Belize - hot, hot, hot!

Belize

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We took the ferry from Corrozal just over the border in Belize to a seaside fishing village of Sarteneja. As we approached the wharf we were amazed at how small the town was - the guide book made it sound much bigger - this was but the first misinformation gleaned from the Belize Lonely Planet guide. There was no information, no map and no one about except someone mending a boat who spoke only Creole (a strange mix of English and Spanish and something else entirely) when we walked down the wharf. The boat man pointed up a road so we just started wandering in to town. As we wandered around a young woman on a bicycle rode up and asked if she could help, in English! “We’re looking for Backpacker’s Paradise”, we explained. She was Natalie, the very charming French owner of the hostel. She had been swimming nearby keeping and eye out for anyone getting off the boat. We set off. About 20 minutes later and in melt down (the temperature is VERY hot and humid) we arrived. It was nothing like the guide described. Perhaps it just looked like the beds were all king size because the rooms were little bigger than the beds!

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Anyway it was idyllic except for the heat and mosquitoes. The streets are all white coral sand. We rode bicycles about everywhere as there are few cars and no buses, swam in clear Caribbean water and generally lazed about. On Sunday we went with Natalie to see a baby manatee that had been rescued being fed milk from a bottle. It sucked on my fingers while waiting. It felt just like a poddy calf (see Ange's blog for a photo).

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Another ferry ride took us to San Pedro of Madonna fame (I fell in love with San Pedro - Ange sang it for days!). This is very much geared for the US tourist so we only stayed one night and then took another ferry to Caye Caulker. This is a coral cay island and very small and laid back. There is a fringing reef out a few hundred metres forming a quiet and very warm lagoon where we swam. We ate lots of lobster - the specialty here- with breadfruit, which I had read about as a 12 year old in Robert Louis Stevenson’s Coral Island. It’s sort of like a potato but more aerated.

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Our first hotel here was a mistake, as there were a lot of sleazy vendors opposite, so we moved to a much quieter end of the island and ended up staying a week. It was extremely hot and any activity during the middle of the day is just impossible, so we did the Caribbean thing and rested then.
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In search of cooler climes we decided to head for the jungle. Another ferry took us to the capital Belize City , which is really just a big town. Lots of wooden houses on stilts. And then we took an “economico” bus down south - that means no air-conditioning and late comers did not get a seat for the hour or more journey. Luckily we got on early! You cannot imagine how hot it was!

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The bus dropped us off at the Maya Centre. The guidebook suggested that you buy supplies there as there were none available to Cockscomb Nature Reserve, where we were headed. We were directed to the “big” shop by a group of women swinging on hammocks at a gift shop near the road. We bought up the best the shop had to offer: two mouldy carrots, a capsicum, tomato and onion, packet of biscuits, a tin of mackeral, four eggs counted out into a plastic bag and 4 packets of two minute noodles! We did buy more two minute noodles at the Nature Reserve, but we may have lost weight for the three days we were there!

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This reserve is famous for its population of jaguars, somewhere between 50 and 80 depending on who you believe. We went out in the early morning and late evening with great hopes and saw birds, fireflies, but not much else. I guess it is a very big reserve and they prefer the quiet places too.

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Twice we hired old truck inner tubes and after walking through the jungle for about 20 minutes you can get in the river and float along, over the occasional little rapid, through dense jungle on either side of the river for an hour. It was great and reminded me of doing similar as a child at Marysville - not through the jungle of course, just bush. There were a lot of clearly marked walking trails through the jungle. Two walks led to waterfalls. The water was crystal blear and a copper blue and, blissfully, COLD!

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After Cockscomb we headed north to Orange Walk. The Mennonites who farm in this area are easily distinguishable by their clothes and healthy air. The men wear blue shirts and denim dungarees and the women wear dresses that cover everything. They do not vote, do not have to do military service and pay no taxes. They grow most of the food for Belize. They seem to be very hard working especially as they do not believe in using modern technology - like motors.

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The reason for coming here was to take a launch south along the river for about an hour to see some Mayan ruins at Lamanai. This is the only Mayan civilization still operating when the Spanish came - converted to Catholicism of course! We climbed the huge edifaces trying not to think of Bec’s sister Sarah who fell down oner of these. It was unbelievably hot and steamy there and by the time we got back into the launches we were literally dripping - I never knew I could sweat from my face.

