The Road to Caracol

Our original plan to was take every 2nd or 3rd day easy, but unfortunately there was too much to see and do in Belize so every day became an expedition. Case in point, I had barely heard of the ruins of Caracol before leaving, but having gotten a taste for Mayan cities this one sounded too tantalizing to miss.

It was also one of the most remote sites we visited, being far from town and close to the Guatemalan border. There have historically been problems with bandits in the forests as well (Belize recommends visiting the site as part of a daily convoy, but we did just fine with a local guide) so we opted to go with an organized tour for this one - fortunately there were only three of us booked so we had a small and personal tour to the site. But getting there took time...

On the way, we really lucked out with a close encounter with some King Vultures. Normally they are circling FAR up in the air, and we were incredibly fortunate to see a cluster of them practically at eye level and very close to the road.

Belize (like the Yucatan) is crisscrossed with limestone caverns and waterways of various sizes. The Rio Frio cave was an enormous, but also highly accessible cave on the way out. Its also not incredibly deep, so we could enjoy the strange formations and stream running through it, without spending too long (or worry about getting too lost)

We also visited the Big Rock waterfall, which was as scenic as it was freezing cold. Despite an opportunity to swim none of us were quite hot enough to want to brave the chilly water, though there were a group of cliff jumpers a little further up that were the right combination of brave and foolhardy to be enjoying the waters themselves.

Actun Tunichil Muknal

The rain god Chaahk was a powerful and fickle power to the Mayan people, especially in times of drought, and human blood was a potent source of nourishment for the gods. The limestone caves across Belize were sacred places for him, as the rivers flowing from them were seen as his influence extending from the underworld of Xibalba.

Actun Tunichil Muknal, meaning “Cave of the Crystal Sepulchre” contains both artifacts and human remains from the Classic Mayan period. For hundreds of years, priests came to this cave to conduct bloodletting rituals and human sacrifices.

Many of the stone formations within were shaped to produce musical instruments, altars, or to cast shadow silhouettes of faces and animals on the cave walls.

Entering the cave today involves a 3km scramble underground along a meandering river to the site. The final cave opens up like a natural cathedral that contains 14 skeletal remains, all assumed to be high-status individuals sacrificed in times of war or drought. Frequent flooding over time has calcified their bones, fusing them to the ground and leaving them with a sparking and otherworldly finish.

Experiencing this site was an intensely spiritual experience that left a mark on us - truth be told I think we are still processing it and likely will be for years to come. Though the priests who worshipped these gods are long gone, they were human beings similar to ourselves but utterly different in circumstance. The undeniable power of the place, combined with the things that happened there, are haunting.

Please note: All these photos were shared afterwards by our guide Basilio from a collection built up by local guides. After a number of mishaps with clumsy tourists, photography is no longer permitted in the caves.

Flying over Garibaldi Provincial Park

After the the flight lesson orientation, Captain Dave lead us on an hour long tour of his happy place, Garibaldi Provincial Park. The literal jewel of this park is Garibaldi Lake, which is fed by mountain runoff and stunningly azure, due to suspended particles in the meltwater known as "glacial flour." 

This massive body of water is 1,500m above sea level with depths of up to 250m and held back by a lava dam known as "The Barrier." Captain Dave explained that, should there ever be an earthquake of sufficient magnitude, there is a good chance the natural dam will rupture and the lake will spill into the valley below.

Equally stunning, Table Mountain was a humbling testament to the passage of time and a reminder of the awesome power of the glaciers that once covered North America. Much like Siwash Rock or Devil's Tower, Table Mountain is the igneous funnel of an extinct volcano left behind after the softer sedimentary rock around it wore away.

The top is naturally so flat because its formative eruption took place when the entire area was covered in ice so thick that not even a volcano could impact it. The ice above stopped liquid rock and then ground it flat.

Towering at a height of 2,678 meters, the peak of Mount Garibaldi is an amazing sight from the air. The Sentinel and Sphinx glaciers feed the lake below as they recede a little more each year. Despite global warming, these ice fields remain massive, which fissures hundreds of feet deep and jagged rocks poking through into the clouds at the top, evoking the Antarctica flight from "At the Mountains of Madness."

 

Cloudy with a Chance of Volcanoes

Since we had a bit of trouble spotting Arenal due to clouds during our tour, we tacked on a day trip out of San Jose in our last few days in the country to try and take in Poas Volcano. On the drive up we were warned that the weather was variable up there and that it was typically visible but frequently obscured by clouds. With that in mind, you can imagine we weren't too thrilled when we were greeted with the view below.

