Chill and Barley, Road to Panama
Tuesday, July 3, 2018
We are back and healthy. Charles left yesterday morning by plane and I scrambled to do some overdue maintenance on the Beast and get the electricity back on. Slowly getting used to being back in the Greatest Country In The World with the Greatest President EVER! Believe me! Haven't quite gotten to photos but will, trust me.
Wednesday, June 27, 2018
Charles left out few things. On the
way to Merida we stopped for the night in a small town, then drove
through clouds of butterflies to two Mayan ruins 20 minutes away.
The Mayans numbered as many as ten thousand in the city of one of the
ruins. They relied on collected rain water since they were up in the
hills and had no wells. They also cut down all of the trees in the
area to manufacture cement from the wood ash. Partially as a result
of the deforestation they suffered a sustained drought that led them
to abandon the city. They did use slaves in building the shrines but
only for the production of lime. It was too unhealthy for them to
do. The stone work was done by skilled mayan craftsmen and not by
slaves. The pyramids and palaces were so cleverly constructed that
if you face the pyramid behind us in the picture and clap your hands,
the sound is changed and comes back at you as the call of a quetzal,
a sacred bird to the mayans. The king's palace was built so that
Venus rose above one end or the other at the Summer and Winter
Equinox when viewed from a statue of one of the gods.
Many masks and depictions of gods as well as swastikas in the stonework.
We arrived at Merida and were warmly
welcomed by Carol to her home/art space. She has not had much time
to get around but took us to several nice restaurants and with The
Beast we were able to visit places she had not yet gotten to see
without a car. We went to Walmart and Home Depot to get stuff that
would be hard in an Uber. A lovely house with pool and guest house
behind the pool.
We went to the Cenotes by moto taxi. Not a comfortable ride.After four of them people were tired. While Carol slept in business class (back seat) Charles was able to demonstrate his laid back style of navigating. After several days we hit the road to Villa Hermosa on the way back home. We had been putting air in one tire every few days and stopped to have it repaired.
July 27: It has been a few days since we posted, but we are well after a few delightful days in Merida, Yucutan with our wonderful host Carol. We managed to accomplish a couple of repairs to her Architectural Digest home -- brave girl, to pick up her life and move to Mexico.
First, there were the cenotes, freshwater sinkholes all over the Yucutan which supplied Mayan civilization with precious water. Many are open for swimming and diving, and we visited four cenotes, and a wonderful beach at Sisal.
Carol asked bill to go back to the square so she could capture these kindly men doing coke.
Ah, the beach. Mexico has miles of unexplored beaches, and this one at Sisal was classic white sand and clear warm water.
We are on our way back now to border at McAllen, Texas, passing through Cardel, Tuxpam and Ciudad Victoria. I expect to be back in DC by July 4, but lots of driving ahead. Maybe it is time to go; we finally had to pay a bribe (which Bill negotiated down from 3800 pesos to 620) for the made-up crime of smoking in our personal vehicle -- other police confirmed that no such law has ever existed. We will try to post again before departing.
Tuesday, June 19, 2018
We made a short fishing trip on Lago Gatun, the lake that feeds the canal. Peacock bass are all over in the lake but it was afternoon and they were not biting.
The next day we flew back to Guat City and took off about 2:00 pm. Driving through terrible traffic then a torrential downpour we got to see the actual famous “falling rock” referred to on so many highway signs in the U.S. as something to watch for. Cantaloupe sized rocks tumbling across two lanes of traffic. We had a goal in mind and were about an hour away from it when we came across a car-carrier semi jack-knifed across the highway. It seemed apparent that it was not going to be open soon and after a long day nightfall was closing in. We decided to drive back until the closest hotel to sleep and hit the road early in the morning. We found the Antony Auto Hotel. It was a no-tell motel the likes of which I had never seen. A line of garages that you pull into and call on a wall mounted phone to the manager, who comes down takes the money through a small slot in the wall, opens the room and closes the door he came in through, all without seeing you. He then closes the garage door from outside so that no one can see your car. I asked to see the room when I called and he seemed startled that I was willing to be seen by him. There was no room with two beds but he said we could set up our cot and he would remove what appeared to be a piece of furniture designed to make certain positions of congress easier. We were both exhausted and agreed. I asked him a lot of questions and was very amused by his very forthcoming answers. The room had a t.v., a.c., a large tub for two and was startlingly clean. He asked when we would be leaving and when I said early, he quoted a price and we agreed. It turns out that a typical rental is for 4 hours. A cabinet on the wall, he explained, was for ordering food which was delivered into the compartment from the hall and you opened your side to retrieve it. Again, with no face to face contact. There was a dish by the bed with a cough drop and a colored condom. Also there was a bathroom style paper towel dispenser on the wall by the bed. Very homey. We flipped a coin for the bed and I think I won because I got the cot.
Saturday, June 16, 2018
A few shots of Bastimentos. Roots restaurant (note the sign says open, until you leave.
our place
We drove to Pedasi you can't quite see the breakers out there.
Wednesday, June 13, 2018
May 12 Bastimento was authentically undeveloped, with no cars or franchises. The beaches are not very accessible, but I slipped around in the jungle for a couple hours.
This insect eating plant is a battlestar
We spent a lot of time in the company of our gracious host Simon, and his friend Dan, old rockers who found a home at the end of the last stop. Snorkling was not as kind, but I enjoyed kayaking in the bay, looking forward to the day I could return to Bastimente and say, "they've ruined it with tourism now."
The spotted red frog survives, but only in the immediate areas.
The beach here in Playa Venao is a five minute walk and the surf is loud. The Tipi Hostel is a surfer hangout, but we are seeing little tourism during this rainy low season. A monsoon in Bestimente was an epic event, according to Simon, who knows the island well after 14 years on Beverly's Hill.
The beach beckons.
Tuesday, June 12, 2018
We are off this morning, and also we are going. Seven hour drive to Pedasi where we might arrange a fishing charter. Photos and updates to follow. We are well and only the slightest injuries. (Charles slipped on a moldy wet step and slid through the rungs bruising his shin and drawing a little blood.)
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