Finally some new photos, but from way back in the day - Guanajuato, San Miguel and Michoacan. About 2 1/2 months ago!
Here are the links:
http://s1177.photobucket.com/albums/x349/nmazga/Guanajuato%20and%20San%20Miguel%20de%20Allende/
http://s1177.photobucket.com/albums/x349/nmazga/Michoacan%20State/
Enjoy!
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Belize it or not! (These stupid puns continue!)
From Caulker it was time to head inland (where Belize's civil war is less intense). I had to pass through Belize City again, but at least I knew where I was going this time. Again, no incidents, probably due to my street smarts ;). I was off to San Ignacio, heart of the Cayo district. Because I made a short stop at the Belize Zoo (not really a zoo but a rehabilitation centre) I didn't get in until early evening. By that time I was suffering from some serious hunger pains, and as soon as I arrived I plopped myself down in a chair, turned to the guy next to me, and said emphatically, "I'm staaarving!" To which he responded, "I'm Steve. Nice to meet you too." After more politely introducing myself, we began to chat. He was a retired NY firefighter in Belize for a 2 week holiday, and wanting to see as much of the country as he could, had rented a vehicle for the whole duration of his trip. He had already signed up to do a tour of the ATM cave the next day, and seeing as how I had wanted to do it anyways, I decided to tag along.
While I normally avoid guided tours like the plague, this is something entirely different. For one, it is pretty incredible, especially if you like caving or are the slightest bit interested in the Maya . But, you really don´t have any other option, as the Belize government doesn't allow access to it independently, thereby effectively forcing people to go as a group. This is supposedly done to keep the numbers low and help preserve the sight, but I have my suspicions it's just a cash grab.
Anyway, my suspicions aside, the ATM cave, short for Actun Tunichil Muknal, is an extensive cave network that was highly sacred to the Maya, who during the classic period, used it for various religious ceremonies and rituals. As we explored the cave (an adventure in itself, as this is done by a combination of swimming, climbing and trekking) we came across many different Mayan artifacts. At first they were mostly shards of pottery, but as we went further and further in, things began to take on a more serious tone. As the foundation of their world began to crumble, the Maya became increasingly desperate to appease the gods. Not only did they go deeper into the cave but they began to practice more extreme rituals, including bloodletting and sacrifices. The apex of the tour came after 3 hours in the cave, when we came across the perfectly preserved remains of a young sacrificial victim, known as the 'crystal maiden'. Interesting, of course, but eerie. Adventure and history combined into one.
Steve and I got along so well, and I really didn't have any sort of plan (remember, I hate plans) that I decided to join him and road trip it through Belize. All I knew was that I wanted to be in the south within a week to go explore a remote island. But before that, I would just let the universe dictate my path and have some adventure. And what an adventure we had.
We left bright and very early the next morning to go see the ruins of Caracol. We specifically left early so that we would arrive at the nearby military post for the 9am military escort to the ruins. (High levels of banditry on the road has led to a daily military escort. Due to the proximity of the Guatemalan border, the Belizean authorities blame it on the Guatemalans.)
We made it to the post a little bit before 9am, only to be told by the officer in charge that it wasn't leaving until 9:30. After signing in they told us to stretch our legs for a while and come back at 9:30. Steve went off to take some photos, and after chatting with the soldiers for a few minutes, I left to go use the washroom at the store across the street. I had just walked out of the store when I saw Steve's white SUV racing frantically towards me. It was just within earshot when he leaned out of the window, and his voicing cracking with fear, yelled at me, "Nicole! Hurry up! Get inside, they left without us!" Bewildered, but clearly sensing the panic in him, I hopped in without questioning it further. Once inside though, I turned and asked him what the hell was going on. Apparently, he explained, when he arrived back at the post (around 9:15) the soldier in charge casually walked up to him and nonchalently informed him that the military escort had just left. When Steve asked if he could radio them to wait for us, he just told him to drive fast and catch up.
Immediately I thought that the story made no sense. There was no one else there at the post - who were they escorting? What was the point of a military escort if you just left the only people signed up behind? These questions were futile, as there was no one to answer them, and I had no choice but to sit back and laugh at the absurdity of the situation. My immediate concern was to calm Steve down, who was clearly scared and driving at breakneck speed through the Belizean jungle.
