The Cockscomb Jaguar Reserve

 

A little girl carrying water back to the village

Written By; Gary Wonning

The Cockscomb Basin is ringed on three sides by high ridges and mountains , being a protected rain forest its name comes from the cockscomb profile of the nearby Maya Mountains. Home to the elusive Jaguar and other rare species such as the red eye tree frog, this Reserve can only be reached by a very rough six-mile mud road. It is best to visit during the “dry season” which runs from February – May. During the wet season June-January, most of the annual 180 inches of rain occurs thus roads can be impassable.

YOUR FAVORITE ONLINE MAYAN STORE

Inside the Preserve well-maintained trails have been cut to give visitors a taste of the area’s bio-diversity, offering impressive views and an ideal environment for plant spotting, serious birding or seeking out wildlife, jungle flora and fauna in a wilderness state. There are numerous hiking trails for exploring the area, including a 3-day hike to Victoria Peak, the second highest mountain peak in Belize. Inner tubes can be rented to float down the Stann Creek River.

Learn more of the ancient Maya

An interesting photo book about the Maya Indians of central America

The author has been a writer/photographer for over thirty years. Specializing in nature and landscape photography, as well as studying native cultures.

His travels have taken him to most of the United States, as well as Australia, Belize, Egypt and the Canary Islands.

He has studied the Mayan culture of Central America as well as the aborigines of Australia. Photography has given him the opportunity to observe life in various parts of the world.

He has published several books about his adventures.

For more information, please consult his website,www.journeysthrulife.com.

Your comments are welcome

Welcome to Guatemala

Written by :Gary Wonning

As we neared the border to Guatemala I couldn’t help but notice that it resembled something out of a James Bond movie, khaki uniformed solders with semi-automatic weapons standing guard over a lonely deserted guard shack out in the middle of nowhere.

A little girl carrying water back to the village

After the border guards checked our passports, we were detained for quite a while, no reason, they did not check anything, it just seemed that when they became tired of looking at us, they let us into the country.

Entered  Guatemala from Belize it was as if we were coming in the back door. We drove past an army base, complete with barbed wire fence and angry looking guards, It didn’t take long to realize this wasn’t the time or place for horse play or to make any move that might arouse suspicion.

I began wondering if I had done something REALLY stupid.

YOUR FAVORITE ON-LINE CENTRAL AMERICAN STORE

The author has been a writer/photographer for over thirty years. Specializing in nature and landscape photography, as well as studying native cultures.

His travels have taken him to most of the United States, as well as Australia, Belize, Egypt and the Canary Islands.

He has studied the Mayan culture of Central America as well as the aborigines of Australia. Photography has given him the opportunity to observe life in various parts of the world.

He has published several books about his adventures.

For more information, please consult his website,www.journeysthrulife.com.

Your comments are welcome

An interesting photo book about the Maya Indians of central America

Belize: Land of The Maya

 

Written By Gary Wonning

Not being extremely fond of jungles and with visions of Voodoo dancing in my mind, my apprehension had been at a rather high level as I prepared to visit Belize. The journey  actually began the previous summer after I had spent  a month in the outback of Australia.

A little girl carrying water back to the village

Lynn Gardner and Anna Mitchell-Hedges were displaying the crystal skull in Indianapolis the following week. Mitchell- Hedges , had reportedly discovered the skull while visiting Belize with her father in the 1920s when she was sixteen years old.

She was on tour in the United States and relayed an interesting story on how she came to find the skull.

She told how they had searched in the jungle for the pyramid Lubaantun where the skull was reputed to be located. Upon discovering the pyramid, she being the smallest was elected to go down in the cavern in search of the treasure. Braving the hazards of entering an opening in the pyramid that possibly hadn’t been explored in centuries, she found the renowned skull and brought it to daylight for the first time in centuries.

For the rest of the story!

An interesting photo book about the Maya Indians of central America

The author has been a writer/photographer for over thirty years. Specializing in nature and landscape photography, as well as studying native cultures.

His travels have taken him to most of the United States, as well as Australia, Belize, Egypt and the Canary Islands.

