Guatemala Otro Vez

Tuesday March 15th
This is a sick sick landscape. We are on a big bus driving south to Guatemala City from Flores via Santa Elena. We stopped over in Flores only because we couldn't make it to Antigua by nightime. We stayed in a funny little room where the door was a window and the room was a kitchen. Handy though. I enjoyed the ample counter space and the sink! We got to Guatemala city around 7pm after an 8 hour bus ride. From there we caught another bus to Antigua.

Friday the 25th
We spent 2 days, 3 nights in Antigua. Taking care of business and resting from 2 days of travel. Antigua is a beautiful city. Massive walls seclude the businesses and private residences from the sidewalks and roads. Many buildings look ancient, hence the town name. We walked up to Cerro de la Cruz our first day. Great view of surrounding Antigua. Lots of federales up the hill. All the trees on the Antigua side of the hill are cut down for viewing purposes. It looks strange from ground level, a big square cleared in the middle of alargely forested area.

22nd
I'm living in my tent not sure where I will be in 2 days. I gotta be somewhere else, but where? I'd like to go to yoga teacher training. I am open to different schools, although the ones I've heard of so far haven't come with raving reviews. A farm would be awesome too. Go to Nicaragua to volunteer again? Then again I could just go back to California. And get a job... And pay rent... Or go to peninsula de osos in costa rica with intentions for an internship/ volunteer position working with cats. That one seems pretty far fetched. I could also wwoof in California or Canada, which sounds equally interesting. I miss NPR. I don't know what is happening in California, the world. I do know that what happened in japan is devasting and makes me feel sad, scared, and homeless. I want to be in California, my home. To be near my family, my friends. Be near the environment I love and I am passionate about. I don't want to go back because life in California is filled with work and go go go. If I found a place to live where I could relax and enjoy that isn't going up in smoke or falling into the ocean, or being extracted of all it's natural resources. I feel helpless to the state of California. Things aren't going well and that's not fair. They are stealing the land and taking away promises. Really? More talk of drilling and nuking? Are we blind?!?! These acts are destroying the landbase. Not only for your generation, but mine, your grandchildren and their children. These generations will not see this beautifil world. Their world will be absent of large virgin forest, free flowing clean water, playing outside wihout constant protection. If that isn't enough of a reason to change than we are in even worse shape. Where does one try to start a life with these prospects? Perhaps New Zealand. If my family thinks that's a good idea I would move in a heartbeat. For now I wil stay in Guatemala. Look for a yoga/ farm/ volunteer situation.

30 minutes later...
Settled into my tent again after the water explosion. The huge thousand kilo water vat just burst and started rushing down the hill toward my tent. I grabbed my pants and all my things and ran out of the tent. After a bit of water dispersing my tent was in the clear. I did such an awesome bed setup tonight. I built a pillow with my dirty clothes that haven't been washed prperly for months, covered it with the never wash hoodie, and the sarong. I lay on my yoga mat in a fleece sleep sack covered with a bright Mexican blanket. Since I'm giving gross detail I'll explain my delicious dinner. Coconut quinoa with minced fresh ginger and chopped fresh mint leaved accompanied by sauted carrots, peas, spinach with garlic and green onion.
Time for the bad news ... Last night while I was editing my blog some wierd cut/paste thing happened on my iPod touch and I lost my entire entry about my trip in belize when my mom visited. Hopefully I'll get that retyped soon as daunting it seems. Lately I've been typing all this on the touch and just tranfering it when I get to a wifi spot or Internet cafe. Way less money and it does get easier typing with practice.

Joey began a course at a meditation center yesterday in San Marcos. We've eaten meals together and gone to the bigger, surrounding towns of lake atitlan to stalk up on food stuffs, there are great resources for healthful eating. Other than that he is at the meditation center, sleeping and doing what they do.  I am on the other side of town at the same campspot we found our first night in San Marcos.
We came to San Marcos on lake atitlan because we heard of the festival of consiouness for lectures in yoga, natural building, meditation, healing, etc. All weekend Joey and I were attending lectures with topics including; sound healing, yin yoga, geodesic dome buidling, and lucid dreaming. Now that Joey joined the course from this past fullmoon until the next full moon, April 17th I need to find something to do. I'm open to any thoughts, ideas, and support :)

