Saturday, May 31, 2008

Fiesta, Fiesta - Guatemala City

May 31, 2008

I ventured back to Guatemala City a little sooner than I otherwise would have in order to make it to Gessica's birthday party. The girls had specifically moved the day of the fiesta so that I would be able to attend! Yoshi was hosting the party at her house, and Gessica was preparing a tantalizing greek meal for the dinner party. Despues la cena, the party ramped up into music and dancing that lasted until quite late at night, and I got a personal salsa lesson from Yoshi's sister Sharoon who was brave and patient enough to humour my 'skills'...

After the party, I decided that I finally needed to learn some proper Spanish so that I could put to good use the plethora of dirty words that Yoshi and Gessica were teaching me. On Monday morning I jumped on a bus heading into the mountain region to attend a language school in Guatemala's second largest city, Quetzeltenango, more commonly known as Xela (Shay La). I have never challenged myself with attempting to learn a language before, and I was curious if I could do it without resorting to a cranial transplant. Que Huevos? What huevos?



Guatemala City. I think that's most of the people at the party!


Guatemala City... don't ask, cause I don't know!


Guatemala City. Group Hug.


Guatemala City. So, there actually is someone brave enough in this world to risk their feet! Sharoon helped hone my out-of-this-world skillz at salsa dancing.


Guatemala City. Yup, still dancing!


Guatemala City. Chillin with Veronica!


Guatemala City. Once it was discovered I am ridiculously ticklish, I had to be on my guard for the rest of the night.


Guatemala City. But when just being on guard wasn't enough, I had to resort to going on the offense!


Guatemala City. I think this is a self-portrait!


Guatemala City. Of course, the dancing is best left to the girls!


Guatemala City. Just chilling with Sharoon!


Guatemala City. Da Girls.

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Lost, Cayos Cochinos, Honduras

May 25 - May 27, 2008
Honduras: A Tiny Island in the Cayos Cochinos, Roatan Bay Island

After the madness of the La Ceiba Festival, a visit to the Cayos Cochinos Islands off the coast of Honduras was the perfect answer... click to see the satellite map. Leaving early in the morning with only a couple hours of sleep, we caught a chicken bus to a Garifuna village where we were to meet someone with a boat that would take us to the small secluded islands. The boat wasn't exactly as I had expected, and safety standards certainly weren't part of the Garifuna vocabulary. Somehow the small wooden boat managed to stay afloat with all our gear as we motored (term used loosely) through the bayou and out into the waves of the Caribbean without a life-preserver in sight. We bobbed and splashed slowly through the salty air until barely visible palm trees began to appear on the horizon, eventually revealing the low-lying white sand beaches they were perched upon.

Our little piece of paradise was simply a spit of sand, several palm trees, and a spattering of cabins that could be walked around in mere minutes while still taking time to enjoy the views. The island was free of annoying sand flies, and more importantly free of annoying tourists. There was nothing to do except for read a book, lay in the white sands of the shallow blue waters, watch as swarms of fish sped by in chaotic patterns both in and out of the water, or simply watch the sunset cascade across the thunderclouds hanging over the mainland.


I caught myself wondering if I were living in an episode of Lost... I got the feeling that strange things might happen on this tiny piece of paradise. This island was promised to be free of electricity, but recently the locals had installed a solar panel to charge some car batteries that were used for powering a few lightbulbs, and they also recently acquired a small generator which was used to run the only television on the island that sadly entranced the whole younger generation. One evening, in exchange for a bottle of rum and a few Lempira, some of the locals came over with their hand drums and began to dance punta-style. As one bottle of rum quickly turned into two, there was a relatively sudden change in the vibe... A fist-flying skirmish opened up between a few of the locals, and eventually a machete was produced as the drunk perpetrator fiercely slashed and scrambled around merely a few feet from me. My episode of Lost was being revealed, so I sat back and (relatively) calmly watched the show... I spent the rest of the evening by the dark shoreline watching the waves crash into the night sand in bioluminescent flashes while the unpolluted constellations slowly carved curves across the sky.