He has studied the Mayan culture of Central America as well as the aborigines of Australia. Photography has given him the opportunity to observe life in various parts of the world.

He has published several books about his adventures.

For more information, please consult his website,www.journeysthrulife.com.

Your comments are welcome

Central Florida: A Road Less Traveled

Frequently having business in  Port Everglades near Fort Lauderdale, I  tired of driving I-75  through Alligator Alley and decided to take the “back roads” home to Sarasota.

Sarasota Florida

 

 I exited I-75 just west of Fort Lauderdale on US 27 and proceeded north. US 27 is a national highway and begins in Miami and stretches all the way across the nation through Georgia,Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana and finally Michigan.

 

I live  on the west coast off Florida and up until this time  had never traveled through the middle of the state,  I didn’t know what to expect. I began to be pleasantly surprised, the landscape quickly changed to farm land. Miles and miles of very sparsely populated farm land awaited me. It reminded me of Texas combined with Indiana, flat, big sky like Texas, with the green vegetation of Indiana.

Florida hinterlands

 

I drove approximately 70 miles passing through nothing but sugar cane fields, it seemed like I drove 20 miles through the King Ranch, it was harvest time so many produce laden trucks were on their way to the processing plants loaded with sugar cane.

 

I was getting a little concerned as both my stomach and gas tank were getting empty and there didn’t seem to be a fueling station anywhere, either for my stomach or my car.

 

Approaching South Bay, the first town for miles,the crop of choice changed from sugar cane to citrus with miles and miles of citrus trees again lining the landscape.

 

South Bay sits on the south edge of Lake Okeechobee, it is a quaint, pretty little town, with a lot of emphasis on “little.” I was through it in the blink of an eye, still no gas station or restaurant!

 

The lake can’t be seen from the highway, although there are plenty of places to pull off where the lake could be observed. However my stomach kept calling me so I drove on, I will do the scenic tour next time.

Lake Okeechobee

 

The next town on the agenda happened to be Clewiston, “The sweetest little town in America”, as the sign at the city limits proudly states . Although this is the corporate headquarters of the United States Sugar Cane Corp., it is still a rather small town.

Clewiston

 

Luckily for me the first business in town was a gas station and the second was a Sonny’s Bar-B-Que, the home of  barbecue chicken, pork, and beef, top it off with garlic bread and a salad bar and it has the potential for some darn good eatin”. If you are in the mood for good barbecue this is the place for you!

 

Now that my gas tank and stomach were both full, I wished I had stopped and checked out Lake Okeechobee, Oh  well, next time!

 

Traveling north I soon came to my turn off on Hwy 70, as I traveled west the landscape remained pretty much the same, fruit trees,sugar cane, and cattle.

Arcadia restored train depot

 

Arcadia is the only town of any size in this part of Florida, it does have restaurants and gas stations and even hotels! It  is a typical small town with a population of about 6,000. A typical cow town , it boasts a western wear store,antique shops and a yearly rodeo.

 

Soon I realized I would like to spend more time in central Florida, the Old Florida.

The Nikon D70S

 

Gary has been a writer/ photographer for over 20 years, specializing in nature,landscapes and studying native cultures.Besides visiting most of the United States, he has traveled to such places as Egypt,the Canary Islands,much of the Caribbean. He has studied  the Mayan Cultures in Central America, and the Australian Aboriginal way of life.Photography has given him the opportunity to observe life in many different parts of the world!

He has published several books about the various cultures he has observed.

For more information and a link to his hard cover and Ebooks,and contact information: please check his website.www.commonsensejourneys.com

You can even follow me on your Kindle.

There is an extreme shortage of common sense in today’s world,
I often think back to what my parents and grandparents believed and said, at the time I thought they were totally out of their mind and ignored it. I now wish I would have listened and followed their advice more often.
It is in this light I have decided to publish some of my random thoughts based on the views of our ancestors

Relaxing on Siesta Key Poster by lifejourneysimages
Check out Prints & Posters online at Zazzle.com

Tampa Florida

Located on Florida’s Sun coast,Tampa has much to offer the occasional visitor or full time resident.

