Visiting Africa to most people means safari camps, game treks, lions and elephants – in other words a grand adventure. My view of the country was no exception to these preconceived notions and these were the visions swirling around in my head as we made the nearly 24 hour...
Tikal – Mayans & Rebels Meet
Deep inside a Guatemalan rainforest the peaks of long ago limestone structures pierce the dense, green canopy of the jungle while howler monkeys wail to greet the rising sun. La densa selva de Petén alberga una de las ciudades más importantes del mundo maya, Tikal, que se distingue por...
To Know is to Love Guatemala
To best learn a language you have to also immerse yourself in the culture of the country. When you are truly interested in the people, their customs and want to see the country is when people will open up to you and provide not only great information but also...
Xela & A New Language
“Learning another language is not only learning different words for the same things, but learning another way to think about things.” ‒ Flora Lewis After a nearly four hour van ride from Antigua I was deposited in front of my new home for the next four weeks in Quetzaltenango,...
Semana Santa en Antigua es Increíble
Antigua Guatemala is a place filled with contrasts. This beautiful town of over 45,000 residents boasts cobblestone streets, colorful buildings, historic significance and wonderful tradition in a valley surrounded by volcanos some of them still active. This was my fist stop in Guatemala – and if you don’t count...
Lessons From Whales in Baja
I know, this post is out of order but then what can I say – It’s Baja. “The whole Baja California peninsula is an energetic place, and it’s incredibly alive.” Gael Garcia Bernal It’s late February and that means it’s time once again for our annual trips down to...
2018 A Year For International travel
It all started with Africa – well, I guess you could argue that it actually started with Baja, but as we go there every year, Africa really was the catalyst for an International travel year. So here I am bit by the travel bug yet again and this time...
Back to Baja – Loreto in November
I have written about this beautiful part of Baja before. Every spring Jerry and I take groups down to Loreto to see the whales and enjoy the beautiful scenery, awesome wildlife and wonderful people in this part of Mexico. It was time to head down to Baja at a...
Ecuador – O.O’O” Latitude
What a change a few months make – it wasn’t that long ago (only three months) that I was in Barrow Alaska, above the Arctic Circle, nearly at the top of the world. Now I find myself exploring Ecuador, a country located on the equator – the mid-point of...
Eccentric Specialization & The Galápagos Islands
Whether observing a marine iguana being washed by ocean waves or facing a serene wizened Galápagos Tortoise– any visitor to the Galápagos Islands can not help but ponder, “how did such creatures come into existence?” And they would not be the first. More than any other place on Earth, the...