Camino de Santiago - the dos.

This design just made me happy. Smart parenting. Everyone plays together:

One of the people I’m walking with has a guide book. He is our guide (pronounced gweed-ay) He reads all the history and when we pass things of note he points them out and explains what he read. This bridge, he explained, was noteworthy because the tradition is that you have to take your shoes off whenever you cross it. He took his shoes off and explained to the other pilgrims who joined us crossing the bridge. About 10 of us crossed it together, shoes in hand. About half way across the bridge he starts giggling and announces the equivalent of, “It’s the tradition. Tradition of Gweeday!” He made the whole thing up. I’m still giggling.

Camino de Santiago - The Beginning

I was planning to sleep a bit and not worry about hurrying ahead. The day wasn’t suppose to be too hot, so I didn’t see the need to rush ahead ... well, it seems others had other ideas. The dorm was alive, awake, alert, and enthusiastic by 5:30am, so so was I! I headed out alone into the dark and followed the signs I could see through the dark streets and up the start of a hill, which turned into a climb, which turned into a mountain, and then a mountain range. All in all we - the travelers of the day, strangers mostly - climbed 1,400 meters with packs ranging from approximately 4 - 12kg ... mine weighing in somewhere around 10.5 (in hindsight, WAY too heavy).

And off we go!

The last few years have been an adventure, but sadly weren't able to be properly documented here.  My apologies for anyone with FOMO, but yeah, you missed out.  Moving on though, I'm off to find my Way.  

So here we go.  I will be hiking (walking) the Camino de Santiago.  As is the case with most things I do, there were some last minute complications, so don't be surprised if this series is interrupted periodically with pictures of other places and unrelated adventures.  Given my writing history, it kinda makes sense.  No? 

Since I am trying to keep my pack weight down, this trip sadly won't include super high quality photography, but I hope it will include high quality photo subjects which make up for cell phone travel photos, and reduced verbiage.  

Until next time, I hope this video of me preparing for departure will hold you over: 

Shout out to Urban Axes Boston

Test Test 1 2 ...

Long long ago, google disabled the app for blogger - the website that hosts this Blogovel. Sadly the only app I found was created by the developer “Made in Russia” which is a little suspect and also costs money. Since my next trip will be without my laptop I need to test out a few mobile work-arounds.

Enjoy this photo while I experiment.

Today I learned ...

Today my host mother walked into the room and handed me a nondescript packet of beige powder.  No explanation. No modeling of what one should do with this packet. Just sort of a "Here.  This is for you" motion.

I proceeded to smell it ... nothing.  Try again ... burnt?  One more time ... 

Me:  Burnt coffee?
Mom:  Corn.  Burnt corn.  
Me:  What do I do with it?
Mom:  Eat it man!

Then she proceeds to pour a small amount from her own packet onto her palm and licks it off.  

I've made many questionable decisions in my time here, and I think this qualifies as one.  Oh well, trust the Mama.

... kinda tasteless, then grows to something akin to flour.  Oh there it is!  Just barely burnt popcorn, with a hint of sugar.  Okay.  No regrets.

Thanks Mom!

Today I learned about Kasham.

Adventure Anniversary

This month marks the official (although not technical) anniversary of my current adventure.  To say that it has been a roller coaster would be an understatement, but I enjoy the fact that this month I recognized that anniversary by riding an actual roller coaster.  

Carnival rides here in Belize are not large, but they tend to be far more exciting.  Take for instance a simple ferris wheel.  The one I rode probably equaled the size of the largest ferris wheel I've even been on, but I'd never been on one that was a thrill ride before.  The approach to the top was fast enough that you come off the seat a little bit as your trajectory switches downward and your stomach follows suit.  It was delightful.  The caterpillar ride did exactly as you would expect and left the person on the outside of each car slightly crushed and bruised.  As an added bonus, our lap bar seemed to be malfunctioning and provided an extra bit of a challenge to the experience.  Finally, there was a matterhorn ride which was basically a caterpillar ride that also lifted up into the air.  This ride started breaking mid-way through the experience making terrible screeching sounds (which it hadn't been doing earlier), and all the lights mysteriously went out.  As I say, quite the adventure.

Much like the carnival, the past year has had its ups and downs.  While one is up is busy balancing the last down there are important moments in between.  Along the way there is work being done and sites being seen.  

One bit of work which has been neglected but will be no longer, is an update for this site.  So let me take you on a trip.  We're going to Billy Barquedier National Park.  

