30 September 2015

Need your luggage fixed? Recommendation for you here

Ah, I’m back “home” in Cartagena for a few weeks. It’s been fun reacquainting myself with the maze of Old City streets, drinking tropical fruit drinks, eating coconut rice, catching up with people, watching the Caribbean fisherman, and sweating in relishing the heat….



But more on all of that in a later post. What I may be most thrilled about is that I brought here with me two suitcases which had been deemed throwaways and they are now back in full working order!!

Excuse the “country dropping”, but while traveling in Europe last year, I used my sturdy Rick Steves roll aboard suitcase. In Spain, the rubber tread came off of one of the wheels. “Ay perdone señora, but I am sorry, that cannot be fixed” I was told at repair shops I visited. No biggie; I dealt with the crookedly rolling bag. 

In Italy, while running from one train to catch another, one of the suitcase “feet” fell off. “Mi dispiace, signora, no repair possible.” Now I had a bag that stood even more lopsided—if I forgot to stand it up by a wall, the bag was on the ground. Could be dangerous should an unsuspecting toddler walk by; I need to do something.

In the U.S., a call to the Rick Steves store said replacement wheels and feet were not available, but they’d be happy to sell me a new bag. “But it’s still functional!”, as a London friend of mine said. She was right….why are we often told that the best way to "fix" a broken item is to replace it? I knew just where it could be fixed: there are guys in Cartagena who have a street workshop right in front of the ATM I always used.

Fast forward to now and my spur of the moment trip to Colombia. Not only am I here to update myself for my vacation rental work, and all the reasons above, but another goal was to get my bag working like new again!! I had brought along my sister’s “unfixable” roll aboard as well. Sure enough, went to my former bank & right in front of that I found Luis & his father, working away. A day later I had two fully functional rolling carry-ons.

So my recommendation to you? Come to Cartagena for sure — it’s a UNESCO world heritage site well worth a visit, easy to get to, & the exchange rate is currently in most tourists' favor. But as a bonus, bring your broken luggage along with you, visit Talabartería Luis & head home with a “new” bag!


Luis's father told me he has been working here for some 40 years!
They fix luggage, briefcases, purses & leather paintings. Located in front of Davivienda bank on Panama St

11 September 2015

Border crossings by land, water & air

Maya temple tops peek out of the jungle
Tikal National Park, Guatemala
When I last left you all, my handful of faithful readers (thank you!! :), I was headed to Guatemala. My California-based friend Sara was meeting me for this trip; she & I have traveled together at various times since the early 80s, and our arrangement for meeting up was just like in the old days: meet at 9:30 am on July 1 at the Benque Viejo bus stop (the end of the line in Belize & just before the Guatemala border). We had no way of contacting each other by phone, text, or email in the 24 hours prior to our arranged meet up time (crazy that something like that sounds almost nerve-wracking these days — 24 hours incommunicado!!). But guess what? Everything went fine!! I got to our meeting spot early, took out a book, didn’t get concerned when 9:30 am came & went, and gave Sara a big hug when she arrived at 10:30. We should all try every once in a while to live as if we can't connect with everyone instantaneously -- make a plan & pull out a book if someone runs late!

Highlights of July travels in Guatemala & Mexico:

*The bus stop where Sara & I met up was a mile or so from the Belize/Guatemala border. As we’d both been on buses for a bit, we decided to walk that mile while catching up. We went through the border formalities and then once across, walked into the Guatemala border town to catch the bus for our next leg. That is, I am pretty sure, the first time I have ever walked from one country to another.

"Rooftop" is not my preferred seat on a van!
*Tikal National Park, Guatemala, a (at one point quite powerful) ancient Maya kingdom from around 2000 BC to 1000 AD. Having been to other Maya ruin sites in the Yucatan and Belize, it’s amazing how different they all are in both architecture & layout. The temples here were higher & narrower than others I’d seen, and had decorative “combs” on the top, plus everything was very spread out in the jungle. We had great howler monkey sightings (& hearings) also — they sound almost lion-like!!

