in the morning while Bren was walking to the rope swing he stepped on a sharp rock which punctured his foot. It was pretty deep and bleeding quite a bit, so with his medical knowledge he put on a sock and went ahead with the rest of the day. Kate was kind enough once they returned to the hostel to rinse out a few sand particles. It is still healing but does not seem to be infected.
Nine hour bus ride to Antigua...and here they are.
cheers,
B and K
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Fleeing the Country
"some people walk in the rain; others just get wet" -unknown-
Kate and Bren woke up on their last day in Belize and went to the farmers market. It was a banana morning, they had banana chocolate chip muffins, banana bread, banana chips, and just straight bananas. They also enjoyed a fresh banana free breakfast burrito. They packed their bags and hopped in a taxi that took them to the border.
They paid the exit fee, exchanged money, dodged fake entry fees, and avoided expensive taxies. Bren and Kate squished inside a minibus for their first (but not last) time en route to El Ramete. However they had to get dropped of on the side of the road at a junction two miles from their destination. Luckily a taxi pulled up as they exited the minibus.
These young adults had a plan to see Tikal from El Remate but what they did not plan for was the lack of an ATM in the town. After booking their trip to Tikal and two nights at the hostel they counted their money and realized they may have enough but they would not be able to eat for two days. Could they survive on four granola bars and a half bottle of fermented honey? The strong and capable adventurers decided they could easily do this but thought it would be awful. So they canceled their trip and the second night in the hostel and cried a little. They thought they would take a break from all that thinking and heartbreak and relax in the hammocks with their books. Three minutes later...LIGHTBULB! They realized it was only one in the afternoon and they could easily catch a minibus to Santa Elena. They took out some Quetzales and hit up the Maxi Bodega (grocery store) for some snacks and a bottle of new honey. Bren and Kate waited at the bus stop never expecting what came next. The minibus pulled up after a long wait, it seemed full, very full. They stood at the door looking in and started thinking they would have to wait again. But after a little bit of rearranging the bus boy said, "come on in". Kate found a spot wedged under a seat with a little kid kicking her in the back. Bren was a little more fortunate, he stood hunched over on one leg by the door leaning on one arm trying not to fall on the old lady in front of him. They looked around and counted a total of 30 people and their luggage/groceries/birthday presents/piñatas in the minibus, which was probably a little smaller than a 15 passenger van. Upon their return they rebooked their room and trip.
5:00 am cockadoodle doo, cockadoodle DOO!
5:15 am Beep beep, beep, beep beep.
5:30 am The minibus arrives (with no other passengers)
6:30 am arrive at Tikal
6:32 am The driver informs Kate and Bren that they only have until 2 pm to be back in the minibus
6:36 am Kate and Bren are the first people (FACT!) to enter the park
After attempting to interpret two not to scale maps Kate and Bren set off to the Grand Plaza. It was a misty morning and as they approached the plaza two giant temples protruded from the fog. Dissapointed that they could not climb the temples they scurried up another large structure to eat breakfast and enjoy the magnificent view. After eating tortillas, honey, and minibananas they found a scary, steep, not trustworthy staircase leading to the top of one of the "unclimbable" temples. So of course they climbed it. Then they picked an arbitrary second destination and started walking along a trail to find Temple V. The trails were marked in minutes but Bren and Kate made record time everywhere they went in an attempt to see everything at the site of Tikal. They thought it was going to be easy to see everything in seven hours (based off of the other Mayan ruins they visited) they even brought books. WRONG! big mistake. This park was huge, they power walked for 6 hours covering between 15-18 miles only missing a few small structures. Temple V was a massive and more a impressive temple when compared to the Grand Plaza according to the expert opinions of Kate and Bren. Moving on past many other ruins and wild turkeys, (Happy Thanksgiving) they arrived at Temple IV, the tallest temple in Meso America. It stretched to a towering 70 meters (229.658793 feet, for all you North Americans) and provided a panoramic view of the entire site of Tikal. They were able to see many temples poking out above the canopy of the jungle. Kate and Bren took all the small trails that tours did not lead down to try and satisfy the initiative No Temple Left Behind. Blah blah blah, temples, bats, monkeys, lunch, gatorade, temples, doritos, Mayan ruins, stairs, white nosed coatis, sweat, look out point, no look out point, grey fox, and revisit some favorite temples. Tikal done. Bren and Kate were both thankful not to have been on a slow and boring four hour tour.
1:55 pm get on the minibus
Off to Flores,
Bren and Kate
Kate and Bren woke up on their last day in Belize and went to the farmers market. It was a banana morning, they had banana chocolate chip muffins, banana bread, banana chips, and just straight bananas. They also enjoyed a fresh banana free breakfast burrito. They packed their bags and hopped in a taxi that took them to the border.
They paid the exit fee, exchanged money, dodged fake entry fees, and avoided expensive taxies. Bren and Kate squished inside a minibus for their first (but not last) time en route to El Ramete. However they had to get dropped of on the side of the road at a junction two miles from their destination. Luckily a taxi pulled up as they exited the minibus.