Departing the island at 4 the next morning, we boarded the same patchwork wooden boat and watched as the sunrise slowly opened up the darkness into a spectacular display along the clouded horizon. Approaching the mainland Garifuna village, the water was too low to motor in, so we had to wade through the bayou and mud with our packs high on our shoulders. After another chicken bus to La Ceiba, I boarded a ferry to the more expensive and touristed Roatan Island, famous for its diving. I spent an afternoon snorkling from the beach outside my hotel and jogging along the shoreline to the much more expensive area on the island.

On my first and only evening on the island, I finally had a face-to-face realization of the popular Central American reference Gringo. As I sat at the beach bar evesdropping into conversations and generally just watching people, I was stunned by the incredibly immature and pathetic pickup lines that were being used on the few attractive women hanging around. I slowly realized that the island had been bombarded by the american navy on shore leave, with their prostitutes not far behind. The island became a haven for drunk, ignorant, and immature sex-starved boys, having spent too much time solely in the company of other men... The term Gringo, as explained to me, is reserved strictly for americans (although generally applied to most white people), and originated from the military occupations by the americans... the term began as Green Go (as in green uniforms, go out of here) and morphed into the common term Gringo. If you want to spoil a beautiful place, invite the military boys!

I wasn´t going to spend two evenings in such disrupting company, so I decided to leave on the next boat. It was unfortunate because I wasn't able to arrange a morning dive that allowed me to catch the once-a-day ferry back to the mainland. I settled for a relaxing morning walk and read my book on the beach before stopping over in La Ceiba and then returning to Guatemala City.


Cayos Cuchinos, Honduras. The tiny wooden boats that took us from the mainland.


Cayos Cuchinos, Honduras. Fishing boats and the small grass huts where the few locals live. This single photo shows about a quarter of the whole island!!!


Cayos Cuchinos, Honduras.


Cayos Cuchinos, Honduras.


Cayos Cuchinos, Honduras.


Roatan, Bay Islands, Honduras.

Sunday, May 25, 2008

In Deep, Honduras

May 19 - May 25, 2008

Honduras: Utila Bay Island, La Ceiba Carnival

I really hadn't intended to do any scuba diving until going to Thailand, but sometimes the world just pushes you in a way that you have to go with the flow. I had a few days to kill before meeting up with my friends from Honduras for the La Ceiba Carnival and was able to squeeze in an open water diving course on Utila, one of the Bay Islands. Thankfully, I was able to find a dive package that included accommodations at a hotel with a pool that helped fend off the hungry sand flies and suffocatingly humid weather. The first day, before my actual lessons began, I managed to get on a dive boat headed to the north side of the island to do some snorkeling. The highlight was snorkeling with (or rather, attempting to chase) some pilot whales that were swimming in the area!

My first experience with diving was slightly unnerving. After gearing up, our group descended fully to a depth of about 2 feet. While this should have been about as scary as being in a bathtub, I found myself in a moderate state of panicky Rob-Rapid-Movements when my mask began to fill with water, my contacts began to burning from the salt water, and water was threatening to fill my nose! The only thing that kept me from returning to the surface was the fact that my arms were interlocked by other students and there was no escape! I settled somewhat uncomfortably into the strange world of breathing through my regulator in an oddly Darth Vader-ish sort of way.

Once I became accustomed to the strange sensation of breathing under water, I was able to enjoy my time in a truly completely different world. During my first dives I witnessed flocks of squid somehow always meticulously arranged in flying-V patterns, the colourful parrot fish, a tiny baby octopus who was curious but cautious, ugly smiling sea worms poking out of the sands, a few sea turtles, a 5' eagle ray waving along the contours, glimmering fish swarming in circular vortices, a baby seahorse eternally waiting in a single spot collecting underwater cobwebs, and the strangely alien and organic mysterious plant life living among the coral reef.

