One year anniversary - Cruising to Alaska

From blue icebergs to iced blue drinks, our cruise to Alaska was everything we hoped it would be. We began our trip Saturday morning through the long customs lineups, H1N1 questionnaire, random people trying to sell us $%#@ before being awarded our golden ticket: our everything card, good for boarding the ship, entering your room and shopping/purchasing anything you like aboard the ship. Our room number 4076 was a tiny cubby that housed a double bed, couch and small bathroom. Complimentary robes were provided and we began to unpack. Well, that is after we ran to the nearest buffet, prepared to gorge ourselves on fabulous food. The lido buffet (soon to become our second home) housed many delicacies from salad bars to pizza and pasta, hot food of the moment, sushi and dessert. The food was good, but there is only so much buffet food a person can stomach. We explored the ship from top to bottom, two swimming pools, a gym, movie theater, theater, nine+ bars, a library, etcetera, before heading for a much deserved nap. We were awoken by a shrill alarm insisting that we put on our life vests for mandantory boat drill. What a way to start the trip!


Throughout our weeklong cruise we spent many evening dinning in the vista lounge for plate dinner. Great service and the food went both ways depending on what you ordered. I enjoyed lots of fish and steaks, and too many deserts!! We snacked on popcorn and movies in the purple cinema before falling asleep well after midnight. Our first day on the boat was a sea day which we spent eating, chatting, playing trivia, walking the ship, napping and all that fun stuff. That night we enjoyed our first formal night on the ship with shirt and jackets, women in pretty dresses. It was lovely and what a way to spend our first wedding anniversary!

Our first day on land was in Juneau, Alaska where we opted for a guided four hour hike of Mendenhall Glacier Park. With a tough rating on this tour we knew we were in for an adventure leaving the oldies behind on the ship. The hike was challenging, but fun, with breathtaking views of the glacier (pictured on the right). Our guide Mike was really sweet, originally from Los Angeles, he fell in love with the great outdoors of Alaska and never plans to return home. Although Alaska is beautiful, I can't really say I would want to live there permanently. Some of the towns are really small which actually makes for less crime. Car theft is virtually non-existent as the police only need to cover the ferry terminal and the one highway out and you're caught! Apparently their main concern is domestic abuse due to too much alcohol consumption (allegedly).

Our second day we docked early in Skagway and had the whole morning to explore the city. Mostly tourist shops, that sell cheap crap were everywhere. So many jewlery stores full of tanzanite and diamonds. These stones don't even come from Alaska. "here stupid tourist, come here..." We didn't even pay them a moments notice. We did end up in an art store that sells local jewlery and hand made art. There were some really beautiful pieces there, but not without a hefty price tag attached! Joe bought me a beautiful necklace made out of fosilized ivory and clam shells whilst steering me away from the $1000 painting I was eyeing up!


After a quick lunch on the boat we joined our tour up the mountain via a 1.5 hour scenic train ride. Really beautiful, people were snapping photos incessently trying to capture the beauty of nature. We saw some cute mountain goats grazing and an abundance of trees. The scenery actually reminds us a fair bit of Vancouver. We are very lucky in Vancouver to have such an abundance of forestry and wildlife. It always amazes me when people come from all over the world and become so overwhlmed by the great outdoors we have. I don't think we appreciate it as much as we should. The second half of our journey was bike riding down the mountain. We chose the bike option for the adventure and to breath in the cool fall air after hours of recirculated cruise breathing. When we first mounted our bikes, we were freezing and stiff, but by the end of the 1.5 hour journey, we were professionals, masters in our craft. Or at least Joe was. I am still trying to get comfortable on those stiff seats!
Back on the boat for two days we filled our time with eating, hot tub visits, trivia, movies, eating more. We also saw a magic show that featured a really cute grey poodle making me miss our four cats at home. The ship also took us through Glacier Bay which had spectacular views of gigantic glaciers. People were lined up outside to get the best picture. You feel as though you're in the Antartica sometimes out in the middle of nowhere with all the ice and glaciers. The weather could definitely have been better, but we didn't mind, it just gave us an excuse for another nap.

A couple of evenings on the ship were really rough and we took motion sickness pills and went to bed early. It's wierd how affected you become. Joe felt like he was still on a boat even while on land. The woman in Skagway said that people ask her all the time, if the floor is moving. Ugh, wouldn't want to be on the water for a living. Another interesting fact about the cruise is that all of the staff (85%) are Indonesian. Most are tiny and really cute and friendly. I think they live on the ships all year with their husbands/wives. They seemed to be very content with their line of work, although they do work hard. Our cabin steward, Aep, was really sweet, remembering our names immediately and talking to us in the hall all the time. He is pictured with Joe on the right standing on his tip toes because he is so tiny!