After about 10 minutes we spotted an army vehicle ahead of us - at this Steve sighed a huge breath of relief. As we approached it, however, it simply pulled over to the side and waved us on. Confused, we pulled up beside it and made the international hand signal for 'roll down your window'. When they began speaking, in British accents, it became clear that this wasn't our allotted military escort. When we asked if they'd seen it, they said they hadn't. I was beginning to suspect that this military escort may not exist, and decided at this point we had no other choice but to keep on going. I told Steve not to stop for anything, and that if we approached any sort of blockade ahead, to pop it in reverse and drive backwards as fast as he could. For some odd reason this didn't seem to calm him down any further.
So we drove on, pretty fast, and pretty recklessly, through some pretty awful road, sans miltary escort. And then suddenly, after about 20 minutes, there it was up ahead, the gates to the archaeological site! This time Steve gave a really big sigh of relief and we pulled into the (empty) parking lot. The funniest part of the whole experience was that 10 minutes after we parked the real military escort came driving in, at the proper time, followed by some other vehicles. To this day I still have no clue what the hell actually happened. But I do know I have very little faith in the Belizean military.
While I normally avoid guided tours like the plague, this is something entirely different. For one, it is pretty incredible, especially if you like caving or are the slightest bit interested in the Maya . But, you really don´t have any other option, as the Belize government doesn't allow access to it independently, thereby effectively forcing people to go as a group. This is supposedly done to keep the numbers low and help preserve the sight, but I have my suspicions it's just a cash grab.
Anyway, my suspicions aside, the ATM cave, short for Actun Tunichil Muknal, is an extensive cave network that was highly sacred to the Maya, who during the classic period, used it for various religious ceremonies and rituals. As we explored the cave (an adventure in itself, as this is done by a combination of swimming, climbing and trekking) we came across many different Mayan artifacts. At first they were mostly shards of pottery, but as we went further and further in, things began to take on a more serious tone. As the foundation of their world began to crumble, the Maya became increasingly desperate to appease the gods. Not only did they go deeper into the cave but they began to practice more extreme rituals, including bloodletting and sacrifices. The apex of the tour came after 3 hours in the cave, when we came across the perfectly preserved remains of a young sacrificial victim, known as the 'crystal maiden'. Interesting, of course, but eerie. Adventure and history combined into one.
Steve and I got along so well, and I really didn't have any sort of plan (remember, I hate plans) that I decided to join him and road trip it through Belize. All I knew was that I wanted to be in the south within a week to go explore a remote island. But before that, I would just let the universe dictate my path and have some adventure. And what an adventure we had.
We left bright and very early the next morning to go see the ruins of Caracol. We specifically left early so that we would arrive at the nearby military post for the 9am military escort to the ruins. (High levels of banditry on the road has led to a daily military escort. Due to the proximity of the Guatemalan border, the Belizean authorities blame it on the Guatemalans.)
We made it to the post a little bit before 9am, only to be told by the officer in charge that it wasn't leaving until 9:30. After signing in they told us to stretch our legs for a while and come back at 9:30. Steve went off to take some photos, and after chatting with the soldiers for a few minutes, I left to go use the washroom at the store across the street. I had just walked out of the store when I saw Steve's white SUV racing frantically towards me. It was just within earshot when he leaned out of the window, and his voicing cracking with fear, yelled at me, "Nicole! Hurry up! Get inside, they left without us!" Bewildered, but clearly sensing the panic in him, I hopped in without questioning it further. Once inside though, I turned and asked him what the hell was going on. Apparently, he explained, when he arrived back at the post (around 9:15) the soldier in charge casually walked up to him and nonchalently informed him that the military escort had just left. When Steve asked if he could radio them to wait for us, he just told him to drive fast and catch up.
Immediately I thought that the story made no sense. There was no one else there at the post - who were they escorting? What was the point of a military escort if you just left the only people signed up behind? These questions were futile, as there was no one to answer them, and I had no choice but to sit back and laugh at the absurdity of the situation. My immediate concern was to calm Steve down, who was clearly scared and driving at breakneck speed through the Belizean jungle.
After about 10 minutes we spotted an army vehicle ahead of us - at this Steve sighed a huge breath of relief. As we approached it, however, it simply pulled over to the side and waved us on. Confused, we pulled up beside it and made the international hand signal for 'roll down your window'. When they began speaking, in British accents, it became clear that this wasn't our allotted military escort. When we asked if they'd seen it, they said they hadn't. I was beginning to suspect that this military escort may not exist, and decided at this point we had no other choice but to keep on going. I told Steve not to stop for anything, and that if we approached any sort of blockade ahead, to pop it in reverse and drive backwards as fast as he could. For some odd reason this didn't seem to calm him down any further.
