TravelStream™ news feed for member lindsaym on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/lindsaym en-us Copyright ©2009 TravelPod.com Wed, 08 Jul 2009 18:09:28 -0400 http://www.travelpod.com http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/lindsaym/2/1246495124/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/lindsaym/2/1246495124/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/lindsaym/2/1246495124/tpod.html Wed, 08 Jul 2009 18:09:28 -0400 Central and South America '09

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Caye Caulker, Belize Cayes, Belize

Mon July 15

After the big storm last night I was relieved to see that it was not raining this morning. Packed up and walked down to the road to wait for the bus. The first one to Dangriga was nice with good seats and AC. Switched in Dangriga to a chicken bus (aka old school bus that sits up to 6 + people along each row) to Belize city via Belmopan. Along the way we passed through jungle, mountains and many small villages with thatched roofs and little kids standing in the door ways and playing in the yards.

Belize city (from what I could see on the way to the bus station) doesn't look like the nicest town. off the bus we were whisked away by a colectivo taxi to the ferry terminal where our bags were grabbed and put on the boat while we were sent to go buy tickets. You would of thought we had arranged something ahead with how smoothly (and cheaply) everything went. Grabbed a ham and cheese biscuit for an overdue breakfast/lunch and a bag of water.

Once on the island of Caye Caulker, a very relaxed, sandy street, house on stilts kind of place, we got our rooms sorted (and got a free tester of some fresh lobster) and then set out to organize some diving. We lucked out with a place to stay and got a place on the back of the beach that had huge rooms, shared bathrooms and only $32 BZN a night for the two of us (about $15 US). If you're heading there go to Happy Lobster and ask for the cabins by the beach!

After a couple dive shops we found one that we liked (ie. offered us the best deal) and sorted out a full day of snorkeling for tomorrow and a trip to dive the Blue Hole and 2 other sites the next day.

Belizean BBQ on the beach for dinner, red snapper shish kebabs with island rice and coleslaw. Walked around for a bit getting to know the place and trying not to get soaked by the on and off rain. Bought my first souvenir and a couple little presents for home. Time to send a parcel in the morning (I've been dying to offload my diving text books!) Today was the first day of lobster season so the whole island smelt of BBQ lobster... I think I have to have one before I leave! Just a relaxing night in.

Tue June 16

Started the morning with a pastry roll with a hot dog and jalapeno cheese inside, breakfast of champions! Walked around for a bit waiting for the post office to open, hoping the sky would clear up. Had to go to the grocery and try to get a box, then got everything mailed. With that taken care, went to the office for our snorkeling trip.

At the first stop, the sun was almost out of the clouds. We got in the water and withing two minutes saw a manatee! It came over to us, swam between us, circled back and went underneath us. Awesome!!

Our next stop was a bonus freebie stop where a local fisherman was throwing back the remains of last nights lobster and conch shells. We saw a turtle there, but more impressive was the dozen or so giant sting rays right below the boat! it was cool, but some of them were so big that I got a bit nervous when they swam underneath me. It was so shallow and they were so big that all I could think was that if one was mad it{s tail could go right through me and out of the water! Pretty sure it doesn't actually happen like that, but at the time I couldn't help but think it!

Next stop was the Hol Chan Channel were there was a cave we could dive through. I didn't think I could hold my breath long enough, but it was cool watching the two guys (our guide and one other) who could! Saw 2 more turtles there.

A ham and cheese sandwich in the rain for lunch back on the boat and then we were at Shark and Ray Alley. Saw 3 nurse sharks, 2 of which were fighting for food for a while! Also saw a bunch of rays and coral.

The last stop was coral gardens and it started pelting down rain again while we were there. Saw a lot of nice coral though, some fish and even another nurse shark and 2 more sting rays. Back on the boat we had two rum punches (not enough to warm up today!) and then started the ride (with rain pounding into our skin) back to Caye Caulker.

Back at our cabana, had a shower to warm up and then went to meet everyone else at the lazy lizard for some drinks. Had a beer until happy hour started and then had a few of the 2 for 1 rum punch specials, can't go wrong with that! Had to pull out the fake wedding ring (it just makes life easier some nights), but overall it was a great time. One local who was making hats for paying tourists was getting me try them all on first and made me a little one to keep, making sure to tell me that he had "much respect for me and my husband". Me and Kalin went with 2 couples for dinner, I had to try the conch so it was fried conch with stewed rice and beans for me. Came back by about 9:30 and went straight for bed to be ready for our early diving trip tomorrow!

Wed June 17

An early start to be at the dock by 6:30am. A very rough and wet ride through the rain for more than an hour to get to the Blue Hole.

Got to the Blue Hole and got ready for our first dive. After hearing the what could go wrong and how to fix everything underwater speech, we got in the water and headed down. First was a sandy bit, then we went below it to 130ft and swam through what used to be the roof of the cave with stalactites that were about 3-7ft long and looked like they were about 2 or 3 feet thick! Since we were so deep, the bottom time was only about 8 minutes or so. Once we reached about 110ft you could really feel the difference in the water temperature. It was almost like being in a lake back in Alberta, not the Caribbean Ocean! On the way back up the wall we could see sharks circling the hole and once we were back to by the sandy bottom some even swam around us! They told us after it was great Caribbean reef sharks and black tip sharks. Amazing dive! One even swam underneath me only about 3 or 4 feet below me!

The second dive was a wall dive where we saw a sting ray in the sand and loads of coral (way more colorful and plentiful with fish than anything we had dived in Honduras) and fish. A stop on Half Moon Caye for chicken rice and pasta salad lunch, along with a walk up to see the red footed boobie birds. Back on the boat and heading for dive 3 within about an hour.

It was another wall dive on Lighthouse reef at a site called the Aquarium. I have never seen so many fish and such colorful coral before! These dives keep getting better and better. It was awesome! There were schools of fish swimming all around us.