Our final day on land was in Ketchikan where we opted to roam around and see the city instead of another overpriced tour. Not very eventful, just more shops and restaurants. We went into a second hand store to check out any good deals, but it was kind of sad and small with vagrants (who appeared drunk) sitting outside. I saw a couple of workers from the ship in there scoping out the deals. We made a run for it. Joe was feeling really sick that day so we headed back early after buying me a touristy sweater that says Alaska with the Northern Lights pictured as yellow stars. Too cute!!

The good/bad thing about dinner time is that they pair you up with different people everynight unless you have an assigned table. You meet tons of interesting people and it forced you to talk to them lest you appear rude. One night we met a loud mouthed man and his wife from Honolulu who had been married and divorced to each other twice. She said he annoyed her and she didn't think he was taking her seriously, so she divorced him. He was a bit of a know it all, shouting out stories and his thoughts on everything. Another night I had the whole table comparing astrology signs and their thoughts on that. We had three scorpio's and two capricorn's at the same table. Fun! We also met a young couple from England one night at dinner and then met up another night for drinks. Really funny, we enjoyed the company of other young people, as most of the ship was aged 75 and older. They had been on a trip through Banff and the rockies before heading on the cruise. A route that seemed to have been taken by many.

To sum up the week, we really enjoyed the relaxing and luxurious cruise life (albeit a bit boring) although we have filled our cruising quota for the next 30 years. I could see myself taking another cruise in the future, but not anytime soon. Alaska was great and a state not to be missed!

Gran Bahia Principe and home

We awoke, dressed and showered quickly before running to the buffet! We met my Aunt and Uncle for breakfast in our hotel, to discuss the wedding plans for the evening. For those who are unaware, my cousin Liam and his fiancé Maggie had their wedding in the Mayan on April 28.

While they went off to prepare, Joe and I headed to the pool for some much needed R&R. We swam, lounged, and swam again. We opted not to use the swim up bar (seats in the water at the bar) as it was a little early to start boozing it.

We met friends and family at 2:45 and headed down to the beach for the ceremony. Many people took off their shoes as we walked to our seats, white chairs neatly lined in a row, white decorations flying in the breeze. Maggie looked stunning in her flowing dress and updo, while Liam was quite the hunk in a beige suit. The ceremony was romantic and fun followed by pictures and dancing with the Mexican trio band.

We all did our own thing and met up for dinner at 5:30 in one of the seafood restaurants. I had prawns, while Joe had brie stuffed chicken. It was really great to meet Maggie's family from Ontario and to join in the festivities. We followed dinner with a poolside party with many margaritas and pina colada’s for this gal. We danced and talked, speeches were given and tears shed. We finished off the evening with snacks and more drinks at the snack bar. It was truly a wonderful day.

The next (and our last) day on the resort, we spent lounging on the beach and swimming in the crystal blue waters after we dragged ourselves out of bed at 11:30! I borrowed snorkeling gear and was amazed to see so many fish near the shore. It is so sunny here, truly a tropical paradise. More margaritas followed.

The staff are really "nice" and helpful although I feel somewhat uncomfortable with the obvious classism that exists on the resort (or Mexico in general). They even have sand ashtrays that are stamped with a pattern every day. Our room is cleaned to perfection every day, once with an elephant made out of towels greeted us after a long day out!
The food is uneventful and plain, but I believe that is most likely the tourists fault than theirs.

The swine flu epidemic is apparently growing and everyone seems to be going into a panic. The photographer informed Liam during their couple photos that Air Transat is pulling everyone out the country by May 3. Not exactly what the newlyweds wanted to hear considering they were supposed to spend another week honeymooning in the sun. We recently found out that all the Mayan sites nearby have been closed. We were really lucky to have gotten in on the 27th considering two days later all tours appear to be cancelled. I think the whole swine flu is a bunch of BS, as no one appears to be really sick and no one outside of Mexico has died except a Mexican child in Texas.

Our last night there, we bribed our way into the Mikado, a Japanese steak house. DELICIOUS! We enjoyed sashimi and sushi appetizers, soup, fried rice, filet mignon and seafood all cooked before our very eyes. Our chef was amazing, spinning plates, throwing eggs into the air, etc. Entertaining and fun, it was a great way to go out in style. We finished off dinner with drinks and good conversation on the outside patio at our hotel.

