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Sunday, March 27, 2011

the Journey Continues

At last an update:

Getting psyched for my seventh season of seasonal work, although it has not been continuous. I dd take a year off from seasonal work in 06, to winter in Hawaii on the big island volunteering on an Organic Coffee farm, then three years on Orcas Island which did not turn out to be cash prosperous yet was in other ways. Anyway, after returning to Alaska last summer after an absence of six years from the last frontier I am getting prepared to head back up again. Last summer I was lucky to work for Kenai Fjord Tours in Seward, utilizing both my background in travel and tourism as well as my Marine Naturalist background. I enjoyed my job and spending all my leisure time on the boats getting up close and personal with Humpback Whales, Orcas and my favorite Seabird Puffins. It was a great season despite the 39 consecutive days of rain in July and August, yet nevertheless a good time. In the past I have not done consecutive seasons for the same company or park and this is a first for me. At this point in life I feel like I did find a place that I would return to and gain some additional experience enhancing what I already have. Although this summer I will be going to their other location in Whittier on Prince William Sound and I will initially be a Marine Science Instructor/ Workshop Leader for the school groups that come from April to May. It will be exciting to use my background as a Marine Naturalist granted I am a bit rusty, yet we will be getting additional training and I welcome the new challenge. The kids will be elementary level to high school which should be interesting and probably challenging as well. The topics will be Glaciers, Geology and weather, and although my expertise is more in the area of Marine Mammals, it will push me a bit past my comfort zone and will be beneficial. I have worked with kids before so I know a little what to expect. One good thing is that Prince William Sound is protected so we shouldn't be passing out too many barf bags like they do in Seward. The program is concluded in May so then I will be juggling both work as a deckhand on the boats and work in the office. I found out my Manager who called me gave her notice after 14 years with the company since she and her spouse are kicking off their own boat and business so I will have increased responsibility, and I admit I am bit nervous, yet will just trust all will work out. Since I was a supervisor last summer, although it was pretty chill, so we shall see. Whittier is a much smaller operation with less trips, yet the closer proximity to Anchorage should bring in more people so it could get hectic. Anyway, I will gracefully invite the challenge and hope my nerves will hold up. In the meantime I am enjoying a quiet retreat at a friends on Orcas Island on the southeast end of the island for a few weeks. I am ever so grateful for good friends and also spent a fantastic month House and pet sitting on San Juan Island caring for an awesome lab and her cat brothers overlooking the fabulous Salish Sea, the Olympic Mountains and Vancouver Island. I was blessed for amazing March sunsets, doggie cuddles and kitty purring and cannot begin to express the gratitude I have. In conclusion I wish for peace, healing and light to come to the people of japan, the animals and more. The earth needs to heal and we need to take care of her, she is overwhelmed and these events are a result of Humans not complying with the laws of nature in which we all need to walk our talk and walk our walk making sure to be good to her. I am attaching a link to some of my products at Zazzle that I have donated for Japan Relief fund where Zazzle has joined with the Red Cross and will donate 10.00 for every item purchased. I hope you take a peak and share it on twitter or your facebook page. I am wishing everyone a fabulous season where ever the road leads you with love, prosperity and abundance to follow


http://www.zazzle.com/relief_for_japan_good_luck_cat_button?rf=238020744480758081


