Blog Milestones!

During the past few days, this travel blog reached several milestones: 10,000+ hits and 25,000+ pages viewed!
During the past 5 years, I have really enjoyed recording & sharing my journeys/stories/350+ pics with all of you. Many thanks to my friend Joe who suggested and helped me establish this blog!
Originally, I thought that my travels would last just 1-3 years. However, to date my journeys have now continued for almost 5 years.
I currently have no future travels planned. But - as has been the case in the past - I have no doubt that future travels will occur! So - I will keep all of you posted!

Countries Visited

I decided that this blog was the best place to record the countries I have visited. It appears that I need to hit more countries in Africa and the Pacific!

TOTAL Countries Visited: 83 of 215 (39%) Countries

ASIA - 18 of 31 (59%) Countries:
Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar (Burma), Nepal, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam

AFRICA – 5 of 56 (9%) Countries:
Egypt, Mauritania, Morocco, Tunisia

CENTRAL AMERICA and the CARIBBEAN – 21 of 22 (91%) Countries:
Antigua & Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Costa Rica, Dominica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Nicaragua, Panama, Puerto Rico, Saint Kitts/Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent/Grenadines, Trinidad/Tobago

EUROPE – 23 of 48 (48%) Countries:
Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Lichtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Vatican City

MIDDLE EAST - 8 of 21 (38%) Countries:
Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates
 
NORTH AMERICA – 4 of 4 (100%) Countries:
Canada, Greenland, Mexico, USA

PACIFIC – 1 of 20 Countries (5%):
Australia

SOUTH AMERICA – 3 of 13 (23%) Countries:
Brazil, Peru, Venezuela

Safely Back in US!

After a total travel distance of almost 10,000 miles (16,000KM), Kim & I safely made it back home - Kim to Burlington, Vermont and me to Capon Bridge, WV.
Peru and El Salvador were both firsts for me. Peru, El Salvadore, and Belize were all "firsts" for Kim. All were amazing.

Goodbye Belize

Kim & I differ somewhat in the manner that we say goodbye to Belize - as the above pics show.
We will begin our 13-hour journey back to DC in about an hour = Ambergris Caye to Belize City to San Salvador to Washington (IAD).
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Cocoa Calientes & Final Dinner

The Chocolate Company in San Pedro owns their own Cocoa plantation on mainland Belize. They make very good chocolate products - including cocoa for hot chocolate - bittersweet with great aftertaste..
I think that the hot chocolate in Peru was better - but the view from the Chocolate Company's deck is much better - see top pic. Note the square, homemade marshmallows!
Bottom pic is of our last dinner on Ambergris Caye - Ahi salad, coconut encrusted shrimp & pork dumplings. Not belizean & a bit of a splurge - but delicious.
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The "World Famous Chicken Drop"

There is a bar in San Pedro that has had its "world famous chicken drop" every Thursday night since I first started coming to Ambergris Caye over 30 years ago - see top pic!
Customers buy random # tickets (1-100), and if the chicken "dumps" on your # - you win $100!
Bottom pic is of Kim in front of "drop arena" after we placed our "bets".
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Famous "Chicken Drop" Ceremony

Top pic is of lady doing the "pre-drop ritual" = circling chicken over her head and then blowing the chicken's butt just before dropping it into "arena".
Bottom pic is of chicken in arena with crowd cheering and attempting to coax chicken to their #!
We had 10 #s - but didn't win anything :-(
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More Food & Wildlife

Kim & I finally found an authentic Belizean food restaurant (Breanna's) that caters to locals - far from fancy and incredibly reasonable prices - compared to prices of restaurants catering to Americans!
Top pic is of Breanna's stewed chicken with beans & rice, cole slaw, fried plantains and, of course, a Belikin. All had terrific flavors whose sources we couldn't quite pinpoint. Meal also came with terrific fry jack bread (not in pic). All for just $10 Belizean = US$5!
Many of you have asked about wildlife pics. Bottom pic is of a toad that Kim took @ breakfast this morning. Toads, birds, and many large lizards (including Iguanas) appear to be only wildlife on Ambergris Caye ... Unlike mainland Belize with its National Animal" the Tapir and National Bird the Toucan, and Jaguar.
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Even More Food @ Breanna's

