Costa Rica...Past and Present

September 24, 2010

If it wasn´t for cell phones and computers I would have no idea of what day, date or time it is. Maybe that sounds like a luxury, but it seems strange to me by now, to direct our lifes by a calendar. I am observing many things that do not make sense to me anymore. Here in Costa Rica...Tourism is b i g business. Adventure is promised on every sign, thrills are offered throughout the country.You can zipline over the Jungle canopy, rappell yourself into the Canyons or go canyoning, whitewater rafting and whatever else. The young and affluent from all over the world are hurling themselves with gusto into one activity after the other. Even the older folks are out there on the Zip Lines etc. They just take it a little slower.
This rush for experiencing something new or something exciting, artificially created just for the tourists, appears out of rhythm to me.
Does Mother Earth not have enough to offer anymore, that it has to be enhenced, in order to be appreciated. And what really is being appreciated..?

I had been to Costa Rica 21 years ago on a 3 month stay. Many things have changed of course. There are roads now everywhere, Condominium developments, big hotels, cities where there used to be none. The country is still very beautiful and incredibly rich on wildlife and fauna, where the areas have been preserved as Reserves or National Parks...and there are many.
For me Costa Rica has been a mixed bag. Shortly after crossing over the border, I had picked up a young couple hitchhiking with two young dogs. We traveled together to Tamarindo Beach, Jaco and Manuel Antonio. Dogs are mostly not permitted in Hostels. So they were glad all our dogs could sleep in the bus. We did run into some drug dealers, that took great interest in Bluebird. We almost stayed at a place, we later found out, was known for robbing their guests and a few other less fun encounters.
Thank God, we had our wits together and got out of an area when needed or found something else, because it just did not feel right at the moment.
Fernando and Ulli eventually continued on south to Panama with their two puppies.
I had been halfway down to Panama, along the coast, where things were quieter and you could still see Scarlet Macaws flying around, hear the Howler Monkeys and observe wildlife, without paying an entrance fee to a National Park.
On my way back up toward San Jose, I got sidetracked, to come to Volcano Arenal.
We arrived here late on the 21st and it was clear a Ruby seed needed to be planted.
This planting was very different from all the others. I was shown to open up a cermony and hold it for two days. The first day took me to the sacred hot waters of Pele for cleansing and initiation )Equinox). The second day was spent with drumming, meditation and a hike to the foothills of Arenal for the planting of the Ruby seed.
Thank you to all my friends in the US, Mexico and Guatemala for participating in anchoring the incomming frequencies through the many portals along the Rim of Fire.

I feel exhausted today, but will leave for San Jose later on. Bluebird needs to be serviced. I need to check on paperwork for Sky to fly and reservations to Ecuador for both of us. And God willing, find a ship to take Bluebird south as well.