Monday, November 15, 2010

The Colors of Chichicastanango







Walking into Market Day at Chichicastanango, a Village in the highlands of Guatemala, you are immediately greeted by the Colors, the scents and the eye boggling energy of a Native Mayan marketplace. I began to walk through the narrow passageways and cobblestone streets of Chichi as I will call it. I was in awe with all the colors, yet at the same time overwhelmed by the immensity of this place. My senses were completely overtaken and I had to step back for awhile and pull myself together. If you are not one for crowds then Chichi might not be for you. Yet the experience of this place is one that should not be missed if you can possibly handle it. The ride from San Pedro La Laguna on Lake Aitilan is an adventure in itself. Due to the severe rains, floods and mudslides of the past season, the road which ascends around curves and a one pothole after another is not for the faint of heart, yet the beauty of the jungle around you is well worth the adventure. I was grateful for the skill of our driver navigating all the potholes, mud holes, rocks and debris that would make this drive challenging even for the best. From San Pedro it takes around 2 hours to reach Chichi. Sunday is the most popular day to go and believe me it is obvious with the crowds and the tourist groups that come from Antigua. After two hours of climbs, curves and holes you reach the town. You can easily spend all day here, wandering through the stalls, in hope of finding the best bargain. It is best to wait til the last hour of the market which closes at 2:00 as that is when the seller's are willing to take the lowest price for their wares. I recommend wearing your money belts under your pants or clothes and keep them hidden. The market is so crowded and people bump into you, and also many attempt to touch you when trying to sell you something. Using the term, No Gracias, No Me Moleste, No thank you, do not bother me with a firm, yet polite tone should help keep them at abay. Nevertheless, the market is worth a visit and you might walk away with some bargains. Guatemalan weaving and crafts are wonderful works of art so it is worth it to buy a few things. Also, it does help the people who work hard and live a touch life. When you begin to feel overcome by all the energy, I recommend going across the street to the Hotel Tomas. A beautiful hotel with balconies covered in bouganvilla and other flowers. The waiters are dressed in traditional attire and the hotel serves a brunch. It is a nice retreat away from the crowds of the market. The gardens are beautiful with orchids, Hydrangia and also Parrots atop their perches. It is also one of the few places with a nice Bano (bathroom). Remember to bring your camera, as the colors are a dream for any photographer. I tried to be discrete when photographing people, staying at a distance using my zoom. Same with the wares, I used my zoom, although the temptation is hard to resist. Children often want a tip if you decide you want to photograph them. So for a colorful day of scents and sights Chichicastango is well worth the trip.

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Tikal National Park, A great Mayan Wonder






Well it has been almost three weeks since I crossed the border from Mexico into Guatemala. Beginning with a very long bus journey I finally arrived in the charming and quaint village of Isla De Flores. This charming and colorful town is the gateway to Tikal National Park, one of the great Mayan Cities. My first morning after I arrived, I was picked up by a tour guide at 4:30 a.m. along with several other very sleepy tourists for the hour's drive to Tikal. Presumably this was to see the sunrise, however on this day it was raining heavily, so no sunrise for us. The driver had to overcome several obstacles in the road as the storm had downed many trees along the way, so kudos to him for navigating so well. We arrived at the Jaguar Inn, one of the few places to stay inside the park and met by our guide Ceasar. Tikal is a huge park, with a large trail system leading you to the different temples and plazas. It was really amazing that this area is so preserved, considering how many thousands of years ago it was built. Some of the temples you can still climb the stairs, although my knees are not what they use to be,so I didn't attempt anything too dangerous. It was the coming down that was scary. The one exception was Temple four towards the end of the day, where you climb 70 meters of man made stairs to the top. Once you reach the top the view commands acres and acres of sites and you can see forever practically. It is also a great perch for Birdwatchers as you see over the treetops well. I spotted some new birds to add to my list, one being the Brown Jay, and another colorful fella that I have yet to Identify. If you have a chance to visit any of the ancient Mayan Cities I definitely recommend Tikal. Having already visited Palenque, which was also impressive, Tikal was even more impressive. Set in the jungle, with dense forest around you, it really takes you back in time. You could easily spend more than a day here, and we had 6 hours which in a way did not seem like enough time. After a rainy day for the most part, the sun finally began to peak out around noon giving away to the heat of the day, so in a way the rain was a welcome relief for all the hiking we did. As we continued our way back towards the Jaguar Inn, a young woman from New Zealand who knew that I was very anxious to see a wild Toucan, pointed one out to me just before the lodge. This was the perfect conclusion to a very exciting experience in the jungles of Northern Guatemala.

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Following Routa De Maya, on the road from Mexico to Guatemala






I feel as though I have stepped back in time. Walking into another world and living amongst the ancients. Here the pace is slow, the air is warm and fresh scents of tropical flowers fill the air. I have visited some magnificent wonders of nature and archeology these past several days that have left me in awe.