Top pic is of my 2nd dinner @ Breanna's - stewed beef, rice & beans, potato salad, and fried plantain!
Bottom pic is of fry jacks stuffed with blueberries.
Great flavors in all of the above!
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10AM Belikin Beers & Rooms @ Ramon's Village

Top pic is of Kim having another 10AM beer - this time a draft Belikin <-- the only beer brewed in Belize. AND the owner of Belikin beer has exclusive import rights for Heinekin beer <-- the ONLY other beer sold in Belize! Note Kim's red, sun-burned belly and my normal/customary iced tea.
Several of you have asked for pics of our room @ Ramon's Village. Bottom pic is of Kim in our room. Pic only shows half of room, other half has a 42" flat screen TV & small seating area. Room also has mini-fridge, microwave, & coffee maker. Note high thatched roof and great-looking mahogany floors!
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Belizean Food?

Several of you have asked about Belizean cuisine. There is a lot of good, fresh seafood - top pic is of whole Red Snapper, coconut rice & cucumber salad.
Many restaurants on Ambergris Caye sell their versions of "Key Lime pies" - most are pretty good. Bottom pic is of key lime banana pie - which wasn't very good!
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San Pedro City - Ambergris Caye, Belize

San Pedro is the only "city" on Ambergris Caye, Belize. The city has only 3 streets, each about 7 short blocks long.
Above pic is of me standing in the middle of "Front Street". The beach is in front of the buildings on the right.
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Guess the Names of the Other 2 Streets in San Pedro

"Middle Street" and "Back Street" - of course!
Top pic is of Middle Street, bottom pic is of Back Street. Note how narrow streets are and abundance of golf carts. Very few vehicles are permitted on island and most of those are small commercial trucks. Most residents use golf carts (electric and gas) and many tourists, like Kim and I, rent golf carts.
Because the tiny bridge separating the north and south portions of Ambergris Caye is "closed for repairs" - our golf cart trip was restricted to the southern, 8-mile long southern part of the island. Very few "photo ops" - except San Pedro streets.
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Pics of Ramon's Village

Top pic is Kim in front of our thatched roof cabana at Ramon's Village in Ambergris Caye, Belize.
Bottom pic is Kim in "garden area" of Ramon's Village.
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Fry Jack & Replacing Thatched Roofs

Top pic is of Fry Jack - deep-fried bread - one of my favorite Belizean foods. Usually served only @ breakfast with butter & homemade jams. Delicious!
Bottom pic is of workers replacing the thatched roof on a cabana @ Ramon's. Surprisingly, 3 men removed & replaced entire thatched roof in 1 day!
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Me Chilling ...

... in a hammock on the beach.
Temperature here is 90F everyday - but there is a constant & pleasant trade wind.
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Favorite Lunch Spot - Ambergris Caye, Belize

I have been coming to Ambergris Caye since 1981 or 1982. Every visit here, I have eaten most of my lunches @ Estel's restaurant. I continued this tradition this trip.
Estel's always has good music, atmosphere, view and food! Fortunately, it also met Kim's strict gastronomic standards too!
Top pic is of view from restaurant.
Bottom pic is of Kim sitting inside Estel's. Note: the sand floor inside (easy to clean"; the chalkboard menu - the only menu - no "handouts", AND their policy has ALWAYS been "No Shirts, No Shoes, No Problem!
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1st Day on Ambergris Caye, Belize

Top pic is of Kim & I eating our 1st breakfast at Ramon's.
My custom when staying @ Ramon's is, after breakfast, to take a. 3KM (1.8 Mile) hike down the beach to the Victoria House - bottom pic is of Kim and I having hot chocolate there. <-- thanks to my friend Buck for "cleaning-up" this pic!
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Mishap

Just before we approached Victoria House on our south trek on the beach, I stepped on an old cement boat ramp covered with algae ... and ... slipped - landing hard on my right eye socket, elbow, and knee. I bled just a little - but my eye socket, elbow and knee ached all day. Because of this mishap, this post is both late and brief.
Above pic is off me at the scene of my mishap.
I am feeling better today and hope to post many more pics.
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Made It to Belize!

