Of Reefs and Jungles - My Trip to Belize

Belize has been a bucket list trip since college. I had classes that spoke of its conservation efforts, others that spoke of the reef, and others that used it as an example of successful ecotourism that balanced the needs of nature with the needs of the economy.  On travel lists, I often see the Blue Hole listed.  In reading about our endangered global rainforests, Belize is called out as a safer place to see them.  And let's face it, my eco-loving heart wanted to get up close and personal to some amazing sites.  Belize was a must see!

Enter Groupon teasers.  After our ride through Groupon false advertising this spring, I was a bit more cautious ... but I this time I did not just jump at a good deal, I looked up offers on many sites,  looked for commentary, and relied on 3rd party pictures.  You can't trust the reviews on Groupon itself, but after seeing outside reviews, we were ready to try again... with that, I purchased a deal for a type of vacation I have never taken before... we were to stay on a small island off the coast.  Wow, are we soooo glad we took advantage of this opportunity.

We stayed at the Yok Ha Resort, 25 miles of the coast of central Belize and Dangriga.  This meant we needed 2 planes, a shuttle and a boat... and about 8 hours of travel.  But once we got off that boat on Waterfoot Caye, all our worries washed away - the resort was adorable.  Bright Caribbean colors, conch shells accents, hibiscus flowers growing in the garden, individual bungalows, sea birds, sea stars right off the dock...  and the staff... wow, as soon as we pulled up - the drinks, the food, the service... it really was "Welcome to Paradise."  And to prove the point, that first night's dinner was lobster freshly caught from the reef!

 

 Our trip was 4 nights on the Caye and 1 night in Belize City.  I really wanted to see what Belize had to offer so I booked tours!  All different kinds of tours.  For a small country, there was a lot to see! 

On our first full day on the island, we hit the water. This was the day I was finally getting out on the Meso-American Reef.  We were going to island hop a few cayes to see the Tobacco Range and then we were snorkeling.    Our first stop was Bird Caye - and hundreds of birds.  We saw Frigates, Bobbies, Cormorants, and Pelicans.  It is Frigate mating season, so we actually got to see males all puffed out for display.  In the bird world, I like to say that the males wear the make-up, and with these guys, that red throat is better than rouge.  But getting the girl isn't enough, because once a egg is hatched, that male must guard the nest because the bobbies will steal the chick for food.  Nature can be cruel and Frigates pick on Cormorants in the air and steal their food.  It seemed that the only ones out of this cycle were the pelicans.  Brown Pelicans to be more exact.  They stayed on the outside of the island, overlooking the water, seemingly not concerned with the antics of the Frigates... honestly, what does a pelican want with a bird that can't get wet!  Pelicans are the dive-bombers of the sea!

After some quality birding, we headed into the water.  And I am still gobsmacked by the sights I saw.  I have never seen that amount of coral alive and well - Purple Fan (and regular), Elk Horn, Staghorn, Brain, Boulder, Tubes, LeafPlates,  sponges, and, yes, Fire Coral.  That is not to say that the whole reef is healthy... I have read plenty that warns those that care about what is happening to our underwater gardens...

Nurse Shark

 but in the areas I was, I did not see evidence of coral bleaching.  I also so a healthy diversity of sea life.  As I swam around, I got to hear the crunch of the Parrotfish, and watched them scatter around the reef, we saw schools of wrasse, grunts and Sargent Majors. I followed a squirrelfish or 2 trying to get a picture.  I was patient with the French Angelfish as they moved their thin bodies through the branch coral.  I saw puffers, blue tangs and triggerfish.  We spotted a ray. 

Parrotfish munching

 And then, there was the lionfish...  so many damn lionfish.  These guys may be pretty but they don't belong here.  They have no predators, and they are eating their way through the ecosystem... so while we were snorkeling, 2 others from the resort were spearfishing for lobsters (dinner), and they put the spears to good use taking a few out.  Just not enough... (please don't release your aquarium fish in the water).

Don't Forget the Caribbean/Replacement Vacation Planning

Anyone that has followed the news (really just been paying attention at all), knows that the Caribbean was decimated by Hurricanes Irma and Maria.  And when I say decimated, that is not Jersey exaggeration... island nations have been completely ripped apart.  People lost everything!  Island's environments were laid bare.  It is a tragedy of epic proportions. 


[I encourage any reader here to think about these communities and reach into their pocket.  There are so many charities, so many ways to help.  Some focus on specific islands.  Some on specific communities.  Some on specific issues. Whatever you do - HELP!]


