Things that...

Well, lack of time, inspiration and a good connection to Internet (that limits my activity to only write, without many pictures, sorry) means that today I am going to present you a couple of lists about things I have encountered in my trips, many of the here in Belize.

1) THINGS THAT I HAVE FOUND IN MY ROOM IN BELIZE:
- Geckos
- Mosquitos
- Bootless flies
- Horseflies
- Spiders
- Sandflies
- Rats
- Ants
- Tarantulas (due to the size and hairiness, I consider them another category)
- Jesus lizards (also known as basilisks)
- Small lizards
- Snakes
- Pigeons
- Ants
- Scorpions
- Frogs
- A Swedish guy

2) THINGS THAT HAVE TRIED TO FEED ON/PARASITE/BITE (often successfully) ME DURING THE LAST TWO YEARS:
- The Svalbard super-mosquitos, capable of bitting you through two layers of clothes
- The Arctic terns
- The Norwegian crows
- Normal mosquitos (obviously)
- The evil and omnipresent malagasy leeches
- The evil malagasy parasitic fleas, also omnipresent
- Normal fleas
- Wasps
- Bees
- Spiders
- Ants
- Caterpillars
- Horse flies
- Doctor flies
- Sand flies
- Bootless flies
- Fly flies
- Unidentified flies
- Ticks
- Jellyfishes

3) THINGS THAT HAVE ATTACKED ME DURING THE LAST TWO YEARS:
- Crows
- Gulls
- Seals
- Terns
- Dogs
- Baboons
- Pied mantises
- Bees
- Wasps
- Vervet monkeys
- Trigerfishes
- A japanese girl

Sunrise in Crooked Tree, Belize.

PG town

Welcome to PG! This is the town Ya'axché is based in. The full name in Punta Gorda, but everybody in Belize says PG... I forget forget to write the full name for foreigners of "framily" (neologism for friends and family, and also for friends that are so close to you that become your family) at home.
Finally, after a month and a half living in the field station, I am going to move in to PG in the beginning of March, with Erik, the Swedish boy. We even have found a cool apartment there!
Well, coming back to facts. PG is a small town in the South of the country, in the Caribbean shore, and traditionally has been just a passing point for people coming in and out from or towards Guatemala and Honduras. Only 5000 inhabitants, among them a pretty significant expat community, due to the presence of many local and international organizations: Ya'axché, TIDE, SATIM, Plenty International, Peace Corps, Moho Cacao, the japanese Peace Corps (I still ignore the correct name)... most of them arrived in town during the last two decades.
Well, there is not much left I can say. At least till I move here and start getting to know the place more in detail. So I leave you with some pics f this charming place!

Welcome to PG town.

One of the main streets.

Clock tower, in main square.

Chocolate factory.

Asha's kitchen, one of the best restaurants in town, also
known for the drum concerts at nights.

Belizean house.

The bus stop.

Bladen Natural Reserve

Cheers from Bladen! (Picture: Erik Hammar)

Well, as something different, last week me and one of my colleagues (a just arrived swedish boy called Erik Hammar) went to the Bladen Natural Reserve to join for a couple of days the rangers in their activities. Ah! It made me remember of the good all times in Madagascar: hiking the savannah getting in the mud to our ankles, crazy jungle with mysterious footprints in the ground, dinners made of rice around a fire, swims in crystalline rivers, river crossing in the straightforward style... not to mention the numerous jungle parasites! This time, a mountain of ticks.

Just as a little background, Bladen is supposed to be the most pristine forest in a country full of pristine forests, and it enjoys the highest protection level in Belize: natural reserve, which means that no activity is allowed and nobody can enter there without a special permit. The reason we were here is that Ya'axché co-manages this protected area with the forest department of Belice, and our rangers patrol the area. We were there to give them a hand (even though I think we gave them a little extra work).

Welcome to Bladen.

The savannah, and the forest in the distant mountains.

Erik crossing the rivers the malagasy way. Well, this time, the belizean way.

Some tunes from Kenya

Well... this is something I should have done months ago, but as I have no inspiration for nothing better so far, I am going to give you a small sample of popular kenyan music. This two songs were real hits when I was there and, even if the clips are not my style, I must recognize I love both tunes (maybe just because of the delicious kenyan flavour...). I hope you'll enjoy them!

Flavour Nabania - Sawa sawa lé

Jaguar - Kigeugeu

In the land of the mayas

Well, it is not easy always to find topics to write about. I can say that the previous two weeks have been very busy, getting used to my new position and its myriad details and secrets... because this project is not as small as it seemed at first sight. But it is extremely engaging, in any case!

As I have mentioned, the level of occupation has prevented me from taking pictures or doing a lot of things around... so I have decided to, simply, look around to discover what to write about. Or simply, the people I work with, the Kec'chi mayas. The descendants of the once-almighty maya civilization, which ruled in most of Mesoamerica for almost 2000 years.

