When it rains, it down pours

I'm alittle late for this entry since I'm already back in the states few days ago but I wanted to document my experience in the southern part of Belize. Punta Gorda is quite a distance from San Ignacio since its located in the Toledo district which is in the south region of Belize. The area is mainly a quick overnight stay for travelers commuting toward Guatemala or to northern Belize, tourists usually don't traverse to this area since it carries less attractions. Its definitely the country side in these parts of the region and there are a number of Mayan villages scattered around where mainly the Kechi and Mopan languages are spoken. There are many other ethnicities in the area from Garifunas to East Indians to Mestizos so its more of ingredients to make up a salad type of environment.

The roads in the area are basically dirt ones where you're going to expect a bumpy ride everytime and hope the vehicle has good shocks except for the one main highway. Interesting observation during my ride to my destination is that there is quite a bit of Amish population (Mennonities) in different parts of Toledo district. And the weird thing is I don't think they speak English the way people are accustomed to hearing from the United States like its almost blended with another language that sounded like German. I arrived in Punta Gorda as being the only remaining rider getting off at the bus terminal which of course nearby people were looking at me as we pass by the neighborhood. I walked around a small bit just to survey my surroundings and its definitely a small town but seems tight-knit to me.

I did finally got to my lodging which is called Hickatee Cottages that is 2 miles outside of town on a dirt path road leading to a nearby Mayan village. I couldn't really do anything when I arrived in town since it was already late in the afternoon due to the buses run less frequently and it would require time and distance to reach the remote attractions. Though I made it for the lodging's once a week Garifuna drumming lesson which was a real treat and is a major stable in Garifuna culture. I got to observe our instructor Ray, whom is one of the best Garifuna drummers in the country and put on a performance display with great dexterity. It was definitely fun but very challenging to focus on providing the specific sound for certain type of rhythmic songs on these Garifuna drums myself. Obviously its similar to modern drums except you are using hands and not drum sticks but hitting at specific regions of the drum will create different sounds such as bass, tenor, etc..

The Cacao trail tour is something people should experience to get an idea how the beans could be made into hot drinks or chocolate. The tour was taken place on a few acre owned land by our Mayan guide Elado, and he harvested his crops close to his village for short distance travel. He showed us the appearance of the light and dark types of Cacao beans and how they vary in different tastes and contrasts. The primitive process of collecting Cacao beans and turning it into a drink or chocolate will take about 3 weeks roughly. But of course using modern technology will shorten the process time but drying Cacao beans out in the open is still the main stable for making the finished products. To finish up after seeing the development side of making cacao products, we headed out to Blue Creek Cave for some cave swimming.

I never experienced this before and it was exciting and obviously dangerous for the unknown. We geared up with lifevests and helmets with lights since entering the cave will be dark as well as embarking further into the caverns. This was the time to try out my underwater camera for the first in real world conditions, it worked but since it was pitch dark, my camera always switched into nightmode when I was shooting and filming. The swim throughout the cave was pretty exhilarating even though I'm not much of a swimmer, there were some areas where you had to climb out of the water onto some rocks to pass through some sections of the cave and get back into the water.

We only reached the 1st waterfall in the cave which was maybe a half-mile distance from the entrance and the strong water currents from the waterfall prevented us from proceeding on further into the cave so we headed back. The only bad thing about being in Punta Gorda or Toledo district in general is that it rains all year long and doesn't matter what season of the year, especially in the evening when the rain fall becomes heavy down pours. Though the rain makes it easier to not stand the heat when the sky is cloudy but walking in muddy roads is always never a good thing. The market area is very lively in downtown Punta Gorda and its an area where you do people watching even when it maybe seem people are not doing anything except walking around.

Snorkeling around the Snake Cayes east of Punta Gorda was the highlight of my experience in the southern region. There was quite abit of marine life I observed while snorkeling including an barracuda while I took photos and video with my underwater camera. That was the very first time experiencing sand fleas and they are more vicious than mosquitoes, they are just relentless with all those biting until you get into the water. All in all I enjoyed my stay in Punta Gorda and Belize in general and would look forward to visit again though trying out another area of the country that is less touristy is more of my interest.

                                                                 Snorkeling at one of the Snake Caye islands off the coast of Punta Gorda

Can you say ZOO-NAHN-TOO-NEETCH?!