Somewhat frustrated, we took to the hiking trails in the area. There are 2 craters at the site, one of which is a 15 minute walk through some very foreboding and dark forest. When we arrived at the second lookout, we were initially greeted with a view identical to the first picture. However, we decided to stick it out since our tour was on location for 1.5 hours and hope for the best. Not more than 10 minutes later, the wind shifted and the clouds pulled back, revealing a stunning lake of collected rainwater which has filled in an old crater.

Excited by this change for the better, we enjoyed the view and then hurried back down the path to the first location, to be gladly greeted with the view shown below. We still had 40 minutes or so to enjoy the view and take all the pictures we wanted before heading back to the bus. Strangely enough, the winds shifted again shortly before we started our walk back, and before we left the clouds had completely returned and obscured the area altogether.

Siwash Rock Underwater Time Lapse

So after alot of testing, retesting, buying the right equipment, re-testing and fails Geordie and I did it!  We have an underwater time lapse!  It worked out incredibly well especially for a first time outing where we really didn't what to expect. There were so many variables that could screw it up.  Large waves, odd tides - though we checked the weather and tide tables.  Also people horsing around with it or even stealing it. Geordie hid it but it was visible from a very public path.  It is obvious in the video where we set it down.  It is facing Stanley Park's Siwash Rock on the mussel beds.  We had to be careful minimizing our ecosystem impact gingerly climbing over the little shells to set it down and then pick it up.

Here are two stills taken from the timelapse.  We caught in several places schools of small fish.  I don't know what kind.  I was really hoping to get a crab or starfish crawling over it but no luck.  This area is usually crawling with starfish but something is killing them off and this spot was completely bereft of them.

I love the rainbow and the gods rays refracting through the water.  The light highlights the mussels and kelp in a glorious way. I hope you enjoyed these photos and timelapse.  Geordie and I are brainstorming ideas where to set it down so if you have your own thought of a good underwater spot please let us know.  It just has to be accessible by foot and relatively easy to hide.

Qualicum Falls- Turquoise Liquids.

Impressive cascades of water are part of Little Qualicum Falls Provincial Park.  The water is an incredible ice blue.  It is a narrow rocky gorge in a lovely forest setting.  There is also picnic facilities and lake swimming though Geordie and I just hiked around on the very easy trail.  I really like the tree bridges that the fallen logs make. You can't walk across but still very pretty.

You have to be careful though.  These are NOT for swimming or boating.  There is the rare, odd fatality the most recent one in August of 2013.  So don't be stupid.  It amazes me how people ignore the warning signs. Often it looks stable near the edge but sometimes the forest floor including roots, moss and dirt grow over the rocky edges.  It looks solid but really is a spongy mat that will not hold any weight. You can see it over growing on the other side of it.

The park is on Vancouver Island between Nanaimo and Port Alberni.  It's just before Cathedral Grove going West towards Tofino. It's just a few kilometres of the main highway and worth a stop for a leg stretch, picnic or day trip.  Good place to run dogs or children I would think as the park is over 400 hectares.  Still can't get over the colour of the water.

Outside the Horne Lake Caves

I already did a post about the inside of Horne like Cave. Here is the outside.  For all the forest you would not expect there to be limestone, karst formations below.  Well maybe if you were a geologist you would. The area looks like unassuming hilly Vancouver Island forest.

 

Every once in a while you get these formations. This is a cave entrance with a small opening than a shaft that is vertical but climbable. It lead into a small chamber than through a narrow low overhang to another vertical drop and to a 2nd chamber.  There is another exit but I was too short to reach it.

More rock formations with Geordie for scale.  The whole hiking route without doing the caves takes maybe 45 minutes and there is some information about the area posted.  Better for those who are interested but aren't into caving or spelunking.

Horne Lake Caves

Geordie and I finally made it to the Horne Lake Caves.  Preserving any cave formations has kind of gone by the way side here.  Wearing grubby clothing and helmets with lights Geordie went into the pitch black caves.  In one cave, the spring run off was flowing fast so we had to wade throw the water coming out of the cave in a fairly fast flow.

With some mild spelunking and squishy bits we get further in to the passage where water is flowing out.  You can see the pearly mineral deposits.  The passage narrows to nothing that a human could pass throw.  The water takes some weeks to perculate throw the limestone.

I got squicked out by the huge daddy long leg cave spiders that appear not only singly but in clumps.  That is what those things are.  And they moooooove when light is shined on them. 