These young adults had a plan to see Tikal from El Remate but what they did not plan for was the lack of an ATM in the town. After booking their trip to Tikal and two nights at the hostel they counted their money and realized they may have enough but they would not be able to eat for two days. Could they survive on four granola bars and a half bottle of fermented honey? The strong and capable adventurers decided they could easily do this but thought it would be awful. So they canceled their trip and the second night in the hostel and cried a little. They thought they would take a break from all that thinking and heartbreak and relax in the hammocks with their books. Three minutes later...LIGHTBULB! They realized it was only one in the afternoon and they could easily catch a minibus to Santa Elena. They took out some Quetzales and hit up the Maxi Bodega (grocery store) for some snacks and a bottle of new honey. Bren and Kate waited at the bus stop never expecting what came next. The minibus pulled up after a long wait, it seemed full, very full. They stood at the door looking in and started thinking they would have to wait again. But after a little bit of rearranging the bus boy said, "come on in". Kate found a spot wedged under a seat with a little kid kicking her in the back. Bren was a little more fortunate, he stood hunched over on one leg by the door leaning on one arm trying not to fall on the old lady in front of him. They looked around and counted a total of 30 people and their luggage/groceries/birthday presents/piñatas in the minibus, which was probably a little smaller than a 15 passenger van. Upon their return they rebooked their room and trip.
5:00 am cockadoodle doo, cockadoodle DOO!
5:15 am Beep beep, beep, beep beep.
5:30 am The minibus arrives (with no other passengers)
6:30 am arrive at Tikal
6:32 am The driver informs Kate and Bren that they only have until 2 pm to be back in the minibus
6:36 am Kate and Bren are the first people (FACT!) to enter the park
After attempting to interpret two not to scale maps Kate and Bren set off to the Grand Plaza. It was a misty morning and as they approached the plaza two giant temples protruded from the fog. Dissapointed that they could not climb the temples they scurried up another large structure to eat breakfast and enjoy the magnificent view. After eating tortillas, honey, and minibananas they found a scary, steep, not trustworthy staircase leading to the top of one of the "unclimbable" temples. So of course they climbed it. Then they picked an arbitrary second destination and started walking along a trail to find Temple V. The trails were marked in minutes but Bren and Kate made record time everywhere they went in an attempt to see everything at the site of Tikal. They thought it was going to be easy to see everything in seven hours (based off of the other Mayan ruins they visited) they even brought books. WRONG! big mistake. This park was huge, they power walked for 6 hours covering between 15-18 miles only missing a few small structures. Temple V was a massive and more a impressive temple when compared to the Grand Plaza according to the expert opinions of Kate and Bren. Moving on past many other ruins and wild turkeys, (Happy Thanksgiving) they arrived at Temple IV, the tallest temple in Meso America. It stretched to a towering 70 meters (229.658793 feet, for all you North Americans) and provided a panoramic view of the entire site of Tikal. They were able to see many temples poking out above the canopy of the jungle. Kate and Bren took all the small trails that tours did not lead down to try and satisfy the initiative No Temple Left Behind. Blah blah blah, temples, bats, monkeys, lunch, gatorade, temples, doritos, Mayan ruins, stairs, white nosed coatis, sweat, look out point, no look out point, grey fox, and revisit some favorite temples. Tikal done. Bren and Kate were both thankful not to have been on a slow and boring four hour tour.
1:55 pm get on the minibus
Off to Flores,
Bren and Kate
Friday, November 18, 2011
highs and lows: that is above and below ground
"I got lost in the night, and when the night surrounded me I was born again. I was the owner of the darkness"
-Pablo Neruda-
KJK and BMB (Kate Jaclyn Keyes and Bren Maxey Byerley) decided they wanted to see a Mayan ruin which was more impressive that Cahal Pech but would not trump Caracol, so they 'settled' for Xunantunich (shoo-nahn-too-neech). Located just a short bus ride, a hand cranked ferry, and a one mile walk away from San Ignacio. They spotted an American couple on the bus from St. Louis but did not feel comfortable enough to say hello until after the ferry ride, the long walk, and meeting them again on top of a temple. Then Kate Jaclyn Keyes and Bren Maxey Byerley felt that it was so awkward they must talk to them. Eric and Debbie turned out to be very nice and helped Kate Jaclyn Keyes and Bren Maxey Byerley choose a tour company for their next trips. Kate Jaclyn Keyes and Bren Maxey Byerley also shared some information about Hopkins and the Cockscomb area. While conversing with the 'mericans Kate Jaclyn Keyes and Bren Maxey Byerley enjoyed a 360 degree view of the surrounding area as well as their first glimpses of Guatemala.
On a side note, Kate Jaclyn Keyes and Bren Maxey Byerley will be leaving Belize soon so they wanted to share with you some of the delicacies they have encountered.
1. wagon wheels: probably not very good for you puffed snacks that Bren Maxey Byerley may even consider getting again. *Better with Marie Sharps hot sauce*
2. Belizian foam wrapped pears: look like pears, feel like pears, taste like super bad. Sour bitter aftertaste leaves you not wanting more.
3. the mysterious red apple pear thing: soft and easy to bite into but it leaves a super gritty feeling on your teeth similar to fluoride at the dentist.