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Then it was back to Mexico to visit the Caribbean coast.

From Paradise in Mexico to ...Paradise in Belize

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We are now in Belize and our internet access is limited- this is being written at an internet cafe but thank goodness with an English keyboard. English is thhe official language here but Spanish and Creole is more commonly heard.
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We left our paradise at San Agustinillo on Monday the 17th August and went to Puerto Escondido - a beach further north famous for the "pipeline" surf. The Quicksilver Surfing Championships were being held there so we joined the crowd on the beach and cheered the contestants in final heats and the finals. We watched a surfer disappear under a wall of white foam only to appear a few seconds later still standing - the crowd went wild! Very exciting.
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We broke a rule never to take an overnight bus (some of you will remember the sword/dagger story from our China adventure) as there was no other way to San Cristobal in the mountains. Thirteen hours later and thankfully lacking any swords or daggers we arrived in the hilltown. It is yet another pretty colonial town but has a surprisingly sophisticated vibe - excellent wine at the Vino de Bacco may have coloured our view! We decided to stay a week and work on the Spanish (which had been getting worse) while we waited for a three day trip to the Lacondan Jungle beginning the following weekend.
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We enrolled at Escuela Jovel and opted to stay with a Mexican family - partly to practise our Spanish. So on the Friday we moved in with Ricardo and Marianna and their two teenage children. Our homestay family were very friendly and patient with us and our lack of sensible words.
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Before starting classes we went on two excursions: a horse ride around the surrounding hills and villages and a boat trip up a twenty odd kilometers of canyon. The horse ride was remembered for many days (ouch - wooden saddles at a trot for half an hour because one horse got rid of its rider and took off) but the canyon will be remembered for a lifetime - it was incredible. We saw lots of birds: ibis, brown pelicans, vultures; and an aligator on the shores!


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We worked hard each day and at night relaxed, I with an Argentinian Malbec (introduced by Jode and Bec) and Ange a Chile Chardonay accompanied by free tapas. While there we also saw lots of movies in English or with English subtitles. One was about the Last Lacondonians, the peole of the jungle where we would be staying the following weekend. Lack of work and a decreasing jungle are driving the young people to the cities - unfortunately not a unique story. We also relaxed with "A Street Car Named Desire" - what a great old movie. We were on tenderhooks for the "Stelllllaaaa" (Seinfeld fans will understand).
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On Saturday we packed up and at 7 am set of for the jungle. On the way we visited some water falls - Agua Azul and Misol-Ha. At the jungle camp we stayed in a tiny bamboo hut, open at the front onto the river there. There was a hammock just begging to be swung in on the verandah. Don't worry there was a bed with sturdy mosquito net for the night.
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The next day we were up early and went by van to the river which forms the border between Mexico and Guatemala. A long thin outboard-powered launch took us up the river (Rio Usumacinta) for about an hour to some ruins (Yaxchilan). We strolled for anbout an hour throught the ruins. Our guide was very knowledgeable - the Mayan history is a bit of an obsession of his.
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Then it was back to the camp and straight out on the water for rafting. It was a rubber raft that took about 8 people. Ang and I sat in the front. We were schooled in four commands - adelante! fuerte adelante, atras, abajo! As we approached the cascades (everything up to about four metres high!) it was forward (adelante), unless we were approaching at the wrong angle then it was backwards. As the front of the raft neared the edge of the cascade it was "fuerte adentate" (forward strongly) just as the raft tipped over it was "abajo" - which means slide down in the raft - did I mention we were sitting

on the edge of the rubber raft until then. I may have gone abajo early a couple of times and it took about four cascades before I could go over with my eyes open. On one big one I had my mouth open (there may have been some noise coming out) and the water splashed right into my throat! VERY EXCITING! After about an hour we got out and began the long junge walk back. Our guide this time was one of the locals and kept up a cracking pace allong the overgrown path. Finally we caught up with the others at another waterfall for "lunch" - it was 5 pm by this time and all were weak with hunger.
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The next morning we went to more ruins - Bonampak - famous for very detailed and colourful painting of celebrations and wars. For something done 1700 or so years ago it was incredible to see.