Under Niagara Falls - The Moistening

One of the things I really wanted to do was go Behind the Falls.  Since we were there on the off season there only a few other visitors.  At the entrance you could see the infra-structure made to handle huge lines though. So travel tip: go off season to avoid that nonsense.  Once in, you can go practically underneath the tons of white water careening over the precipice.

Tunnels led to outlooks right behind the water.  The spray was ever changing sometimes it came back through the tunnel enough to soak you.  It was very unpredictable.  The grey through the outlook below is a seething mass of water that was hypnotic in its intensity and nebulousness.

I had a great time at the lower outlook. You can get right up to the water and since the wind was strong and blowing in the right direction you need rain gear.  You get unattractive plastic ponchos (recyclable) to wear or else you get wet. It had a hood but I decided that hoods were for wimps and got happily drenched. Apparently the photo below does not capture my hilarious grinning according to a certain husband.  I was indeed laughing my head off.

Niagara Falls

I was finally able to visit one of Canada's most famous attractions. Maybe THE most famous thing to see. Geordie has seen it before but I was a first timer.  That is, of course, Niagara Falls.  The Canadian side of the falls on the far right of the panorama below is supposed to be the most spectacular.  It is loud, wet and mist shrouded.  I liked the American falls as well which are located to the far left of the panorama. 

Here is a closer view of the American Falls.  The reddish stairs on the bottom left are to the Cave of Winds which was closed because of a rock slide a few days before. Rock slides are common as the falls erode and move further back.  This was taken on Maid of the Mist which may not be operational in the future.

At night the falls are illuminated with colour changing floodlights.  I recommend seeing the falls at different times of the day in order to get a full view and experience of them in different light settings.  The constant mist makes the light diffuse in a very soft way.  Being there in the fall was great as there was no where near the crowds you get in the Summer.

Lynn Canyon

Geordie and I used what is turning out to be the only nice day this Spring to hike Lynn Canyon. If we had a bit more forethought we may have done the back country but as it turns out we had a great time puttering around. We did get off the designated path though (don't be like us as it can be dangerous). Lynn Canyon is a nice secret place in North Van but it seems to be getting popular with tour buses. When we left there were tour groups and a large crowd on the Suspension Bridge so arrive early to beat the rush. Morning is best. Then there is just birds and the occasional dog walkers. The odd bear comes through too. The Bridge is 50 metres above the canyon and was independently built around 1912.

This was a good spot for birds. We watched American Dippers brave the cold waters. It was freezing cold from all the melt waters so I will give it some more time before I go swimming and wading. Careful where you do this though as the waters are fast.

Some of the trees are 100 years old. There are a few spots that have been logged a long time ago and you can still see some springboard hacks. Geordie has a fondness for little trees growing out of an old stump or nursury tree.  The photo below was taken with his fisheye lens.

Galapagos Highlight Reel

 Our trip to Ecuador highlight reels will comprise of two videos. The second will feature the Amazon Rain forest. The first is completed and posted here (and on Vimeo) and is all about the Galapagos Islands. It shows some of the unique and rare flora and fauna that is native to the archipelago. Most of the species and landscapes shown have already been featured in other posts. So if there is something that catches your eye check there for more information.

Music: The Porcupine Tree "The Colour of Air"

A Primeval Landscape

We visited the island of Santiago. Part of it was home to very young lava flows. These pahoehoe flows were just over 100 years old as they happened in 1897, mere foetuses in geological terms. Life had barely started returning to this landscape. Some tiny lichen here and there and small pockets of wee lava cacti.

Click on the panorama below to enlarge it.

 The lava flowed had formed tubes, pots and cracks, some of which were quite deep. The lava was such that it looked like it could have solidified yesteday. In parts it was perfectly smooth and shiny. In others it had created ripples where it encountered resistance or began to cool. The warm lava rock was pleasant and soothing to lie on creating a natural massage.

 Within the lava forms were fantastic shapes. With the tiniest bit of imagination the lava comes to life as forms of animals and scenes spring to the eye. I spied an iguana swimming through water in the shape of the lava below.

Galapagos Penguins

Penguins are not usually associated with the Ecuator. The icy cold Humboldt Current which flows up to the Galapagos lets penguins find these tropics habitable. We saw our only Galapagos Penguins at Sombrero Chino at Santiago Island. This was a lovely area with crystal clear waters and magnificent lava fields.
Click on the panorama below to enlarge it.

