tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85356570101739060442023-11-16T09:49:50.625-08:00a broad, abroad. life on the roads of central & south america. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06107212460756197790noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8535657010173906044.post-74634345422171983042014-10-06T19:34:00.001-07:002015-01-04T19:56:34.147-08:00Sailing to Colombia & The Guna Yala Islands<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for." - John A. Shedd</blockquote>
The Independence. An 85 foot steel motor sail that was to be our home for the next five days and four nights, bringing us from Panama to Colombia and into the colorful colonial fortress city of Cartagena.<br />
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Melissa and I had been crossing our fingers that for one: this boat wouldn't be disgusting (we'd heard horror stories) and two: we'd have some fun, laid back people to share this boat with for nearly a week. After a wild ride to our launch point in the early hours of the morning and hardly sleeping the night before (having a lost passport scare), we were exhausted and sleep drunk and constructing thoughts was not yet possible at our 4am departure. It wasn't until we arrived to the meeting area of the ship several hours later that I felt I was fully conscience and really had a chance to get a feel for who we would be sharing such tight quarters with.<br />
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The first person I spotted as I climbed the narrow steps to the upper deck was a young kid, around the age of 10 or so I guessed. Next, I spotted his even younger sister. Before I could get any further in my thinking about how this was <i>not</i> the crowd I had imagined, their dad stepped in firmly asking the kids to put away the smart phones, reminding them of how they'd already surpassed their allotted minutes for the day. The kids sat, undisturbed and ignoring their dad's request. Perrrrrfect I thought, a bickering family to deal with and they're arguing over phones while in this tropical paradise. <i>Let them keep the smart phones, dad, it's keeping them quiet!</i> (It didn't take long to learn that this family was actually awesome - mom, dad & kids included, and I'd spend a vacation with them any day.) It was funny, sitting around, watching as everyone rose from the lower level and took a seat around the captain. He sat in his captain's chair, silently watching and waiting for all to arrive. We also sat quietly, wondering how this trip was about to go down.<br />
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Our Captain, Michel, was what we came to call a real salty sea dog. There were many mixed emotions from all the passengers as to how they felt about the guy. After only a few minutes he was delving into several stories that revealed his seeming fascination with passengers' bowel movements; going on to tell us ALL about things that have gone wrong on board with the toilets, not failing to include some gnarly details, and successfully scaring us into never wanting to use a toilet on board. I sat there, trying to translate for a Guatemalan couple next to me who didn't speak any English. I was quickly reprimanded by the Captain and told to be quiet. That was only the beginning of the scoldings we recieved over the next several days. </div>
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Setting sail </div>
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Our first sightings of the Guna Yala Islands and the people who inhabit this area, the Gunas. These islands were formerly called the San Blas, and are still often referred to as such. </div>
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El Perro Island. This was where we docked the first day/night.</div>
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From where we docked, we took a small dingy to another island, Elefante, and were able to watch the start of the World Cup. We drank beers and fresh coconut water, played sand volleyball and got to know everyone a little better. We stayed until the stars came out, eating a freshly prepared meal by our incredible crew. Freshly caught fish with coconut rice and potato salad. </div>
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Moon rise on Isla Elefante </div>
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Let me just say, this is <i>actually </i>what the water looked like here! It was so blue and beautiful I still can't get over it. </div>
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Our Cappy-tan cartin' us over to a nearby reef to snorkel for a bit.<br />
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Squid! </div>
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Sunken ship. The waters through the Guna Yala Islands are actually pretty treacherous. Reefs stretch in every which direction and exist invisibly under the surface. This wasn't the first or last wreck we saw. </div>
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Some islands were so tiny and merely housed a couple palm trees.</div>
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Another shipwreck! <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBt5bBPgGPDJSMiJFWD6bZ5Kg_CNuUoEpz5_vYqpa0W8tjOvbqYdeuvXF1L6KbBX6Sp_wtivge2k_bg8e9YT_wx72tmsyNxahkwBOnGnrLwco7nTc4O3f6ODcCzfcg1LY2t_x6qHr95fD4/s1600/IMG_0209.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBt5bBPgGPDJSMiJFWD6bZ5Kg_CNuUoEpz5_vYqpa0W8tjOvbqYdeuvXF1L6KbBX6Sp_wtivge2k_bg8e9YT_wx72tmsyNxahkwBOnGnrLwco7nTc4O3f6ODcCzfcg1LY2t_x6qHr95fD4/s1600/IMG_0209.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdJ_gybCUiVM1UF4oOHwkaQJmpmLKzCwcTh1iMYC2-BYW4EsWRfvGgD0S2m_iZcMMUHuo6pR9be4WvmuXkxlOPDden5glPgpucHh_vCZbSwiE7tZWsytbtZHz3ASAkoy7x67_hesXWBcu3/s1600/IMG_0211.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; clear: left; color: black; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; clear: left; color: black; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgni6ov1iO_1V53E9DVLB-2oB1vqFwCJm9Jilp0ZUBF2GPyCscKEu_rJzCBkLRwQoPotDIbPukS-omj8Kbwntl3-Or0NKlhZ60rAh4MChydXWshMVYLsMmBabGUu5qND8sbcEEqbqIp0W15/s1600/IMG_0213.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></span><br />
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In any direction you looked you could see several islands. Here, you can kind of see one </div>
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of the many breaks in the open waters signaling a reef's presence.<br />
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<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNy2b1cRvakc9Tjc7ZPSNF_wThRtPMDFDZsc10goyztiGQUgVNuPDeagWwjLkWZQr6MwRFNn5xxSzam81CWYKPZfUL0KM5rvSL9lqgP9ruRsBfh-CD4R-4KZ_FARWtF8Wd4-6PmCTADNwM/s1600/IMG_0219.jpg" height="400" width="266" /></div>
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One night we headed to a different island for a bonfire. The family had supplies for s'mores and the rest of us had ample supplies of rum. One of the crew members, Daniel, from Spain, shared a tradition with us, which was to jump over the fire...</div>
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Here's Georgia (and Jess I think you're back there too!) and Daniel, who later became known as Chicharron.</div>
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And here, ladies and gentlemen, is the reason behind the nickname. Poor Daniel tried to outdo Sam's flip of sorts over the fire and managed to barrel roll <i>through</i> the fire instead. Chicharron is fried pork skin and a popular snack.</div>
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Locals would pass by on their small boats offering us what they could: freshly caught fish & lobster or coconuts. Occasionally you'd see an old woman selling handmade jewelry. </div>
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Unfortunately, we didn't have too many sunny days while on the islands, but it was warm and, really, you just can't complain when you're in this setting, no matter the weather. And not with water that color.</div>
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The local men would also come and offer to clean the outside of the boat. </div>
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At any point while docked you could simply jump off the boat and swim, or kayak, to surrounding islands. This one below had nothing and no one on it and you could roam around (it was very small) and have a whole island to yourself. </div>
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Locals enjoying some sand volleyball</div>
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While land was still visible! When we crossed the open waters the last two days, there was nothing in sight. Ever. Just the sea and the sky y nada más. </div>
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The food we were served everyday was absolutely delicious and plentiful. One night, before setting sail into the open seas, we had an incredible lobster dinner. The lobsters were dropped off, still living, by locals and later prepared perfectly by our crew. </div>
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One of my favorite times on the boat was when we set sail at 2AM on the third night. Once we set sail, there was no stopping. From that point on, for the next 30 hours, we were traveling across the open seas, which were much rougher, with rather large swells, and the cause of nearly every passenger's sea sickness (I lucked out there). </div>
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Most of us slept outdoors while on the boat. Wherever there was any place to sit, hang a hammock, or have a somewhat comfortable bed or sorts, someone had claimed it and be sleeping there come nightfall. It was a hot and steamy hellish spot in the cabins below the main deck and sleeping quarters were tight. Very tight (there's pictures below). Luckily, the front of the boat, as well as the sun-deck area, had lots of open air and space and some pads to sleep on comfortably. </div>
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Anyways, the night we began sailing I woke up to the Captain's muffled yells. It was pretty windy out, but he was still very audible as he so charmingly hollered at his crew members in the f-bomb filled and harsh way he liked to address them in ("VICTOR! VICTOR! VICTOR, YOU MOTHERF***ER!"). I watched as the crew scurried about getting the sails raised, the anchor up, the knots tied, and all that other jazz that needs to be done. And then we were off. I dozed in and out for a bit until I woke up at the very beginning of some serious sunrise action. There was a storm on the horizon dead ahead of us with massive dark clouds and lightning brewing inside of them. The captain was quick to begin his yelling again and came and told everyone to get inside - a storm was coming. I stayed outside, figuring I'd wait until it really got bad and it was actually necessary to go inside. As we neared the storm, it began to disperse and we sailed smoothly through a gap that formed. You could see the rain to either side in the distance. </div>
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Despite the excitement of the storm, the sailing was incredibly peaceful. This was my favorite time of the day/night. There was a bright, full moon and clear skies. It was silent except for the sound of the water, and our sailboat rising and falling over the swells, creaking a bit. Here's a short video that kinda captures being on the boat. </div>
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La luna y mi cama (my bed)</div>
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Melissa and I sat at the front of the boat, right at the bow, and hung our legs over the front. It was like a roller coaster ride, crashing down and then bobbing up over the large swells. At times our feet plunged into the water and the a bit of the sea hopped aboard.</div>
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We actually sailed into the sunrise that morning. </div>
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The colors were unreal! P.S. - I didn't alter or spice up these pics in any way! All natural. Pachamama (a Goddess, worshipped by the indigenous of the Andes. In short, Mother Earth) in all her glory. </div>
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The next morning the sun made another grand entrance onto the scene. <br />
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The Independence Family! We had an amazing, hilarious, fun crowd on the boat, and ended up hanging out a bit more in Cartagena for a few days before dispersing across the continent. </div>
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Main floor. Somewhere under all the bags is a dining table. There was also a television with VHS tapes handy and a sound system complete with microphones... perfect for karaoke. Not to mention dusty globes and corals, books in all different languages and other random knickknacks the Captain had cluttered about. </div>
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Kitchen </div>
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Someone's bed! It was along the main stairwell bringing you from the main deck to the rooms and bathrooms down below. This was sailing for backpackers, keep in mind. No luxury business.</div>
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My and Melissa's bed. I could hardly fit, and I'm not exactly tall. </div>
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First sightings of the walls surrounding the great Cartagena. </div>
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Boca Grande in the distance </div>
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In the port of the great port city! We arrived early on the morning of the fifth day, as planned. </div>
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All in all, it was such a unique and incredible journey. I now understand how people develop their love of sailing. It's exciting, peaceful, relaxing, and beautiful at the same time. And feels like a real adventure. Setting sail, rounding the globe to arrive at your awaited chunk of land. It was a great time, but I will say, I think we were all pretty eager to get our feet on solid ground again and out of the tight quarters of the Independence. At last, we were setting foot on the much anticipated soil of Colombia! Which came to be known as Locombia with the start of the Fifa World Cup and what was to be a long awaited time for Colombia to celebrate the success of their beloved fútbol team.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06107212460756197790noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8535657010173906044.post-87707488511784717372014-08-23T20:59:00.002-07:002014-08-23T23:03:12.359-07:00Panama City & The Panama Canal <h3>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The Panama Canal </span></h3>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This year, on August 14th, the Panama Canal celebrated it's 100th anniversary. The canal was finally fully functional in 1914; after tireless years of construction, three different countries owning the territoriy (Columbia, France, and the States), and tens of thousands of lives lost. Initially undertaken by the French in 1881, it was later taken over by the States in 1904. </span><br />