4. tamarindo candies: pure sugar balls made from the fruit of a tamarind. Kate Jaclyn Keyes and Bren Maxey Byerley could not even get close to finishing that sweet treat. calling those candy or a treat is pretty generous
5. Banana chips: sliced, fried and salted. These crunchy chips made from bananas are one of Kate Jaclyn Keyes and Bren Maxey Byerley's favorite local snacks *the locals drown them with ketchup*
6. empanades, empanadas, or panadas: fried bread stuffed with chicken/fish and topped with onions and hot sauce. The various spellings throughout the country tricked Kate Jaclyn Keyes and Bren Maxey Byerley to thinking they were trying something new. nope.
Everyone told Kate Jaclyn Keyes and Bren Maxey Byerley to go to the ATM, thankfully they were not being robbed at knife point but rather being informed about one of the gems of Belize. Actun Tunichil Muknal (ATM), means the cave of the stone sepulcher in Mayan. This tour started off with a drive down a bumpy road for only half an hour before we arrived at a parking lot. YES! Then Kate Jaclyn Keyes and Bren Maxey Byerley hiked for 45 minutes wading through the raging river three times before they reached the mouth of the cave. They put on safety gear, helmets and headlamps, then followed their guide as he jumped into the river and swam into the darkness. Once they were inside they followed the twists and turns of the caves, jumping on rocks, wading, and sometimes swimming. Occasionally squeezing their bodies through small crevices in the rocks until they reached some larger dry chambers which they had to climb up into. The Cathedral Chamber was the first and largest chamber these brave spelunkers arrived in. Kate Jaclyn Keyes and Bren Maxey Byerley began to see evidence of the ancient Mayan Elites who held sacred ceremonies and sacrifices in this cave. There were ceramics of many different sizes and shapes calcified into the ground which most likely held food offerings or collected holy water which dripped of the stalagmites or stalactites. The stalactites are thought to be the roots of the sacred Ceiba tree. As they continued walking around and taking in the views of different formations in the underworld they also began to find human remains, one of which was an almost complete skeleton of a 'princess'. There is evidence that all the human remains are from sacrifice. Then Kate Jaclyn Keyes and Bren Maxey Byerley left the cave.
Who doesn't love waking up in the morning and riding in the back of a 15 passenger van for three hours on the most bumpy road known to man (FACT!)? Probably some people don't, like Kate Jaclyn Keyes and Bren Maxey Byerley but they did it anyways and it was worth it. The bumpy road led them to Caracol the most impressive Mayan ruin in Belize (FACT!). Caracol is or used to be a very large city, possible containing 150,000 people. It contains the tallest building in Belize called Caana which means sky place (FACT!). Kate Jaclyn Keyes and Bren Maxey Byerley summited this giant 141 foot temple. At the top of Caana Kate Jaclyn Keyes and Bren Maxey Byerley discovered a plaza, sleeping quarters, tombs, and maybe even some sacrificial altars. This was unlike all the other ruins they have visited which do not have living quarters on top. As Kate Jaclyn Keyes and Bren Maxey Byerley further explored the site of Caracol they came across several other large structures one of which was called the Temple of the Wooden Lintel. This structure was built so that the rising of the sun would be in a certain position, during the solstices and the equanox, when looking at the temple from the top of the temple across the plaza (FACT!). On the long awful drive back to San Ignacio the tour stopped at the Rio on Pools, which was a small series of waterfalls and connecting pools. Kate Jaclyn Keyes and Bren Maxey Byerley were the only people out of the tour group 'brave' enough to go for a refreshing dip.
We miss you,
Kate Jaclyn Keyes and Bren Maxey Byerley
-Pablo Neruda-
KJK and BMB (Kate Jaclyn Keyes and Bren Maxey Byerley) decided they wanted to see a Mayan ruin which was more impressive that Cahal Pech but would not trump Caracol, so they 'settled' for Xunantunich (shoo-nahn-too-neech). Located just a short bus ride, a hand cranked ferry, and a one mile walk away from San Ignacio. They spotted an American couple on the bus from St. Louis but did not feel comfortable enough to say hello until after the ferry ride, the long walk, and meeting them again on top of a temple. Then Kate Jaclyn Keyes and Bren Maxey Byerley felt that it was so awkward they must talk to them. Eric and Debbie turned out to be very nice and helped Kate Jaclyn Keyes and Bren Maxey Byerley choose a tour company for their next trips. Kate Jaclyn Keyes and Bren Maxey Byerley also shared some information about Hopkins and the Cockscomb area. While conversing with the 'mericans Kate Jaclyn Keyes and Bren Maxey Byerley enjoyed a 360 degree view of the surrounding area as well as their first glimpses of Guatemala.
On a side note, Kate Jaclyn Keyes and Bren Maxey Byerley will be leaving Belize soon so they wanted to share with you some of the delicacies they have encountered.
1. wagon wheels: probably not very good for you puffed snacks that Bren Maxey Byerley may even consider getting again. *Better with Marie Sharps hot sauce*
2. Belizian foam wrapped pears: look like pears, feel like pears, taste like super bad. Sour bitter aftertaste leaves you not wanting more.
3. the mysterious red apple pear thing: soft and easy to bite into but it leaves a super gritty feeling on your teeth similar to fluoride at the dentist.
