This is how Martin, my guide from Mayawalk, introduced me for the second time to Actun Tunichil Muknal – also known as ATM Caves.

That statement is very well the truth, and he had no better place to demonstrate it than inside the caves.

Xibalba, the sacred realm of the underworld where the Mayas ceremoniously pleased their gods with offerings and sacrifices, is the place where a dark history has been imprinted along its dripping walls, its muddy floors, and its calcified artifacts.  Xibalba was both feared and revered.  It was only for the select few who were worthy enough to enter and communicate with their gods.

ATM Caves is one of the most adventurous tours near San Ignacio in the Cayo District, and probably all of Belize.  Not only it combines the adrenaline of going deep inside a moderately challenging wet cave, but it is also one of the best-preserved archeological sites in Belize.  Inside the caves, you can see over 1400 artifacts, mostly pottery, that the ancient Mayas used in their rituals and offerings to their gods.  In addition, human remains of 14 individuals lay scattered throughout the great chamber known as The Cathedral, including the only full human skeleton of a Maya found to date inside a cave.

The best way to experience ATM is by understanding the real procession the Mayas went through when they entered the world of Xibalba.  The Mayas believed there were 13 layers of heaven and 9 layers of the underworld, with caves being the entrance to the underworld.  Before reaching the heavens after their death, they believed they had to endure the 9 layers of the underworld to become pure.

These caves are ancient temples, and that’s how they should be perceived.

A hike of about 45 minutes, including three river crossings, precedes the entrance of the underworld.  At the mouth of the cave, you can see the crystal blue water flowing out of the dark chambers and the undulating cave walls penetrating deep inside the space until fading into darkness.

A short swim in the cold crystal clear water is the threshold between the world of light and life, and the world of darkness.  The caves are about three miles long, but only a mile is open for exploration.  The deeper you go in, the more sacred it feels, the more intimate it gets, and the better you can understand the relationship the Mayas had with these caves.

Martin did a phenomenal job recreating a sensorial processional walk inside the cave – pitch black.  We walked surrounded by nothingness, feeling only the water on our legs, breathing the dense humid air, smelling the delicate scent of lime (that Martin created by crushing leaves from a lime tree) and listening to the gentle sound of the water flowing.  As we walked, Martin shared in a soft voice a story that was spiritually connected to the cave.   To conclude the story, he chanted the word XIBALBAAA… AA… AA… echoing in the empty chambers, just before turning on the headlamp to see beautiful cave formations in front of us.  Not sure if it was the chanted word or if I was just cold, but as soon as I heard the deep tone of that word a strong chilled energy ran trough my body, heightening my sensorial perception and almost making me feel like I could see inside the cave, even when it was in total darkness.

Deep in the caves, the Mayans modified several cave formations.  In some instances they created altars for the offerings, in other they created silhouettes of faces and animals, and in other they just created shadow projections into the cave walls.

About a mile in, we climb a big boulder to get out of the flowing water and into the most important chamber in the cave: The Cathedral.  This is where most of the pottery and human remains can be seen.  The reason why it is so deep in the caves is because the Mayas believed that the deeper they went, the more layers of the underworld they crossed, the purer they became, and the more meaningful their offering would be.

This is the place where many stories are told without even saying a single word.  The rock carvings, the pots, the human remains, the cave; they all tell a story.  There is power, there is mystery, there is suffering, there is fear, there is respect, and there is death.

The Cathedral’s floor is fully sprinklered with broken ceramic pots and vases.  No single ceramic piece is intact.  Why?  They were all used in ceremonial offerings.  At the end of the ceremony, each ceramic piece was broken by either cracking it or by creating a “kill hole”.  This released the inner spirit of the vessel and rendered it useless.

Just imagine how that space must have felt when the Mayas built fires, burned incense, and lit torches to cast moving shadows in the shapes of their gods – aided by their carvings and even some mushrooms.  That must have been some heightened religious experience.