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Finally we made the hot trip back to Palenque the very famous and somewhat touristy Mayan ruins. Once again our guide was fantastic. We left the group there and took another cabin in the jungle - again over a stream. The next mroning we awoke to the early morning chorus of howler monkeys - they sound like jaguars howling for blood. What a great experience. We were exhausted and it was a lovely position so we stayed on for three nights. One day we went back to the Palenque ruins and took a more liesurely stroll through the ruins in the jungle to absorb it all quietly.
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Again we found that the only bus to our next destination ran at night, so with our new found bravery we booked a ticket. It left an hour and a half late which was not the disaster you may think because that meant arriving in Chetumal at 6 in the morning rather than 4.30! That was this morning. We took a local bus to the border and another beyond to Corozal. Here we are filling in a few hours before our ferry leaves for a tiny place called Sarteneja, where we hope to REST at a place called Backpackers Paradise - I hope so!
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Paradise at San Agustinillo

This is a picture of paradise. That's me standing on our breezy veranda, reading my Spanish grammar of course. Ange had waded out into the water to take the photo just to show how close we were to the thunderous sound of surf (not at that moment obviously). Our veranda catches the breeze being up a bit and so is cooler than most places here - it's VERY hot.



The trouble with extravagance and paradise is that you get used to it. It just raises the bar. You want to live like this for ever. We have moments, sitting on our veranda, sipping passable wine in the cool evening breeze, asking the question - could we afford to stay here for months?




We have amused ourselves sitting in the shade of palm leaf shelters, reading novels, doing crosswords and staring uselessly at our grammar cram cards, sipping corona or margaritas. Ange has done lots of body surfing, I bob in the surf. The water is the warmest outside a bath I have ever been in. We have also caught up on our blogs, emails etc because we have wifi in our room... How did we ever get it so good? Here is another picture of our room with me working.




Here are more photos of the room and the view from our balcony of the surf and the rocky outcrop between beaches. We are on the edge between two beaches opposite the rocks. The high tide makes them an island and then late in the afternoon you can walk out to them. Last night there was an huge tropical storm . We sat on our veranda watching a man sit in the pouring rain on top of the rocks. It has been so hot he was probably just enjoying the cool. Being the scientists we are we were a little worried about his capacity to be the most likely conductor if the lightening came too close.

Finally we watch the fishing boats come and go from our balcony. They often come in with big plastic tubs full of fish - tuna, sharks and lots more we can't identify. We eat fresh fish almost daily - in soup (a whole fish cut in half in a tomato broth) fried with garlic, or with spaghetti.

A couple of days ago we went out early in the morning with them. They wait between waves and then shoot straight out. Coming back it is reversed - they drive straight for the beach, up onto the sand and rollers logs.

Once out on the water, we went to see Roca Blanca - indeed a big white rock because so many birds roost there, then we went out further and saw lots of turtles on the surface of the water. They are mating at the moment and the male hooks on to the females back for 24 hours!! The poor females have their heads under the water a lot of the time but I was assured that they wouldn't drown. We also saw lots of dolphins playing in the waves.

Tonight we are going to see the turtles laying their eggs on the beach. It started last night and only goes on for two or three nights apparently. It is at a marine reserve about half an hours drive away.

Tomorrow we reluctantly move away from paradise. We go to another beach for a couple of days and then take a huge bus trip (12 hours) to San Cristabel higher in the central mountains and near jungle. After that it's across to the Caribbean coast. Excitement calls. It's not just extravagance to remember it is adventures too.

Ange’s Birthday week 27 July - 2 August- Oaxaca, San Jose del Pacifico, San Agustinillo

The bus trip south from Mexico City to Oaxaca went through some mountainous areas, past a huge canyon and hillsides covered by cacti. It was suurprisingly spectacular.


Cactuses on hillside enroute to Oaxaca >>>>>>>Huge canyon enroute to Oaxaca




We had decided to go to Oaxaca and do a walk in the Sierra Norte for Ange’s birthday. The guidebook made Oaxaca City sound like a place to settle for a while and learn some more Spanish. We spent our first day walking the hot streets selecting an expedition. To the north we found the city very picturesque but it seemed to have a high proportion of American tourists, and to the south, where our budget hotel was, seemed to be for the Mexicans but fairly ugly and noisy. However later that afternoon Ange got incredibly sick - as sick as I’ve seen her - vomiting, diarrhoea and a very high fever. After some tense hours wondering if we should be decamping to the nearest hospital it abated - but that was the end of plans to walk.