4. tamarindo candies: pure sugar balls made from the fruit of a tamarind. Kate Jaclyn Keyes and Bren Maxey Byerley could not even get close to finishing that sweet treat. calling those candy or a treat is pretty generous
5. Banana chips: sliced, fried and salted. These crunchy chips made from bananas are one of Kate Jaclyn Keyes and Bren Maxey Byerley's favorite local snacks *the locals drown them with ketchup*
6. empanades, empanadas, or panadas: fried bread stuffed with chicken/fish and topped with onions and hot sauce. The various spellings throughout the country tricked Kate Jaclyn Keyes and Bren Maxey Byerley to thinking they were trying something new. nope.
Everyone told Kate Jaclyn Keyes and Bren Maxey Byerley to go to the ATM, thankfully they were not being robbed at knife point but rather being informed about one of the gems of Belize. Actun Tunichil Muknal (ATM), means the cave of the stone sepulcher in Mayan. This tour started off with a drive down a bumpy road for only half an hour before we arrived at a parking lot. YES! Then Kate Jaclyn Keyes and Bren Maxey Byerley hiked for 45 minutes wading through the raging river three times before they reached the mouth of the cave. They put on safety gear, helmets and headlamps, then followed their guide as he jumped into the river and swam into the darkness. Once they were inside they followed the twists and turns of the caves, jumping on rocks, wading, and sometimes swimming. Occasionally squeezing their bodies through small crevices in the rocks until they reached some larger dry chambers which they had to climb up into. The Cathedral Chamber was the first and largest chamber these brave spelunkers arrived in. Kate Jaclyn Keyes and Bren Maxey Byerley began to see evidence of the ancient Mayan Elites who held sacred ceremonies and sacrifices in this cave. There were ceramics of many different sizes and shapes calcified into the ground which most likely held food offerings or collected holy water which dripped of the stalagmites or stalactites. The stalactites are thought to be the roots of the sacred Ceiba tree. As they continued walking around and taking in the views of different formations in the underworld they also began to find human remains, one of which was an almost complete skeleton of a 'princess'. There is evidence that all the human remains are from sacrifice. Then Kate Jaclyn Keyes and Bren Maxey Byerley left the cave.
Who doesn't love waking up in the morning and riding in the back of a 15 passenger van for three hours on the most bumpy road known to man (FACT!)? Probably some people don't, like Kate Jaclyn Keyes and Bren Maxey Byerley but they did it anyways and it was worth it. The bumpy road led them to Caracol the most impressive Mayan ruin in Belize (FACT!). Caracol is or used to be a very large city, possible containing 150,000 people. It contains the tallest building in Belize called Caana which means sky place (FACT!). Kate Jaclyn Keyes and Bren Maxey Byerley summited this giant 141 foot temple. At the top of Caana Kate Jaclyn Keyes and Bren Maxey Byerley discovered a plaza, sleeping quarters, tombs, and maybe even some sacrificial altars. This was unlike all the other ruins they have visited which do not have living quarters on top. As Kate Jaclyn Keyes and Bren Maxey Byerley further explored the site of Caracol they came across several other large structures one of which was called the Temple of the Wooden Lintel. This structure was built so that the rising of the sun would be in a certain position, during the solstices and the equanox, when looking at the temple from the top of the temple across the plaza (FACT!). On the long awful drive back to San Ignacio the tour stopped at the Rio on Pools, which was a small series of waterfalls and connecting pools. Kate Jaclyn Keyes and Bren Maxey Byerley were the only people out of the tour group 'brave' enough to go for a refreshing dip.
We miss you,
Kate Jaclyn Keyes and Bren Maxey Byerley
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Away from the sea
"The afternoon knows what the morning never suspected." -Swedish Proverb-
Bren and Kate stayed another night at the crazy hippie house. Trish made them a wonderful dinner with salad, Thai noodles, and skate (similar to sting ray). This was Bren and Kate's first experience with skate. The last thing to mention about the Kismet Inn was the outdoor shower. The cool water came flowing out of a conch shell, NEAT!
Then the two travelers were off to the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary with the high hopes of seeing a jaguar in the wild. No such luck but on the plus side they were not eaten by wild jaguars. CBWS is in the rainforest. There are a few buildings to stay in surrounded by trails. Upon arrival, they hiked up Ben's Bluff viewpoint where (if not cloudy) one can see Victoria's Peak, the second highest mountain in Belize. On the way back down they visited a waterfall and stopped for long enough to enjoy a swim. They went to bed early because they had plans to wake up at six to go on a morning hike.
The antelope trail was a pleasant 7 km morning stroll through the woods. They managed to see a rabbit squirrel thing and some birds. After refueling the brave children (Bren and Kate) put on their swimmers and rented some tubes with the hopes of floating down a river. They succeeded. They slowly drifted down the jungle river singing the 'bare necessities' and taking in the view. Then after more refueling on ramen noodles they set their sights on the gem of the afternoon, the double falls. A fairly challenging hike up the Tiger Fern trail led them to some quality swimming in the pools below the falls. Bren jumped from one of the falls making the adventure complete. Then they took some time to meditate perched on some giant boulders between the two waterfalls. It was off to bed early again for another early start the next day.