Back on the boat the Capitan asked if we had gotten sea sick and said we could sit up top if did. We hadn't but we had gotten drenched because the part of the boat covered by upstairs was full, so we went upstairs. Didn't realize we were the only ones who got this invitation and it was just us and the crew. Bonus for us was once they served a round of rum punch, with fruit soaking in it, on the main deck, they brought up the entire giant tub and put it next to us... Turned out to be a much better ride back than the one out in the morning!

Back on Caye Caulker we got ready and headed to Jolly Rogers, a big guy who bbqs lobster on the beach, for grilled lobster. YUM, and I don't even like lobster that much at home. A quick stop at I and I reggae bar and then headed home. I was beat!
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Flores, Guatemala

pics for now

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Placencia, Stann Creek, Belize

A bit slow stating today after our welcome to the island last night. It was a rainy morning which didn´t help. I think this is our first rain of the trip though so can´t complain too much! First stop for the both of us had to be for something fried. We found a place on the beach that had stuffed Fry Jacks. It was like donut pastry stuffed with eggs, beans, bacon, ham and topped with salsa and cheese. Huge, but damn good and felt like a million bucks after that (and a couple glasses of water!).

Kalin wanted a nap after so I chilled in the hammock on our porch with a book. In the afternoon we went for a walk around the whole island, taking a ton of pictures of all the colorful little houses. A well deserved swim kicked ass after our hour or two of walking around in the heat. Almost that time for food again so after a good hour in the water, I headed back to our awesome little guesthouse for a shower. Was so happy to see our laundry was done, no more jungle stink in our bags!! YEAH!!

Smelling awesome we found a place with fresh bread and pizzas. Split one with tomatoes peppers, olives and salami. After dinner we sat by the ocean until the sun went down and then headed back to our room for an easy night. Probably a good thing too since around the time we were enjoying the live music last night, there was a huge storm tonight. Thunder, lightning and crazy winds!
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Puerto Barrios, Guatemala

Friday June 12
Way too early of a start today! Was up around 5am and by 5:45am we were standing on the side of the road waiting for the 6am(ish) chicken bus into La Ceiba. By 6:30 it still hadn´t come past but someone heading into town offered us a ride so we jumped in the box with the two others who were already in there (Don´t worry mom and dad, this is completely different than hitch-hiking!). I was a bit sad watching the jungle disappear as we drove down the rode.

We got dropped off at the edge of town and from there we caught a collectivo taxi to the bus station. As soon as we pulled up to the bus station a guy was there asking us where we were going and grabbing our bags. He ran over to a bus and threw us on one that was just about to leave, perfect timing! At each town, people come along the side of the bus and on the bus to sell food and drinks, so bought some coconut bread in Tela for breakfast. A couple hours later and we were in San Pedro Sula.

The bus station in San Pedro Sula has two levels and we had been told we arrive on top and just go downstairs and we will find the buses to Puerto Cortes. Sure enough, we had just entered the hallway when a guy asked where we were going and then ran down one of the wings whistling, stopped a minibus pulling out for Puerto Cortes and threw us on. Just before we left town we were stopped by the police and ¨"solo hombres" (only guys) had to get off and line up for a weapons search. Another cop came on and checked all us girls passports and then we were off again.

Almost in Puerto Cortes and one of the guys we had been doing our best to have a conversation with (the search got everyone talking to each other) starting saying Guatemala, Guatemala! We had told him we were heading to Puerto Barrios, he whistled at the driver, then yelled to him we were going to Guatemala. The driver jumped out and flagged a chicken bus stopped on the opposite side of the road. The minibus driver grabbed our bags and the chicken bus guy motioned for us to run across the highway and then pulled us into the back of the old American school bus. I love how there is absolutely no waiting time for connections, just one bus to the next!

We spent way too long on that bus, I know the old man on the minibus was just trying to help, but it took almost 3 hours for the one hour ride. A man came on selling snow cones (with carmel on top??) which made the hot bus ride a bit better. It was also great for people watching! We made it to the border, changed a bit of money with one of the many guys at the border and then walked through to immigration. On the other side we caught a colectivo minibus to Puerto Barrios.

One quick stop when the driver had to jump off and get our passports stamped. I was a bit nervous at first, the bus was pretty full and he was asking us to hand over our passports and we were already way past the border. I was relived to see the small writing saying Immigration on the little building he ran into. It was a nice ride, even if there were about 25 people packed into the van and hanging out the side of the door. The road goes through a bunch of pineapple and banana plantations and, since the van was too full to close the door, there was an awesome breeze!

We arrived in Puerto Barrios, a tiny port town that doesn´t really give you the best and safest feeling, and found a cheap (and safe looking) hotel for about $15. Went for a quick walk to check times for a ferry tomorrow. Grabbed a Guatemalan baleada (bigger than the ones we had in Honduras and with whole beans and cream) for a yummy dinner. We also had to have our first Guatemalan beer! Back to the hotel straight away since I had heard it wasn´t the best town and the way the streets cleared out at 5pm seemed to back that up. We had a tv in our room so spent the night inside catching up on my journal and watching friends and any movies they had in English.

Sat June 13
Horrible sleep last night, car alarms and barking dogs all night, and I´m a heavy sleeper! By 6am I was up from good and couldn´t sleep anymore. We were ready by 7and headed out for some breaky (soupy beans, scrambled eggs, fresh mini tortillas and sour cream), to get our passports stamped and to get our ferry tickets. We had to pay $10US to leave Guatemala and $25 for the boat ticket to Punta Gorda, not cheap! Went back to grab our bags and then headed down to the port a block away.

We left Puerto Barrios in a little boat and an hour and a half later we were in Punta Gorda, Belize. They had a band playing in the center square and the streets seemed to be packed with people and vendors, it seemed like a very colorful and lively little town on a Saturday afternoon. I wish we could of made the last ferry yesterday and stayed here instead! Unfortunately we had our bags with us and no where to leave them so we were stuck sitting on the other side of town for 2 hours waiting or a bus to Independence. On the upside, we had the best burrito ever for lunch! Spicy stewed chicken, beans and cabbage wrapped in a fresh tortilla.