First of all, let's talk about location.  People have a lot of different thoughts when they think about Belize.  Some people imagine the islands, even more think about glittering white sandy beaches (which are almost non-existent here).  Before arriving, I thought of the deep jungles, jaguars and snakes wandering rolling hills.  In contrast, I spend most of my days in farm country.  It's flat and hot and full of cane fields.  On this trip however, I stumbled into jade hills and was in awe.  

Probably some of my favorite aspects of this trip were the things that keep it from the average tourist's eye.  There are very few places to stay.  I ended up in a tiny economy cottage being rented privately.  There wasn't any hot water, or a refrigerator, but the small stove-top and sink served my needs just fine.  From there it was about a mile walk along the highway to get to the park entrance.  There are several park entrances, and almost none of them are marked, but if you ask people along the way, and are persistent, they will act like you're crazy and give you vague directions that may or may not get you where you need to go.  On the bright side, this place isn't manicured and there are no facades, so what you get is real and the people you meet are honest.  That, for the most part, worked out in my favor.  

Upon reaching the waterfall, far later than anticipated, I happened upon an older gentleman and his son of about 8-10 years old.  Apparently, my late arrival was just what he had been hoping for all day.  It was an excuse for all of us to go wandering into the bush and see what we could find.  While I wasn't expecting to have a guide I was both relieved and very very lucky.  I was relieved because an unfamiliar jungle is not unlike a childhood bedroom - full of terrors, moving shadows and perceived dangers trying to kill you.  Whether the shadow that makes you jump is real or imagined, the broken leg from sliding down a mud hill, will still be a bit of a setback.  With a seasoned guide to lead the way, I was at least confident that if I were to be eaten by a jaguar, at least maybe someone could run away and tell the story while I was being eaten. 

The guide was far more useful than I could have know.  He pointed out the various kinds of ferns.  There were tapir tracks, which also informed me that I had NO idea how large a tapir is (approx 350 pounds).  

Along the way the trail got narrower and the guide got excited.  He started talking about taking a detour.  I couldn't figure out what he was talking about.  

Can you see it?  Cause I couldn't.

Why were we veering off the path and who is this "he" that we were going to be leaving alone. 

The (non-venomous) snake* that surely would have bitten me if I had been hiking alone.

When we got to the falls I offered the guide and his son a sandwich.  He accepted quietly, but at the first bite his eyes grew wide and he looked at the sandwich, then at me, then back at the sandwich.  I was nervous.  Had I failed to tell him an important ingredient?  Did he not eat meat?  Was he allergic?  He just asked, "You made this, didn't you?"  I said yes and immediately knew why he was surprised.  He thought I had given him a "burger" that you get at the bus station.  These are 2 pieces of bread or a bun with a slice of processed cheese in the middle.  Nothing more.  I had given him a turkey and cheese sandwich with lettuce, tomato, mayo, mustard, salt and pepper.  It may seem silly, but here, that's the difference between a fast food monstrosity and a farm fresh home made artisan burger.  You're welcome guide!  Thanks for keeping me alive and not letting the monsters of the jungle eat me.

After a couple of quick swims - the water was FREEZING - we headed back to the trail-head and parted ways.  It was gorgeous, and exhausting and incredibly interesting, and I hope not too many people get a chance to see it, because as it stands now, it's perfect.

Pro tip:  When a guide asks you if you want a walking stick and then takes one for himself, the appropriate answer is "yes please."  I've never used walking sticks while hiking before.  I've always found them a bit silly.  For the amateur hiker, if you need a walking stick to get you up or down the side of the mountain, you're probably off the trail or hiking beyond your abilities.  Train more, come back when you're ready.  I set off into the jungles of Belize, a proud rural raised girl who was familiar with deep woods and steep climbs.  Well, half way through the trek, which crossed a quick moving stream a couple of times, I was crossing through the shallows and the rocks were a bunch slipperier than I realized.  Down I went.  My foot got caught between two rocks, the back of my thigh was scratched, and bruised, and in order to free myself I ended up slicing my foot open.  The guide, who in the meantime had been joined by 3 younger jungle scouts, said nothing.  He simply turned around and handed me his walking stick, before carrying on.  He must have rightly guessed that it didn't do anyone any good to point out the error of my ways, that had already been done.  I was grateful.  

*Best guess - that's a tropical rat snake.  They eat rodents and would probably just scare the crap out of me or maybe bite me to get me to run away.  It would work.

March is Child Stimulation Month in Belize!

March was Child Stimulation Month in Belize.  It was a time to focus on pre-school aged children and the importance of play in early childhood development.  To kick off the month and activities and celebrations, Orange Walk District held a parade and many of the local pre-schools joined in.  What followed was a mass of cuteness, pageantry, and elaborate floats as only Belize can deliver.  Yay Play!