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Named one of the 7 wonders of the modern world, the Panama Canal does not disappoint. It stretches 48 miles connecting the Atlantic and Pacific through three different sets of locks that raise and lower the water 85ft. above sea level. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In the distance here you can kind of see the construction of a new set of locks that will be wider. It is aimed to be opened in 2015. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We watched several ships go through in the couple hours we spent here and each time I was amazed at just how massive these ships were! </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">100 years! </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It wasn't the speediest of processes getting the ships through, but for all the work entailed I suppose it didn't take too long either. As the ships entered the locks, machinery on either side, which ran along a track, attached itself to the ships and then pulled and perfectly guided them through the passageway. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We then had the incredible opportunity to help drive a ship through the Miraflores locks! </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Alright, just kidding, we didn't actually drive though the canal. I posted this picture on Facebook and I think a few people fell for it :) There was a simulator in a museum at the canal. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Panama City</span></h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUQqPE_WhIcyiTVxB-EbfpR2Ej7MD9y_7W0QZr4aaQjXWKqVd0bmevFb0wDRyYnUIqi0x5AvHqIqHp987o58_F0bTFRJpIBsXX2tX-XjCwc2ncVyWwC9ZXm5BvT7098wjzpshyphenhyphenFqhYDHAB/s1600/IMG_9993.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUQqPE_WhIcyiTVxB-EbfpR2Ej7MD9y_7W0QZr4aaQjXWKqVd0bmevFb0wDRyYnUIqi0x5AvHqIqHp987o58_F0bTFRJpIBsXX2tX-XjCwc2ncVyWwC9ZXm5BvT7098wjzpshyphenhyphenFqhYDHAB/s1600/IMG_9993.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It's very interesting to stand between the two very visibly different parts of Panama City. To your left you have the very sleek and modern area of the city, and to your right, the colorful and colonial Casco Viejo. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Casco Viejo was actually built after the original city was ransacked, destroyed, and set ablaze by the pirate known as Henry Morgan in 1671. The original city's ruins still stand and are a popular tourist destination known as Panamá Viejo.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Exploring with our friend Eoin, from Ireland, who we were roommates with back in Bocas del Toro.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The streets in front of our hostel, <a href="http://www.lunascastlehostel.com/" target="_blank">Luna's Castle</a>... </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">...and the area behind our hostel. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">There are many disparities while walking around in Casco Viejo. The area is undergoing many redevelopments supported by both the government and private sectors, so while in one place you may look up to see a beautiful, pristine, and quite ritzy looking building, take a few more steps and you face a dilapidated facade with nothing inside but empty space and rubble. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Strolling through this area of the city is so enjoyable. Especially at night when the day's heat and humidity die down a bit. Marly, Melissa and I would walk around, enjoying the night's balmy climate and breeze, passing through plazas surrounded by restaurants that had tables and candles set out. It all felt very european. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Other parts of the city reminded me of New Orleans. Casco Viejo features many architectural styles, from Spanish colonial buildings to French townhouses that were built during the construction of the canal. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Parque Santa Ana </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I love not only the existence of the many parks and plazas that fill the cities of Central America, but also how they're such a popular hangout and gathering spot for everyone. Walking through, you see lots of chatting, old men playing cards or chess, ice cream vendors wheeling around with their carts, ringing their bell, and lots of people simply sitting, watching, taking it all in. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Melissa has a friend from MSU, Eduardo, who is from Panama City. We were able to meet up and hang out with Eduardo and his friend, Francisco, who were great guides and great friends to hang out with during our time here. One day, we climbed Ancon Hill and had a great view of the whole city. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Casco Viejo and a bit of the skyline, as well as "el puente marino" or the marine bridge that wraps around Casco Viejo through the ocean. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We had such a good time with these guys! They drove us around, showing us different parts of the city, took us to their office, had another friend cook for us, and even stood by as we excitedly scoured stores in the mall for clothes. Thanks guys, you made our visit to Panama City so much more enjoyable! And a hell of a lot funnier! </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Not too far from our hostel was an incredible seafood market! We walked around checking out all the goods and deciding what sort of seafood creation we could concoct for dinner that night. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Tuna steak anyone? </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We ended up having fresh lobster tail (and a bowl full of garlic butter, of course) as well as some giant prawns for dinner. Everything was so fresh and delicious, and CHEAP. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> The ever so lovely and hilarious Marly was leaving us and returning home to Chicago. We had a fancy night out to say goodbye and to celebrate the amazing time we had. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Marly and I worked together at a school in Chicago and became instant friends and I'm SO happy she was able to come down and travel with us for a few weeks. Thankfully with FaceTime we can still all talk and "hang out" and crack up together. We miss you Marly Girl!!! Also, big congrats to Marly, newly hired Chicago Public School teacher! Love you mudge! </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This was Melissa and I's last stop before heading to South America. We said goodbye to Marly, and then had a couple days to prepare for our sailing trip to Columbia. The day before, we switched hostels, organized all our stuff, stocked up on plenty of rum, tequila, vodka, and peanut butter (obvious boat essentials), had a lost passport scare (it was found), got a couple hours sleep, and were then picked up bright and early to be taken to the launch point for the Independence! </span></div>
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Our last night in Bocas proved to be an interesting one and ended in someone telling us we could have a ride with his shuttle service for only $20 to Boquete - our next destination. This was $10 cheaper than anywhere else, and $10 is a big deal on our $30/day budget. We turned up when and where we were told and came to find out what we had feared: that perhaps this man at a late night food joint during the early hours of the morning wasn't going to pull through. Imagine that. We waited around for a bit in an office of sorts before someone finally asked what we were waiting for. We told them Bryan told us to be here at 10am for a ride to Boquete. Simple. He phoned his friend and we laughed as we overheard him reminding Bryan of his late night special offer. </div>
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Turns out he really did have a shuttle service. It also turns out it wasn't really in business yet, so we got a private ride in a brand new shuttle with him and his wife and baby. We also got an entire bench to ourselves and lots of room to spread out. </div>
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Boquete is in the mountain highlands of Panama. It sits at about 3,900 ft. and is therefore a refreshing break from the heavy heat of the coast. We could finally wear our jeans and sweaters we'd never touched once! </div>
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Because of it's climate, many crops are provided with ideal growing conditions. Coffee has especially become plentiful in this region and it's been deemed the Napa Valley of coffee, harvesting beans that have been judged to be some of the best in the world. In addition to coffee, the region boasts banana, avocado, orange and lime trees all over. </div>
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An awesome rock formation we passed on a hike</div>
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The Caldera River</div>
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A very old and very dilapidated bridge over the river. We crossed thinking it would take us to "the abandoned castle" we were in search of. </div>
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We found some bananas on the ground in a big cluster and grabbed some for fuel on our hike. </div>
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After many wrong turns and directions from just about everyone we passed, we finally arrived at "el castillo abandonado", or the abandoned castle. </div>
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The "castle" is flanked by eucalyptus trees and sits next to the river with mountains for a backyard.</div>
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One day we visited a nearby coffee plantation, <a href="http://www.boquetecoffeetour.com/?page_id=48" target="_blank">Cafes de la Luna</a>. We learned all about harvesting, roasting and farming in general. We also learned a bit about the economics and politics involved in the coffee business as well as farmers and workers. </div>
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Unripe coffee berries </div>
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When the berries are ripe they become red. They're ever so slightly sweet, but hardly have any juices. The seed is much lighter in color before roasting and has the texture of an barely cooked bean. </div>
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Drying racks for the berries </div>
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The outside of a building where farmers used to have to live when this farm was owned and run under different ownership. The conditions have changed at Cafe de la Luna, but are, unfortunately, still terrible for most workers around the world. In addition to horrible working conditions, the wages are disgustingly small and could never support the individuals and their families who work so hard.</div>
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This was full of dried berries with details as to where exactly the berries were harvested from, the date picked, the bed they were dried on as well as the percentage of...(to be honest I forget, sorry. It may have been in reference to the moisture levels within the berries...?). </div>
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Dried berries </div>
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They tasted a bit like a prune or raisin but not nearly as sweet.</div>
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Roasting equipment </div>
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After touring the farm, we had the chance to sample two different brews, a medium and a dark roast. </div>
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Marly & Melsie enjoying some fresh brews</div>
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After sampling some coffee we had the chance to watch the roasting process. I was deemed roast master. </div>
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Checking the color and progress after several minutes</div>
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The beans are roasted at a very specific temperature and different measurments and characteristics of the beans are monitored throughout the entire process. They are then released into this area above and spun about to cool off, as well as shake loose and discard any of the coating from the berries that was now crisp and separated from the bean. </div>
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Finally the beans are poured out and put into bins where they are later bagged, sealed, and shipped off to fancy coffee shops that sell it for a nice fancy price. </div>
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The time spent in Boquete was very relaxing. It's a sleepy mountain town within a valley of Panama's beautiful lush mountains. It is home to many expats actually, with most being from the U.S. and Canada. If you check it out you may want to stay awhile!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06107212460756197790noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8535657010173906044.post-52822524590945222672014-08-17T22:15:00.001-07:002014-08-17T22:15:57.622-07:00Bocas del ToroFerry to a bus to a bus to a town to a shuttle to an office to another office to the border to a bridge to an office to yet another office back to a shuttle to a boat and to Bocas! Bocas del Toro, meaning, mouth of the bull, is a province of Panama. The province of Bocas is made up of 9 main islands in addition to part of the mainland. The main island, Isla Colón, is where you can find the capital of the region - Bocas del Toro, or, Bocas Town. About 4 years ago, Bocas was reported having just under 125,000 residents.<br />
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Although not really visible, there's an old railroad bridge ahead (over 100 years old) that's used by tourists to cross over into Panama, which has yet to be topped as far as border crossings go. We were herded about for around an hour by different locals. Although very helpful and good intentioned, it all felt pretty odd and left us wondering if there was something sketchy going on. </div>
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Eager to arrive in Bocas and also wondering what the hell was going on. </div>
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Parts of Panama are incredibly lush and covered in mountains with jungle coated hillsides. Other parts are flat and farm filled. We drove by countless rows of bananas. Green fields harvesting this "oro verde", or green gold, spanned on for as far as you could see in any direction. Driving the last leg of the way to Bocas was absolutely beautiful. We whipped around up and down curving roads as our shuttle driver played reggae music and kept his foot firmly planted on the accelerator. He brought us to a tiny dock with only a few small boats. We piled in and raced through the open waters towards the main islands. </div>
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Houses on stilts amongst mangroves, and locals in small canoes made for beautiful scenery on our ride to Isla Colón. </div>
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Arriving on the main island, Colón. The island was originally named Isla del Drago by Columbus back in 1502 when he explored the area in search for the passage to the Pacific. </div>
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Some local chiquitas rehearsing for some sort of festival that was held in the park. How great are those outfits? </div>
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A delicious creole chicken dish served with coconut rice - a popular and delicious side we loved while in the Caribbean. </div>
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Streets of the main island</div>
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One of our hostels, Aqua Lounge. Complete with swings and a giant trampoline to launch you into the water. </div>
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The islands of Bocas are absolutely beautiful, but the living conditions are extremely low.</div>
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The houses are dilapidated and very bare, and parts of some islands are trash filled with plastic and styrofoam all over the beach. </div>
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Many structures stand abandoned with missing walls or roofs.</div>
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Bocas paradise</div>
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Beauty in the decay</div>
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This dogs' eyes were so awesome! There are so many dogs roaming the streets, belonging to no one and cared for by everyone. We've seen some very interesting mixes and we've also seen dogs that would cost a fortune in the States. They're all calm and friendly, never dare beg for your food, and eager for some love and affection, just as any deg always is. </div>
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Ant highway </div>
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These little guys were playing on their porch, screaming with laughter chasing each other. When they saw me they stopped in their tracks and then came closer, seemingly amused. They then pointed at my camera looking intrigued. I asked if they wanted their photo taken and they immediately nodded and got together. </div>
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Some obvious big brother adoration here</div>
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I showed them the photos afterwards and their smiles grew even bigger, looking at one another and giggling. So sweet! </div>
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The crabs on the islands were so interesting! Only one of their claws was massive and as soon as anything would come near they'd scuttle into their holes and nearly disappear except for their one big claw. I had been walking around the island (across from the main island) for quite awhile before noticing these guys, but once one's movement caught my eye I realized there were hundreds all over.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCuKEhd7bghG3V2EZ94xhks6Oc7mzZ9QDpFo1vAey_GfGLgEar5-w7b1FoNA39bPTE9vvbKtwKqRAc9JxVl3qRQS8QKCxJbIZoh0JPjYm8VyrBCu8jZQtJ1Lq871RKfEerZceFlPJHyk92/s1600/IMG_9725.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCuKEhd7bghG3V2EZ94xhks6Oc7mzZ9QDpFo1vAey_GfGLgEar5-w7b1FoNA39bPTE9vvbKtwKqRAc9JxVl3qRQS8QKCxJbIZoh0JPjYm8VyrBCu8jZQtJ1Lq871RKfEerZceFlPJHyk92/s1600/IMG_9725.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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I loved this house! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqJPLstGO0FoyUNfMv3MuJVFjpF6Jz6be45nJAzutJ6VP6Cf6caJOE_Oldu8PB2VbzGN_De0R7V1LjVIBsjbbn9lNu1j-cVuEIFbsFzKdCbasBFhQD7OAHc0KMKTQX4WSvR5W9HfBogAT9/s1600/IMG_9737.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqJPLstGO0FoyUNfMv3MuJVFjpF6Jz6be45nJAzutJ6VP6Cf6caJOE_Oldu8PB2VbzGN_De0R7V1LjVIBsjbbn9lNu1j-cVuEIFbsFzKdCbasBFhQD7OAHc0KMKTQX4WSvR5W9HfBogAT9/s1600/IMG_9737.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
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What the inland area of one of the islands looked like </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsYFfGkBuRsTWPVX6-OIfvhXKNXWoa2sCrr_q8IyrQrmqb6y3z9RDqekl5m84jg4pofrMg2Qlz6ReRDD608LuZGn74K5pl39cewwzmzMbQiwN50QukmwyzHIiaXaM3-GNyYcor11PRjxmS/s1600/IMG_9739.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsYFfGkBuRsTWPVX6-OIfvhXKNXWoa2sCrr_q8IyrQrmqb6y3z9RDqekl5m84jg4pofrMg2Qlz6ReRDD608LuZGn74K5pl39cewwzmzMbQiwN50QukmwyzHIiaXaM3-GNyYcor11PRjxmS/s1600/IMG_9739.jpg" height="400" width="266" /></a></div>
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Little restaurant/shop on the water</div>
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The one and only Aqua Lounge</div>