There are several skeletal remains in this chamber, with the most notables being the two adult male skulls and scattered bones, and the young child skull.  By the end of the chamber, the most precious skeletal remain becomes visible.  It is The Crystal Maiden, the calcified skeleton of a teenage girl, sacrificed, and placed in a dancing-like position.  Due to the calcium carbonate cover the water has created over the years, the skeleton sparkles eerily when lit with the headlamps.

It is not sure why she was sacrificed, but she was probably the sacrificial offering to a serious prayer or request to one of the gods.  Maybe to the rain god, Chac, during the biggest drought that brought down the Maya civilization by the end of the 800s AD?

It is believed the Mayas considered being sacrificed an honor that would push them to the cosmos or heaven.

As for me, I was honored to be able to wander through Xibalba, but I was fine reaching “the light” by just waking back out of the underworld, into the middle world.

Actun Tunichil Muknal: A Story And An Adventure is a post from: GloboTreks. If you want even more inspiration for your next trip, sign up now to my FREE monthly newsletter. You will receive additional tips, advice, and updates on various travel related things.

Burj Khalifa – Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Burj Khalifa, formerly known as Burj Dubai, is currently the world’s tallest building – reaching 829.84 m (2,723 ft).  It is located close to Dubai’s financial area in a development known as Downtown Dubai.  The tower itself is the centerpiece of this large-scale urban development that includes the Dubai Mall, 30,000 homes, nine hotels, 7.4 acres of parkland, at least 19 residential towers, and the 30 acres man-made Burj Khalifa Lake.

The tower was designed by Skidmore, Owings and Merrill, an architecture firm that has a respectable high-rise portfolio that includes the New World Trade Center Tower, Willis Towers, and others.  Just like the Petronas Towers, which currently hold the title of world’s tallest twin towers, the design of Burj Khalifa is derived from patterning systems found in Islamic iconography and architecture. The building construction was between 2004 and 2009, with the inauguration being in 2010.

Just standing at the base of the building makes you feel so small.  I compare this feeling to how an ant must feel when it sees a human.  While the building is immense in height and size, it doesn’t feel bulky or heavy due to its well designed massing that sets back in a spiral as it goes up.  This makes the building feel lighter, more delicate, and pleasing to the eye.

When traveling around Dubai, it is almost impossible to miss or not to stare at the tower since it is such an iconic piece that does stand out from the rest of Dubai’s skyline.

The real purpose of the construction of this tower was to create an iconic piece that would draw tourism to Dubai, shifting the economy’s full dependency on oil by generating income through tourism.  In my opinion, it worked to some degree because while tourism has grown significantly and the building had become Dubai’s icon, it is nonetheless an “empty” icon.

Still to this day, the building is mostly unoccupied (about 85%) due to the fact that the tower was finished at the end of the global financial crisis, that also affected the United Arab Emirates, and the over development of Dubai that surpassed the demand of residential units.

A few current records:

▪                Tallest structure ever built: 829.84 m (2,723 ft)

▪                Building with most floors: 160

▪                Building with world’s highest occupied floor

▪                World’s fastest elevators: 64 km/h (40 mph) or 18 m/s (59 ft/s)

▪                First world’s tallest structure in history to include residential space

▪                World’s highest outdoor observation deck: 124th floor at 452 m (1,483 ft)

▪                World’s highest mosque: 158th floor

▪                World’s highest nightclub: 144th floor

▪                World’s highest restaurant (At.mosphere): 122nd floor at 442 m (1,450 ft)

Fun Fact: Burj Khalifa returned the location of Earth’s tallest freestanding structure to the Middle East where the Great Pyramid of Giza claimed this achievement for almost four millennia before being surpassed by the London Cathedral in England in 1311.

This post was made possible by the generosity of Paris apartments.  If you are thinking of booking a Paris accommodation you should check them out for their great rates.  Our sponsor has provided a link for you to learn about cheap apartments in Paris.

