On the way back from Benque we took a side road to Clarissa Falls. They are not big, but it is worth going to. There is a small restaurant and a couple of cabanas. The owners have some turkeys, chickens, geese, and have a semi-tamed parrot and toucan. It has a very peaceful feeling to it. You can hear the waterfall from the restaurant, but have to follow a path down the riverbank before you can see it.
On the way down to the bank I disturbed the hen with her chicks and a lizard in the brush. The lizards here are up to 6 feet long and very quick moving. By the time I turned because of the noise he was headed up a tree. I could have sat on the bank for quite a while, but the group was tired and wanted to go home. If I had stayed down there, they would have forgot me. Clarissa Falls is about three miles from where I'm staying, but in the tropical heat I don't think I will be walking to it.
While we were in the area, we were shown one of the few swinging bridges of Belize. I stayed on the side to take pictures until most had crossed. I knew they would make the bridge bounce. They had it moving enough that our coordinator turned around and came back. They had made her motion sick. I only went half way, looked at the river a bit, and turned around. The gang had fun making it bounce on their way back.
Their were local village kids waiting in the shade for our group to get off it. From what we were told, it is the short route to their village. Without it they would have to walk 5 - 6 miles from the main road.
One more thing! The lady at Clarissa Falls is an American that has been here for quite a few years. She is retired but very busy. She works with an organization that brings in supplies to poor villages when it is needed. What struck me is how happy she is. Her two sons spent part of their teenage years here and loved the nature side of life.
Friday, February 27, 2009
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Group trip to Benque
Yesterday was the last group trip. We went to Benque to visit families and learn how to cook bollas (not sure of the spelling) and tamales the traditional way. We started about 8:30 and it was done about noon. The process starts with ground corn and water which makes a lumpy mixture. For tamales the lumps are strained out, but not for the bollas. Each mixture is cooked in a big bowl with a bit of grease, basically like scrabbled eggs. Seasoned chicken is cut into pieces, cooked in grease, water and chopped vegetable added. The next step is to put these mixtures on palm leaves that have been steamed over an open flame, cut into about 10 inch squares, and washed. The corn mixture is ball then patted down on the leaf and a scoop of the chicken is put it. There is a special way to fold the double layer of leaves because they are then steamed for about 45 minutes before they are done. Along with the bollas and tamales we had hot sauce and rice milk. I like it all except the rice milk was very sweet and didn’t hit my stomach right.
The family had two children but the neighbor kids come over to play all the time and a group of Americans can draw a crowd. The kids were all pretty shy until we started taking their pictures and one of the American girls brought out a coloring book. She told one boy to pick a picture he liked and she ripped it out and gave it to him. He looked at her in shock, so I am gathering that ripping a page is definitely a no-no here. I was looking at some of the flowers in the yard when a couple of girls about 7 years old decided it was safe to talk to me. I found out about who lived in each house, their homemade “tent” house, their ability to jump rope, the dogs name, ect. As long as the conversation was 2 to 1 they were very chatty. When one of the other Americans came close they would be shy and giggle again. Just as we were getting ready to leave they decided to put on a “king of the mountain” type show with the clothes line and a pile of sand and rocks. It was all in fun and no one got hurt.
I found out that a girl from college lives just up the street from this house. I may have to visit her one of these weekends and stop by to visit this family again.
The family had two children but the neighbor kids come over to play all the time and a group of Americans can draw a crowd. The kids were all pretty shy until we started taking their pictures and one of the American girls brought out a coloring book. She told one boy to pick a picture he liked and she ripped it out and gave it to him. He looked at her in shock, so I am gathering that ripping a page is definitely a no-no here. I was looking at some of the flowers in the yard when a couple of girls about 7 years old decided it was safe to talk to me. I found out about who lived in each house, their homemade “tent” house, their ability to jump rope, the dogs name, ect. As long as the conversation was 2 to 1 they were very chatty. When one of the other Americans came close they would be shy and giggle again. Just as we were getting ready to leave they decided to put on a “king of the mountain” type show with the clothes line and a pile of sand and rocks. It was all in fun and no one got hurt.
I found out that a girl from college lives just up the street from this house. I may have to visit her one of these weekends and stop by to visit this family again.
Monday, February 23, 2009
Pictures will be added.
Now I have some entries!! The pictures have to be downloaded onto my jump drive and brought to campus to post. Hopefully I will get that done tomorrow.
