5 08, 2017

Souvenir Saturday: Resplendent Quetzal

By |August 5th, 2017|Categories: Souvenirs, Travel|Tags: , , , , , , , |0 Comments

While exploring the small island of Flores, Guatemala I spied this large wooden painting featuring Guatemala's state bird, the Resplendent Quetzal. As I had a smaller wooden painting from Costa Rica, I thought this would be a good addition to my collection! Souvenir Saturday is an every-other week series on the items that represent travel memories.

8 05, 2017

Travel Missteps: Warning! Danger Noodle

By |May 8th, 2017|Categories: Nature & Outdoors, Travel, Travel Missteps|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |0 Comments

I don't know why but I fear eels. The first time I saw one was in St. John USVI. I actually thought it was a poisonous water snake and so freaked out. But as I learned more about eels I started to become weary of them. I love diving down, getting close to rocks and taking photos of the fish. You know what also lives in the rocks. EELS! Now beyond that first experience of seeing a spotted eel swimming near the top of the water, I hadn't seen another one. Of course my guide in Belize decided to change

4 02, 2017

Souvenir Saturday: Mini Painting of Antigua

By |February 4th, 2017|Categories: Souvenirs, Travel|Tags: , , , , , |0 Comments

This is a miniature painting on an easel that shows Antigua's streets with the volcano lit up in the background by the moon. I really wanted a small painting like this to sit at my desk at work. And although this was a common souvenir it took me ages to track down. The problem was that either the work would be very poorly done or the prices would be outrageous. For example one store told me a small painting like this would be $80 USD. This was in a store that only sold various sizes of touristy paintings. I was the

1 10, 2016

Souvenir Saturday: Hand-Crafted Chocolate

By |October 1st, 2016|Categories: Souvenirs, Travel|Tags: , , , , , , , , , |0 Comments

As I wrote before, Making Chocolate in Antigua, Guatemala was one of my favorite activities. However, making chocolate during a heat wave, and then staying at a budget hotel with no AC meant that my handcrafted chocolates were not long for the world. So I decided to give pieces of chocolate to the people in my tour group! My chocolate before it set. Souvenir Saturday is an every-other week series on the items that represent travel memories.

22 09, 2016

Antigua Ruins: Santiago Cathedral

By |September 22nd, 2016|Categories: Attractions & Sights, Travel|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |0 Comments

Catedral de San José Antigua means Ancient in Spanish. While not as old as the Mayan settlements, the city was founded in the mid 1500’s the city served as a capital of the kingdom of Guatemala. However in the 1700’s a series of earthquakes rocked the city until it was abandoned and the capital was moved to Guatemala City. It is amazing to look up and see the sky, framed by the walls. Slowly in the 20th century people started to return to the city, but rebuilding was limited. Today you can still see many of

9 09, 2016

Caye Caulker Sunset

By |September 9th, 2016|Categories: Nature & Outdoors, Photography, Travel|Tags: , , , , , , , , , |0 Comments

As I was racing around the island in a golf cart to try (and succeeded) to win a scavenger hunt I saw this beautiful sunset and squealed to a stop before snapping this pic. Every Friday Lili shares her favorite photography & the stories behind the photos.

11 08, 2016

Cooling off at Ik Kil Cenote

By |August 11th, 2016|Categories: Attractions & Sights, Travel|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , |0 Comments

There is something scary and a bit mysterious about venturing into a cenote.  Staring down into the dark abyss, I was a bit apprehensive. It looked so deep. It also was much bigger than I had thought it would be.  Those were my first thoughts of seeing the Ik Kil Cenote. After traversing the winding path 85 feet below the earth I looked back up. Small waterfalls decorate the walls, and roots from the plants above dive below the water. I shivered a bit in the darkness, no longer afraid but due to the temperature change for being so far below the

23 07, 2016

Souvenir Saturday: Clay Shot Glass

By |July 23rd, 2016|Categories: Souvenirs, Travel|Tags: , , , , , , , |0 Comments

I use to be a little obsessed when souvenir hunting. I had a mental checklist of items I needed to add to my collection. Which is why I searched high and low for a unique shot glass in Guatemala. I shopped in El Mercado for hours but not finding anything. I was being too picky. And then I saw this little clay shot glass, small and dirty and for some reason I thought it was perfect. And so I bought it! And then a few stores down I found the actual perfect shot glass...but I had spent all my money!

18 07, 2016

Travel Missteps: Late to the Party

By |July 18th, 2016|Categories: Travel, Travel Missteps|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |0 Comments

My last full day of my G Adventures Mayan Encounter Tour was a free day. I had already been to Playa Del Carmen before, and so wanted to see Chichen Itza as I had missed that on my last trip. The problem was, many of my tour-mates had already seen it earlier in their own trips. So I was the only one who wanted to go. No problem! My tour guide arranged for me to join a day trip to see it. And both she and I explained to that tour company that I needed to be back by 5PM