Tampa Florida

Offering a semi-tropical climate, Tampa provides the opportunity to enjoy the out doors year around. Moderate winter temperatures averaging a daily highs in the lower 70’s ,lows in the 50s and snow only very occasional, it is the perfect destination for a winter get-a-away.

Summer is the rainy season, with daily showers and highs in the lower 90s. The rains come almost daily, however, they normally only last an hour or so, the rest of the day is enjoyable as the rain only cools things off.

The area offers professional sports of all sorts, The Tampa Lightning professional hockey team, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers , and the Tampa Bay Rays round out the professional sports teams, each being highly competitive in their own fields.

The beaches in the area are the best in the nation, with several always ranked among  the top ten beaches in the United States.

What ever your interests , you will find something of value in the Tampa Bay Area.

I post regularly places of interest around the world, follow me on Kindle to stay in touch. I welcome your comments and suggestions.

Tampa Florida Mug by lifejourneysimages
See other Sunset Mugs

Cabo San Lucas

Lying on the southern tip of the Baja Peninsula on the west coast of Mexico is the beautiful resort city of Cabo San Lucas.

A popular vacation resort for many years, it’s first gained popularity due to the excellent fishing off the coast.

While still maintaining that reputation, in more recent years it has become a world renowned beach and cruise destination. With a large protected bay and beach , the water is always a welcome sight for it’s northern visitors.

Shopping abounds in the local town and many restaurants dot the area for your dining pleasure. A timeshare mecca, the areas offers everything a visitor could desire.

Due to the dry desert climate,the scenery is outstanding ,and a rainy day is a rarity. Cabo San Lucas is a premier vacation destination, either for a short stop on a cruise ship or if you have to time, spend a week in  the area.

Bring your camera, the climate,scenery and local  natives provide many photo opportunities for the camera bug.

If you enjoy reading about various destinations across the globe, you can now follow me on Kindle.

The point at Cabo San Lucas Jigsaw Puzzle by lifejourneysimages
Browse Mexico Puzzles

Ixtapa, Zihuatanejo, Mexico

Two popular Ports O’ Call on the Mexican Rivera, Ixtapa and Zihuatanejo couldn’t be more different in character.

Observing the turquoise blue waters, azure blue skies and luscious green mountains in the background , Ixtapa is a beautiful port to explore the interior of Mexico from.  It exemplifies  all the extreme beauty in this part of the world.

Zihuatanejo is a small Mexican tourist town with all the typical shopping and restaurants found in many such small villages, complete with a fish market, everything can be purchased a typical tourist could ever desire. A new cruise port is being planned to better facilitate the larger ships,but not all of the locals are in favor of this, they think it would destroy the beauty of the bay.

The more modern and up to date Ixtapa is only a short drive from Zihuatanejo and features modern Hotels,resorts,restaurants and marinas. Most tourists and visitors stay in this resort area while enjoying everything  the local countryside has to offer.

If you are interested in travel,you are more than welcome to follow me on Kindle.

Your input and comments are  always welcome.

Ixtapa, Mexico Mugs by lifejourneysimages
Browse Cruise Mugs

 Gary has been a writer/ photographer for over 20 years, specializing in nature,landscapes and studying native cultures.Besides visiting most of the United States, he has traveled to such places as Egypt,the Canary Islands,much of the Caribbean. He has studied  the Mayan Cultures in Central America, and the Australian Aboriginal way of life.Photography has given him the opportunity to observe life in many different parts of the world!

He has published several books about the various cultures he has observed.

For more information and a link to his hard cover and Ebooks,and contact information: please check his website, http://www.journeysthrulife.com.

Your comments appreciated

This informative Ebook describes alternative methods of making money ,often a full time income in photography even if you have no desire to shoot wedding photography. this book gives examples and websites where you can use your photos to supply you with an income, not only to enable you to buy new equipment, but a living income as well.

 

Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

The western coast of Mexico has many interesting areas to visit. The often neglected Mexican Rivera , as it has been named, holds many reasons to take the time to explore and enjoy it’s many attributes. 
Cruise ship leaving Puerto Vallarta

Located on the west side of Mexico, it is not as accessible as the more popular eastern coast with the notoriety of many  Cozumel and Cancun resorts and beaches.

