Blogs from Central America Caribbean - page 2149

Aruba. Town of Savaneta. This was the first capital of this desert island I affectionately refer to as the rock. The island is a rock, a wierd combination of brittle granite and worn coral and sand. There are tall cactus and scrub brush like the American West but also divi trees blown to the west by the reliable trade winds that brought Europeans here (and to the rest of this side of the world) all those years ago. Savaneta would be considered a small town somewhere in the United States. There are no buildings taller than a couple of stories. There are small groceries, a couple of gas stations, a bank branch, and a bunch of lottery shacks. In terms of commercial enterprise, you'll find a bakery, an auto parts store, a strip of retail outlets ... read more

...read this instead: Executive summary and if you have time: Full report ... read more

Went to see Maximon today. Actually, I've encountered him at least once before, near San Cristobal, Mexico. Turns out, the Maya of the village of Santiago de Atitlan, who worship Maximon (or San Simon, when giving lip service to the Catholic church), came to the area from Mexico. They are, however, not to be confused with the Maya in Santa Clara, on the other side of the lake, where we are staying, who speak a completely different language and came to the area at a different time. Nor are either to be confused with the Maya of San Marcos or San Pedro, each speaking their own language and with their own historical traditions as well. How on earth people living just kilometers from one another have maintained completely seperate languages through the years I don't know. ... read more

Hola Amigos or gas...time to dust off my Spanish 101 Well, we booked the tix! I leave tomorrow for the big T.O. We're bringing some school supplies and other things we take for granted here in Canada based on some website recommendations, I hope we're not taking this stuff in vain. Tiory is sooo excited, I however feel a little disconnected, I'm not sure why, it just doesn't feel like it's going to actually happen...I'll keep my fingers crossed. Let's see, I've packed sunscreen, bug juice, a first aid kit, underwater disposable cameras, my digital camera, extra toiletries, 2 hats, 2 no 3 pairs of shoes, a duffle bag of school supplies, 3 no 4 pairs of sunglasses, 3 swimsuits, 2 cover-ups...hhmm, I wonder if I have room for any clothes? Ah, books! I almost forgot ... read more

Lago de Atitlan is considered a very sacred and spiritual place by the Maya people, so I am told. In fact, they consider it "the navel of the world." This of course makes it one of four or five "navels of the world" I have visited or heard tell of, and I have no doubt that there are as many more as there are ancient indigenous cultures, making the world a many-naveled thing, and conjuring images of countless umbilici waving like tentacles into the reaches of space. Nonetheless, there is no denying the spectacular setting the lake provides, nor, for lack of a better term, the positive energy that seems to envelop the place. Stretching perhaps 10-15 kilometers from east to west, and seven or so from north to south at its widest point, the lake ... read more