Central America

Central America Pics and Vids

2010-02-08T18:41:00.000-08:00

Videos are located HERE.

Cayman Island Pics

Honduras Pics

Belize Pictures

Mayan Ruins of Tulum

The cruise ship Carnival Valor

The Port of Miami

Towels

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All Moobed Out

2010-02-08T16:13:00.000-08:00

While traveling by cruise ship is not my first inclination, it is a gift that I am very grateful to have received. I can also see a lot of upside to this popular form of travel.

I was able to visit four countries in a relatively short period while traveling in the greatest of comfort. No pouring over bus or train schedules, having to book hotels on the fly, or hunting down a decent place to eat. In addition the wide array of shore excursions offers a myriad of experiences catering to a range of tastes and capabilities. Or ditch the excursions and head out on your own.

Two pices of advice, however. Firstly, do not take as gospel the recommendations of the cruise line regarding what to do and where to shop. The cruise line has a financial interest in steering you in a certain direction, while gently implying that bad things could happen if you don't follow their advice.

Secondly, if you're going to hang out by the pool, be prepared to be exposed to a lot of aging flab that should not be jiggling unfettered. Sometimes a little modesty is a good thing when it comes to those of us who are over forty and hanging around beaches and pools. Just sayin'.

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Cayman Sanctuary

2010-02-07T03:14:00.000-08:00

I have taken video from many different types of conveyances this year, but most were in common usage. So, here is some video from a very uncommon type of conveyance, a submarine. This footage was taken in the Cayman Islands aboard a submarine hovering over a choral reef.

Most of us are aware that the planet's choral reefs are under siege, but if you would like to learn more click here
I can only say that this state of affairs saddens me, and being down there was like being in a sacred place. I hope you enjoy the video.

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Am I Ruined For Ruins?

2010-02-06T12:47:00.000-08:00

Located on the Mayan Riviera, the ruins of Tulum offer spectacular insights into ancient Mayan culture. The trip was greatly enhanced by the passion of our guide, Lily, whose knowledge and love of the Mayan people was clearly conveyed.

Make no mistake, the Mayans were well ahead of the pack, figuring out that the earth revolved around the sun five hundred years before Galileo. They built an empire that stretched from Chile to Mexico, no small feat.

Perhaps the magnificence of Angkor Wat has spoiled me, but the ruins of Tulum do not compare with the temples around Siem Reap, Cambodia. Perhaps I should cut the Mayans some slack as Tulum is about seven hundred years older than Angkor Wat and company. A lot can happen in seven centuries.

Having said that, Tulum is a very magical place, but the surrounding area of Playa del Carmen is not. The surrounding area is little more than a vacuous hodgepodge of pointless resorts, big box retail, souvenir hawkers; a mismanaged blight upon the landscape.

The beaches are gorgeous and the ruins are awesome, but the rest of it is as visually bankrupt as any other North American suburb. By all means go, but do yourself and get out as soon as possible.

More photos of Tulum are here.

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Seeing Is Belize - ing

2010-02-06T02:17:00.000-08:00

As I disembark the shuttle boat dispatched from the cruise ship I am met by the by now familiar and requisite overpriced tourist crap. As I stand in line mine eye spies an exception. Apparently Belize is a great place to go for cheap pharmaceuticals, sans doctors note.

Pasted on the window is a list of discount drugs that would make Honest Ed blush. Opiates, anti depressants and aphrodisiacs are all on offer. I could live here like Michael Jackson on a budget. Just buy me a drool bib and I'd be set up.

Fortunately, prescription drugs have never been my thing, so I proceed on to my excursion. The itinerary consists of a jungle and cave tour, a four wheel drive expedition, and a riverboat ride.

I must admit that the word cave tour conjurs up a twinge of regret, as I recall my camera batteries dying as I entered the unforgettable caves at Halong Bay, Vietnam.

As our four wheel drive bus snakes its way through Belize City, I can see that this place is still real, not yet ruined by corporate tourism. I lament that I do not have more time here, but such is the nature of traveling by cruise ship.

My cave tour is fine, but these caves do not remotely compare with Halong Bay. I am also informed that Belize has other caves that are far more spectacular, so if you are going to Belize do some research first.

Nevertheless, the cave tour is wonderful, and it is only one leg of my excursion. Next we go on a four wheel drive jaunt through the jungle, followed by a speedboat ride down the river that would make Mr. Kurtz jealous.

Indeed, seeing is Belize - ing and Belize is a place I would love to return to before it gets ruined by people like me.

More pictures of Belize can be found here.