Farm Thoughts

Joey and I spent a month and a half at the Spanish Creek farm. I wasn't physically there that while time though. Ten days with Casey ans another ten days with my mom. I felt so peaceful and content at the farm, as though it was a home I never knew before. The every day is so fulfilling and exciting. Waking up to white crowned parrots cackling up a cacophony as soon as the sun has made it's presence well known. Starting the day by feeding the chickens, watering the gardens, coffee and a hearty breakfast- now that's the life. Most days on the Spanish Creek farm began that way- unless someone beat me to feeding the chickens. After breakfast, 7am, we start our am projects. The farm manager and the crew of locals show up and we get organized for the day. I preferred the food garden or organizational tasks as well as cooking. I can make whole wheat tortillas!! (A local woman, Idolly, taught a couple of us.) Lunch was usually around noon and afterward the rest of the day was fair game. Finish your morning project or just sit in a hammock and read. Feed the horses and sheep. Kayak in Spanish creek, walk in the jungle, yoga, trips to the store for snacks that weren't provided by the farm aka snickers. Those were the most common activities when not working. All the volunteers ate dinner together each night. The solar power didn't last long so we were usually without light come 8 o'clock. Most went to bed, although, during some periods with a younger crew music was on and the more common beer/pot session occurred. Joey and I always star gazed on the walk to our private thatched roof round cabana. The stars were incredible. You could see perfectly any time of the month, if the moon was away the stars guide your path in their luminescence.

Staying on farms definitely helps to fine tune what I will do and will not do when I have my own land. Many differences were frustrating and in my opinion not okay. For instance the garden was watered with meter tall sprinklers. The sprinklers are so incredibly inefficient! Most the water would be collecting on plastic ground tarps or pathways or on the outside of the garden boundary. I really would have liked to see a drip system to grow the roots but it's not my farm and my opinion only counts so much. Similar situations arose constantly, especially since there was a wide variety of volunteers. Joey and I were asked to construct a compost toilet but then never got the go ahead with materials from the owner... who lives in Florida. Strange and such a let down. I was super excited to build my own idea but it's okay because I can do it on my own land. The longer on the farm the more attaches I became so I had to just let go of all my priorities, clearly the manager and I have very different ideas of what living off the grid means. The final straw that basically turned into Joey and I leaving was when the crew took a tractor and chainsaws to rip a fell tree from the river. Again, in my opinion they had no right to do that in he first place. The tree looked beautiful, was providing food and shelter to countless organisms, and was part of the landscape. A hurricane ripped it from it's roots and another tropical storm will change the river scene again this year. The use of gasoline and loud machinery was upsetting. I lost it when the crew was ripping the tree without cutting branches. This led to the tree damaging and destroying all kinds of innocent plants that were in it's path. I yelled at the man driving the tractor to stop, he pouted he rest of the day. I knew I should have explained to Niri why that I felt it was so necessary to be so worked up by a tree being removed, but I just couldn't. Next time I will explain and not let my emotions speak so loudly.

Despite all said we left on good terms with great memories. We met some incredible people, had the opportunity to care for animals, and I learned so much in the garden.

Casey and Suzanne, together in Belize!

Casey´s Arrival at the Belize City Aiport

I met Casey at the Belize City airport in Ladyville around 4 on the second Thursday of February.  We got in a taxi right away to try and make it to the coastal island, Caye Caulker, before dark.


Got to the Caribbean island just after sunset and walked the beach a few times before settling on Vega Inn. We set up my tent on Vega's front lawn, just steps from the Sea. Dinner was local food on a high swinging picnic table on top the water. Rum punch included in the meal with no rum :)

sunken golf cart, Caye Caulker

Friday morning we went straight to wading in the shallows. Built up an appitite so walked a few hundred steps in the water to a restaraunt with a picnic table in the water. Started with our feet in the water, playing with the sand until we noticed huge blue crabs wandering around our feet. Great deal of a breakfast; homemade yogurt, tropical fruits, 2 whole wheat pancakes and coffee for just 4 US$. We returned the next 2 mornings. Today was the day I tried out my homemade skin moisturizer and sun repellent. Mid day I started feeling a bit hot so Casey applied more to my back and I put more on my face. We walked all over the island, swam for a while, drank smoothies and ate tamales on the beach. That night I had blisters on my nose for the first time ever.

