All summer I worked on a independent film called Tomato Lake. Rather than being a crew member, I actually had a role.
Now the director, Steve McConnell, has made a trailer for the film. It's in Windows Media format, and I have uploaded it to my webspace. Withluck, you can click on the link below and it will download/play for you.
And where am I in the trailer? Sitting in a canoe...
THE TOMATO LAKE TRAILER!
Cheers!
Sunday, March 27, 2005
From the "no eggs?!" dept.
Easter Sunday...
Not a ton to report. Been working. Been catching up on email. Been thinking about the future. Been working on altnewsjournal.
More to come.
Cheers!
Not a ton to report. Been working. Been catching up on email. Been thinking about the future. Been working on altnewsjournal.
More to come.
Cheers!
Wednesday, March 23, 2005
From the "point form again" dept.
So many things, so little time:
1. Neighbours in Vancouver busted for grow-op while I was away. Today Hydro came and snipped their wires.
2. Lots of work ahead. Pretty much booked until mid-Sept.
3. Super secret trip is on the horizon. No details available.
4. Europe trip looms. May 4th!! Heh heh.
5. Interviewed by Macleans magazine for an article on Podcasting. And away we go!
6. Tax hell turns into winfall.
7. Seriously considering land purchase in Belize.
8. Selling blood to finance land purchase mentioned above.
9. Changes at the house: Cheryl out. 3 men try to figure out how to use the oven. ("It's kind of like a dryer, for meat.")
10. Busy since I came home. Worked at 3 of 4 days.
11. Tan fading.
12. Bedtime!
Cheers!
1. Neighbours in Vancouver busted for grow-op while I was away. Today Hydro came and snipped their wires.
2. Lots of work ahead. Pretty much booked until mid-Sept.
3. Super secret trip is on the horizon. No details available.
4. Europe trip looms. May 4th!! Heh heh.
5. Interviewed by Macleans magazine for an article on Podcasting. And away we go!
6. Tax hell turns into winfall.
7. Seriously considering land purchase in Belize.
8. Selling blood to finance land purchase mentioned above.
9. Changes at the house: Cheryl out. 3 men try to figure out how to use the oven. ("It's kind of like a dryer, for meat.")
10. Busy since I came home. Worked at 3 of 4 days.
11. Tan fading.
12. Bedtime!
Cheers!
Saturday, March 19, 2005
from the "zzz" dept
The Macleans interview went well - 90 minutes long. A good thing, but it makes me glad I'm not writing it!
After the interview I had brunch at Sue's (CBC collegue) and met some other folks.
This afternoon I bought a headset to use with Skype - worked well. Had a nice quiet dinner with the roomies, and, well, wrote this.
Back to work tomorrow... no days off for a while... but more pictures to come from BZ.
Cheers!
After the interview I had brunch at Sue's (CBC collegue) and met some other folks.
This afternoon I bought a headset to use with Skype - worked well. Had a nice quiet dinner with the roomies, and, well, wrote this.
Back to work tomorrow... no days off for a while... but more pictures to come from BZ.
Cheers!
Friday, March 18, 2005
from the "boy are my arms tired" dept.
Arrived in Seattle late Thursday night. Bagged at a cheap hotel.
On Friday, Randy and I hung out in Seattle (he was good enough to come down and give me a ride home to Vancouver). We headed home late in the day after stopping into the Apple Store, REI (bought a great back pack for my computer), and Bottleworks (mmm... Rogue Brutal Bitter).
Canadian Customs was a breeze: maybe 30 seconds. All the guy wanted to know what were I had been, and the value of my goods. Even "Central America" didn't phase him.
Arrived home, lots of mail including a nice income tax return.
Being interviewed by Macleans magazine tomorrow about AltNewsJournal.
All is good. And to all a good night.
On Friday, Randy and I hung out in Seattle (he was good enough to come down and give me a ride home to Vancouver). We headed home late in the day after stopping into the Apple Store, REI (bought a great back pack for my computer), and Bottleworks (mmm... Rogue Brutal Bitter).
Canadian Customs was a breeze: maybe 30 seconds. All the guy wanted to know what were I had been, and the value of my goods. Even "Central America" didn't phase him.
Arrived home, lots of mail including a nice income tax return.
Being interviewed by Macleans magazine tomorrow about AltNewsJournal.
All is good. And to all a good night.
ANJ #1 up
AltNewsJournal #1 is online now here:
http://anjrandd.libsyn.com/
#2 is coming soon. #3 as well.
Cheers!
http://anjrandd.libsyn.com/
#2 is coming soon. #3 as well.
Cheers!
Thursday, March 17, 2005
from the "holy multiple posts" dept.
Something went nuts, and 27 posts of my last rant filled up RoadSpill. Probably due to impatience whilst posting in Guatemala.
And now, removing all the repetition is proving to be frustrating. So I will wait until I return to Vancouver before doing the big delete. Low bandwidth just won't cut it.
Today is the final day of my little holiday in the tropics.
We arrived back from Guatemala yesterday and after a big feed at Belize City's best (only?) Indian Rest., it was sleepy time.
I head to the airport in about 2 hours. Fly to Houston and then onwards to Seattle. I'm driving to Vancouver on Friday. It's going to be strange not wearing shorts and sandals.
It was a good trip. And more tales and pictures to come.
Up next: Albania!
Cheers!
And now, removing all the repetition is proving to be frustrating. So I will wait until I return to Vancouver before doing the big delete. Low bandwidth just won't cut it.
Today is the final day of my little holiday in the tropics.
We arrived back from Guatemala yesterday and after a big feed at Belize City's best (only?) Indian Rest., it was sleepy time.
I head to the airport in about 2 hours. Fly to Houston and then onwards to Seattle. I'm driving to Vancouver on Friday. It's going to be strange not wearing shorts and sandals.
It was a good trip. And more tales and pictures to come.
Up next: Albania!
Cheers!
Tuesday, March 15, 2005
internet posting hell... trying again!
Tuesday morning in Flores... and in just 2 days I'll be back in Seattle. Strange to think that its almost over. But it was great, relaxing and cheap!
We went to Tikal yesterday, which was nice. Except it was bleedin' hot. Got some nice snaps, though.
The bus back to the city was bouncy. We were in the back, and each time the bus hit a pothole, we went flying into the ceiling. Woo hoo!
Last night we discovered a small place to eat that offered great pizza. And the local news was on TV -- lots of blood and guts and protests. All is quiet here.
We're going to hang for another day... exploring Santa Elena, the much poorer sister town of Flores. Flores is on an island in Lake Peten, connected via a causeway to Santa Elena. We'll walk over there for a photo safari and seek out the absolute worst dive bars that we can find. But during the daylight hours only.