We departed our five star living at 9am and took a cab to the airport. We were prepared for long line ups and tough interrogation. What we got was a regular check-in with only a small questionnaire as to whether we felt sick, symptoms we felt, etc. There were many people in line with masks on, many who were wearing them around their necks and others who moved them to talk and kept wiping their eyes, ears and mouth. I was enjoying myself pointing and laughing. A few goobers were covering their mouths with their sweaters and looked really ridiculous! It was a fun farewell from Mexico. We have enjoyed our two weeks immensely and are going home tanned and relaxed.

Soon we’ll be home!!!!!

Back in Mexico - Tulum

We left the island on the first boat out of there. From there we avoided taxi’s and opted to walk the 15 minutes to the bus station, only to catch our bus as it was pulling out of its stop. I love the buses here, they stop anywhere and everyone is so laid back. This does make for a longer rider though! We met a British guy on the bus and I spent the next hour comparing notes and photography. He has inspired me to actually make it to a photography class. He said that he had been hitchhiking up from Costa Rica and had met many interesting characters. We made it through the border with relative ease, although our friend had to borrow American money because Belize wouldn’t let him through without an exit tax.

We found our bus and took it the rest of the way to Chetumal (already starting to feel like home)! From there, our friend paid us back in a flurry, while I ran to catch our next bus up the coast of Mexico. He opted to stay and eat something before moving on. Joe and I were anxious to get moving, so we carried on despite the claws of hunger creeping up on us. We were pleasantly surprised to have locals come on the bus to sell snacks. We eagerly bought four bags of banana chips (taste like regular chips with a twist) and juice. This has become our favorite snack over the past week and a half. LOVE them. Joe and I spread out over six seats in the back and enjoyed our books and snacks. Not long after, we had sandwiches come on board and of course we had to buy them. We really enjoy helping the locals, while we gorge ourselves!

Once we arrived in Tulum, we decided, enough was enough and found ourselves a room at the Weary Traveler. Comfy beds with fan-filled rooms, it had a comforting feeling. We unpacked, showered and headed to the internet café. The shopping around here is typical, but enjoyable. At the internet café, we first discovered the “Swine Flu.” We found out that Grandma had opted out of the wedding and that the world was cracking down on Mexican travel. We were somewhat concerned as we chatted with some fellow travelers at the café. Apparently their flight was scheduled out of Mexico City.

We headed back to our hostel and cooked ourselves some dinner. They provided frozen burgers and you help yourself to salad and condiments. I MISS cooking! We met a really nice couple, he being from South Africa and she being British. We, of course, got into some interesting political debates on the myriad of topics people usually shouldn’t touch: Israel, politics in the USA, indigenous people in Central and South America. They were both really fun and took the conversations in stride. He talked about life in South Africa and its dangers as though it was normal everyday living. Guns, and fortresses around your house. He said that one time their alarm went off, and he and his dad headed to the safe, each grabbing a gun, went to secure the perimeter. He thought to himself “this is what we have prepared for.” He checked the front of the house of to see a man jumping back over the fence, assumedly scared off by the alarm. I asked him if he was prepared to shoot a man in order to protect his home. He said that although he didn’t like it, it was either them or him. Quite the intense conversation. He proceed to tell me a few horror stories about people he had known who had been killed for no apparent reason. He seemed to think that the pros of living in South Africa far outweighed the cons. I guess I will just have to visit to find out!!

Early the next morning, we teamed up with an Italian guy from our hostel and went to find out tour to Chichen Itza. We were to meet up at 9am, so I wanted to leave the hostel at 8:30, but the man who arranged it said we could easily make our ride if we left at 8:45. When we began to leave at 8:45, he suggested we take a cab, so we didn’t get lost (although he had repeated assured as previously that it was easy to find). I was seriously annoyed at this point and decided to walk. We got to the meeting spot at 9:01 precisely and I begin to panic. There are people waiting for a bus to the Tulum ruins, but no one seems to be waiting for Chichen Itza except one couple. A large bus pulls in and picks them up, totally ignoring us. Panic stage 2: Joe asked our Spanish speaking Italian friend to go across the street and ask the vans sitting there, if they are our ride. Luckily, they were and we made our connection. Mexico is so full of mixed signals and disorganization. We were told one thing, they did another, etc.