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We ran into some friends we'd met at Casa de Olas in Nicaragua. It's funny how often this happens and how many connections you realize you have amongst other travelers. It's always nice to see some familiar faces on the road. </div>
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After a couple nights at Aqua Lounge we were in need for something a bit calmer. Experience the other side of island life. We moved over to another island, Bastimentos, where the <a href="http://www.palmartentlodge.com/" target="_blank">Palmar Tent Lodge</a> was located. </div>
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Sometimes rainy season's cool. </div>
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The Palmar Tent Lodge. Found on Red Frog Beach.</div>
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The lodge is exactly as it sounds and the rooms are simply one large safari tent. The bathrooms are outdoors as well as the showers. The showers and sinks work on a pump system from collected and filtered rainwater. When showering, it takes about 20-30 pumps with a foot pedal, and then you pull down on a rope and release the water. There is no wi-fi here and electricity is offered between 8am and 6pm. The entire lodge is powered by sun and rainwater! </div>
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The name of the beach (Red Frog Beach) lives up to it's name. We saw some of these cuties (actually a red poison dart frog) at the lodge but we saw lots of them when we went on a hike through the unforgiving jungle. </div>
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We saw these ladies picking coconuts on our hike around the island. They are used here for a LOT of things. To drink the water and eat the flesh, to make coconut oil and soaps, and many different ways in cooking.</div>
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Our hike was put on hold about halfway in as we came to some mud that nearly reached our knees. It was a battle not to fall or slide down as we struggled to get anywhere. Marly managed to find a plastic crate buried in the mud with her toes. As she pulled it out of the mud we quickly realized it was broken. It was nearly an L in shape and starting to bruise. This later allowed us to visit a hospital on the main island. Interesting stuff there.</div>
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We spent 2 nights on Bastimentos before going back to the main island for one last night. After that we were ready to move on and head into to the coffee region of the country. </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06107212460756197790noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8535657010173906044.post-56421837234283928122014-07-28T15:09:00.001-07:002014-07-28T15:09:15.486-07:00Montezuma <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Montezuma, Costa Rica lies near the southern tip of the Nicoya Peninsula and used to exist as a small fishing village until it began gaining popularity with backpackers on a budget and eco-tourists who came for the beautiful scenery sometime in the 80's. As a backpacker in this day and age, I can't say it can be considered cheap anymore, nor can any place in Costa Rica that we visited. Although affordable by U.S. standards, Costa Rica made a real dent in our wallets! When you're in a surrounding like this, however, it's no use in worrying about anything, it's much more enjoyable to sit back and take it all in. One thing I haven't been able to get over on our entire trip is how beautiful and insanely blue & turquoise the waters have been! </div>
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Our hostel located a bit outside of town, about a 10 minute walk into the main part of Montezuma. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq3txqWf50PiQG-lbk27pbnr7VseJUtKi37CwNJwp3IWZLo9DuMJvgjLG_B7syQXjxU2evhZOnsw0H1GFit78RtTdNDkjN3WqqxpcNjEihRRa_EIpewdVoNSa6-Xs-LwuiHJjm2_D-Q1yd/s1600/IMG_9562.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq3txqWf50PiQG-lbk27pbnr7VseJUtKi37CwNJwp3IWZLo9DuMJvgjLG_B7syQXjxU2evhZOnsw0H1GFit78RtTdNDkjN3WqqxpcNjEihRRa_EIpewdVoNSa6-Xs-LwuiHJjm2_D-Q1yd/s1600/IMG_9562.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div>
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Montezuma is very small, with only two main streets, more or less. </div>
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Located right outside of town are some small waterfalls and rivers. It was only about a 20 minute hike up this river to arrive at Montezuma Falls. </div>
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Although the water doesn't look so inviting, we hopped right in, eager to cool off. The heat and humidity were relentless all over Central America and the slightest movement was sure to cause you to sweat. A lot. </div>
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The rainy season had began, but only very recently and the falls were pretty weak in comparison to other times of the year. </div>
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We only spent a couple days in Montezuma, one of which we spend on an excursion to Tortuga Island. We took a speed boat along the coast until reaching a beautiful inlet. </div>
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This was the beach we'd have lunch on after snorkeling around different parts off shore. </div>
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A delicious fish, rice, and potato concoction served for lunch. </div>
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This guy came around lookin' for scraps </div>
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Lookin' real good in our snorkel gear </div>
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Enjoying some cheladas - a blend of fresh citrus juice, be it lime or mandarine, some salt & pepper, and hot sauce. Complete with a salt rim. </div>
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After a few nights and days we were ready to head on to Panama. We boarded the ferry (we had to take one to arrive as well) and were off bright and early at 5:30 am. </div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06107212460756197790noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8535657010173906044.post-69165516658421725332014-07-21T11:05:00.002-07:002014-07-21T11:18:34.640-07:00Nick & Amy's visit to Costa Rica! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-2MbvVHJFT2uCJ8pgi147zz8c2RWBQTNU6Wjl5HjKgJhyhW6zC_SlF3ap73GdhTDwN0EZ1fDznq6BthbKJi0yH3-bRyYTtKpD1c6-DUMwe3QKi0SrASSPEPblqf3yNZTAcbI5g3_lKdvM/s1600/10308116_10152455662631974_4184219983005756663_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-2MbvVHJFT2uCJ8pgi147zz8c2RWBQTNU6Wjl5HjKgJhyhW6zC_SlF3ap73GdhTDwN0EZ1fDznq6BthbKJi0yH3-bRyYTtKpD1c6-DUMwe3QKi0SrASSPEPblqf3yNZTAcbI5g3_lKdvM/s1600/10308116_10152455662631974_4184219983005756663_n.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: minion-pro, Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 24px; line-height: 33px;">“If you reject the food, ignore the customs, fear the religion and avoid the people, you might better stay home.” – James Michener</span></h4>
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It's always a bit sad to have to leave a country, especially one you've enjoyed so much, as we did Nicaragua. But it's also exciting to have something entirely new to look forward to, not to mention the ever so exciting travel day you get to experience. </div>
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Leaving Casa de Olas after a Sunday Funday was far from a fun day. My sister Amy and her husband, Nick, as well as a friend from Chicago, Marly, were all arriving in Costa Rica that day and I was supposed to meet them in Quepos around 5pm. Despite being up and packed early, we realized this was not going to happen as the day went on. We caught a cab to the border, walked across the border, and then began walking along the side of the road, arms outstretched and thumbs held high. With no one driving by, I was beginning to feel a bit panic stricken. Just then a semi rolled to a stop beside us. Melissa and I exchanged glances, shrugged, and climbed upwards into the truck. </div>
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(photo cred: Melsie Kellogg)</div>
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(photo cred: Melsie Kellogg)</div>
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Estuardo was our friendly driver, who hauled marshmallows from Guatemala to Panama. He was going straight through Quepos - perfect. Or so we thought. We soon realized what was thought to be our quick ticket to our destination was going to be a long, very slow ride. With frequent stops and pullovers to wait for his friend, Ronny, Melissa and I were thinking of what else we could do as far as transportation. The final straw was the 4th or 5th stop, when Estuardo had to grab a drink, and we spotted him and his friends, taking pictures of their rigs, then sitting roadside enjoying beers and dinner. Granted we were getting a free ride, but with time against us, we couldn't sit around anymore. We had to find a new ride. I stayed in the cabin while Melissa stood roadside in an attempt to catch a ride. Within a few minutes we were grabbing our packs and hopping in with a couple from Costa Rica. They took us a few miles down the road where we were once again left hoping for a ride. That's when Glenn, an expat from California came along. He had passed us, had a change of heart, then turned back and offered a ride. He had never picked up hitchhikers before and we were very glad he decided to that day. He brought us into Jaco and dropped us at the bus station where we had about an hour and half ride into Quepos. It was now dark and hours past our supposed meeting time. With no way to communicate, I was pretty stressed and feeling very guilty. Poor Marly was left to wait around town - I still owe you a good meal or something, Marly! </div>
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Although it was stressful, that day will forever stand out as a top travel day. I would have never thought I'd be bouncing along in the cabin of someone's semi, riding through the beautiful and lush tree lined roads of Costa Rica. I'm sure you're thinking we're crazy and stupid to have done so, but we could immediately tell our drivers were good, trustworthy people. And hey, we're still alive and well :) I will say, it was an experience I'll never forget bobbin' along in that truck. I recall slowly opening my eyes after a hazy nap, sweat dripping down my face, chest and back. I awoke to the sound of mariachi music playing softly on the radio and trucker banter over the CB radio. In that moment I laughed aloud, realizing how comical our current situation was, and knowing I had quite the story to reminisce about when I'm older and missing this lifestyle. </div>
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Well anyways, we finally arrived, having traveled half the country and only spending a few bucks on the bus that brought us the last leg of the journey. Alas, we could relax and enjoy this beautiful home Nick & Amy rented for the week. </div>
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The view from our front door</div>
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Our house was only minutes outside of Quepos, in an area known as Manuel Antonio. The road bringing you into town winds and curves up and down through Costa Rica's beautiful lush hills, with breathtaking views of the ocean the whole way. Having this house was beyond luxurious for us at this point in our trip. AirCon, hot water, soft, clean towels, a washer and dryer, the ability to flush your toilet paper, and a deliciously comfortable bed! You begin to value the smallest things while on the road. Like water pressure. I'm over never hot or even warm water, but to have a shower that has decent water pressure is a treasured gem at any hostel. No AC is fine too, but the smallest breeze is gold.<br />
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Enjoying sunset and sangria at <a href="http://www.ronnysplace.com/" target="_blank">Ronny's Place</a> in Manuel Antonio </div>
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Quite the view to wake up to!</div>
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Sloth sighting in Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio</div>
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We were only minutes down the road from this beautiful national park.</div>
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Marly Girl!</div>
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Amita y Yo</div>
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Sweat city while hiking around the park. Rainy season had begun in Costa Rica, creating humidity that was off the charts. </div>
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Words can't express how nice it was to have our three visitors. Amy & Nick are two of the funniest, weirdest, and best people in my life and I'm so thankful they were able to make it down for a visit. We were missing our little Madison like crazy, but the whole week was a reminder as to how fortunate I am to have such an amazing, supportive family. Nick & Ames - I miss you guys so much! You ma best friends and I love you! </div>
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A night out's not complete without some self-timer camera action</div>
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We hit the town one night after enjoying some delicious Italian take out. We headed to the club all the locals had told us was the place to be. It was packed, super hot and sweaty, and 100% authentic. We found some space to dance and stayed for a bit before venturing into the streets and enjoying THE best fried chicken I've ever had. Like I keep sayin', they know how to do chicken down here. </div>
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We headed to another bar across the river and continued to dance the night away. We found our surf instructors from the day before who then became our dance instructors, twirling about for hours dancing salsa & bachata. </div>
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One day we headed to another nearby town, Dominical, for some hiking and waterfall action. We hiked through the countryside and up into the hills towards Nauyaca Falls. </div>
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We first headed to the upper falls and swam around a bit in the cool, refreshing waters. </div>
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The view from the lower falls</div>
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We were fortunate enough to make it to the lower falls while a tour group was there. We spotted two men who looked like they could be guides sitting on some rocks with an inner tube and rope. I asked them where we could jump from the falls. "Quieres tirarse?" they asked. And with that they stripped down, jumped in the water and began setting up. We weren't sure as to what exactly we were supposed to do but swimming out towards the tube was our best bet. After battling the raging waters and currents of the falls we made it to the tube, and from there they reeled us in towards the rocks at the base. Then, we more or less blindly climbed up the rocks, hardly able to see with the water beating down on us. </div>
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From there we threw ourselves from the 30 ft. ledge</div>
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It was a serious adrenaline rush, between the swim out there, the climb and the jump - we were all on a high the rest of the day. </div>
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Waterfalls in the distance</div>
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We topped off our day by enjoying a rope swing we happened to catch a glimpse of on the walk back to the car. ¿Por qué no? we said. </div>
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Amers & Nick's date night their last night. </div>
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The week came to an end far to quickly and before we knew it we were loaded up in the car and headed towards the airport. Marly, Melissa & I were headed to Montezuma, on the Nicoya Peninsula and had to catch a bus. Amy and Nick took us part of the way before dropping us off at a bus stop along the side of the road. But first, we crossed "Crocodile Bridge" near Jaco. I believe we counted 38 crocs. </div>
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As we waited for our bus, these locals were doing some clean up. We noticed them taking pictures of us, so, I asked if I could take photos of them. I love capturing the people wherever we are but feel very uncomfortable doing so. This was a perfect opportunity to do so and not feel weird about it. I asked and she simply laughed and did this. Sooo...maybe she didn't want a photo taken? </div>
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All in all it was an absolutely incredible week. Having Amy & Nick there was a dream and they treated us to so many things which we were all so grateful for! You guys are the best. Really. </div>
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THANK YOU! </div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
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San Juan del Sur, our southern most stop we'd hit
before moving on to Costa Rica. We'd heard it was much more
commercialized than the rest of Nicaragua, full of gringos, and lots
of partying. It'd been a pretty calm, relaxed trip until this point
so we were excited to be back on the beach and see what this town was
all about. The town itself is set in a small bay flanked by rocky
cliffs and arid hills. The waters were nice and calm and you could