Content in Nicaragua

September 11, 2010

It has just been fabulous in Nicaragua.
Granada, the crown jewel of Nicaragua on the northern end of Lake Nicaragua is a beautiful, old colonial city. Although a bit more touristy, it still was nice to be there and enjoy the comforts of a pleasant city.
The journey to Ometepe island in Lake Nicaragua turned out to be magical. The island, actually it looks more like two islands, each having a Volcano on it and joined together by a peninsula, is dotted with small villages around each Volcano. Concepcion, 1640 meters, is still active and a perfectly shaped cone with very steep ascends. Maderas is lower by 400 meters and more moderate. Getting to either takes some effort. Since this is still the rainy season, the roads were disastrous around Maderas and the great waterfall at San Ramon could not be reached, unless I wanted to ride a horse or an ox. As soon as we had stepped on the island I could feel this energy of peace and beauty there. I was content to explore the villages and hillsides around Concepcion, which has a semi paved road. Later on I did venture on the dirt track to one of the villages of Maderas, but the driving was dicey.
We hiked a lot, howled with the monkeys, watched birds and swam in the lake. Many of the villages are indigenous (Nahautl), farming the land and raising cattle. As a matter of fact, Nicaragua is full of cows. You never drive far anywhere without meeting a herd of cows on the road. Life on the island has a slow pace and the people always seem to smile or laugh. It was such a pleasure being there, just hanging out with the villagers. Ojo de Agua, a fresh water spring on the Isthmus, between Maderas and Concepcion, shaded by large old trees, was the perfect place to find relief from the intense heat of the day.
By now we have arrived in San Juan del Sur, near the Costa Rica border, on the Pacific. It is a cool little town, with plenty of international Surfer Dudes. The waves here are impressive, maybe not quite as rough as in El Salvador, but supposedly a highlight on a Surfer´s itinerary. Getting to the beaches is another matter. It requires a boat ride or up to over an hour on a shuttle over incredible rough terrain. And that is only possible if it hasn´t rained much, otherwise the rivers can not be crossed.
The reward are unspoiled beaches. Right now the Survivor Nicaragua serious is being filmed at Yankee Beach, about 12 to 15 km´south from San Juan. I came by there one day, while on the way to El Coco, to the La Flor Reserve, to look for Olive Ridley Turtles. It looked like the Survivors were living in the ¨Jungle¨in a compound and the helicopter is flying back and forth every day numerous times.
I am enchanted with Nicaragua. The country is very diverse and so beautiful. From what I heard, the eastern part would also be worthwhile to explore, but that should be done in the dry season.
It is funny to hear how the citizen of each central American country rate each other.
According to Guatemalans, El Salvadorans and Nicaraguans....Mexico is the most dangerous place for them to travel to. Guatemala is next for Nicaraguans and El Salvadorans. Guatemalans think it is dangerous for them in Honduras and El Salvador also. Looking back, I realize, that I had projected a lot of fear about El Salvador.
Traveling through there, was like a right of passage. Since then, I have reached a new level of feeling content. No matter where or what country I was in, the people have been amazing with their generosity, love and hospitality. It is so beautiful to connect with all people from the heart, leaving behind any pre-conceptions of differences and embracing all there is.

Nicaragua....Telica Sunrise

September 2, 2010

When I look at my last entry it appears almost unreal to me, because I am not there anymore. Now we are in Nicaragua and have already seen and experienced so much, that the time in Guatemala seems something of a distant past, although not forgotten.

I guess, if I was to go back to the USA anytime soon, I could neatly organize my experiences and pictures and at a later time process all that happened. Since I am not, it feels very intense in the moment, but is just as fast a distant memory.

Our path through El Salvador was relatively short. It rained on the coast for 2 days straight, so we headed to eastern El Salvador...Alegre, a village up in the mountains. I liked the area of eastern El Salvador a lot, but could never quite get used to all the gun toting guards, guarding I don´t know what. The people of El Salvador however are just awesome. They were so welcoming, so warm and so interested in talking to extranjeros. Almost like visitng some distant family members that you meet the first time, but already feel part of.
We had sort of a very chaotic border crossing into Honduras and the most expensive one as well, even though to pass through that part, it only takes 3 hours driving.
To top it off, just 5 km before the Nicaraguan border, I got napped by the transit police for some Multa. Apparently Honduras requires every driver to have a fire extinguisher and 2 safety triangulars. At last they let me go with ten of my dollars in their pocket. Oh well....!
The entry into Nicaragua was relaxed, but I still had to pay another Multa to the police there as well, so they would allow my Bluebird to enter. It is all nogiciable... I really can not complain about anything. We have had smooth sailing through all of Central America this far.
The roads in Nicaragua are pretty good except for the potholes every so often. Some could swallow up your whole car. There is hardly any traffic outside of cities, because the fuel costs $ 4.50 a gallon. The dirt roads are another matter. They quickly turn into mudd pits, if it rained recently, or are simply washed away and look more like a creek bed than a passable road.
We first stayed up in the mountains near Esteli and later Matagalpa to visit the cloud forests and the Miraflora area. All of which are coffee growing regions as well as sugar cane. I loved it up there. The northeastern region suffered much during the war and the people endured great hardship. Nearly every family lost sons and loved ones during that period and the pain is still now very evident. And so is the distrust toward government, because the guys in local and regional government are still the same people. Nicaraguans are very nice also, but have a little bit of an edge and appear more serious. The move toward progress in education, environmental protection and sustainablitity is evident by the many grass root projects, but is very much dependent on the influx of outside volunteers and money.
We have been in Leon for the past 6 days and hiked Cerro Negro and Telica, both active Volcanoes, along a chain of Volcanoes stretching across the Pacific Rim of Nicaragua. Amazing experiences. You walk right up to the rim of Telica crater and look down about 200 meters to the steaming bottom. It was scary. There are cracks along the rim and who knows when that will break off. At night we could see the lava glowing. The most spectacular views are at sunrise, especially when you can see the whole chain of Volcanoes stretching in either direction. Sky did so well on the hike. It took 6 hours to get up. Walking here, is like exercising in a steam bath with a backpack on. But it was worth the effort. The way back down was only about 4 hours, through beautiful terrain and a small village, that has boiling mudd pooles.
Some farmers came and asked what we were doing with our packs on. They don´t seem to understand what the attraction to the Volcano is or why we don´t ride a horse there. For much of the population, horses are the main mode of transportation. The question made sense to me. Maybe we westerners just like to suffer this way, because we really don´t suffer much in our every day lives, compared to the style of life in most of Central America.