Pleased to be on the bus, we slept the two hours to the site. We began our tour of the Mayan Ruins, one on my hundred wonders list (hillmanwonders.com) with our English speaking guide. He was somewhat informative although his English was not nearly as good as our guide in Tikal. The ruins are amazing, towers of stone, with intricate designs, snake heads and giant loops, burial sites and temples of offering. Our guide clapped his hands and we all listened to it echo seven times (a favorite Mayan number). He showed us pictures of the winter solstice, , over show the sun illuminates the snake head straight up to the tops of the structure. Slowly over a twenty minute period, the structure slowly succumbs to complete darkness. Our guide told us that 30,000 people come to see it every year. The whole area surrounding the ruins is laden with locals selling you anything and everything. “10 pesos, one dollar”, “cheaper than woman” they shout at you. If you even show an ounce of interest, the prices are appeared to rise. We have had enough of cheap souvenirs and chose to buy only two fridge magnets. It is so hot here and there is hardly any shade to speak of. We found ourselves in the air conditioned fancy stores just to escape the humidity.

We rejoined our bus and were promptly taken to a local buffet. The food was awful and the entertainment sad. Three young adults dancing with things on their head, I only saw one crack a smile when I was staring at her. I swear they resent tourists and only put up with us for our money (Maybe I am just paranoid).

The next stop on our tour was to a Cenotes cave where I went swimming with all of the other tourists. The cave was really beautiful, but the water was cold, much colder than the ocean. There were little fish swimming all around. After my short swim we piled back in the van for the trip back, stopping once at a church which is really too uneventful to even mention. It was late in the afternoon by the time we retrieved our bags and got into the collectivo heading towards the resort.

We arrived in our rooms at 7:30pm, after a short trolley ride, to a king size bed, a couch, TV, air conditioning and a bathroom that was almost bigger than the first room we stayed in. Five star is really all they make it out to be!

We headed to the buffet and gorged ourselves on more bland and uneventful food then went in search of family. We toured the massive estate, stopping at the mall, the lounge, the hotel lobby, the pool. We finally found Liam and Maggie at the “snack bar” with all night drinks and snack. Paradise! We got acquainted with all of their friends before heading off to a restful sleep in our king size bed!

Caye Caulker, Belize

After only a few short days we had to leave Guatemala. But as the guide book says, we are contemplating our next trip back! We left at 6am on a bus that was a half hour late. Our bus, turned out to be a van with really tight seating. We made it to the border in an hour, half the original time it took us to get there. As usual the border crossing was a blast. Business as usual, pay the man and you're in. I call it an expensive stamp fee as opposed to an "entrance/exit" tax. Our passports are looking good!

Once over the border, we had to wait for two people who were taking FOREVER (apparently they were importing computer goods). While we waited, we enjoyed dinner (lunch) and a show. Everyone was quite hungry and so we walked over to some road side restaurants and grabbed a few burritos. Joe and I bought four and a pop for $5! Delicious homemade burritos, bread and all! After we got our food Joe thought it would be funny to shout out "hey, there goes our bus!" Everyone turned to the window in panic; he thought it was hilarious. We returned to our bus only to find the French woman fighting with our bus driver. Understanding no Spanish, we relied on others to fill us in. She continued to yell and moan sometime before we fully figured it out. Apparently she wasn't happy about our luxury bus. She had wanted the front seat of the van and the driver told her no because it was filled with lots of stuff. She was really yelling about it, it cracked me up!

We took the bus into Belize City and missed our ferry to the island by five minutes. We decided to walk around the dreaded Belize City for 1.5 hours. Although there were many beggars we found it to be fairly safe for our brief shopping expedition! The city has a bad reputation.

We boarded our ferry moments before the down pour of rain. Four people were sitting uncovered and got soaked, but it is so stinking humid, they appeared to be enjoying themselves! We finally made it to Caye Caulker, a popular backpacking island off Belize City. We followed a local who got us settled into a hotel with air conditioning and TV. Joe was pleased! We set out to explore the island on foot finding many tourist shops and activities. After a lovely dinner of seafood, we retired early to our wonderfully cool room.

The next day we opted to relax with a leisurely breakfast at Café Amore, followed by some light shopping. Then we enjoyed a nice swim in the ocean at the “split” casually known as the swimming hot spot. The island was originally one big one but is now “split” in two due to a large hurricane long ago. We enjoyed Chinese food for lunch which was surprisingly good, before a quiet siesta in our room. Later in the afternoon we explored the island finding a beautiful wedding and a lot of houses for sale. Not cheap though! Some were going for $195,000 US and didn't appear to be THAT nice. Still this place is crawling with American tourists, many fat ones, in their rented golf carts! The island is only 8.5 km long and 1.2 km long. Easily walk able! We discovered many sand crabs that hide all over the island. They’re kind of creepy. We were going to stop in for a massage, but at US$70, we decided to wait till we got home!

The island is truly a paradise, with many ocean activities to do. Very close to the island is the world famous “the blue hole” for any diving aficionados. We never had the chance to get certified, so we bypassed this activity, opting for long walks on the beach with ice cream cones instead!