I may hit the bank for a couple more Quetzals, as I am getting low. Still, our hotel is like 5 US a night. Hahahaha!
Weather continues to be hot and humid. And its only 10am.
More from Belize tomorrow...
Cheers!
We went to Tikal yesterday, which was nice. Except it was bleedin' hot. Got some nice snaps, though.
The bus back to the city was bouncy. We were in the back, and each time the bus hit a pothole, we went flying into the ceiling. Woo hoo!
Last night we discovered a small place to eat that offered great pizza. And the local news was on TV -- lots of blood and guts and protests. All is quiet here.
We're going to hang for another day... exploring Santa Elena, the much poorer sister town of Flores. Flores is on an island in Lake Peten, connected via a causeway to Santa Elena. We'll walk over there for a photo safari and seek out the absolute worst dive bars that we can find. But during the daylight hours only.
I may hit the bank for a couple more Quetzals, as I am getting low. Still, our hotel is like 5 US a night. Hahahaha!
Weather continues to be hot and humid. And its only 10am.
More from Belize tomorrow...
Cheers!
from the "winding down" dept.
Tuesday morning in Flores... and in just 2 days I'll be back in Seattle. Strange to think that its almost over. But it was great, relaxing and cheap!
We went to Tikal yesterday, which was nice. Except it was bleedin' hot. Got some nice snaps, though.
The bus back to the city was bouncy. We were in the back, and each time the bus hit a pothole, we went flying into the ceiling. Woo hoo!
Last night we discovered a small place to eat that offered great pizza. And the local news was on TV -- lots of blood and guts and protests. All is quiet here.
We're going to hang for another day... exploring Santa Elena, the much poorer sister town of Flores. Flores is on an island in Lake Peten, connected via a causeway to Santa Elena. We'll walk over there for a photo safari and seek out the absolute worst dive bars that we can find. But during the daylight hours only.
I may hit the bank for a couple more Quetzals, as I am getting low. Still, our hotel is like 5 US a night. Hahahaha!
Weather continues to be hot and humid. And its only 10am.
More from Belize tomorrow...
Cheers!
We went to Tikal yesterday, which was nice. Except it was bleedin' hot. Got some nice snaps, though.
The bus back to the city was bouncy. We were in the back, and each time the bus hit a pothole, we went flying into the ceiling. Woo hoo!
Last night we discovered a small place to eat that offered great pizza. And the local news was on TV -- lots of blood and guts and protests. All is quiet here.
We're going to hang for another day... exploring Santa Elena, the much poorer sister town of Flores. Flores is on an island in Lake Peten, connected via a causeway to Santa Elena. We'll walk over there for a photo safari and seek out the absolute worst dive bars that we can find. But during the daylight hours only.
I may hit the bank for a couple more Quetzals, as I am getting low. Still, our hotel is like 5 US a night. Hahahaha!
Weather continues to be hot and humid. And its only 10am.
More from Belize tomorrow...
Cheers!
Sunday, March 13, 2005
from the "in Guatemala" dept.
Point form again...
Power off at Ivan and Katia's this morning. Good thing as the neighbours were pumping out the crap music all night.
Ivan drove us to the border. Grabbed a bus to Flores, Guatemala.
Tought it was the island of free beer. Wrong. Will explain.
Off to Tikal tomorrow moring.
Fun and hot here.
Cheers!
Power off at Ivan and Katia's this morning. Good thing as the neighbours were pumping out the crap music all night.
Ivan drove us to the border. Grabbed a bus to Flores, Guatemala.
Tought it was the island of free beer. Wrong. Will explain.
Off to Tikal tomorrow moring.
Fun and hot here.
Cheers!
Saturday, March 12, 2005
from the "nearing the border" dept.
Short form post tonight -- on dial up, and dinner is almost ready.
Arrived in Belize City from Caye Caulker Friday afternoon. Chilled for an hour, repacked and huffed it down to meet Brent at Channel 5. From there we cabbed it over to the bus station for the 6pm ride to San Ignacio.
Several hours later, Ivan and Katia picked us up in SI. We went out for dinner and then for ice cream before heading back to their new place. The neighbours, dogs, and roosters nearby provided the entertainment.
Saturday:
Up early. Went to the French Bakery for crossiants. Then to look at Ivan, Katia and Brent's land. Met their Manitoba neighbour. Looked at a parcel for your's truly.
Then home for lunch.
Later in the day we went to the Log Cabin-Innz for a couple of pints. Looking forward to more ice cream and an outdoor concert by a cheesy Mexican artist: El Pulpo (The Octopus)... a rockin' keyboardist.
Off to Guatemala tomorrow...
Cheers!
Arrived in Belize City from Caye Caulker Friday afternoon. Chilled for an hour, repacked and huffed it down to meet Brent at Channel 5. From there we cabbed it over to the bus station for the 6pm ride to San Ignacio.
Several hours later, Ivan and Katia picked us up in SI. We went out for dinner and then for ice cream before heading back to their new place. The neighbours, dogs, and roosters nearby provided the entertainment.
Saturday:
Up early. Went to the French Bakery for crossiants. Then to look at Ivan, Katia and Brent's land. Met their Manitoba neighbour. Looked at a parcel for your's truly.
Then home for lunch.
Later in the day we went to the Log Cabin-Innz for a couple of pints. Looking forward to more ice cream and an outdoor concert by a cheesy Mexican artist: El Pulpo (The Octopus)... a rockin' keyboardist.
Off to Guatemala tomorrow...
Cheers!
Friday, March 11, 2005
In Belize City. Cayo soon.
I have reached Belize City. The trip was good, the weather nice.
I've just finished re-packing and will be meeting Brent at Channel 5.
We're headed to Cayo on the 6pm bus. We'll be staying with Ivan and
Katia before heading to Flores, Guatemala on Sunday.
More from the road... I hope.
Cheers!
from the "I'm leaving on a water taxi...." dept.
The final dispatch from Caye Caulker:
It seems like I’ve been here a month. And some times it feels like I just arrived. No matter, the Caye Caulker experience draws to an end in just a few hours.
Yesterday I spent my last day wandering around. I met a retired professor of European History (from North Carolina) and we went for beers in the afternoon. We talked history for quite a long time.
I then made my way over to Wish Willy’s restaurant and finally got my interview with Maurice. And then tragedy: I dropped my MD recorder and it went bounding down a flight of stairs. This has happened many times previous, but this time it was fatal. Bits of electronics went flying. It’s funny: the last near fatal drop actually occurred right here at Costa Maya Cabanas in 2003.