After a very long bus journey from Merida I arrived in Palenque Chiapas Mexico overnight and 8 hours later. I do not sleep well on buses and this one was no exception. For the first 6 hours a large man was sitting next to me and i just couldn't get comfortable. Finally he got off in Zapatos an hour before palenque so I had some room. A lot of bus trips are overnight trips yet on air conditioned First class buses with televisions. Not that I wanted to watch a movie that late. Anyway, I finally arrived in Palenque at 6:00a.m. I took a taxi to my hostel, a charming and quaint hostel set in the jungle called Yaxtin. They were not open yet, however a worker went and got the manager so three of us were able to check in. I was happy with my room which was large and a nice cool shower to cool off after a long ride. I had no time to sleep because a guide was picking me up to take me on an all day tour to the Palenque Ruins, Misol-ha Cascada and the Agua Azul. So here I am with no sleep and an all day tour ahead. When we arrived at the ruins we were met my several bi-lingual guides, and I was talked into a private tour. My guide Jose was Maya, and raised in the US so he was able to share a lot of information. The tour was great, and we even hiked for a bit in the jungle where some of the ruins are overgrown by jungle. Palenque was pretty amazing and I loved that I could hear the Howler Monkey's in the distance. After a few hours, the driver picked us up and we continued to the Misol-ha which is an amazing cascading waterfall that descends over 200 feet down into blue green pools. The ride there was pretty wild, our driver navigated the windy roads pretty fast and passed a lot of slow trucks and chicken buses along the way. I do not usually feel any motion in cars.. yet I have to admit this was pretty wild. We spent forty minutes at the waterfall where a refreshing spray of cool misty water cooled my sweaty body for awhile. Then we all piled back into our minibus and continued to the Agua Azul. We still had another hour on the road, and the curves were getting bigger in the road, with drops descending 1,000 feet or so. The mountainous region of Chiapas is a breathtaking jungle and the views were lovely. After our wild ride continued we arrived at a Heritage world site that I have wanted to visit for many years. The Agua Azul might be equivalent to the Niagara Falls of Mexico. Massive Cascading waterfalls descending down into aqua blue pools. The area is beautiful, although the people are not taking care as they should with trash strown about in the park. We spent three hours here, and I had time to just sit by the water soaking my feet in the pools and soaking up the rays. After a refreshing afternoon of waterfalls and aqua pools we departed for our return trip to Palenque. The ride back was long and tiring and the windy roads on the way back were giving me a headache. Finally when we arrived I was beat, yet feeling a bit sick... Despite all the water I drank I was also trying to detox from coffee so I had a detox sinus headache.. I took a long shower, yet still felt ill so I did have a bit of an after effect lets say.. However, after a good night sleep I recovered. Once again a long day laid ahead of me. The driver to take us to the border at Bethel to get to Guatemala picked me up at 6:00 a.m. This trip however was not a windy, and the driver took more caution and was not a speed driver. I do not see how they can be with all the speed bumps on the road. We stopped for breakfast at a little roadside restruante where wild "Loros" aka Yucatan Parrots stole peoples tortillas. Nice to have some wild friends around even if they were opportunistic food bandits.

After a fulfilling breakfast of Huevos, arroz and Frijoles we continued. Two hours later we arrived at the border town near Bethel. There is where we had our exit check with the Mexican Border Patrol and a stamp in my passport. We walked a bit and climbed down a hill to La Barcas, the little dugout looking canoe like boats with a canopy for a thirty minute crossing down the river to Guatemala. This was an adventure in itself and I was anticipating to see a Crocodile in La rio yet not so. When we arrived at the border, we climbed another hill then boarded our Guatemalan bus to the Border Patrol a few minutes away. The entire place had their feet up on tables and were watching some soap opera. We all went through the process pretty quickly. My Bus companions were three Israeli young woman, traveling for several months after their army stints, 2 woman from Barcelona and a Canadian guy and a German guy. After the processing we continued for over two hours on a dirt road. The road seem to never end and finally we came into a village and the road turned to paved. Finally eight hours later from my departure in Palenque I arrived in Isla De Flores on Lake Peten in Guatemala. A new country and the adventure continues.

Stay tune for part two Isla De Flores to Tikal.

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Wildlife of the Yucatan








When I travel I love to discover new things, yet my favorite is the animals and wildlife of the region. It has been exciting to discover new birds, Large and small lizards, and the local cats and dogs as well. For me being in nature is when I thrive and can breathe freely. Discovering new species is always exciting and I love learning new things. In the last three weeks I have discovered at least half a dozen new birds, and since I haven't been exposed to Tropical species I had to buy a guidebook which has helped me identify some birds. The first photo is a Yucatan Parrot. Yesterday several of them landed on the tree top in the backyard of the guest house where I am staying. This was the first time for me seeing Parrots in the wild which was great as opposed to seeing one as a pet in a cage where they do not belong.

The second image is one of the many small Geckos that are common to these parts. A few of them have only been about an inch long or so. The third image is one of the Iguana varieties that are an emerald shade of green. These are very beautiful in their own endearing way.

Also, So many Seabirds, and one of my favorite birds are Pelicans. The locals call them Pelicanos and I loved watch them dive bomb for fish. In Tulum in the late afternoon the fisherman throw their leftovers to the seabirds and that is a fun thing to watch. The frigatebirds and Brown Boobies catch the fish in the air and are very skillful with this. For me this is what it is all about, experiences new animals and embracing every moment.