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Downtown!, everythings waiting for you

2010-02-05T02:38:00.000-08:00

The ship is anchored in a small bay, and I am amazed by the ability of this massive beast to dock in water that looks incredibly shallow. I have no excursion booked in Honduras, so my time is my own. I venture out into Mahogany Bay, only to find a pre - fab community of retail outlets, built exclusively to pander to people like me. Yuk.

Nonetheless, the beaches are beautiful, the water sparkles and the two wrecked ships decaying in the harbour are works of art in progress. The locale is undeniably spectacular, but I don't want to sit on a beach or pay overpriced amounts for crap I don't need.

After a lovely stroll around the controlled environment, I venture past the security gates. Its hot and I walk up steep hills. A few people offer to sell me various types of "mood management products". I decline.

Cabbies pass by and offer me a ride into town. The truth is, I didn't know that there was a town, and it struck me that the cruise lines are playing us by trying to manipulate our behaviour while in port. From obscuring possibilities to issuing outright warnings that places are "dangerous", from recommended excursions to a list of stores that we should all shop in the cruise line works hard to manage the actions of its guests while offshore, mostly for economic reasons .

Today I want to feel like a traveler instead of a tourist and now that the existence of a town has been confirmed, I make a deal with the next passing cab and off we go into town.

I think the town was known as Silver Bay, but I could be wrong. Nonetheless, it is undeniably real, spectacularly beautiful and as safe as a mothers arms. I lunch on iguana (hey it was on special) and stroll through the beachside streets. There are lots of tourists here, but there is also an air of authenticity.

I am so thankful that I went past the barriers of pseudo tourism to have an organic experience. Isla Roatan, Honduras is a beautiful place, even if you don't venture past the gates. If you get the chance; go.

You can see a bunch of Honduras pictures here

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Here is a video of me racing back to the cruise ship before it departs.

Casino Royale

2010-02-04T00:34:00.000-08:00

The other day while I was walking through the ships casino, I saw a man slumped in front of a slot machine, the picture of despair. I can only conjecture that he had lost a lot of money and ruined his vacation.

And tonight as I sat at the casino bar I was joined by a lady named Cynthia. Cynthia was mad. She had just lost $300US playing the slots, and had blown her vacation.

She was angry at Carnival and she was angry at the bartenders; but mostly she was angry at herself, though she refused to admit it.

I am not personally averse to gambling, but there is no dumber form of gambling than playing slot machines on a cruise ship.

I guess some people just can't help themselves as they turn their dream vacation into a nightmare of gambling losses.

Good luck next time Cynthia!

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Peeping With The Fishes

2010-01-27T14:35:00.000-08:00

As I wake up to day three of this cruise, I immediately notice that the by now familiar rocking of the ship has ceased. That can only mean one thing, we have arrived in George Town, Grand Cayman, our first port of call. I step out onto my balcony to the majestic sight of four other cruise ships anchored in the harbour, a veritable armada of gluttony.

I hop on a shuttle boat and head into George Town, the capital city. George Town is as touristy as it gets, replete with a Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville and Hard Rock Cafe. Its enough to make me gag, but I did not come here to hang out with the parrotheads.

The emerald green and deep blues of the water are as breathtaking as the beautiful beaches, and my purpose here is decidedly liquid in nature.

I've booked a tour on a submarine that will take me down one hundred feet below the surface to a coral reef.

There are three Cayman Islands: Grand Cayman, Little Cayman and Cayman Brac. The islands are actually the peaks of an underwater mountain range, and the choral reef is actually located near the top of the mountain range.

As luck would have it I have the best seat in the house. Each of us has our own porthole, but I am also seated directly behind the "driver" (pilot?), so I can also look out through the "windshield".

As we descend I am awed by the blueness that surrounds us and the underwater moonscape before me. The Sea of Tranquility may be on the moon, but this place invokes that term.

The beautiful shapes of the gently swaying choral and the serene movement of the various fish immediately elevates my conciusness to a deeper plane. The gentle rhythm of this magical place is transcendant and I am deeply moved.

I could stay here for days marveling at the beauty before me and the sense of peace it exudes.

We would be warm

Below the storm

In our little hideaway

Beneath the waves

What a privelige to have such a rareified experience. You can see more pictures of the Cayman Islands here

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Sea Me

2010-01-27T14:14:00.000-08:00

Did you ever break up with someone and later had a twinge of regret about it? Its kind of like that with me and the ocean. Having grown up in Vancouver, Canada, one of the things that I missed most when I moved to Toronto was not being near the ocean. Although Toronto does sit on the shores of Lake Ontario, the city is an absolute disgrace in terms of weaving its best geographical feature into the urban fabric.