our camp-spot at Vega´s, Caye Caulker

We wanted to snorkle near Caye Caulker but the weather wasn't permitting. There was a bit of rain each day we were on the island and the nights were very wet. It didn't matter to Casey and I, we enjoyed lounging and wandering in the rain catching each other up on our lives.
We woke up sunday all prepared to go snorkling but when we got to the office it was canceled because of the rain. Decided to just leave the island all

the sunburn

beach houses, Caye Caulker

Together and head south, not sure where exactly yet. Got on the 12 o'clock water taxi to Belize City and walked directly to the bus station. Spent just enough time at the bus station to buy a pineapple from Mayan woman in front who even cut it for me. Jumped on a bus going to Punta Gorda with intentions to make it all the way to Placencia but opted for Hopkins when we heard it's an additional 1 1/2 hours off the highway deciding to go there on our way north again.

Hopkins, lunchtime

We get to Hopkins much after dark and struggle to find a person who will let us camp on their beach. End up at a little guesthouse for just about the same price as camping. Great little room with a private bathroom. It was a nice break from sleeping in the rain for 3 nights and it gave the tent and sleeping pads time to dry. Ate at the corner Chinese store/ restaurant/ bar. Most Garifuna don't keep their shops open late or consistently so the Chinese have taken over the niche for super markets, corner stores and a plethora of restaurants all over the country. Despite Ida acting pretty irritated we were patronizing her establishment the food was satisfying and came with built in with memories; I woke with puffy baby kitten eyes the next morning :/ ahh MSG.

with the bakery girls

I remembered the bakery from when joey and I were in Hopkins so that was destination one for the day. It was fun to return and chat with Caitlyn and be entertaned by her  3 adorable daughters. Caitlyn married a garifuna man an they operate out of their personal kitchen. We ordered coffee and a few muffins. We had made up our minds to camp and hike in the Cockscomb Basin for the next few days so we stalked up on items from Caitlyn. She cooked up 4 homemade vege patties and a loaf of whole wheat coconut bread. Caitlyn even voluteered her husband to drive us to the junction town for the park, Maya Center. We told her we'll definitely take her up on her offer and agreed to meet at 3pm. We walked along the beach and went to the Sew Much Hemp lady to tell her her moisturizing lotion is not to be used as a sun block! Larooney drove us in his pickup with his 2 youngest daugters in the cab trying to hang out through the window the whole time. We finally got to Maya Center closer to 5; eventhough it was only a 20 minute drive be because we forgot something in Hopkins and had to go back! Maya center was a great place to camp for a night before going into the park. We were the only guests and had delicious food made specialy for us. We were able to store our heavy bags there for 2 days which was awesome to hike with light weight bags. Lots of animals with babies on the property. It's owned by a Mayan medicine woman and he husband.

Tiger Fern Waterfall

The Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary,
the 1st Jaguar Reserve in the world

We got a ride the 6 miles up road to the park entrance from Aurora's nephew the next morning. Rwegistred at the office and started our steep but short hike up the Tiger Fern Trail. A beautiful double waterfall was only a half mile further past the campground where we swam and filled up on fresh water, no purification needed! We had nice yoga session before dark looking out to the Cockscomb Basin and ate our veg burgers with marinated onions and tomato. Once it was very dark we went walking around looking for animals. We didn't see anyone but the wolf spiders! They are so awesome. Their eyes glow twinkling blue when shining a light at the ground with a headlamp. Some were huge-over 3 inches in diameter and some were very small- hardly noticeable when shining the light in it's direction.

