CARACOL MAYAN RUINS

                                      Would We Make It?

Because of the arrival of an early rainy season in Belize that year, it was questionable if we would be able to make our journey to Caracol the next day.

In the morning we learned the trip was a thumbs up! The road, and I use the term very loosely, through the jungle was a very slippery clay  one. We did our share of slipping and sliding but stayed on the ‘road’ as there was nowhere else to go. No gutters to fall into! After three hours on our 18-20 mile journey we spotted ruins in a clearing.

Caracol is the most extensive known Mayan ceremonial center in Belize. A five square mile clearing in the thick jungle comprises a classic period complex that includes pyramids and an astronomical observatory. The most visually striking structure is Caana (sky palace) a temple towering 136 feet above the plaza floor.  We were told it is the tallest man-made structure in Belize and it measures 100 X 120 meters. The Central plaza is linked by causeways to a number of outer ruins. Archeological finds here are expected to result in a much better understanding of the Mayan social structure and may help determine what led to the dissolution of the civilization.           

            Only a small portion of these ruins have been excavated and the tour still took over three hours. Our local guide was young but very knowledgeable.

Of course I had to climb the sky house and although it wasn’t all that far the steps were very steep. On the trip down some chose to nearly crawl down backwards. I just sort of bounced down, first on one foot and then on the other. I’m an equal hip/knee kind of gal!

In 1993National Geographic showed a film of the ancient Mayan civilization which was filmed at these ruins.  Caracol is seven square miles and when fully excavated will be one of the, if not largest,  discovered Mayan ruins. It is estimated that 180,000 people lived here and it was the capitol of the Mayan civilization for many years. It reached its cultural zenith between 500-600AD. In 1992 a tomb was uncovered and the body of a woman found wore the largest jade mask ever found. She also had a ‘fan’ above her head.

The Mayans who arrived from the north and east in about the third century AD constructed towering pyramids, engineered needle-straight highways, and designed very accurate astronomical friezes. They flourished for five centuries and then mysteriously disappeared. It is presumed that there are some Mayan ruins in the wilderness still undetected. All this happened centuries before Columbus discovered America.

It was very hot and still in the ruins and we all consumed large amounts of water. On the return trip to the lodge, the driver detoured to the Frio No where we went swimming in the cool pools. Some of us even bounced down a waterfall or two. It was great fun and a delightful cooling way to end an interesting day.

HAWAIIAN MONK SEALS

                                                 Endangered Species

The Hawaiian monk seal is the most Hawaiian of Hawaii’s marine animals. They are seldom seen around the inhabited Hawaiian Islands, but are found in the northwest part of the archipelago from Nihoa to Kure islands. Maybe they are shy of people because they have been hunted so much. They are so named because they are solitary animals, similar to monks. They also have very little fur on the top of their head and the skin folds around the neck resemble a monk’s cowl collar.

There are three species of monk seals. The Caribbean monk has been extinct since 1952, the Mediterranean monk is endangered with fewer than 500 animals remaining. The outlook is dim for them as the countries surrounding their habitat have political priorities over saving the seals. The Hawaiian monk has been endangered since 1976 with a total population of only 1200 animals.

The monk seals have remained in tropical and temperate waters while relatives have moved to colder polar climates. Tropical habitats have fewer resources and fewer haul-out areas. Such areas also are favored human habitats and often humans rearrange the monk habitats.

It was explained, “The objective of this research is to monitor the population including the age, sex, and numbers of seals and identify the beaches used to determine if there is a seasonal pattern. Data will also show the composition of the population, reproductive and survival rates, and movement to other atolls. It will also identify birth sites and nursery beaches as well as the diet, by analyzing collected scats. Documentation of scars, injuries, entanglements, and other threats will be made. Potential entangling debris will be collected and disposed of and any seal found entangled will be freed. And finally we’ll determine  how disturbances, including aircraft traffic, affect the seals.”