Weekly Snapshot: Burj Khalifa is a post from: GloboTreks. If you want even more inspiration for your next trip, sign up now to my FREE monthly newsletter. You will receive additional tips, advice, and updates on various travel related things.

Petronas Twin Towers – Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Counting with 88 floors and standing 452 meters high (1,483 ft), these towers were once the tallest buildings in the world (from 1998 till 2004 – until surpassed by Taipei 101), yet they still maintain the title of the world’s tallest twin towers.

The Petronas Towers clearly dominate the skyline of Kuala Lumpur since they are visible from every corner of the city, especially the Central Business District.  The towers contain a complex of office buildings, conference halls, a shopping mall, and a 50-acre park.

Designed by Argentine architect César Pelli and Filipino-Malaysian Engineer Deejay Cerico, the reinforced concrete structure and glass and steel façades’ design was inspired by Islamic architecture and motifs found in Islamic art, reflecting Malaysia’s Muslim religion.  In addition, the plan of the towers was based on a Rub el Hizb, complemented with circular sectors to create a bigger plan area.

An interesting and unique feature of the towers is the double-decker sky bridge that connects both structures, located at the 41^st and 42^nd floors.  This is the tallest sky bridge in the world, located 175 meters (574 ft) above street level.

The towers are easily accessible by Kuala Lumpur’s Metro, having a station right under them.  It is possible to visit the sky bridge to see Kuala Lumpur’s skyline and to eat at its restaurant.

Fun Facts: While the Petronas surpassed the height of the World Trade Center, these count with only 88 floors, compared to the 110 floors of the former WTC.  In addition, Chicago’s Willis Tower’s tallest antenna is 75.41 m (247.4 ft) taller than those of the Petronas Towers, however, in accordance with the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat regulations and guidelines, the antennas of Willis Tower were not counted as part of its architectural features, as opposed to Petronas’ spire which is counted as part of its architectural feature. For this reason, the Petronas Towers exceed the official height of Willis Tower by 10 m (33 ft) even though the roof of Petronas Towers (378.6 m) is 63.4 m (208 ft) lower than the roof of Willis Tower (442 m).

This post was made possible by the generosity of Seville apartments.  If you are thinking of booking a Seville accommodation you should check them out for their great rates.  Our sponsor has provided a link for you to learn about cheap apartments in Seville.

Weekly Snapshot: Petronas Twin Towers is a post from: GloboTreks. If you want even more inspiration for your next trip, sign up now to my FREE monthly newsletter. You will receive additional tips, advice, and updates on various travel related things.

The first time I went to Paris I was unimpressed. I pretended to be impressed because I thought I should be. It fit the persona I was trying to get across at the time. I was 12. I was trying to be cool, and the world weary traveler character was cool to me. In reality, I was miserable most of the time. It was a family vacation and, as a typical pre-teen, I was pretending to loath being around my family. The real loathing hadn’t kicked in yet, but I desperately wanted to fit the image, so I pretended. Everything was a fake it ‘til you make it deal back then.

I didn’t understand why we had to walk everywhere. I didn’t want to walk. I didn’t like walking. When we weren’t walking we were sitting and just staring, which was even worse. I couldn’t win either way.

Then came the eating, which every pre-teen boy likes. I did enjoy that. I loved how much food you could get at some of the places. I had never had a meal that came in actual courses before! I finished the hor d’oeuvre, and they brought me a salad, I finished the salad, and they brought me a steak with les frites, I finished the steak and les frites, and they brought me a tart aux pommes, all this with mounds of bread steadily supplied. The only thing I didn’t like was alcohol. All genres of alcohol were disgusting to me. Wine was bitter and left a sour, dry taste in my mouth, beer tasted like what I imagined someone’s carbonated urine would taste, and that was as far as I was allowed to experiment at that time. My twelve year old self strongly abhorred alcohol, even though I maintained that I thoroughly enjoyed beer. Again, that fit with the persona I was aiming for.