Americans!!!! Appreciate the internet convenience you have. Appreciate ALL the conveniences; you would miss them if they disappeared suddenly and reappeared when they wanted to.
Americans!!!! Appreciate the internet convenience you have. Appreciate ALL the conveniences; you would miss them if they disappeared suddenly and reappeared when they wanted to.
Time is flying by me.
Thursday I found out that we have been here for 6 weeks. Wow!!!! It does not feel like it and I have to get serious on my classes. I have nothing done for my online classes back to WSC. I started different papers, but have not finished them. Problems with the internet and the partiers just put me in a frustrated mood and I stopped on my work.
I have talked to the exchange student coordinator about the situation here. She told me it would cost extra to get a private cabana or I could confront the girls about the noise on our deck. I had already thought about those options and also maybe switching with one of the partiers that is rooming with a quiet girl. I was told that the ones on a certain program had to room together, so that ended that solution. Basically I was told it was up to me to solve the problem. Then I talked to the owner of the resort to see if I could pay the extra for a single cabana. She looked at her reservations and there are only a few days that one is open for the rest of our time here. I am not going to confront the group because it is about 10 to 1, my roommate being one of them, and I am already treated as a boring old stick in the mud.
I wonder some days if they consider anyone other than themselves. They have totally alienated themselves from the group in town and the Belizean students. I overheard them at school complaining about the other students not talking to them and not knowing why. One of the guys in our group gave them a hint by jokingly calling them the “gossip girls”, which made them mad. He said, “Well you sit on the porch and talk about everybody.”
I have been using my spare time looking for another option. By talking to Belizean students, I have found out about different places that rent rooms to students. I looked at a cabana that rents for $550 (Belize dollars) a month. It has a TV, AC, and a ceiling fan. It is cute, in a quiet area, and close to a grocery store and the bus route. I looked at another “apartment” that does not have AC or a TV, but it has a microwave and table and chairs. It is located downtown, which means it is close to an internet café, grocery store, restaurants, and the bus stop. It rents for $400 (Belize) a month and the family lives right upstairs. I am leaning towards the apartment because of the access to the internet. The cabana would cost about the same as how much more I would have to pay for a single cabana here, if there was one available. The end of the month is approaching so I have to make up my mind this week. I will blog more about it later.
I have talked to the exchange student coordinator about the situation here. She told me it would cost extra to get a private cabana or I could confront the girls about the noise on our deck. I had already thought about those options and also maybe switching with one of the partiers that is rooming with a quiet girl. I was told that the ones on a certain program had to room together, so that ended that solution. Basically I was told it was up to me to solve the problem. Then I talked to the owner of the resort to see if I could pay the extra for a single cabana. She looked at her reservations and there are only a few days that one is open for the rest of our time here. I am not going to confront the group because it is about 10 to 1, my roommate being one of them, and I am already treated as a boring old stick in the mud.
I wonder some days if they consider anyone other than themselves. They have totally alienated themselves from the group in town and the Belizean students. I overheard them at school complaining about the other students not talking to them and not knowing why. One of the guys in our group gave them a hint by jokingly calling them the “gossip girls”, which made them mad. He said, “Well you sit on the porch and talk about everybody.”
I have been using my spare time looking for another option. By talking to Belizean students, I have found out about different places that rent rooms to students. I looked at a cabana that rents for $550 (Belize dollars) a month. It has a TV, AC, and a ceiling fan. It is cute, in a quiet area, and close to a grocery store and the bus route. I looked at another “apartment” that does not have AC or a TV, but it has a microwave and table and chairs. It is located downtown, which means it is close to an internet café, grocery store, restaurants, and the bus stop. It rents for $400 (Belize) a month and the family lives right upstairs. I am leaning towards the apartment because of the access to the internet. The cabana would cost about the same as how much more I would have to pay for a single cabana here, if there was one available. The end of the month is approaching so I have to make up my mind this week. I will blog more about it later.
Variety of Resort Guests
I have been meeting the short term guest here at the resort. The Americans are very curious about why the other Americans are here. I am just like them; It is great to find out where they are from, where they have been, and what made them decide on Belize.
One family was from New York State. The three of them take a short trip to a different country each year. The teenage daughter is more mature than most American teens and really enjoyed the trips they were taking to the maya ruins. I enjoyed visiting with them, too bad they were only here for a weekend.
