Wednesday 18th
Maggie and I took a bus, which we were told was airconditioned but wasn't and which left about an hour later than we expected, to Flores, a couple of hours west of the Belize-Guatemala border. On the bus I met again a Canadian volunteer who's been in Honduras, who I'd met on Caye Caulker and who was also heading to Flores.
Border control passed without event, and not much was immediately different on the far side except having to speak in Spanish and pay in Quetzales. As we drove along I did think that the countryside was very different to what I am used to in Belize; there were many humpbacked cattle grazing by ponds and streams, and green hills. However, in retrospect, there is a fair amount of this in the west of Belize, it's just that I normally fall asleep in the passenger seat and don't notice it!!!
We arrived in Flores, an island jutting onto Lago de Peten Itza and joined to the mainland by a causeway, early afternoon, and spent the afternoon soaking up the uberly European traveller vibe, sorting out accomodations and our tour for the following day, and admiring lights reflected on the lake.
Thursday 19th
Rose early and admired sunrise over the lake. Our tour to Tikal, a large Mayan site in northern Guatemala, left at 8, and the journey there took just under an hour, plus an extended stop to shop! Walking around Tikal proved quite exhausting in the heat, not to mention climbing up three pyramids, the tallest of them 77m high I believe. However, we were rewarded with excellent views across the forest canopy, and sightings of tarantula, toucan, spider monkey, ocellated turkey, and a squirrel/monkey like creature I've forgotten the name of which pinched someone's much-needed biscuits and spent a long tim enjoying them, just out of reach (and out of sight of cameras, too). By 2pm when the tour ended we were quite ready for a lunch of meat, rice (but not a belizean portion, it was tiny!) and the torrential downpour which accompanied it. We also admired at length some rather spectacular black and yellow caterpillars, nearly a handspan in length, which were massed in a tree near our table.
Friday 20th
As well as making our way to the market in Santa Elena on a tuk-tuk (three wheeled cab thing), lots of looking for souvenirs and nibbling on fruit and less healthy snacks, we took a boattrip on the lake for about an hour, including a stop off to climb to a vantage point over Flores. We were brought back in the face of dark brooding clouds which waited to release their load until we were safely on dry land, although we had been silly enough to climb the short distance to the church and so got rather wet on the way back. (Flores is tiny, however). Also managed to hear a little bit of beautiful marimba music.
Saturday 21st
Headed back to Belize on another not-so-comfortable bus. Spent my evening first at a young adults social at Wesley and then at the JVIs' (Jesuit Volunteers International)'s BBQ, which was a nice party with fairy lights and EVERYTHING. Once again I tried to dance and once again I made a lot of Belizeans laugh. And Americans, for that matter.
Tuesday, 31 August 2010
Wednesday, 18 August 2010
holiday time
Hi! I now have two weeks holiday and I thought you might like to hear about it so I'm gonna do brief journal type entries
Mon 16th
Headed to caye caulker on the early water taxi, taking about 40minutes. Checked into a neat little hostel and spent some time chatting to other people staying there, having some breakfast and reminding myself how nice the place is by taking a stroll. Not fancying snorkelling again I was wondering about trying out a watersport- windsurfing, kitesurfing, kayaking or sailing- and had lessons for sailing recommended, so popped to talk to the guy recommended. after rain delays and too-little-wind delays, we got rigged up in a little 'splash' for my lessons. Two and a half hours eventful hours later (including five capsisions, several near heart attacks (for my instructor) and near concussions (for me), a lost and recovered hat, one near miss with a wharf, a scraped arm, and me accidentally going off south and away from civilisation-and my floating instructor- at great speed after one of the capsisions before I managed to turn around again) I decided
1) I need to go to the gym so that when I capsise boats I can easily right them again
2) To revere Ben Ainslie far more than I have done previously, which was already quite a lot
3) that I was wise to try the sport out first in the Caribbean, not in chilly England.
After that rather tiring session (I was assured I wasn't too atrocious for a first time sailer and told to come back tomorrow so I could practice more) I resorted to more relaxed activities of sunset watching, walking, eating, drinking, chatting, dancing, stargazing, and shooting star 'ooo'ing until 3am.