After returning to the surface, I returned to the mainland to meet up with my friends for the La Ceiba Carnival, the largest carnival between New Orleans and Rio de Janiero. I checked into my cockroach infested hotel before heading out for some street food, street music, and local beers. Within the first 5 minutes I found someone's hand in my pocket looking for money. I surprised both him and myself by my reaction to grab him by the lapel and throw him into the crowd. Although I regretted not reacting by breaking his fingers or punching him, it was probably lucky as it is quite common for people to carry knives or guns! Unfortunately, this guy escaped into the crowd likely in pursuit of other victims... In the next 2 days, the pickpockets relieved Elly of her wallet and another girl of her purse.

The next day and evening, the streets were piled with probably a few hundred thousand people to watch the parade and party along with the many live bands that played on the numerous stages along the main street, dominated by Punta, Reggaeton, and other latin music. The La Ceiba festival was cool to experience, but next time I think I will opt for the real thing and head to Rio for what I expect would be a more serious showing of costumes, masks, dancing, and general hedonism.


Utila, Bay Islands, Honduras. The dive boat at the Utila Dive Centre. Unfortunately I was too concerned about attempting to breathe underwater than to consider combining it with taking any underwater photos.


La Ceiba, Honduras. Although there were less masks and costumes than I would have expected at such a Carnival, there were a few people that stuck out!


La Ceiba, Honduras. Another of the interesting floats that floated by.


La Ceiba, Honduras. The streets were packed as the floats and vehicles pressed their way through the crowd. Notice the Wendy's sign in the background.. the Pizza Hut was just slightly out of the frame.


La Ceiba, Honduras. A few more costumed dancers on the floats.

Monday, May 19, 2008

Ruined in Honduras

May 14 - May 19, 2008

Honduras: Copan Ruins, Tegucigalpa

One of the major reasons I wanted to come down to Guatemala was to understand the Mayan calendar and to visit some of the ancient ruins to feel the history firsthand. The first ruins I visited were the Copan Ruins in Honduras, noted especially for the quality of Mayan Glyphs. After having purchased a book to help me understand the symbols, I sat among the beautiful ruins on a sweltering day and attempted to decipher some of the ancient dates encoded in the stone carvings... without much success, I might add.

As I initially rolled into Honduras, my first concern was money. I didn't have any local currency and the bank machines would not accept my card. Luckily I was able to exchange a few American dollars at a local bank, although I only had enough to last a couple of days. There was also a power outage and a transportation strike that was causing some turmoil in the vicinity, and the local coin-operated pay phone was broken so I had no easy way to get hold of a friend I had earlier met in Guatemala. Sometimes, everything gets better with a local beer followed by some sleep, which proved to be true in this case. The following day the bank machines mysteriously decided to work, the road strikes ceased, the power returned, and I was able to get hold of my friend Elly who convinced me to come to the capitol city for a few days!

The capitol, Tegucigulpa, was initially almost impossible for me to pronounce or spell. Gratefully, I was hosted by Elly's family and managed to see a fair bit of the city's day- and night-life with a bunch of her friends. After staying a couple of days I was off to take my diving certification on Utila, one of the Honduran Bay Islands famous for cheap underwater diving!

Copan Ruins, Honduras. View across one of the lower courtyards next to the ball court.

Copan Ruins, Honduras. View from top of the large wall and down onto the grounds below.

Copan Ruins, Honduras. Walking like a Mayan just doesn't have quite the same ring as walking like an egyptian. Ok, I'm semi-retarded. Notice the mayan glyphs behind me.


Copan Ruins, Honduras. Big head!

Friday, May 9, 2008

Sexo in the Ciudad, Guatemala City

May 6 - May 13, 2008
Guatemala City

I must admit that the title 'Sex in the City' is a little misleading, however, there is some validity to the innuendo nonetheless. I hadn't intended to spend any time in Guatemala City, as it is rumoured to be quite dangerous and with nothing much of interest for tourism. My ever-flexible itinerary was bent once again as and I was convinced by three local girls that it would be worthwhile to come to the capitol city. That's where the trouble started... How could I refuse the opportunity to get off the beaten tourist path and get to know some new intriguing people?