So we drove on, pretty fast, and pretty recklessly, through some pretty awful road, sans miltary escort. And then suddenly, after about 20 minutes, there it was up ahead, the gates to the archaeological site! This time Steve gave a really big sigh of relief and we pulled into the (empty) parking lot. The funniest part of the whole experience was that 10 minutes after we parked the real military escort came driving in, at the proper time, followed by some other vehicles. To this day I still have no clue what the hell actually happened. But I do know I have very little faith in the Belizean military.
Seein´ is Belizean!
On to the next stop for me. Caye Caulker, a smaller, less developed, well-known backpackers´ hub. I spent a few days there, and while I didn´t feel it lived up to its glorious reputation, I did have a good time. Belize is famous for its barrier reef (the second longest in the world) and the cayes are perfectly situated for some marine exploration. It was on Caulker that I first became introduced to this wonderful world.
I indulged a bit and took a snorkling trip, something I normally wouldn´t do, but I just felt like I had to. And I´m so glad I did - it was phenomenal. The coral was great, and the marine life was even better. Although uber touristy, one of the spots we hit, Shark Ray Alley, was such a visceral experience for me. I was able to snorkel among dozens of sting rays and nurse sharks - a bit intimidating at first, but once you get into it, unreal. I´ll never forget what it feels like to have sharks grazing your legs as they swim past you, or the smooth feel of a sting ray´s back.
At another location, we got to see two spotted eagle rays, a rare treat indeed. They´re the second biggest ray in the world (after the manta) with a wing span of 2 meters. They are incredibly beautiful when they swim and have the appearance of flying in the water. Other fun stuff on the trip included sea turtles, eels, barracudas and too much wonderful tropical fish to name (I don´t even know half of the names). On the way back, we came across a pod of dolphins, playing in the water. An even bigger treat.
While on Caulker I tried to re-create the offroad adventure I had had with my relatives, but this time with a bike. After a few hours of some tough biking in the bush, I suddenly emerged from the jungle on the smooth, flat tarmac of the island´s airstrip. Right next to me was a sign showing a biker with a slash right through it. Less than five minutes after finding my way to the proper path, a plane came down and landed right beside me! Close call.
It was also in Caulker that I began to learn that Belize is at a serious threat of colonization - by Canadians. We are taking over the place there! Never in my life have I met so many of us in one place (outside of Canada of course). It became so bad that 2 guys from Vancouver and I made a plan to spread the rumour that Belize is in the middle of a serious civil war. Otherwise, it´s just going to keep on developing like crazy, lose so much of its appeal and charm, and end up like another Yucatán. And I believe this idea could work - how many people really know anything about Belize, or even where it is? So remember, next time you´re talking to someone, don´t forget to casually mention how bad that civil war in Belize is, eh?
I indulged a bit and took a snorkling trip, something I normally wouldn´t do, but I just felt like I had to. And I´m so glad I did - it was phenomenal. The coral was great, and the marine life was even better. Although uber touristy, one of the spots we hit, Shark Ray Alley, was such a visceral experience for me. I was able to snorkel among dozens of sting rays and nurse sharks - a bit intimidating at first, but once you get into it, unreal. I´ll never forget what it feels like to have sharks grazing your legs as they swim past you, or the smooth feel of a sting ray´s back.
At another location, we got to see two spotted eagle rays, a rare treat indeed. They´re the second biggest ray in the world (after the manta) with a wing span of 2 meters. They are incredibly beautiful when they swim and have the appearance of flying in the water. Other fun stuff on the trip included sea turtles, eels, barracudas and too much wonderful tropical fish to name (I don´t even know half of the names). On the way back, we came across a pod of dolphins, playing in the water. An even bigger treat.
While on Caulker I tried to re-create the offroad adventure I had had with my relatives, but this time with a bike. After a few hours of some tough biking in the bush, I suddenly emerged from the jungle on the smooth, flat tarmac of the island´s airstrip. Right next to me was a sign showing a biker with a slash right through it. Less than five minutes after finding my way to the proper path, a plane came down and landed right beside me! Close call.