swim easily without having to battle rip tides and a pounding surf. </div>
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These were our last few days with
Lindsay and Josh, so we had to go out with a bang. We hit a Canadian
bar, The Loose Moose, and watched some brave fellow travelers take on
their shot challenge.</div>
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It's a 5 shot challenge and you have 15
seconds to complete it. The shots consist of vodka and a wide array
of hot sauces, finished with a red pepper and chili powder
rim. </div>
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A friend we'd met back at Surfing
Turtle Lodge, Louise, was up to the challenge and it didn't take much
to get me on board to do it with her. Can't let a friend go in alone. </div>
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If you spill, you take a straight shot of hot sauce. After seeing some burly bearded man do so, and then proceed to step outside to vomit, my main concern was not so spill.</div>
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We ended up dominating the challenge and getting our names up on the record board. I only won by milliseconds, but it was enough to name me a new record breaker – becoming the first person from the U.S. of A to ever get on the board. Such a proud, proud moment in my life. </div>
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For two months we were fortunate enough to travel with two of the most amazing humans I know. For anyone who doesn't know, Josh and Lindsay are members of my favorite band, <a href="http://www.lindsayloumusic.com/" target="_blank">Lindsay Lou & the Flatbellys</a>, and they had to get home for the approaching summer festival season. It's an understatement to say that traveling all together was incredible. Needless to say, life on the road is much more enjoyable when having two insanely talented musicians there. We had the pleasure of listening to them practice & perform and if you've seen them live, then you know just how amazing that was. With Lindsay's buttery smooth voice that can pump out any sound or genre you'd ever like to hear, and Josh's unbelievable, perfect mando pickin' abilities (don't even get me started on them singing harmonies), we had been very spoiled. If you're ever looking for a good live show they play all over the country and will even be going abroad to Germany in the future! Check out their <a href="http://www.lindsayloumusic.com/shows.html" target="_blank">schedule</a> and don't miss out! </div>
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Some of our Canuck pals we'd met on a hike in León were also in SJDS and had found a slice of paradise, <a href="http://www.casa-de-olas.com/" target="_blank">Casa de Olas</a>. We ran into them at a perfect time. We had said goodbye to Josh and Lindsay that morning and were in need of a serious pick me up. They invited us to check out their hostel in the hills and see if we wanted to move up there...</div>
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...we were packed up and moved out of hostel that night and slept on a day bed in the yard until we could check in the following morning, obviously. </div>
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Hammocks and daybeds littered the grounds surrounding a beautiful infinity pool that overlooked the bay.</div>
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Words can't express how much I loved this hostel. I doubt I'll ever stay in another place that's quite the same. In fact, I know I won't. There was an immediate family feel here; fueled by family dinners at night, hungover slap happy breakfasts in the morning, games, movie nights and Mum and Dad there to keep the kids (somewhat) in line. Casa's run by Fred and Carla, two Aussies who decided to help run it when their son came to Nicaragua a couple years back and bought some property. </div>
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The Casa even has a pet monkey, Buzz. Buzz is a sassy little thing and is not a fan of the female variety. If you're a guy, however, you're golden. Buzz would love to snuggle and play with the guys. She tried to attack me twice. </div>
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Staying here is in such high demand that they no longer accept advanced bookings. Once you're in, it's unlikely you'll want to leave soon; or ever. So, first come first serve and the highest priority is always given to guests already there, since you're not really a guest anymore, but rather, a family member.</div>
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Livin' the dream</div>
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Josie and Callum, celebrating Norway Day! </div>
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The man of the house, Fred</div>
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Sunday Funday is quite the event in SJDS and we'd been hearing about it for several weeks before arriving. It consists of a pool crawl to 3 different hostels. The festivities were underway bright and early, waking up to electronic jams at 9am and enjoying some cocktails with breakfast. People dress up, get weird, and make the most of Sunday. All day. </div>
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This is the first pool, Pelican Eyes, with an incredible infinity pool overlooking the bay. Photo cred. to a Dr. Watson. </div>
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Story of Buzz</div>
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Story of The Casa</div>
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Seb Best! What a lad</div>
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Josie & Stian from Sweden and Norway respectively. I miss you both dearly! </div>
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The Casa Family. Love you all! </div>
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Unreal group </div>
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Some late night Buzz play</div>
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I'll forever miss this place! I don't think it could ever be recreated but I have no doubts that any and every visit to the Casa would be incredible. There's just something about that place. Ohhh Casa! I have a heavy heart just thinking about it! So many good memories, funny times, and new friends I hope to see in the future in Canada, Australia, Norway, Sweden, the UK, Colorado, New Zealand and more. Any and all of you will always have a place to stay in the States whenever you visit! </div>
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So, needless to say, if you're ever in Nicaragua, a visit to San Juan del Sur & Casa de Olas is due.</div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06107212460756197790noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8535657010173906044.post-46535077605357322262014-07-04T10:23:00.003-07:002014-07-04T10:39:49.037-07:00Isla de Ometepe <br />
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La Isla de Ometepe. We'd been hearing
about this island for quite some time and were excited to finally
check it out. It's about a three hour bus ride south from Granada to
the town of Rivas, where you then catch a ferry over to the island. We opted to minimize our travel time and costs and hitchhike
instead of catching another chicken bus to get us there. We packed up, grabbed some bread, bananas, and peanut butter
for a road snack, and began walking to the outskirts of town towards
the highway. Once on the “highway”, or main road rather, we put
our thumbs up and stuck our arms out, hopeful for a friendly driver
and a pickup truck to come along. It didn't take long before a couple
pulled over and invited us to hop in the bed of their truck. Success.
We tossed our bags in and cozied up in the tiny space. The open air
and sunshine were a great change from the confined spaces of the
chicken buses we'd been hauled around in the past couple months
(though I love and miss them dearly now).
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We arrived in half the time a bus
would have taken and after the couple dropped us off we began walking
the 7km. towards the ferry. We had offered some cash to our drivers
and they looked horrified that we even tried. “Noooooo!” the
woman exclaimed, pushing the money back towards us. Lovely. Before
getting to the ferry, the same couple drove past again, pulling over
to once again give us a lift. They had gone to visit with family but
were headed to Ometepe as well. They proceeded to then drive us to
the town we were staying in once on the island; saving us even more
money and time. Such gems they were. </div>
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Ometepe is quite the island, formed by
two volcanoes rising up out of the water. It's situated in Lake
Nicaragua, Central America's largest lake. Maderas & Concepción
are the two volcanoes that are joined together by a low, narrow strip
of land, creating an hour glass shaped island.</div>
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The first known inhabitants of Ometepe came from Mexico, the Nahua Indians, and later the Niquirano Indians came. There are still traces of their presence here in the form of Petroglyphs that can be found on the Northern slopes of Volcán Maderas. We visited these and there's not much left at all, but visible glyphs are there on small fragments of rock that lie around in what feels like a garden of sorts. The oldest date back to 300 BC. </div>
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After the Central America region was conquered by the Spaniards, pirates began prowling the waters of Lake Nicaragua. They ventured into the Lake from the Caribbean from the San Juan River. The pirates made the island their refuge and were quick to steal the islanders women, food and livestock.</div>
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Despite being a freshwater lake, Lake Nicaragua is actually home to an interesting array of species. Sawfish, tarpon and SHARKS being some of them. Although first thought to be an endemic species to the lake, it was later discovered that the sharks found in the lake were actually bull sharks - which have been known to enter freshwater elsewhere in the world. It was discovered they have the ability to jump the rapids of the San Juan River, almost like salmon. </div>
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We rented some bikes from our hostel,
rather a local woman's home with a spare room and a few beds, and
cruised around the island. It had a very “lakey” feel to it. Like
northern Michigan or weekends at the cottage. It was quiet and
serene, breezy and sunny, and we pretty much had the road to
ourselves, except for these guys. Monkeys could be seen all over the
island and would come pretty close, curious about their equally
curious observers. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfXKdizLjZ0ckCVN7dEwzOD9j7aRtHZaquUYW7lcnghKjs-cHkD-KDaL7-AOED7twoagsR8tdP0v9pbRfeBy0rz8-WZccSOptVkncujZ3SiyHCkgqjz7qgjvJdE693e3fucnE_A7rxAImn/s1600/IMG_9083.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfXKdizLjZ0ckCVN7dEwzOD9j7aRtHZaquUYW7lcnghKjs-cHkD-KDaL7-AOED7twoagsR8tdP0v9pbRfeBy0rz8-WZccSOptVkncujZ3SiyHCkgqjz7qgjvJdE693e3fucnE_A7rxAImn/s1600/IMG_9083.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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We went to “Ojo de Agua”, or the
Water's Eye, a natural freshwater spring in the middle of the island
between the two volcanoes. We turned off the main road and headed
down a dirt road lined with mango trees. Never in my life would I
have dreamed I'd have mangoes readily available like I have on this
trip. They've always been my favorite fruit and many of the places
we've gone you can simply find them all over, free for the taking.
Perfectly ripe and plentiful, I've been in mango heaven for months. </div>
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The water here was refreshingly cool
and incredibly clean. Upon entrance they tell you you'll leave
looking and feeling like a new person, thanks to all the minerals
from the land and water. Aches, pains, everything will wash away with
the water. I think my hair felt smoother...? </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9Po93wjzmjrcZXOx0tegkTYrhtmR2TZylgvPdIUv95_F3BZ_gG_2_LcAKdx7ZJhXomEYATEadsG5rPGvwb9UIbzFzg3nUBRex4GS2zjk_YlqXAm_Ox2CTvjheH5v9V8UYC61leTOLMzKT/s1600/IMG_9093.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9Po93wjzmjrcZXOx0tegkTYrhtmR2TZylgvPdIUv95_F3BZ_gG_2_LcAKdx7ZJhXomEYATEadsG5rPGvwb9UIbzFzg3nUBRex4GS2zjk_YlqXAm_Ox2CTvjheH5v9V8UYC61leTOLMzKT/s1600/IMG_9093.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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No matter where you were on the island,
you could always see the picture perfect peak of Volcán Concepción
– considered the most perfectly formed volcano cone in Central
America. It reaches high and stands at 1,610 m., making it the
world's highest lake island. </div>
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The sun sets behind it, casting it's massive outline against the pink and orange tones of the calm, evening sky. </div>
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We played some Euchre, sought shade, and hoped for a strong breeze as we waited for our bus to take us back to the ferry. Onwards to the South! San Juan del Sur was awaiting us. </div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06107212460756197790noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8535657010173906044.post-79013294062227115092014-07-04T10:23:00.002-07:002014-07-04T10:23:32.089-07:00Granada <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Granada. Ostensibly the first European city of the Americas. Although others claim the same distinction, Granada can be found on the official records of the Crown of Aragon and the Kingdom of Castile in Spain. It was founded in 1524 and historically one of the countries most important cities when it comes to economics and politics. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizAoM7n4Z7JkX8-pyrAtc-kSp6HyDhqKweYd2HN2Ec8RmrQ2HHN0skB4hesT25Xn5W-HdmcUuo1f2d2TNDO-Rm0BP2lHiMB5ewEEXLSfWhFjvszf-cSDxUZWm9hA25IAVS5Z-h-dZgaapq/s1600/IMG_9034.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizAoM7n4Z7JkX8-pyrAtc-kSp6HyDhqKweYd2HN2Ec8RmrQ2HHN0skB4hesT25Xn5W-HdmcUuo1f2d2TNDO-Rm0BP2lHiMB5ewEEXLSfWhFjvszf-cSDxUZWm9hA25IAVS5Z-h-dZgaapq/s1600/IMG_9034.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIFvj11gSKununXMvt-DsdBPYhDm47UF0p8W5GXWID1JdzCXB7IEZ61I_jpV5hmhNT90Ob4vBwaOU-BOEelrboX6xrIkPOtbqfVE2Hsy-4_pvVZb1W27WgflI5mbqi9plPhO07vEJnRixw/s1600/IMG_9036.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIFvj11gSKununXMvt-DsdBPYhDm47UF0p8W5GXWID1JdzCXB7IEZ61I_jpV5hmhNT90Ob4vBwaOU-BOEelrboX6xrIkPOtbqfVE2Hsy-4_pvVZb1W27WgflI5mbqi9plPhO07vEJnRixw/s1600/IMG_9036.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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Granada is a beautiful, colorful city. Much of the city was once destroyed and burned by an American general, leaving the words "Here was Granada" printed.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Jqai4hjMN7gaN6Fy-70mZgNt0-50QodcBk52o2nc24OqZSQuZPQ3YCW3DORZQHTdjBEX7oepExzMUyhyEQkfsdyjHZXavskMiYTLkav7pVuWrkmWxW4y5eI1c9bvu3M6e_L9rZix3VI6/s1600/IMG_9037.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Jqai4hjMN7gaN6Fy-70mZgNt0-50QodcBk52o2nc24OqZSQuZPQ3YCW3DORZQHTdjBEX7oepExzMUyhyEQkfsdyjHZXavskMiYTLkav7pVuWrkmWxW4y5eI1c9bvu3M6e_L9rZix3VI6/s1600/IMG_9037.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7rtVF5N1TH2lSOxGDoAZS_rMYfU3GMluaCXMMk55ZrAkjB6FDyiV6VmWyLln2QkmZTeun0jBo6gjxl1q5bJIBXkkEf7TxZ_DE1I7kINifmsvt_S0xOm8sia30kymXIgSrA013QiJC45JB/s1600/IMG_9038.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7rtVF5N1TH2lSOxGDoAZS_rMYfU3GMluaCXMMk55ZrAkjB6FDyiV6VmWyLln2QkmZTeun0jBo6gjxl1q5bJIBXkkEf7TxZ_DE1I7kINifmsvt_S0xOm8sia30kymXIgSrA013QiJC45JB/s1600/IMG_9038.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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A market/shopping area with artisan goods, bars and restaurants</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2eVuy4Y-1wVZ-tLuXcbQm2gHABsH6ap9mbSDeSSN_6G_GJ8U3pvrZR8XkVV3ecxYtxsVINifqEGQCtrCTWdbvE1X53aPD4erc9yEmjsK3UgMDU1Z_rm3HeAATMxTkyjwgHit111pEV6oi/s1600/IMG_9040.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2eVuy4Y-1wVZ-tLuXcbQm2gHABsH6ap9mbSDeSSN_6G_GJ8U3pvrZR8XkVV3ecxYtxsVINifqEGQCtrCTWdbvE1X53aPD4erc9yEmjsK3UgMDU1Z_rm3HeAATMxTkyjwgHit111pEV6oi/s1600/IMG_9040.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf_SZnRv7rnUW97kx0u8EQIAoUQnp-QcHN7b1y0QWAbryaQjhUdHCcyq6IVFKgy86LqfBSnOA90VSMwpvdjIbGsOZm79X_vr31MdAaAOAKOBFSYA7_LhOHJV5w_r-seTGxEU67ZzhjW8Wr/s1600/IMG_9041.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf_SZnRv7rnUW97kx0u8EQIAoUQnp-QcHN7b1y0QWAbryaQjhUdHCcyq6IVFKgy86LqfBSnOA90VSMwpvdjIbGsOZm79X_vr31MdAaAOAKOBFSYA7_LhOHJV5w_r-seTGxEU67ZzhjW8Wr/s1600/IMG_9041.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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I loved all the color in this city! Here's a little cafe in the plaza serving up traditional fare. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhURJI8kM5h9KaYhFIoS275YPyrRHQ5WkGVikYLRRok-6xQ4ViGmplck8ZzaAY1GA9Sf7JcPjQsbGd2JTREbaMGx3iPUMQPkg0Y-LSTOVlH9MVU_JFcXRJ7tE9Q5f_Y82V5RNQsvvYOiuSM/s1600/IMG_9046.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhURJI8kM5h9KaYhFIoS275YPyrRHQ5WkGVikYLRRok-6xQ4ViGmplck8ZzaAY1GA9Sf7JcPjQsbGd2JTREbaMGx3iPUMQPkg0Y-LSTOVlH9MVU_JFcXRJ7tE9Q5f_Y82V5RNQsvvYOiuSM/s1600/IMG_9046.JPG" height="425" width="640" /></a></div>
