RAIN! (part two)
Our trip to Guatemala!
But first a report on Gypsy Wind, our poor sailboat. She has been waiting and waiting to go back in the water. Lester had left it out this year so he could sand the bottom and apply an anti-fouling paint to protect it for the next couple of years. Unfortunately the boat must be dry before application and dry is not in our vocabulary at the moment. Also he had to wait for the motor parts we shipped down to arrive so he could repair the motor (needed to motor the boat out to where it can be sailed.) The motor is now ready but Gypsy Wind is still waiting to be sanded and painted. Not to mention that it is extremely difficult to reach the marina where she waits due to so much water on the roads. I will be going back to California the last week of Jan.to take care of some necessary business and we are hoping she will be ready to sail when I get back!
Now, about Guatemala! The good news is that making the circle through Florence and Tikal, Rio Dulce and Finca Tatin, Livingston and Placencia is an amazing trip. From majestic Mayan ruins to overgrown jungle retreat, to the Garifuna town at the mouth of the Rio Dulce, to a lounge chair on the lovely beach at Placencia is truly an adventure to remember. The bad news is that doing it during the cold front that moved in and in the rain that persisted even after leaving Belize did take the edge off some of the joy. But not for long! We are all tough! We were joined on most of the trip by an Alaskan named Kurt who had been staying in the same housing complex with us here on CC. Kurt bailed in Livingston, choosing not to return to Belize now but instead to remain there renting a place, studying Spanish by day and cavorting with the locals by night! Just kidding, he seemed like a nice enough guy.
Of all the Mayan sites I've visited, Tikal is (to me anyway) the most impressive. With pyramids rising out of the jungle and the call of howler monkeys, and amazing tropical birds on the wing, it has a real otherwordly feel to it. Flores, the little island town reached by causeway is picturesque and inviting. Although not quite so attractive in a howling rainstorm (We had nice accommodations with a balcony overlooking the lake. It was by far our splurge as far as rooms went. But weather prevented us from taking advantage.)
Finca Tatin is a favorite of mine. Ever since I saw a pen and ink drawing made by my Italian friend, Fabrizio, of the thick jungle entrance to the retreat I had wanted to go there. And it has never disappointed! From there we kayaked down river to Livingston. It is about a 2 1/2 hour trip, most of it a leisurely paddle. We were so lucky to have one perfect sunny day to enjoy this adventure. We arrived at the dock of the small hotel where we planned to stay and that is where the real fun began.. All I can say is, too bad we did not have a video of that event to enter in some funniest video contest! I got to climb out of the kayak first and, while there is never a way to do this gracefully, my exit was a total disaster. Even with the help of the hotel manager, I fought and wobbled, and huffed and puffed and was finally able to get out only by somehow getting my butt on the dock and crawling on my belly from there. Gail was next and she did better but only by a little. The guys, after seeing our problems came out more easily with Tim even scrambling up that wooden ladder in record time.
The worst of the cold front hit us that night and remained with us throughout the next day. It was so cold I considered taking the rug off the floor to cover the blanket on my bed. But managed by wrapping my feet and legs in a towel under the blanket.
We left Livingston early the next morning in what had to be the ultimate hair raising experience of our trip. We went by boat (small launch) from Livingston to Punta Gorda, Belize bouncing over and through 5 foot swells in open water, no land in sight. I don't know about the others but I was praying. Gail says she now knows how it would be to ride a bucking bull. ..But we survived. Like I said, we are tough!
The skies cleared for a good part of our last day which we spent on the beach at Placencia. It was perfect to be able to relax on the beach at the end. The next morning Tim and Gail headed for the airport and the homeward bound series of flights and we took the bus back to Belize City. It was a great trip!
Sunday, January 12, 2014
RAIN! In all of my winters here this is most definitely the wettest. The streets have been constantly flooded. Sandbags lining some of the streets allow walkers to make their way along the edges without wading. . Bicycles plow through the puddles, their riders in constant jeopardy of falling into a teeth jarring hole. It has been a different kind of adventure!
Fortunately our neighbors, Tim and Gail, are the best sports. Our enthusiastic descriptions of sun and snorkeling have fallen short of the mark this year. And that's putting it mildly! But they have managed to swim, snorkel and sail with Ragamuffin between cloudbursts. And have spent many an hour reading and relaxing on their porch in between. We have made the rounds of all the best eateries on the island, although we had to settle for home cooked meals whenever the heavens opened up right at dinner time.