5:30 am came quickly and Bren and Kate got up in the dark, ate breakfast and put on their packs for the 7 mile hike out of CBWS back to the bus stop along the highway. They decided this hike was necessary because of the $20.00 cab fare to get out of the park was too costly! Upon reaching the highway they caught the first of three buses that would eventually take them inland to San Ignacio. The bus rides were long and packed but and they survived a little bit of vomit and managed to keep their large packs on their laps despite the bus boys who really wanted to place them in the back with the rest of the luggage.
Bren and Kate stepped off the last bus at about 12:30 and found their next temporary home at Bella's Backpackers Hostel where they settled in for the evening and just relaxed from the long travel day. The next day they wandered up to the second Mayan ruin of this trip, Cahal Pech. More impressive than Santa Rita in the North, this ruin had multiple buildings and plazas to explore and a visitors center that gave a brief overview of this site's history. Cool.
Regards,
Bren and Kate
Bren and Kate stayed another night at the crazy hippie house. Trish made them a wonderful dinner with salad, Thai noodles, and skate (similar to sting ray). This was Bren and Kate's first experience with skate. The last thing to mention about the Kismet Inn was the outdoor shower. The cool water came flowing out of a conch shell, NEAT!
Then the two travelers were off to the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary with the high hopes of seeing a jaguar in the wild. No such luck but on the plus side they were not eaten by wild jaguars. CBWS is in the rainforest. There are a few buildings to stay in surrounded by trails. Upon arrival, they hiked up Ben's Bluff viewpoint where (if not cloudy) one can see Victoria's Peak, the second highest mountain in Belize. On the way back down they visited a waterfall and stopped for long enough to enjoy a swim. They went to bed early because they had plans to wake up at six to go on a morning hike.
The antelope trail was a pleasant 7 km morning stroll through the woods. They managed to see a rabbit squirrel thing and some birds. After refueling the brave children (Bren and Kate) put on their swimmers and rented some tubes with the hopes of floating down a river. They succeeded. They slowly drifted down the jungle river singing the 'bare necessities' and taking in the view. Then after more refueling on ramen noodles they set their sights on the gem of the afternoon, the double falls. A fairly challenging hike up the Tiger Fern trail led them to some quality swimming in the pools below the falls. Bren jumped from one of the falls making the adventure complete. Then they took some time to meditate perched on some giant boulders between the two waterfalls. It was off to bed early again for another early start the next day.
5:30 am came quickly and Bren and Kate got up in the dark, ate breakfast and put on their packs for the 7 mile hike out of CBWS back to the bus stop along the highway. They decided this hike was necessary because of the $20.00 cab fare to get out of the park was too costly! Upon reaching the highway they caught the first of three buses that would eventually take them inland to San Ignacio. The bus rides were long and packed but and they survived a little bit of vomit and managed to keep their large packs on their laps despite the bus boys who really wanted to place them in the back with the rest of the luggage.
Bren and Kate stepped off the last bus at about 12:30 and found their next temporary home at Bella's Backpackers Hostel where they settled in for the evening and just relaxed from the long travel day. The next day they wandered up to the second Mayan ruin of this trip, Cahal Pech. More impressive than Santa Rita in the North, this ruin had multiple buildings and plazas to explore and a visitors center that gave a brief overview of this site's history. Cool.
Regards,
Bren and Kate
Friday, November 11, 2011
A hop, skip and a jump
"If you have any notion of where you are going, you will never get anywhere." - John Miro
We woke up in Corozal Town at 8:30 ready to get out and see what the town had to offer. First we got some breakfast at the local market. Bananas, oranges, and chicken taquitos. YUM! Then off to our first Mayan Ruin of the trip, Santa Rita. It was small but old. We were looking for a way to make our own meals so we went to a tortilla factory. It was a small little building which badly needed air conditioning. We bought two pounds of tortillas and went on our way. I scream. You scream. We all scream for ICE CREAM! Even with all the yelling we were able to enjoy our ice cream cones. Then back to the hostel to rest. We sat down in some chairs, satisfied with all we saw that day and talked about how we had pretty much done all we needed to do in Corozal Town. Bren looked at his watch and realized it was only 11:15 am. So we read and played games the rest of the day.
Needless to say, we were ready to move on the next morning, so we jumped on a bus back to Belize City only to catch another bus heading South to Dangringa a larger beach town that is home to the Garifuna Caribbean culture. We stayed one night and wandered the town for more cheap eats from side street venders. We ended up with the standard fried panades and were invited to hear some drumming later on at a bar down the street. When we went out at 9:00 the bar was closed and the streets were pretty quiet so we headed back to get some sleep and be ready for another day of travel... to Hopkins. The bus left at around 10:00 the next morning and we arrived in Hopkins around 1:00.
We stepped off the bus and followed the brightly colored signs for Kismet Inn and Eatery about 15 minutes down the road. The bright blue hostel is run by Trish, the crazy hippie lady as she calls herself and her boyfriend Elvis. This is the most eclectic and fun place we have encountered. The rooms are full of fun paintings done by Trish herself and lots of cool beachy artifacts. Trish was introducing Bren to Elvis when she called Kate 'Bren's Women'. Bren told her that they were not a couple and that he actually had a girlfriend back in Washington. Trish replied, "oh a girl in every country". Bren decided that at this point it was not worth the effort.
