Paradise Found!

Yep, it's true... I found paradise.

I've found it many times before, and am always thrilled and blessed when I do. And today I found it on a point of rock overlooking the Carribbean Sea. It's called Miss May point and its near the town of Manzanilla in the very far southeast of Costa Rica. It juts out from the rainforest, and looms over the massive waves that come crashing in below. The palm lined coast goes for miles and miles in each direction, and the mountains loom green in the distance.

And the waves crash. Loud. And HUGE. And shoot spray 30 feet or more up in the air. Every single wave. It's like I took a shower in the sea.

Naturally I stood near the edge to take pictures and feel the blast of the surf. The waves would curl in and depending on how they hit the cliff would either shoot a little, say, 15 feet up in the air. Or a lot... one of them rocketed a wall of water onto me that was probably 40 feet high. It was awesome! The caribbean blue stretched to the horizon, as this was the first sunny day of the trip. And on top of that, it wasn't that hot. It was a perfect temperature, with a perfect breeze, and a perfect partly cloudly sky, with perfect rainstorms on the horizon, and perfect waves and a perfect place at a perfect late afternoon time.

Perfecto.

I got there by renting a bike for $5 in Porta Viejo and riding 15 km down the jungle lined coast. There are a lot of palm lined beaches. And a lot, I mean a LOT of tourist lodges and cabinas. Now most, if not all, blend in pretty well, and are also empty. I'm here in the low, low season for the southern Carib coast, but there are a few more folks than normal since the pacific and central regions are still rainy and flooding. I rode alone the paved street, and also took a detour into the dirt roads that led to the nature conservatory. Muddy trails on a 1 gear bike with a basket. Sweet.

The point is beyond the town of Manzanilla. On a trail that leads for 2 hours till you reach another town that has no roads. The good old Lonely Planet says that it's like what the Caribbean coast looked like before the tourists came. And if that's true... no wonder they did. The trail in the jungle, withing 20 feet of a beach and waves and coconuts washing ashore is amazing. And then of course there is paradise.

A few days ago, I left Tortugero in the north, and took a 3 hour water taxi through national forest, along a canel parallel to the caribbean, surrounded by thick walls of jungle green. The boat sat about 10 people and was fast. Damn fast. It was great to slide along. Hear the howler monkeys (which is a surreal sound and not the shrieking monkey noises you might imagine. They are more like a creepy grunt of an orc in the Mines of Moria... yep, I just did an Lord Of The Rings reference.) The boat ride was wonderful. Again, a perfect temperature and breeze. Occasionally our driver would slam on the brakes and show us an alligator or sloth or racoon that he somehow saw while we raced past at 20kph.

Then we ran out of gas... and he had to row us to a little town where the street was flooded and we boated into town and up to the gas pump. The lady brought us the pumper, knee deep in water, and we filled up and were on our way. There was a tourist bus parked in water half up it's wheels that was collecting folks from another boat. It was pretty surreal.

I stayed a night in Cahuita. Its a pretty mellow town with a black sand beach that I found after trapsing across the rocky headlands and through woods. I could have just taken the road, but this seemed like a more exciting way to get there. It rained a lot at night, but then again, it pretty much always does. :) The next day I hiked approx 11 km round trip through the national park. Along the coast, palm trees, river crossings, monkeys walking right next to the trail, (and also pissing on the trail from above. Missed that shower by about 10 feet!). Saw these awesome neon blue butterflies, and an Eyelash Viper: a snake thats about 10 inches long, and if it bites you you'll be dead in 15 minutes. So naturally I grabbed it and played with it like a pet... kidding.
The point was beautiful, the beaches serene. It's all pretty magnificent.

Tomorrow I'm heading off to raft the Rio Pacuare... the premiere river in central america. I'm looking forward to it, though my butt hurts from my big old bike ride today... and sitting on these wood chairs. Every chair is wood here it seems like. Who needs cushions!

Pura Vida baby, Pura Vida.
Rock on
Craigo

Sittin on the dock of the bay...

alright, it's more of a pier in the caribbean, but it is still awesome. I spent my last day in Belize watching the rain drench the town in the morning, sea kayaking in the noon, and went on a snorkel trip in the afternoon where we jumped into the water as they fed Nurse Shark's and Manta Rays and watched as 3 sharks and like 20 manta rays swarmed under the boat. It was really fascinating to see all of them swimming and sumtimes going underneath you. I couldn't help but think of Steve Irwin the crocadile hunter and made sure my hands were over my heart.... no random attacks though.