Even after living in Vancouver for many years I would still have jaw dropping moments as I walked to work across the Burrard Bridge, humbled by the beauty of the suns reflection off the shimmering inlet, the city dwarfed by towering evergreens and majestic mountains.

If the earth is a body, then its oceans are its lifeblood, the tides its defining rhythm, and for much of the world, its creatures a crucial source of sustenance.

The privelige of sailing upon her feels like a chance meeting with a long lost lover who is even more beautiful, graceful, and sensual than the day we first met.

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All Aboard

2010-01-27T13:55:00.000-08:00

Its nine in the morning and I'm sitting at a bar in a casino on the Carnival cruise ship Valor, heading towards the Cayman Islands. While I have been known to gamble and drink, it is too early in the morning, even by my questionable standards.

I'm actually here to satiate my nicotine habit, as smoking is permitted in this den of eniquity. The endless clanging and beeping of the slot machines envelope me, but it is a small price to pay for the luxury of having a cigarette with my morning coffee.

Ghana introduced me to the vibrancy of West African culture and Indochina revealed to me the complexities of life in Asia. I suppose this particular venture is an opportunity to learn about the travel habits of the middle class North American tourist.

While I am surrounded by an ocean of blue, onboard it is a sea of white as far as the eye can see. The only multicultural aspect is to be found among the kind people who are catering to us. These are my peeps, I guess.

Our affable cruise director, "Big Tex" makes announcements over the PA (known as Tex messages), imploring us to consume, though I had to draw the line when he declared that not dining in the ship's steakhouse was akin to going to Egypt and not seeing the pyramids. I haven't been to Egypt yet, but I gravely doubt the aptness of his analogy.

Nonetheless, it seems that consumption is one of the things that we North Americans do best, so I may as well go with the flow. Now if you'll excuse me, I think I need another cigarette.

you can see more images from the cruise ship here

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I'm Telling My Mom!

2010-01-23T01:39:00.000-08:00

Image via Wikipedia

One of the requests that was made of me prior to embarking on this trip was that I bring a nice suit. The request was made at the behest of my Mom and Stepfather, so that we could meet the dress code required to have dinner in the formal dining room on the cruise.

A perfectly reasonable request, especially considering I am not paying for the pleasure of the journey. And in full disclosure, I am not even paying for the suit. And yes, I am very blessed.

Besides, I should probably own a nice conservative suit. I am getting to that age where funerals are becoming more common. Personally I'd like to have an open casket for myself, so a suit might come in handy. Just make sure you pluck my ear hair first.

As I told The Siren my story she asked "where are you going, Moore's?." Nah, I'm going to International Clothiers.

So a few days prior to the trip, I head out to the Eaton Centre, in search of International Clothiers, a local chain known for cheap suits that look good once or twice. As I head out to the subway I lament a lost opportunity.

Prior to leaving for Asia, I ran into a bartender who had spent a couple of months in Vietnam. I asked him if he had any advice. Among his many tips the most adamant was go to Hoi Ann and buy a suit. His exact quote was " Dude, for two hundred bucks I got two made to measure Armani suits, eight shirts, and two ties, ya gotta go there!"

In the brisk Toronto morning, I deeply lament my ability to ignore sage advice from those who have gone before, but we must live in the present and move forward, which brings me to the sad realisation that International Clothiers no longer inhabits the Eaton Centre.

Fortunately, thanks to The Siren, I had a look see at Moores online and knew that there was a location about four blocks away. I head out into the crispness and arrive with ears burning..

The staff is exemplary, and I am clear about my parameters. I am in and out with a nice suit in about twenty minutes, including measurements. An agreement is made that I will pick up the suit on Friday, the day prior to departure.

On Friday my phone rings. The voice on the other end is Carolina from Moores. It seems that their Master Tailor has noticed a hole in my suit during the course of his alterations and they don't have any replacements. At this point, I don't really have a choice.

I accept the suit as is, with a promise that the jacket is going to be replaced upon my return. Make no mistake, I only bought this suit for this trip, and its going to have a hole in it. So much for trying to appear dignified in front of my family. I only take this as further proof that The Big Electron (may peace be upon it) does not want me to wear a suit.

As for the good folks at Moore's, you were very kind and apologetic and I understand that this was a glitch, but you might want to check for holes before you put any product on display.

I am not going to sue, I'm going to do worse. I'm telling my Mom on you. I guess I'm just not suited for this.