One group is four ladies that are related to a rotary scholar who is living in San Ignacio. They are from New Mexico and staying for three weeks. They are fun to talk to, but they are keeping busy getting to know the town and visiting the local sites. The student is going to Galen University so I may have to ask her about how she got a rotary scholarship. Maybe I will apply for one. It depends on the criteria.
I have met some couples from Ireland, England, Australia, and Germany. While they are very nice people, they are more reserved than Americans. Maybe it has more to do with age because a group of college students from Canada were very out going. They could hold a conversation on a wide variety of subjects. Also they were mature than half of the Americans students here. Meeting all of these people from other countries has me pondering the differences in the maturing process in different cultures.
I may not come up with the answers, but my ponderings will keep my mind busy. Why is it that the more I learn, the more questions I have? Anyone have the answer to that one?
One family was from New York State. The three of them take a short trip to a different country each year. The teenage daughter is more mature than most American teens and really enjoyed the trips they were taking to the maya ruins. I enjoyed visiting with them, too bad they were only here for a weekend.
One group is four ladies that are related to a rotary scholar who is living in San Ignacio. They are from New Mexico and staying for three weeks. They are fun to talk to, but they are keeping busy getting to know the town and visiting the local sites. The student is going to Galen University so I may have to ask her about how she got a rotary scholarship. Maybe I will apply for one. It depends on the criteria.
I have met some couples from Ireland, England, Australia, and Germany. While they are very nice people, they are more reserved than Americans. Maybe it has more to do with age because a group of college students from Canada were very out going. They could hold a conversation on a wide variety of subjects. Also they were mature than half of the Americans students here. Meeting all of these people from other countries has me pondering the differences in the maturing process in different cultures.
I may not come up with the answers, but my ponderings will keep my mind busy. Why is it that the more I learn, the more questions I have? Anyone have the answer to that one?
CBS
The Community Baboon Sanctuary was one of the most interesting places I have been to. It is a voluntary community effort and supported totally on donations and sales of homemade items such as cashew wine. It was started by the area farmers leaving a strip of forestation around the edge of their farms for the wildlife. Specifically the Black Howler Monkey, which is an endangered species. Black Howler Monkeys are called Baboon in Creole, hence the name of the area. Volunteers make and repair rope bridges for the monkey to use to cross open areas. If they are on the ground stray dogs will catch them and kill them.
Yes, I did buy a bottle of wine even after I had a bottle cap full of it as a taste test. It is what you would call sipping wine. It is pretty bitter and strong. I do not think anyone could handle more than a glass of it in 24 hours.
The guide showed us a cashew tree and explained the process to get the nuts. First step, after they have been picked, is to roast them for a few hours IN a fire pit. The shells catch fire, so when they are scooped out they continue to burn and have to be put out and cooled. Then each one has to be cracked open individually with a hammer. The process is not over yet! There is an inner shell that has to be roasted in an oven for two more hours and then opened. It sounded like this time the shell came off easier. The nut inside is what we buy at the stores. NOW I know why they are so expensive. The lady selling the cashews and wine told me that it was an all day process to get a bucket full of nuts. She did not specify how big the bucket was, but she also said that she would not do it without at least a week in between sessions.
As we walked through the jungle, the guide pointed out medicinal plants, vines that are braided to make rope, termite hives (edible), and leaves that have various uses like toilet paper or sandpaper. The leaves looked almost identical, but the one felt like fine grain sandpaper and were used to clean fish. I definitely would not want to confuse the two!!
Yes I did say termite hives are edible. Two guys in the group tried it after the guide ate some. They said it tasted like green peppers. I just took their word for it.
One of the guides found a family of monkeys and they did come down to meet us. We had bananas!!! A guide had brought it along in case we could get close to them. I did not get to pet one, but he put his hands on each side of mine while he ate the piece of banana on my palm. One mom wanted nothing to do with us and kept going higher up the tree. I did get their picture, but it may take some work to get it to where you can see the baby.
There is a building which has information on why and how the sanctuary was started, other wildlife in the area, and of course a souvenir store. The tour ended with a meal provided by the village women’s group. We were fed split-pea soup, fresh vegetable salad, seasoned chicken (similar to BBQ), brownies and lime juice. Of course it was all homemade and delicious!!!