There are a wide variety of chickens that wander around the grounds and at least 4 dogs that call this place home as well. Bren and Kate have adopted BB King a black lab as their newest friend. He and two other pups accompanied them on their canoe journey. They rented a canoe from Trish and paddled down the ocean and then into a winding river and a maze of mangrove trees leading out to a huge crocodile and manatee filled lagoon. Although they didn't spot any manatees there were several jellyfish and lots of cool birds to be seen. An hour and a half later they and all three dogs made it back in one piece but they had worked up quite the appetite after all that paddling. Next stop, Driftwood pizzeria on the beach. They enjoyed a pineapple cheese pizza and tossed around a frisbee on the beach. Refueled and ready to go, Bren and Kate hopped on the bikes and headed back into town in search of a bakery and some other items for our next adventure.
Hasta Luego,
Bren'n'Kate
We woke up in Corozal Town at 8:30 ready to get out and see what the town had to offer. First we got some breakfast at the local market. Bananas, oranges, and chicken taquitos. YUM! Then off to our first Mayan Ruin of the trip, Santa Rita. It was small but old. We were looking for a way to make our own meals so we went to a tortilla factory. It was a small little building which badly needed air conditioning. We bought two pounds of tortillas and went on our way. I scream. You scream. We all scream for ICE CREAM! Even with all the yelling we were able to enjoy our ice cream cones. Then back to the hostel to rest. We sat down in some chairs, satisfied with all we saw that day and talked about how we had pretty much done all we needed to do in Corozal Town. Bren looked at his watch and realized it was only 11:15 am. So we read and played games the rest of the day.
Needless to say, we were ready to move on the next morning, so we jumped on a bus back to Belize City only to catch another bus heading South to Dangringa a larger beach town that is home to the Garifuna Caribbean culture. We stayed one night and wandered the town for more cheap eats from side street venders. We ended up with the standard fried panades and were invited to hear some drumming later on at a bar down the street. When we went out at 9:00 the bar was closed and the streets were pretty quiet so we headed back to get some sleep and be ready for another day of travel... to Hopkins. The bus left at around 10:00 the next morning and we arrived in Hopkins around 1:00.
We stepped off the bus and followed the brightly colored signs for Kismet Inn and Eatery about 15 minutes down the road. The bright blue hostel is run by Trish, the crazy hippie lady as she calls herself and her boyfriend Elvis. This is the most eclectic and fun place we have encountered. The rooms are full of fun paintings done by Trish herself and lots of cool beachy artifacts. Trish was introducing Bren to Elvis when she called Kate 'Bren's Women'. Bren told her that they were not a couple and that he actually had a girlfriend back in Washington. Trish replied, "oh a girl in every country". Bren decided that at this point it was not worth the effort.
There are a wide variety of chickens that wander around the grounds and at least 4 dogs that call this place home as well. Bren and Kate have adopted BB King a black lab as their newest friend. He and two other pups accompanied them on their canoe journey. They rented a canoe from Trish and paddled down the ocean and then into a winding river and a maze of mangrove trees leading out to a huge crocodile and manatee filled lagoon. Although they didn't spot any manatees there were several jellyfish and lots of cool birds to be seen. An hour and a half later they and all three dogs made it back in one piece but they had worked up quite the appetite after all that paddling. Next stop, Driftwood pizzeria on the beach. They enjoyed a pineapple cheese pizza and tossed around a frisbee on the beach. Refueled and ready to go, Bren and Kate hopped on the bikes and headed back into town in search of a bakery and some other items for our next adventure.
Hasta Luego,
Bren'n'Kate
Monday, November 7, 2011
sharks, rays, and chicken poop
"If the phone don't ring, you'll know it's me." - written on the wall of the Tex Mex diner we found on our bike adventure
Are they really playing chicken poop roulette? YOU BETTA BELIZE IT!
We are already 20 over capacity on this bus. Can we fit one more?? YOU BETTA BELIZE IT!
Is it really a 12% tax at select restaurants? YOU BETTA BELIZE IT! (FU Ali Baba)
Did they really play music at 1:00am and then start again at 5:00am ... Right outside your window? YOU BETTA BELIZE IT!
Did "the FUR" really make it all the way down here?? YOU BETTA BELIZE IT!
Was the Blue Hole totally spectacular? YOU BETTA BELIZE IT!
Is it hot here? YOU BETTA BELIZE IT!
Are we having an awful time? NO! We are having fun.
Bren went on a scuba trip to the Blue Hole. It is 30 miles off the coast, 1000 ft across, 500 ft deep, surrounded by coral, and blue. He dove down, on his deepest dive of his life, to a depth of 125 ft. At about 100 ft down Bren started to see the tops of huge stalactites. Some of them were six feet across and 40 ft tall. He was able to swim in between them. He was only down at depth for eight minutes before needing to start the slow assent to the surface. On the way up Bren saw the silhouettes of two big sharks as well as the tops of several others swimming below him. Kinda eerie. He had two more dives that day but off of crescent moon island. Here he was able to enjoy more color, more fish, and less depth. He saw lion fish, turtles, lobster, and schools of thousands of fish that would part around you as you swam through them. He managed to get stung inside the mouth by a jellyfish. While Bren was off on this adventure Kate was.sleeping in! She woke up late, took a real shower and wandered around town to find a place that was still serving breakfast. She sat down at Ruby's Cafe to have a cinnamon roll and a cup of coffee with a few of the locals. After chatting awhile she wandered up the beach to find a shady spot to read and journal for awhile. The sun was hot, but it was a beautiful day on the island and it was fun to visit with some of the locals. In Belize the official language is English, but most everyone also speaks Spanish as well as an interesting blend of the two. The people seem proud of their English roots, and according to the man at the ice cream shop that Kate found later that afternoon, school is conducted mostly in English here because they speak Spanish in the home. It has been easy to communicate with people, but difficult to understand them if they are just talking amongst each other! Overall it was a good day of rest for Kate and adventure for Bren!