We caught the chicken bus (that just means old American school bus that gets packed, stops a lot, and is cheap) up the coast to Independence. The money collector let us and the couple other travelers know when we arrived and then we got off and walked through the dirt street town to the waterfront where we caught a water taxi to Placencia.

A truck, a taxi, a minibus, a chicken bus, a packed colectivo, a shitty night, a boat, another chicken bus and a water taxi and we had finally made it to a beach in Belize!! Placencia is such a cute place, it´s filled with colorful houses, a lot of which are on stilts. It has a long beach on the wast side and mangroves back to the mainland on the west. We made a quick email stop (overdue after our extended stay in the jungle) and then grabbed some dinner. Ground beef tostadas hit the spot!

We ended up sticking around the place, which was right on the beach, to try out our first Belikins (Belizean beers), listening to the live reggae-ton band and meeting some of the locals and fellow travelers. I think I am going to like this place!


]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/lindsaym/2/1245361513/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/lindsaym/2/1245361513/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/lindsaym/2/1245361513/tpod.html Thu, 18 Jun 2009 19:26:34 -0400 Central and South America '09

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El Naranjo, Atlántida, Honduras

Way too much fun in the Jungle!! We came out here for two days and one night and ended up staying for 6 nights. Every night it was "una mas dias, una mas dias" and after awhile "dos mas dias". On the last night the attempt was made for "una mas semana". Unfortunately we had already decided to cut out half of Belize and if we wanted to see any of it we had to get moving! Sad to leave, but here is everything about our time there... I have a feeling we will be back. As soon as I get to a computer where I can upload, I will get some pics up, although no picture did this place justice!

Sat June 6

Way too early of a start to catch the 7am ferry from Roatan to La Ceiba. I was half asleep still when the cabbie we had made a deal with the night before showed up to pick us up at 6am. Slept the whole way on the ferry so I'm not even sure how long of a ride it was. Once we were in La Ceiba, I was blown away by how organized Galaxy Ferry's and the cabs were. We starting negotiating with a cabbie outside and then someone in a Galaxy uniform grabbed my arm, asked where we were going and told us to go to the seventh or so car in line. The guy there grabbed our bags, threw us in the car, drove up and grabbed two more people and within 2-1/2 mins we were on our way to the hostel with a colectivo fare. Brilliant!

At the hostel we arranged to get the 12:30 pick up to the Jungle River Lodge and then left our bags and headed out to check out La Ceiba. The heat was insane! We walked down to the botanical gardens which was basically a small garden with some old rail cars and info about the United Fruit Company. Decided to go head down to the beach, figuring if we were at least near water it would be cooler. We were just about there when Kalin got distracted by a statue of Mother Mary and was heading to check it out when we noticed the sign on the building it was in front of... Municipal Prison. Time to turn around and head back! Stopped at the grocery store, half to pick up stuff for (what we thought would only be) the next 2 days and half for the wonderful AC inside. Back at the Hostel we had the chicken tamales we picked up from a street vendor and then had a nap in the hammocks until our ride showed up.

Our ride turned out to be a massive green bus that I'm positive was originally an army vehicle. The thing was enormous and the whole way up to the lodge all you could hear was the metal creaking and grinding and the horn that sounded exactly like a train whistle. Along the way we passed by the city, everyone piled into the backs of quarter ton trucks, through the outskirts and out towards the jungle. Soon it was the river on one side and the Jungle straight up on the other. Bumpy, but awesome ride.
At the lodge Isabel showed us to the dorm and then we got changed for some whitewater rafting! It wasn't like any other rafting trip I'd ever been on, but it was awesome!!!
We started by swimming up the river, jumping off rocks and sliding down others that I was too chicken shit to jump from. Once we were ahead in the river a bit, we laid down (feet first of course) and rode the current back to the boat. AWESOME!!

When we got the boat, we climbed in, practiced our strokes and then Kalin, me and our guide, took off for the ride. When we first showed up, I have to admit I was disappointed when I heard the river was low and only at a class 1 to 3-1/2 right now, but I'm also used to 12man rafts, not 3 in the boat. It kicked ass! We went over the rapids, went over them backwards and "surfed"/got stuck at the bottom of one. At another one he pulled the boat on some rocks after we went through a rapid and then let us go down again and again just us, not boat!

After we were back at the Lodge, they gave us a huge plate of fresh fruit. So good! We found some hammocks under the canopy and chilled there listening to the river until dinner. Dinner was an awesome tender beef shank with rice and sauce from the meat along with fresh salsa and fresh corn tortillas. Spent the night chilling and fell asleep listening to the river and all the sounds of the jungle.

Sun June 7

A quick granola bar for breaky and then we set out for our hike of Pico bonito national Park. We walked down the road to a shallow spot in the river, cut through a cacao farm and then we walked through the river in about knee deep water to reach the park.

The guide pointed out Tambor trees (used by the Garifuna to make drums), vines that are used as anti-inflammatory, some plants that heal cuts and some that are like acid. He also pointed out the monkey ladder trees and vines that strangle other trees.

The hike was definitely a work out! We were dripping with sweat by the first waterfall but held off on having a swim for now and kept going for the big waterfall. At the top, we climbed over a big boulder and then we were under the waterfall. Amazing!! Swam in there for awhile (whished it could be forever) and then had some fruit that Isabelle had brought up and cut up.

The walk back down was a lot less work and along the way our guide pointed out more cool stuff. Leaf cutter ants, flowers that collect water, termite nests (they taste like carrots, we actually tried them!), Isabelle also rubbed some termites on my arm as a natural mosquito repellant. Saw some Mango trees, banana trees, tried a wild banana that was full of big black seeds and then we walked back across the river.

I stayed in the river for quite awhile (a couple hours, I think) playing with some local high school girls who went to an English speaking school and trying to have a conversation in Spanish with some of the local guys (the conversations were very, very short. My Spanish needs a LOT of work). One of them lent me a mask to see the fish and the first thing I saw was Kalins sunglasses at the bottom of the river! Lucky timing.