Then watched the sunset beautifully over the sea and island from the end of a dock. Ate tasty barracuda steak and garlic potatoes and bread and then went back on the dock to watch the moon rise huge over the sea. The wind was blowing the temp was perfect... no place better to be.

Go belize!

the next day I took a boat to the pirate museum, learned some fascinating facts about pirates. Took a 20 USD cab ride to the airport (yikes) and hoped on the plane...

got to miami and YEAH, I can drink the water!!!!!!

I'm currently at my Aunt and Uncles house in St. Louis (my god craig, do you ever go home?) awaiting the 50th anniversary celebration this weekend. It's great to see family again and as wonderful as traveling is, it is great to be back.

thanks for reading, keep in touch and let me know how all of you are doing!

rock on,

this is Craig Ouellette,

last surviving member of the Nostromo,

signing off.

Back to the Cayes!

After the sailing trip I spent a mellow day in Placencia (not placenta), chilling on the beach, writing in my journal and making plans. The weather was overcast but perfectly comfortable and the water was still warm for swimming.

The next day we were going to scuba dive... except for that big ass rain storm that rolled in. So the few of us from the boat who were still in town got out fast, taking the "best journey in belize" according to the lonely planet guide. It was a water taxi ride through the mangrove forests on the coast for 15 minutes... well, maybe in the sun it might be nice. The rain drops were like bullets and we had to stay low to avoid being blinded. I think I saw a bird. :)

Took the bus through the beautiful interior mountains, and somehow ended up back on Caye Caulker. I just kept going and came back to beaches and chilled people and the moto here is "go slow". And after some MAD CAP KARAOKE last night I did just that.

Oh yes team, ICE ICE BABY and TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE HEART were brought to the land of mellow love songs and Raggae. I ran out on the street and tried to get the party on into the bar... it didn't work, it's just so mellow. BUt it was fun and many peop[le today are like.... "Hey, ice ice baby dude!". It's kinda amusing. The bartender wants me to send him a cd of my mix for the bar. I'm not sure what he wants, but we'll see.

ANyway, tomorrow is the last day. I'm sorta sad to go. It's been a fabulous trip (montezuma's revenge aside) and I am realizing how many things I didn't do... like scuba dive in belize. The rain has put a damper on that, as has finances. Though I would have gone if not for the rain... oh well.

Next time...

See you all soon... especially the family at the reuinion on saturday in St. Louis. If anyone is around there feel free to come crash and partay with us!!!

Craigo

Come Sail Away, come sail away with me!!!

What a blast!

went on a 3 day, 2 nite sail trip with a bunch of cool folks. We had wonderful fresh seafood, caught during the day and cooked by the awesome crew of the sailboat. We snorkeled beautiful reefs, and saw thousands of fish, 2 foot long star fish and lobsters, and even swam with a manatee for 10 minutes or more! It was awesome, the manatee was 15 feet long or more and you could get right next to it. Its actually rather rare to see so we were very lucky. It was wild to swim down right next to it as its so huge, yet graceful. It probably thought we were a bunch of idiots, but it was fun.

the first night we camped on Rendezvous caye.... it was about 50 feet by 25 feet and had 8 palm trees. It took 16 seconds to run from one end to the other. We set up tents and enjoyed tasty fresh conch and sunset, a brilliant nearly full moon and some silly drinking games. at 5 am a thunderstrom rolled in and soaked us all... but we were wet for 3 days anyway, so it is okay.

The next morning I had a visit from Montezuma and had the experience of shitting in the sea... yep, squat in the water and letter rip! then walk forward so as not to swim in your shit.... kinda gross, but at least you dont have to wipe!

we sailed some, but there wsan't a lot of wind, so the motor ran more than ideal. Still the colors of the water wree fabulous and the rain was warm and wonderful.

The second nite we stayed at tobacco caye.... pop: 26. we got to stay in cabins this nite as the rain came in strong at 10pm.... it was exciting. I love rain.

so here in Plecencia, and 5 days left til I hop on a plane ot the USA. Will hopefully scuba dive and see some wildlife at the jaguar preserve. Oh, and tonighte.... KARAOKE !!!!!!!!

Total Eclipse is coming to belize with thunder!!!!!

c u soon

Craigo