So I’m now in the market for a new mini-disc recorder. The only real drag is that it looks like the interview with Maurice was toasted, as the machine was in the process of “finalizing” the recording on the disc. At least they’re cheap to replace these days.
Last night I fell asleep while reading… and then dragged myself off to bed. I got up with the sun, around 6am.
Around 8 I had breakfast with Don, the American prof. And then came back to Costa Maya to chat with Heather. We took the laptop to her house to see if the wifi network would reach that far, but it fell short.
It’s a cool and cloudy today, but it doesn’t look like it will rain. The agenda is simple: tidy up (done), give away left over food and booze, pay (done), pack (done) and grab the 1:30 water taxi to Belize City.
From there I will walk to Brent’s and then we’ll head to Cayo tonight to stay with Ivan and Katia. I’ll be traveling light, which means no computer. And that means my daily (and more) postings will come to an end for a while.
The plan is to weekend in Cayo, then head to Guatemala and visit Flores and Tikal. These are pretty touristy places – and I’d visited Tikal in 1999. But this will be an opportunity to play with the camera and hopefully get some stunning images.
We’ll return to Belize City on Tuesday or Wednesday and then I fly to Seattle on Thursday.
It’s funny: I am totally into the laid back Caye Caulker mentality. It took a few days, but I am really enjoying the absolute lack of a schedule. But it’s not real life, and it can’t last forever. Maybe if the 6/49 gods smile down one day…
Regardless, I can’t wait to come back!!
Well, I should get back to preparing to leave. Until later this afternoon, or from Cayo…
Cheers!
It seems like I’ve been here a month. And some times it feels like I just arrived. No matter, the Caye Caulker experience draws to an end in just a few hours.
Yesterday I spent my last day wandering around. I met a retired professor of European History (from North Carolina) and we went for beers in the afternoon. We talked history for quite a long time.
I then made my way over to Wish Willy’s restaurant and finally got my interview with Maurice. And then tragedy: I dropped my MD recorder and it went bounding down a flight of stairs. This has happened many times previous, but this time it was fatal. Bits of electronics went flying. It’s funny: the last near fatal drop actually occurred right here at Costa Maya Cabanas in 2003.
So I’m now in the market for a new mini-disc recorder. The only real drag is that it looks like the interview with Maurice was toasted, as the machine was in the process of “finalizing” the recording on the disc. At least they’re cheap to replace these days.
Last night I fell asleep while reading… and then dragged myself off to bed. I got up with the sun, around 6am.
Around 8 I had breakfast with Don, the American prof. And then came back to Costa Maya to chat with Heather. We took the laptop to her house to see if the wifi network would reach that far, but it fell short.
It’s a cool and cloudy today, but it doesn’t look like it will rain. The agenda is simple: tidy up (done), give away left over food and booze, pay (done), pack (done) and grab the 1:30 water taxi to Belize City.
From there I will walk to Brent’s and then we’ll head to Cayo tonight to stay with Ivan and Katia. I’ll be traveling light, which means no computer. And that means my daily (and more) postings will come to an end for a while.
The plan is to weekend in Cayo, then head to Guatemala and visit Flores and Tikal. These are pretty touristy places – and I’d visited Tikal in 1999. But this will be an opportunity to play with the camera and hopefully get some stunning images.
We’ll return to Belize City on Tuesday or Wednesday and then I fly to Seattle on Thursday.
It’s funny: I am totally into the laid back Caye Caulker mentality. It took a few days, but I am really enjoying the absolute lack of a schedule. But it’s not real life, and it can’t last forever. Maybe if the 6/49 gods smile down one day…
Regardless, I can’t wait to come back!!
Well, I should get back to preparing to leave. Until later this afternoon, or from Cayo…
Cheers!
Thursday, March 10, 2005
from the "something wicked this way comes" dept.
Whoo boy, it seems that paradise isn’t always so.
It was a blisteringly hot day today, as noted earlier. However there was something strange on the horizon.
A wall of cloud slowly moved in from the north and east. As the day wore on, and it got closer to sunset time (5:45), the cloud darkened and rumbling, like that of a distant drummer, rolled through the air.
I walked down to the split to see what was up, and it soon became apparent that outside was no place to be.
Just a few moments later I was back at my apartment, and it looked like it was already night. The winds were picking up, the rumbling got louder. Still no rain.
I unplugged my computer, just to be safe. No need to have 10,000 volts of chip-frying hell course through my beloved Powerbook.
Then, suddenly, the skies opened up. And the winds went to full force. For a few moments I thought the roof was going to fly off.
I ran to the balcony and began snapping wildly, trying to capture the fury of the storm. It was wicked. Coconuts thudded all around, and palm trees bent awkwardly.
The rain seemed to be coming from all directions, and I soon had to run back inside to keep from being drenched.
The power managed to hold out for a few more moments, and then finally blinked out. The entire island was now black.
After a bit more howling, the wind finally abated and the rain stopped. I looked in vain for a candle, and a neighbour offered one up. Once I lit it, I discovered my own. A survivalist I’m not. But my little flashlight was handy for beer hunting in the dark fridge.
I headed outside again, determined to capture the scene on my camera. Not an easy thing to do. When its dark, the shutter remains open for a long period of time. Any shaking or vibration will result in lots of smeary images.
The beauty of digital is that I was able to shoot a few hundred shots, and with luck, was able to capture the lightning show that started. It was pretty intense, though mostly cloud-to-cloud. A bolt hit nearby and rattled my bones like a ride on a chicken bus.
Down at the beach I was able to capture some pretty cool images, both of the darkened main drag – which was occasionally lit up by the lightening – and of the Caribbean Sea.
The power eventually came on, and things are beginning to return to normal. It is just after 7pm local time as I write this.
Heather, who runs Costa Maya Cabanas, had unplugged the wireless internet transmitter to save it from being fried. The result of that means that I don’t know when I’ll be posting this or the images. Soon, I hope.
Until then, I think I will wander down the street in search of food. This is my second last night in paradise, although there is still a full week of hanging in the tropics before I have to return to Canada.
Not that I mind, but it’s been really nice to have nothing to do for the past 10 days, other than stuff that is mentally, physically and occasionally liver stimulating.
Enjoy the pictures!
Cheers!
It was a blisteringly hot day today, as noted earlier. However there was something strange on the horizon.
A wall of cloud slowly moved in from the north and east. As the day wore on, and it got closer to sunset time (5:45), the cloud darkened and rumbling, like that of a distant drummer, rolled through the air.
I walked down to the split to see what was up, and it soon became apparent that outside was no place to be.