Chicken, beans, rice and corn tortillas for supper and then we discovered Guifiti!! Guifiti is a Garifuna drink where 20 different plants, roots, herbs, leaves, etc from the jungle are put into a jug that is then filled with rum. It sits for a couple hours or overnight and then is good to drink. The same batch can be refilled with rum for 3-8 years! Because of the different stuff in it, it wakes you up, acts as a natural mosquito repellant and means pretty much no hang over! I love this stuff. The first taste though wasn't the best when we thought it was meant to be shot, not sipped. Learnt that quickly and then every one grew on us after that! By this point there was no way we were still leaving in the morning!

Mon June 8

Zipling today! Saw a tarantula and a cool moth and once we done inspecting the creatures around the lodge we set out to start the ziplines! There were 8 in total, so fun! A little hike and some more info about the jungle from our guide and Isabelle after the first zipline to cross the river. Some more leaf cutter ants hard at work and a scorpion! Ate some more termites too! Finish off the ziplines, it was so cool. I felt like Tarzan flying through the jungle. The last one was the longest one and the fastest, which crossed back over the river and to the lodge.

Came back and had some more fresh fruit and then soup, rice and tortillas for lunch. In the afternoon we went for a swim and to play in the river and then spent some more time in the hammocks. Another wonderful day in paradise of workout in the morning and chilling in the afternoon.

Pork chops with rice, fresh salsa and warm corn tortillas for dinner, followed by some more Salva Vidas (local beer), Guifiti and trying to learn how to salsa properly and dance to Reggaeton. I love this music!! By the end of the night (which was basically the morning) we had been talked into staying 2 more nights as there is a big El Salvador vs Honduras game on Wed.

Tue June 9
today we slept most the morning since it was Reggaeton until the sun came up last night. Once we were awake and had some soup, rice and tortillas for lunch, we headed off with Queso for a bike ride up to some of the villages up the road. All uphill on the way there which nearly killed me. Normally it would have been tough but doable but today it seemed impossible!

The first village, El Naranjo, we just passed through. The second one, Las Mangas, we stopped at quickly to use the internet (my condition to staying the two extra nights was only if I could email or call my dad somehow to say Happy Birthday!) and then we were on to the third village of El Pital.

We left our bikes with a local guy who was chilling in a hammock on his porch and then headed down to the river for a much needed swim! Back in the village, Queso left us with a friend of his for a very broken conversation with her and her family on their porch while he joined the guys from the town in the field next door for a football game. When our limited Spanish wore out, she gave us a tour of the house and then we went to watch the game.

It was like the whole village was out to watch, sitting around the field with random chickens in the corner and every now again a pig running across the field from the street where they roam in the ditches during the day back to home.

After the game we set out for the bike back, way easier since it was almost all downhill! Only problem was that the sun was going down. At first it was really cool when the fireflies were out but it got pretty hard once it was pitch black going downhill.

When we finally made it back we had steak, mashed potatoes and some fresh salsa waiting for us. Another night of Guifiti, Salvas and dancing to the Reggaeton and by now I was told to sit behind the bar and help. I don't know how we are ever going to leave here; it was such an awesome day once again!

Wed June 10

A completely relaxing day. Some cereal for a late breakfast followed by a long swim in the water. More soup, rice and fresh corn tortillas for lunch and then chilling out in the hammock most the afternoon. Life’s rough.

After dinner we headed into La Ceiba to watch the big Honduras vs El Salvador game. If Honduras won this game, they still had a shot at the World Cup, if not they were out. We went to a place with the metal gate and buzzer deal to enter to watch the game. Honduras won and the streets went crazy!! Everyone was driving slowly through the streets, honking the horns with people sitting on the hoods, roofs and trunks of cars. The back and roof of every truck was full of people with flags and throwing buckets of water and every SUV had people sitting on the windowsills pumping their fists. The balconies were full of people cheering. It was awesome to be there at a time like that!

Given the energy of the town, we wanted to stay in for a few more drinks. We went to one place for a quick couple beers and some more tequila and then headed for a cool place call D'jva (I think) that was right on the beach. After a couple there we stopped at a Baleada stand for some snacks for the ride home and then went back to the Jungle Lodge for more Beers and some Guifiti. Chilled day, crazy night!

Thur June 11

Another chilled day, our lat one and then I think we are really going to leave. Slept too long so the room was sweltering. A nice cold shower to start the day and then some lunch and I was feeling better. A swim after lunch and I was feeling wonderful again!

Chilled in the hammock again for a bit and then hung out on the patio with everyone else. I am really going to miss it here! A quite night with just a couple Salva's and Guifitis after supper while looking at pictures of when the river is high and the rafting and kayaking are crazy. I need to come back here when the river is up!! It's probably a good thing I am not travelling alone this time or I would be staying a lot longer, just working with Isabelle!

]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/lindsaym/2/1243974800/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/lindsaym/2/1243974800/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/lindsaym/2/1243974800/tpod.html Fri, 05 Jun 2009 21:43:12 -0400 Central and South America '09

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West End, Bay Islands, Honduras

Wed May 27
The trip is finally here! Early start on Wed morning when we drove from Edmonton to Calgary to catch our flight. We spent the night in Houston and then we were back at the airport nice and early for our flight to Roatan, Honduras.

Thur May 28
Once we made it to the island we tried to figure out the buses to the town of West End. The persuasive cabies ended up winning, but we at least managed to get them down to a third of the asking price. They took us across the island to West End which is basically one sandy street along a gorgeous, picture perfect bay. We dropped off our bags at Valarie's Hostel, whose dorm reminds me of a treehouse, for the first night and set out to find a beer and some island lunch. Found a nice place by the water and had a grilled fish, rice, salad and fried plantain plate and Kalin had some rice and shrimp, along with a bottle of Salva Vida (Honduran beer) each, paradise found!

