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A small boat bounced us over the Gulf of Honduras as we made our way from Livingston, Guatemala to Punta Gorda, Belize. Its speed adding force to the otherwise gentle rain that sprayed in our faces. Fortunately, the craft came equipped with all of the amenities you expect in this part of the world. The First Mate unfurled a plastic tarp for us to hold over our heads to try and keep dry.
Soon, the clouds parted, the tarp was discarded and dramatic skies welcomed us back to Belize.
Despite the rain, or perhaps because of it, I found the trip exhilarating. It’s not everyday we get to sail across the Gulf of Honduras. Sometimes, simply appreciating the uniqueness of the moment is enough to put a smile on my face.
Video of the Day: Boat Trip Down Guatemala’s Rio Dulce
An abbreviated look at our journey winding through the jungle on the Rio Dulce from Guatemala’s Lake Izbal to Livingston.
Rio Dulce, Guatemala
After spending a bit too much time in the cities of Antigua and Panajachel, we were excited to get a couple of days on the tranquil Rio Dulce. We stayed in the wonderful Tortugal Hotel and Marina, where even the resident cats had bungalows.
We spent most of our time here lounging about and relaxing. We skipped visiting the nearby hot springs and local waterfall, feeling too lazy to put much effort into getting out and about. We did rouse ourselves enough to kayak down to Castillo San Felipe, a defensive fort built by the Spanish in the 1500s to combat local pirate activity.
Seeing the boats in Tortugal’s marina got us thinking again about the next leg of our journey. We’re drawn to the idea of sailing the seven seas, even if we currently know less about boating than we did about RVing when we set out. The thought of getting ourselves prepared for that kind of trip was more taxing than our mood allowed. Instead we just to watched the boats drift by, dreamed a little, and saved the details for another day.
Lake Atitlan, Guatemala
Commentary outsourced to Aldous Huxley:
Italy’s “lake Como, it seems to me, touches the limit of the permissibly picturesque; but Atitlan is Como with the additional embellishment of several immense volcanoes. It is really too much of a good thing.“
The Flavor of Culture
Chef "Gaby" looks disaprovingly at Brian's cooking technique
For the adventuresome, food is the most accessible part of any culture – and the most enjoyable too. History and language tell us many things, but nothing else lets us participate in the daily lives of a people the way their cuisine does.
As travelers we usually find ourselves as outsiders looking in. Eating a local meal and drinking the local drink brings us inside the tent. In food, there is no language barrier to separate us. Our experiences: the flavors, aromas, and textures are identical. Understanding is immediate. In those brief moments, we are locals.
Everywhere Once 