The Mexican Rivera boasts such tourist cities as Cabo San Lucas,Acapulco, Mazatlan, Ensenada, and others. However, in my estimation, nothing can compare to Puerto Vallarta.

Located about half way down the western coast of Mexico, and just a short distance below the Baja Peninsula, it is unequaled in charm and beauty.

Besides being one of the more safe destinations to visit in Mexico, there are many attractions and restaurants to enjoy. A popular cruise destination, the Marina is only a short five minute cab ride from the cruise port.

Featuring several restaurants, this has to be a must visit area for even the short time visitor. One of my favorite things to do is enjoy a relaxing breakfast at Mr. Cheese’s located on the north side of the marina.
Mr. Creme’s

Featuring an outside patio dining experience and some of the best pancakes this side of Aunt Jemima’s House, it is Mexican dining at it’s finest.

There are many of the finest resorts to be discovered anywhere, in room hot tubs are popular,many are timeshares and feature Mayan and Aztec style buildings and decor, with highly polished floors, counters and walls , one feels like he may be walking among the Mayas themselves.

With their own water filtration plant,the city boasts it is the only city in Mexico where it is safe to drink water from the tap. Miles of beaches await you stretching from the Marina and beyond to downtown Puerto Vallarta, a few miles to the south, the wide unobstructed beach makes walking downtown a pleasure and doable to anyone who is physically fit.

It’s not uncommon to be walking the beach and be invited to a beach side party at one of the many resorts along the way.

Downtown Puerto Vallarta offers the many amenities of any large city, sightseeing,shopping, and all the restaurants available elsewhere. With a large emphasis on Mexican dining , and extended happy hours, you only have yourself to blame if you leave hungry or thirsty.

Plan to visit PV, either on a cruise or better yet, spend a week at one of their fabulous resorts, you wont be disappointed.

As always I appreciate your comments about places you have visited or comment concerning my posts.

If you enjoy travel, you can now follow me on Kindle.

Cruise ship leaving Puerto Vallarta Wall Clocks by lifejourneysimages
Look at other Clocks online at Zazzle

Snow in Florida

Being so far south, snow in Florida is rare, during the Great Blizzard of 1899 is the only time the temperature in the state is known to  have fallen below zero degrees F.

On January 19, 1977 , while the rest of the nation shivered in extreme cold conditions,the most widespread snowfall in Florida occurred. Snow fell over most of the state and as far south as Homestead, which is south of Miami, snow flurries were seen on Miami Beach, the only time in recorded history.

Snow was observed in the Tampa , Sarasota area in December of 1989, and a hard freeze in 2003 brought “ocean effect” snow flurries to the Atlantic coast as far south as Cape Canaveral.

One of the most damaging blizzards occurred in 1993, when blizzard conditions hit in the panhandle and heavy rains and tornadoes beset the rest of the state. The storm was thought to have a similar composition as a  hurricane and even brought storm surges of six feet or more to regions of the Gulf Coast.

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Epcot ,Walt Disney World

The name Epcot derives from the acronym EPCOT (Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow), a Utopian city of the future planned by Walt Disney (he sometimes used the word “City” instead of “Community” when expanding the acronym).

Walt Disney’s  original version of Epcot would have been a model community, living in rented homes and it would have been a test bed for city planning and organization. transportation would have been on monorails and people movers. Automobile traffic would have been underground, keeping pedestrians safe.

This vision never came about as Walt had to build the Magic Kingdom before he could obtain funding for Epcot.
In consequence, Walt passed away before his dream was realized.

Epcot today is an amusement park that has something for everyone, from futuristic rides to a village of communities representing various countries.

The author has been a writer/photographer for over thirty years. Specializing in nature and landscape photography, as well as studying native cultures.

His travels have taken him to most of the United States, as well as Australia, Belize, Egypt and the Canary Islands.

He has studied the Mayan culture of Central America as well as the aborigines of Australia. Photography has given him the opportunity to observe life in various parts of the world.

He has published several books about his adventures.

For more information, please consult his website,www.journeysthrulife.com.

Your comments welcome