Due to hurricane devastation, my much-anticipated trip to St Croix was cancelled.  There was no way to avoid this.  This trip was to mark the 100th anniversary of the US Virgin Islands becoming part of the United States.  I had planned a week exploring the towns, the environment- I booked a food tour, a hike, a kayak tour, a snorkeling adventure and more.  I have been planning this trip for a long time.

Yet, my loss in losing my vacation is but a frustration and inconvenience.  For those islands, this marks the start of a long journey back. They have a lot of work to do.  We must not forget them and their plight!   I will visit when they are ready.  These islands that depend on tourist jobs will need many travelers to make the decision to come back.  Until then, I will be sending assistance in various forms.  I sent money to organizations to provide immediate relief  from the Red Cross and the Humane Society to Ricky Martin's Fund for Puerto Rico, Global Giving for Puerto Rico.  I also adopted a family through http://www.adoptafamilyusvi.com/  In the box, we packed up emergency supplies like bug spray, mosquito nets, water filters, flashlights, tarps, snacks, clothes, towels, toiletries, first aid kits and more.

This was the best way I could think to help. And through various other amazon lists, you can add more to shipments... like toothbrushes and paste!  When everything is lost, everything is needed.  Dig deep people!

I will continue helping ...but I also need a vacation!  After looking at options and playing with plans in various locales... we tried the Groupon route again.  Options in the Caribbean are very limited (obviously).  But there are a few deals out there in Central America.  After looking at our last minute options, we decided on Belize! 

The more I think about it, the more excited I get.  Belize was on my wish list.  I wanted to see the tropical rain forest. I have head wonderful things about the beaches. People have told me how gorgeous the country is, and that it should be on my short list.  The idea of Belize was always out there, but I never looked into it more than that.  It was just a name on my list.  But there was Groupon, with a shiny deal that looked amazing.

But after our hotel fiasco in Mexico, I needed to do more due diligence.  I looked at the resort on-line; I read reviews on various travel sites (not just Groupon).  I priced out airfare to Belize City and then fare to Dangagria.  And then I bit the bullet.  We are headed to Belize's Yok Ha Resort for 4 nights!  I might tack on a night in Belize City too.

Where we are headed offers me the chance to headed into a Jaguar Sanctuary!  We could also see more Mayan ruins!  My camera is in for a new workout. They offer cave tubing. Kayaking. Snorkeling.  Hiking.  There is a lot to plan, but the Groupon is purchased.... fingers crossed I can use some United miles!

The plan is to head to Belize in early December.  It may not be a week in St Croix, but it is still something new... and I love exploring new places!

So, I had a Trip Booked To St Croix

The weather has been rough to the Caribbean lately... and that is putting it mildly.  So many gorgeous islands have been ripped to shreds by Hurricanes Irma and Maria. So before I go any further, I urge any reader to think about the island communities and give to any number of charities out there... there are many!


This past winter I went on a trip that afforded me opportunities to see many of these islands, some for the first time - US Virgin Island (St Thomas), British Virgin Islands (Tortola and Virgin Gorda), St Marteen, Dominica... I am grateful I got to see them - and see more than just the beach by the cruise ship.  On each, I went out into the island.  I went hiking.  I experienced their market places.  And yes, I hit the beach.   This November, I had booked myself a getaway on St Croix.  This was to be my last US territory off the east coast, my last US Virgin Island (not to say I did not want to see the islands again). This year marks the 100th anniversary of the USVI becoming part of the US.   I planned the trip for 6 days with a fantastic literary of snorkeling, kayaking, hiking, golfing, food touring and having fun/destressing. I have been looking forward to this for ages.


But Hurricane Maria had other plans. 


My trip is in disarray.  And that is small potatoes compared to what these island communities are facing.  I have been in touch with locals (from tours I had booked), making sure they are okay... news seems to be that the island is a mixed bag.  Our food tour acknowledges that things are not good in Christensted and that the locals need time to regroup.  But, our kayak tour remains hopeful that they can reopen in October.  At this time I have not heard from our hotel, but a local contact promises to go see for me.  Pictures out of the island paint a grim portrait of the state of Fredericksted. 


I don't know yet what we are going to do.  These islands need support so much will depend on the hotel, reports on safety and the flight.  I do know that everyone is being as accommodating as possible. 


If we don't go now, we will go when they are ready. 