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The Cathedral of Granada</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhex6YtmIDkju1r15Gm4bxb78rwRGXtdMsk-jYD2FFRCLQ9B2B-U9rV5h6dSvLnOFi9WiFS-NyFdw9FrN4B8BhVu_mOFnF9gUhDbGr3FR5cYdyBgkEe-_LL0JqG2V5Y-p9x4zlAeGnph3WN/s1600/IMG_9047.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhex6YtmIDkju1r15Gm4bxb78rwRGXtdMsk-jYD2FFRCLQ9B2B-U9rV5h6dSvLnOFi9WiFS-NyFdw9FrN4B8BhVu_mOFnF9gUhDbGr3FR5cYdyBgkEe-_LL0JqG2V5Y-p9x4zlAeGnph3WN/s1600/IMG_9047.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div>
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Most of Granada's streets are very narrow, seeing as the city evolved long before the presence of motorized vehicles. Most streets are one ways and there are lots of motorbikes as well as horse drawn carriages. </div>
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My supermodel friends in Parque Central</div>
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A lot of Moorish influence can be seen in some of the architecture and design of the city. This hotel was called La Alhambra and was so beautiful! </div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06107212460756197790noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8535657010173906044.post-42429722749434424612014-06-10T13:32:00.002-07:002014-06-10T13:58:44.747-07:00Little Corn Island <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Crystal clear Caribbean waters, pristine private beaches, and an incredible island culture make up Las Islas de Maíz, or, The Corn Islands. These islands are located about 70 km. off the eastern coast of Nicaragua. At one point in time, these islands were frequented by pirates and under a treaty in 1914 were actually leased to the United States for a period of 99 years. During this time they were subject to U.S. law but property of Nicaragua. Fortunately, with the lease notwithstanding, the U.S. never maintained a significant presence on the islands.</div>
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We left Surfing Turtle early and bussed to Managua to catch an afternoon flight to Big Corn. From there we took an extremely entertaining boat ride over to Little Corn Island. We were getting so much air in the front of the boat that our stomachs were all dropping repeatedly the entire boat ride. </div>
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Our front yard for the week. </div>
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"Steadman's Place". While in a cab on Big Corn, we were explaining to our cab driver how we had no idea yet as to where we were staying. He rolled down his window, shouted to a man walking on the street in a creole language (a blend of Spanish and English with a whole lot of Caribbean flair to it), and bam. He found a place for us. As we got off the boat, now on Little Corn, the man he'd spoken to, Steadman, found us and brought us to his place. $10 a night and he could cook for us at any time if we just gave him a heads up. It was perfect. </div>
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The inside of Melissa and my cabin. </div>
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Piña Coladas & euchre were staples in our time spent here</div>
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More of Steadman's Place - the green house is Steadman's and there's Melsie doing her laundry the good ol' fashioned way. </div>
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The window above my bed (which was definitely a hot spot for hundreds of ants, but when you wake up to a view of teal caribbean waters not much else matters). </div>
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To get from our huts to other parts of the island you could either cut inland, through small, unmarked dirt paths, or walk along the beach to another path bringing you into "town", which was simply a slightly more populated street with a few restaurants. </div>
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Most of the hostels on the island were something like this. Huts & hammocks, all beachside and surrounded by palm trees and silky smooth white sand. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJQZ58KbBD4dElCFkGvlJWytLRCXMrgRiTmDcVOr-Z1ePQSx0LNOzEoSS-0wI0MdEJGi7l4N6yfN13tIL9_Xu-ENY1Zfe32-N6rPD7GE0dHTeg8nO1MEIvnJ7si6XxKHrPAVMb3AL8q7bz/s1600/IMG_8808.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJQZ58KbBD4dElCFkGvlJWytLRCXMrgRiTmDcVOr-Z1ePQSx0LNOzEoSS-0wI0MdEJGi7l4N6yfN13tIL9_Xu-ENY1Zfe32-N6rPD7GE0dHTeg8nO1MEIvnJ7si6XxKHrPAVMb3AL8q7bz/s1600/IMG_8808.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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Steadman came to this island a few decades ago and decided he'd never leave. At the time of his arrival, a mere 15 families lived on the island. Now several more do but only about 1,200 people reside here. The islanders are English-speaking Creole people of mixed black heritage. In recent years more Spanish-speaking mestizos have come to the islands from the Pacific side of Nicaragua as well as Miskito people from the Caribbean mainland. English is now being supplanted by Spanish and Miskito.<br />
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The houses were a wonderful array of colors, often matching the beautiful shades of the surrounding waters and blue skies. </div>
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We sat on this beach for over an hour and never saw anyone else</div>
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If you weren't walking along the beach you were walking on a path somewhat like this. We'd often get lost while attempting to follow islanders directions, but they were always quick to help you themselves or find someone else to accompany you.</div>
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There were some woodsy areas in parts and other areas were more open fields where cattle roamed and grazed freely. Nicaragua is said to have some of the best, grass-fed beef in all of Central America. We had some kabobs and filets that were incredible, by far the best. </div>
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On Sunday, after making us breakfast, Steadman let us know he'd be playing baseball and to stop by if we wanted to. After struggling to find where the baseball field was, despite very detailed directions, a local kid, Chris, showed us the way through woods and up into a part of the island we hadn't see yet. If he hadn't pointed out these paths, I'm certain we would have continued to walk right past them. We walked along, enjoying the unparalleled peacefulness of the island. No matter where you were on the island you could always hear the sounds of the water. We moseyed along and all of the sudden we could hear reggae music playing in the distance. Before we knew it we came to a clearing. We had found the baseball field. </div>
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We were a bit surprised to see what a big event it was. It seemed like the whole island was there, locals and tourists alike, enjoying the Sunday baseball game. We had expected to find a low-key pickup game of sorts, so to find a grandstand and happening organized event was an exciting discovery. Reggae music played along to the cracks of baseballs against wooden bats and jeers in Meskito and Creole. Kabobs sizzled on charcoal grills and cold beers in coolers awaited us. It was the best way to spend a Sunday afternoon on Little Corn. </div>
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Afterwards, we stopped by the island's "Lighthouse", where you could climb to the top and have a great view of the entire island. </div>
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Little Corn is only slightly larger than 1 square mile, allowing you to see it in it's entirety easily. </div>
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Above is the stretch of water in front of Steadman's Place.</div>
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View from breakfast one morning. Men passed with carts and wheel-barrels, hauling anything from food to wood to ice to other parts of the island. </div>
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Grounds of a hostel located on the northern shores of the island where the best snorkeling and reefs were located. I felt like I was in hobbit land with little huts and mossy humps of soft grass amongst palm trees and forest. </div>
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The construction of hostels always fascinates me. People really get creative with their decorating, often reusing things many would never think of. Old rum bottles were used a lot here, filled with different colored waters to add some flair. Above, the faucet of the sink is also a bottle. Pretty cool.<br />
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No shoes. We rarely wore shoes here and it was no bother to anyone. Restaurants, bars, wherever. Some even requested you didn't wear any. Laid back island life to the max.</div>
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Another totally empty, beautiful beach</div>
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Sway exploring the tide pools that are all over just off shore</div>
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Many places on the island need notice if you'll be eating there. Earlier that day or sometimes even the night before so that they can be sure to have enough fresh catches and ingredients ready. One night, we enjoyed the island "plato típico" (typical dish) - "The Rondon". Also seen on signs as "The Rundown". We figured Rondon was actually meant to be Rundown, but when you add the accent of the locals, you get Rondon. Ya mon. This man cooked us up the incredibly delicious dish. </div>
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A blend of plantains, bananas, yucca, onions, whole fish, shrimp, and lobster tails are cooked in a sweet, yet salty, creamy coconut milk broth. I'll forever crave this. </div>
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Coco locos were also provided. A.k.a. rum poured in a freshly opened coconut. We dined waterside under a clear night sky, with only a small fire providing a little bit of light. </div>
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A local man came and played music for us, singing lots of Bob Marley as well as original calypso songs he'd written. </div>
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Sunrise on Little Corn</div>
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The beloved Steadman</div>
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Our neighbor - the man with the yellow afro.<br />
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On the last day, we had a whole meal cooked for us. Josh had found this woman the night before and had the most incredible plate of food, we asked if she could cook for us the next day before leaving the island. She was thrilled to do so and was so passionate about cooking. She said she could do fish, only if her brother-in-law speared some that morning, but otherwise she could do a filet mignon, ginger stir fry chicken, and a Coca-Cola glazed pork roast. We had the latter and it was all delicious - served with coconut rice, potato salad and coleslaw with beets. We ate on the beach before catching the boat to the main island. </div>
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This was the plane we took back to the mainland. A tiny 12 passenger guy. It was surprisingly the smoothest, most enjoyable flight I've ever been on. We flew into the sunset over the Caribbean and made it back into Managua by dusk. It was an incredible, relaxing, good time on Little Corn for the week. I hope to go back some day and would recommend it highly to anyone seeking an island getaway. </div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06107212460756197790noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8535657010173906044.post-56066551281478566882014-06-07T12:55:00.002-07:002014-06-07T12:55:35.990-07:00Surfing Turtle Lodge <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The inescapable heat and humidity of León had taken it's toll and we needed a change of scenery. About 30 minutes outside the city lies a small island, Las Brasiles, where <a href="http://www.surfingturtlelodge.com/" target="_blank">The Surfing Turtle Lodge</a> lies. We did a grocery run and grabbed some groceries and mojito necessities, hopped a cab, and headed towards the coast. From there we hopped in a small motor boat that brought us over. It's a solar powered, off-the-grid lodge, only having power for a short amount of time and only using electricity as needed after 6pm. </div>
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We arrived on Melissa's birthday and enjoyed the sunset, homemade ceviche and many sips on the balcony off our dorm room, which was on the second level with screens being the only thing separating you from the outdoors. </div>
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The beach was very excluded. You could walk for hours and it was likely to not see a single person the whole time.<br />
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There were also tons of crabs all over, which we had a lot of fun harassing. </div>
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Our days were spent reading, hammocking, cervezaing, swimming, and napping. Each day as the sun began to set there'd be a volleyball game. Winners got a free cocktail and the losers were made to buy a Smirnoff Ice, stand on the bar and dance to Ice Ice Baby, and then get on one knee and chug it. Some things never get old I suppose.<br />
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The Lodge is fairly small, with one main building with the dorm room and bar area and then 3 other private cabanas and a kitchen and eating area.<br />
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Chug-a-lug boys</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06107212460756197790noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8535657010173906044.post-50684871626982482172014-06-05T22:56:00.002-07:002014-06-05T23:11:39.093-07:00Quetzaltrekkers Hike <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
As usual, we were in another city surrounded by volcanoes - León, Nicaragua. We'd heard about an awesome volunteer organization, <a href="http://www.quetzaltrekkers.com/" target="_blank">Quetzaltrekkers</a>, which leads hikes all over the surrounding area with 100% of profits supporting local organizations that help provide support for at risk kids. We met at the office and they provided breakfast and we got a chance to get to know our fellow hikers. Fortunately we had an awesome bunch. Everyone was Canadian, so, needless to say, everyone was awesome. I've never met a Canadian I didn't like before. </div>
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Driving out to the starting site, Cerro Negro</div>
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Here's Cerro Negro from a distance. It's Central America's youngest volcano with only 160 years under her belt. It's still active and erupts about every 7 years. She's due to blow soon, which was pretty cool. It was a fairly short hike up and once at the top you could smell sulfur and see heat and steam rising from different spots in the ground, which was pretty hot to the touch. Once up there we suited up in full jumpsuits, goggles, and gloves and proceeded to volcano board down. Like sledding. But on a volcano. I wanted to ensure I went fast after seeing a few others struggle to get going and launched myself from a different starting point. Stupid. I indeed went fast but my joyride was short lived as I quickly veered from the past, gained way too much speed entirely and was thrown from the board (imagine a toboggan of sorts). As my face met the rocky volcanic earth and I rolled down for a bit I felt my shoulder come out of it's socket and was thrilled to come to a stop only to find it wasn't goin' back in easily. I slumped down the rest of the mountain with my gimp arm hanging lifelessly beside me hoping there was a nurse or doctor below. None could be found but one of the guys, Blaze, helped to support it and keep the pain at bay. It was pretty gnarly lookin' with the end of my clavicle at my shoulder visible in a way I'd never seen before. Anyways, as it was pulled away from my body more it eventually sucked itself back into the socket and all was well. Because I'm sure you wanna know, it looked something like this:</div>
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Yum. </div>
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We proceeded to the next part of our hike, which was a pretty hellacious, very steep upward climb under the scorching afternoon sun. Above is when we finally got to rest and eat lunch after about an hour and a half of hard work. </div>
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As always, the work's always worth it. </div>
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As it was nearing dusk we were about at the end of the day's hike. Before getting to camp, though, we had to gather firewood. With one more thing added to our load of stuff to carry, we were pretty eager to be done for the day. Our packs were stuffed with 9 liters of water, food, tents and other miscellaneous stuff equaling about 30 lbs. </div>
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The top of El Hoyo Volcano where a sink hole appeared sometime in the 50's. They're not entirely sure how or why it formed but a logical guess is that it was an empty lava chamber that caved in when an earthquake occurred. </div>
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One of our awesome Aussie guides, Nick. </div>
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Nearing camp, overlooking Momotombo Volcano and Lake Managua. </div>
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Bottom right is where we set up camp</div>