We have enjoyed our time in Belize tremendously, but must head back to Mexico for Liam and Maggie’s wedding!

Tikal, Guatemala

We arose very early to catch our bus tour to Tikal. It is one of the largest pre-Columbian Maya civilizations and also the most popular in Guatemala. It is found in a jungle like setting inhabited by lots of wildlife.

We joined fellow English speakers on a lengthy tour of the property. Our guide, a 21 year veteran of the park gave us the full low down on the Mayans, their evolution and transformation and disappearance. Apparently the original ancestors had cone shaped heads and long ear lobes. They walked up the long staircases sideways so as to always watch what their underlings were doing. The sites were incredibly well built and preserved, although its people have long since disappeared. The monuments, themselves were only built to be used as ceremonial structures, to impress others when they entered the village. They were never used for burials like the Egyptian pyramids. The archeological sites are not impossible to have built since the stones are relatively small and could be carried one at a time. It was thought that the Mayans carried them on their backs and continued doing so, even with their knowledge of the wheel.

One of the odd things about the original people is that they disappeared, but no one can trace exactly where they went or what happened to them. Perhaps they only built the structures for us to better understand them; perhaps they all died of a huge epidemic. It is a fascinating mystery!!

Now the question we’ve all been waiting for: Will the world end on December 21, 2012? According to the man on the island and our tour guide: NO! On the other hand they both believe that the world will change and everyone will get sick, with a possible flooding (Maybe: Noah’s ark)?! No one can find food, etc. So don’t forget to enjoy your loved ones!

Five hours later we headed to the van home only to be audience to a tour kafuffle. Four girls who had joined our tour through another guide had apparently given their previous tour guide their ticket. Even though they had been on our tour for four hours and had been instructed to join it by a colleague of our guide, he was refusing to let them on the shuttle home. He was somewhat nasty about it and we felt sorry for them. They ended up paying for the bus home ($5), but they were not happy about it! Being a tourist can really stink sometimes and we felt their pain!

The rest of our evening was spent shopping (our fave) and dinner overlooking the sunset. The restaurants here are so lovely, with open patios and lots of food. I even befriended the owner’s cat who was really cute. I find that in Guatemala that their animals are treated a lot better here. I even saw a pet store in Flores.

We were sad to spend our last night in an air conditioned room, but knew it was time to move on!

25 at 25! Flores, Guatemala!!

We boated to the mainland shortly after breakfast and took the first bus to Belmopan, the capital of Belize. From there, we took a bus close to the border of Guatemala, then took a taxi the rest of the way. We cleared Belizean customs in moments after we were forced to pay US$18 to leave. Apparently we will have to pay again on our way back through. No double entry for this country. I understand, us westerners are supposed to be rich and all, but $40 here, $10 there still adds up. Its as though they think the money is endless.

We had numerous people harassing us to change currency at god knows what exchange rate. We ignored all of them and made it to the first bank machine. It is fun to be back in a Spanish country after our time in Belize. People are definitely poorer here and the men stare and whistle at me. I guess white legs are more exciting than the brown ones everywhere. Their women were dressed in short skirts too! Some people are wearing pants, but the heat is unbearable!

We took a collectivo bus to Flores, a small city off a peninsula of Santa Elena. Our collective was a small van with many people stuffed in. Everyone just hops on and off as needed and pays the man in charge. I don’t think many people here can afford cars (especially those who live out in the valleys). This bus is a nice alternative. Sort of. It took about two hours of windy roads and speed bumps, stops and chattings with friends. Our driver was waving at everyone! I saw women carrying water baskets on their heads and children carrying wood on their backs. Everyone seemed to be going somewhere.

We arrived in Santa Elena and took a tuk tuk into Flores. Totally cool, these three legged vehicles are motorbikes with a little seat on the back . Pictures are cute! Flores is so picture perfect. Surrounding a lake, our hotel had a beautiful balcony to sit and watch the sunset. We opted for dinner over looking the lake. Fresh chicken and pasta! We celebrated my twenty fifth country at 25 years of age!! I will make it into the 100 countries club!

On another note, the animals seem better treated here, and happier. I still want to take them all home!

We enjoyed english television and air conditioning in our hotel, while we had our laundry done!

The next day was spent roaming the city exploring cute stores and checking out the neighborhood. We enjoyed a delicious breakfast of eggs and toast, Joe had some interesting pancakes with jam before exploring. Everyone stares at you while you look around. We are a spectacle! I secretly snapped their photos (so I guess all is fair...)