And if you are interested, here is the name of a local USVI charity that will help with the rebuilding.  https://www.usvirecovery.org/

12 days at Sea, 5 Islands and Some Big Apple Fun

This was it, my last trip of the year and it was a HUGE one... it was going to be my longest cruise ever and it was taking me to a bunch of new places.  To say I was excited would be putting it mildly.  Things seemed to be lining up nicely; I planned a great evening out with my city friend to see the limited run of Sweet Charity, I was coming in early to squeeze in another show that day, I had a great room not too far from the train station, my train was on time and the weather was holding out... I was all set for my cruise out of New York... ummmm, cruise out of Brooklyn.  (Note to Cunard:  you should differentiate these boroughs... they are not the same place and it can take an hour to get from Manhattan to Brooklyn, just saying).

After I rolled my bags through the streets of New York for a few blocks, I quickly checked into the Element, grateful I didn't stay deeper into midtown... I was weighed down in luggage (I was going away for 2 weeks on a fancy boat and need everything), so my arms and back were relieved to find the hotel. I looked worse than Millie moving into the city, just ready for a room and the Element checked me right hours early!  Woohoo for SPG status!  After resting up and re-bundling up, I headed for TKTS not really worrying about scoring tickets to my intended show target, Holiday Inn... I had no idea the city would be this packed on a weekday ... but there I was at the booth, getting the last ticket to the show.  Phew!  I was lucky.  So, off to Studio 54 I went, to the most uncomfortable seats in all of the theatre district for anyone over 5'2".  The theater itself is gorgeous, and even had a tree in the lobby, but those seats leave no space for longer legs... I am sure the people in front of me don't appreciate my knee in their back anymore than I appreciate the tension either.  I ended up shifting and squirming through act one, hoping for intermission to stretch.  The seats even made it difficult for me to toe-tap my way through the climatic dance numbers (the whole reason I went)... if you saw the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, you know I was waiting for the jump rope garland routine... it just is not as much fun watching people dance their hearts out when your knees are killing you.  But I might just have to rewatch that routine a few dozen times to see all the tricks on each rope - there was a LOT going on! 

I had no such issues in the small Pershing Square Signature Theatre, off Broadway to see the 50th Anniversary production of Sweet Charity!  These tickets were hard to come by, and you understood why when you stepped into the tiny theatre.  We were 3rd row - you could see spit flying from the casts' mouths, you could step on the stage and dance with them... (temptation was killing me).  I make no secret that I love Sutton Foster... I think she is the greatest thing to come off Broadway in my generation.  A triple threat and she doesn't just dance, but she owns the stage. 

This production allowed us to see her charisma, mannerisms, charm, wit and flash up close. 

This small production stripped down and laid bare the hurt and humiliation Charity faces and you watched it all play across Sutton's face... you just wanted to give her a hug.  You wanted to tell her it would be okay, but you knew it wouldn't because even though "If My Friend's Could See Me Now" is funny and playful, even silliest number in the show, it showed just how desperate and sad, lonely and vulnerable Charity is.. this production just plain broke my heart in a million pieces (and ignited feminist ire as her last suitor talked about how she wasn't pure enough for him.) 

What a treat to share this intimate theater experience with a good friend and that amazing cast.    We headed off to dinner and raved to Oovina's staff about our amazing evening.  we were the only ones eating out that late on a Wednesday - we had the place to ourselves. The place was lit up to create an almost theatrical setting, with silver grape vines above our heads, purple floor lights and sleek settings.  And the food was scrumptious - we tried a little of a lot! Amazing food, amazing company, amazing last day on land! 

Cruise Day!  I scrambled to pull myself together and headed off to Brooklyn.  I was meeting friends at the terminal, so I was on my own for a while... I worked my way through the endless lines, waiting rooms and finally into the boat... when you have 2 weeks worth of clothes and 4 formal gowns (told you it was a fancy boat), you have a lot to unpack.  I wanted to settle in and get things up and out of the way before my friend and their "almost" 2 year old made it into the room.  It's a good thing I got things somewhat organized because it went crazy almost immediately.