The next morning we decided to go to the mountains. We wondered if it was partly heat stroke (all that walking in the morning heat). Ange found a lovely place with cabanas in the book and with truly awful Spanish we called them and found that they did have one available. So we took a mini bus up to San Jose del Pacifico at 2750 metres. The trip up was spectacular - green swathed mountains with vertiginous drops from the winding road. The bus driver dropped us off at the door and we were soon settled into our cabin with incredible views to valley and it was so cool that we could have a log fire.



View from our room >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> View of our cabins from the town of San Jose

In front of our fire >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>On the verandah of our cabin

The only down side was that they had a room for two nights but not for the night of the 31st July - Ange’s 50th birthday! Oh no! Another change of plans.

On Friday, Ange’s birthday we left most of our luggage and just took small bags on another three hour minibus trip down the other side of the mountains, this time to the coast. The journey was just as spectacular and just as scary. We made our way form the bus station at Pochutla to the coastal town of San Agustillo by both sitting in the front bucket seat of a taxi doing 90 along a highway - did I mention that there were no seat belts? Ange commented later that we were like Aunt Augusta (Travels with My Aunt) not waiting to inch, day by day, towards the “final wall”, but out there doing it. Just as well our parents are not still alive - although they are safely ensconced within us, still whispering in our ears.

We decided on San Agustillo on the advice of Brenda a friendly and slightly overenthusiastic American who lives in Mexico with husband and two teenage sons. They were in San Jose and heading for San Agustillo. She found us a room right on the beach - the view out the door was across the sand to the waves of the Pacific. Not bad for a birthday!

Ange at our cabin door >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> The beach outside our door

We lazed away the afternoon on the beach and in water so balmy it was like a bath. Ange even caught some waves. Many of the beaches along here are really too dangerous for non-surfers (surfers love it) but this one is protected by outcrops of rocks on both sides and is doable.

Best of all, that night we found a place right on the beach, Restaurante Linda (linda means nice in Spanish!), where they made the second best margaritas in Mexico - we had a second one just to be sure. (see photo)

Ange's birthday margaritas!!

Then we had a lovely dinner of fresh fish with a reasonable glass of wine.

We slept very well that night - well until the 3 o’clock hour when you lie awake swearing never to drink so much again. They next day was spent on deck chairs on the beach eating more fresh fish but drinking just one margarita, swimming and reading in the shade of palm trees. Well someone has to do it!

The following morning we came back up to the mountains again for another five nights here. But before we left we booked a very spiffy (expensive) place right on the beach as a belated birthday present for Ange (next week). Now I will quote Aunt Augusta from Travels with My Aunt: “You must surrender yourself first to extravagance. Poverty is apt to strike suddenly like influenza; it is well to have a few memories of extravagance in store for the bad times.”

At San Jose we have had walks each day through the forests in the crisp mountain air, studied our Spanish, wrote our blogs, read our books in front of log fires, and generally rested. Our second cabin has an even better view of the valley than the first. (see photo) Unfortunately it has been back to bistec and frijoles and beer (no wine and of course no Ms). There is a butcher in the village about half a kilometre away where the meat is cut and hung out to dry (see photo). On Friday we return to our extravagance on the coast.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >View from our window in the mountains

Ange studying Spanish! Me reading by our fire (two photos to come when the connection improves!!)

view from one of our walks >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Meat drying inSan Jose del pacifico

Mexico City - “Searching for ‘artists, intellectuals and writers’”

Our hotel, the Emporio de la Reformas, was on the Paseo de la Reforma, the main wide boulevard that runs from the historic centre to a large green space (a little like Central Park in New York) called Bosque(forest) de Chapultepec in the south east. On our first night we walked up to Zona Rosa, a large commercial area undifferentiated from any other large city mall in the world except for the very large proportion of young boys walking along holding hands! A very gay friendly area - truly Zona Rosa (pink)! We ate the ubiquitous “bistec and frijoles” because that was about all we could find even here.