It was also in Caulker that I began to learn that Belize is at a serious threat of colonization - by Canadians. We are taking over the place there! Never in my life have I met so many of us in one place (outside of Canada of course). It became so bad that 2 guys from Vancouver and I made a plan to spread the rumour that Belize is in the middle of a serious civil war. Otherwise, it´s just going to keep on developing like crazy, lose so much of its appeal and charm, and end up like another Yucatán. And I believe this idea could work - how many people really know anything about Belize, or even where it is? So remember, next time you´re talking to someone, don´t forget to casually mention how bad that civil war in Belize is, eh?
You better Belize it!
So, there were a few things I did in between the time from my last blog and my time in Belize, but I´m just too far behind and that´s far too much work, so I´ll just say it was fun and leave it at that. Now on to Belize!
After 7-some weeks in México, I decided it was time for a change of scenery, Belizean style. Even though I was still quite far from the border, and hadn´t even yet touched the Yucatán, I had some relatives staying at a classy Belizean resort and just couldn´t pass up the opportunity to see some familiar faces and cash in on a bit of luxury. So I set sail from the ruins of Palenque on a 20 hour journey to meet them.
I arrived at the border town of Chetumal at 5am, after taking a wonderfully over air-conditioned nightbus. I had heard through the travellers´ grapevine that the first bus heading into Belize left at 5:30am, so I thought my timing was perfect. What I hadn´t heard was that bus service was practically non-existent or at best, highly erratic, on Sundays (which it just happened to be). My intention was to cross the border early enough to make the 7am boat from Corozal, the town just on the other side of the border, to the island my relatives were on. This way I could get there early in the day, with minimal hassle, and most importantly, avoid spending time in Belize City, notoriously dangerous and sketchy. However, this didn´t work out, as usually happens when trying to follow any sort of ´plan´ (I hate plans). After waiting on the side of the road for 2 hours, the bus finally did show up, at 7am, meaning I clearly missed the boat - speaking both figuratively and literally. Therefore, this left me with no other choice but to travel all the way into Belize City and catch a boat from there, while trying not to get robbed or assaulted. Okay.
Crossing the border was astonishingly easy - the only question the guard asked of me was how long I planned to stay in the country. After I answered that I wasn´t sure, I was met with the response, ¨have a great vacation, mon¨ and he stamped me into the country. I decided right then that I already liked this country.
It took about 4 hours to reach Belize City (BC), and on the way there I was amazed at the difference something as intangible as a border can make. It was clear from the first footstep I took into Belize that this was a much different place than México. I could distinguish marked differences in the style of houses and architecture, the ethnic make-up of the people and the cuisine, among other cultural indicators. As it quickly became evident to me, Belize is first and foremost Caribbean, not Latin American.
When I made it to BC it was everything I expected it to be: an extremely sketchy, run down shithole of a city. Walking from the bus terminal to the marina was one of the edgiest moments of my life, and I was on full guard the whole time, constantly scanning my surroundings and watching out for potential muggers. While it only took 15 minutes, it felt like an hour and I´ve never felt so much relief to arrive somewhere as I did when I got to the marina. Once there, I made the mistake of trying to venture out to find some food and came across two guys in the midst of a vicious fight. I had just turned around to head back to the marina when one of them pulled out a knife. I made it back in less than a minute. I stayed put there until my boat left, and happily said a big ´peace out´ to BC for the time being. Up next: some much needed R´n´R, beach resort-style!
Although I was well past the 1pm time set to meet my relatives, luckily they were still there, waiting patiently for me at the docks. After having been on the road alone for 2 months, it was so welcoming to see some friendly faces. My guard suddently dropped and I immediately felt at ease. When we got to the resort (after traveling in style in a rented golf cart) and they showed me where I would stay for the next five days, I broke out into a huge smile and couldn´t contain my pleasure. A clean bed! A private kitchen! Hot water! Luxuries that already seemed so foreign. Plus a private deck with a Caribbean view. It was all so worth rushing to get there.
The time I spent with them was pretty incredible - lots of snorkling, visiting and above all, tons of relaxing. My favourite part came on my second day there - we off-roaded it in the golf cart to the far north tip of the caye, through some pretty rough terrain to a beautiful beach surrounded by immaculate coral. (After that journey, I have a newfound respect for golf carts and what they can endure). We spent the day there, alternating between snorkling and drinking beer. It was great.
When the time came for them to go back home and for me to continue on with my journey, I was really sad - not just that my fling with comfort was over, but to say goodbye to them. A few days with family (or friends) can mean a lot when you´re alone for long periods. But, despite the pangs of sadness, I was just so happy to have had the opportunity and I kept that thought in my mind as I bid them farewell and left for the next leg of my trip.