My eight night stay in Guatemala City surpassed my expectations, and I certainly experienced things that many other travelers will never experience in the city. I had fantastic company, and was kept quite busy with social engagements during the day and evenings. Among the highlights included restaurants, traditional food, bars, cafe's, and birthday parties. One birthday party was held on a large property on the outskirts of town, and succeeded in removing any benefits from my previous vegetarian-month by stuffing me with obscene amounts of fabulous tasting steak, chicken, and sausage... no matter how full I insisted I was!

As for the Sex In The City innuendo... Yoshis profession is a sex therapist and counsellor! She invited me to sit in on the final exam for a sex education university course and also for a live airing of her sex therapy radio show... hence Sexo in the Ciudad! Unfortunately, it was all over my head because of my lack of Spanish!


Guatemala City. A night out on the town at Buddha Bar with Gessica and Yoshi!


Guatemala City. Yoshi and Gessica dancing at Buddha Bar. I really need to get myself into some salsa classes here!


Guatemala City. I look rather studious, don't I? I am reluctant to point out that the Spanish books I am struggling with are the equivalent of a 1 year old's bedtime story...


Guatemala City. Self-portrait of Yoshi and I at the massive outdoor relief map of Guatemala that was built in the early 1900's.


Guatemala City. The downtown square, where street vendors sell and cut fresh pineapple with spice for 3 Quetzals, equivalent to 40 cents including the sticky hands and face from attempting to eat these without proper utensils.

Guatemala City. Valeria and her friends at a small pub with fantastic live music.

Monday, May 5, 2008

Lava Life

May 3 - 5, 2008

So, I finally decided to take the plunge and get hooked up with some hot and steamy Lava Life action... Instead of the internet version of Lava Life, I chose to tour the Pacaya Volcano in Guatemala where there would be a distinct lack of rules, fences, and other typical touristy obstructions in an otherwise beautiful place. Our tour group plodded like cattle (some more like cattle than others) up a relatively geriatric hike towards the top of the volcano, passing the cooled remains of lava slides that scarred the landscape.

Near the base of the volcano's cone was a black field of sharp, brittle rock from which streams of magma gently oozed between the cracks. Mesmorized, I watched the earth gurgle and belch thick streams of molten rock from veins deep within the earth. Thick fluid open sores pulsed like mammoth-sized hearts when gases and lava caused rhythmic expansions and contractions at the source. Slow moving streams of liquid rock poured down the slopes until chunks cooled enough and crumbled under their own weight to roll into the ever growing piles below. As night descended, the slow moving streams transformed into glowing devilish tongues that licked the black scarred surfaces of the hills.


Pacaya Volcano, Guatemala. On the hike up the volcano, slides of black volcanic rock scarred the otherwise green landscape.


Pacaya Volcano, Guatemala. The patch of lava at the base of the volcano.


Pacaya Volcano, Guatemala. Me, my overgrown hair, and the bags under my eyes, barely capable of withstanding the heat radiating from a large oozing stream of lava.


Pacaya Volcano, Guatemala. My walking stick instantly combusts as I poke it into a small stream of lava.


Pacaya Volcano, Guatemala. Myself with Claudia and Sandra (From Holland) in front of the lava flow as we burn the back of our legs!


Pacaya Volcano, Guatemala. As night descends, the slow streaming rivers of molten rock transform into devilish tongues licking the scarred surface of the earth.

Saturday, May 3, 2008

Silence in San Marcos

April 16 - May 3, 2008


(I will leave it up to the reader to ponder the meaning of this image I made.)


Silence in San Marcos is a relative thing, and not something you come by easily after dark. By day, San Marcos lulls you into the fresh fruit and simplicity of life, yet the night come alive with screeching churchies, menacing dogs, the occasional pig being slaughtered, and reports of knife attacks along the walkways. To add to the nightly cacophony, San Marcos erupted into the yearly celebration for Saint (San) Marcos, punctuated heavily with random thundering fireworks, music at all hours of the day and night, and a sketchy ferris wheel being propelled by a guy sitting on top of a bare gas engine changing gears in attempts to break the whole contraption apart. Ironically, the last week of my yoga and meditation course at Las Piramides was to be a self-reflection spent in a week of silence and fasting among the cacouphony.