*Our trip from Guatemala across the border to Mexico: we had a 90 mile/4 hour (!!) van trip to La Técnica, a tiny village on the Usumacinta River (which forms the border with Mexico in this area of NW Guatemala). No chickens in the van, but usually there was a passenger or two on the roof; travels like this are everyday for many people in the world—that’s kind of crazy to think about. At the literal end of the road, we took a 3 minute boat trip across the Usumacinta to Mexico; a rare border crossing by water for me! At these types of little-used border crossings you have to consciously make sure to get your appropriate exit & entry stamps as there are no gates or buildings on either side that you are required to go through; here we (read “Sara”, gracias!) made sure we knew where to go to get the appropriate stamps in Guatemala & then Mexico.
Yaxchilán Maya site, on the Usumacinta River, Mexico

*Visiting the Maya ruins of Yaxchilán, Mexico, which involves a ~40 minute boat trip up the jungle river (with sunning crocodiles sighted on the way) and then suddenly coming upon this Maya ruin popping out of the jungle on the riverbank. As a friend said, we felt like Indiana Joans(es :) exploring this site!!

*A day tour to the indigenous villages of San Juan Chamula & Zinacantán in Chiapas,  Mexico, the most interesting aspect for me being learning about the religion of the people of San Juan Chamula, which is a form of Christianity with indigenous practices woven into it. Their church looks typical from the outside, but inside is very different: no pews, pine needles strewn all over the floor, the saints wear mirrors on their chests, and St John the Baptist (patron saint of the town) is front & center at the alter with Jesus off to one side. The church is not used for services, but is used nearly every day by shamans who come with small groups to cure illnesses, solve problems, etc., by lighting candles, chanting, drinking certain drinks (alcoholic & non), & using eggs and chickens (which enter the church alive but do not leave that way). It was fascinating to see some of this going on; you are not allowed to take pictures inside the church but some images can be found online.
Chamula church photo from the web

*Depending on how you determine “largest” (by size of base? height? volume?), Mexico has a couple of the largest pyramids in the world, right up there with Egypt. About 2 hours southeast of Mexico City, we visited Cholula (Puebla), which is the home of one of the largest pyramids ever built, although much of it is still underneath a hillside. Outside of Mexico City is the ancient Mesoamerican city of Teotihuacan, also well-known for its large pyramids. What amazing things to see (& climb!)!

With Norell atop the Temple of the Sun
(Temple of the Moon in the background), Teotihuacan
*Mexico City was a pleasant surprise! I saw no great evidence of the expected bad pollution & crime, beyond what would normally be found in a big city (and there are over 20 million people in “el DF”--Distrito Federal). It was easy to get around in the extensive subway system (a bargain at 5 pesos/trip, currently about 3 US cents). There are a TON of museums in the city & I loved learning more about Diego Rivera & Frida Kahlo, Leon Trotsky, regional archeology, and Mexican history. It was interesting, for example, in the history museums to read about the “American Invasion of Mexico.” What was that? Oh, in my school history books it was called the Mexican-American War, but yes, it does indeed seem like it was an invasion of another country!

*Visiting the quaint colonial towns of Guanajuato, San Miguel de Allende, and Querétero (although if you go, visit them in the reverse order to be progressively more impressed by each one). They each played key roles in the early 1800’s fight for Mexican independence from Spain and are historically interesting as well as beautiful.

With Catharine, NYC friend, in San Miguel de Allende
*Catching up with friends! Not only did I get to spend two weeks traveling with college friend Sara, but in Mexico City I met up with US-Mexican friend Norell, whom I had met in Colombia (via a San Francisco friend, kind of a crazy connection), as well as Spanish Carlos, whom I first met while studying in Madrid in 1982 & who has a been living in Mexico for the past 20 some years. Also coincidentally, Catharine, a friend from my NYC days in the 80s & 90s, was coincidentally in Mexico at the same time and we spent some quality time together in San Miguel. I love being able to meet up with friends in such diverse places!!