The Magic of Lago Atitlan

August 19, 2010

Almost two weeks have flown by since I arrived at the Lake. We spent over a week in San Marcos la Laguna, a quiet village hidden in the lush forest, with small footpaths leading to Hostals, Restaurants, Houses and shops. There are just a handful of cars and not too many Tuc Tucs either, as the villagers just walk everywhere. Although at night the footpaths are very dark and one has to remember to take a flashlight along.
But if not, there is always a young boy nearby to offer their service as guide for a small fee. San Marcos is believed to be a vortex, at least by the western population that has descended upon the village. There are many Yoga centers, Massage Clinics along with Meditation Gardens and the like. There are also many non profit projects going on, such as education, medical services, sustainable agriculture and micro loans to the Mayan families. A good number of the tourists not only come to take classes in the holistic arts, but also volunteer days or weeks for any of the pojects. I asked some Mayan families, how they felt about the influx of Gringos (all westerners are referred to as Gringo) and they told me, that their lives are much better now, because there is work for them, or they can sell their goods and the children receive education. Before that, the villagers were very poor and isolated, as there was no road leading to the village either.
One day we hiked for 5 hours to three other, more isolated villages along the lake.
The people there start their days at about 3 am in the morning, hiking up to their fields and tending their crop. These fields are at about a 30 degree angle way up all along the mountain sides. It had been raining a lot, although while I was there, the weather was beautiful, which created a lot of mudslides, that are visible all around the lake. The view of the Volcanoes is an ever changing tapestry. I never get tired of looking at it. Surprisingly the water in the lake is warm and wonderful to swim in, even though it reaches a depth of 300 meters. We eventually came back to Panajachel, where I had left Bluebird parked. Pana is a lot busier and a larger village with cars and multitudes of Tuc Tucs (little taxis). The town is full of market stalls and street vendors. It is amazing how many children are operating as street vendors, but this is often the only way for them, to afford, to go to school. Today I ran into 2 girls, 10 and 11 years old, that I recognized from Antigua.
They remembered Sky and I too. I invited them for a piece of cake and soda, since I just can not buy any more bracelets or scarfs. They told me, they travel between Antigua, Panajachel and San Pedro to sell their goods (handmade by their mother, sisters and grandmother), but they live in Santa Catarina, 35 km from Pana in the mountains. It was great to see them not working for a short time and observe how easily they relax and are just two gigly girls, according their age. Most villagers from the outer lying areas wear their traditional skirts and blouses. The men wear very colorful pants and shirts. Each village has distinct colors and symbols. The amount of colors are almost overwhelming at times here in Pana, but the smiling faces of the Mayas are just incredible. Sky always attracts the little boys that want to play with him, so we have had a lot of interaction with many families. Ohh..I just love it in Guatemala. I have also been volunteering for the Mayan Families project since we arrived here. Today it hit me, how blessed we are and what an incredible journey it has been this far. I have received so much love and support along the Ruby Road that my heart is bursting with love. Although I would like to stay longer in Guatemala, my inner compass is urging me on again. We will probably leave soon for El Salvador, more love...more adventures...!!!!