Much of this yoga/meditation course is based around a whole-istic approach to life, by living with awareness and consciousness. The self-reflection exercises were centered around four basic categories of physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual elements. I don't believe that anything here revolutionized my way of thinking, but it reinforced the thoughts and conclusions that I have reached on my own over the years through introspection and observation. The course finished with 5 days of silence and fasting. Ideally, there was to be nothing coming into my head, just things coming out... this means no reading, music, internet, or conversing with others (I took my liberties). The fasting is intended to cleanse the body from constantly being bombarded by digesting food, and allow the body to subtly deal with other issues. These 'hardships' were to put the body and mind in a better state for meditation. I will share with you the basics of my experiences and thoughts surrounding the 4 elements for those who are interested:

  • Physical... I am striving for balance in my life, both in my physical body and my physical surroundings. This includes breaking old habits and implementing changes to diet, fitness and flexibility, and living surroundings. I really would like to be back in touch with nature - the mountains and ocean which would suit the lifestyle I want to attract!

  • Emotional... I am striving for passion in all aspects of my life, including work endeavors, creative projects, and relationships. I need to 'let go' a little of the social conditionings of society and explore my true passions. I need to make a positive contribution to the world... as my sister says, to 'stop destroying the world' as an engineer that worked in a less-than-ethical environment, and to spend my (+/-) 8 hours a day at something I actually agree with and care about!

  • Mental... I am striving for clarity. My mind is always running loose with ideas that I don't pursue in earnest, yet I continue to dream about them and clog my brain. I need to organize these ideas, sort them out, and identify certain ideas to focus on. Exploring meditation should also provide mental clarity and further insights into myself, life situations, and bring an element of increased intention into my actions.

  • Spirituality... I think I dislike this word, as the connotations of 'spirituality' are too close to the fringe of organized religion. My definition of spirituality has nothing to do with the perversion that popular western religion has become. I prefer spirituality to mean something close to realizing how life as individuals, collective conscience, nature, philosophy, and science, interact with each other. Some recent books which have resonated with me include the Tao of Physics (Capra) and A New Earth (Tolle). Thoughts, ideas, and actions reinforce the state of the world (environmentally, socially, politically, peacefully), and I would like to begin to make a positive contribution instead of contributing to the destructive forces of the world!
As I left on the boat out of San Marcos, I was ready to move on and engage in a new adventure, but I certainly felt San Marcos left a lasting impression... from the amazing people I have met along the way, to the restaurants that have difficulties making change for dinner from the equivalent of a $10 bill, the morning serenity of Lake Atitlan and the volcanoes, the lady selling bread on the corner, and even the 'San Marcos Guatemalan Beach Volleyball League' to whom I showed a few tricks that will hopefully help improve their skills! I leave San Marcos with a refreshed mind, body, and reinforced realization to follow my dreams instead of let someone/thing else define (or destroy them) for me.


San Marcos, Lake Atitlan. My typical morning view of the 3 volcanoes.


Small Town near San Marcos. Just a view taken from the back of a motorcycle.


San Marcos. Yet another not so early morning yoga pose of Nyree from Australia.


San Marcos. The day after the fair, with the insane hodge-podge ferris wheel driven by an guy sitting on an old automobile engine shifting gears.


San Marcos. Louise posing for yoga by the lake.


San Marcos. A photo of Nina... eventually I will turn this into line art!


San Marcos. A few of the people in our Pyramids course: Nadielle, Cheryl, Amanda, and Mike.


San Marcos. Early morning sunrise and the same three volcanoes.


San Marcos. A view of a bathroom in my favorite hotel here called Aaculaax.



San Marcos. The stained glass workshop area at the hotel Aaculaax.



San Marcos. The people at the Pyramids would get this. This moth was absolutely HUGE and stayed still on the wall for about 3 days!


San Marcos. A picture with my lousy point and shoot camera with many of the people from the Pyramids course. This is the first dinner after the week of fasting and silence!