I arrived in Belize just before noon time on friday and was really surprised how majority of everyone speaks english there, so its very convenient not to worry about speaking spanish or other dialects to get by in the country. Let me throw this out there right now, Belize City is not a place you really want to go around in. Its not safe, very dangerous and it will definitely make you feel uncomfortable. I actually felt I was going through international street in Oakland, its that bad. I don't know if I can compare it to Baltimore, Philadelphia, South side of Chicago, etc.. but you will definitely not want to be there even if you're in the tourist areas, its still not safe where people are going to beg for money and will rob you even if you give them a small amount of change at first, it is truly survival of the fittest there.

So I arrived at the Belize City bus terminal from the Belize International Airport via taxi, I thought I would have to wait there for my departure bus but was lucky it was ready to leave. That was an area where you had alot of solicitors, snack selling booths  and possibly squatters in my surroundings which was kinda of intimidating. So I hoped on the bus to Benque Viejo del Carmen which is the way toward my destination that is close to the border of Guatemala and Belize on the western side of the country. The ride was almost 3 hours long and it was not bad except for the horrible vinyl seats I had to sit in which will cause heat and make you sweat even though your getting the breeze from the wind through the windows.

The region I arrived in is called Cayo district and its miles away different here than in Belize City, more on the country side so its less hectic. Clarissa Falls Resort was the lodging place I stayed at and its few miles outside of the nearest major city (San Ignacio) and its an ideal spot to have some peace and quiet in an environment for you to unwind and relax. It's on a ranch land but next to a river so you can either go swimming/tubing or horseback riding. This is an alternative from your typical hotel type of lodging, it might be far to reach but the scenery and atmosphere is well worth the journey and the owner will treat you like family, I definitely could vouch for that. Ironically, its the same name of my brother's daughter and I specifically choose to stay there to bridge a connection with my niece.

It's difficult to get around attractions if you don't have a rental car but taking the bus is quite easy or even taxi cabs, its pretty affordable for backpacker type budgets since these taxis and (school) buses travel back and forth toward the border of Guatemala and back to San Ignacio. I can't say that for the same referring to food. It feels like I'm paying for a $10 lunch or even $15-$20 dinner some cases in San Francisco, its that expensive so I'm resorting to snacks/water and maybe one small meal a day from my lodging. Xunantunich Ruins, is one of the Mayan spots I checked out located in San Jose Succotz (few miles west of San Ignacio), it was interesting to get there, you have to cross on an ferry that is powered via person using a hand crank. This is definitely an attraction that will get you to wonder about but also to appreciate the architecture.

Downtown San Ignacio, is a small lively town for restaurants to eat at, tours to inquire and an local market that provides fresh vegetables/fruits/crafts for the budget traveler. While in San Ignacio, you can check out Cahal Pech Ruins up on the hill that is a 20 minute walk from downtown. It's a decent size Mayan Ruin attraction to check out that definitely showcases its beauty. The other spots I explored were the Nautral History Museum, Medicine Trail and Blue Morpho Butterfly farm which are located at Cha Creek Resort just about 5 1/2 miles off the main highway near Clarissa Falls Resort entrance road. Its a rough terrain to get there but I would say the butterfly farm is well worth the hike without a ride but you're gonna sweat in that heat for a good 1 1/2 hour trek. Its difficult to book a tour in general when you're a solo traveler since these tours are more catered to 2 or more in a group due to high gas prices to justify traveling lost distance to an specific attraction.

Though I was able to get Caracol Ruins last minute and it was just a sight to see and experience in person, it has the tallest sky tower out of all the Mayan Ruins in Belize and the view is just incredible. Its located in Pine Ridge Mountains south of San Ignacio and around 1 1/2 hour drive in rough roads going up hill. From the that tour, I also got to check out Rio Frio Cave and Waterfalls, these attractions were nice but nothing to special. There were quite a few tours I wanted to go on but my schedule wouldn't allow me to proceed so next time in the region I will definitely try them out. Cayo district has alot to offer from cave tubing to jungle hikes to canoe explorations to horseback riding, this is something for the adventurous type that want to experience alot more than getting a tan and swimming in the sea. So I'm off to PG (Punta Gorda) southern part of Belize, I don't think I'm going to make it to this early or later afternoon express bus (charter style) since the times conflicts with my schedule so I'm going have to endure this 5+ hour ride and its gonna be a killer with these heat absorbing vinyl seats.

                                                                           Time lapse atop of the skypalace "canaa" of Caracol Ruins

Gelatos, Cannolis and Cassatas, oh mio!