Just a few moments later I was back at my apartment, and it looked like it was already night. The winds were picking up, the rumbling got louder. Still no rain.
I unplugged my computer, just to be safe. No need to have 10,000 volts of chip-frying hell course through my beloved Powerbook.
Then, suddenly, the skies opened up. And the winds went to full force. For a few moments I thought the roof was going to fly off.
I ran to the balcony and began snapping wildly, trying to capture the fury of the storm. It was wicked. Coconuts thudded all around, and palm trees bent awkwardly.
The rain seemed to be coming from all directions, and I soon had to run back inside to keep from being drenched.
The power managed to hold out for a few more moments, and then finally blinked out. The entire island was now black.
After a bit more howling, the wind finally abated and the rain stopped. I looked in vain for a candle, and a neighbour offered one up. Once I lit it, I discovered my own. A survivalist I’m not. But my little flashlight was handy for beer hunting in the dark fridge.
I headed outside again, determined to capture the scene on my camera. Not an easy thing to do. When its dark, the shutter remains open for a long period of time. Any shaking or vibration will result in lots of smeary images.
The beauty of digital is that I was able to shoot a few hundred shots, and with luck, was able to capture the lightning show that started. It was pretty intense, though mostly cloud-to-cloud. A bolt hit nearby and rattled my bones like a ride on a chicken bus.
Down at the beach I was able to capture some pretty cool images, both of the darkened main drag – which was occasionally lit up by the lightening – and of the Caribbean Sea.
The power eventually came on, and things are beginning to return to normal. It is just after 7pm local time as I write this.
Heather, who runs Costa Maya Cabanas, had unplugged the wireless internet transmitter to save it from being fried. The result of that means that I don’t know when I’ll be posting this or the images. Soon, I hope.
Until then, I think I will wander down the street in search of food. This is my second last night in paradise, although there is still a full week of hanging in the tropics before I have to return to Canada.
Not that I mind, but it’s been really nice to have nothing to do for the past 10 days, other than stuff that is mentally, physically and occasionally liver stimulating.
Enjoy the pictures!
Cheers!
Wednesday, March 09, 2005
from the "good, bad, and ugly" dept. (aka FIDO BLOWS)
First let me dispell a myth: I am not online *all* the time. But, since I have wireless broadband in my apartment, I tend to jump on when between (non)activities. It's a way to beat the sun, and cool off.
Now:
THE GOOD:
Nothing like going for a long kayak in the Caribbean Sea, then eskimo rolling into the drink to cool off. Oh, and it's March. :)
THE BAD:
I have discovered that the shit-for-brains company I give my mobile phone business to continues to suck royally. FIDO has given me nothing but grief for the past 7 years. But they were small and growing and independent. Plus, I didn't want to change my number.
Now the bastards have finally broken me. I've just discovered that since being in Belize, most of people calling me (like for business!) have been receiving a "fast busy" signal. This is akin to saying I've skipped the country, died, and am never coming back.
I was wondering why the phone never rang, despite saying there was service.
It's because the WORST CELL PHONE COMPANY in the world can't get its act together... even now that they're owned by Rogers.
So if you're calling me for work, I am not dead. I have not skipped the country. I am reachable on email. At least that works.
GRRRR!!
THE UGLY:
Mix being pissed off with being tired from kayaking and the taste of fresh squeezed OJ and you realize one thing: some rum would make a fine addition!
Cheers! (and SCREW FIDO!)
Now:
THE GOOD:
Nothing like going for a long kayak in the Caribbean Sea, then eskimo rolling into the drink to cool off. Oh, and it's March. :)
THE BAD:
I have discovered that the shit-for-brains company I give my mobile phone business to continues to suck royally. FIDO has given me nothing but grief for the past 7 years. But they were small and growing and independent. Plus, I didn't want to change my number.
Now the bastards have finally broken me. I've just discovered that since being in Belize, most of people calling me (like for business!) have been receiving a "fast busy" signal. This is akin to saying I've skipped the country, died, and am never coming back.
I was wondering why the phone never rang, despite saying there was service.
It's because the WORST CELL PHONE COMPANY in the world can't get its act together... even now that they're owned by Rogers.
So if you're calling me for work, I am not dead. I have not skipped the country. I am reachable on email. At least that works.
GRRRR!!
THE UGLY:
Mix being pissed off with being tired from kayaking and the taste of fresh squeezed OJ and you realize one thing: some rum would make a fine addition!
Cheers! (and SCREW FIDO!)
Sunrise with lens fog
There is a reason not to store cameras in an air conditioned room. Looks cool, though.
from the "time flies" dept.
I can't believe it's Wendesday already. After last night's excitement of taking pictures, I set up an interview for today with Wish Willy. I'll roll over there midday.
There are a few other things on the agenda:
- test the WiFi to Heather's home
- do a soundseeing tour (maybe, though I feel this might be lame)
- snap more photos, especially product shots of the Solio solar iPod charger
Yup. Big day ahead!
It started around 5:45am. I whirled around the radio dial in search of far off stations, and heard mostly Central American and Mexican broadcasters. I did hear the U.S. propaganda station Radio Marti which is aimed at Cuba. Blah blah blah Bush blah blah blah.
Sunrise was looking dandy, so I grabbed the camera and headed to the end of a nearby dock to snap away. Unfortunately I had kept the camera in my air conditioned bedroom, and the lens immediately fogged up. Still, the images look kinda cool. And they will be posted here soon.
I think the next order of business is to grab some breakfast after listening to the headines on BBC World Service. I understand that Mount Saint Helens is burping and farting again. Like to be there to witness that in person.
Have I mentioned the water here on the island? Awful! It's clean enough, but tainted with sulphur. Needless to say, it is necessary to buy water for most uses. I bought a 5 gal bottle... which went quickly. I'm now midway through a second.
Right. That's interesting. Heh.
On that note... breakfast calls.
Cheers!
There are a few other things on the agenda:
- test the WiFi to Heather's home
- do a soundseeing tour (maybe, though I feel this might be lame)
- snap more photos, especially product shots of the Solio solar iPod charger
Yup. Big day ahead!
It started around 5:45am. I whirled around the radio dial in search of far off stations, and heard mostly Central American and Mexican broadcasters. I did hear the U.S. propaganda station Radio Marti which is aimed at Cuba. Blah blah blah Bush blah blah blah.
Sunrise was looking dandy, so I grabbed the camera and headed to the end of a nearby dock to snap away. Unfortunately I had kept the camera in my air conditioned bedroom, and the lens immediately fogged up. Still, the images look kinda cool. And they will be posted here soon.
I think the next order of business is to grab some breakfast after listening to the headines on BBC World Service. I understand that Mount Saint Helens is burping and farting again. Like to be there to witness that in person.