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El Hoyo</div>
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Admiring the insides of El Hoyo</div>
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In the distance you can see Lake Asososca, where we'd hike to the next day for a much needed swim.</div>
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The beautiful surrounding hills and valleys </div>
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We enjoyed sunset atop the very peak of El Hoyo before hiking back down to start a fire and cook dinner.<br />
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We had a delicious veggie packed pasta with homemade sauce and s'mores that night as the clouds blew over us and through our campsite. We were also lucky enough to hear some of Josh and Lindsay's singing which is sweeter than any dessert we could have enjoyed.<br />
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There were several tents but they would have been reeeeal cozy so Melissa and I opted for some good old fashioned cowboy camping and slept outside beneath the stars. It wasn't the best sleep ever, with it being so damp and feeling soggy and cold all night, however, I didn't mind at all seeing that anytime I woke up I was faced with an incredible night sky. I was happy to awake each time to sit and wonder for awhile before dozing back off.<br />
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We awoke to the sunrising right before us</div>
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After about a 4-5 hour descent and lots of sweating, we made it to Lake Asososca, a crater lake with a view of where we'd just come from. If you look you can see El Hoyo here. </div>
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We hiked through some farms and people's yards, making our way to find a road where we'd catch a chicken bus to bring us back into León, but not before stopping for several cold beers and any other cold refreshment we could get our hands on.</div>
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That night we all went out for a volcano family dinner and housed some pizzas. So many pizzas. </div>
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Overall it was a great hike and great experience meeting so many amazing people. These guys were hilarious and definitely made the hike more entertaining. Thanks for the good time crew!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06107212460756197790noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8535657010173906044.post-31941232353738796342014-05-09T00:56:00.001-07:002014-05-09T00:56:46.500-07:00León Getting out of El Tunco seemed to be a bit tricky. Well, not actually. We're on a no plan plan and more or less only know what we're doing or where we're going 1 day at a time. When trying to figure out transportation to Nicaragua we kept failing in booking anything in time. Shuttles filled up fast with travelers headed the same way we were. This meant a couple more days hangin' in El Tunco. When we finally did manage to move on we rode in luxury. We splurged and enjoyed a direct bus to León but it was well worth it. Air conditioning (something we haven't felt since we first arrived in Guatemala) to combat the 90+ degrees and humidity, reclining seats, movies and even meals. It was as if we were flying back in the day when flying was something special to experience. There were even bus attendants, if you will, walking up and down the aisles bringing a breakfast of scrambled eggs, rolls, rice and beans and a fried plantain. Sandwiches were served for lunch and they also provided pillows and blankets. Totally worth it on our 9 hour bus ride passing through Honduras and into Nicaragua.<br />
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Our first stop was León. A colonial city and Nicaragua's second largest city after Managua. The city was founded by the Spaniards in 1524.<br />
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We made it in time to find some street food. The cheapest, most authentic, and equally if not more delicious than what you can find in restaurants.<br />
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I feel like a lot of times chicken, especially grilled chicken, is simply that - grilled chicken. Not from our beloved ladies manning the grills around here. They really know what they're doing. Every piece is so juicy, cooked perfectly, and with the best smoky grill taste you could hope for. We're all pretty passionate about good food, so eating is always a highlight of our day. </div>
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A wide array of tortillas filled with potatoes, cheese, meats and veggies. Some are slightly sweeter, others simply savory. There's always a great spread of sides that get plopped on your plate as well. If you want to grab it to go, you get a giant banana leaf to hold all your goodies and act as your container. I love that. </div>
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Chicken, gallo pinto (rice & beans), aguacate (avocado), repollo (cabbage) and some queso fresco. A super salty, pretty mild cheese that's very likely to find it's way into a lot of things. </div>
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La Plaza Central</div>
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This is the Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption of León. It was built between 1747 and 1814 and has endured earthquakes, volcanic eruptions of Cerro Negro, and civil wars. This is the largest cathedral in all of Central America. Beneath the cathedral lies several tunnels that connect to other temples that once provided an escape route and refuge when terrorist attacks from Dutch, British & French pirates struck the city. </div>
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We would later tour the roof of this cathedral and stand between these two fine gentlemen. </div>
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This friendly ice cream man asked that I take a picture of him. When I went to do so he wouldn't look and smile but instead looked away and handed Josh the ice cream bar he had already sold and handed to him, acting out his daily routine. </div>
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Oh, P.S. León means Lion</div>
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Toña. The incredibly delicious beer of Nicaragua. There's 2 beers here: Toña and Victoria. I suppose we're quite spoiled with our massive beer selection in the States and I don't want to bash the beer that's been quenching our thirst, so, I'll just describe them. They lack flavor and go flat very quickly. Yeah. We've taken up making our own version of a Chelada when we can to spice them up a bit. It's like a bloody mary but minus the vodka, sub in beer, and no tomato juice. It's the poor man's margarita as Joshua deemed it. We add salt, lime, worcestershire sauce and hot sauce. It's actually pretty delicious. </div>
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Our hostel, <a href="http://www.viaviacafe.com/en/le%C3%B3n" target="_blank">ViaVia</a>. Plenty of open air and hammocks and a hangout for travelers and locals alike. </div>
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The interior of Cathedral Basilica </div>
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From atop the Basilica overlooking La Plaza Central </div>
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The extremely narrow stairways of the cathedral </div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06107212460756197790noreply@blogger.com0Leon, Nicaragua12.5092037 -86.66110830000002411.5172887 -87.952001800000019 13.501118700000001 -85.370214800000028tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8535657010173906044.post-81705526744194959242014-05-08T23:16:00.003-07:002014-05-09T01:12:39.959-07:00El Salvador & Semana Santa Time to move on again. We packed up and prepared for a new country entirely. South to El Salvador. Sayonara to Guatemala. It was a beautiful country packed with rich culture and history. Looking back it was suuuuper cheap too! It also felt less tailored to tourists, which is cool. You really get a good sense for a different lifestyle and way of doing things.<br />
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We caught a direct bus to San Salvador (the final one of the day) an actual minute before it left. It was smooth sailin' through the border crossing and the bus even showed movies. We arrived in San Salvador, la capital, in the early evening. Everything had a new feel to it and we knew we loved this country immediately. It reminded me of our family road trips down to Florida, when you stop for gas, or dinner, in the late evening and you're finally far enough south to get that balmy, breezy goodness you've been waiting for. We stayed in the city for 1 night and we were happy to catch the lunar eclipse with an unobstructed view from our hostel patio.<br />
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The next morning we were picked up and reunited with a friend from MSU, Javier! We caravanned with some of his friends from the city to the coast, only about an hour away. We enjoyed Javi's beautiful beach house on Sihuapilapa Beach. It was the beginning of Semana Santa, or holy week. For weeks people had been preparing for Easter and the entire week leading up to it. Just about everyone has this week off from school and from work. It's kind of like our Spring Break in the States. We beat a bit of the the massive flock of people that would be headed to the coast over the next couple days. By mid-week, and the weekend especially, all the beaches would fill up with city folk, and travelers as well. It was time to relax, as well as heavily party, on the beaches for a few days. </div>
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This house was so amazing! Thanks again to Javier for the hospitality.</div>
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Pools cascaded down the mountain, in which the house was designed to flow with. </div>
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Javier then took us to a neighboring beach and one of El Salvador's most popular beach towns, El Tunco. Tunco is a word used for "pig" in Spanish and got it's name from a giant rock formation that sits a quick swim away from the shore at the end of the small town's main entrance to the beach. </div>
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There were some caves down the beach we explored one morning. </div>
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Joshua, passing through shallow waters & squeezing through a narrow passage into another cavern</div>
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El Tunco has some of the best surfing in Central America. We met surfers young and old and from around the globe. Many of them worked 6 months out of the year and spent the other 6 here or hitting various beaches in Central America. Livin' the dream. The waves here were great and the water was STRONG. Great waves to boogie board in too. Thanks to many hours spent in the water with my brother, Jeff, growing up, I felt like I had a good handle on things in the water. You taught me well brother. Some of the best and most fun waves I've swam in in many years, but damn, you really feel the mighty power of the ocean here and you quickly realize you could easily get into some trouble. One good pummeling from a wave acts as a quick reminder of who's boss. </div>
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Sand scrub action. The beaches are filled with black sand, that's not mud.<br />
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Lindsay, Melissa & Marissa scopin' things out before swimming out</div>
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Once making it out against the current you have to walk around to the backside of the rock and more or less rock climb your way to the top. All while avoiding the waves crashing against the rock and some tides pools filling and emptying with the waves. </div>
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Surfer dudes</div>
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The Salvadoran "plato típito", or traditional dish: la pupusa. A delicious corn tortilla filled different combinations of various things. Pork, cheese, beans, jalapeños, chicken and more. These were our go to meal ($0.50 per pupusa). The beans and cheese blend was my jam all week. </div>
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The best part: la salsa de tomate (tomato sauce), a cabbage and onion slaw and pickled jalapeños, carrots, and onions. </div>
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And of course the always plentiful and perfect fruit</div>
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Colorful tree-house like bar/restaurant </div>
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Mermaid Lindsay Lou</div>
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Hoop jammin'</div>
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Lindsay Lou photo cred on some of these here<br />
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We ended up spending an entire week in El Tunco and the end of it meant parting ways with dear Marissa. We took to the streets and fire hooped and then danced in the rain so I guess you could say it was a pretty fun farewell. </div>
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'Til the next time Mernnnn! We love you!</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06107212460756197790noreply@blogger.com1Playa El Tunco, El Salvador13.4922222 -89.38138889999999-12.0298123 -130.6899829 39.014256700000004 -48.072794899999991tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8535657010173906044.post-69593198422917795152014-04-25T23:14:00.001-07:002014-04-25T23:48:12.671-07:00Antigua<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Antigua = ancient or antique. This charming & colorful cobblestoned colonial town is a glimpse into the past as many of Central America's cities are I'm learning. Antigua was once the capital of Guatemala, but after several earthquakes hit back in the 1700's, destroying most of the buildings, the capital was eventually moved to the present day capital, Guatemala City. It's about a 30-40 minute ride by chicken bus from Guate. I unfortunately failed in having my camera with me when we did most of our moseying about the city, so, not seen in these pictures are the many ruins of churches that are sprinkled throughout the city and stand, although with cracked and crumbling facades, amongst the newer, colorful buildings. </div>
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There are no traffic lights, stop signs, or any other form of traffic regulation in Antigua and many days we were here certain streets were closed off entirely to any vehicles. </div>
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Like many of the places we've seen thus far, the city is surrounded by volcanoes. Three large volcanoes decorate Antigua's horizon. The most noticeable of them being El Volcán de Agua to the south of the city. It stands at 12,356 ft. high. When the Spanish arrived, the native people of the land called Volcán de Agua Hunapú, and many still do. Antigua was actually the 3rd capital of Guatemala and became so after a volcanic mudflow buried the previous capital. </div>
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As we wandered about we discovered an incredible array of food vendors all set up in one of Antigua's plazas. This was definitely where the locals came to socialize and feast in the early evening. We joined in and tried just about everything there was to offer over the span of the next few days. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQwr3JbQmO-wY2MVnyk5UTULSeq3o9UJo59zOJOCBFNbP5lOIVlNMJ5O_tnZvmXy4VPhZmd81LKtvOZMGjEI1AUO61auCWW3rp4i7DMnXeuiHlAi1ddhSx_P5T0Y-Dtf1gig9hZgSz1PXF/s1600/IMG_8218.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQwr3JbQmO-wY2MVnyk5UTULSeq3o9UJo59zOJOCBFNbP5lOIVlNMJ5O_tnZvmXy4VPhZmd81LKtvOZMGjEI1AUO61auCWW3rp4i7DMnXeuiHlAi1ddhSx_P5T0Y-Dtf1gig9hZgSz1PXF/s1600/IMG_8218.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQwr3JbQmO-wY2MVnyk5UTULSeq3o9UJo59zOJOCBFNbP5lOIVlNMJ5O_tnZvmXy4VPhZmd81LKtvOZMGjEI1AUO61auCWW3rp4i7DMnXeuiHlAi1ddhSx_P5T0Y-Dtf1gig9hZgSz1PXF/s1600/IMG_8218.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a>La Merced Church - the food vendors were all next to this church here, which had one heck of a something going on inside. We were here in the weeks leading up to Easter with Palm Sunday approaching. This is a very sacred time for many of the people here. Stepping into this church felt like walking into a haunted house of sorts, with the lights dimmed and a deep voice echoing through the sound system. The altar was lit up with red, green, and blue lights. The whole things was honestly a bit creepy feeling, but that's just my opinion. </div>
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We exited the church, however, and caught one heck of a sunset.</div>
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One of Antigua's many notable structures, El Arco de Santa Catalina & Volcán de Agua looming beyond. </div>
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El Parque Central is in the heart of the city and another popular hangout. The streets are lined with trees and vendors pass by selling anything from ice cream and individual cigarettes to hammocks and scarves of every color. </div>
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Above is the Cathedral of San José. Parades were beginning to pass through the city with floats and small marching bands. These are another part of Antigua's elaborate religious celebrations during Lent. People gathered to watch and the float was eventually brought up the steps and into the San José Cathedral. </div>