On the way out of the area, we stopped to visit two subsistence farmers. The first one showed us how he processes rice for the family. He grows it in a marshy area, harvests it, and then has to beat the branches on the ground to get the rice to fall off. It is collected, cooked (not sure how), and put on corrugated metal in the sun to dry. If it rains they have to move it to shelter and put it back out later. After drying (time varies), the rice is put into a bag and moved to the grinding area. He had a 4 foot tall stump with a bowl carved in the top. Some rice is put in there and pounded with a big pole until the shells come off. If there is no breeze to blow away the shells it is then put into a pan and shook to get them out. The chickens loved this part. The grinding part takes all day to process enough for a weeks worth of rice for the family.
The second farmer was making cooking oil from cohunuts. (I think that is spelled right.) The cohunuts are roasted, shells cracked with a hammer, the nuts ground (like the rice), and then cooked in a big pan of water. The oil from the nuts come to the top and is scooped off and bottled. He showed us a bottle with a days worth of work. A picture of the bottle is on the side.
Yes, I did buy a bottle of wine even after I had a bottle cap full of it as a taste test. It is what you would call sipping wine. It is pretty bitter and strong. I do not think anyone could handle more than a glass of it in 24 hours.
The guide showed us a cashew tree and explained the process to get the nuts. First step, after they have been picked, is to roast them for a few hours IN a fire pit. The shells catch fire, so when they are scooped out they continue to burn and have to be put out and cooled. Then each one has to be cracked open individually with a hammer. The process is not over yet! There is an inner shell that has to be roasted in an oven for two more hours and then opened. It sounded like this time the shell came off easier. The nut inside is what we buy at the stores. NOW I know why they are so expensive. The lady selling the cashews and wine told me that it was an all day process to get a bucket full of nuts. She did not specify how big the bucket was, but she also said that she would not do it without at least a week in between sessions.
As we walked through the jungle, the guide pointed out medicinal plants, vines that are braided to make rope, termite hives (edible), and leaves that have various uses like toilet paper or sandpaper. The leaves looked almost identical, but the one felt like fine grain sandpaper and were used to clean fish. I definitely would not want to confuse the two!!
Yes I did say termite hives are edible. Two guys in the group tried it after the guide ate some. They said it tasted like green peppers. I just took their word for it.
One of the guides found a family of monkeys and they did come down to meet us. We had bananas!!! A guide had brought it along in case we could get close to them. I did not get to pet one, but he put his hands on each side of mine while he ate the piece of banana on my palm. One mom wanted nothing to do with us and kept going higher up the tree. I did get their picture, but it may take some work to get it to where you can see the baby.
There is a building which has information on why and how the sanctuary was started, other wildlife in the area, and of course a souvenir store. The tour ended with a meal provided by the village women’s group. We were fed split-pea soup, fresh vegetable salad, seasoned chicken (similar to BBQ), brownies and lime juice. Of course it was all homemade and delicious!!!
On the way out of the area, we stopped to visit two subsistence farmers. The first one showed us how he processes rice for the family. He grows it in a marshy area, harvests it, and then has to beat the branches on the ground to get the rice to fall off. It is collected, cooked (not sure how), and put on corrugated metal in the sun to dry. If it rains they have to move it to shelter and put it back out later. After drying (time varies), the rice is put into a bag and moved to the grinding area. He had a 4 foot tall stump with a bowl carved in the top. Some rice is put in there and pounded with a big pole until the shells come off. If there is no breeze to blow away the shells it is then put into a pan and shook to get them out. The chickens loved this part. The grinding part takes all day to process enough for a weeks worth of rice for the family.
The second farmer was making cooking oil from cohunuts. (I think that is spelled right.) The cohunuts are roasted, shells cracked with a hammer, the nuts ground (like the rice), and then cooked in a big pan of water. The oil from the nuts come to the top and is scooped off and bottled. He showed us a bottle with a days worth of work. A picture of the bottle is on the side.
Time to catch up!!!
It has been a long time since I have blogged. One of my nieces sent an email pointing out this fact. Thank you for the reminder Squirrel.
It has been a very busy time with college classes, field trips, writing lesson material and teaching ESL. This lack of time has been complicated by the undependable internet and the partying college kids in the group. You will probably notice that quite a few posts have the same date.
It has been a very busy time with college classes, field trips, writing lesson material and teaching ESL. This lack of time has been complicated by the undependable internet and the partying college kids in the group. You will probably notice that quite a few posts have the same date.
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