We spent the rest of the day getting our diving sorted and swimming in the bay. At night there was a power outage, luckily we missed the earthquake the night before. We spent the night chilling at the hostel in hammocks and around the flashlight. Not the best beds, but the place and the people were awesome.

Fri May 29
Today Kalin and I started our open water diving course. Neither of us slept very well last night and I was up at 5:50 and couldn't fall back asleep, so I went for a morning swim. Beautiful way to start the day! Even if it is a lot earlier than I would like it to start! Once I was back and ready, our first stop was at the Baleado stand for breakfast. Baleado's are fresh tortillas with fillings. My breakfast one was chicken, cheese, avocado, egg and refried beans. Yum! We moved our bags to the dive shops dorm and then spent the morning learning the classroom stuff for the first three chapters.

Break for a quick lunch of chicken, rice and beans and then we went into the bay for some practice and skill training in shallow water. I can't wait to go in open water! At the end of the dive day, we had a couple beers on the dive shop patio and then grabbed some tacos and tostados for dinner.

Sat May 30
Same start today with the first stop being the Baleado stand, refried beans and cheese this time, before going to the dive shop for a bit more practice in the bay.

In the afternoon we went on our first proper dive! It was amazing! Within the first 10 minutes we saw a nurse shark swimming by about 3 feet from my flippers!!!! So awesome! The rest of the dive was over the reef, just checking out the fishies. On the second dive of the afternoon we saw a hawksbill turtle, a cero, a huge grouper and a massive lobster hiding in the coral. I am really starting to like this diving thing!!

After the boat was back in, it was time again for some beers on the patio. Then me and Kalin grabbed some dinner at an amazing place called Tongs where that had tables out on the dock behind the restaurant. It was a bit expensive, but we split a Masamasa curry (never had it before, but so good!) and with the view from our table at the end of the dock it was definitely worth it!

Tonight I saw my first cockroach ever running across the floor! It seemed harmless enough and once I was told that unlike the couple geckos we sometimes see on the walls and running across the ceiling, these guys can't leave the floor, I felt fine sharing my room with them. Might feel different next time though if there are more of them...

Sun May 31
Another Baleado with the works for breakfast (I'm getting seriously addicted to these, they are yummy, filling and best of all, cheap!) before another morning in the classroom. One more quick bean and cheese Baleado for lunch and then we were on the boat for two more dives this afternoon.

On the first dive we had some of the skills that we had to do in the open water, so after that it was only a shorter swim around. It was still great though, we saw a giant crab and swam along the edge of the reef for a bit, going to our deepest yet (60ft). The second dive though was I think the best yet. i know everyone wants to see sharks, and that was awesome, but I love turtles! A hawksbill turtle came right by us and I was able to turn around and swim with it for a while. It was the coolest feeling in the world!! We also went through our first little swim through and saw a juvenile spotted drum and some jawfish popping their heads out of the sand.

Kalin, me and the three girls from Quebec in our room (2 were in the course with us) wrote our Open Water Divers test and then decided to have some beers after to celebrate. A quick piece of pizza with some others from the dive shop and then we went for some poker and drinks. Out of three tables, I made it down to the final two players, I was pretty proud of myself! Too bad I didn't win. Once the games were over, we went to a wicked bar on a rooftop that had a little dock with a wading area, it was awesome! The power went out again, so we all piled back in the truck and went to a place with a generator for one more drink before the 5 of us walked back down the sandy street to our cabin.

Mon June 1
With our course down, we could finally sleep in today (and after last night, it was welcome!) Once we got moving, we set off to Rudys Restaurant for some of the famous banana pancakes. We caught a water taxi to West Bay and spent the afternoon there. I spent most of the time playing in the water and snorkeling while the other 4 were suntanning and swimming. It was such an awesome afternoon in a beautiful bay. Unfortunately the sun got through my 2 coats of SPF 45 and I sunburnt my whole back when I was snorkeling.

We caught a taxi back to West End and after a shower we went to the noodle house for dinner. They had some fresh tuna that was caught that morning, so I had some avocado and tuna sushi rolls. I think it might have been the best sushi I have ever eaten! We walked through the town for a bit and then it was back to our cabin. Such an awesome, relaxing day.

Tue June 2
A quick bean and cheese baleado (of course) and then I started the Advanced Open Water Course this morning. Kalin opted for some beach time so it is me and three American guys today. Our first dive was to a sunken ship and it was brilliant!! We went down to 110ft at one point and swam around and through the ship. We even swam into a little room on the ship and out through a hole on the floor to the main deck. On the way back up we were able to swim with a massive school of bright blue creole wrasse. I'm hooked now!

The second dive of the morning was to work on our buoyancy so we had to go through hoops and stay hoovering in the same place while we were handed weights. We also went through the hoops backwards and learned how to stand on our heads hovering underwater :) We then swam along the edge of the reef, down to 90ft and back through a canyon in the coral to our starting spot.

I met Kalin once the boat was back, we said goodbye to our roomies from Quebec who were leaving the island and then went for some rotisserie chicken, coconut rice and beans and big couscous like(but bigger) pasta salad for lunch. She headed for the beach and thanks to my sunburnt back, I thought this would be a good time stay out of the midday sun and get caught up on the Internet stuff.

A bit more school stuff and then we headed out for my first night dive!! Kalin came with me on this one. I was a bit nervous at first, but it was awesome. It was so weird being down there at night. We had flashlights and then moon was pretty bright but it was still pretty dark. It was so cool, I noticed way more noises around me than I do in the day time. We saw some lobsters and even a baby octopus! I think I prefer diving in the day time, but I am so glad I went and I would definitely go again.

Back at the shop we had a beer while cleaning off the gear and filling in our log books before making our way over to Sundowners for a few more beers. When that closed at ten we found another place down the road that was over the water. Another power outage, but this bar was prepared and instead of closing down like the one the other night, the set candles out everywhere and kept serving the Salava Vida, pineapple juice & rum and free shots of vodka & grenadine!