While I enjoyed the quality of the meals, the length was annoying to me. I was used to the American custom of ‘grab ur chow an’ git out.’ I wanted something fast and filling. What was I supposed to do for the two hours it took to eat dinner? I could eat all the food in a little under fifteen minutes, what was I going to do with the other hour and three quarters that remained? Being a pre-teen I wasn’t much interested in talking, and I was too self-absorbed to enjoy people watching. I hadn’t yet taken up my current habit of carrying a satchel filled with books, so that time was spent practicing looking bored and disaffected. It wasn’t until my second Paris trip that I learned to appreciate and enjoy long, relaxing meals.

The smell of Paris is something that has been spoken of for years. When I talk with anyone who has visited Paris the smell will inevitably come up during the conversation, usually disdainfully.

“Why should a country supposedly so advanced and civilized be so disgusting and filthy?” is inevitably the tone of the comment.

I felt similar on my first trip. I smelled the cigarette smoke, the sweat, the dog droppings and garbage. It was disgusting. They mingled together into a penetrating miasma of funk. It got in my hair, my clothes and mouth. It stayed with me even after lengthy showers in the tiny, very European bathroom of the apartment my parents rented. It gagged me. Of course, I rarely let on, trying to be the sort kind to take everything in stride. “So what I just sat in pigeon turds? I’m too cool to care.”

On the second trip, I learned to embrace the smell. I noticed it wasn’t just the smoke, sweat, crap and trash that glided through the air. It was also bread, croissant, coffee, perfume, flowers, earthy smells of the river, wet, musty stone… All these good and bad smells mingle freely together into one smell, a smell that I love. I would take it with me if possible. I would bottle it up and hope it didn’t smash in my suitcase on the plane ride home. But the important thing is that those bad scents are a crucial part of that cacophony, you cannot take them away or the whole thing falls apart. Everything balances everything else out and is in perfect harmony and union when you get right down to it. What appears to be complete bedlam on the surface is a delicately strong, disgustingly beautiful, repulsively attractive opus that is very French, very Paris in particular. That is why it aggravates me when travel books and blogs complain about the smells of Paris and welcome smoking bans/general Americanization.

At the time of the first trip, I was into books just as I am still. I enjoyed the books shops that I was taken to, Shakespeare and Co. and a few others. It wasn’t until I went back that I became aware of the herds of tourists that crowded and jostled and took pictures. Most people in Shakespeare and Co. aren’t there to buy books but just to take a crack at looking smart and say they went there, snap a picture of the entrance and get on their way. It was deeply disturbing to see these illiterate vermin overrunning such a marvelous place. But, such is the way with truly good things, at one time or another everyone catches on and they become the latest hot spot. After a while, people’s interests wane, and those of us who truly enjoy a place for what it is, not for simply who used to go there, will remain in peace. My last trip to Paris I only went to Shakespeare and Co. once. The other books store spending sprees were on the right bank at a place called Librairie Galignani, still relatively trendy, but just far enough away from the Latin Quarter so that it attracts more students than tourists.

In Paris, I feel comfortable; it’s one of the few places I never wake up bored. Even if I have walked the same street a hundred times I still want to walk it again. Paris is a place for walking; it is the only way to take in what is around you, to savor the flavor. It is a place for walking, for drinking, for reading, for writing, for sleeping, for eating, for dying, for thinking, for staring, for cold, for warm, for being… Paris is everything. It is original. I long for travel gurus to label it “cliché” again so I can be free of loud and obnoxious, uncomprehending, unappreciative crowds when I go. It must be coming back around soon right, Paris being uncool? I can’t wait.