Tiger Fern Campsite

Self-Portrait

swinging on a creeping fig vine

Wednesday morning we woke up to the whole basin of the Cockscomb range filled with fog. We could hear the numerous birds waking up and the howlers claiming territory. Casey and I enjoyed a long lazy morning and then trekked down the trail hack to the headquarters. We got down around lunchtime and rented innertubes to float down the river in. The river meanered through the jungle, we saw lots of kingfighers, egrets, and herons.  We set up our tent and spent the rest of the afternoon reading and resting. Just before dusk we started for a hike to try and see more animals. Along a lagoon edge we saw a crocodile, boat-billed herons, and frogs. We walked through a giant guanacaste grove and listened to the birds come home. We started walking back after dark for more of a chance to see jaguars. No jaguars but cute birdies who follow the trail- thus following you. We would see the red tapedum in their eyes glowing and when we'd get just about 5 feet away they'd fly off to land just a few hundred feet down the trail again. On our walk I got stung by something that hurt incredibly bad. I couldn't get my sandle off fast enough to see what it was and the stinging was not lessening. I was freaking out be because I had no idea what the sting could be. I had never felt something like that before. I  looked around the ground and on my foot but nothing was showing up. Casey and I continued walking and I continued complaining about the sting- a sharp pain was climbing up the inside if my leg. We were far from any people and had no access to a phone so needless to say... We were a bit conserned. I didn't know what it could be or if these were signs I was nearing a neurological breakdown. Luckily the only ranger who sleeps in the park saw us approaching camp and came to greet us good night. I told him what my symptoms were and he suggested I drink pure lime juice. While we were talking my lips and tongue were going numb so he told us to come over to his house right away for the lime juice. He squeezed the lime for me and let us sit at his table. He made hot chocolate, offered his homemade tortillas and we talked for upwards of an hour. I was feeling less worried and returning to normal so we said goodnigt and Casey and I went to bed.

Boat-billed heron

creeping fig taking over the palm

We left the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary about 10am on Thursday after taking ourselves on the self guided nature walk around the visitors center. Really nice information from the panphlet that explained much of the plants we saw throughout our trip in the CBWS. We got a ride back to the highway junction where I sat on the road waiting for a bus while Casey shopped in the Mayan womens group artesian market. I hollarded for Casey when I saw the placencia bus rumbling down the road. We jumped on after the doorman took our bags and hurled them in the back of the bus. ofcourse my new hat from caye caulker is a complete nuisance and gets smashed everytime I get on a bus. A couple hours later we were in placencia looking for a campspot. That same helpful doorman suggested Omar's Guesthouse so we inquired and were offered a lovely spot in the small artesian site. The local couple who sell wooden art and jewelry, were welcoming and helpful. Audry made a typical meal once a day and sold it to passerbys; we bought the lunch once. After we set up our spot we went for a swim and walked around the peninsula. Ate dinner and inquired about snorkling.

beaching in Placencia

organizing our tent, Placencia

We went snorkling our second day around the Silk Cayes, 25 miles off the coast. Amazing snorkling experience. Swam with  two dolphins, a few giant sea turtles, eagle rays, manta rays, nurse sharks, reef sharks, heaps of colorful fish. saw sea whips, sea fans, sea cucumber, brightly colored coral gardens. Stopped snorkling for lunch on one of the teeny islands. It only took 30 seconds to walk around the island we snorkled around and ate lunch on. We snorkled one more spot, looking for more turtles. Saw a couple more and a few baracudas. After we cleaned up from our ocean day we went out for a nice dinner. Well, it started as a regular cheap dinner bur after the frustrating experience with the Chinese man about putting tofu in chow mein we got fed up and splurged at a delicious pasta restaruant. Ordered many Ginger mojitos, stayed awhile and even followed dinner with frozen desert cocktails down the street. We ended the night rather early, each on our own respective sides of the tent, reading. I think casey was fully clothed and lying on a mound of her belongings. We had a great night, avoiding the flirty locals and laughing on the beach.

kayaking in Placenia

Our last day together and in Placencia was relaxing. Drank coffee and read in the morning, browsed the local crafts, packed and went kayaking at sunset. The kayaks were pretty inexpensive so we took the out near 3 hours, stayed close to the shore by winding around the peninsula and surrounding mangrove islands. Looked for crocs and manatees, no luck. Found beautiful anemones where we docked for a quick walk-about.

Magnificent Frigget

Sunday morning we took the 7am bus north back to Belize city. Let the morning work rush pass us by on the highway and waited for a less packed bus. Before we got into the city we got off the bus to get to the airport. Confusing feelings surface when friends leave or a trip concludes. I'm thankful Casey came to Belize. It was rejuvenating to see such a dear friend. Thank you Casey I had an unforgetable adventure with you!