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.
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).
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:
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.
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.
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 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!
... that lime trees have thorns! They're like enormous rose bushes except incredibly practical and way more dangerous. I'm not likely to try to venture into the middle of a rose bush to pick a flower. I might try to navigate a lime tree/bush for some delicious key lime. If knowing is half the battle, the other half - to my brain - is defense.
This Thursday is International Women’s Day.I would like to mark this occasion by
describing some of the awesome-ness that I’ve been witness to in the past few
weeks. Specifically, I went to a graduation ceremony.Three of the teachers at the local school, just
a block or so from where I live, have been studying their butts off for the
past year.
These three ladies have stayed up countless nights – or more
honestly into the wee hours of the morning – to improve their leadership
skills, be a positive force for change within the education system, and in some
ways, to prove to themselves that they are capable and avid learners.With their commitment and passion, they are
an inspiration.
Even the graduation ceremony itself was a test of wills, as
a few minutes into the introductory speech, the skies opened up and torrential
rain threatened to drown out the speaker’s words and soak the grads sitting
closest to the back edge of the stage.
[this is not what dry
season looks like]
It should also be noted that none of these women live in a
vacuum.They are mothers, wives,
daughters and full-time teachers.Each
of them had family supporting them throughout their studies, and of course on
graduation day itself.In a place where only
56% of women are part of the labor force*, these women have families that
support their continued education and community leadership.
Today I am so proud of my village, these three leaders, and
the families they are a part of.
Congrats, and best of luck as you strive to move forward
with your new-found skills, inspiring the next generation of leaders and
teachers yet to come.
Sadly, this post must begin and end with an admission and disclosure. In a day filled with adventuring
and touring, I took 142 pictures of Cahal Pech and Inland Blue Hole. In my enthusiasm to transfer those pictures and
start writing as soon as humanly possible, I forgot that my computer is not
always as fast as my own thought process and I deleted the original photos
before they finished copying to the appropriate drive. The end result is that you, dear reader, will
have to struggle through this writer’s pros rather than perusing my photos. As is so commonly said here in Belize, “Shucks!”
Moving on. On a
cloudy, yet cool Orange Walk morning, I met up with a group to tour the Mayan
ruin of Cahal Pech. Although I typically
do not tour with groups or guides, I had the opportunity to be led through the
site by a knowledgeable guide who is not only native to Belize, but also an
active participant in her own culture and history.
This is Jenny, our guide:
She not only described where the pok-ta-pok court was, but
brought her own ball, as she is an avid fan and sometimes participant in modern
day play of the game. While I no longer
have the picture of the ball with the court in the background, I can offer this
recent news article demonstrating the resurgent popularity of this ancient
game: https://www.ambergristoday.com/news/2017/04/18/belize-team-wins-ancient-maya-ball-game-teotihuacan-mexico
The ruins were in spectacular condition and unlike many of
the other sites that I’ve been to, the passageways and interior spaces are
still intact and explorable. It was a
lot of fun to move through the hallways and stairs from one area to another and - always a water and sanitation buff - fun to see how the water and drainage systems worked. There was something akin to a gravity fed
shower system which elicited a lot of jealously and envious questions about
water temperature from our group. Hot
showers are not an every day occurrence among my travel companions.
From there we moved eastward and visited the Inland Blue Hole. Although we didn’t have time to wander the
caves or hike the area, the site does have sufficient facilities to use the
bathrooms, change clothes and easily hike down the granite steps to a jungle oasis,
swimming into one of the caves in total darkness. Not gonna lie, it was pretty cool.
Although this blog post is the result of a special trip
arranged for the group I traveled with, I have no doubt that any tour arranged
and guided by Jenny and Epic Mayan Tours would be equally engaging and tailored
to those present.
At least once a week I pass a large warehouse in the middle
of sugar cane fields. The first time I passed by, I noticed a sign
out front which caught my attention, but this week I had to start
laughing as I passed by. The fence on
the edge of the property was inhabited by 4 large black birds. There are flocks of vultures in the area, so it’s not unusual that
you would see a group of them in the fields.
The reason it’s funny is the same as the reason I noticed the warehouse at
all.
There’s a sign out front which reads “Sale of Tissue”. This would be funny in its own right, but for me it’s amplified by the fact that the first time I asked for a Kleenex in Spanish I mis-translated and asked for spare flesh aka biological tissue.
Every time I pass the warehouse with Sale of Tissue, I giggle at how
boldfaced and public the sale of - presumably human - flesh is in these parts. Today though,
I am concerned for a turn in the economy. With that many vultures/buzzards out front,
they seem to have a large stock of inventory that isn’t moving quickly enough. Luckily their sign also says, Venta de papel higiénico or “toilet
paper for sale”, so they can clean up the mess with their other merchandise .
With all the holidays converging together this December/January/School Vacation/Family Recognition etc. etc. etc. I will be postponing the January scheduled post until Tuesday the 16th (because even that Monday is a holiday in some places). Please stay tuned, and in the mean time enjoy this picture that I borrowed from the internet:
This month’s post will focus a little more specifically on my travels and local interactions. I’ve been in Belize for a few months now and had the pleasure of being a part of some fun traditions and celebrations. I’ve even successfully made some tortillas – still not well enough that anyone from Belize would be proud to admit they made them, but well enough that my host mom was proud of me, and sometimes that’s just good enough.
As you may or may not have noticed, I tend to delay my posts a little. This month is no exception. I do this for many reasons, but just a heads up this whole post will be about events that took place in Belize this past September.
September celebrations are a string of well observed holidays here in Belize. The one I was most involved with was Independence Day which occurs on the 21st of September. The days surrounding the holiday have local parades in which kids decorate their bikes, and even the preschool makes floats to parade through town. There are fireworks, and there’s food and general jubilation. The culmination of the festivities is a parade in each of the regional town centers, the biggest and most famous of which happens in Orange Walk Town.
There are floats and spectacles involving the whole family. From children who are part of the drum squads, police cadet force, and a program called GREAT, which I imagine is something like the anti-drug campaign DARE in the United States in the 90s, only more focused on gangs than drugs, to adults passing out adult beverages (more on that in a bit).
Here is a video of a particularly energetic and talented youth:
It might be because of our position at the end of the parade
route, but there also seemed to be a very wide range of enthusiasm for their
part in this spectacle.
Alcohol also plays a big part in the celebrations. Right at the beginning of the parade, before
any of the floats had come through, what I assume were either members of the Belizean
Defense Force or Customs officials walked the parade route.
The area is close enough to Mexico that contraband is a
problem for the local authorities. The
officials surveyed the crowds and when they saw a group with Mexican beer still
in the original containers, they dumped all of it ….
… all that was visible.
Beyond the contraband though, there were many floats which
were sponsored by local brewers and distillers.
Many of them even passed out drinks to the crowd as they rode by:
Belikin – arguably the most well known Belizean beer – not only
sponsored a float, but they even had the forethought to provide a porta-potty
for the revelers on the float. #thoughtful
Caribbean Rum was a little more low key. Instead of going all out with a big float, enormous
speakers and a DJ, they focused on what they know. A vat of rum and two guys to hand out drinks was
enough to keep the crowd happy.
You needn’t worry though.
The floats that followed provided plenty of beats. New Wave Soundz packed so many speakers on
their float that their DJ had to duck under the parade banner which was hung 3
stories off the ground.
It was a beautiful display of sounds and colors and I look
forward to going again next year and seeing what new attractions they can
provide. Bring on year 37!