About the Author:

Sydney L. Keniston is a writer born in the Southeastern US and currently surviving on the Northeastern seaboard. When he isn’t writing he enjoys reading, playing guitar, traveling, cooking and sleeping. You can view more of his work at thesquidandtheweb.blogspot.com.  You can also follow on Twitter: @SLanceK

Paris In My Dreams is a post from: GloboTreks. If you want even more inspiration for your next trip, sign up now to my FREE monthly newsletter. You will receive additional tips, advice, and updates on various travel related things.

Barton Creek Cave – Cayo, Belize

Barton Creek is one of the caves you should check out while in Cayo, Belize; located deep in the lands occupied by the Mennonites.  Barton Creek is a wet cave that is best explored by canoe.  The entrance, which is barely wide enough for a single canoe, gives passage to the Maya underground world of Xibalba.  Inside, you can paddle for one mile, observing the different rock formations and archaeological artifacts.

Barton Creek was previously used by the Mayas for ceremonies and religious rituals.  Today, while paddling through the still waters inside the cave, you can see remnants of the offerings left by the Mayas, as well as human remnants – like skulls. The pottery shards found inside the cave date tells us that the Mayas used this cave from the Early Classic (200 to 600 AD) to the Late Classic (600 to 900 AD) periods.

While the cave has an eerie feeling – with its dark, sharp edged wet walls and the dripping sound that echoes through the whole chamber – it is fascinating to see the chambers “skyscraping” hundreds of feet from the water, in addition to the history that is hidden between the ledges.

Belize Snapshot: Barton Creek Cave is a post from: GloboTreks. If you want even more inspiration for your next trip, sign up now to my FREE monthly newsletter. You will receive additional tips, advice, and updates on various travel related things.

This is a guest post by HostelBookers.com.

You can’t ignore it: the way we travel has a major impact on the planet. Airlines pump out 10% of all global carbon emissions, and mass tourism means more natural landscape’s lost every year to new resorts, hotels, fast food chains and shops chasing the tourist dollar.

So what should you do? Don’t talk yourself out of travelling altogether – shun the well-worn commercial trail and make your travel plans more eco-friendly. Funnily enough, backpacking makes your trip greener without you even noticing it – you’ll catch trains, walk and hitch instead of flying, and purchase less stuff as you pack light and stick to a budget. Which is all good, but you can go one better.

Wherever you go, use local businesses and places that run on green principles, and always stay in eco-hostels. They switch inefficient practises for waste-saving, renewable-fuel-using alternatives, which in turn lightens your own trip’s carbon footprint.

Plus, you get all the random fun of a hostel stay thrown in too.

Take a look at the guide below and discover our four favourite awesomely innovative eco-hostels, just the thing for a trip less ordinary…

Loch Ossian Hostel

Remember that scene in Trainspotting where Ewan McGregor, Jonny Lee Miller et al take a daytrip out of Edinburgh and end up at Scotland’s remotest rail station? Corrour is that station, and it’s where you need to get off to make the final mile’s trip (on foot – no roads) to Loch Ossian Hostel. The lake-and-mountain surroundings are fiercely beautiful, and the hostel reduces environmental damage by running off wind turbine and solar energy, recycling all its water and using a dry toilet to cut down on further water waste. They even use bat-friendly paint.

This is the ultimate brace-yourself-and-get-back-to-nature retreat: you bring your own sleeping bags, buy your own food and spend your days conquering mountains and spotting golden eagles (if you’re lucky).

Hedonisia Hawaii Eco Hostel

This rainforest eco hostel and organic farm on Big Island mixes standard reduce-reuse-recycle policies with more off-the-wall ideas… especially when it comes to when nature calls. The ‘toilet-with-a-garden-view’ is exactly that: an open-air throne in a private tropical garden, complete with bidet to wash your bum instead of using toilet paper. You can also pay a visit to the girl-friendly ‘pee garden’ – which helps you cut down on your water-flushing and TP-use even more.

Hedonisia Hawaii Eco Hostel runs off geothermal energy from the nearby Kiluaea Volcano, and has a volunteer program in place that means you can work on the farm in exchange for lodgings. Places to sleep include a cabin built into an abandoned tractor, tents, a yellow school bus and a hut made out of strawberry guava. Yes, really.