Have I mentioned the water here on the island? Awful! It's clean enough, but tainted with sulphur. Needless to say, it is necessary to buy water for most uses. I bought a 5 gal bottle... which went quickly. I'm now midway through a second.
Right. That's interesting. Heh.
On that note... breakfast calls.
Cheers!
Tuesday, March 08, 2005
Goo-Fee
So this guy grabs my camera, says something about "we're the Goddamn public broadcaster..." and starts shooting images of himself. This is the only one that's not classified as "evidence."
Sunset Monday 3
This is taken from the eastern side of the island, looking west. The Lazy Lizard is on the right. Costa Maya Cabanas (home) on the left.
Sunset Monday 5
Each night, a wonderful sunset ends another wonderful day on paradise. This is looking west from the west side of Caye Caulker towards the Belizean mainland.
from the "amoebas threaten" dept.
It's an early Tuesday morning here on CC. It's been a week, with just three nights to go.
Brent and Roh left for real life this morning, taking the 6:30 water taxi to Belize City. I wandered down with them, in a feigned attempt to get some exercise. Now, I have the apartment to my self again.
It's weird, because it's almost too quiet. With a fully stocked fridge, there is no need to spend money on eating out. Although with B&R gone, there isn't a lot of human contact. Well, there is Heather and Queeny the dog (who almost human). Queeny is funny because when she's happy and smiling, she bares her teeth in a snarl-like manner and appears to be sizing you up for dinner. Yet all she wants is love.
Going back in time to Monday: it was another slow day, due in part to Brent taking ill. It seemed to be a case of the amoebas -- but neither Roh nor myself suffered any internal gymnastics. In fact, the seas have been pretty calm.
Brent however suffered from gut ache and lack of energy. He remained couch bound for most of the day. Roh read. I walked to the airport and back and then attempted another go at kayaking.
The kayaks here are double, so I find them a little more difficult to use than a single. There is a single, but Heather says it has a crack in it and fills up with water in about an hour.
I headed out in the mid-afternoon and was immediately challenged by the steady wind. Paddling with the wind was easy, but into the wind was a real challenge. I tried to go up wind, so the return would be easy, but it was too hard. The west side of Caulker is sheltered from the winds, so I may attempt that today -- with the idea of paddling around the southern end of the island and, hopefully, having the wind at my back on the eastern side when I return to Costa Maya.
I skipped dinner last night, and instead chatted with Randy in Vancouver via Skype. We recorded another segment for AltNewsJournal. Today I have to upload the audio content I recorded on this end. So far, its been a bit of a challenge as there seems to be no free piece of software that will let me take a feed from my mini-disc recorder into the computer and save it as a MP3 file.
Also on the agenda: resetting my XM radio so that it receives all the channels. I contacted the XM folks and told them I needed a radio reset. The signal is being beamed as I type.
It's funny being on such a laid back island and dealing with things like Podcasts, satellite radio, and wifi networks. Regardless, it is still very relaxing.
I head out of here sometime Friday and the plan is to head to Cayo to visit Ivan (of Stonetree Records fame) and Katia (wife and Quebecois filmmaker). Also to look at Brent and Roh's land. And consider a patch myself -- obviously for years down the road.
Then we'll head to Flores, and revisit Tikal. I think this is a good idea, as I'll get to play with the camera more. All I seem to be taking pictures of here are sunsets. Although I am getting quite good at it. Last night was unbelievable. And I will post the pictures shortly.
I stumbled across a cool photography website this morning: www.edwardburtynsky.com -- lots of cool industrial images. And much more. I love the Three Gorges stuff.
Which reminds me that I must start working on a Canada Council Grant for the border photo idea.
Good news concerning work back in Vancouver: it looks like there will be plenty in the summer. Hopefully lots of work combined with lower expenses will equal more freedom to do what I am doing now.
Which is nothing.
Cheers!
Brent and Roh left for real life this morning, taking the 6:30 water taxi to Belize City. I wandered down with them, in a feigned attempt to get some exercise. Now, I have the apartment to my self again.
It's weird, because it's almost too quiet. With a fully stocked fridge, there is no need to spend money on eating out. Although with B&R gone, there isn't a lot of human contact. Well, there is Heather and Queeny the dog (who almost human). Queeny is funny because when she's happy and smiling, she bares her teeth in a snarl-like manner and appears to be sizing you up for dinner. Yet all she wants is love.
Going back in time to Monday: it was another slow day, due in part to Brent taking ill. It seemed to be a case of the amoebas -- but neither Roh nor myself suffered any internal gymnastics. In fact, the seas have been pretty calm.
Brent however suffered from gut ache and lack of energy. He remained couch bound for most of the day. Roh read. I walked to the airport and back and then attempted another go at kayaking.
The kayaks here are double, so I find them a little more difficult to use than a single. There is a single, but Heather says it has a crack in it and fills up with water in about an hour.
I headed out in the mid-afternoon and was immediately challenged by the steady wind. Paddling with the wind was easy, but into the wind was a real challenge. I tried to go up wind, so the return would be easy, but it was too hard. The west side of Caulker is sheltered from the winds, so I may attempt that today -- with the idea of paddling around the southern end of the island and, hopefully, having the wind at my back on the eastern side when I return to Costa Maya.
I skipped dinner last night, and instead chatted with Randy in Vancouver via Skype. We recorded another segment for AltNewsJournal. Today I have to upload the audio content I recorded on this end. So far, its been a bit of a challenge as there seems to be no free piece of software that will let me take a feed from my mini-disc recorder into the computer and save it as a MP3 file.
Also on the agenda: resetting my XM radio so that it receives all the channels. I contacted the XM folks and told them I needed a radio reset. The signal is being beamed as I type.
It's funny being on such a laid back island and dealing with things like Podcasts, satellite radio, and wifi networks. Regardless, it is still very relaxing.
I head out of here sometime Friday and the plan is to head to Cayo to visit Ivan (of Stonetree Records fame) and Katia (wife and Quebecois filmmaker). Also to look at Brent and Roh's land. And consider a patch myself -- obviously for years down the road.
Then we'll head to Flores, and revisit Tikal. I think this is a good idea, as I'll get to play with the camera more. All I seem to be taking pictures of here are sunsets. Although I am getting quite good at it. Last night was unbelievable. And I will post the pictures shortly.
I stumbled across a cool photography website this morning: www.edwardburtynsky.com -- lots of cool industrial images. And much more. I love the Three Gorges stuff.
Which reminds me that I must start working on a Canada Council Grant for the border photo idea.