After entering Guatemala by foot, then Mexico by boat, I traveled by air to the U.S., where I first spent a great 10 days in Montana with immediate & extended family, catching up with each other & exploring the beauty of Glacier National Park. Then it was on to Maryland, where I have been cat sitting as well as spending time with my mother & catching up with other friends (one grade school friend I hadn’t seen in over 25 years!). Also took a trip to Gettysburg, site of the U.S. Civil War battle. It is mind-numbing to think of the carnage that happened there; even worse that wars still continue and that we don't seem to learn from history. (And interesting to come across names of Federal & Confederate military officers whom I had seen referenced in the Mexican museums when talking about the “American Invasion of Mexico", which had taken place some 15 years prior. At that point, the officers were on the same side; in the Civil War, they were killing each other. Crazy.)

Now on to the next adventure -- on Sunday I fly to Colombia, where I’ll be for a month, mainly reacquainting myself with Cartagena & seeing what’s new in the past nearly 2 years since I left (and working, working, working! :). 

P.S. To see many of the locations mentioned above (& more) noted on Google maps, see the map here.  Make sure the boxes for "Travels with Sara July 1-14" and "Mexico July 14-August 1" are checked (& the other categories unchecked if it makes it easier).
With Madrid friend Carlos & family in Mexico City
Hiking at Upper Grinnell Lake, Glacier National Park, Montana
Cat sitting my new BFF Jake!

30 June 2015

Un-Belize-able!!!

Iain & I cooling ourselves off with handmade palm fans at
Marcos Gonzalez Maya Site on Ambergris Caye
How did it take me so long to explore mainland Belize? Oh I know…I got sucked into the “laid back, island time” atmosphere & had a hard time extricating myself from the island of Ambergris Caye during my 3 month stay in San Pedro, Belize last fall. It is indeed tough to leave; I returned to the island this year in early May to pet sit for a month, and almost, *almost*, extended my stay there again. 

The relaxation all starts when you arrive on the island via a Belizean domestic airline puddle jumper flight from the 70s: there is zero, ZERO, luggage screening. Just drop your bag here & get on board, keep your shoes…um flip flops…on & bring all the liquids you want. No body zapper to walk through either, just help yourself to the complimentary coffee & tea. YAY!! 

My “month on the island” highlights: 

*Caught up with island friends as well as friend Iain who came in from the US for a couple of weeks, also to pet sit!

*Did lots of cat cuddling & dog walking (both for my "charges" as well as volunteering again at the shelter)

*Helped out at a new (for me) school in San Pedro, which is now also a Pack for a Purpose partner with the condos I work with on the island (more info here; definitely check out Pack for a Purpose  next time you’re traveling to a developing country!)
The Great Blue Hole

*Took a gorgeous aerial tour out over the Belize Barrier Reef to see the Great Blue Hole, which is basically a cenote (limestone sinkhole) such as the ones we’d seen in the Yucatan mentioned in my previous post, but this one is in the sea. It’s 980 feet (300 m) across & 400 feet (120 m) deep, in the middle of a shallow section of the Belizean Great Barrier Reef system, so you really see the color contrast of the deep hole with the shallow reef; it’s a popular scuba destination made famous by Jacques Cousteau in the 70s.

FINALLY, I boated over to Terra Firma in early June to explore more of the country. I’m so glad I did — it’s unBelizeable :) !! Belize is ~185 miles (300 km) long & ~75 miles (120 km) wide, about the size of the US state of Massachusetts. But it’s much less densely populated, with a population of only about 311,000 (vs ~6.7 million in Massachusetts). Think of all that leaves room for: jungle, caves, nature reserves, mountains, Maya ruins, WILDLIFE (jaguars people, jaguars!)....!! However, while the country is relatively small, there are really only four main paved highways & the going is not necessarily speedy. But it’s always interesting!