Un Destino No Turistico Eco Camping and Hostel

As you might guess from the kinda uncompromising name, Un Destino No Turistico Eco Camping and Hostel in Patagonia isn’t your typical place to stay.  For starters, if you arrive by bike you get a 10% discount, but if you arrive by car you pay 10% more – which goes on buying second-hand bikes for guests to use for free. There’s no cell phone, internet or tv access – instead you’ll spend time exploring and camping round the hostel’s stunning 16 hectares of land, hiking the equally mind-blowing Campo de Hielo Norte or hanging out at nearby town Puerto Guadal (pop. 700).

Living off the land nearly exclusively, Un Destino No Turistico prepares meals with organic, home-gown produce using a parabolic sun cooker, solar oven and hay box cooker, and has solar-powered showers.

Port O’Call Eco Lodge

This Port O’Call Eco Lodge in Port Douglas, Australia, is just 5 minutes’ walk from the beautiful Four Mile Beach and 10-12 minutes’ walk to the Marina and Port Douglas Village. Even better than that though, it’s one of the few properties in the area given 4 green stars by AAA Tourism for being environmentally friendly and ecologically sustainable.

The resort-style lodge is ecologically sustainable with solar heating, a seawater swimming pool and wind turbines to power all the lighting. The hostel also has a waste minimisation programme and has been awarded a Developing Sustainable Communities Award. Their aim now is to be the most energy efficient property in Australia.

Images provided by HostelBookers.com.

Four Awesomely Innovative Eco Hostels is a post from: GloboTreks. If you want even more inspiration for your next trip, sign up now to my FREE monthly newsletter. You will receive additional tips, advice, and updates on various travel related things.

There’s something about the fact that I spent a lot of time in Belize and that I come from Puerto Rico that sort of tells people that I would love to go fishing.

I’m not sure if the world is conspiring against me or if my friends from the Belize Tourism Board do enjoy laughing at my misery (sometimes I think it’s the latter), but as hard as I tried not going on a single fishing trip, I ended going on three.

December 20, 2011

This was not a fishing trip, but when you’re crossing the bay from Corozal to Sarteneja with a fisherman, it is almost inevitable for them to want to fish while carrying passengers.  I was the only passenger.

“Do you want to fish?”, asked the fisherman.

“NO!”, I replied without skipping a heartbeat.

I’m the first one to admit that I turn into a little brat when someone tries to make me fish or eat fish.  I’m not exactly sure why do I hate fishing, but what I know is that I don’t have the heart to see a poor fish suffering.  And yes, they suffer, even if they have a short-term memory for pain.

“We can try it for a few minutes”, he responded as if my emphatic no meant yes.

As he was getting ready to stop, we felt a shook on the boat.

“We hit something, I need to stop.”

“What we hit?”

“I think it was a big fish.”

“Oh shit, please don’t be a dolphin, please don’t be a dolphin, or a manatee”, I said looking back to spot our victim.

“It’s a barracuda”

“phew… ok, get that and that’s your catch for the day!  Enough fish killed today, time to go to shore!”

October 15, 2011

I had been told many, many times how great the fishing trips are in Placencia.  Well, I sort of dragged myself to take a small peek at the wonderful world of fishing in Placencia.  And yes, it is wonderful, but again, not my cup of tea.

We traveled about half a mile inside the mangroves of Placencia before we started hopping popular fishing spots.  I know I’m a zero when it comes to fishing techniques, so I wasn’t surprised when all I fished where rotten leaves from the bottom of the mangrove canal.  Though, I was secretly happy that I didn’t harm any fish.

After countless tries, I told the fisherman I was ready to go.  But he wasn’t, so I just sat on the boat and did nothing but wait.

“Those clouds look pretty serious”, I told the fisherman, referring to the huge black cumulus that looked like they would break into a storm in any minute.