Even though the causes for the decline of this culture are still uncertain, it is generally assumed not to have been a dominant power after the uprising of the aztec civilization. However, particularly in the most remote areas of the Yucatán peninsula, some cities and groups remained. These were the groups that opposed more fiercely to the Spanish invasion of the area, and actually succeeding in keeping the spanish conquerors away, a circumstance that kept free the territory that eventually became Belice. This favored the settlement of pirates and british loggers in the coast, and the full area became for many years a dark spot in the spanish dossier of conquests, and finally becoming a British colony only in the late 18th century.

Nowadays, the mayas are peaceful and charming people, and they take big slice of the Belizean pie of cultural groups. And even thought they don't combat courageously against the spaniards any longer (for my relief) or sacrifice human beings on the top of the pyramids or in the depths of the sacred caves, like in days gone by, they still maintain a lot of their traditions and their traditional way of life. That means, the ones that live in the villages and have not emigrated to the coast of the big cities.

Well, I think it's enough of cultural and historical pain, and I am going to leave you with a couple of pictures I took yesterday in the mayan ruins of Nim-Li Punit, only a couple of villages down the road from the place I live in. Enjoy them!

The Ya'axché Conservation Trust

As promised, it's time for the weekly post in the Blog. What to say? The first week in a new job is always hectic: meeting your workmates and getting to know them, getting used to the new place, explore it, buy necessary stuff, the Friday volleyball against a generally friendly NGO (not that friendly during the match)... and sinking in the mountain of documents you have to get familiar and proficient week.

So, let's introduce you to the Ya'axché Conservation Trust (don't ask me how to pronounce Ya'axché, I'm still mastering it), the NGO I'm working with. Ya'axché was founded in 1997 by a number of local stakeholders concerned about the excessive demographical growth in the area, that was leading to an unsustainable use of their natural resources and a retreat of the forest. They were committed to the preservation of the Golden Stream Forest, the last remains of forest connecting the vas extensions of forest  in the Maya Mountains and the less extended coastal forests. A migratory route used by jaguars, tapirs, peccaries, birds and other animals to move between this two areas according to the seasons.

With time, a lot of hard work and effort, Ya'axché has growth to own the Goldem Stream Corridor Preserve, to co-manage with the Government the Bladen National Park and collaborate with many other organizations of the area, as well as being one of the leading local NGOs of the country.

Ya'axché works in an area known as the Maya Golden Landscape, which ranges from the Maya Mountains to the Port Honduras Marine Reserve, and works in many different levels: environmental education in the local communities, lobbying in the political level, patrolling of the forest, biodiversity monitoring... interesting? I think so!

The Maya Golden Landscape and surroundings.

On the road... again

Belizean flag.

You land, after a strenuous two-day long trip, and the first thing you notice is a sticky and stifling heat. You have survived the insufferable bureaucracy of the US customs, but the best part is still to arrive: looking for the bus station, getting into a bus and staying awake till you get to the adequate stop, in the middle of the forest, in the middle of the night... yeah, definitely you are on the road again!

You realize you have arrived, for the first time, to the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, and more concretely to Central America. My new job is in Belize, a little English-speaking country and member of the Commonwealth for having been a British colony, and renowned for its financial paradise status. But that's other story.

Belize. Important, check Punta Gorda, in the
south: my new town.

Despite its fiscal condition, Belize is still a developing country. But a high-end one, we can say. Good roads, safe drinking water easily available in any top... a country of about the size of the Netherlands, with little more than 300.000 inhabitants, covered a 60% forest cover and enjoying of a enviable 40% of its surface under some kind of official protection. It borders with Mexico and Guatemala and, even if English is the official and most widespread language, even though Spanish is widely spoken, and both of them co-existing with other languages as Garifuna, Creol, Maya, German... even Hindi.

The economy of this country relies mainly on tourism (ever increasing) and agriculture, as well as other forms of exploitation of natural resources (traditionally, timber). Also, its population increases a 3% per year, mainly due to immigration. 

This demographic growth, as well as the increase in size of the tourism in the area and the demands of international markets (which are leading to a rosewood crisis, mainly due to the influence of the Chinese market), have lead to an ever-increasing pressure on natural resources... and that's the reason I'm here (a.k.a., the reason I found a job here). But that's a topic for other entry.

1000 visits!!!

This special entry is to celebrate that the blog has already more than 1000 visits (actually, way more: 1200). I just want to say... thanks to all! Next week I head for my new adventure, and I can promise you that the blog will remain active! However, I am afraid that the rate of an entry every 3 days is way too demanding, and difficult to cope with too often (as you have already guessed in several ocassions). So I will have to drop down to an entry per week...

Thank specially to Asier Solana, for making Brazil (or Peru) the second country with more visits, just after Spain.

See you soon!

Bye bye Kenya

It is never easy to say goodbye to a place in which you have lived for half a year. And even more when it is a place you have enjoyed so much of. And even more if you know you are not going to return probably in a very very long time...
So yes, now is the time to announce it. I am leaving GVI, as a consequence of a new job offer I've got in Belize (Central America, and yes, it exists!) last week. I will move there in January, so I will return to my blogging activities then. So please, excuse me if I don't write during the following days, but I have to farewell to many things and people. I would like to meet for the last time with colleagues and friends in Mombasa, have a last dinner in Road Runners... and tomorrow, heading up to Nairobi, to explore the capital and, hopefully, the Rift Valley.
So, I only can say... see you soon! To some of you, next week in Spain. For the rest, when I will return to writting in January.
And to all the people that made this experience unbelievable: Asante sana!
Baadai! (see you soon, in kiswahili)

One of the last sunsets in Mkwiro Island.