The final leg run of my trip is in Palermo, Sicily. As usual, I took a bus than a train just for the fact that transportation is more accessible in and around Sicily via bus or car. Trains, of course are preferable in peoples' minds due to less hassle with luggage and people but in some cases the travel time is doubled if you're commuting to small towns or cities leading to transfer to other train stations with short layovers. Before getting to Palermo, taking the bus from Taormina to Catania was a tricky part since I had thoughts visiting there, though my plans changed.

And for an unexpected turn, there were two terminals in Catania and the main question was which one had the bus terminal that will transport to other towns and cities than just regional. As we arrived in Catania, the first terminal seemed almost the correct one to get off at but the bus driver didn't actually stop in the terminal parking lot but just at a bus stop across the street. So I hesitated and remained ready when the next terminal would show up which was at the train station. At the train station, I was looking for any buses that indicated non-regional but kept finding all of them that goes around the city.

So I went to the train station thinking maybe its better to take a train but realized the next one leaving for Palermo 5 hours later from the time I stepped into the terminal. So I made the decision to walk to the original first bus station that we passed on the way but I accidentally found the correct major bus depot for non-regional transportation that was next to one of the bus stops I got off at. If I didn't find the correct ticket booth quickly and bought my ticket, I wouldn't have made my original schedule bus time to leave for Palermo and would of waited for almost 2 hours for the next departure time. My first impression of Palermo when I arrived at the main terminal was that I felt like I was in Oakland the rough part off of International street but realized it reflected more of the essence of San Francisco.

There was many people from different ethnic backgrounds that are populated all over the city from Turkish to Africans to Tunisians to Chinese to Pakistanis, Greeks and many other nationalities. Palermo had the same issue with garbage everywhere but not as bad as Naples, its more of a unique city in my opinion. So much influence of religion, food, culture from the many ethnic backgrounds to create a palette of personality for the region.

Walking around solo in the city in specific areas of old town neighborhoods might not be the smartest thing to do especially at night since it resembles rough parts of Oakland, New York or San Francisco to name a few. But don't get me wrong, Palermo has alot to offer when exploring the city it just depends what your interest is and if you are with a group. During my stay here, I visited a nearby town called Monreale that is west of Palermo on a hilltop mountain that has a huge cathedral and is their main attraction for tourists to observe a great view of the seashore neighboring towns sitting next to Palermo.

The Teatro Massimo was something to really step into in person, this theater has definitely that opera house appearance inside which is definitely expensive to watch a ballet or musical performance. Back in the 90s, Francis Ford Coppola showcased his Godfather III film at the theater. And one of my favorite places I visited was the Catacombe dei Cappucini, an underground storage for many deceased mummified Palermitans from over the years. Definitely not for everyone, but an interesting look on how these individuals' bodies are preserved over time which alot of them were significant figures in Palermo history. Staying in Palermo by far was the most food I ate on my whole trip including sweets since I was staying with my aunt and friends, she didn't allow me to go hungry, so I appreciate the hospitality and love. Though spending my vacation in Italy and Sicily was just a wonderful trip, celebrating my birthday in Palermo with my aunt and friends was something I will really cherish in my heart forever.

                         

                                                                                                               Catacombe dei Capuccini

A view of thoughts and dreams

As you already know, I'm more comfortable taking buses than trains reasoning being that I want to observe the scenery of the many towns and cities I pass by to get an idea of how life truly is in the country side. My next destination is Taormina in Sicily which is located on a hill top off the eastern side coast. My bus ride from Leece would be taking 9+ hours and the schedule for my original departure was not on time as I arrived there early. Even an elderly woman approached me and spoken to me in Italian about when is the bus arriving and obviously I couldn't communicate with her well but the bus finally arrived and we were off to the region of Sicily. Our bus made a detour along the coast of Golfo De Taranto which is on the west coastline that is adjacent to the Mediterranean sea as we arrived at the port of Reggio di Calabria.

From here we had to take the ferry across the sea to Messina which is the northeastern province of Sicily and that took about 30-40 min ride but with very rough waters and wind. Everyone on board was allowed to leave their vehicles and walk around the ferry to take a view of Sicily or just stretch out. But as I recalled before we reached the port of Messina, I walked back to my bus and noticed couple of people didn't returned to their seats which got me thinking what would happen when we dock at the port? Would the driver take a head count or just leave as we approach the dock?

