Hiking at Suncheon Bay

 
A few weeks ago, we took a day trip to Suncheon Bay. Several of our students told us that they like to go to Suncheon Bay with their families, and we would always ask them if they went swimming. Every time we mentioned swimming, we were met with a strange look and a laugh. Little did we know, no one goes swimming when they go to the Bay. Everyone goes hiking!

When we arrived and started the hike, we realized that swimming wasn't really an option around Suncehon Bay. The area is designed to let people get up close and personal with the scenic landscapes and the nature. You get great views of the water, but you just don't go in the water. We walked on a raised wooden walkway to protect the plants and animals below.

It was great to feel so connected with the natural environment and know that you were not destroying the habitat around you. We saw so many little crabs and other creatures scurrying around in the mud below. It was so fun to be so close to the crabs in their natural habitat.

The hike from the entrance to the observation deck on the top of the mountain  only takes about an hour, and there are numerous rest points, benches, bridges, and other surprises along to way.

The end of the trail is an observation deck with three levels. It provides an amazing view of Suncheon Bay and the surrounding coastal wetland. Well worth the hike!

You can see all the photos from our hike at Suncheon Bay on our Flickr page.

Chuseok: Korean Harvest Celebration

This weekend is Chuseok in South Korea which is a three day harvest celebration comparable to American Thanksgiving. All the kids said they are going to their grandmother's houses and will be eating lots of songpyeon. In Korea, Songpyeon is to Chuseok like turkey is to Thanksgiving back home.

Everyone makes it!

 It's a soft little "dessert" thing made out of rice. I say "dessert" because it's not sweet. It kinda tastes like one huge grain of soft, soft rice with random nuts and spices inside. I think the outside part is made of rice flour and water, but I'm just guessing.  

It tastes horrible.

It sticks to the roof of your mouth and the sides of your teeth. The filling has the consistency of sand and I'm pretty sure there is some form of pine needles in it. I can't see why, but the kids all love it.

We don't have grandmothers in Korea and will definitely not be eating songpyeon but we have some perks too. One of which is, we get a four day weekend! Yay! Four whole days of freedom and bliss!! A four day weekend is the perfect opportunity to visit other parts of South Korea. However, we are both sick and the weatherman is calling for thunderstorms for most of the weekend so we decided to stay home and rest. A little stay-cation is just what we need at the moment.

Our other perk is, we get presents! A few of the students got us presents and the school gave us presents, too. The school gave us....wait for it....a spam and tuna gift pack! That is right. Spam, tuna, and two bottles of oil all nicely displayed in a bright yellow gift pack. Korean gift giving at its finest! They also gave us a box of 100 instant coffee packets.
 
Gifts we got from students include a set of his and hers traditional Korean slippers, cherry blossom scented body wash/lotion, and lip gloss. As you can see, Chuseok gifts can vary widely. One of the other teachers got a Costco sized box of pears!

Happy Chuseok!!!

Travel Photo: Sailing Belize with the Ragga Queen

We took this picture while on our honeymoon in Belize. We did an amazing sailing trip with Raggamuffin Tours for three days. Our boat was dubbed the Ragga Queen and we had a blast. Read more about our sailing adventure here.

Travel Photo: Laundry Day

We got home from our trip to the Boryeong Mud Festival and snapped this photo. If it's not raining, you can bet at least one person is drying their bedclothes on the ledge outside their front door. They even make these big, special clips to clip on the top so nothing will fall.

Ten Reasons to Visit Belize

Belizeans are among the nicest people in the world. From the moment we stepped off the plane everyone was welcoming and full of smiles. Anyone is willing to offer you advice, give you directions, or chat about life. It really does make for a relaxing vacation when you feel safe and welcomed.

I know a lot of people who had never even heard of Belize before we decided to honeymoon there. I hope now they will realize how easy it is to navigate this little Central American nation and maybe come visit themselves!

Here are some reasons why this country is so easy to travel in and worth using those precious vacation days on.

1. Everyone speaks English. Belize was once a colony of Great Britain and therefore the national language is English. It's very easy to travel around when you can communicate with everyone and are able to read all the signs. (I especially appreciate this now after moving to South Korea where I am not able to do either of those things!)

2. There are Caribbean waters -- light blue, warm, and beautiful! The most beautiful beaches, the second longest barrier reef in the world, brightly colored fish, delicious lobster....what more could you ask for in an island paradise? Oh yeah, and plenty of rum!

3. There are historical Mayan sites. There are some great Mayan ruins in Belize and you could even visit some as day trips from the islands. We did a day trip to Tikal, which is just over the boarder and into Guatemala. It's the largest site in the area.

4. The exchange rate is simple (for the US): $2 Belize = $1 US Most places will accept US dollars with this simple exchange rate and not even think twice. It's very helpful for when you first arrive or if you run low on Belizean dollars.