After 28+ hours travel time - we finally made it to Ambergris Caye, Belize.
Last leg of journey was on a small puddle jumper with Kim as co-pilot - see above pic.
No sleep for 2+ days - so we're pooped and hitting the sack now!
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Now in San Salvador, El Salvador

We have a 6+ hour layover in San Salvador, El Salvador. So - we decided to spend our long layover @ one of the Pacific beaches in San Salvador. Very hot here and it's still morning. Pic is of Kim guzzling her 2nd beer and it's just 10AM!
Next San Salvador to Belize City (1 hr 5 min flight = only 172 miles) then to Ambergris Caye (20 min flight) on the Atlantic ocean. So - both Pacific & Atlantic Oceans within a couple of hours!
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More Cusco Stonework & Chocolate Calienta

Top pic is of me at an Inca stone wall in Old Cusco which is now the foundation of the National University. You see very few round stones in Inca masonry - note how tightly the stones fit around the round stone!

Bottom pic is me having my favorite drink - hot chocolate which is a little bitter and to which most Latin Americans add sugar. Great aftertaste!

In a few minutes we start our 32+ hour sojourn from Cusco to Lima to Bogota (Columbia) to San Salvador to Belize City to Ambergris Caye (Belize) - ugh!

Kim with Coca Tea & Inca God

In Cusco, Kim and I have been drinking a lot of coca tea to counteract altitude sickness (top pic).
Kim has been really sick, so she also asked the Inca god to help (bottom pic).

Llama Fetus

Had to take another pic of mummified llama fetus in the market - used to ward off evil spirits from your house.

"Mysterious" Sacsayhuaman

Forgot to say - to see great pics and history of "mysterious" Sacsayhuaman go to http://www.world-mysteries.com/mpl_9.htm and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saksaywaman

Sacsayhuaman Inca Fortress & Temple

My daughter pointed out to me that what I incorrectly referred to as the Inca "Temple of the Sun - Cusco" below - was in fact the "Sacsayhuaman Inca Fortress & Temple". I apologize for this terrible mistake!

More Cusco Pics

Top pic is of llamas grazing @ the Temple of the Sun. <-- I had to include pic of adult llamas!
Bottom pic is of terracota cats (Los Gatos) that are placed at apex of most terracota tile shingle roofs <-- they are supposed to bring good luck to inhabitants!. I hope that you can see los gatos in the pic!?

Temple of the Sun - Cusco, Peru

The Incas built their Temple of the Sun at the highest point in the Cusco area. Built between 1300 and 1400, it precedes Machu Picchu. At one point, as many as 10,000 laborers worked building this very large temple.

Top pic is a panoramic view of the major potion of the temple. There are 2 major parts with a very large plaza between them.

Bottom pic shows the incredibly huge, intricately carved/placed stonework for which the Temple of the Sun is known. Note that these stones are much larger than the stones used at Machu Picchu. Most of the stones are granite found where the temple is built - but some are sandstone that we transported 2-3KM to the temple site from a sandstone quarry!

Temple of the Sun Stonework

The size of the stones are incredible! The largest is estimated to weigh 123 tons - that's 246,000 pounds (almost 112,000 Kilograms)!

The above pic of Kim with stonework give you an idea of their size! And note how tight they are so no mortar!

More Stonework

Above is another pic of the Inca's incredible stonework!

Cusco Hotel

Many of you have asked for pics of our hotels. We stayed 3 nights @ the Terra Andina in old Cusco - located on one of the many narrow streets in Old Cusco - see top pic. Fortunately, we had a small balcony - which I used to smoke (see bottom pic w Kim)!

Cusco Pics

Top pic is of another narrow street in Old Cusco. Bottom pic is of San Pedro Church (circa 1575).

Cuy for Dinner

Kim tries "Cuy Confit" for dinner last night at the InkaTerra hotel. "Cuy" = guinea pig - a very common dish in Central & South America! "Cuy" is the noise that a guinea pig makes.

Aguas Calientes Life

Top pic is of Kim doing her daily journal entry in Aguas Calientes - great location.
Bottom pic is of Inca children in traditional costumes celebrating something!?