Good news concerning work back in Vancouver: it looks like there will be plenty in the summer. Hopefully lots of work combined with lower expenses will equal more freedom to do what I am doing now.
Which is nothing.
Cheers!
Monday, March 07, 2005
from the "Hooray! It's Baron Bliss Day!" dept.
Monday Morning on Caye Caukler. And Baron Bliss Day. Who was Baron Bliss? Some white guy who did some good work here a long time ago. Or something like that.
It's about 8:15am local time, and another sunny and hot morning - already.
Let's review Sunday:
After lunch at the Barefoot Carib, we basically came back to the apartment and hung out - reading and listening to music. Heather dropped by for a chat and a beer.
We wandered down to the split to catch another sunset. Brilliant and beautiful, but no different than the previously posted images.
In the evening, Roh made up a huge feed of stew chicken, rice & beans, etc. Damn fine meal.
We watched The "L" Word on Showtime (other than the sex scenes, there is little that was of interest). Then called it an early night again.
I actually listened to some Adam Curry podcasts, as well as ANJ and got all fired up about that. It's coming together, put the picture still isn't clear. What would be nice would be some VC money or help from an Angel Network.
Monday is the last day for Brent and Roh, while I will remain until Friday morning. Then the countdown begins to the return to real life.
It looks like we will head to Cayo District on Friday to visit with Katia and Ivan, and then to Flores, Guatemala and perhaps Tikal to shoot some stills.
As for today, more podcasts, more reading, a kayak, and perhaps dinner at the Wish Willy.
One thing I should mention: Skype. I finally upgraded my OS and my Mac is now capable of running the internet telephone program. It is available for Windows too, so if you don't have it: GET IT. Go to Skype.com
Here's the deal: the software is free. And you can "call" any other Skype user around the world for free too. All you need is speakers (better yet, headphones) and a wee cheap microphone. You can also get headsets too. Again, these are cheap.
I used it to chat to friends in Vancouver and Denmark, and it worked like a charm. And... FREE!
But there is another bonus: you can buy credits that will allow you to use Skype to call regular phones for very little. So I can use Skype to call a landline or cell phone in Toronto for about 3 cents per minute from Belize. The regular rate? About $1 a minute.
And that rate applies to pretty much anywhere. It's great, and it works.
So download, and call me. My "number" is borderfilms .
Have a great Baron Bliss Day...
It's about 8:15am local time, and another sunny and hot morning - already.
Let's review Sunday:
After lunch at the Barefoot Carib, we basically came back to the apartment and hung out - reading and listening to music. Heather dropped by for a chat and a beer.
We wandered down to the split to catch another sunset. Brilliant and beautiful, but no different than the previously posted images.
In the evening, Roh made up a huge feed of stew chicken, rice & beans, etc. Damn fine meal.
We watched The "L" Word on Showtime (other than the sex scenes, there is little that was of interest). Then called it an early night again.
I actually listened to some Adam Curry podcasts, as well as ANJ and got all fired up about that. It's coming together, put the picture still isn't clear. What would be nice would be some VC money or help from an Angel Network.
Monday is the last day for Brent and Roh, while I will remain until Friday morning. Then the countdown begins to the return to real life.
It looks like we will head to Cayo District on Friday to visit with Katia and Ivan, and then to Flores, Guatemala and perhaps Tikal to shoot some stills.
As for today, more podcasts, more reading, a kayak, and perhaps dinner at the Wish Willy.
One thing I should mention: Skype. I finally upgraded my OS and my Mac is now capable of running the internet telephone program. It is available for Windows too, so if you don't have it: GET IT. Go to Skype.com
Here's the deal: the software is free. And you can "call" any other Skype user around the world for free too. All you need is speakers (better yet, headphones) and a wee cheap microphone. You can also get headsets too. Again, these are cheap.
I used it to chat to friends in Vancouver and Denmark, and it worked like a charm. And... FREE!
But there is another bonus: you can buy credits that will allow you to use Skype to call regular phones for very little. So I can use Skype to call a landline or cell phone in Toronto for about 3 cents per minute from Belize. The regular rate? About $1 a minute.
And that rate applies to pretty much anywhere. It's great, and it works.
So download, and call me. My "number" is borderfilms .
Have a great Baron Bliss Day...
Sunday, March 06, 2005
from the "history repeating" dept.
Saturday was more of the same. Hang out. Enjoy the luxury of doing nothing. What could be better than that?
We all crashed early - 9pm.
Sunday:
Up just after sunset... about 6:30. A small breakfast featuring homo milk and Zucaritas. Healthy!
I went for a kayak. Read a bit. Listened to some podcasts.
Then Brent, Roh and I went to Barefoot Carib for lunch. I won the menu lottery by choosing the fish burrito for $13 BZ. And a beer.
Back to the place to hang. Then to the split for another sunset.
Now dinner is on.
Quiet night ahead. Maybe more kayaking tomorrow.
Life good!
Cheers!
We all crashed early - 9pm.
Sunday:
Up just after sunset... about 6:30. A small breakfast featuring homo milk and Zucaritas. Healthy!
I went for a kayak. Read a bit. Listened to some podcasts.
Then Brent, Roh and I went to Barefoot Carib for lunch. I won the menu lottery by choosing the fish burrito for $13 BZ. And a beer.
Back to the place to hang. Then to the split for another sunset.
Now dinner is on.
Quiet night ahead. Maybe more kayaking tomorrow.
Life good!
Cheers!
Saturday, March 05, 2005
from the "It's a good thing I didn't bring my gun" dept.
Friday was a really lazy day. I wandered around the island enjoying the lack of agenda and “to do” list.
Around noon, I ran into Tina, the woman from LA. She’d just returned from a morning diving trip and was famished. She invited me to lunch and we wandered down to Popeye’s, a large restaurant on – actually over – the water.
The kitchen is built on the beach, but the sitting area is on stilts, over the Caribbean Sea. It’s a great place because it’s covered, but the walls are basically open and that allows a cool sea breeze blew through. Natural air conditioning!
Popeye’s is notable because it is the place where, on New Years Eve 2000, Brent, Steve, John and Lorne, and I celebrated Y2K.
During lunch I learned more about Tina. She’s traveled a lot and currently works as a buyer for a large retail chain. She buys coats. She likes it and finds it interesting. I wonder what it’s like to have a “real” job. Oh yeah: security!
The prices were touristy: a fish burrito was about US$8. Good, but considering you can get chicken and rice and beans on the street for less than half that… it can add up. Of course, I am cooking most meals in my apartment, so the costs are cheap. In fact, I have been keeping track of expenses and at this point, including my accommodation here and airfare, I’ve spent just under C$1400. And I doubt I’ll spend more that C$600 more by the time I leave on March 17.