The Hawaiian monk seal history is rather a sad one. As human activity increased many seals were clubbed to death for meat, oil, and skins. With the disturbance of hauling-out areas mothers and babies were forced out to sea where sharks further reduced the population. Others drowned accidentally when entangled in lost fishing nets that drift from the North Pacific.

Seals feed on eels, small reef fish, octopus, and lobster. They have been known to dive 500 feet and remain under water for as long as 20 minutes when feeding. They can eat as much as 10% of their body weight each day providing a thick layer of blubber as an energy reserve. Although the monks live in warm waters their blubber layer is equal to that of seals in colder climates. Their life span  may reach 30 years. Generally seals remain close to the island of their birth. Adult females often have a pup each year. Monk seals are normally polygamous. In some areas this has become a problem when males out-number females. Aggressive courtship, known as mobbing, has resulted in injury and even death of some females and juveniles. In recent years wildlife managers have identified the aggressive males and moved them to other islands.

A newborn pup weighs 35-40 pounds and will quadruple  his weight during the 40 day nursing period. A pregnant 7-foot female can weigh 600 pounds and will lose half of that during the nursing period as she does not leave her pup during that time, even to feed. The weaned pup will slowly lose weight as he learns to feed by trial and error on his own. He will feed around his birthplace.

A weaned pup has been described as looking like a silver football with big black eyes and whiskers at one end and floppy flippers at the other end. At one year the pup is generally 4 ½ feet long and weighs about 100 pounds.

Breeding season is generally spring and summer. Gestation is about 10 ½ months with most births occurring in March to May, although births have been recorded in every month. New born pups have black fuzzy short hair which falls out during nursing and is replaced with silver-gray fur on the back and creamy white fur on the underside. Subsequent molts occur annually. Only elephant and monk seals molt each year. Each animal has his own molting schedule, they do not all molt at the same time of year. The fur is attached to the epidermis and comes off in strips. The process takes about two weeks. The seal remains on the beach during molting and does not feed during that period. The new fur comes in on the dermis layer.

  The monk seal bone structure is quite different from that of other seal species. Its limbs and flippers are very short. On land they are very awkward, unable to haul out on rocks like other species. They kind of wiggle and inch their way along. But in the water they are sleek and graceful.

The Midway seal population is the most depleted population in the northwest Hawaiian Islands.  The high Midway human population, without a doubt, was a big contributing factor as the residents made ample use of the beaches.

During this ten day research project we spent some time washing and examining seal scat the biologist had collected. It was amazing the things we found. It was a fascinating activity.

There were times when I was pretty bored on this project, but it certainly was interesting and educational!

WONDERFUL BIRDS

                                               Surprises All Day

Besides the animals we had many surprises in the Galapagos Island. After a visit to the Darwin Research Center and museum on Santa Cruz Island we checked out the giant tortoises. They were in all stages of growth. The babies were in pens. When they get a little bigger they are placed in large enclosures, and the adults were lumbering around the grounds everywhere.

More memorable than the Center was the delicious lunch we had up in the highlands where it was considerably cooler. The tropical landscaping was gorgeous and the view magnificent.

On the way down from the highlands we stopped to walk the rim of a sink hole. Our guide instructed. “Sit quietly for awhile and listen to the songs of the Galapagos doves and watch the vermilion flycatchers.”

 We did, and the birds’ songs were the only sound that broke the absolute solitude of this quiet place. Wonderful!

Later we visited a large lava tunnel. Some of the younger people descended the rough trail to explore its depths. It was a bit rough for my old joints to say nothing of my claustrophobia, so I stayed in daylight and enjoyed the scenery.

We left Santa Cruz Island late in the evening for an all night cruise to Tower Island. We were sent  to bed with the promise of a surprise in the morning.

When I walked out on deck the next morning with my first cup of coffee I suddenly stopped short, mesmerized by the sight of two red footed boobies perched on the bowsprit. They sat there in all their splendor for a very long time. My son  had been up for some time and had taken pictures. He slowly walked over to me and said, “Aren’t they wonderful, Mom?”