“They will pass in 5 minutes”, he responded very assertively.

“They don’t look like 5 minute clouds to me! I think we should go.”

He didn’t mind much my concern about the weather.  Of course, I’m not a fisherman, so I gave him the benefit of the doubt that he actually knew what he was doing.

Ten minutes after, the wind started blowing strongly and the rain fell heavily.

“We cannot leave now, we need to wait here because the sea is too rough now”, said the fisherman as he pushed the boat to the edge of the mangroves.

We were stuck in the mangroves with no way out.  The boat is too small to take the big waves in the open water and we had at least a 30 minutes ride back to town.

We were stuck! After about 20 minutes of waiting under the rain, the sky started to ease a bit on us.  At that moment he decided that we should leave before it got worse again.

That boat ride back to Placencia was nothing but scary!  I seriously thought the waves were going to sink the tiny fishing boat.  They weren’t huge waves, but when you’re riding such a small boat, even small waves can rock it heavily.

I got back to land fully soaked and swore I didn’t want to go fishing again.

November 8, 2011

This was a sailing and snorkeling trip to Mexico Rocks in Ambergris Caye, but all of the sudden it turned into a fishing trip – which sucked for me!

On the sailboat there were two couples.  One of the guys wanted to show his “manly skills” with the fishing rod.  After a few tries, he successfully caught a big nasty fish with huge creepy teeth that would easily sever a finger.  I swear it was an ugly fish!

After a few proud pictures, the captain approached the guy with a club in his hand.  In my innocent and fishing-ignorant mind, I thought he would use that club to release the fish.

PLACK! PLACK! PLACK!

I couldn’t believe it!  I had to cover my ears and turn away to avoid seeing that poor ugly fish being killed.

I was offered the next turn to fish.  I passed.

The next guy takes steps up.  Of course, he wants to outshine the other one.  After a few tries with no success, he tries to up the game by using conch bait.  Right after he releases the bait into sea, a greedy seagull comes flying and eats the conch, only to get caught with the hook.

As the poor bird tried to fly away, the guy stood there not knowing what to do.  The bird kept trying to escape, flapping its wings even stronger, to the point of bleeding heavily.  Blood started to sprinkle all over the boat and our bodies.  We looked like if we butchered a few animals on board.

One of the girls started screaming, “Kill it! Kill it!”, trying to put the bird out of its misery.

“NO! Don’t you kill it!  Cut the line and release it!”, I screamed back.

After a few failed attempts to reel the bird back to the sailboat to get the hook out, they had nothing to do but to cut the line and let it fly… hurt.

See why I don’t like fishing? It’s clear that fishing and I don’t mix.

Even though fishing is not my thing, I do recommend fishing in Belize.  Belize has an immense love for the sport of fishing and they do know what they are doing, so any fishing aficionado will love this.  And, as you can see, anything can happen while fishing in Belize!

Have you had any fishing misadventure?

My Fishing Misadventures In Belize is a post from: GloboTreks. If you want even more inspiration for your next trip, sign up now to my FREE monthly newsletter. You will receive additional tips, advice, and updates on various travel related things.

Today is a bittersweet day.  I’m sad that it is my last day in Belize, but I’m excited that many new adventures lie ahead.

During my three months in Belize I visited the whole country and experienced the beauty of its pristine nature, the history and culture of the Maya, Garifuna, and Kriol, dove the second biggest barrier reef in the world, and fell in love with Caye Caulker.

Not only did I enjoy Belize as a country, but I also made many new friends, some of them very special to my heart.  Also, I want to give my greatest thanks to Matador Network and Belize Tourism Board for trusting me with this incredible project and experience.

Now, even though I’m leaving Belize today, I’m still not quite done with all I want to share with you about this little country often referred as “nature’s best kept secret”.