Tues 17th
After going to bed with the prayer and the fervent resolution 'i will get up for sunrise', but no alarm clock set, woke at 4:52, and got outside to see darkness except one thin slither of lit up cloud. For the next hour I watched: the sky lighten and pinken and reveal a magnificent cloudscape, with towering, menacing cumulonimbus set beside light, peaceful cirrus set in the palest blue, all above darkened strings of cumulus on the horizon. Then came the golden tinging of clouds as the sun itself graced the morning with its presence, in a hurry strangely at odds with the laid back atmosphere of the cayes. Rays of light in what I like to call an 'Ascension Sunshine' beamed down once the sun had risen, and I wandered back to my bed, the myriad of reflected colours now gone from the waves and replaced with welldefined patches of azure, deep blue and sky blue.
Back in bed by six, I couldn't however sleep, so the day then passed in reading, conversing, lying on a mattress outside in blissful laziness, eating, and a swim across the split (which didn't try to kill me with evil currents this time.) I was too sleepy either to sail again or to go on a bird-watching crocodile-seeking kayak north.
Mon 16th
Headed to caye caulker on the early water taxi, taking about 40minutes. Checked into a neat little hostel and spent some time chatting to other people staying there, having some breakfast and reminding myself how nice the place is by taking a stroll. Not fancying snorkelling again I was wondering about trying out a watersport- windsurfing, kitesurfing, kayaking or sailing- and had lessons for sailing recommended, so popped to talk to the guy recommended. after rain delays and too-little-wind delays, we got rigged up in a little 'splash' for my lessons. Two and a half hours eventful hours later (including five capsisions, several near heart attacks (for my instructor) and near concussions (for me), a lost and recovered hat, one near miss with a wharf, a scraped arm, and me accidentally going off south and away from civilisation-and my floating instructor- at great speed after one of the capsisions before I managed to turn around again) I decided
1) I need to go to the gym so that when I capsise boats I can easily right them again
2) To revere Ben Ainslie far more than I have done previously, which was already quite a lot
3) that I was wise to try the sport out first in the Caribbean, not in chilly England.
After that rather tiring session (I was assured I wasn't too atrocious for a first time sailer and told to come back tomorrow so I could practice more) I resorted to more relaxed activities of sunset watching, walking, eating, drinking, chatting, dancing, stargazing, and shooting star 'ooo'ing until 3am.
Tues 17th
After going to bed with the prayer and the fervent resolution 'i will get up for sunrise', but no alarm clock set, woke at 4:52, and got outside to see darkness except one thin slither of lit up cloud. For the next hour I watched: the sky lighten and pinken and reveal a magnificent cloudscape, with towering, menacing cumulonimbus set beside light, peaceful cirrus set in the palest blue, all above darkened strings of cumulus on the horizon. Then came the golden tinging of clouds as the sun itself graced the morning with its presence, in a hurry strangely at odds with the laid back atmosphere of the cayes. Rays of light in what I like to call an 'Ascension Sunshine' beamed down once the sun had risen, and I wandered back to my bed, the myriad of reflected colours now gone from the waves and replaced with welldefined patches of azure, deep blue and sky blue.
Back in bed by six, I couldn't however sleep, so the day then passed in reading, conversing, lying on a mattress outside in blissful laziness, eating, and a swim across the split (which didn't try to kill me with evil currents this time.) I was too sleepy either to sail again or to go on a bird-watching crocodile-seeking kayak north.
Monday, 16 August 2010
FYAHHHH and prayer requests
Just a quick one;
First, the delegates from the youth encuentro youth conference in Trinidad and Tobago just got back and are bringing the Encuentro FYAH, the Jesus FYAH with them. Went to a fab service this morning- the first of many I believe- at which they gave their testimonies on the week AND got us singing and dancing! which is sometimes harder than you'd think given stereotypes of Caribbean congregations as jumping dancing waving. But we got there. Really inspiring, a reminder that we need to recommit every day.