After lunch we took a short boat ride over to an island off the peninsula. It is called Radio Peten, I believe. There, this man takes you on a tour of his family´s museum. He actally let us touch 4000 year old artifacts from the mayans. He collects, and puts back together ancient artifacts that he has collected. Some donated. It was a really unique experience. He showed us fake teeth from a skull that had fools gold and jade encrusted in them, several whistles and bowls used for various rituals. It was a highly unusual museum, which we thoroughly enjoyed! We had a late dinner before hiding in our room from the relentless heat!

Tobbacco Caye - day two

Another day in tropical paradise! After breakfast we saw four of our friends off to the mainland and spent some time in the hammocks before a little dip in the ocean. Its funny, you take a swim and you’re practically dry in 15 minutes (hair and all). On another note, my hair is so full of salt, I don’t even recognize its original silkiness; I am in desperate need of a spa treatment.

After lunch, Joe and I took a boat ride with one of the hotel guys (aka boyfriend of our cook). He took us back to his house on a nearby island where we got to meet his brother (a boat mechanic), his three giant hogs and to see where he lives. The island was mostly covered in mangroves and was somewhat disgusting. He is using his island as a garbage dump site to increase its size by covering the garbage in sand. Basically he is using garbage as a cheap fill. I won’t even describe the hogs except to say: I am GLAD I don’t eat pork anymore!

And just my luck his dog had just had three puppies and I got to pet and play with them!! A long haired brown, and two shorthaired black and brown, they were so cute. There are dogs everywhere in Belize and Mexico. Some of them looking dirty and lonely. I wanted to take them all home and bathe and feed them. It is hard to understand why they don’t do more for their pets, but I guess when people are so poor...

Next he took us by ¨bird¨ Island, which has been completely taken over by birds. He said you can only sit in your boat for about 15 minutes before they start to come after you. It was crazy, tons of birds flying overhead (I have some good pictures). The water is so beautiful here and not very deep next to the islands, you can jump in for a swim. He took us by another island that was split in three from a past hurricane. It used to have one owner and now there are three. I don’t think there is much organized real estate on the islands as our guide told us that once you have lived on an island for a certain period of time, you can call it yours. I have to say that I prefer the mainland!

He also pointed out a boat that looked relatively new. He said that drug lords use these boats to transport large amounts of drugs and then abandon the boats once they are done. Locals and police have begun claiming them as their own!!

Along our route home, we were joined by four mating dolphins that were leaping out of the air in pairs. It was really neat to see them in their natural habitat. Apparently they are usually quite friendly, but not during mating season, so we just carried on!

We enjoyed our last night on the Caye walking around with our adopted children and playing crib with an American couple. We have enjoyed our stay here, but are looking forward to our next adventure!

Tobbacco Caye - day one

Tobacco caye started out as a sand bar and one day some fishermen came along and plantesome coconut trees and the rest is history! It is one of the only sand islands in the area, most are covered in mangroves and aren’t as nice to live on. It is also purely owned by Belizeans and many people use it as a resort destination from the main land!

We arrived on this little out of the way island that is growing in popularity every year! The ocean is a clear teal colour and you can see straight to the bottom. The different shades of blues colliding into one another, is as relaxing as it is passionate. Honestly, it is breath taking. Everything you would expect from a tropical paradise. We settled in at Lana’s, a little guest house with four rooms. Thankfully ours had two double beds and our own bathroom. Unfortunately sand tracks in everywhere and you never quite get that clean feeling! I won’t describe the bathroom and shower, only to say that it is our own, if that is any consolation! We miss Canada’s bathrooms!

We had had such a long tiring day on the bus that I insisted we take a dip in the ocean and that I did. Heavenly! At 5pm to still be able to swim and enjoy the cool water really takes care of the heat at least temporarily. The bottom is mostly rocky, but we found a few sandy places and waded in. Our meals were included with accommodation and we were all too happy to eat at 6pm!! Meals ranged from fried breaded fish and rice to chicken and fries, all homemade. A few vegetables here and there, but we wished for more! Breakfasts were interesting, with fried jacks (Belizean pancakes), eggs, meat and fresh pineapple. Our cook was the fill in so we where just happy we got to eat! I believe that fried food is everywhere and we are getting a little bored. One night our rice had ground fresh pieces of coconut cooked in, from our very own coconut trees! Delish!

Our first day was spent snorkelling right off our island, which boasts a very impressive reef! We saw giant sting rays with long tails swishing about. Hundreds of tropical fish in schools and solo; purples, reds, yellows, greens and blues, the fish are incredible. I also saw an ugly lobster looking creature scuttling the bottom, as well as an unusual white fish that swims on its side with one eye up. Fabulous! We stopped for breaks and some hammock time. There is no need to work very hard here! Meal time was a big excitement!