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This reconstructed fountain is a common meeting place. </div>
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We woke up on Palm Sunday to find that the streets were bustling with people busy preparing for the day's big events. The streets were all closed off to cars (and any left behind were quickly towed away) as locals, tourists and of course eager vendors looking to make a sale filled the streets. </div>
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We watched in amazement as elaborate carpets were made before our eyes; using dyed sawdust, flowers, pine needles and even fruits and vegetables to create masterpieces. </div>
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The details were incredible. </div>
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Many stopped to watch as the artists worked away under the harsh rays of the early afternoon sun. </div>
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One of the most elaborate and a group favorite. </div>
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We didn't really know what was going on at any point and were admiring the carpets when we realized we were more or less the only ones in the street as everything got quiet and we heard the thumping of drums approaching. The procession was beginning. </div>
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We quickly jumped up on the sidewalk and quickly realized we weren't going anywhere anytime soon. We packed in as the purple swarm came carrying wooden floats that appeared to be quite heavy. The beautiful carpets were trampled and slowly destroyed. </div>
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Bands followed with eerie, droning music. </div>
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The girls followed, appearing to be rather young, dressed in black and white with black veils hoisting La Virgen Fiel (the faithful virgen) upon their shoulders. Some of the girls appeared uninterested entirely while others kept their eyes closed, seemingly very somber. </div>
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We eventually escaped the crowds, rather desperately actually, when we realized there wasn't simply one parade but endless parades. They marched down every street into the late evening. We found refuge from the less than pleasant music, heat, and claustrophobic crowds on a rooftop terrace where chicken wings and tequila lemonades awaited us.<br />
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As far as lodging goes, here's some photos from our lovely and cozy hostel, La Casa Amarilla, which I would highly recommend to anyone visiting Antigua. It was Q110/night (an incredible breakfast spread included) - which is a bit higher than we've been paying but because of Holy Week approaching, a spike in prices was the norm all over Central America.<br />
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They had a great rooftop terrace with views of El Volcán de Agua as well as the other two to the west, Acatenango & El Volcán del Fuego. Fuego is famous for its near constant activity. Steam and gas escape it daily, with the most recent larger eruption occurring in 2012. </div>
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Agua</div>
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Fuego & Acatenango </div>
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We caught a glimpse of Fuego's fury escaping while watching the creation of the carpets on the streets below our hostel. </div>
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More of Casa Amarilla AND...</div>
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before finding Casa Amarilla, we managed to stay in one of the creepiest hostels we've yet encountered. </div>
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Here's a glimpse: </div>
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The room was lit with one horrible, uncovered lightbulb, providing the worst light ever. Also, look at the black ceiling paint bleeding down onto the red sponged walls! But wait, at least we had a window, err....</div>
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Dungeon door and peephole also included. Cheers to hostel hopping and cheap living! </div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06107212460756197790noreply@blogger.com0Antigua Guatemala, Guatemala14.5585411 -90.73902450000002814.497067099999999 -90.819705500000026 14.6200151 -90.658343500000029tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8535657010173906044.post-66913041573140871612014-04-25T17:20:00.000-07:002014-04-25T17:25:09.411-07:00San Pedro, Lago Atitlán After El Mirador and Tikal we were a bit templed out and ready for some new scenery. San Pedro de Atitlán was next on our list. Marissa has been living here for about 8 months now and we were all excited to see where she's been living and what she's been up to in her Guatemalan digs. Getting there was, of course, another long travel day. At one point I actually had 4 people on my lap as we piled in and piled high, desperate for any space we could find to rest our tired bodies. This was all after being booted off a chicken bus that not only overcharged us but lied and told us it was a direct bus to our destination - which it clearly was not. We stood on the side of a winding mountain highway for a few minutes, cursing our situation and the man that scammed us before figuring out what to do from there. Ah, the perks of be so obviously foreign.<br />
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After a few more interesting and cramped rides, we began the descent towards Lago Atitlán. The views were incredibly beautiful and it appeared as though we were headed into a little seaside village, as the lake is very large with small waves lapping against the rocky shores.<br />
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Some sort of sickness finally hit Lindsay and I while we were here, but we had nothing to do here but relax and be lazy. I sat shoreside at a popular local hangout, simply known as "the rocks", when I happily saw these goons paddle past. </div>
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The mountain shown here has been deemed "la nariz del Indio", or "the Indian's nose". See the profile of the face in the mountain?</div>
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The rocks</div>
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We spent another day hangin' and sun bathing on the rocks as Lindsay and Joshua graced us with their lovely tunes. </div>
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The view looking towards town</div>
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The lake is surrounded by 3 volcanoes, all of which you can see here. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0HifsdQqnYrhLGq7KieCY8sxP0hUBe99681G7c9NAqN0RVHVnmIpT1PTItSQW2zHhUN87gzwRpMQk2zlxpvHDyedaqRJoUMxMoPOFFqTlL338hudUP17Z63gcMd4D8IfaKvEry1W1U2li/s1600/DSCF0187.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0HifsdQqnYrhLGq7KieCY8sxP0hUBe99681G7c9NAqN0RVHVnmIpT1PTItSQW2zHhUN87gzwRpMQk2zlxpvHDyedaqRJoUMxMoPOFFqTlL338hudUP17Z63gcMd4D8IfaKvEry1W1U2li/s1600/DSCF0187.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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La nariz del Indio again. This was our view from a restaurant one day where we ate some delicious tortas & tacos. </div>
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San Pedro is a very small town. One of those towns that's so small it's like high school all over again. Everyone knows everyone, and everyone knows everyone's business. Marissa and friends have come to know it as San Pedrama. Also, that nose was every which way you looked! </div>
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Las Chullas in Buddha Bar, where Mern works. </div>
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I was finally feeling better and ready to hit the water. And because I know you want to see my beautifully manicured feet...</div>
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We paddled pretty far and found a private beach of sorts. It was made up of small pebbles, wonderfully heated by the sun. They felt amazing when you laid down on them. </div>
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We even caught a live show from one of our favorite bands!</div>
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"TONIGHT - live music - Bluegrass Duo Lindsay Lou & Joshua Rilko" </div>
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If you're not already gettin' down to these fine tunes, you probably should be. Check 'em out, they have free downloads! </div>
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<a href="http://www.lindsayloumusic.com/" target="_blank">http://www.lindsayloumusic.com/</a> <-- "Release Your Shrouds" downloads (whole band)</div>
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<a href="https://www.earthworkmusic.com/artists-ind?i=1011" target="_blank">https://www.earthworkmusic.com/artists-ind?i=1011</a> <-- New EP "Here Between" download (Duo album with Josh & Lindsay) </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06107212460756197790noreply@blogger.com1Lago de Atitlan, Guatemala14.6906713 -91.20252070000003614.5677893 -91.363882200000035 14.8135533 -91.041159200000038tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8535657010173906044.post-27678780080679956572014-04-15T07:21:00.001-07:002014-04-15T07:21:20.322-07:00Tikal After returning from El Mirador we rested for a few days in Flores. We also celebrated Miss Lindsay Lou's Birthday! I don't think any of us have anticipated a shower, a good hot meal & a cold beer more in our lives. We went out for a fancy meal at Il Terrazzo - a great Italian rooftop bar and restaurant overlooking Lake Petén. Their chef is actually from Italy too! We "splurged" on meals costing over our usual Q10-Q25 and dined on burgers, shrimp pastas, and avocado salads for about Q55-Q80 ($7.20-$10.45). We've been doing a good job living within our $20/day budget and many days manage to spend even less!<br />
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Our Birthday Beauty and an amazing shrimp & avocado salad. </div>
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When we finally made it to Tikal a few days later we were not disappointed. Before catching sight of any of the ruins, we were greeted by a massive Ceiba tree. This is Guatemala's national tree and they're pretty amazing. Beyond it's massive size and towering buttress roots, this tree was host to many epiphytes. You can see them all over the branches here. <br />
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Our first glimpse of the ruins!</div>
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The Central Acropolis</div>
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Above is the North Acropolis and the grounds within the grand plaza at Tikal. Not seen, but, to the left and right stand massive pyramids facing one another. </div>
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There she is. Tikal Temple I standing tall at 154 ft. Some of the structures here date back as far as 4th century BC. From around 200-900 AD Tikal reigned as one of the most powerful Mayan settlements economically, militarily and politically. </div>
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We brought our own food and had quite a nice picnic in the center of the grand plaza.<br />
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Temple II facing Tikal Temple I </div>
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Obviously had to snap some squinty selfies</div>
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It's amazing to look around and see the tops of other pyramids peeking out over the treetops. This was one of the filming site's for the first Star Wars movie. </div>
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The sun was intense and some rest and shade necessary... </div>
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...and then these guys came trottin' along<br />
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This is Temple IV. It is Tikal's tallest temple-pyramid, measuring 230 ft.</div>
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By the time we made it to this temple and climbed to where these people are sitting we had the whole thing to ourselves. It was great to sit up there and take it all in without the distraction of others around.</div>
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There are still many well preserved glyphs throughout the park. This is actually called a stelae, which is a carved stone sculpted with glyphs and figures. </div>
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The view from Temple IV looking out over the main plaza and another temple.</div>
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We had way too much fun with the group shots...<br />
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Run Raquelita, run!</div>
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Above is part of El Mundo Perdido</div>
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Jungle Goddess </div>
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The Plaza of the Seven Temples</div>
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If ever visiting Tikal, be sure to stay later in the day until the park closes at 6. We pretty much had the whole place to ourselves after 3 or 4pm. We wandered and roamed about without seeing anyone else. It was so peaceful and took on a different feel entirely to be alone within this ancient world. </div>
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Temple V, the second largest at Tikal. This bad boy is 187 ft. tall and is the mortuary pyramid of a yet unidentified ruler. We made it to this pyramid with only minutes to spare before having to run back through the entire park so as to not miss our bus. The golden hour had struck and it was hard to pull ourselves away from these fascinating, glowing structures. </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06107212460756197790noreply@blogger.com1Tikal Plaza Mayor, Tikal National Park, 3, Tikal, Guatemala17.2234368 -89.62163340000000717.208270300000002 -89.6418034 17.2386033 -89.601463400000014tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8535657010173906044.post-12106440445301481762014-04-13T15:58:00.001-07:002014-04-13T15:58:39.539-07:00El Mirador Oh, El Mirador. Where to begin with this jungle adventure? I suppose from the beginning. That would make sense. While staying in Flores, we decided it'd be cool to hike for days into the jungle to find the ruins that mark what was once a very large, pre-Colombian Mayan settlement. El Mirador wasn't discovered until 1926 and had little attention paid to it until the 1960's. To the surprise of archaeologists, it was discovered to have been constructed centuries before any of the other ruins in the area, such as Tikal. There is a lot of interesting history here, but what I found to be most amazing is that El Mirador is home to one of the largest pyramids in the world (which you'll see below)!<br />
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So, our adventure began at 4:30 in the morning. We waited outside our hostel, nervous to see whether or not our sketchy tour agency was in fact going to come and pick us up as promised. (P.S. - don't use ONCA Travel Agency in Flores if ever there!) They did come, but also proved to be bad people with a bad business later on. Anyways, we traveled by chicken bus (Guatemala's colorful, crammed, and suuuuper smooth riding school buses - they are very cheap though, so, you get what you pay for I suppose) to the very small town of Carmelita. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTD3SzZmC8w0f9d0IwyHCvFzP4Efw9_7iwHVW-T3hWfUz6LoNHp3Ng6ec3Wj0iuFUwp74ZwnUdBoiyYyxR-6WWZHgkST7ocBxoe9v9bUAKn72zV2o3qyRUDgqcS_PSq9gpR6zaTARYlgvG/s1600/IMG_7663+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTD3SzZmC8w0f9d0IwyHCvFzP4Efw9_7iwHVW-T3hWfUz6LoNHp3Ng6ec3Wj0iuFUwp74ZwnUdBoiyYyxR-6WWZHgkST7ocBxoe9v9bUAKn72zV2o3qyRUDgqcS_PSq9gpR6zaTARYlgvG/s1600/IMG_7663+2.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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I was told by our cook, María, a native of Carmelita, that back in the 20's Carmelita was a beautiful & lively town; with movie theaters and shops. It's hard to picture that nowadays, with it's aged, dusty, rusted over appearance and dry, arid conditions. No matter where you go though - you can always grab a coke. They still sell coke in glass bottles here - it's even sweetened with real sugar cane! And yes, you do notice a difference. </div>
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We were fed before we took off for the day, before we knew what we were about to endure. Eggs, beans, tortillas and coffee. Good & simple. We dined under a thatched roof with dirt floors. I remember thinking how neat and rustic it all felt, feeling excited to head into the jungle. Little did I know how excited I'd be to get the hell out of there in a few day's time. </div>
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Our bellies were full and we were off. We were joined by two other men, Erdal from D.C. (originally from Cyprus), and Thomas the Irishman. We were immediate pals and quickly became a jungle family. </div>
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The first day was easy. Only a 6 hour hike. </div>