Back to Popeye’s: they’re scamming people for beer. On March 1, the Government of Belize increased taxes on beer. This was passed on to the manufacturer ( Bowen & Bowen ) who increased the cost 25 cents (BZ). But using that as an excuse, Popeye’s raised the price of beer $1 (BZ). A 75 cent increase of profit per beer. What a scam! But for touristas, a $4 (BZ) beer is just $2 US.
The good news is that beer in the shops is $2.50 (BZ) and you can pack ‘em in to bars and restaurants.
Tina was pooped, and headed off for a nap. I headed to the phone to see if I could finally get confirmation from Continental about changing my flight. The short answer yes, but it would cost. US$230 to return on either the 21 or 22. And as I am scheduled to work that week, it was a petty tight turn around. At the same time, my friends at CTV were offering a couple of days work. So it came down to money. And time.
The main reason for extending the trip was so I could spend more time visiting Guatemala and other countries. Travel anywhere is measured in days, and after I finish with Caulker on the 10th, that doesn’t leave a ton of time to explore.
Still, saving US$230 and making some $ makes more sense. After all, the real exploration trip is the Border Expedition. And the more money I earn between now and then, the more I can enjoy Belgrade, Tirana, and other tourist hotspots. And I can see coming back to Central America later in the year, travel gods willing.
It was blistering hot, so I grabbed a bicycle and went riding around the back roads of the island. Caulker is bigger than I realized. I went all the way to the southern tip of the island where there are all sorts of hidden homes… some nice, some not so nice. On the way back I had to cross the airstrip at the airport – looking left and right for incoming planes.
The sun was beginning to drop, which signaled the procession to the Lazy Lizard bar at the split to watch sunset. Armed with my camera, I shot some really cool shots (to be posted).
I heard a familiar voice beckon – it was Brent who had traveled over and will stay here for a few days. Roh comes this morning.
After sunset we headed back to the apartment, where Heather, the manager of the property joined us for pints on the balcony. We got into trouble when we started mixing rum concoctions in the smoothie maker. Note to self: MEASURE!!
Growling stomachs signaled dinnertime. Heather headed off home and Brent and I wandered down to Wish Wilie’s, the “restaurant” run by Maurice. He’s a trained chef (maybe) and cooks up great food. He also has an honour-system bar. The restaurant is nothing more than a collection of picnic tables in his yard. He cooks inside his house and is very free and easy with payment. We had a drink and chicken kabobs for BZ35 for two.
There’s lots of entertainment at Wish Willie’s. Last night there was a couple of old drunks taking advantage of the honour bar. And then the cops show up.
Now, pot is illegal in Belize. And unlike Vancouver, you don’t see people using it openly. Maurice had recently been busted for smoking a joint (which means a fine, usually direct payment to John Law – wink, wink).
One cop was sort of sheepish and stayed the shadows, while the other went to the bar and poured a couple of stiff drinks. He passed one to his partner and Maurice asked if they were going to get a jag on. The cop laughed, took a swig, and laughed: “It’s a good thing I didn’t bring my gun.”
Brent filled me in on the background: apparently there have been occasions were the local law tend to get a little liquored and shoot off their firearms “accidentally.”
The good thing is that the drunken cops are riding bicycles, not driving 2000 pounds of metal death.
Tummies full, we headed back to the apartment. We cranked the tunes, had a few more rums and – at one point the neighbours complained. I guess the two goofs, their slushy drinks, and cranked bluegrass covers of AC-DC tunes didn’t go over well.
Being a polite Canadian, Brent explained in Spanish to the German woman that we would turn it down.
The night ended shortly thereafter.
SATURDAY:
Roh took a morning water taxi over. Brent and I puttered around, listened to tunes, chewed the fat, and cooked up breakfast. It was raining, and although it has stopped, its now a cool and cloudy day. Which is just fine.
Cheers!
Around noon, I ran into Tina, the woman from LA. She’d just returned from a morning diving trip and was famished. She invited me to lunch and we wandered down to Popeye’s, a large restaurant on – actually over – the water.
The kitchen is built on the beach, but the sitting area is on stilts, over the Caribbean Sea. It’s a great place because it’s covered, but the walls are basically open and that allows a cool sea breeze blew through. Natural air conditioning!
Popeye’s is notable because it is the place where, on New Years Eve 2000, Brent, Steve, John and Lorne, and I celebrated Y2K.
During lunch I learned more about Tina. She’s traveled a lot and currently works as a buyer for a large retail chain. She buys coats. She likes it and finds it interesting. I wonder what it’s like to have a “real” job. Oh yeah: security!
The prices were touristy: a fish burrito was about US$8. Good, but considering you can get chicken and rice and beans on the street for less than half that… it can add up. Of course, I am cooking most meals in my apartment, so the costs are cheap. In fact, I have been keeping track of expenses and at this point, including my accommodation here and airfare, I’ve spent just under C$1400. And I doubt I’ll spend more that C$600 more by the time I leave on March 17.
Back to Popeye’s: they’re scamming people for beer. On March 1, the Government of Belize increased taxes on beer. This was passed on to the manufacturer ( Bowen & Bowen ) who increased the cost 25 cents (BZ). But using that as an excuse, Popeye’s raised the price of beer $1 (BZ). A 75 cent increase of profit per beer. What a scam! But for touristas, a $4 (BZ) beer is just $2 US.
The good news is that beer in the shops is $2.50 (BZ) and you can pack ‘em in to bars and restaurants.
Tina was pooped, and headed off for a nap. I headed to the phone to see if I could finally get confirmation from Continental about changing my flight. The short answer yes, but it would cost. US$230 to return on either the 21 or 22. And as I am scheduled to work that week, it was a petty tight turn around. At the same time, my friends at CTV were offering a couple of days work. So it came down to money. And time.
The main reason for extending the trip was so I could spend more time visiting Guatemala and other countries. Travel anywhere is measured in days, and after I finish with Caulker on the 10th, that doesn’t leave a ton of time to explore.
Still, saving US$230 and making some $ makes more sense. After all, the real exploration trip is the Border Expedition. And the more money I earn between now and then, the more I can enjoy Belgrade, Tirana, and other tourist hotspots. And I can see coming back to Central America later in the year, travel gods willing.
It was blistering hot, so I grabbed a bicycle and went riding around the back roads of the island. Caulker is bigger than I realized. I went all the way to the southern tip of the island where there are all sorts of hidden homes… some nice, some not so nice. On the way back I had to cross the airstrip at the airport – looking left and right for incoming planes.