Yucatan Adventure, Que Bonita






It is hard to believe that I left Alaska almost a month ago. Before I knew it, the last day of work fell upon on me and I was on the road to experience a new adventure. Initially my intention was to go straight to Costa Rica and volunteer at a Wildlife Sanctuary on the North Pacific Coast. However in the last days of the season I was inspired by some insight that came to me, and opted to begin my travels in the Yucatan of Southern Mexico. I have traveled in Mexico many times before, yet I had not explored the Mayan region of the country. So off I went. I flew into Cancun, once a quiet fishing village, now a booming resort with five star resort splattered all over the coastline. I only stayed Cancun for one night before heading down to Playa Del Carmen about an hour south of Cancun. I was definitely surprised how tourism had boomed there as well. Back in the 1990's I worked for several years for a Tour Company that devised packages for travel to Mexico and Hawaii. Back then Playa was just beginning as a resort and fairly undeveloped so I was shocked at the amount of people there, and it is still low season. I stayed at a quaint Boutique Hotel called the Posada Mariposa ("House of Butterflies). The hotel was centrally located and close proximity to the beach. Having booked it online you never know what to expect. I actually booked a hotel called La Casa Del Mar and a few days prior to my departure I got an e-mail from the online company that the property had closed due to low business and they had to switch me. They moved me to the Posada which was higher price, yet of course did not charge me for the difference. It was charming with around 18 rooms, wi-fi access, a beach club that they used and free breakfast. I stayed there for four days, mostly relaxing on the beach and walking through the promenade in the evening. The Sales people were out in full force so there was a lot of haggling to deal with, I just simply said "No Gracias" and No Me Melesete, do not bother me. In any case I still enjoyed my time here, yet looked forward to reaching a quieter destination.

After four days in Playa I headed south to Tulum. One of the many Mayan cities and sites along the route. Tulum is starting to become known for their Eco-resorts which are lining up along the coast route there. Many of them are simply Cabnanas and some without electricity. Still Mexico has a ways to go to legitmately call themselves Eco minded, considering people smoke everywhere and you see trash all over the place. Yet, OI honor them for making the attempt to be on the road to this goal. My cabana was the Copal. My place was set in the jungle, with a mosquito net over my bed, candles instead of lights in the typical style of the Maya who once thrived in this region. I had the beach almost to myself, except for a few other guests, and later found out that it was a nude beach. I enjoyed my days there frolicking in the warm water and watching the Frigatebirds and Pelicans dive bomb for lunch. Both Tulum and Playa Del Carmen to not allow vendors to parade up and down the beach selling their wears, so it was hassle free, which was a welcome sight for me. The town of tulum is small and easy to navigate. Food is much less expensive there, yet there are still conveniences for the traveler. While I was there I ran into a woman who was also from Alaska. I knew she looked familar and it turned out she had served me in a resturant there as well. It is a small world afterall. While I was there Cathy and I went up to Aukumal, a once thriving fishing village as well, to watch La Centro Ecological De Aukumal, a non-profit that does Reef Monitoring, Sea Turtle monitoring and more release some hatchling Sea Turtles. That was very exciting as this is one of the things I want to do this winter is to help with Sea Turtles. In Aukumal I also met Andy, the owner of Peanut Pet Shelter of Playa Del Carmen and Aukumal who arrived from Scotland five years ago. During the Holidays I will be going back there to help take of the 75 dogs at the shelter along with a friend. That should be fun. My intention is to volunteer at different venues along the way to make the most of my expereince.

After a week in Tulum I continued my trip further south to the Yucatan captiol of Merida. Merida by Mexican standards is not a large city,yet for me a million peo0ple is pretty large. I needed to get to a place and stay longer to receive some mail and take care of business so I have been in Meridca now for 10 days. While I have been here I have enjoyed the festivals in the Gran Plaza, Yucataen Food, traditional dancing, and a day trip to Progresso the closest beach town to Merida. I have discovered new bird species, visited the Anthropology museum of the Mayan people, a Contemporary Art Museum, and the Centanario Zoological Parque. I can definitely feel the Maya presence here, in the stores, the festivals and the many ruins in this region. So far though I have only been to the Tulum Ruins which was magical and I look forward to more. I will do my best to keep writing about the adventures and experiences I have and share with all. For now Buon Dia and blessings to eveyrone.