Later we learned these birds feed far out to sea in deep waters. They usually hitch a ride back to shore on the boats that sail the islands. By being quiet and moving slowly everyone was able to take pictures. The birds posed as if it were expected of them. It was a wonderful surprise and a great way to start a new day! 

THE RASPUTIN LEGEND

 RASPUTIN

During the tour to the Yusupov Palace in St Petersburg, Russia, we were clustered in a small room to hear the legend of Rasputin. Later we were actually in the basement which was really at ground level where a good part of the action took place. It was pretty awesome as well as fun to actually be in  that room.

According to legend Rasputin, a monk, was getting a bit too friendly with a family member and it was on the pretense of meeting Yusupov's wife  that Rasputin was invited to the palace. He entered through a lower door to find his favorite sweets and vodka waiting for him.  All the domestic help had been given the evening off. About 45 minutes later the doctor came downstairs and was surprised to see all the goodies gone and Rasputin alive and well. The doctor had been ordered to poison the goodies. Some say that the doctor did not follow those orders because it was against his oath.

            He returned upstairs to seek advice on what to do next, and was told that Rasputin must be shot.

            The shots attracted the police so to cover the crime a stray dog was shot becoming the excuse for gunshots. In spite of being shot several times, with bullets in his body, unbelievably Rasputin escaped into the cold December night and started to crawl away.

            He was found and thrown into the Neva River across the street, but his assailants forgot to attach the concrete weight to his body. He was found a couple of days later. Water was found in his lungs so it was determined that he actually drowned.

CORNWALL, ENGLAND SURPRISES

                                                  Wonderful Unexpected Venues

            Cornwall was part of a trip during a hoof and mouth disease outbreak. Several travelers had cancelled, so we were a small group of nine. One day it was the consensus to just follow a map and do our own thing. What a marvelous day it turned out to be!

            We made our way to the village of Gweek where there was a rather extensive and nice seal sanctuary on the Helford River.   Grey seals grow to eight feet long and weigh 550 pounds. Two-thirds of the world’s population of this species lives off the coast of the British Isles, mostly off Scotland.  Pups are born August-September.  It is not uncommon for a storm to separate the pups from mom, and then they are likely to be bashed against the rocky coast. Many pups are rescued, treated and housed in the sanctuary until the following spring when they can be safely  released.

            Rather unusual, the pups are weaned between 3-5 weeks. Grey seals are only able to dive for about ten minutes. The sanctuary has a hospital, plus several tanks where we found several varieties of seals.  Watching the seals being fed, we suddenly realized we could use some lunch ourselves, so we headed to the Gweek Inn/Pub. At the only pub in town we found a rather complete menu and had a wonderful meal.

            After lunch we journeyed to Trebah Gardens.  The introduction in their flyer says, “This is no pampered, pristine, prissy garden with rows of clipped hedges, close mowed striped lawns, and daily raked paths. Instead it is a magnificent old, wild, and magical Cornish garden---the product of 100 years of inspired and dedicated creation followed by 40 years of mellowing and ten years of love and restoration.”

            And magnificent it was! Even the light rain showers didn’t keep us from walking and enjoying the garden. Trebah stands at the head of a 25-acre ravine, 500 meters long and dropping 70 meters to the Helford River. Under an umbrella I walked the whole length twice on two different paths plus occasionally zig zagging between paths.  The paths were well marked and at the end of the loop I stopped to read the marker that stands as a memorial to the men of the 29^th Division who headed off from there to Normandy for D-Day.

Our hotel in Penzance, a seaside community, was across the street from the ocean promenade offering us a delightful view of Mount’s Bay and St. Michael’s Mount.  In the 16^th century Spanish raiders destroyed most of the town, so most buildings were 18^th century.

One evening we headed to the Turks Head Pub where we learned the 14th century inn is the oldest in the town. It was a pleasant surprise to find an extensive menu  with reasonable prices and generous and extremely good servings.