Hanging with a jaguar at the Cockscomb sanctuary
(Click here for a map noting the four main highways as well as locations mentioned in this post.)

I’ve done most of my travel on the long distance buses, which are retired US school buses painted a variety of colors. Under-bus & overhead luggage racks have been added, although my backpack normally gets shoved behind the last seat of the bus (you know, where the kids who smoked sat). Remember also doing emergency escape drills out the back door of the school bus? That’s now an unofficial passenger rear entry/exit. And those seats that are made with two kids in mind? If the bus is crowded, and we’re near a police checkpoint, sometimes three adults need to squeeze on to those seats or you need to crouch in the aisle so the police don’t see that the bus is overcrowded. Yep, fools them every time.

Another great aspect of local travel is discovering new (to me) transport methods, such as the hand-cranked ferry! I’ve been on three so far as a means to cross a river, twice in a bus & once on foot. Men literally turn a crank all day long to get the ferry moving along a cable which is strung from riverbank to riverbank. (These go along with the hand-cranked Swing Bridge in Belize City, which is manually opened & closed, now only for special occasions. Very few left in the world!) 

Which tortilla was made by the gringa?
Mainland highlights have been:

*Learning more about the Maya, both past & present. In southern Belize especially there are a lot of Maya communities. In one I visited a “Living Maya” home with displays of how the Maya lived, many until just a few decades ago, such as sleeping on beds made of bark, using gourds as water bottles, speaking only their native language (Kek’chi or Mopan in Belize), etc. As part of the visit you help make the lunch that is to be served; needless to say my tortillas did not come out looking anything like the round, flat pancake-like bread it was supposed to be!! (And a couple of local 6 year olds out right laughed at my final products!! :)

*Realizing all the wildlife that’s roaming the country! I visited the Belize Zoo, “the best little zoo in the world”, which houses only native rescue animals. It has toucans, deer, monkeys, crocs, tapir, gibnuts, macaws, jaguars, and more. I spent a day in the world’s first jaguar sanctuary (but of course saw no jaguars, nor expected to—they’re nocturnal & normally steer clear of humans when they can), hiking, “river sliding”, & learning about jungle plants & creatures. (Did you see Mel Gibson’s “Apacolypto” movie? The scene where the woman uses an ant’s jaws as sutures for a cut? Real, & we saw those mighty pincers in action!) Heard the roar of the howler monkeys & saw them literally hanging around as I wandered places.
About to kayak through caves!!!

*There is an amazing number of caves here! These caves are all pretty much now archeological sites as there are numerous Maya artifacts (bones, stone tools, pottery) found in them. For the Maya, the caves were Xibalba: entrances to the underworld & home of some gods. They were used a lot for ceremonial purposes. I did three different guided day trips through caves and would love to do more. 

—First was a kayaking trip through the Nohoch Chen Caves Branch Archaeological Reserve through the dark, with rapids, stalactites, etc. 

One of the waterfalls I rock climbed up
(& then on the return, jumped off!)
—Next was hiking up a river, in a cave, with 6 waterfalls. I had always been a bit wary of rock climbing & had never tried it, but it was baptism by fire here in this adventure! At least we would only be rock climbing on the way up; on the way back down we JUMPED from the top of the falls in to the pools below. (This would never fly in the States—are we too coddled?)

—And finally I toured Actun Tunichil Muknal, popularly known as the ATM cave. This involves swimming, walking through water, squeezing through narrow spaces, a bit of rock climbing, and the like. At the end you are in a huge cavern used by the Maya for human sacrifice, blood letting, & other ceremonies. It was truly awe-inspiring to think what had happened in that cave—especially as you actually see the bones of sacrifice victims, including a complete skeleton. (If interested, there’s a great detailed write up here with photos of one person’s experience on this tour.) 