The vehicles drove off the ferry onto the street as the doors opened up leading to the port of Messina. From there, I felt bad for few of the people that didn't get back to the bus but should of known that the bus was going to leave when the ferry reaches the port to dock. So we made a quick stop to the Messina bus and train terminal for dropoffs and head onto to straight to Catania. But I needed to stop off at Giardini Naxos which is 10 min away from Taormina and make a bus transfer.

Reaching to the hill top of the mountain of Taormina was a familiar road in San Francisco which of course is Lombard street. The street was so narrow, the bus had to make very decisive when to turn due to oncoming vehicles. But as I arrived at the bus terminal of Taormina, I quickly noticed the environment and vibe around me, this place was more of a resort that you could go to during the summer time. Walking around town just like being in Palo Alto or Stanford shopping center, many high end boutique shops for tourists to spend outrageous prices for clothes, accessories and dinner. Traveling on the funivia was fun at the bottom of where Mazzaro beach was located to the top of Taormina, its basically a those sky cable cars that travels from station to another. Isola Bella is a small island you can walk across from the beach of Mazzaro, and it was just a wonderful site to see.

But getting to the bottom was nothing but a challenge especially for me taking a risk And the view from the top of Taormina to observe the scenery of the the neighboring towns was outstanding but also a great look at Mt. Etna that is one of Europe's most active volcanoes. And of course I can't forget the Teatro Greco, one of Sicily's famous theaters for entertainment. I could imagine witnessing a live music performance there as a spectator would be something to cherish once in a lifetime experience. It was the perfect time to see this amazing architecture since the high season of tourists flocking in to Sicily hasn't quite hit yet.

Good ol southern hospitality

Leaving for Leece was an quite interesting travel that is located in the southeast region of Puglia which is considered the heel portion of the country as Matera appears in the central part of Italy. First of all, trains usually don't function on Sundays so everything is limited including buses. Even though I had to take one, there was no other option or pay ridiculous price for a hired driver to my destination. So I took the bus to Bari which is at a seaport city that is useful as a transfer stop to either going north or south.

Funny thing that happened was, I was supposed to buy a bus ticket at these newspaper-like stands called 'Tabacchi' initially after the first town we stopped at after leaving Matera due to the bus and train terminal being closed at Matera and the driver doesn't sell bus tickets, so I didn't. I was under the impression that I could pay for the ticket at the Bari train and bus terminal since few others followed my decision but that oddly turned out different.

When we arrived at the Bari station, I was trying to explain to the driver in english that I didn't buy a ticket earlier in the trip and asking him where to buy it around the terminal, but of course he's not going to fully understand my english so I just got off he bus and headed to the station with confusion and a free ride to my next departure. I would not advise anyone to do same thing but it might work from a small town than a city and most likely on a Sunday, I just got lucky with a free pass. The buses at the terminal didn't seem right so I took the train which was easier and faster to get to Leece.

This city has baroque style buildings and judging from people's reactions of what they say about Florence in the past, you can make an arguement about Leece being the same but located in the south with less tourists. Some time after arriving in Leece station, I headed towards old town since it was in walking distance for me even I didn't know where I was going, I was still try to look for my hotel. While I stopped by few places to take photos of the outside architecture, I was approached by few Americans one from San Francisco, the other two probably Los Angeles area, one worked for NBC and the other worked on the Jay Leno show as one those guys that do funny skits. I don't recall the gentleman's character or name from the show but from the looks of the postcard he gave me, had to be from the 90s since it looked old but one image of him appearing as the Quaker oats oatmeal cannister guy seemed familiar.

Even though this city is small, I felt the presence of people enjoying being around in old town at the main piazza. Interesting enough how I was getting looks of being the one and only person wearing shorts in the evening while it was cold even though I knew I shouldn't have worn them let alone going into a church with them, which leads me into the dress attire code for Italy. In the south, they're more conservative even if its a scorching hot climate at that specific time, people still dress up or at least wear full pants and the ladies don't wear outfits that will reveal their shoulders and thaw including going into churches. I guess its the culture of showing respect for you and others. The teatro greco theater was a great view even though it was under renovation, it might not Gladiator style from Rome's coliseum but its definitely a place to see in person that you can visual what type of entertainment would the audience be instore for.

They have flea market type of streets that sells all kinds of goods which will peak your interests if you can bargain with them in speaking little to no italian. The one thing I noticed in the cities and towns I visited in the south, the people tend to be more friendly and warmth than their counter parts in the north, based on people I met from what they say but of course not everyone will fit in that sterotype which is an interesting observation. Time to head towards the land of the Mafia. Chao.