In the fires of Pele.....

August 9, 2010

Dios mio....!!!
I can not remember the last time I felt so sick, as I was here in Antigua. The day hiking Pacaya left me totally sapped. I felt so weak, exhausted and alone.
It was good to park for a while, take care of my body, but most of all to just sit still and allow the emotional storm to unfold. It was like watching a thunderstorm
pass through. No action was needed on my part. I spent the week taking spanish lessons, walking with Sky, playing with the kids in the park and ocassional dinners with fellow travellers. Most of my attention however was focused inward. I had been projecting pictures of fear around entering El Salvador, as I had heard stories from others. One day, I found a great book on El Salvador with amazing fotografs, in a small market stall in Antigua. I spent an hour reading and looking at the photos.
This opened up another possibility and I realized, I can create it to be whatever I want it to be. Just like Mexico and Guatemala, which has been amazing this far, I can envision a wonderful time there. The trick however is, I have to be totally clear and at ease with myself before I can move on it. And just like that, the storm had passed. My energy is up again and the flu is gone. We left Antigua yesterday and drove right through the ¨Lions Portal¨ down to the shores of Lago Atitlan.
It is amazing to watch how Sky acts and feels when I am free and clear. His tale is up and he is ready to play. Today we will take a boat accross the lake to San Marcos and beyond....

Alma de la tierra....Guatemala- soul of the Earth

July 27, 2010

Someone in El Remate told me, that Lago Peten Itza and the Tikal region is the center of the Earth, or also referred to as the eye of the world.
I am not sure it was meant to be a geographical reference, but perhaps more so on a spiritual plane. Guatemala is known here as the " Soul of the Earth ". Its people are gentle, always smiling and welcoming. Even the street dogs are friendlier as had been the case in Mexico.
The Peten region is a gentle landscape with endless jungle terrain. It felt very soothing there. Another single traveler and I hiked the Biosphere of Cahui to the top, where we were rewarded with a great view of the region along with Butterflies, Spider monkeys and gigantic Grass Hoppers.
Kristen wanted to go to Semuc Champey, which was in the general direction I was planning to go to, so we departed together. I was glad to have a passenger, since I was still a little fearful of isolated Guatemalan highways. Our destination was Lanquin. At first the highway was paved for a few hours, including a barge river crossing at Sayache, over the rio de pasion. Not too long after that it changed to good unpaved road. Then not so good anymore, but still passable. We had realized at the river crossing, that the buses are not using this route. It became clear to us, why everyone had told us it was a long way, but a good road. Only we were on a different route, more directly. The map had shown pavement most of the way.
The countryside we traveled through, changed from baja Verapaz with gentle rolling terrain to alta Verapaz. Here we started to climb higher and ever deeper into mountainous rock formations, covered with fauna. The road became smaller and steeper with every curve until it was barely passable anymore for Bluebird. Eventually we climbed over the last pass and reached Bahal,which has a paved road going toward Antigua. The turnoff to Lanquin was another dirt road, winding steep up and down the mountain. By the time we reached Lanquin, I was exhausted and frustruated with myself for having put Bluebird on such treacherous terrain and risking break downs from all the rumbling. Kristen was able to catch a ride up to Semuc Champey. I stayed in Lanquin. While looking for a place, I heard a noise coming from the rear wheel. It did not sound good. The town is a cramped village, stuck to the side of a mountain, surrounded by lush green mountains. The people were very friendly. I was told there was a good, reliable mechanic in town. Not to worry. Hahhh....! That night, I was fighting with demons of my own imagination. Instead of trusting in the path ahead of me, I had side stepped it, by having someone along for the wrong reason.
I jumped on an all day tour to Semuc Champey the next morning, because I needed to clear the fog out of my mind. This village is even further up the mountain. We hiked up a mountain from there to an amazing view. Below us was a roaring river, that suddenly turned into cascading quiet pools, emerald green like the surrounding fauna. Once we had descended, it was off into the pools. The water was fresh, but not cold. Semuc Champey means ..river going underground below rocks...This explained the sudden change of the river current. We continued for a tube ride down the river below the pools, where the river emerges again. After lunch, it was off to the Caves of las Marias. WOW...! You go in barefoot in a bathing suit with a candle. There is one guide, who has a headlamp, but prefers to use his own candle only. He helped us over the difficult passages. Otherwise you are on your own, wading through the river, climbing up and down rickety ladders, squeezing through tight holes and swimming in the deep sections, while holding your candle with one hand above the water. This was just unbelievable. I was in awe and so happy to be once again inside Mother Earth. I slept really well that night. Bluebird got fixed by the mechanic the next morning for 100 Quetzals. Something had broken on the rear brake.
In my mind I saw Bluebird climbing back up that mountain to the paved road, while the mechanic was working on the bus and I realized how different I felt this morning. The drive to Coban was beautiful. We will be here for a few days, before moving on to Antigua and Lago Atitlan.