Second, on a much sadder note but still connected to the subject of this need for commitment, the congregations here have had many blows recently in news of the sudden and untimely deaths of many known to us, and the illness of others. Yesterday we had a funeral for a 22yr old girl dead from meningitis. Without naming any individuals, I hope your prayers will be with her family and all those who have to face our mortality in such painful ways. Violence also continues to claim lives here in Belize City, and I heard just today of the first such death of someone I knew. We pray for sense in the senseless!
All reminders to love and cherish and value each day and each person in our path. Which is easy to say and hard to do. but, on a lighter, related note, I am off on holiday to enjoy the life and the creation we've all been given for a few weeks (not that I don't do this when I'm not on holiday, too, but this is different!)
(Home in a month :-) )
First, the delegates from the youth encuentro youth conference in Trinidad and Tobago just got back and are bringing the Encuentro FYAH, the Jesus FYAH with them. Went to a fab service this morning- the first of many I believe- at which they gave their testimonies on the week AND got us singing and dancing! which is sometimes harder than you'd think given stereotypes of Caribbean congregations as jumping dancing waving. But we got there. Really inspiring, a reminder that we need to recommit every day.
Second, on a much sadder note but still connected to the subject of this need for commitment, the congregations here have had many blows recently in news of the sudden and untimely deaths of many known to us, and the illness of others. Yesterday we had a funeral for a 22yr old girl dead from meningitis. Without naming any individuals, I hope your prayers will be with her family and all those who have to face our mortality in such painful ways. Violence also continues to claim lives here in Belize City, and I heard just today of the first such death of someone I knew. We pray for sense in the senseless!
All reminders to love and cherish and value each day and each person in our path. Which is easy to say and hard to do. but, on a lighter, related note, I am off on holiday to enjoy the life and the creation we've all been given for a few weeks (not that I don't do this when I'm not on holiday, too, but this is different!)
(Home in a month :-) )
Sunday, 1 August 2010
July
Hi all! Well, July has just drawn to a close, and with it my planned work, although I'm still going to be doing some bits and bobs, just not exactly sure what at present. Mostly I spent July helping with Vacation Bible Schools (VBS); one was at Ebenezer Methodist Church and School and run by the church, and two were at Wesley Lower School, run by teams with help from teachers and church members here at Wesley. My role for the first two seemed to be jumping around a lot teaching songs and actions; the first theme was 'Galactic Blast' and the Second was 'Camp E.D.G.E' (Experience and Discover God Everywhere). The fact that I have had a cold for most of the time probably meant that said jumping around and shouting/singing was not the wisest thing in the world, but I haven't collapsed yet so all is well. For the third VBS I got to move through various activities with a bunch of kids instead (we had over 100 all told by the last day) so got some relief, but there was still singing involved, and I spent the afternoon painting Wesley Lower School so I'm sure the paint fumes didn't help much either. I woke this morning with neither my left ear nor my right eye fully functional but things seem better now. The VBSs were generally a lot of good fun, the kids get to make some really neat crafts, learn songs, hear/experience Bible stories (I say experience because they are interactive and one made use of a water pistol), play games...and eat some snacks. Always a good thing!
On paint removal
As mentioned above I did a spot of painting when the final team was in (from Baytown, Texas). Now, having never used a roller before it was perhaps inevitable that not all the paint ended up on the wall...and despite one of the team volunteering to be 'rag lady' and run around cleaning up the mess we made, the large yellow splodge that ended up on my trousers when I trod in a tray was pretty much irretrievable...
UNTIL...
I used the magic of google to discover that a toothbrush and 70% alcohol can go a long way towards saving Alison's trousers. Not all the way, alas, but now they just look like an old pair of trousers and not the victims of an explosion in a paint factory. They even got out most of the oil based ceiling primer that somehow ended up all over my right knee...