I will say it, this was a cursed cruise.  I truly felt for the captain and crew... for the families... for my friends.  Before I get to my good stuff - let me just say that a cruise that starts with a likely death (woman overboard on night 1), a couple's so savage breakup that they defy customs and leave the ship at port never to return on 2 different islands, a fire, racist and ignorant comments, and a gang of unruly teens stealing stuff and playing pranks just might be cursed... I don't think that this is what anyway wanted on the Queen Mary 2's holiday voyage (if ever).  It was truly a horror story at times. Me, I let my Jersey Girl flag wave boldly, I was not having any of this craziness... I called out horrible people that made comments about kids, ethnicities, and classist behavior.  I was not going to tolerate being told to move because someone thought I was loud, the kid was loud or whatever else bothered their sensibilities.  It was nauseating how nasty some people could be... so I kept myself busy.  On days that we spent at sea, my friends and I played trivia, lots of trivia. We visited the planetarium (yeah, they had one on the boat).  Attended lectures from the college professors brought aboard (Caribbean history, pirates and Broadway).  I tried my hand at Bingo 3 times!  Went to almost every entertainment performance - seeing the boat performers, and special guests (including London stage star Ruthie Henshall).  We hung out on deck/at the pools where the little munchkin liked getting into the water.  (I am not mentioning the food because it was horrible).  It was a lot of relaxing time... And I was ready for the islands. 

Five Islands.  Lots to see.  And I had plans for each of them.  The first day I hit the ground running - St Maarten!  I was off on a hike, up the highest peak to see some views and a hike down.  And it rained... oh yes, it rained.  They warned us the trail was muddy and slippery... and it was.  The walking sticks provided (that I wanted to turn down),

were, in fact, handy.  I made my way to the back of the pack so I could hang back and snap some pictures... our guide could not identify many of the features we were seeing and my eyes needed time to scan.  Otherwise, I would have missed sights like the snail, the spiders and the incredible trees!  I was so busy taking pictures I did not notice that my lens cap fell off my camera's attachment, so by the time I made it down the island, I was capless and had no idea where to look.  Good thing the tour dropped me off in Phillipsburg where I was able to replace it in one of the camera shops in town. Turns out that Philipsburg was the largest Caribbean city we were visiting (until St Thomas, and even then I think its bigger than Charlotte Amalie).  There were endless stores peddling diamonds; in fact almost every island we visited peddled diamonds (it was horrible).  In  Philipsburg there was at least some diversity of shops filled with textiles, local crafts, boutiques, and liquor.  I was able to find some Larimer, my lens cap, get some food, take some pics of colorful island bungalows and the beach - a great way to cap off a wonderful hike.  This was a great start.

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas (In The Islands)

This is it!  I leave for New York in less than a day... by this time Thursday, I will be on the Queen Mary 2 for a holiday unlike any I have ever had... this year I will be spending Christmas through New Years on a cruise through the Caribbean.


I start off tomorrow running - Amtrak to NYC to the hotel to dump my bags and then off to a show.  I need some wintery weather in my holiday season, so I have my sites on the Irving Berlin musical, Holiday Inn for a matinee.  Then a friend is meeting me for dinner, some wandering around and an evening with Sutton Foster in the 50th Anniversary of Sweet Charity. 


Then Thursday, off to Brooklyn to hop on the boat!  Now - when a cruise says it is out of New York, I expect it to be out of the city.... not an hour away.  I am not looking forward to that taxi ride.  But after that it is 3 days of relaxation, 5 days of power touring, and then 3 more days of relaxation before I am back to the grind.


On tap?  First island is St Maarten where I will be hiking at Loterie Farm to get a glimpse of the island from its highest point, Pic Paradis.  The next day in Tortola, I am looking forward to seeing "one of the most unique features in the Caribbean" - Virgin Gorda.  This special island is known for huge rock formations - volcanic boulders piled on top of each other and form small grottos and pools, which contrast with the pure white sand.  The pictures should be fabulous here.  Day 3 brings me to Dominica, one of the last unspoiled islands in the Caribbean; here I will be traveling via open air 4x4 (a la Jurassic Park) to see Morne Bruce for views, wind through the mountains to Wotten Waven Sulphur Springs to see volcanic activity to the rainforest to Ti Tou Gorge.  More great photographic opportunities await on this tour.  Day 4 I take a "chill" day and hop the St Kitts Railway to watch coastline, farmland and villages roll by on this open air rail.  Our last day island hopping brings us to the only island I have visited on this itinerary, St Thomas... here I will be swimming with the sea turtles, if they show up.  I hope that the waterproof bag I have for my phone holds up (it worked great in Iceland)... I want some underwater shots and I never got myself a camera for that purpose.


Fingers crossed for good weather.  I hope to post some great shots on Instagram along the way... and I will post once I return.  Happy Holidays everyone! 

Fall and Winter Plans

I wish upon a star that I can just find a way to parlay my love of travel, life-long learning and exploration into something more....




Well, autumn has arrived!  A few leaves are starting to turn in the DC area.  I don't know if I am ready for this.