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The Journey Home

2010-01-22T03:10:00.000-08:00

Image by comecloser via Flickr

I was going to write this post in a few weeks, but I felt like getting this out now.

Tomorrow I will be flying to Miami, where I will join my family for a cruise to The Cayman Islands, Belize, Honduras and Mexico.

This will be the culmination of being in twelve countries and it represents an opportunity to travel in a way that is very different than my recent escapades. I am sure that my jaw will drop at the sheer magnitude of the ship and that I will have amazing experiences in each country.

But the biggest opportunity is far more simple and precious to me. I have had a lot of incredible experiences in the last twelve months, but the most incredible will be spending some time with my family. Travel is great, but some things in life are greater.

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Traveler vs. Tourist

2010-01-09T02:21:00.001-08:00

Image via Wikipedia

I don't plan trips, I plot them. Basically I find a route I want to take and research the hell out of it, but I don't make any firm commitments other than flight and a one night hotel booking. Some people don't like to travel this way. They prefer to have the entire route planned out, and each day scheduled. And thats fine if it works for you, but it leaves me feeling constrained, as if the journey is nothing more than a series of commitments that must be met.

Speaking of feeling constrained, I am lucky enough to be going on a cruise. It is a family event and I am deeply grateful for the opportunity, but the contrast between this traveling experience and my other trips is glaring.

It used to be that being a tourist was easier than being a traveler, but this cruise has shown me that the opposite may now be true. In order to travel on this cruise, Carnival/Homeland Security demanded the following information from me in detail.

The flight details from Toronto to Miami
Where I'm staying in Miami
Where I am staying after I have left the ship
My flight details home

For much of the world, travel is still a fairly simple business. You buy a ticket, you prove who you are, you go to the airport/trainstation/dock you prove who you are and you get on the appropriate conveyance. Not so on a cruise from the U.S.

It took at least half an hour to print the ticket for the cruise, including setting up an account and providing a level of information that amounted to a digital strip search
I had to print vouchers for both flights
hotel vouchers for both nights
baggage tags for the cruise

I know that this whine has a very first world whiff to it, but there is no other place where we have fewer rights or power than when we get on a plane, and especially an international flight to the U.S. I hope that Americas love affair with fear and paranoia will end soon, but I understand why it probably won't.

What I don't understand is why the level of customer service is so appallingly low in the tourism industry. Why is the onus on me to print my own baggage tags? Aren't we paying you?

I love America and I love the American people. Without exception they have never been anything but kind and generous in my experience. I'm just a little sad that their government is making it so arduous to enjoy the experience that is the United States.

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New Orleans

2009-06-19T19:46:00.000-07:00

I came across these pics the other day, from a trip that I took to New Orleans in 2002, pre Katrina. I had been thinking about this trip recently, and it was part of an odd triangle between Ghana, New Orleans and Canada and how all these places having relationships around the trans Atlantic slave trade. It began in Ghana and flourished in the southern United States (among many other places) and Canada was the last stop on the Underground Railroad.

It should also be noted that their were slaves in Canada until it was abolished by the British Empire, which happened prior to the Abolition Act in the United States. Anyway, before I launch into a very shoddy historical review, I just wanted to note the historical relationship between these three places in the cycle of slavery.

Perhaps it was my imagination, but I did get the sense that New Orleans had more racial tension than Toronto did. I felt a real vibe that the long term ramifications were still playing themselves out. To borrow a phrase, I got the distinct sense that their were "two solitudes" in this city.

This became abundantly clear to me in a bar in The French Quarter, as I made a rookie error that only the dumbest traveler makes. In this case I learned my lesson at a very cheap price. In some places, the same naivete can get you killed.

In the late afternoon I am quaffing a pint while reading the local paper, the awesomely named Times - Picayune. I have no idea what a picayune is, but it is fun to say. Anyway the 5pm news comes on and because I am very up to date with my Times Picayune ( its even fun to write!) I feel very well informed to comment on the top story of the day.

The top story of the day was that the recently elected mayor was cracking down on corruption at city hall. By far, New Orleans is percieved to be the most corrupt city in North America. I thought it was a good thing that the mayor was trying to clean house. The thing was that the mayor was black and the top level city execs being hauled out of their city hall offices were white, as were the people sitting around the bar with me that day.

Lets just say that I represented the minority opinion. I realised I should shut my mouth just as the bartender quelled a potential incident with a few deft words. I returned to my Times Picayune, but this time decided I should read the sports section. How bout d'em Saints!

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