After 7-some weeks in México, I decided it was time for a change of scenery, Belizean style. Even though I was still quite far from the border, and hadn´t even yet touched the Yucatán, I had some relatives staying at a classy Belizean resort and just couldn´t pass up the opportunity to see some familiar faces and cash in on a bit of luxury. So I set sail from the ruins of Palenque on a 20 hour journey to meet them.
I arrived at the border town of Chetumal at 5am, after taking a wonderfully over air-conditioned nightbus. I had heard through the travellers´ grapevine that the first bus heading into Belize left at 5:30am, so I thought my timing was perfect. What I hadn´t heard was that bus service was practically non-existent or at best, highly erratic, on Sundays (which it just happened to be). My intention was to cross the border early enough to make the 7am boat from Corozal, the town just on the other side of the border, to the island my relatives were on. This way I could get there early in the day, with minimal hassle, and most importantly, avoid spending time in Belize City, notoriously dangerous and sketchy. However, this didn´t work out, as usually happens when trying to follow any sort of ´plan´ (I hate plans). After waiting on the side of the road for 2 hours, the bus finally did show up, at 7am, meaning I clearly missed the boat - speaking both figuratively and literally. Therefore, this left me with no other choice but to travel all the way into Belize City and catch a boat from there, while trying not to get robbed or assaulted. Okay.
Crossing the border was astonishingly easy - the only question the guard asked of me was how long I planned to stay in the country. After I answered that I wasn´t sure, I was met with the response, ¨have a great vacation, mon¨ and he stamped me into the country. I decided right then that I already liked this country.
It took about 4 hours to reach Belize City (BC), and on the way there I was amazed at the difference something as intangible as a border can make. It was clear from the first footstep I took into Belize that this was a much different place than México. I could distinguish marked differences in the style of houses and architecture, the ethnic make-up of the people and the cuisine, among other cultural indicators. As it quickly became evident to me, Belize is first and foremost Caribbean, not Latin American.
When I made it to BC it was everything I expected it to be: an extremely sketchy, run down shithole of a city. Walking from the bus terminal to the marina was one of the edgiest moments of my life, and I was on full guard the whole time, constantly scanning my surroundings and watching out for potential muggers. While it only took 15 minutes, it felt like an hour and I´ve never felt so much relief to arrive somewhere as I did when I got to the marina. Once there, I made the mistake of trying to venture out to find some food and came across two guys in the midst of a vicious fight. I had just turned around to head back to the marina when one of them pulled out a knife. I made it back in less than a minute. I stayed put there until my boat left, and happily said a big ´peace out´ to BC for the time being. Up next: some much needed R´n´R, beach resort-style!
Although I was well past the 1pm time set to meet my relatives, luckily they were still there, waiting patiently for me at the docks. After having been on the road alone for 2 months, it was so welcoming to see some friendly faces. My guard suddently dropped and I immediately felt at ease. When we got to the resort (after traveling in style in a rented golf cart) and they showed me where I would stay for the next five days, I broke out into a huge smile and couldn´t contain my pleasure. A clean bed! A private kitchen! Hot water! Luxuries that already seemed so foreign. Plus a private deck with a Caribbean view. It was all so worth rushing to get there.
The time I spent with them was pretty incredible - lots of snorkling, visiting and above all, tons of relaxing. My favourite part came on my second day there - we off-roaded it in the golf cart to the far north tip of the caye, through some pretty rough terrain to a beautiful beach surrounded by immaculate coral. (After that journey, I have a newfound respect for golf carts and what they can endure). We spent the day there, alternating between snorkling and drinking beer. It was great.
When the time came for them to go back home and for me to continue on with my journey, I was really sad - not just that my fling with comfort was over, but to say goodbye to them. A few days with family (or friends) can mean a lot when you´re alone for long periods. But, despite the pangs of sadness, I was just so happy to have had the opportunity and I kept that thought in my mind as I bid them farewell and left for the next leg of my trip.
Coming soon!
Now that I´m back from Cuba, and have access to such capitalist modern luxuries as computers, I´m fully dedicating myself to catching up on this blog business. I have a few days before I sketchily try to cross the border to Guatemala on my own, so let´s hope I can get some work done!
And for pictures - well, I´m trying. But don´t get your hopes too high.
And for pictures - well, I´m trying. But don´t get your hopes too high.
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