            One evening we went to the local church for the bell ringing, which takes place once a week. Our guide somehow managed to get us up into the tower to watch this very involved and precise activity. The six men and women were playing the bells. It is quite a knack to get the bells upright, where they stay until finished, and then are lowered over a period of time. Once upright they swing and their weight turns them 360-degrees.. It is much more complicated than I ever thought.

AN EXTRAVAGANT SURPRISE

                           A Cuban All Inclusive    

I was fortunate enough to visit Cuba nine years ago just before all travel to the island country was prohibited. 

We  crossed a 48-kilometer long causeway to reach our Santa Clara, Cuban hotel on Cayo Santa Maria. Many mangroves were in the bay of the causeway we crossed.

Our plush all-inclusive resort, built in 2001, could have been anywhere. We were driven to our room in a golf cart. It seemed a long way with many twists and turns and I wondered if I would ever be able to find my way back to reception and the dining room.

Our lovely little balcony looked out on nothing but lush vegetation.  The buildings were attractive two-story quadraplexes. Huge pools, most pretty shallow, with bridges over them were in the center of the complex.  The large property had 4 restaurants, 5 bars, tennis, gym, beauty parlor, massage facilities, live entertainment and a gorgeous long white sandy beach.

The enormous buffets had a huge variety of food, drinks and all the wine and liquor one desired. It was almost overwhelming and so easy to really overeat.

 I turned the A/C off in our quarters because it was too cold and turned on the ceiling fan which did a fine job of keeping the room comfortable. The next morning I woke at 6:30 AM, made my coffee and sat on the balcony to drink it. What a way to start a morning!

We’d had several long busy days so after a short ride to a village in the morning we spent a free afternoon at this lovely resort, which incidentally was strictly for foreign tourists, as no Cubans were allowed to book into the hotel. I walked to the far end of the beach, but the red flags were flying, so the best I could do was remove my shoes and walk along the edge in the water. 

I looked at one of the many hammocks strung among the trees, but it was a bit cool to lay around in the shade of a tree. Several thatched bars were scattered around the grounds. One was never far from the rum.

I know this type of all inclusive resort appeals to a lot of people, but sitting around a pool drinking is not really my thing. I much prefer smaller quaint accommodations and being able to get out among the locals, see, visit and learn. But I do admit that it was a lovely respite after some busy days and before others that followed.

CHURCHILL WAR ROOMS

                                          Underground Visit

            On one trip to London a visit to the Churchill War Rooms was a total surprise and again one of those wonderful unexpected experiences.

            Located beneath the Treasury building the Cabinet War Rooms were constructed in 1938 and were operational by 1939. In 1940, shortly after becoming Prime Minister, Churchill stood in the War Cabinet Room and declared, “This is the room from which I will direct the war”.

            It was amazing to stand in that room and listen to Churchill’s recordings. Talk about stepping back into history---and to my childhood. The day my dad sat my sister and me down and told us about Pearl Harbor is as clear today as it was 70 years ago!

            Operational all during W W II, the rooms were abandoned in 1945 after the surrender of Japan. Shelter from Britain’s wartime blitz was no longer needed and fortunately someone with foresight realized the rooms had historical value.

            It was pretty awesome to wander the maze of hallways as air raid sirens sounded and recordings of bombs exploding over head painted images in our minds. In the Map Room books and charts remain exactly as they where were left in 1945.

            Today the War Rooms are part of the Imperial War Museum  that also includes the Churchill Museum, a biographical museum exploring his life.         

            These preservations became the responsibility of the Ministry of Works and later the Department for the Environment. In the early 1980s the Imperial War Museum took over the administration and the Cabinet War Rooms were opened to the public in April 1984. 

            Not as well known as other landmarks in London, these rooms and exhibit are certainly well worth a visit.

WAR MEMORIAL

                       SHRINE OF REMEMBRANCE

In Melbourne, Australia one of the must-see attractions is the Shrine of Remembrance.

