Central America Pics and Vids

 

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

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

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?

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

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

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

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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