• Denver
• New Orleans
• Arkansas
• Victoria, Canada
• NYC/NJ
• Caribbean

We are well into fall, and I have already ran though a few corn mazes!  The air is crisp and I am hankering to get to an apple orchard for some fresh fall produce to cook up in my kitchen.  I recently purchased a pumpkin pie scented oil diffuser that is making my place smell like I have baked something yummy... now I need to do it!


Fall also means that I want to get out for a last bit of fresh air - I want to hit a trail and soak up the colors, feel the sun on your exposed skin and enjoy the sites and sounds of the changing of the season.  And for some reason, DC's fall is lack-luster AGAIN!  So, off I go... I had a few things planned early, and some trips will be last minute.


In October, I had a few weekend trips planned to Colorado and Louisiana to see friends and loved ones.  Short trips, but important ones since I don't get to these areas for work any more.  New Orleans is one of my favorite cities and part of my heart... I am excited that I got there before Halloween again!  And Denver is beautiful in the fall - the yellows are always spectacular.


In November, I am headed out for a big National Park visit in Arkansas - Hot Springs National Park!  This is a big one!  With the Parks Centennial, I made an effort to get to a few new (to me) parks and park units, and an Arkansas   weekend gives me a chance to see Hot Springs and Little Rock High School Historic Site.  And then will flip around to Seattle to visit the best friend for her Birthday celebration, where we mark the occasion in Victoria Canada.  She runs an amazing web site called What's up Northwest, and with her connections, we will have an epic weekend! 


In December, I have am trying to find time to visit Florida again (we will see if I can get this to work)... and I will return to NYC!  I will be headed to Broadway to see my fav, Sutton Foster in Sweet Charity with my good friend before I embark on a 12 day Caribbean trip on the Queen Mary 2.  I may not have been on the New Kids on the Block cruise this year nor did I get to my final state, Hawaii, but this cruise may just make up for that... this cruise will stop by a few new places for me - including St Kitts, St Marteen, Tortola, and Dominica as well as a return trip to St Thomas (I have not been there since my 30th birthday).

Time To Start Planning

I bought my first plane ticket of the year this week. It is not to Hawaii (the place I must get to this year) and it is not somewhere in the Caribbean (the place I am trying to convince my boyfriend to join me for a weekend getaway), instead, I booked a trip to Phoenix, Arizona.

Yeah, I know, I have been there several times. But, there are over 21 main national park units in that state. I have only been to 6 of them, and in reality, I need to spend more time at the Grand Canyon. My trips to Arizona have been scattered- I have visited the south eastern section the most, with multiple visits to Tucson and Saguaro National Park. I have stopped off to see Case Grande ruins while driving between Phoenix and Tucson, and driven out to the Chiricahua's to escape the heat during a heat wave of over 120 (where I went for a hike in 90+degree temps). I have been up to Flagstaff and saw a crater. I have detoured for the Petrified Forest, on a road trip based primiliarly in New Mexico. And I have visited the Pipe Organ Cactus but missed the visitor center. And yes, there is more to do in Arizona then parks - I have spa'ed it, spent some time in Scottsdale's old town, seen historic towns (Tombstone), visited art towns (Bisbee, Sedona and Tubec) and shopped all around. Still, I feel Arizona is incomplete... and a United sale was a good reason to head back.

Knowing I will have a few big trips this year, this could not be a long trip, so as much as I still yearn to make it up to Canyon de Chelly, I can't this time around. I will have to stay in and around Phoenix and Tucson again - That is not a problem since there seems to be some great cliff dwellings at Montezuma Castle only a few hours north on the city. To date, the only Native American cliff dwellings I have visited on my travels have been at Mesa Verde (CO) and Bandelier (NM). Both were beautiful. I would love to see more. These sites leave you with distinct impressions of what life was like for these communities - its an amazing experience. And a few hours south of the city, I hope to visit Coronado and get in a good first hike to start the year taking in the expansive views of Sonora, Mexico and the San Pedro River and San Rafael Valleys.

Of course, this is just hopeful planning right now - I have to map it all out to make sure it is doable in my time there. As much as people think I rush through these trips - I don't. The Griswolds, I am not. My camera and I need this time away from the computer to just soak nature in. I need to stretch my legs from the constant sitting at work. And its hard to deny the lure of the SW in the middle of an east coast winter (even if it only hit this week).

Of course, I love connecting with friends I have all over... and here, I have 2 friends in the Phoenix area. It would be great to see them too! So, Paige and Megan - head's up! If I plan this right, maybe we can head to the spa.