Bren and Kate woke up the next day to go snorkeling at the Hol Chan marine reserve and Shark Ray Alley about a half mile off the island. We(we know sometimes we are changing between 1st and 3rd person, sorry) were picked up off of the Yacht Club dock by Serious Adventure tour company and they took us on a guided tour of the reef. First at Hol Chan there was a natural channel lined by coral reef on either side. As soon as we were in the water we were surrounded by fish. Carlos our guide pointed out everything from turtles to eagle rays. Bren dove down to swim through a natural coral tunnel only to encounter a rather large fish inside. The coral was beautiful and the wildlife was abundant! BUT, it was nothing compared to what Shark Ray Alley had to offer.
As soon as the boat pulled in to our next snorkeling destination we were surrounded by 4-6ft long nurse sharks and a multitude of sting rays. So, we jumped in! At first Kate was terrified and stayed right next to Bren and as close to the top of the water as was physically possible, but with time she gained a bit of courage and ventured out on her own. At this point Bren had discovered that if he laid on the bottom (it was about 10ft deep here) that the sting rays would swim over the top of him/right into him. Good thing Kate had the camera to capture this risky moment. Carlos our guide put food in the conch shells to attract the sharks and rays so that he could go down and grab one. Bren and Kate both touched the slimy sting ray and the rough nurse sharks, but Kate turned and got the heck out of there as fast as she could after touching them!
Kate and Bren followed their snorkeling adventure by renting bikes from the hostel and touring the south and north ends of the island. They followed the rough sand/dirt roads through the mangroves until they finally arrived at ... the Dump! Woops, they should have followed the signs and headed towards the beach. They found a nice TexMex restaurant to the south of town where they enjoyed a plate of chips and fresh guacamole... and plenty of water! As they continued North they decided to off road it and ride along the shore of the beach. Luckily you can do this because according to the locals, the Queen owns 66ft of land next to the ocean so none of the beaches can be private. This was a bonus for us as we avoided some pot holes and enjoyed an incredible view along the way.
Did they see Crazy Stupid Love at the Paradise Theatre to close out their day? YOU BETTA BELIZE IT!
This morning Bren and Kate took a water taxi to Belize City where they caught a bus North to Corozal Town where they will be staying for the next couple of days.
Awesome,
Kate and Bren
Are they really playing chicken poop roulette? YOU BETTA BELIZE IT!
We are already 20 over capacity on this bus. Can we fit one more?? YOU BETTA BELIZE IT!
Is it really a 12% tax at select restaurants? YOU BETTA BELIZE IT! (FU Ali Baba)
Did they really play music at 1:00am and then start again at 5:00am ... Right outside your window? YOU BETTA BELIZE IT!
Did "the FUR" really make it all the way down here?? YOU BETTA BELIZE IT!
Was the Blue Hole totally spectacular? YOU BETTA BELIZE IT!
Is it hot here? YOU BETTA BELIZE IT!
Are we having an awful time? NO! We are having fun.
Bren went on a scuba trip to the Blue Hole. It is 30 miles off the coast, 1000 ft across, 500 ft deep, surrounded by coral, and blue. He dove down, on his deepest dive of his life, to a depth of 125 ft. At about 100 ft down Bren started to see the tops of huge stalactites. Some of them were six feet across and 40 ft tall. He was able to swim in between them. He was only down at depth for eight minutes before needing to start the slow assent to the surface. On the way up Bren saw the silhouettes of two big sharks as well as the tops of several others swimming below him. Kinda eerie. He had two more dives that day but off of crescent moon island. Here he was able to enjoy more color, more fish, and less depth. He saw lion fish, turtles, lobster, and schools of thousands of fish that would part around you as you swam through them. He managed to get stung inside the mouth by a jellyfish. While Bren was off on this adventure Kate was.sleeping in! She woke up late, took a real shower and wandered around town to find a place that was still serving breakfast. She sat down at Ruby's Cafe to have a cinnamon roll and a cup of coffee with a few of the locals. After chatting awhile she wandered up the beach to find a shady spot to read and journal for awhile. The sun was hot, but it was a beautiful day on the island and it was fun to visit with some of the locals. In Belize the official language is English, but most everyone also speaks Spanish as well as an interesting blend of the two. The people seem proud of their English roots, and according to the man at the ice cream shop that Kate found later that afternoon, school is conducted mostly in English here because they speak Spanish in the home. It has been easy to communicate with people, but difficult to understand them if they are just talking amongst each other! Overall it was a good day of rest for Kate and adventure for Bren!
