Traversing Latin American Territory!

Dear Reader,

I am reminiscing between classes again. Following my departure from Trinidad and Tobago, I arrived at last in Nicaragua on May 19th!

It is impossible to share every detail of a jam-packed month-long trip, but I will share the highlights.

Finca Mystica- Isla de Ometepe, Lake Nicaragua. This farm/hostel is run by an American couple, Angela & Ryan, who have been living here for many years. It is the friendliest, most accommodating place in the middle of nature, with howler monkeys and delicious fresh foods aplenty.

 Ojo de Agua- Cenote

 The gorgeous dorm style rooms Ryan made by hand, based on a style of hut he saw in Africa. 

 Catedral metropolitana 

 Isla de Ometepe, Concepcion (volcano)

 The greatest taxi service I have seen by far

 Scorpions! 

Crocodiles finding new places to hide from the sun... on the beach.

Worked our way into Leon, Nicaragua. 

 The largest cathedral in Central America!

 Parque central

 On the roof of the cathedral

 Laying eyes on the Pacific Ocean! 

 Volcano boarding in Leon

Off to El Tunco, El Salvador! 

The surfer's paradise here! 

 A trip to San Salvador left my belly full with delicious pupusas and my eyes full with the beautiful cathedrals and art! 

Swerved and bumped through Honduras and into Guatemala! 

Lots of Ruins in Antigua, Guatemala! La Recolección Architectural Complex and ruinas de San Jose

 The famous Arch

 Cerro de la Cruz

 Casa Santo Domingo

Museum Browsing

Then off to Guatemala City! 

 Catedral Metropolitana

The happiest fish in the world. I loved the Guatemala City zoo!

The new exhibit: pinguinos! 

Next, we will make our way towards the East, into the jungles of Guatemala :) 

Reintegrating and Reminiscing

Dear Reader,

I have been incredibly lazy with my posting! Part of this was due to my busy last weeks in Trinidad and Tobago, leaving quickly for Nicaragua, and the ensuing adventures and lack of contact with the outside world (i.e. internet!).

Here, finally, I will attempt to share the wonderful experiences from the last weeks of my travels!

On a lovely day in late April/ early May we joined a large group of people (mostly Indo-Trinidadians, but certainly open to everyone) in Chaguanas for the Holi festival, more commonly known as Phagwa in Trinidad and Tobago.

After the Phagwa festival we were beautifully colored, all blending together in a mix of powders and paint! People you know and complete strangers welcomed us, rubbing powder into our hair and cheeks, dancing around us and throwing the colors, eliminating every piece of white! By the end of the festival, there was not a sign of uncolored clothing left on the field. The festival concluded with much singing (Chowtaal) and dancing, as well as the traditional competition of building a human pyramid to attempt to break a basket at a great height! (I have photos but none on this computer)

 Naomi and I traveled to Tobago one last time, finding ourselves taking the local buses (for a wonderful low fee) and wandering to the other side of the small island. We traveled through Speyside and Charlottesville (a beautiful fishing village), pausing at Pirate's Bay to admire the turquoise waters and secluded beaches.

 The zoo in Port of Spain also deserved a visit, during which we got an up-close view of the national bird of Trinidad, the Scarlet Ibis! This bird blinds you with its incredible colors!

 The Botanical Gardens next door to the zoo offered a lovely scene, children and families playing in the park and taking shade under small trees that looked like mushrooms. I most enjoyed the times when we could escape from the campus life and people-watch, seeing energetic children and Trinidadians of all ages.

A much-needed trip to Chaguanas to see the largest market in Trinidad! This place had all the vegetables and fresh fruits you could ask for, as well as hand stitched clothing. This area is very concentrated with Indo-Trinidadians, offering a lot of the Indian music, clothing, and food!

Unfortunately, my camera broke mid-April so I have no photos on my computer from my last weeks in Trinidad and Tobago! The last weeks were spent exploring more local sites, spending time with friends, and wandering into the capital for last minute souvenirs. My friends in Trinidad and Tobago, especially my fellow Milnerites, are those I will never forget! They helped in the last weeks, and until the very moment I was seen off to the airport, in making my trip memorable!

For on Milner, Together, We Are One.

Paria Paradise: A Leatherback Love Story

Perhaps I am the luckiest woman in the world to have seen this amazing nesting ritual and these endangered leatherback sea turtles! On a weekend camping trip to Paria Bay, we were not aware that this beach would become teeming with turtles in the middle of the night. The leatherback sea turtles are an endangered species, making their nesting period a particularly important time. Trinidad and Tobago, for being a small country, has a relatively high number of leatherback turtles nesting on its beaches. Generally, the turtles are known to nest on the Atlantic side (the East coast), but on this particular weekend several turtles wandered into Paria Bay, a beach closer to the North coast with a mix of Atlantic and Caribbean waters. 

Imagine our surprise, as we sat around a camp fire and sang to the strumming of a guitar, when we saw a boulder drift onto the shore and slowly begin to move towards the drier sand. We sat in awe as the Trinidadian locals explained the process of leatherback sea turtle nesting. These creatures, weighing somewhere around two tons and counting, climb out of the water and slowly (slowly) but surely slide their way onto the dry sand away from the lapping waves. Once they are content with their chosen spot, they begin to wave their flippers in seeming disarray, digging a five foot hole in which to lay their eggs. Once the hole has been created, the turtle positions itself over and begins to lay somewhere near 100-120 eggs. At this time, she goes into what is best described as a trance, with a layer of 'tears' covering her eyes and making her unaware of her surroundings. The eggs are shiny, appear slimy, and look like large golf balls piled atop one another. 

After laying her eggs, she spins wildly on her belly (a breakdancer in the making) and moves her flippers until the eggs are effectively protected by the sand. Although she lays over 100 eggs, usually the majority of them will die before the hatchlings even make it to the ocean. 

For hours, I sat cross-legged in the sand, watching these magnificent creatures make their way to shore and begin nesting beneath the moon. 

Paria Waterfall

The famous natural arch in Paria

A glowing campfire

Waking up to an incredible sight

My Milner Hall compatriots 

Thank You, Beautiful Paria!