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Below Lindsay & Josh admire "los árboles del amor", or, trees in love. A brutal love - this is actually one tree being overtaken by another plant, known as a strangler fig, which will actually grow on another tree and climb up it towards the sunlight. These greedy lovers can eventually strangle and kill the other tree. </div>
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We walked along Mayan highways, or causeways, that internally connected important architectural compounds as well as linked other external ancient cities within the Mirador basin. The quantity and size of these causeways is another notable feature of El Mirador. We even crossed ancient paddle ball courts where men were once selected to play to represent their city. When you lost you not only lost some dignity but also your head. Mayan hunger game action up in this jungle.<br />
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Here is the view from atop one of the first pyramids we encountered. Much of this area has yet to be excavated and simply appears as a large hill in the jungle. In the distance here you can see another pyramid. That is the large pyramid known as El Tigre, where we'd climb to another day to catch the sunrise.<br />
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We made it in time to enjoy sunset. It had been a fairly long, very hot and very sweaty walk and it was great to be able to sit and enjoy such a wonderful view for a bit. </div>
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The Jungle Fam</div>
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Marissa the yoga goddess<br />
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We got to our camp and enjoyed one of the best fried chickens I've ever had. I really don't know how our cook, María, did it but, damn - that chicken was good. </div>
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I headed back into the jungle after dinner with Erdal to climb the pyramid we had climbed earlier once more to see the stars. It was a bit tedious in the dark, with only one headlamp to share and scorpions roaming about but it was well worth it. A good glimpse of a clear night sky is always worth it. On the lower, left-ish side you can see Orion. The entire Milky Way shone so bright, and I swear you could see the curve of the Earth. I could stare at a sky like that forever and never know any time passed. I thought of you, Jackie Bolinger and wished you were there with me to marvel at such beauty and talk about the insanity that is space. Like when we used to sneak out of our houses just to go lay in the grass somewhere and talk all night. </div>
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We were up early, shortly after sunrise. We had some time to gather ourselves and pack up before beginning our 8 hour hike to the next camp. </div>
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We made it to La Muerta that day and got our first glimpse of some excavated temples. We climbed about and rested for awhile and got a good chance to sit and talk to our incredible guide, Miguel. Miguel was a soldier in Guatemala's gruesome civil war that was fought for 36 years (1960-1996).<br />
The war raged on mostly between Guatemala's government and various rebel groups that were supported by the rural poor - ethnic Mayan indigenous people and Ladino peasants. In the 60's Guatemala's security forces began using forced disappearances against the people, with 40,000-50,000 people having "disappeared" over the war's span. These were the country's indigenous activists, journalists, students and critical academics, suspected government opponents, left-leaning politicians and street children.<br />
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On a lighter note, I spy a Mernrat...<br />
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From Joshua at the top to Lindsay at the bottom, we're all in there! </div>
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We had the chance to go inside one of the temples, where bodies were buried. The entrance and passageways were low and narrow and you had to nearly crawl to get through. <br />
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We were not alone in there - bats hung along the top and in crevices, flying around enough for us to feel the light breeze from their passing bodies.<br />
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We stayed 2 nights at the next camp in the heart of El Mirador. Here's where the employees that maintained the camp stayed. They live here in stints of 20 days at a time. </div>
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In our cozy kitchen with Thomas either enjoying some delicious instant coffee or the actually delicious tea that was brewed each day for us made from a leaf picked from the jungle during our hike. It smelled like clove and with the addition of some sugar and "smilk" (powdered milk) resembled the warm, spicy goodness of a chai tea.<br />
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María preparing our pasta and toasted bread for dinner. </div>
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At night, we not only had to protect ourselves against mosquitoes but we had to dodge scorpions! One night we watched as the men that worked at a camp killed scorpion after scorpion. Last I heard they had counted up to 21. That was only in the area that surrounded our tents. </div>
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It's not the best picture, but, here's one of the little suckers. </div>
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On the 3rd day Melissa and I woke up with Miguel at 4:30 to catch sunrise. We climbed to the top of the El Tigre pyramid, which rises above the canopy at 180 ft. The howler monkeys were going crazy at this time and echoed through the trees with their raucous banter. It almost sounded like lions roaring and you could hear different groups of them from different directions. </div>
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The sun rose slowly and inch by inch spread it's golden rays over the treetops. Below you can see the shadow of the pyramid we stood upon, listening as the jungle awoke with the sun. It was the monkey's hoots and hollers first, then came the buzz of the insects, followed next by the calls & whistles of countless birds. They all joined in and created quite the jungle symphony.<br />
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Enjoy! </div>
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One of those birds being "el pavo real". When we got back to camp this handsome fella was strutting across an open field. His call was one I'll never forget - sounding almost like a drum of sorts at times.<br />
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It's hard to imagine what these ancient cities once looked like. Many of the structures are barely, if at all unearthed, meaning we literally just touched the surface of another world that lay hundreds of feet beneath ours. </div>
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All of these trunks met and became one giant tree. </div>
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Excavating a site like this is a very long, slow process. Miguel estimated that in maybe 50 years El Mirador will be excavated and mostly visible like other popular ruins in the area. </div>
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If you look closely above you can see an X marking where I stood taking this picture. We stood at the very base of the platform atop which these pictured pyramids sat. Where we'd hike to was the very top of La Danta, the central pyramid in this drawing. La Danta measures about 230 ft. tall and has a total volume of 2,800,000 cubic meters, making it one of the largest in the world. Most of what is seen above has yet to be unearthed. </div>
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Here are the stairs that merely bring you on to the platform. </div>
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The very top most part of La Danta.</div>
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Hey Cupani - thanks for my rocks! </div>
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We saw countless spider and howler monkeys each day. They would actually come to us while we were hiking, just as curious about us as we were them. They would watch us and stare down as we stared up. Then they would look you in the eye as they dropped tree branches down on you. Others would get pretty aggressive and jump around shaking the branches in an apparent attempt to scare us away. </div>
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Extremely well preserved glyphs of Mayan gods and spirits. </div>
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It's hard to see but some even had the original red and black painting that once colored these ruins. </div>
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After two days of exploring central El Mirador we were headed out. This is where times got tough. Our first day heading out we walked for 11 hours. At this point I had a swollen knee with a possible meniscus tear, Melissa had a rolled and swollen ankle, and Marissa had ridiculously swollen ankles and feet that acted like memory foam when you poked or touched them. Weird stuff was happening to us in that jungle and we were ready to be out of there. Cue the bitterness as we so uncomfortably drug our bodies out of there with no option but to just keep walking. We were sweaty and had been without any chance to shower or rinse off in any way for 6 days, hungry - as our food rations had dwindled and left us with fairly pathetic meals of old refried beans and tortillas and warm, filtered rain water for drinking. Our bodies were stiff and sore after having slept in tents with no padding and only a couple blankets and no pillows. Each morning when we'd wake, everything was damp and uncomfortable and we were left with clothes that had already been worn for days. Clothes whose mere memory of their stench will haunt my nostrils for years to come. We marched on in silence for most of the next 2 days. Adding insult to injury, we took a bumpy chicken bus ride out of there and were so covered in dust from the dry country roads that we looked like we had aged 50 years. But, we did it! We survived El Mirador. Never to forget it, and never to return again. </div>
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This little yellow tri-wheeled vehicle is called a tuk-tuk. </div>
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This was taken at Cool Beans, "el café chilero". This quickly became a favorite breakfast & coffee spot of ours with it's good music, great scenery, and free, freshly chopped coconuts to sip from. </div>
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Un desayuno típico - plátanos fritos, pan, huevos y frijoles</div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06107212460756197790noreply@blogger.com0Santa Elena, Guatemala16.9181251 -89.892606516.857356600000003 -89.9732875 16.9788936 -89.8119255tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8535657010173906044.post-49834392694792859702014-04-07T15:49:00.000-07:002014-04-07T15:49:16.542-07:00Semuc Champey <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">From Guate (the nickname for the capital city) we were headed to Semuc Champey. Getting there was an adventure in itself; starting by boarding a bus that took us to the small city of Cobán. From there we hopped aboard a "camioneta" (think a less cool looking VW bus) and rode along the winding mountain passes of Guatemala's countryside. Our comfortably full camioneta brought us to the Q'eqchi' mayan pueblo of Lanquín. Once here, we grabbed some cabbage, mangoes, limes, queso fresco, bread, canned black beans, cucumber, papaya, tomatoes and onions. We didn't yet know this was just about the only food we'd have for the next couple days, as there's no markets or restaurants offering more food once in Semuc Champey. We hopped in the back of a local's pickup to bring us the final 9 miles into the very small "aldea" (community) known as Semuc Champey.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We had had a long day and were eager to grab some food in Lanquín. The indigenous Q'eqchi' men and women filled the town's central plaza with food and artesian goods galore. We grabbed some homemade tamales wrapped in fresh banana leaves. They were filled with meat and a deliciously spicy sauce for the price of Q1, or about $0.13. </span></span></h4>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The indigenous dress in their beautiful & colorful traditional garb, with each group having patterns and designs that set them apart from the others. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The roads to Semuc Champey were steep and winding. We arrived as the sun illuminated the fields that draped over the mountainsides with golden rows of corn stretching on as far as you could see.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiracC3_8LFevNSCi_1ymsVr7p1f42nQJScTEyH6N9qJSZxHKidA66wAkQPqNEF7Yqh-IlSOp11Gja9bAJKlkeMEgqZlXSB0Lsox_TzNW_v6ufVIoRldhDqm16EGiMs7VCeHo1BifjMvZ24/s1600/DSCF0018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiracC3_8LFevNSCi_1ymsVr7p1f42nQJScTEyH6N9qJSZxHKidA66wAkQPqNEF7Yqh-IlSOp11Gja9bAJKlkeMEgqZlXSB0Lsox_TzNW_v6ufVIoRldhDqm16EGiMs7VCeHo1BifjMvZ24/s1600/DSCF0018.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We grabbed some warm beers (no refrigerators or ice in these parts) and enjoyed a night swim. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We hiked to El Mirador the next day, a lookout point overlooking the beautiful cascading pools of Semuc Champey. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Below the mantles of turquoise waters runs the Cahabón River. The pools form a 300m limestone bridge over the river, which runs through a cave. Above is where the river enters the cave and is called El Sumidero. El Sumidero is "where the river hides below the earth" - which is what Semuc Champey means in Q'eqchi'. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnIWXCL1_rRZhoBbR-cXnlQMwQdwZNBz3M6JkmyuOflB5S1uBn2x5xGVFOgCUT0DY6XhXkXuYO83W8r6m7qt7DX5Q2qhyphenhyphenOgHdl5USO0zz23xUAmyfOcL_yUUulv0yXjy2AOXtesVHf-Gn5/s1600/DSCF0028.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnIWXCL1_rRZhoBbR-cXnlQMwQdwZNBz3M6JkmyuOflB5S1uBn2x5xGVFOgCUT0DY6XhXkXuYO83W8r6m7qt7DX5Q2qhyphenhyphenOgHdl5USO0zz23xUAmyfOcL_yUUulv0yXjy2AOXtesVHf-Gn5/s1600/DSCF0028.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Mern Bird very happy to finally swim in las pozas</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">¡Hola Raquelita y Josue!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Nature's infinity pool </span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Some local boys came to the pools and began to climb some overhanging trees. On the left I'm barely visible but I joined in the fun and scaled one of the trees. It was about 30-40 ft. above the water. Sorry Mom, don't freak when you see these :) </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The pools had some very tiny fish that would come nibble at your feet. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hey, I hear people in Asia pay a lot of money for this kind of pedicure action. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We then rested back "home", in our cabin, down by the river. Semuc remains relatively untouched and unchanged, allowing us to experience a culture so different from our own. Women with baskets strolled past, often times with children in tow or slung on their backs in homemade carriers. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We had to get creative with our remaining food: a cabbage, cucumber, mango and a couple limes. We used part of the cabbage to make a slaw of sorts and ate them in the remaining cabbage leaves. It was simple but surprisingly satisfying. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Our friend Panda who helped us find our hostel. </span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06107212460756197790noreply@blogger.com1Monumento Natural Semuc Champey, Guatemala15.5330352 -89.95996000000002415.471837200000001 -90.040641000000022 15.5942332 -89.879279000000025tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8535657010173906044.post-734488071488340912014-04-06T17:10:00.001-07:002014-04-07T15:46:45.170-07:00Greetings from Guatemala! Well, our trip has finally begun. We arrived in Guatemala City early afternoon, on the 24th of March. We being Melissa, Lindsay and Josh. We were met at the airport by our dear friend Marissa, who has been living in Guatemala for a little over a year and a half now. Here's a few pictures of our first hostel, La Coperacha:<br />
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This hostel had a communal kitchen so we headed to el mercado central and bought some food. The produce here is amazing and bountiful. The best part? Besides being ridiculously cheap, there's no worry in searching for stickers reading "organic" or letting you know whether or not it's locally grown. Everything here is extremely fresh and grown within miles of any market. Above is the dining room and a beautiful mural depicting much of the culture and history of Guatemala.<br />
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Marissa y Melisita preparando la cena.</div>
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Our first family home cooked meal together! </div>
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¡Qué rico! </div>
<span id="goog_228394923"></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06107212460756197790noreply@blogger.com1Guatemala City, Guatemala14.624795 -90.5328180000000214.37897 -90.855541500000015 14.87062 -90.210094500000025