As always, The Wish Willy has been our favorite. For those of you who have never experienced Maurice's fine foods served in a rustic outdoor environment this is the ultimate in Caye Caulker dining. Granted, there are places more upscale, but none with better food. It has become our habit of letting him choose our meal. We just say, "Whatever you have please!" and he brings a platter of various meats and seafood (usually lobster, shrimp kabobs, fish, pork chops or steak, etc) and we each get a plate of rice and vegetables to go with that. Dinner and a couple of rum and cokes to wash it down usually runs about $10.
Almost immediately upon arriving we learned that this will be our last year in this sweet little house as the property is being sold to the big fancy hotel next door. This is sad in a way as we have (or I should say, Lester has..) made many improvements to the place and it has become, in our hearts and minds, our second home. We have enjoyed the perfect sunsets from the back yard and made friends with the owners and neighbors. The downstairs storage was perfect and having the boat right out back, as well as a great kayak launching area, was an additional convenience. But life is change. And sometimes it is good for us to be prodded into action by change! So I began the search for a new home and found a sweet little beach house on the front side of the island which we have already reserved for next year. Before we leave this year I will be transferring small appliances, and other items that have been brought down over the years to the new place. No storage there but will just leave it all to be enjoyed by other renters who are here while we are gone.
An interesting coincidence concerning our new landlady. It turns out that I remember her from our first visit to Caye Caulker approximately 20 years ago. That was in a time before the regularly scheduled water taxis. In those days you went to the Texaco station on the river in Belize City and asked for Chocolate's boat. There was no particular departure schedule. The boat just left when it was full. While waiting we noticed a woman and her small son, who it turned out to be, was a fellow Californian, marine biologist, graduated from Humbolt, living on Caye Caulker. We visited the little souvenir shop in her home, Frank (Rosa) and I each purchasing a matamosquito, which, as the name implies, is a tool (long natural broom made from native bush) used to kill mosquitoes. I still have mine hanging by the wall in the living room, ready for duty! The lady is still here,and is our new landlady! Her son is now in his 20's.
I had better quit for now as I am feeling uneasy about this suddenly disappearing. It has been known to do just that on excruciatingly painful occasions! Back soon with tales from our Guatemala adventure with Tim and Gail! .
Fortunately our neighbors, Tim and Gail, are the best sports. Our enthusiastic descriptions of sun and snorkeling have fallen short of the mark this year. And that's putting it mildly! But they have managed to swim, snorkel and sail with Ragamuffin between cloudbursts. And have spent many an hour reading and relaxing on their porch in between. We have made the rounds of all the best eateries on the island, although we had to settle for home cooked meals whenever the heavens opened up right at dinner time.
As always, The Wish Willy has been our favorite. For those of you who have never experienced Maurice's fine foods served in a rustic outdoor environment this is the ultimate in Caye Caulker dining. Granted, there are places more upscale, but none with better food. It has become our habit of letting him choose our meal. We just say, "Whatever you have please!" and he brings a platter of various meats and seafood (usually lobster, shrimp kabobs, fish, pork chops or steak, etc) and we each get a plate of rice and vegetables to go with that. Dinner and a couple of rum and cokes to wash it down usually runs about $10.
Almost immediately upon arriving we learned that this will be our last year in this sweet little house as the property is being sold to the big fancy hotel next door. This is sad in a way as we have (or I should say, Lester has..) made many improvements to the place and it has become, in our hearts and minds, our second home. We have enjoyed the perfect sunsets from the back yard and made friends with the owners and neighbors. The downstairs storage was perfect and having the boat right out back, as well as a great kayak launching area, was an additional convenience. But life is change. And sometimes it is good for us to be prodded into action by change! So I began the search for a new home and found a sweet little beach house on the front side of the island which we have already reserved for next year. Before we leave this year I will be transferring small appliances, and other items that have been brought down over the years to the new place. No storage there but will just leave it all to be enjoyed by other renters who are here while we are gone.
An interesting coincidence concerning our new landlady. It turns out that I remember her from our first visit to Caye Caulker approximately 20 years ago. That was in a time before the regularly scheduled water taxis. In those days you went to the Texaco station on the river in Belize City and asked for Chocolate's boat. There was no particular departure schedule. The boat just left when it was full. While waiting we noticed a woman and her small son, who it turned out to be, was a fellow Californian, marine biologist, graduated from Humbolt, living on Caye Caulker. We visited the little souvenir shop in her home, Frank (Rosa) and I each purchasing a matamosquito, which, as the name implies, is a tool (long natural broom made from native bush) used to kill mosquitoes. I still have mine hanging by the wall in the living room, ready for duty! The lady is still here,and is our new landlady! Her son is now in his 20's.
I had better quit for now as I am feeling uneasy about this suddenly disappearing. It has been known to do just that on excruciatingly painful occasions! Back soon with tales from our Guatemala adventure with Tim and Gail! .
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