Tulum......Belize......Guatemala

July 23,2010

It is amazing to me how easy it all flows. We left Tulum on Tuesday for Bacalar Lagoon.
The plan was to leave from there early, cross the border into Belize and buy new tires for Bluebird at the Free Zone. At Bacalar someone told me not to rush, the stores there do not open until 10 am. So we took our time. I cleaned the inside of Bluebird, organized myself and enjoyed a swim in the Lagoon. On the way to Chetumal I could see dark clouds forming. By the time we got to the border, it was pouring buckets. I was once again drenched before I even left Mexico. Belize has very stringent regulations regarding pets and I knew, I did not have one required form, other then the health certificate for sky. Leave it to Sky to know what to do. He went hiding in the back of the bus, even I could not see him, neither did the custom official, who glanced briefly through my driver window. Thanks to the continued downpour, the official did not feel like searching through my bus and we were allowed to pass. Many thank you prayers followed. The Zona Libre was flooded, so I scratched the idea of new tires.
Something was also urging me on to drive through Belize and get to Guatemala.
The people of Belize were super friendly and are beautiful. I saw some exceptionally handsome men there.....but the urge to get to Guatemala was stronger. Western Belize is absolutely gorgeous and seems to be better off then what I had seen in the north of the country. We made it to the border of Guatemala by 5pm. Crossing into Guatemala was the easiest process to date and very fast. An hour later we arrived in El Remate, on the Peten Lagoon, which looked like a nice place to stay. Tikal is only about 33 km from here. I had been wondering, why I needed to arrive in Guatemala that same day. The next morning, as I prepared to visit the temples of Tikal, I noticed the date..July 22nd. Wow...now it made sense. Numbers seem to have importance when planting the Ruby seeds, or certain arrangements of the planets at times. I spent the whole day at Tikal, albeit without my camera, which I had forgotten to pack with me. The sites are spread out over large Jungle terrain. Despite a fair amount of mini buses, cars and trucks in the parking lot, there were hardly any people on the Jungle trails and only a handful of visitors at different sites. I had read about robberies and such at Tikal, which left me somewhat unsettled walking alone there at first. A prayer for help sent a lovely Mexican family from the Teotihuacan area. Along with them came a Maya lady with her three children. They had no water with them and the children were so thirsty, I shared my water. Connecting with them, laughing and talking, I forgot all about my fears. We traveled together for a while. Later, when I was alone again and fear came, I just recalled the children into my mind and all was well. The jungle was full of animals. I saw a pack of at least 20 Pizotes (coati mundi) with babies, spider monkey families, howler monkeys, gray fox, wild turkey, tucans and many other colorful birds and butterflies, along with orange hawks and voltures. Tikal is a magical place, very alive in spirit. I will probably go and visit again, maybe then I can take pictures. The day ended with a swim in Peten Lagoon. Sky got to swim too and retrieve sticks, his favorite game. I had rented a casita in El Remate, so Sky could have a cool and comfortable place while I was at the Temples.