The next morning we set off for the Roma - an area described in the guide book as a place for ‘artists, intellectuals and writers'. It has a couple of streets with buildings that could be in Paris - large windows and impressive facades. In the Plaza de Rio de Janiero to the north of this area, where a fountain played water over a statue of David surrounded by seats around the edge of garden beds, we thought we spotted an intellectual. ‘He looks intelligent,’ we said and analysed the outward signs - reading a newspaper, neat, glasses, thin, sitting quietly. Probably a banker on a break.

The next day we decided to conserve energy and take a two day ticket on the Turibus, a large red bus that makes two loops around the city. The red loop takes you into the Zocalo, the heart of the historic centre

>>>>>>>>>>>>The Zocolo, a large square, with our Touribus to the left


and then down through to Chapultepec Park. Here we hopped off on the advice of a local who said that an art museum nearby had some very exciting works. They were interesting, very modern, and of course generated the discussion of what constitutes art- perhaps whatever someone with influence thinks is art. There were some confronting works - Sarah would love it. Then we walked on to the house built for Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo - basically two square block houses side by side, his more grand of course, with a bridge between the two. It was designed by their friend and fellow artist Juan O’Gorman. Some of their works are displayed there but it is just interesting to see how they tried to solve the problem of such a stormy relationship. (see painting by Kahlo)
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>>>>>>>>>Frieda's painting deppicting her relationship with Diego!
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Back on the bus we circuited through the Colonia Condesa another area for “artists, intellectuals and writers” according to the pre-recorded information coming through our headphones. We hopped off in search of another sighting. While waiting we had lunch at a restaurant promising Vietnamese summer rolls (oddly filled with a lot of grated carrot) and Chinese dumplings; better and cheaper in Sydney. No sightings.

The next day we took the green route down through the south of Mexico City. We visited Frida Kahlo’s family house which is a wonderful museum for her works and contains a garden kept tranquil by a surrounding high brick fence. This is Casa Azul - the Blue House. This area of Coyoacan was once a separate town but is now joined to MC but it has a very different feel. Places to sit and enjoy the afternoon sun and a marguerita and watch the world go by. We partook. Of course Coyoacan was also described as an area for “artists….”.


One night when we had been searching the Zocalo for food with no success (tortillas and frijoles (beans) sound romantic but we had reached our limit) we hopped on our turibus going towards our hotel. Suddenly Ange said “We can get off here.” I was not sure she was right but, since she is nearly always right about directions, we got off. We walked through a park where a group of men, oddly, were practising military drills, and then along streets through the increasing darkness. We were starving. I thought we were lost and going to get mugged for sure. Just as the tears began to flow we happened across Cantina Latino. Cantinas are often drinking places for men only and rather seedy but we peered through the door and spotted several women, so with hunger driving us on we went in. We ate there three nights because every time the owner would swoop down on us, take us firmly under his wing, and tell us what we should eat and drink. He was very sweet and the his choice of food was delicious - the best we had had for ages. The bar had dark wood booths around the perimeter and tables and chairs in the centre. Best of all was a giant mural on the wall above the bar (see photo taken by our host). On our second night there was a soccer game; Mexico versus Porto Rico. The place became packed , everyone turned their seats to face the two giant TV screens. Luckily Mexico won by one goal scored in a penalty shoot-out after 0-0 score at full time!




We also spent a few hours at the museum of Modern art where they have a great collection of modern works largely by Mexican artists. (see photo of Ange at this Museum in a green shirt - but she had found a white seat)

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There was a special exhibition of works by Yishai Jusidman, who paints in a huge range of different styles. Watch out should you ever get a chance to see his works. We decided that Mexico has some incredible artistic talent. This conclusion was reinforced when we took a walk through the Jardin de Arte on Sunday. That day all the local artists gather together and chat and display their art. Just as well we have no space in our backpacks or we would have bought a lot.

Our room at the Emporio de la Reforma was like a warm blanket. Clean, tastefully decorated, crisp white linen, bath with 24 hour hot water, but best of all it is blissfully QUIET. The design of twisted passageways, soft carpets and double glazed well sealed windows means that we hear almost nothing once we close the door. We slept and slept - catching up on a month of sleep deprivation. On our last Sunday morning we were enjoying the huge buffet breakfast when we looked out the semicircular window beside us to see hundreds of people riding bicycles, roller-blading, skateboarding or just plain walking along down the Paseo de la Reforma. (see photo) On Sunday until early afternoon they close the street to traffic: families with children of all ages were out having fun and bonding, friends and lovers enjoying time together. It was great to see. We longed for a bike to join them.