And lest you think I'm not working -- of course I am! As a result of this trip I'm also able to advise & book folks for accommodations & tours in the jungle in addition to island accommodations. Let me know when you want to come to Belize!

Tomorrow — on to Guatemala!


A farewell view of Belize from the top of El Castillo, Xunantunich 
Maya site near the border with Guatemala


03 May 2015

Getting my flip-flop tan back

What is this white stuff we're on??!
Silly me, I spent the winter in the U.S., mostly in the northeast experiencing more snow & cold than I have in this century! But it was great to spend time with a variety of family & friends, both in the frozen northeast & then later while thawing out in the beautiful California weather. I am especially glad that my flexible lifestyle allowed me to do several days of kid sitting for my cousin in Connecticut & my brother in So Cal — what a fun way to spend quality time with the “cousinettes”, nieces & nephew! (I hope the kids had as much fun as Aunt Barb did! :)

While in California, in addition to catching up with more friends & family, I “lightened my load” — did some serious work on having less stuff. Back in 2011, when I started this 6-12 monthlong venture (ha, that was 48 months ago!!), I was pretty good about getting rid of a lot of things, but I still had a packed 4x6 foot storage unit. That has now been emptied: family heirloom/antiques are now in my brother’s new home; 40 years of photos which were in 8 boxes worth of photo albums have been taken out, photo by photo, organized into boxes, and await scanning (yes, I’ll get to it, probably via a service); Monica got lots of stuff to sell at a garage sale (and I hope some child is now enjoying my vintage 60’s/70’s collection of Barbies--sniff, sniff!). There were various letters, journals, and other memorabilia from high school, college, & my 20s which were fun to read through and then send on to appropriate friends who would appreciate them. Ha ha they get to store my stuff now :).


In the SF Bay Area working my 1st TNT SAG stop -- *great* way to catch up with folks: Melissa, Eileen, Merla, Dennis, Susie, Steve, Steve, Sarah, Kieran, Neil, KSue, Barb, Tom, Shirley, Jon, Anna, Ross, John.....and MORE!


Storage unit emptied = time to use the passport again; it had been gathering dust for 4+ months! First stop: México. My sister Carol-Ann, her 12 year old son Jacob, & I had a great l week exploring the Yucatán Peninsula — colonial cities, Maya ruins, cenotes  (loved the ones with rope swings, even if I was not the most graceful of "Tarzans"!), & up close & personal swimming with sea turtles! The temps were over 100 F (40 C) most of the week, & fortunately we were able to plan a swim somewhere every day.

The heat has thankfully broken & I am now back in Valladolid, a city of some 50,000 in the middle of the Yucatán Peninsula. Mostly I’m catching up on work (marketing Colombia & Belize vacation rentals) as well as planning what’s next, but I'm also enjoying wandering around the colonial streets. Flip-flops are once again my constant footwear -- how quickly those tan lines return!

What’s next? At the end of the week I’ll make my way back to La Isla Bonita (aka Ambergris Caye, Belize) with a day or two each in Chetumal, the coastal city on the Mexican side of the border, and Corozal, the city on the Belizean side. Then I am back in San Pedro for a month of pet sitting & laid back island life — friend Iain will meet up with me again there, spending 2 weeks at his own pet sitting gig right down the beach from me. (Iain's met up with me over these nomadic years in Ecuador & Peru as well as now Belize for the 2nd time.) After a bit of island time, I’ll explore mainland Belize, then meet up with friend & previous travel buddy Sara in northern Guatemala and we'll travel a bit in Guatemala & Mexico.

August will find me back in the U.S., meeting up with family in Montana to explore Glacier National Park & more. We’ll see what the future brings after that….I have a few ideas--there's a lot of the world I haven't yet explored & have laptop, will travel! 

I am VERY lucky!!

Jacob, CA & I biking the beach in Tulúm, Mexico!