Wed June 3
Once again the first stop this morning was for a Baleado, very much needed after last night! With that taken care it was back to the dive shop. The first dive today was the Deep Dive I needed for my Advanced open water certification. Even though the one yesterday was deeper (100ft today and 110ft yesterday), it counted as a wreck dive and not a deep dive. Kalin came with me for this dive. Under the water our instructor Pete cracked an egg to show us the pressure at 100ft. You could hold the yoke, give it a little squeeze and it still didnt break. We had to actually pull it apart to break the yoke. He also showed us the color change at depths (red is the first color to go) by bringing a red marker lid down. The lid was blue under water. No I know why the ocean is blue, the other colors get lost at depth and the blue shows through! We saw a big school of horse eye jacks, 2 giant trevalli, permit fish, a big baracuda, more spotlight parrot fish (finally Lent there name, I think these are my favorite!) and a couple gorgeous queen angel fish. Coming up it was a bit of a drift dive again, like when we came up from the wreck. This time I felt a bit more in control so just enjoyed letting the current do the work for me!

The second dive of the morning (and my final one for my advanced certification) was a Navigation dive. This one was just me, Pete (instructor) and Kristin (Dive Master Trainee). I had to do some compass work under water and then we went for a little swim. Along the way Pete was pointing out landmarks for me to try and remember. Saw some more of the same fish, spotlight parrot fish, Sergent majors and even a school of Blue Tangs. At the end of the swim, Pete told me to find the boat using natural navigation. I shocked myself (and I'm pretty sure him too) when I found it! It was so different being the one at the front, you can't see the others unless you look backwards so it just feels like it's you and the ocean. Amazing feeling!

Back on land we grabbed some burgers under the thatched awning at the Purple Turtle. Thumbs up for the fresh fish fillet burger! We spent the rest of the afternoon hanging around town. Had some awesome pizza at Shark Cave and then had a quiet night.

Thur June 4
Early start this morning to try and get Diving with the Dolphins sorted. We had hoped we would be able to go this morning, but it ended up being full. Had to call back at eleven so we set off to kill a couple hours in paradise. Grabbed a baleado, checked emails quickly and then walked back along the beach for lunch. Had a bowl of Conch soup (so good, almost like a curry soup!) and a tuna and basil burger at Lighthouse on a patio overlooking the bay.

Back at the dive shop we were able to get confirmed for the 8:30am dive with the dolphins tomorrow, yeah!!! With that taken care of we grabbed some snorkel gear and headed for the beach. This time I followed the great advice of wearing a tshirt in the water so that I wouldn't burn my back again! Found some rock with some fan corals on it and tons of fish around. It was great! After an hour or so with the fishes, I went back to shower.

By then it was almost 4:30 so went to the dive shop for patio beers once again. From there we headed to Sundowners again and made some new friends. After it closed at ten we set off for Jammin, the bar over the water, but got lured in to Le Bistro across the street for Kareoke night. Thankfully for all involved, I did not sing. Because of the Karaoke though, I think it was the busiest place in town.

Friday June 5
No the best start today, last night the beers were going down a little too well, but that was quickly remedied when I remembered that we were going diving with the dolphins!! We went to the dive shop to pick up our bundles of equipment and then headed to Anthony's Key Resort in Sandy Bay. The dive was not cheap, but we had been saving for this one as one of the big splurges and man was it worth it! It started off with a little show while we sat on a platform in the dolphin containment. After seeing a few of the tricks, we went out on the boat and dived down. It was so amazing! It was just like a normal dive with coral around the sides and lots of fish, but 2 of the dolphins were free in the area and would come and swim along with us, leave, come back, swim in between us. AWESOME!!! At the end we knelt in the sand and they both came down and were swimming in and out of us, all around, diving down over our heads, everything! It was such a cool experience to be kneeling on the sand at 60ft and petting dolphins as they swam by!!

Back in West End, I grabbed yet another Bale ado (Beef and Beans) for lunch and then took a desperately needed nap :) Got up and got ready and went to find Kalin. I found her back on the beach again, covered in sandfly bites. They are so bad here that her back looks like it's polka dotted! Since I hadn't eaten much, I grabbed another Baleado (Beef, Beans and Avocado) and then we went to the dive shop to sort out our tabs and say goodbye to everyone. Now we are using a bit of Internet time since we paid and unlimited for a week price and then going for dinner in half an hour. Two other girls in our room have reserved a booth on the beach. Should be sweet!!

In the morning we are leaving on the 7am ferry (fingers crossed all goes well) for La Ceiba on the mainland. I am going to be so sad to leave here, it feels like home now! The place is so small, that we already know where almost everything is and every time you walk down the street you see someone you know. Despite the mystery bites (two of which have turned into massive bruises on my legs), I am going to miss it here! I am pretty sure I will be back one day!!!





]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/lindsaym/eastern_europe/1183745100/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/lindsaym/eastern_europe/1183745100/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/lindsaym/eastern_europe/1183745100/tpod.html Wed, 20 May 2009 14:56:13 -0400 Eastern Europe '07

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Istanbul, Turkey

Fri July 6

After an hour at the Bulgarian border, a 3am stop at the Turkish border where I almost had to spend the night, and 4 hours of real sleep, we were in Istanbul!

Took the tram to the hotel (I'm going to miss staying in hotels!) and made it just before the buffet breaky closed. Perfect timing! Had a much needed shower and then headed for the grand Bazaar.

It was definitely not what I had expected. When you first walk in it is all proper shops and mostly expensive jewelry stores. Further in were the stalls but since everything was real, it was not cheap! Still had a good time wandering around and checking out the shops, as well as fleeing from the cat calls and offers to take me and Amy out.

The best lines we heard in the Bazaar from shopkeepers were "How can I help you spend your money?" and "blue eyes or blonde hair means 80% commission". I think the second guy meant to say discount and not commission, but who knows. I bought two hip scarves from one guy, the bartering was fun, they even give you apple tea while you shop and haggle! Also got a bracelet that was not cheap, but has my favorite stone (Lapis Lazuli) and is gorgeous! We looked around a bit more and then wandered out when the prayer call came. All the shops briefly closed and the aisle was filled with people praying on their prayer mats.