Last diving days

OK, expo is over, people are already out or running away from Shimoni... so what better than meeting my good friend Yatin, the diving instructor, and going with him for some last nice dives? The plans: Nyuly, Secret Place and the Marine Reserve, two days diving... I'm going to miss diving with him...

And also, before I myself leave, it's time for having a last dinner in Smugglers, a last lunch in Abduls, saying goodbye to everybody... Next stop: Mombasa!

End of Expo

Today, the Expedition comes to an end. Probably I have already explained it, but we call Expedition to the 10 week blocks in which we organize our time, in order to planify the arrivals and activities of our volunteers. So, it's the end of 10 weeks of rush, stress, hard work and activities, but also of meeting amazing people, having fun, learning loads, travelling and having some unbelievable experiences!
Tomorrow, it's time to say goodbye again to all those people! It's surprising the regularity with which this is starting to happen in my life... but, hakuna matata, tonight is the end of Expo party, and I intend to enjoy of it. Let's leave farewells for tomorrow!

Fikirini caves

Well, lack of time, so today will be a short entry... but worth to remark our activity today. We brought the volunteers to see the Fikirine caves, the biggest caves in Eastern Africa (or that's what the guide affirms). What there is not doubt about, is the enormous number of bats, of five different species, that inhabit these big holes. The smell of their poop in the ground (which feed myriads of bugs and, later, otehr animals that come from the outer world to hunt them) is, sincerely, the worst smell I have ever experienced. But the experience was amazing! I have never seen so many bats together, so many that they couldn't avoid crashing against you!
14000 bats send you their regards fro Fikirini, on the road to Shimoni!

In the only space without bats...

Local hints: Abdul's

Today, I am gong to concentrate in telling you about one of the places in this town that plays a key role in our free time and, for some of us, also on our nutrition. This place is the restaurant Four Tables or, more commonly, Abdul's, named after his owner (obviously, Abdul) and the sonly four tables in the interior. We come here to have dinner all together every Wednesday, and generally everyday after we come back from the forest we stop by to grab some of the famous passion fruit juices (yes, here is the place!). And, yes, we end up here way more often than that.
In this restaurant you can enjoy of the simple but extremely tasty swahili food: chapatis, rice, beans, fried fish, coconut sauce, ugali, cabbage, salad and spinach are the general option, apart from passion, mango, avocado and tamarind juices (all of them delicious). And also, talking with the regular clients, Abdul and his son. Its and open walled house, whe you also eat the traditiona swahili style, c'est à dire, with your hands. A little tricky in the beginning, butmost people get used to it
So, if you drop by Shimoni one day, don't hesitate to have lunch there. It's easy to find, in the main street. Bon profit!

Abdul, Krystal, Abdul's son and me in his restaurant (picture: Martina Bach)

Kongo mosque

Today, I am going to tell you of some of the local routines for the expats and strangers in the area. The mzungus (the Swahili word for stranger, generaly used for white people) enjoy of spending their weekends in Diani, a tropical beach bordered with coconut palms, hotels, expensive resorts, wetern-style restaurants (including fancy Italian restaurants) and disco-bars. Briefing: a place for rest and party, and indulge in mzungu food.

But not everything is that in Diani. One of the less known spots of this place is found in one of the extremes of the beach, close to the mouth of a river and no resorts have conquered the coastal strip yet. Here you can find the Congo mosque, the oldest one in Eastern Africa and which, opposite to all the others, is open for visitors. A small building made of coral stone, placed among ancient baobab trees, just a few meters from the beach, and which turns orange at sunset... when everybody is preparing for their party night.

Back on base...

Well. Almost two full weeks of holiday. Sincerely, I don't remember when did I have such a long break, a period during which I did nothing but enjoying (as my last holidays have always been occupied freelancing or preparing my next trip).
And such an unforgettable trip! I have been to two places I have dreamed of all my life: the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro. I hope you understand it: when I was a little kid, I religiously never missed the wildlife documentary that was forecasted after lunch (in holidays, when I could stay at home after lunch). Hence, being there was absolutely like being 10 years old again. And, regardless to say, I've seen (almost) all the animals I wanted: the Big Five (lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, rhino), cheetahs, hippos, crocs, zebras, wildebeests, serval cats, hyenas, marabus, impalas, dik-diks, elands, baboons, waterbucks, rock hyraxes, foxes... all but the oryx and the african hunting dog (next time, I hope).
But Tarangire National Park was equally amazing, as well as Zanzibar. Ah! (whisper)... Zanzibar... Such a lovely place: history, nature, coral reefs, spices, diving, sunsets, narrow streeted old towns...
But now it's time to go back to work! The Expedition (10 week block in which we work) is close to an end, and afterwards will be time to travel around Kenya and, of course, coming home for Christmas!