The sun was beginning to drop, which signaled the procession to the Lazy Lizard bar at the split to watch sunset. Armed with my camera, I shot some really cool shots (to be posted).
I heard a familiar voice beckon – it was Brent who had traveled over and will stay here for a few days. Roh comes this morning.
After sunset we headed back to the apartment, where Heather, the manager of the property joined us for pints on the balcony. We got into trouble when we started mixing rum concoctions in the smoothie maker. Note to self: MEASURE!!
Growling stomachs signaled dinnertime. Heather headed off home and Brent and I wandered down to Wish Wilie’s, the “restaurant” run by Maurice. He’s a trained chef (maybe) and cooks up great food. He also has an honour-system bar. The restaurant is nothing more than a collection of picnic tables in his yard. He cooks inside his house and is very free and easy with payment. We had a drink and chicken kabobs for BZ35 for two.
There’s lots of entertainment at Wish Willie’s. Last night there was a couple of old drunks taking advantage of the honour bar. And then the cops show up.
Now, pot is illegal in Belize. And unlike Vancouver, you don’t see people using it openly. Maurice had recently been busted for smoking a joint (which means a fine, usually direct payment to John Law – wink, wink).
One cop was sort of sheepish and stayed the shadows, while the other went to the bar and poured a couple of stiff drinks. He passed one to his partner and Maurice asked if they were going to get a jag on. The cop laughed, took a swig, and laughed: “It’s a good thing I didn’t bring my gun.”
Brent filled me in on the background: apparently there have been occasions were the local law tend to get a little liquored and shoot off their firearms “accidentally.”
The good thing is that the drunken cops are riding bicycles, not driving 2000 pounds of metal death.
Tummies full, we headed back to the apartment. We cranked the tunes, had a few more rums and – at one point the neighbours complained. I guess the two goofs, their slushy drinks, and cranked bluegrass covers of AC-DC tunes didn’t go over well.
Being a polite Canadian, Brent explained in Spanish to the German woman that we would turn it down.
The night ended shortly thereafter.
SATURDAY:
Roh took a morning water taxi over. Brent and I puttered around, listened to tunes, chewed the fat, and cooked up breakfast. It was raining, and although it has stopped, its now a cool and cloudy day. Which is just fine.
Cheers!
Friday, March 04, 2005
Costa Maya Cabanas
Home! I am in the unit on the right side, top level. The office is in the left side unit, bottom. There is an invisible WiFi network connecting the two!
Sherry and Rich
Thursday was an interesting day. In addition to doing little (which is the point), I worked the phones to see if I could extend my visit a little. If I am able to, it means that a trip to Guatemala is definitely in the cards.
In the afternoon I plugged in the AirPort Express WiFi unit at the Costa Maya Cabanas' office. Worked like a charm - I now have WiFi in my room. Which means substantial savings over going to the internet cafe.
Last night I met two Americans from Boston. Sherry and Rich have fallen in love with Belize, and Caye Caulker. This was their fourth visit in about a year. That certainly blows my record to shame.
Sherry is a flight attendant with American, and thus, the two of them are able to travel at a substantially cheaper rate.
Rich has a background in comedy and is thinking that travel writing might be a new career. I wonder where he got that idea? I explained to him that it is simple: just write it!
As mentioned earlier, I hit the Split for Sunset.
They had dinner plans with Sherry's parents, and I had plans to wander aimlessly meeting new people.
It was a quiet night. By 9 PM the sidewalks were rolled up.
This morning (Friday) Rich and Sherry and I went for breakfast. We chatted about the things travellers do... and politics. I went on and on about podcasting. No borders mentioned!
Breakfast was tasty (veggie omlette, fryjacks, refried beans) and Rich picked the tab. Awww.
Maurice, from Wish Willies, joined us. He's an amazing andd kooky cook. I'm going to interview him for a piece on Caulker. I also interviewed R&S during breakfast.
Sherry's parents showed me their room in one of the new joints: Caye Caulker Condos. US$120 a night, which is expensive (in Caye Caulker terms) but very nice and comfortable and new. Still, I'm getting much the same for US$31 a night.
Then it was time for all of them to head off. Back to Boston for R&S and Florida for her parents.
Me? Well, it's a blast furnace type day, so I may tempt the sunburn gods and go for a kayak later. But for now there is a hammock with my name on it. And a book about Croatia to be read.
Brent is possibly due tonight, if he can get done work early enough to grab the last water taxi (5:30). Failing that, he, along with Roh, will venture out tomorrow.
Another day in paradise. Best get to the juice lady before she sells out of watermelon juice!
Cheers!
In the afternoon I plugged in the AirPort Express WiFi unit at the Costa Maya Cabanas' office. Worked like a charm - I now have WiFi in my room. Which means substantial savings over going to the internet cafe.
Last night I met two Americans from Boston. Sherry and Rich have fallen in love with Belize, and Caye Caulker. This was their fourth visit in about a year. That certainly blows my record to shame.
Sherry is a flight attendant with American, and thus, the two of them are able to travel at a substantially cheaper rate.
Rich has a background in comedy and is thinking that travel writing might be a new career. I wonder where he got that idea? I explained to him that it is simple: just write it!
As mentioned earlier, I hit the Split for Sunset.
They had dinner plans with Sherry's parents, and I had plans to wander aimlessly meeting new people.
It was a quiet night. By 9 PM the sidewalks were rolled up.
This morning (Friday) Rich and Sherry and I went for breakfast. We chatted about the things travellers do... and politics. I went on and on about podcasting. No borders mentioned!
Breakfast was tasty (veggie omlette, fryjacks, refried beans) and Rich picked the tab. Awww.
Maurice, from Wish Willies, joined us. He's an amazing andd kooky cook. I'm going to interview him for a piece on Caulker. I also interviewed R&S during breakfast.
Sherry's parents showed me their room in one of the new joints: Caye Caulker Condos. US$120 a night, which is expensive (in Caye Caulker terms) but very nice and comfortable and new. Still, I'm getting much the same for US$31 a night.
Then it was time for all of them to head off. Back to Boston for R&S and Florida for her parents.
Me? Well, it's a blast furnace type day, so I may tempt the sunburn gods and go for a kayak later. But for now there is a hammock with my name on it. And a book about Croatia to be read.
Brent is possibly due tonight, if he can get done work early enough to grab the last water taxi (5:30). Failing that, he, along with Roh, will venture out tomorrow.
Another day in paradise. Best get to the juice lady before she sells out of watermelon juice!
Cheers!
Thursday, March 03, 2005
Sunrise-Caulker
This is the view early in the morning from my place at Caye Caulker. That's Heather's golf cart in the foreground.
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