We met a few locals on the island, one couple in particular. He was born in Belize, moved to Washington, DC at 18, lived in Vegas and DC for 30 plus years before deciding he had to return to Belize to retire on this island. He left his marriage and all for the quiet life. He has since remarried a Belizean woman who sells dresses that she hand makes on the island. She gave us an earful on tourists and their bad behaviour. One man almost got chopped up by a passing boat because he was outside the buoy designated to keep swimmers safe. She also recounted a story about a young girl who got overly drunk and didn’t go home with her friends and ended up being raped and killed on her way home from the bar. The man is now in jail for life, but she acted as though the girl shouldn’t have behaved so recklessly. Seemed a bit harsh.

The island has suffered some from hurricanes, although they have done better than others. She told us of a story from her daughter who works at the international airport: Allegedly during one such hurricane, all of Belize was praying to god that they wouldn’t be torn to shreds and many tourists at the airport were trying to come and vacation on the islands. She thought they were crazy! They had no understanding of 160 miles per hour winds. Luckily the hurricane bypassed them and headed towards Honduras (well lucky for Belize).

She also told us about the history of Belize and how Canada has helped them a lot in building bridges, sanitary lines and fresh water to the houses. Go Canada!! Like Canada, they are also a British colony that gained their independence in 1981 (I believe we were 1982 or the other way around).

Although most people here spend a lot of time chilling, their lives don’t seem too strenuous and many seem to have cell phones and nice cars. Definitely anyone in contact with the tourists are doing ok!

We fell in love with the two children of our cook, Grace. Shania, 5, and Chris (aka Spider Monkey), 3. Totally adorable, they were using their looks for the starbursts that Joe was liberally handing out! They would lay with me on the hammocks, climb all over us, follow us around the island and were basically really cute and fun! They are the two youngest of 9 children and their mom is only 42 years old.

The evening was spent drinking Belizean rum with fresh coconut juice directly from the coconut. We are definitely living the island life! That night, one of our hosts took us up a cat walk to see the stars. They were so close, you could almost reach up and pocket one! We saw the Milky Way and what we believed to be a couple of planets as they were bright and shining harder than the rest! Unbelievable, definitely something you can’t see in Vancouver.

We spent the rest of the evening fishing (with our favourite North Carolina couple) off our dock. I believe we all went to bed around 9pm as it gets dark at about 7. Not a late nighter kinda place, but the bar is hopping from mid afternoon!! Pina colada anyone?

Belize it!

We headed for the border at day break on a cushy Mexican bus. We followed a Spanish woman who was traveling with her mom and sister. I was panicking about making the bus and she was casual and kept me under control! A Mexican minute can seem like 10! She has been living in Cancun for over two years and was joined by her family for a trip through Central America. Very friendly and helpful. A pleasure to meet!

A helpful hint to fellow travelers: people are watching you and how you represent your Country when you are abroad. I will not mention any particular Countries only to say that I was attempting to use my second language with a group of eight travelers and they were somewhat rude. Looked at me like I had grown another head and slowly moved away. My grammer isn´t THAT bad!!

We cleared customs in Belize easily and I rejoiced in the English language. For those of you unaware, Belize´s National language is English, although it is pronounced with a Jamaican like accent. Most people speake English, Spanish and Creole (a lazy man´s english). Apparently Bob Marley is very big here as are the other Carribean singers, i.e. Rihanna. Nina-There are dreads everywhere here!

We crossed over the border to a lot of greenery. We followed the cost down the country enjoying the view of colourful laundry flapping in the breeze to palm trees and fields of grass and sugar cane. Everything is so vibrant here. Houses of peach and teal, yellow and green, rows upon rows. Plenty to keep the eyes entertained.

We made it to Belize City without a hitch. The sun is shining and so are the faces of the locals. With their big hellos and friendly personalities. Everyone was very helpful when we looked lost and their accents are adorable! I was offered a personal tour of one man´s home town until I mentioned I was married! They seemed to like my rosy cheeks that are always RED because it is so hot here. 32 degrees with high humidity is too hot for me!

In Belize City, we boarded another bus for Dangriga. After beeing spoiled with the Mexican greyhound-like buses, we changed pace and boarded the Belizian bus which is a very used, old American school bus painted blue. Joe would like me to add that they were in much need of maintenance. Every creak and noise, he would lean over and tell me what that sound indicated and what should be fixed! Plus the driver thought he was racing in the grand prix, occasionally swerving in and out of traffic and taking quick turns. It was an adventure!!

