Costa Rica - Puerto Viejo - 7th-8th Oct 2010

Apologies for the few days absence, can only blame the fact that we have been in transit.

Landed in Costa Rica, after a very long day on the 6th Oct - up at 0330hrs flew to Miami, and then back over the gulf to Costa Rica, with an overnight stop in San Jose and then another cross country bus (5 hours) to Puerto Viejo (San Jose is the middle of Costa Rica, and Puerto Viejo is on the Caribbean coast). The beach is a 5 minute walk from where we are staying (black volcanic sand) and atlantic waves; there is nothing between the beach and North Africa, well may be the Azores.

We are staying at the Sloth Sanctuary, the link was on the previous post, where rescued sloths are "rehabilitated" for release into the wild, or cared for if they are too badly injured to care for themselves.

They are such passive animals and contrary to popular belief they do pee and poo more than once a week. There will be more sloth pictures over the coming weeks. Here are a few of the local beach and some locals fishing, as well as some sloths.

here is a local stuck in quick sand............No he is actually fishing....

This guy is just after biscuits, Chris this is one for you, its a Willet and is a rare visitor to the Caribbean coast

This isn't a local, this is Eva one of the volunteers...taking a photo of us other volunteers......

 Vivian with one of the baby two toed sloths from the nursery...

Some lost volunteer with Laylo, he is two years old (the one on the left), and is a three toed sloth, technically his proper name (genus) is Bradypus, put that bit of info in for bradders...:0))

and this is Siobhan with Wall - E, he is also a three toed, Bradypus, just one year old ish

These are just a few piccies to whet your appetite. We will post more info about the sanctuary and our routine soon.

Post Snorkel - 5th Oct 2010

Sorry no snorkel pictures yet as we need to get the film developed. Siobhan took picturess with one of those disposable jobbies from Kodak. Paul has managed to extend his T-shirt tan to his shoulders to clearly define the buoyancy aid he was wearing (I'll try and get a piccie when he isn't looking). We do have some piccies of Cozumel though.

Saw some wildlife in the hotel room.....

Sat in the pretty plaza.

And watched the ferry arrive.

The crossing back from Cozumel was right choppy and some people were green - not us though we just snoozed.

We have now finished this leg of our journey - Costa Rica here we come. From 7th Oct 2010 we will be working as volunteers at the Sloth Sanctuary check out the cute sloths on their website http://www.slothrescue.org/Gallery/

La Isla de Cozumel - Quintana Roo, Mexico

Caught the 1000hr ferry from Playa del Carmen and 50 minutes later we were on the island of Cozumel, diving mecca.


The ferry stops at the terminal in the main town of San Miguel, and much like Playa del Carmen this too has its tat sellers, although not so forceful as in Playa they will accept the first no gracias. The big thing here is car or scooter hire and scuba or snorkeling on the fantastic reefs.

Hired a scooter for a few hours to tour round and to visit....some ancient Mayan ruinas.

Our little scooterlito... despite the serene look on the drivers face, this was shortly after twisting the accelerator in the wrong direction - followed by a swift application of the brake, he really is sweating!!!! The trouble with shorts is you can't tuck them in:0)))

We did get to the ruins and these date from around 600AD to 1650 AD and are enclosed by vegetation....

...and sometimes encroached by vegetation, tree roots struggle to hang onto the limestone and very thin topsoil....

 ...there are signs of human activity, note the 'little hands' on the right hand sideback wall, and the blue green colour of the stucco....

...each of the groups of buildings is linked by a sacred roadway or sacbe...now lined with trees...

Off snorkelling tomorrow hopefully, but no digital pictures sadly :0((

Playa Del Carmen - Party Capital of the Mayan Rivieira

After the quiet tranquil calm of Tulum we have headed up the coast to Playa, A bit like Blackpool but with out the pies or the Tower. There is a main Street, Avenida 5 down which tourists run the gauntlet of unrelenting tat sellers who try to drag you into their shops to "see their wares". If you don't mind the banter every step you take its fine; but when you are loaded down with all your worldly goods the last thing you feel the need to buy is a mexican hat or a mayan spinning top.

After the sixth or seventh of these sellers I thought seriously about asking if any of them required double glazing or understood the heat reflecting benefits of Argon over Nitrogen for interglazed spacing; but before I could work out my spiel we reached the turning for our Hostel.

There is no escaping the liveliness of Playa, there are Bars and restaurants to cater for every appetite and pocket. This is mexico catering for a market. The only salvation is that as you move West to some of the other parallel Avenidas peace and mexican normality return.

This is a very different and fun, party place to be, because of the prevalence of Cruise ships and nearby Cozumel a Scuba/Snorkelling centre.

We are catching the Ferry tomorrow for a visit.

There was a mini Friday fiesta when we arrived.... so take a look at this for a fin de semana start, taken from our first floor balconette. Looks from the angle that there is an element of cervesa distortion to the framing of the pictures, or perhaps the building wasn't straight.

Coba and Tulum

Well what can we say about Coba and Tulum.

Coba is about 30 miles from Tulum in the jungle and only 10% of the 70 km2 site is being restored.

The God of the Underworld

Ball games were played at every opportunity. The ball was made of solid rubber and was 12 inches in diameter and had to be passed through the hoop using the knee, hip or elbow.

The pyramids here were slightly different to those found at other sites - notice how they are more rounded.

The  tallest pyramid is also found at Coba, and yes we did climb the staircase to heaven.

Tulum Mayan Ruins are unique in that the site was built on the cliffs overlooking the Caribbean Sea. The buildings date to between 1200-1450 AD (post classic period).

El Castillo

Templo de Pintura

The view from El Mirador looking out across the clifftop to the sea beyond

Those who don't like BUGS look away now and advance quickly to the end of this blog.

where's that pesky pigeon..

...One of the locals....Iguana go home

Please re-leaf me let me go.......

And when you are tired of traipsing around some ricketty old ruins you can always slouch on a beach .........

From Guatemala to Mexico via Belize

After visiting Tikal we headed back to Mexico via Belize City. Belize City is not worth mentioning. Our arrival in Mexico felt like coming home. We spent a night at Casita Carolina in Bacalar by the lagoon. The accommodation was excellent.

Bacalar Lagoon

On Wednesday we arrived in Tulum - a pleasant town on the Yucatan Peninsula. We will stay here until Saturday. The accommodation is good, we are staying on the coast at a little place called Yoga Shala. We visited a mayan site at Coba yesterday and today we are going to visit the ruins at Tulum. Will post pictures later.

Guatemala - Tikal The City of Sounds

Well the main reason for the detour from Mexico to Guatemala is to visit the ruins of Tikal. This city was started around 500 BC and remained in use until 1000AD.Tikal History Wiki

The buildings are amongst the tallest in meso america upto 70 metres. and the views form the top are stunning...

The Site has not been cleared completely of jungle so these manmade structures rise out high above the trees.

The ruins also lie in the El peten national park so there is plenty of wildlife too.

Coatimundi...Cheeky monkey was after food in our bags... He's not a monkey but is related to anteaters.

An ocellated turkey... looking a little shaken...

 And of course there are always ........

SPIDERS!!!!!!.... This one is a banana spider almost walked into this on the trail, lucky escape or I might have slipped.