Sunday, December 28, 2008

Tropical Paradise

We're in Caye Caulker, Belize. Took a wonderful snorkle trip to the reef this AM with three stops: first stop our guide, Salvadore, led us (seven total with only Frances and I choosing to wear PFDs around our waists) as he pointed out a green moray eel, a sea turtle, various corals including one called "brain" (eerie how realistic it looked), another called "staghorn" and yet another called "fire."

At our second stop (sting ray and shark alley) we were in water so shallow that the guide told us to take off our fins and just walk or float above the sting rays. Sharks have not been seen on this reef recently so we watched the sting rays from the boat while Salvadore held one in his arms and pointed out where the stinger is located along its quite long tail. Their eyes were amazing.

I was perfectly happy watching from the boat when Frances ventured in. She slid into the water too late to see the baracuda that several others were watching. This was where we also had a snack of fresh pineapple, bananas, and oranges ... delicious.

At our final stop Salvatore told us we could go out on our own to view some schools of fish and swim around the barrier looking for whatever we could find. I was too careful, not wanting to accidentally hit or touch the coral or injure myself so Frances had to wave me further into the reef to see more fish. I was also too careful about sunscreen, I guess, and being reluctant to put any on that would wash off in the sea I now feel the heat of a fabulous snorkeling sunburn.

Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and Boxing Day were spent at Cerros Beach Resort, across the bay from Corozal, Belize. What an experience! The owners, Jenny and Bill, are focused on sustainable and nature-centered experiences. They heat their water and run their electricity on solar, capture their shower and toilet water from the rain, house their guests in four cabanas built with local palm thatch and wood from their property, pick us up and boat us across the bay to their resort, and treat us with great care and attention, feeding us wonderful food that Bill cooks. Each breakfast and dinner were times to share travel stories and stories of life in Belize.

On Christmas Day, Jenny drove Frances and I to a nearby town (Chenux?) where we visited a local family they have befriended. This trip was intended to allow us the experience of crossing a river using a hand crank bridge. The bridge holds two vehicles plus pedestrians. Cars drive on, then a government worker starts cranking and within five minutes the wooden bridge meets the other side of the river and cars drive on their way.

The day before our trip over the bridge a man and his wife drove quickly onto the bridge while it was raining and went straight off the bridge and into the river. His wife couldn't swim and died. The sad remains of their experience sat beside the road ... a water-soaked car with its windshield smashed out.

Christmas night, Bill (our chef, who told us he's prepared a meal for two presidents--Clinton/Gore and Bush/Cheney) made us a pork roast that was shared with us and the other two guests there, Kath and Ian (from London). As an aside, Bill told us that each president always gives a memento to their chef. Clinton gave him a keychain with the presidential seal on it, Bush gave him a small bag of M&Ms from Air Force One.

So many stories were shared between guests and hosts during our three days at Cerros Resort we'll have to tell more later when our internet cafe charges are cheaper. Still can't believe we're here. I told Frances over lunch today that I feel guilty when I think of all my friends and family who are shoveling and layering on coats and gloves and hats and mittens. I'm working on getting over my guilt. The warm salt air and beautiful azure water seem to help.

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Go South, Senoras, Go South

We´re in the bus station in Chetumal, Mexico waiting for a connecting bus to Corozal, Belize. It´s been a full day trip and more to come....

I forgot to tell the most memorable story of our first night in Tulum. We stayed at the hostel, The Weary Traveller, and spent most of the night fighting bedbugs and too-cold AC (one sheet, no blankets for the bed and no air circulation without AC). The bedbugs were persistent and Frances awakened numerous times throughout the night scratching and complaining.

We moved the bed away from the wall but discovered later from Brett, my world-traveling younger brother, that there were numerous other strategies to fight this plague had we known about them. After moving the bed so that it touches nothing else (i.e., walls, bedside tables, etc.), place glasses of water underneath each leg of the bed. Huh, there were plastic cups under each bed leg. Next, coat the legs of the bed with vasoline. Bedbug escape strategies continued but we decided that our best plan was this: Never stay in another Weary Traveller again.