We went outside and went through some outdoor stalls that were open and then back in for some more apple tea! That tea is the best stuff ever, I have to say though for some reason I much prefer the granulated mix stuff to the real tea!

After we had enough of the haggling and guys trying to talk to us, we headed for the mosque. Too bad we went the wrong way and ended up back by the hotel. While it was really weird and slightly annoying having every second guy you pass whistling, hissing or calling you pretty lady, it is kind of nice to know that after an overnight train and three months of beer, potatoes and sausages adding on the pounds, that there is a place where people find you attractive!

We met back up with the others and then took the tram down to the waterfront and went on a cruise of the Bosporus Strait. Went out for dinner by the water later at a place with the biggest desert cart I had ever seen in a restaurant. We picked out what we wanted if there was room left before even looking at the menus! Had lemonade (no alcohol served here) and a Turkish pizza (like a funny pita) with spinach, eggs and feta. Was so full, I decided no desert but the smart little waiter had seen us pointing earlier and just brought it all out before we even had a chance to say no. Best desert ever though, chocolate and espresso mouse cake, mmm.


Sat July 7

Was in no hurry this morning so took my time before breakfast (i.e., stayed in bed as long as possible). Went down for a second day of the amazing buffet of yummy Turkish breakfast. Caught the tram and then met up with a few others who had gone back to the Bazaar to buy more stuff.

We went to the spice market which was much closer to what I was expecting the Bazaar to be like! Wooden buckets and bowels of different spices and giant slabs of Turkish Delight in all flavors and colors. Had to buy a little piece of a white one with pistachios - so unbelievably good! Also found the cheap silver (fake!) bracelets I'd been looking for at the Bazaar and got 5 for 1 lira each. Much better!!

We headed back out and into the sunshine and walked up the road to the Basilica Cistern. It is like a big underground cavern that is supported by 300 and some odd columns. It was used to hold water in case of sieges or wars. Very different to see.

Next on our tourist musts list was the Blue Mosque. Huge inside and very ornate but hard to get a feel for it since it was absolutely packed full of tourists in rented blue scarves. Went to check out the Aya Sophia but ended up joining some others on the grass to enjoy the sunshine instead. Set off on a walk and to find some food. Started walking with them, but the hunger won so I altered my path and tried to make a shortcut. Not smart. A fall down a dirt slope, climbing a dirt slope and walking a few minutes only to realize there is a fence all around. Back down a brick wall and 40 minutes walking and I was at a marvelous kebab stand. Well, it wasn't all that great but by this point I was starving and anything would have been awesome.

Back to the hotel for a bit and then we all went out for dinner together. Went to a Turkish (tourist) restaurant and then out to one of the cafes in Sultanahmet for beers and some cheery flavored tobacco in a Narghile (Hookah).

After a couple hours, we went back to the hotel and me and one other girl grabbed some beers from the shop and sat on the roof terrace for a couple hours.

Sun July 8

I can't believe it is already my last day! Went down for breaky and to say all the goodbyes and then headed to the hostel zone with Gabs to drop our bags off at our hostels for our final night. We went to meet another one of the girls back at the Spice Market and found her outside the closed doors. Had a final toastie before saying goodbye to her as well. Then there were two.

In one of the underground crossings we hit a deal on long skirts (2 for 15 lire) and then continued on our shopping mission. We tried to keep each others wallets safe but ended up convincing the other to spend more. Oops. If I have to go home and back to work though, I might as well fill my bag up and have some new work clothes, right? Great deals though, so can't complain too much!

Walked closer to home and past the Aya Sophia and Blue Mosque right to our grassy shade from yesterday. Bought some water from the shop and the guy there asked if he could join us on the grass. Didn't see the harm and it's good to chat to some locals so we said sure. Turns out he doesn't even work in that store, he is a carpet salesmen so doesn't need to be at work (I need a job like that).

Sat on the grass for quite a while and then he took us to the café at the end of the street for Turkish tea and backgammon. I suck. He insisted he wasn't helping me and was just "showing me the way". Nice way to put that I was no good! We agreed to meet him later (when he promised it was close to here and we could walk) and headed back to the hostel to clean up and pack up a bit for tomorrow.

Went for a quick chicken doner wrap and then met our friend and walked to the Old English Pub in the Best Western. I think this was to try and make us feel more at home. We had a couple drinks and then walked to a café (in a cemetery!) for tea, backgammon and some more flavored tobacco in the Narghile. The entire café was filed with old men and couples playing backgammon with a Narghile next to each table.

I was playing his friend (a student/tour guide studying Ottoman history) while he taught Gabs and looks like my earlier lesson paid off (or beginners luck was kicking in). I beat him 3 times and he only beat me twice! We walked back to our area and said goodbye, with the offer to be a carpet salesgirl if I'm ever back for longer... hmm...

Said a sad goodbye to Gabs and then we walked down the block to our hostels. Got everything ready for my 7 am shuttle to the airport and then went to sleep. Can't believe my trip is over already!

]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/lindsaym/eastern_europe/1183690380/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/lindsaym/eastern_europe/1183690380/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/lindsaym/eastern_europe/1183690380/tpod.html Thu, 14 May 2009 23:25:40 -0400 Eastern Europe '07

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Plovdiv, Plovdiv, Bulgaria

Wed July 4

Forced myself up at 6am, did the minimal "getting ready", shoved everything in my bag and caught a bus to the station. Then it was on a bus to Plovdiv and back to sleep. Woke up a couple hours later with my head hanging in the aisle and decided it was probably a better idea to watch the movie playing.

Once in Plovdiv we headed into town and tried to sew a few sights. First stop though (of course) was lunch for some food! Next was a quick drink break (it was a scorcher today!), before heading on to the Amphitheatre. Stopped at a few shops along the way but eventually we made it. Too bad that next to it was a café with some big comfy couches under the shade of huge umbrellas. Perfect.