On Americanisation
I find it ironic that as well as learning about Belizean culture I've learnt a lot about the US; a combined effect of the teams that I've spent time with and made friends with, the Jesuit Volunteers whose house I crash occasionally (and vice versa), and the general popularity of American TV, music and film. (Though the only American 'franchise' in Belize is Subway, in other ways American culture is quite pervasive). In the last fortnight I have watched The Simpsons movie (yey), and Footloose (WOWEE), and since I've been here I've watched more American shows, including the news, than ever before (though still not a huge amount.) Not to mention now knowing a little about basketball (a very little.) Anyway, there's a really nice little art gallery and coffee shop down my road which I try and avoid going into because it's the height of temptation and the lovely lady who works there is very good at trying to persuade me I need a plateful of calorific ambrosia (not the rice pudding, just the Food of the Goods, in this case containing gooey centred chocolate cake and icecream). It's Belizean so it doesn't belong in this bit, except that they have a talent evening once a month, and we went the other night, and it felt very much like an artsy studenty thing back home (aforementioned chocolatey goodness and acoustic guitars rather than soursop icecream and garifuna drumming. There was lots of Belizean poetry too. It was very good.).
On BOATS
Don't worry, not rowing boats! I went on a boat trip to the Mayan ruins at Lamanai yesterday, ruins which apparently have evidence that the Mayan civilisation arose from Mongols (I don't give full credit to any theory I hear about the Mayan, I am happy to find them fascinating and be done.) Anyway, though the ruins were impressive, I was far more excited by the (motorised) boat trip, on which we saw various birds, BIG grasshoppers and the blue morph butterfly (alas neither my camera nor I is up to far off photography of moving objects) and which took us swerving at some speed down a wide and windy tropical river. Alas we didn't see crocodiles, manatees or sea otters (unsurprisingly) but I did enjoy myself exceptionally.
Anyway, in summary have had a wonderful month, with all new friends both Belizean and American, only hope August is as fabulous! Sorry for lack of photos, I'll try and filter some to post shortly.
On paint removal
As mentioned above I did a spot of painting when the final team was in (from Baytown, Texas). Now, having never used a roller before it was perhaps inevitable that not all the paint ended up on the wall...and despite one of the team volunteering to be 'rag lady' and run around cleaning up the mess we made, the large yellow splodge that ended up on my trousers when I trod in a tray was pretty much irretrievable...
UNTIL...
I used the magic of google to discover that a toothbrush and 70% alcohol can go a long way towards saving Alison's trousers. Not all the way, alas, but now they just look like an old pair of trousers and not the victims of an explosion in a paint factory. They even got out most of the oil based ceiling primer that somehow ended up all over my right knee...
On Americanisation
I find it ironic that as well as learning about Belizean culture I've learnt a lot about the US; a combined effect of the teams that I've spent time with and made friends with, the Jesuit Volunteers whose house I crash occasionally (and vice versa), and the general popularity of American TV, music and film. (Though the only American 'franchise' in Belize is Subway, in other ways American culture is quite pervasive). In the last fortnight I have watched The Simpsons movie (yey), and Footloose (WOWEE), and since I've been here I've watched more American shows, including the news, than ever before (though still not a huge amount.) Not to mention now knowing a little about basketball (a very little.) Anyway, there's a really nice little art gallery and coffee shop down my road which I try and avoid going into because it's the height of temptation and the lovely lady who works there is very good at trying to persuade me I need a plateful of calorific ambrosia (not the rice pudding, just the Food of the Goods, in this case containing gooey centred chocolate cake and icecream). It's Belizean so it doesn't belong in this bit, except that they have a talent evening once a month, and we went the other night, and it felt very much like an artsy studenty thing back home (aforementioned chocolatey goodness and acoustic guitars rather than soursop icecream and garifuna drumming. There was lots of Belizean poetry too. It was very good.).
On BOATS
Don't worry, not rowing boats! I went on a boat trip to the Mayan ruins at Lamanai yesterday, ruins which apparently have evidence that the Mayan civilisation arose from Mongols (I don't give full credit to any theory I hear about the Mayan, I am happy to find them fascinating and be done.) Anyway, though the ruins were impressive, I was far more excited by the (motorised) boat trip, on which we saw various birds, BIG grasshoppers and the blue morph butterfly (alas neither my camera nor I is up to far off photography of moving objects) and which took us swerving at some speed down a wide and windy tropical river. Alas we didn't see crocodiles, manatees or sea otters (unsurprisingly) but I did enjoy myself exceptionally.
Anyway, in summary have had a wonderful month, with all new friends both Belizean and American, only hope August is as fabulous! Sorry for lack of photos, I'll try and filter some to post shortly.
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