A full and busy day 'off piste' yesterday (to be reported at a later date)
was hampered by a change of format
by the Blog Providers, something I do not warm to at all!
Change in the name of progress is always welcome but just for the sake of it
Count Me Out!!!!
So with that and time running out, we will have to publish that which was intended for tomorrow
bearing in mind you don't live today for tomorrow as Genesis once sang!
There were only ever 2 Rules accociated with my extensive World travels, with
(1) - Travel alone, no mates no arguements, being negotiable on occassion and
(2) - Travel light, we don't want any of that waiting at carousells hampering us do we??
Best laid plans of mice and men etc........ we won't, as advertised yesterday, be publishing the 2 post series of the Rare Birds of Dorset photographs due to an unexpected addition to the readership early last evening. The country concerned was part of one of the most exciting, if not 'the' most exciting and interesting adventures I have ever embarked upon. While a further 7 other nations were part of that trip, with 5 already being on the reader list, it was the wrongly preconceived idea about this place in particular that jogged all the memories that are to follow over the next 2 days. Admittedly, this is also a bit of an indulgence to myself so it is hoped forgiveness will follow?
(1) - Travel alone, no mates no arguements, being negotiable on occassion and
(2) - Travel light, we don't want any of that waiting at carousells hampering us do we??
Best laid plans of mice and men etc........ we won't, as advertised yesterday, be publishing the 2 post series of the Rare Birds of Dorset photographs due to an unexpected addition to the readership early last evening. The country concerned was part of one of the most exciting, if not 'the' most exciting and interesting adventures I have ever embarked upon. While a further 7 other nations were part of that trip, with 5 already being on the reader list, it was the wrongly preconceived idea about this place in particular that jogged all the memories that are to follow over the next 2 days. Admittedly, this is also a bit of an indulgence to myself so it is hoped forgiveness will follow?
In
company with Billy (Rhubarb and Custard Crumble) Burke our jaunt
started with a sprint through the airport as we were about to miss our
connecting flight to Mexico City. From there we 'back-packed' overland
to Mérida, Yucatán but found it just a little too far from our first intended destination.
A short bus ride brought us to the small town of Piste where, having travelled for some hours, we decided to book into the Best Hotel - this is it! However, it was only for a couple of nights and not all bad as on closer inspection you can see displaying Great-tailed Grackle at the top of the ladder, and it was just 2Km from
Chichen Itza
seen here from the Bamboo Watchtower, giving great views of the whole complex
poking out above the tree tops.
seen here from the Bamboo Watchtower, giving great views of the whole complex
poking out above the tree tops.
Temple of the Warriors.
Pyramid of Kukulkan
In
time honoured fashion Jim the Medic could not make up his mind about
this trip, and at the last moment decided to rendezvous with us at Chetamul (in the nearest beer bar) on the Belize border. Within 15 minutes of his arrival we found him on this balcony sipping a beer - that's our Jim!
the most northerly of the 7 Central American countries is
to say the very least!
CROOKED TREE
had been found on the internet as something of a hudden secret, but
found it a little disconcerting when all the passenger on the bus started laughing
as we requested to be dropped at the newly formed, 5 miles long bund which now
joined it to the mainland.
We failed to thumb a lift vis the first 2 vehicles to pass us by, but then arrived the
School Bus - Oh had we taken more photographs.
A sea of beautiful black faces all dressed in the whitest of white school uniforms
as we made the acquaintance of driver George Guest.
For the sake of brevity the coincidence was unbelievable as he, an
ex-Grenadier Guardsman, had served with Kenny Taylor one of our
Production Engineer onboard the Buchan Alpha Oil Production Platform.
passage of time.
senior son, Bird Guide and Boat Driver.
FISH and CASHEW NUT FESTIVAL
You
would have to wait for my memoirs to get all of the stories, so for
the sake of brevity suffice to say we stayed in insect infested wooden
huts as guests of 80 years old Randy Crawford (seen here right with the then Belize Deputy Prime Minister John Briceo)
and his lovely 82 years old wife Grace. They, along with a family
consisting of a cast of thousands, ran everything around there and
between them could lay their hands on anything you wanted. We, along with Mr Briceo had been nominated
GUEST's of HONOURsome accolade!
Jim, Randy, Billy, George Guest his wife Shirley and Moi.
Jim the Medic.
Billy Crumble.
Jim the Medic.
Billy Crumble.
Yours Truely
As special guests we were given the best on offer which included plenty of 'home brew' and not just any old BBQ'ed Green Iguana (Bamboo Chicken as it's known locally) but pregnant females complete with unlaid eggs. I can honestly report that every mouthful was a delight.
All
too soon that week was over and on the bus to Belmopan the
capital, where we hired a taxi to take us over the border to Tikal,
Guatemala.
Some of the Birds of Belize to follow!
Some of the Birds of Belize to follow!
The warming sun, the cooling rain
The snowflake drifting on the breath of the breeze
The lightning bolt that clears the sky for you
Yet only eagles seem to pass on through
The words of love, the cries of hate
And the man in the moon who seduced you, then finally loosed you
You climbed upon a burning rope to escape the mob below
But you had put the flaming out so that others could now follow
To be out of the bounds and the barks
Of those who do not wish you well
You must blaze a trail of your own, unknown, alone
But keep in mind
Don't live today for tomorrow like you were immortal
The only survivors on this world of ours are
The warming sun, the cooling rain