During World War  I (1914 –18) 114,000 young people from Victoria enlisted, and of the 89,000 who served abroad 19,000 were killed. In those days people didn’t travel like we do today and with so many loved ones buried overseas, the people wanted to build a memorial. The original idea was to build a Victorian memorial, but after committees were formed the end result is what we see today. During WW II thousands more Australians lost their lives so the Shrine of Remembrance is a memorial to all who served in all wars.

This memorial cost $470,000 and required a great deal of effort. Our guide told us, “There is an extensive war museum inside which you’ll have plenty of time to see, but first follow me to the center of the memorial.

“This part of the memorial is built so that on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month (the exact time of the end of WW I) a shaft of light shines through the ceiling to illuminate and move across the heart in the center of the floor.

“So many people wanted to see this that it is now mechanically reproduced each day." 

We arrived just moments before 11 AM. A hush fell over the crowd as we watched this most spectacular sight! It was a very moving experience.

The sanctuary contains the   marble  Stone of Remembrance, upon which is engraved the words "Greater love hath no man." The name of every serviceman who died defending his country is engraved on the  walls. The names are alphabetical and grouped by  conflict.

 The portico on each East and West side is approached by wide flights of steps which rise in stages to the podium on which the Shrines sits. The east and west facing fronts are marked at the corners by four groups of statuary  representing Peace, Justice, Patriotism and Sacrifice. The museum covered two floors and was most interesting.   The Eternal Flame burns outside in front of the memorial.

On my second visit Down Under the shrine was not on our itinerary. I wanted my traveling buddy to see it and made such a request to our guide. She was willing but she had quite a conversation with the driver before he finally relented. I was chomping at the bit because of the time restraints. But we did make it in time to see the light pass across the heart, and I had just as many chills the second time as I did the first, five years earlier. We had to skip the museum that time but we at least saw the most moving part. I made sure to thank all who made it possible.

MELK'S MONESTARY

                                          An Imposing Monestary

In Melk, Austria I’ve visited the 400-year-old Benedictine monastery twice.  It is an impressive building and an interesting visit. Situated high on a hill between Salzburg and Vienna, it provides a superb view of the Danube river. Melk has played an important role in the Danube region since Roman times, when a fortress was built on the promontory overlooking the river. Today thirty-five monks live along with 750 male and female students who attend the private school which was added in the 12^th century. Melk has been a spiritual, intellectual  and cultural center of the country for more than 1000 years. During the monastery’s history, members of the Melk monastic community have achieved significant success in the fields of natural science and the arts.

Melk Abbey, German: Stift Melk, was originally a palace for the Babenbergs, then became a Benedictine monastery in 1089. The magnificent baroque building was built between 1702 and 1736. An extensive restoration was undertaken in 1978. The 600-foot long imperial wing, the longest in the monastery, is open to the public. The Emperors' Gallery is decorated with portraits of Austrian royalty.

            The Marble Hall contains pilasters coated in red marble and an allegorical painted ceiling by Paul Troger.

The two-story library has an absolutely beautiful fresco ceiling painted in 1732. Although the ceiling is flat the painting makes it look rounded. The fresco is the original and has never been restored. It looked like it had been done yesterday. No smoke or steam has ever entered the room so the colors have remained vivid. It is an absolutely amazing masterpiece.

The library also contains 80,000 volumes of priceless works. The shelf supports, covered to look like book bindings, are even trimmed in gold!

The highlight of the abbey, though, is certainly the Stiftskirche, Abbey Church. The church has an astonishing number of windows and is richly embellished with marble and frescoes. Especially noteworthy in the church are the magnificent frescoes.

The abbey restaurant located near the entrance serves hot meals and monastery wine in beautiful Baroque and outdoor surroundings. I enjoyed a delicious lunch in the basement restaurant on each visit. The area is large and they are obviously used to feeding large crowds. It was an interesting visit ending on the patio with its magnificent views.