Also, I want to congratulate Kristin Fuhrmann-Simmons of Four Tickets Please as she now takes the role of the new Road Warrior.  And you know what? Her stories will be yummy!  She’s a foodie! So, I encourage you to follow her journey through Belize as she tastes all the delicious food that I enjoyed (and made me gain 14 pounds!) and much more.

What’s next?

My Round the World will now take me to the Middle East!  I’ll be starting in Israel and will make my way around the region, including Jordan, United Arab Emirates, and Egypt, so far…  I will keep you posted on Facebook and Twitter as I hop between places.

I also want to announce that I will be collaborating with HostelBookers.  I’m excited about this collaboration as I will have the opportunity to experience many cool and interesting hostels during the next couple months, and you will get to see how is the backpacking experience in each of them.

I’ve used HostelBookers many times before, so I know that their booking process is really simple and straightforward and they have a good quality listing of not only hostels, but also apartments, bed & breakfasts, guesthouses, hotels, and even campsites.  In addition, I like the fact that they have no booking fee (why waste part of our limited budget on that?!) and if you find the same accommodation at another site for a cheaper rate, they’ll refund double the difference.

Let the two-day (4 flights) journey from Belize to Israel start now!

New Roads Ahead is a post from: GloboTreks. If you want even more inspiration for your next trip, sign up now to my FREE monthly newsletter. You will receive additional tips, advice, and updates on various travel related things.

Altun Ha is one of the most easily accessible and most visited Maya archaeological sites in Belize.  Many cruise ship tourist get to visit these ruins during their short stay in the country, as it is located about 30 miles north of Belize City.

Altun Ha was occupied from about B.C 900 to A.D. 1000 and it served as an important trading and religious ceremonial center with a population of about 3000 people.

Pictured above is the Plaza B, that is dominated by the Temple of the Masonry Altars – the largest temple in Altun Ha, measuring 54 feet above the plaza. (The building to the left)

This temple has a central stairway at the front and an altar at the top, suggesting it could have been the main temple for religious ceremonies.  In addition, several priestly tombs have been uncovered within the structure.

It was in this building that archeologist discovered the Sun God’s Tomb.  Inside it they found a carved jade head of Kinich Ahau, the sun god, and the skeleton of an adult male with many offerings, among other artifacts.  The carved jade head is the largest carved jade piece found to date in the entire Maya world – measuring 14.9 cm high.

Unfortunately, the temples and building of Altun Ha were severely looted before archaeologists started excavating them.  In addition, they were quarried during the construction of the Panamerican highway and the village of Rockstone Pond, using many of the temple stones as recycled construction material.  Still, many of the most important building in Altun Ha are well preserved.

Fun fact… The Temple of the Masonry Altars is the logo of Belikin Beer – Belize’s local beer.

Belize Snapshot: Altun Ha is a post from: GloboTreks. If you want even more inspiration for your next trip, sign up now to my FREE monthly newsletter. You will receive additional tips, advice, and updates on various travel related things.

In today’s construction business it is common to see scale models of modern building.  These help visualize the project before it is built and also aid the architect and workers during the design and construction process.

According to archaeologists, Machu Picchu has one of the oldest, if not the oldest, building scale model in the world.  The carved stones seen in the foreground are the scale model of the entire Machu Picchu complex, including Wayna Picchu Mountain – the tall mountain in the background.  See the relationship?

It is said that the Inca architect, or one of the designers of Machu Picchu, carved this stone in the center of the complex to facilitate the overall vision of the project and to guide workers while it still was in construction.  Not too far from what we architects do today, right?

This post was made possible by the generosity of Madrid apartments.  If you are thinking of booking a Madrid accommodation you should check them out for their great rates.  Our sponsor has provided a link for you to learn about cheap apartments in Madrid.

Weekly Snapshot: Ancient Scale Model of Machu Picchu is a post from: GloboTreks. If you want even more inspiration for your next trip, sign up now to my FREE monthly newsletter. You will receive additional tips, advice, and updates on various travel related things.