5. There are lots of Eco-friendly options. Belizeans are really trying to promote sustainability and eco-friendly travel. There are many eco-lodges in the jungle as well as along the beaches. We stayed at an off the grid place called Black Rock Lodge in the Cayo district. You can read about their conservation efforts here.

   
6. The second largest barrier reef in the world. Need I say more? The diving and snorkeling here are amazing and there is the blue hole to consider as well. We explored the reef with help from Raggamuffin Tours and had an amazing time!

7. It's Central Standard Time so no jet lag from anywhere in the continental US/Canada. This is just awesome. I love arriving to an exotic location ready to go and not even thinking about trying to stay awake/go to sleep when my body is protesting.

8. The people are so nice and willing to help you out all the time. Like I said in the beginning of this post, Belizeans are some of the kindest most welcoming people I have ever encountered.

9. The food is delicious! There is all kinds of yummy seafood, stewed chicken, beans and rice, fresh fruit(!), and some of the best hot sauce in the world, made with love by Marie Sharp. The fruit juices were my absolute favorite! I drank so much lime juice!

10. You can have the beach experience AND jungle adventures all in one trip! I love this about Belize. You spend time out on the islands listening to reggae music and enjoying the warm water and fresh food from the sea. Then, in just a few hours, you can be looking for howler monkeys, hiking up mountains, and exploring ancient Mayan ruins! It's the best!

Travel Photo: Dancing Dragon

Dragon dance in Kowloon Park, Hong Kong.

Discovering the Mayan Underworld in Actun Tunichil Muknal

After an hours drive in a van with our guide, a driver, and one other couple we pulled up to a small cleared out area of jungle with only one other van parked in it. It was the low season in Belize and not many people were visiting the cave that day. There were a couple of outdoorsy buildings which turned out to be to outhouses and changing rooms. We quickly used the bathrooms and set off into the heat of the jungle with our guide leading the way.

The trail was narrow and we walked single file through the undergrowth. After about two minutes we were at our first river crossing.

On the hike to the cave, you must cross the river three times and you have to keep your shoes on. Closed toed shoes are a necessity when visiting the ATM cave and you must wear socks to avoid damaging the site with the oils from your skin.

So, we were wearing socks and sneakers and sauntered through the river three times and then proceeded to walk on a dusty trail. All in all the hike takes about 45 minutes and your lower half will be pretty dirty by the time you get there. No worries through, because you have to swim into the cave and it all washes off anyway!

Right before you arrive at the cave, there is a campsite where you leave whatever you have with you that you don't want to get wet. Here we also had the option of eating our lunch before or after the tour.

I had half before and half after since I knew the tour would be long and I was already a little hungry. I would recommend this so you aren't completely starving on the way out.

Then we put on our helmets and walked to the cave entrance.

The entrance of the cave is like an hourglass carved out of the limestone rock. Water pools at the entrance and you can see little fish swimming about in the milky blue water.

You have to swim in for about 10 to 15 feet before you climb up onto and over a rock. It's an easy swim but the water is a little chilly since it's been rushing through the cave for about 7 miles and hasn't been warmed by the sun. However, the water is very refreshing after the hike through the sticky jungle.

Once inside, we followed our guide over, around, and even through rocks. We walked in the water the whole way (for about an hour) and the guide told us all about the cave, what lives and grows in it, and about Mayan beliefs regarding it.

I was constantly turning my head to shine my head lamp on all the stalagmites and stalactites. There are some VERY impressive formations inside the cave. They are living things and we were instructed not to touch them since our touch can kill them. There are sparking white blobs and cone shaped blobs that look like wax from a melted candle melted both right side up and upside down trying to reach each other in the middle.

When I told our guide the sparkling white ones looked like snow he replied with, "Oh really? Hmm...I've never seen snow."

After about an hour of walking, we got to a big boulder and were told to climb up and onto the landing above. Here we would be out of the water and were allowed to take pictures. We took off our shoes to protect the artifacts and listened to more history and legend on the cave before setting off to see the goods.

We walked in a single file line on a path marked by reflective tape. There are many pottery pieces scattered on the ground and the tape helps to prevent accidental damage. The pottery was impressive and very, very old. It was so amazing to see learn about the traditions of the Maya and see where they actually performed rituals to the gods.

All of the pottery was damaged in some way during the ritual. It is custom to make the pot especially for the ritual and then, to signify it's purpose is over, it is smashed or broken in some way. The piece above was just chipped but many are totally smashed and only shards remain.

There are also human bones in the cave, thought to be the remnants of human sacrifices. We saw the bones of three people but there are many more. The grand finale was a full skeleton of a teenage girl, known as the Crystal Maiden. It was amazingly wretched.

The remains of humans killed as sacrifices to the gods was a little disturbing. It was strange to walk among the bones of those once living. Even with, and possibly because of the strangeness, it was one of the best, most adventurous things I have done in my life.

The ATM cave is a MUST see while visiting Belize. Get your adventure hat on and book a tour. You will not regret it!