As far my eyes could see

Leaving Naples was really something, in some sense I was overwhelmed with so much stuff going on from traffic, culture, people, etc.. You know flying into another country by yourself for the first time and thinking that you're fully prepared for everything that comes at you, that's not easy to deal with at first but you adapt to some degree. Definitely, I felt like I was in elementary for the first day of school and not knowing anyone, can create anxiety. I did meet alot of people and became friends with but I was ready to move on to my next adventure. You know when you hear or see pictures about a specific place that is very unique that makes you really wonder about it at first, till you experience the surroundings in person.

That is what 'Sassi' Matera is all about, welcome to the world of homes and buildings made out of stones straight from the ground that sits on a hill top. This is such a magical environment, you almost have an at ease and awe feeling while you navigate yourself in this giant maze of intrigue. Getting here is not really easy unless you have a car, its in a remote area south east of Naples in the region called Basilicata and taking the train will take twice as long due to transfers from stations. I took a direct route bus to the modern city of Matera for which I ended walking to the Sassi cause mainly I had a camping style backpack and a camera bag, plus I wanted to save money from spending on public transportation and its good excercise.

I did get lost trying to find my hotel since it was on the other side of the Sassi, but eventually I found it after walking around in the dark for maybe an hour and half. Though I was relishing in the room I was staying at, I could of saved money and stayed in a hotel in the modern part of the city but the whole experience was to sleep and breathe in this cave like home.

Back in the 60s the Sassi was considered inhabitable and the residents had to move in the modern city since the local government didn't feel it was needed to be restored for many years of deterioration. For 30+ years nothing was done till an author wrote about the place while being exhiled in the deserted town. Then by late 90s the government finally made the decision to restore the 'Sassi' so that people can live there and you might have or have not known that Mel Gibson's 'Passion of Christ' was filmed there.

The view was nothing but spectacular, I even made the trek across this adjacent ravine toward the opposite hill like mountain to capture pictures and film of this unbelievable view of this town. The journey was risky of course, cause I could've slipped and fall down this steep hill on both sides. I actually did slipped on a stone and almost fell into the water with a decent current heading towards my me while carrying two cameras.

The vibe of this place feels so special like I was invited to a big family gathering dinner and you can sense the rich history in the air here. I only stayed there for 2 nights but it felt like I was there much longer, I highly suggest anyone to visit this place, this was definitely one of my highlights of my trip by far.

                                                                                  
                                                                                        Walking around the steps of the Sassi di Matera

A way to a man's heart is through his stomach

It's been couple of days since I landed in Naples and didn't get to blog about my experiences so I gonna just recap of what went on and now here is my first official entry during my trip. I arrived in Naples on tuesday around noon without my luggage and basically wearing what I showed up at the SFO on Monday morning except for a light jacket and spare shirt. Speaking to the lost in found at the airport about my backpack luggage not being transported was not that encouraging since their demeanor seemed nonchalant. It happens all the time which I found out from the hostel I'm staying at but I just tried to focus on enjoying the beginning of my trip and did alot of exploring churches to piazzas to monuments.

But I highly advise anyone who travels to Italy to bring extra pieces of clothing in their carry-on bag just case if your luggage doesn't arrive with you at your destination so you wouldn't have to buy wearing essentials that could be expensive and inconvience. Garbage is a problem everywhere and there is no secret about but all cities are like that it just depends how much.

But aside from that, Naples is a hot spot for fashion in guys and gals you won't see anyone in shorts including girls and women. That's the culture of appearing respectable but having their own style just don't get me started for young guys wearing pants and sweats that are skinny with the Gumby haircut (80s cartoon). I had my Naples pizza from a place called Di Matteos, it was simple but good for a small pan all tomato sauce based pizza with a single strip of mozzarella.

You could go for a whole pizza called Magherita which is the same thing but more mozzarella strips. Trains are overwhelming to take in Naples since there are many different types of trains covering regions and doesn't help if you can't read Italian in the ticket machines or not having a europass so I suggest buses for alternative thaw cheaper if you are not in a huge hurry.

Oh yeah, you need to wear good walking shoes since the roads and sidewalks are not flat, though its fun to explore in these alleyways you'll find interesting shops, food places and attractions. Off to Matera. A più tardi!

A glimpse in the clouds

I wish I started this for trips I've taken in the past but I only noted my experiences in a journal that I will still continue to do so in the near future. Blogging about places I encounter is the past way to showcase my thoughts, interests and hopefully spark curiosity for others wanting to see places and attractions in the near future.