Bren and Kate woke up the next day to go snorkeling at the Hol Chan marine reserve and Shark Ray Alley about a half mile off the island. We(we know sometimes we are changing between 1st and 3rd person, sorry) were picked up off of the Yacht Club dock by Serious Adventure tour company and they took us on a guided tour of the reef. First at Hol Chan there was a natural channel lined by coral reef on either side. As soon as we were in the water we were surrounded by fish. Carlos our guide pointed out everything from turtles to eagle rays. Bren dove down to swim through a natural coral tunnel only to encounter a rather large fish inside. The coral was beautiful and the wildlife was abundant! BUT, it was nothing compared to what Shark Ray Alley had to offer.
As soon as the boat pulled in to our next snorkeling destination we were surrounded by 4-6ft long nurse sharks and a multitude of sting rays. So, we jumped in! At first Kate was terrified and stayed right next to Bren and as close to the top of the water as was physically possible, but with time she gained a bit of courage and ventured out on her own. At this point Bren had discovered that if he laid on the bottom (it was about 10ft deep here) that the sting rays would swim over the top of him/right into him. Good thing Kate had the camera to capture this risky moment. Carlos our guide put food in the conch shells to attract the sharks and rays so that he could go down and grab one. Bren and Kate both touched the slimy sting ray and the rough nurse sharks, but Kate turned and got the heck out of there as fast as she could after touching them!
Kate and Bren followed their snorkeling adventure by renting bikes from the hostel and touring the south and north ends of the island. They followed the rough sand/dirt roads through the mangroves until they finally arrived at ... the Dump! Woops, they should have followed the signs and headed towards the beach. They found a nice TexMex restaurant to the south of town where they enjoyed a plate of chips and fresh guacamole... and plenty of water! As they continued North they decided to off road it and ride along the shore of the beach. Luckily you can do this because according to the locals, the Queen owns 66ft of land next to the ocean so none of the beaches can be private. This was a bonus for us as we avoided some pot holes and enjoyed an incredible view along the way.
Did they see Crazy Stupid Love at the Paradise Theatre to close out their day? YOU BETTA BELIZE IT!
This morning Bren and Kate took a water taxi to Belize City where they caught a bus North to Corozal Town where they will be staying for the next couple of days.
Awesome,
Kate and Bren
Friday, November 4, 2011
A shout out to the Cayes Family
"And the sun and moon sometimes argue over who will tuck me in at night. If you think I am having more fun than anyone on this planet you are absolutely correct." -Hafiz-
After our over night flight to Miami we had a perfect layover; including laps around the airport, great ethnic food, and a attempted nap between benches. Then we were off to Belize. Caught a taxi then a water taxi to finally arrive in San Pedro on the Ambergris Caye.
With backpacks on the front and the back we wandered through some quaint and colorful island streets in search of Pedro's Inn. After we checked into our spacious 7x10 sq ft dorm room we explored the town. We found a little hole in the wall restaurant and tried some local grub. Then we spent the rest of the day walking up and down the beach, swimming, and playing games trying to stay awake until at least nine.
After sleeping for 13 hours we ate some brekky at Dianitas Cafe. We scarfed down some johny cakes, fry cakes, and traditional Belizian breakfast of beans and stewed chicken. Then lounging by the pool we started to plan out the rest of our stay in Belize. We came up with some stuff but you are going to have to wait and find out. But we'll stay on (a marching band of little kids just walked by the internet cafe dressed up as their favorite saints for All Saints Day) the island for a few more days then back to the mainland to head north. We rented free kayaks and took them to the beach today. We had to walk a quarter of a mile with them on our shoulders because we didn't want to pay for a golf cart taxi (the main vehicle on the island). It was well worth our two partially functioning kayaks. Well the blue one didn't go straight for very long before it spun in a circle all on its own. We thought Kate just didn't know how to kayak so Bren took over Old Bluey and sure enough it spun in circles.
Cool,
Kate and Bren
After our over night flight to Miami we had a perfect layover; including laps around the airport, great ethnic food, and a attempted nap between benches. Then we were off to Belize. Caught a taxi then a water taxi to finally arrive in San Pedro on the Ambergris Caye.
With backpacks on the front and the back we wandered through some quaint and colorful island streets in search of Pedro's Inn. After we checked into our spacious 7x10 sq ft dorm room we explored the town. We found a little hole in the wall restaurant and tried some local grub. Then we spent the rest of the day walking up and down the beach, swimming, and playing games trying to stay awake until at least nine.
After sleeping for 13 hours we ate some brekky at Dianitas Cafe. We scarfed down some johny cakes, fry cakes, and traditional Belizian breakfast of beans and stewed chicken. Then lounging by the pool we started to plan out the rest of our stay in Belize. We came up with some stuff but you are going to have to wait and find out. But we'll stay on (a marching band of little kids just walked by the internet cafe dressed up as their favorite saints for All Saints Day) the island for a few more days then back to the mainland to head north. We rented free kayaks and took them to the beach today. We had to walk a quarter of a mile with them on our shoulders because we didn't want to pay for a golf cart taxi (the main vehicle on the island). It was well worth our two partially functioning kayaks. Well the blue one didn't go straight for very long before it spun in a circle all on its own. We thought Kate just didn't know how to kayak so Bren took over Old Bluey and sure enough it spun in circles.
Cool,
Kate and Bren
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
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