Way off in the distance were spotted a group of 4-6 Galapagos Penguins. These wee fellows were chilling on the lava rocks on shore. They were very difficult to spot without the aid of binoculars. Eventually all but 1 or 2 disappeared under a rock hang or cave.

We were most fortunate to see the fellow below racing through clear shallow waters chasing fish. This one looked to be having a fine old time as he scythed through the shallows of the beach which we were walking. It looked like he was chasing fish. The speed and agility at which he moved was impressive. It was our best sighting of the Galapagos Penguin. Unfortunately it was our only one of such quality.

Galapagos Landscapes

 There are 15 large islands in the Galapagos, but on any cruise through the area you will also see many of the 100+ rocks and islets which are smaller than a single square kilometer but make for very striking landscapes. This is a fine example of a rocky islet that most people pass by and has been largely untouched by man.

 Even the larger islands have a feeling of desolate weirdness which takes awhile to get used to. We landed on the island of Santa Cruz at a place called Dragons Hill which has lush vegetation around the base and then very parched and dried out trees reaching up part of the hill. Ecuador is trying very hard to prevent any further plant and animal introduction on the islands so the plant and animal life there is largely unlike anything we'd seen anywhere else.

Kicker Rock is particularly striking from this angle. For scale, the small white dot at the lower left tip of the island is a boat for about 20 people, so the cliffs are sheer and the spires are looming. This particular formation is very different from the back, with the spanish name being 'Leon Dormido' or 'sleeping lion' as the back looks like a giant cat with its head on its paws.

Nairn Falls

We just had a very busy weekend and with a few camping pictures to share from the weekend before there'll be a bit of a local backlog before we get back to Africa. While in the interior we camped at a site called Nairn Falls which had a very nice campground and a pleasant but short hike. The trail lead up to Nairn Falls themselves which were a series of whitewater falls as you can see below.
There were also spots closer to the river further from the falls where you could dip your toes in the glacial melt and enjoy the sun; but even on a hot day I would be hard pressed to want to get too far in the water. People had entertained themselves in other ways by making little inukshuks out of stray river stones.
The view just from our campsite was quite striking with a lovely view up into the mountains. There were jet boat tours running through the rapids and up to the falls but we didn't find the time to take one in. You can click on the panorama below to enlarge it.

Ngorongoro Conservation Area

We've touched on the Ngorongoro Crater in the past and although we only had a few hours in it, there was a huge range of wildlife to see in there along with some unforgettable encounters that we've highlighted in particular.

Music: "Crossing the Bridge" by James Newton Howard

The lodge we stayed at Ngorongoro was very nice, but being nestled in the forest and on the edge of a gorge, it was impossible to get good exterior pictures, so you'll all have to make do with a few interiors. The bar area below was host to a group of acrobats and dancers that evening which were quite impressive and the view from the deck out over the crater was a joy.
The rooms were quite nice and cozy. I had my birthday at this particular lodge and it was also the birthday of our friend Roger, so there was a fun evening of drinks and merriment.

Oldupai Gorge

On a drive between parks in Tanzania we were fortunate enough to pass through Oldupai Gorge. For those of you not married to archaeologists, this might have been less of a treat, but it was very interesting for us as its a site of numerous early human discoveries and is considered by many to be "the cradle of humankind."
Often called Olduvai gorge, we were told its actually a mispronunciation of Oldupai which is a kind of seisel plant common to the area which was recorded improperly by early explorers. Given that its African and not European we're trying to be proper and use the correct spelling, and now that you know better, you can too ;)
There was a very nice little museum at the same spot and a covered area we could escape from the heat, eat our packed lunch and listen to a talk about the area at. We passed through the area on my birthday as well and it was a fun contrast to start my 32nd year in the same place that mankind was getting his first steps 2.5 million years earlier.

Amboseli

Amboseli was our first stop in Kenya after crossing over from Tanzania. The name means 'dust devil' in Maasai and the dry, dusty ground was a constant source of fleeting whirlwinds. The area is famous for its elephants and we saw them here in great numbers, along with a large pride of lions and several hyenas.
A very contrasted place within a small area, Amboseli transitioned from dust bowl to swamp very quickly. This geography was not only a haven for birds of all kinds, but created a very pleasing home for the elephants. They sleep in the foothills of the mountains but cross over to the marsh daily to feed and drink.
All this splendor was tucked under the shadow of Mount Kilimanjaro, famed as the highest free-standing mountain in the world at 5,895m above sea level (click panorama below to enlarge).