Started to head back to the hotel with one of the other girls and we got lost (even with some "helpful" police directions). Got to know the town a bit better finding our way, and in the end we made it and met everyone for dinner.

Went to a cute place in the park. Had a salad and stuffed chicken wings. I was starting to feel a bit ill, I think too much sun and not enough water, so I headed back after dinner for another early night. Hopefully I feel better tomorrow!

Thur July 5

Yummy hotel breakfast again this morning, but it probably wasn't the best idea! Me and another girl spent the rest of the morning sick in the hotel. Had to check out at noon so we tried to brave our illnesses and headed for town.

Hit a few shops on the way to the center and then went to see all the sights! Didn't get distracted today like yesterday :) We were feeling a bit better so stopped for lunch. Best fish soup I ever had! Had some potato Bolognese as well. Not smart choices, spent the rest of the afternoon feeling sick again.

More shops and a quick email stop, then some more wandering around Plovdiv. After a few more hours, we went back to the hotel to meet everyone else for dinner. Tonight some of the group was splitting up so we went for one big last meal. Tasty cabbage rolls and fish. I think I'm finally better, didn't feel sick at all after supper. Good thing too, we're spending tonight on a train to Turkey!

Those of us who were taking the train tonight said our goodbyes after dinner and walked to the train station to catch our overnight train to Istanbul. It was so hot when we got on and our window wouldn't stay open. I thought I was going to melt until we improvised with a belt to tie it down, much better!

Woke up sometime after 1am to the Bulgarian Passport Control coming around. I was just falling back asleep when we pulled up to the Turkish border. Here we needed a visa, which meant everyone had to get off the train. Anyone who needed a visa had to wait in line outside one building to get the visa and then wait in line inside another one to get our passports stamped. We had checked (and double and triple checked) ahead of time what the fee was for everyone, what currencies were accepted and if coins would be accepted. I had a pile full of Euro coins, and no bills in Euros or Turkish Lira.

I don't like getting woken up, and apparently I am not the only one; the whole line was grumpy and half asleep. I got to the front and the lady told me no coins, bills only. Triple checked!! I think someone was not happy about being there in the middle of the night either! Thankfully one of my buddies was behind me in line and had enough bills on him to cover us both. Otherwise I would have been stuck sitting at the border until someone agreed to change my coins for bills, and with most of the train back on board, chances hadn't looked good tonight!

With my visa in my passport, I made a dash for the other building and got my stamp just in time to run back to the train. I don't like cutting it that close at 3am on a border like that! Safely back on the train and with my breath caught, it was back to bed until we pulled into Istanbul :)


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Belitsa, Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria

Another relaxing morning in preparation for tomorrows ridiculously early start. Headed out with 2 others for an early lunch and to check out the sights of Bansko, a Bulgarian ski resort town.

A cucumber, tomato and cheese salad hit the spot. After lunch we wandered around the small town and got to know all the little side streets before stopping for a coffee outside a cafe for some people watching.

Met everyone else early in the afternoon and we set out on the 2hr bus ride to the Dancing Bear Rescue Park in Belitsa. The road there was so rough that even I couldn't sleep, I think my bottom might be bruised from flying of the seat so much. I know my head hurts pretty bad from bouncing off the window the one time I did try to sleep!

The Dancing Bears Park in Belista was founded in 2000 and it has managed to free, and is now home to, 25 bears. Even though the training of bears has been prohibited in Bulgaria since 1998, as of May 2007, there were still 3 registered dancing bears held in captivity. Fortunately, in June of 2007, these last 3 bears were transferred to the park and there are now (officially) no dancing bears in Bulgaria. The park tries to provide the bears with a natural environment that is suited to each species. It is the largest park of its kind in Europe and now covers over 120,000sqm.

The bears were cute but it was heart wrenching to see and quite depressing. A lot of the bears were trained to dance by being forced to stand on a heated piece of metal, forcing them to shift their feet or "dance" to avoid burns. Due to this type of training, they started to "dance" whenever they stepped on a hot spot of the dirt or ground.

Some of the bears were standing in the same spot for minutes on end just shifting feet and taking one step forward and then one step back. The rangers who worked there explained this was either due to the hot spots on the ground or too many years of horrible mental torture. Such a sad place, but definitely an eye opener and worth the visit.

Back in Bansko, I went for dinner with two of the others. Tried the cold yogurt and cucumber soup that is on every menu, it wasn't bad but wasn't near as good as the cold soup that was in Latvia! Also had a shish or shish kebab to the rest of us, yummy stuff.

Came back to the hotel and chilled on the patio for a couple beers again before heading in for an early night before the dreaded 6am start tomorrow.



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Rila, Sofia Region, Bulgaria

Had a lazy morning since we weren't leaving Sophia until 2. Got moving just before noon and then went in search of food. Quick piece of pizza, of course covered in Ketchup. I'm actually starting to get used to the ketchup on pizza slices!

Then I tried to do some travelers errands. Browsed some stores and bought a bracelet for my mama while I waited for my pictures to be burnt to a CD. Made friends with the girls at the picture shop and then went to find more food since supper was a long way away! Found a cafeteria style place and had some pork and sauerkraut stew, thumbs up! Wandered around Sophia a bit more and then went back to catch the bus.

On our way to Bansko, we stopped at the Rila Monastery, the largest Eastern Orthodox Monastery in Bulgaria. It was an amazing place. Got the weirdest feeling when I was there, not good or bad, just weird. I bought a wooden painted Icon, love it but I will need to cut back on Souvenirs!

Two more hours on the bus and we were in Bansko. Got ready and then we went out for a big group dinner. The restaurant was a traditional place and had a gypsy band playing some music. Had some cured ham type of meat and then and amazing (!!!) rice, sauerkraut and shredded pork dish. Blew the one earlier out of the water!

On the way back a couple of us grabbed some 2L bottles of beer (for $1.50!) and sat on the balcony for a couple of hours having some drinks.
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