WINNIPEG, MANITOBA

                                               Winnipeg Info and History

            Our historic hotel, built on part of the site of Fort Garry, was an easy walk to an area called The Forks. Forks National Historic Site and the Forks Complex is a 56 acre site, built in 1988, at the junction of the Red and Assiniboini rivers. The Forks is a crossroads, meeting of the old and the new, meeting of diverse peoples, and a place for people to meet, work, and play.   The complex contains markets of all kinds, a public market, shops, eateries and restaurants.

The adjoining park contains many bike and walking trails with numerous interpretive displays, a children’s museum, and an aboriginal ceremonial pit, with some interesting art surrounding it. An old four story warehouse has been converted to a shopping plaza, housing unique shops and restaurants. We climbed the observation tower for a look over the complex. We wandered through the park, took some pictures, and read some of the interesting interpretive markers, and suddenly the day was gone.          

We walked the few blocks to downtown. We observed many pedestrian overpasses which I’m sure must be nice during the cold winter. Such overpasses are probably common in many cold places, but coming from a warm climate they were new to me.

Winnipeg is Canada’s seventh largest city as well as the Provincial capital of Manitoba.  In spite of being geographically isolated, Winnipeg is a center of commerce and culture including a symphony, opera, ballet, theater, and local native artists. Buffalo hunting plains Indians as well as French and English settlers were the first inhabitants. Today, distinct ethnic areas are found in the city that include: Ukrainian, Jewish, Italian, Polish, Chinese, Mennonite, Hungarian, Portuguese, French, and English.

            In 1738 the fur trading company, NorthWest Company, established a trading post at the juncture of the Red and Assiniboini Rivers. In 1812, Lord Selkirle, a Scot, brought an agricultural settlement to the area. The city incorporated in 1873, and in 1886 the Canadian Pacific Railroad followed the European immigrants.  Winnipeg, the principal city in western Canada, is a railroad hub for livestock and grain

            A city tour highlighted many buildings, but the one that got my attention was The Provincial Legislative building, built in 1920. It is made of Tyndall stone, a type of limestone quarried nearby. A statue of Queen Victoria stands proudly in front the  building. A huge bronze buffalo stands on each side of the grand staircase in the foyer of the building. Golden Boy sits on top of the building’s dome. A French sculptor put a sheaf of wheat, representing agriculture, in one hand of Golden Boy, and a light, representing economic development of the future, in the hand raised above his head. Golden Boy is sheathed in gold, weighs 5 ton, and is 13 ½ feet tall.

On the day of our excursion to Oak Hammock we had a late lunch at Lower Fort Garry, where we were served a delicious Irish stew and bannock, an Indian bread. Lunch ended with apple crumble topped with ice cream. It was a delicious lunch prepared and served by the Ladies’ Auxiliary of Fort Garry.

Lower Fort Garry Historical Site was closed for the season, but they opened the site specially for us, and it was wonderful to have the place all to ourselves with our own docent and no crowds.

Lower Fort Garry, now a historic site, is the oldest stone fort in the province. The Big House was built in 1832 for Governor George Simpson, then president of the Hudson Bay Company. The entire fort is built of limestone. In 1670 King Charles signed a proclamation giving exclusive trading rights of a huge territory to the Hudson Bay Company.  The North West Trading Company gave the Hudson Bay Trading Company competition, and in 1821, they joined forces. In 1826, a flood destroyed Fort Garry. Lower Fort Garry was built twenty miles south of Winnipeg on the Red River in 1830. It was the headquarters for the Hudson Bay Company from 1831-37. Hunters complained about the location, so later on, Fort Garry was rebuilt in Winnipeg.

Fort Garry was the home of the York boat, the boat that won the West. It was a heavier and larger boat than the canoe requiring 6-9 rowers. The boat was too heavy to be ported across land, so it was dragged. The river system opened up the Prairie Provinces to settlement.

I’m not a big fan of cold weather, but we were lucky to have sunny days with minimal winds during our stay in Winnipeg.