We´re leaving our comfy bus experience behind the further we go. Our bus this AM from Tulum to Chetumal did not have a TV or assigned seats so people squeezed in whereever they could fit. What a relief to NOT have a TV. Quiet conversation is what I heard--bueno. The price for two for 240 kilometers was $11.80US so Frances calls these bus fares "the best deal in Mexico."

I wonder whether we´ll have similar nights in Belize. In Tulum the music started about 4:30pm and played for several hours. Then political campaigns circled the neighborhoods with loudspeakers and music announcing various candidates for presidente. I usually woke about 3:30am to the sound of dogs fighting and cats howling. Then back to sleep until the roosters started crowing at 4:30 to 5:00am. The birds start singing loudly about this time as well. At night the animals are loud--including party animals--but traffic is quieter. We liked the sound of the jungle in the city. Will that continue? We´ll soon see. We are definitely in paradise compared to the below zero temps and snow in the world that we left behind.

Sunday, December 21, 2008

Sol y Mar

We´ve been on the road in Mexico now for almost a week. Finally our minds are catching up with our bodies as we visit our first (ever) internet cafe. We flew into Cancun last Tuesday (16th) and by the time we found lodging and a meal (five tacos and a tamarind margarita) we hit the bed at 6pm and slept ´til 9am the next morning. Monday the 15th was a long day what with finishing up final details for our home and business, shoveling the new foot of snow, and driving at 35-40 miles per hour all the way to Duluth/Superior due to icy roads. We planned to have dinner with friends Robbyn and Jan in St. Paul but instead reached their home at 10:30pm, talked ´til 1:15am and set the alarm for 3:00am to reach the airport for our 6:00am flight.

Our most memorable moments so far ...

Snorkeling Dos Ojos cenote outside of Tulum. Our guide, Sebastian, from Argentina showed us the tiny root hairs of trees that grow down through the limestone roof into the underground waters where we swam. Also, one place in the cave had long shafts of sunlight piercing into the water that Sebastian called ¨the fingers of God.¨ The driver for this trip, Daniel, told us enroute that his first girlfriend when he was 16 called him a pulpo (octopus) because his hands were everywhere. A word is worth a thousand pictures, eh?

We went to la playa yesterday just north and east of Tulum. White sand beaches so beautiful and easy to walk (the sand doesn´t shift underfoot because it is made from coral reef) compared to the shores of Lake Superior. The water is 80 degrees and air temp about 87 but the breeze off the ocean is cooling. We sat next to a massage stand on the beach with four tables and four therapists waiting patiently for clients. Frances just couldn´t pull herself away from the sight. She said, ¨The language is different but the techniques are the same.¨

Today we looked in vain for an open laundry. No luck since it´s Sunday so it´s back to our hotel to hand wash clothes. We may still have time to get to the Tulum ruins but don´t want to rush as we´re on vacation.

The sun and warmth and beautiful flowers are divine. We may leave for Belize tomorrow AM. We´ll see what the rest of this day holds ...

Sunday, December 14, 2008

We're Off!!

This winter Frances and I are leaving the northern tundra for the tropics of Mexico and Central America ... and none too soon. While "tundra" may be an exaggeration, right now we're in the midst of our first major winter storm with whiteout conditions, tumbling temps, dangerous windchills, and nonstop snowfall. We drive to the Twin Cities tomorrow to catch our 6:00 AM Tuesday morning flight. Our fervent hope ... that the weather accommodates our travel plans and we arrive safely in Mexico on Tuesday afternoon.

First stop: Cancun. Then we're off to parts unknown. Our only agenda is to spend time in Mexico, Belize, and Honduras with occasional bouts of snorkeling when opportunities and coral reefs present themselves. From subzero to 80 degrees plus will take some adjustment but we're confident that we'll acclimatize ourselves to the warmth and sunshine.

We'll keep in touch through occasional stops at internet cafes along our route. So revisit "Under the Forest Canopy" in the coming weeks--seven total--as we travel to seashore and jungle, Mayan ruins, and ?? Adventure awaits us ... Hasta luego!