We made in to Dangriga in one piece and were pleased to see the ocean so close. This city is quite small and lovely, home to many Garifuna´s or pure African decendants. Others are half African and half English/Scottish and the rest being made up of Mayans. Quite a diverse Country!

We headed out to the docks to catch a boat to Tobacco Caye, a little Island off the cost (in the middle) of Belize. Along the way, we met a young English couple who had been traveling for just over a week together (he was staying longer). We shared stories of travel and ended up staying at the same hostel on the island.

Our boat ride over to the island was somewhat traumatic. Our tiny boat flew over the giant waves until we came crashing down on our hard seats. Joe was at the front, holding on for dear life. We didn´t realize that US$18 would get you such a ride. We were happy to be on solid ground 35 minutes later.

A small complaint about Mexico AND Belize. We´re not all Americans and we don´t want to use their currency. Everywhere we go, they quote us in US $, as if people from all around the world (who are white) naturally have it on hand. We were somewhat forwarned, but I didn´t realize it was that bad. On the other hand, it has been very convenient at border crossings, when we didn´t have the local currency yet!

More on the Island to follow....

Playa and the road

Up around 10, we went to explore the town in the light. We found it much to be the same as the previous evening except busier and hotter! The Mexicans are so push giving all of the typical phrases, ¨come and look¨, ¨come buy something you dont really need.¨ They really want you to bargain. I bought a beautiful dress for Liam´s wedding that was hand made in Cancun under a free trade, but it was similarly priced to stuff at home! Still I love it. Apparently all of the jewellery is hand made on the spot right there. Everything is hand made, even things that dont look hand made. They get a bit pissy if you walk away once you´ve begun bargaining, but this is standard.

We havent seen to much poverty yet and I am actually surprised and how many fat Mexicans there are. I mean REALLY fat. I almost felt like we were home!

We also found the Mexicans to be very helpful. Telling you where things are and showing you around if you look lost. Everyone is always say ¨Ola¨ and ¨Buenos Noches¨! After touring around for three or so hours we had lunch an obscure restaurant off the strip. The food was fabulous!! Warm little tortillas and more meat with onions, plus their home made salsa. We ate so much and it was still relatively cheap.

We boarded a bus for Chetumal at 3pm and arrived just after 8pm. The bus was fabulous and comfy with a bathroom and all. I naped and Joe watched Spanish movies. People where along the roadside selling delicious looking pineapples and papayas, but we couldn´t stop. We also drove by an abandoned school bus that someone had put on stilts and had a staircase leading up. Looked like a fancy apartment!

We are currently in Chetumal at a hotel (which is a huge step up from last night)! Very little English is spoken, but everyone is super helpful and will write things down or point!

We head for the Belizien border at 6am tomorrow!!

In transit - Mexico

WE´RE HERE!!!!

(Please excuse the punctuation, I cant find all the buttons!) Yesterday was a long day of endless travel. We flew to Dallas at 8:45am, then on to Cancun. AA was a painless airline with very friendly staff, love those southerners! I sat next to a very nice American gal from Illinois who actually still supports Bush. Wow, they re out there! She was also very impressed with Joe saying, ¨I never knew there were Canadian farmers.¨ We had a good laugh!

As we were approaching Cancun, the flight attendant gave us some instructions on the customs forms. She said ¨on the back of the form there is a foreigner box, YOU are the foreigner, sign your name here.¨ Then in politically correct fashion she said ¨If you make a mistake, cross it out, they don`t care, they just want your money¨then she added ¨and your fun¨ in an awkward and gramatically incorrect ending! Lol, I thought it was hilarious. Do travelers frequently get confused and think that Mexico is their homeland?

We arrived at 7:45pm with no plans and decided to catch a bus to Playa del Carmen about 2 hours away. We must have walked through 40 people in blue shirts trying to sell us packages. Like sharks. We arrived in TOURIST TOWN. Nina-it was like a cheapened Dahab (in Egypt). McDonald´s everywhere, cheap souvenirs and expensive everything. We opted to stay at some hostel just off the main strip that left much to be desired! Our ¨private room¨ was literaly a queen size mattress on the floor that took up 3/4 of our room. I wont describe the sheets!

We settled in and went touring on the strip. I felt embarassed for all the drunk partygoers, sloshing around and throwing money everwhere. Although the ones we talked to were really nice. The sticky humidity everywhere is so gross, but you get use to it! We are right on the ocean and the breeze is really nice.

We dinned at some food cart with the locals, eating little tortillas stuffed with meat and onions. Really good, but different. I will try to upload pics later.

We finally made it to bed around 1am after drinking a couple of margaritas at a local swing bar (a bar where you sit on a swing and drink). Very cheesy, but cute too!

Good night!