We are off to Oaxaca in the south on Monday 27th July.

San Migual and the last week of school

Last weekend (July 11) we went with Anna, a fellow student from Esculea Mexicana, for an overnight trip to San Miguel de Allende. It is a beautiful city a little over an hours bus journey away. Yet another gorgeous colonial city with bougainvillia spilling down walls in a riot of reds and pinks over brightly coloured walls; huge arched doorways filled with heavy wooden doors; and grand cathedrals. I sat on the terrace of our hotel on Saturday afternoon writing in my diary enjoying the view across the city. The light was that hazy light that reminded me of Umbria, Italy. When I looked at the pots of red geraniums that lined the balcony that feeling was complete. The place is a favourite with ex-pat Americans and you can see why.

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On Saturday night we took advice from the Lonely Planet and drank margueritas at a rooftop restaurant bar. They were the best margueritas (plural) I have perhaps ever had! Here we are toasting our good health and good fortune. I include a photo as proof of the architectural superiority of these drinks. You'll have to take my word for the taste.

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Sunday was spent at the local Aguas Calientes - hot springs recovering from a sleepless night (curse the Spanish design of rooms around a central courtyard and the Mexicans love of all night parties!) and perhaps the slightest hangover. The spas included a long tunnel that you could swim along through to an inner cave with hot water spouting out of the wall. There were four light holes in the ceiling and the shafts of light playing on the rippling surface and were reflected to the cave ceiling. It was very tranquil.

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We began our last week exhausted and Ange decided to play hookey from classes. I ploughed on with only two hours a day. We seemed to whip through an extraordinary amount of grammer with our teacher Ilsa - three new tenses. I can now say: I have spoken Spanish, I would speak Spanish, and I will speak Spanish! But really, I can still hardly speak Spanish at all - and I can't say that in Spanish!

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We have spent a relatively quiet weekend packing for our next leg - we go to Mexico City on Monday.

Weekend side trips from Guanajuato

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We have taken a side trip out of Gto almost every weekend. On our first weekend after settling into our new home on the Saturday we decided to visit a small hill puelbo nearby. We found our way to the local Central de Autobuses and managed to purchase two tickets for Santa Rosa - although worryingly the ticket did not say Santo Rosa, but Dolores Hidalgo. The bus followed a long steep and winding road. It was very narrow and I was glad that we had not hired a car and were driving the other way. We had lunch at Santa Rosa overlooking rolling green hills through hazy air. At that stage it had been raining almost every night and everything looked quite lush - unusual for here. After lunch we wandered the streets and bought some sour plum jam from a women’s cooperative - five women have banded together and have their own label.

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The following weekend we joined a school excursion to the neighbouring town of Leon on Friday afternoon. Leon is famous for its leather products in particular shoes. Our first stop was at the Plaza do Zapatos - yes, it was indeed a mall devoted entirely to leather shoes!!! A young American girl bought three pairs. Besides the mall there were endless blocks of little stalls full of shoes. There I bought a pair of orange suede sandals - they are gorgeous and only cost the equivalent of $12. After this shopping extravaganza we had a rather rushed look at the main plaza surrounded by typical old colonial buildings, colonnaded walkways and huge cathedral.

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The next day we wanted some exercise. We took the funicular up one side of the valley thinking we would walk back down. The funicular, we saw later, is only suspended by one rope - a fact it was just as well we did not know when we sat suspended for a while a few metres from the top. At the top is a giant statue of Pipila - a local hero of the independence movement. We walked on past the stalls selling the usual tourist souvenirs and past the crowds. “Let’s just see what’s round the next corner” we said. Then after a series of “Let’s just …”, we found ourselves climbing the Buffa - the huge rocky topped mountain that rises up above the town. It was a great walk - huge and somewhat scary at times - but exhilarating. Here are a couple of photos.

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We returned to town down the tiny and colourful callejones.

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When we returned to the centre we were exhausted so we sat at a café to drink beer. Next to us was a clown entertaining the crowds. I got up to take a photot of Ange at the café post climb and the clown went and sat in my seat so I snapped them both!

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