Got up for the sunrise but clouds preventing it from being spectacular but the day looks pretty nice. The view is gorgeous.

We went to the Volcanology museum.

Full moon ceremonies all around Bali today. At one place traffic came to a complete standstill because the ceremonies were happening right there before our eyes.

Coffee plantation… coffee and tea plus traditional house compound.

4 elements in daily offerings. Offering for food before eating. Balinese never cry when someone dies cuz they are brought up from a child that we are all going to better place. They explained the procedure but besides cremation I am not going to get into but it involves the 4 elements…earth, water, wind and fire

Here we try cat poop coffee (Luwak). They produce all kinds of spices here….aromic ginger, ginger, poo coffee… (the cats eat the ripe Arabica beans), Robusta coffee, arabica coffee, cocoa, galanga, lemon grass, cinnamon. This family plantation is 6 hectare in size. Of the teas we tried, my preferences were turmeric as well as mangosteen and of the different coffees….Avocado coffee.

From there we went to lunch at the GAdventures supported Planeterra. It supports mostly physically handicapped people where they learn to waiter and cook …. all things about running a restaurant as well as they are taught to sew and music programs and computers and typing. It is also supported by many locals with food stuffs. We had a wonderful lunch and so support these poor individuals that are rejected by their society as well as their own families in a lot of cases.

Gedesuka our guide, supports a free english school for 60 village students. He gets no help from the government.

After breakfast we head off to hot springs. It was quite lovely but because the water is heated by the volcano, there was a slight smell of sulphur.

Our CEO when I asked if there was a drug problem here, he told me “some …. Not much…but then they have death penalty for selling”. Maybe they should try that at home!!!

Apparently the average monthly income is only 400CAD so a lot of people leave to make money….. not surprising!!! Our CEOs own son has just recently started working on Seven Seas Splendour cruise ship

Lovina is known for dolphin sightings and snorkeling off black sand beaches. Singaraja in northern part (used to be capital) lots of schools cuz it’s cheaper for accommodation than Denpasar (the capital since 1967). Like so many parts of the world restaurants and businesses are still at only 30% of pre-COVID.

Stopped at largest market….Gede suka bought different fruits and sweet for us to try. Salak-snake skinned fruit & Doldol made with black rice, brown sugar, coconut milk…yum!

Temperature is 30 but feels like 36…..OMG the perspiration is running into my eyes.

Indonesia including Bali was colonized by the Dutch

We drove a few more minutes after having lunch at a sort of group of food kiosks. I had bakso like what President Obama apparently always liked. They are meat balls, noodles and pork rinds in a broth that you can add tomato, sweet and chilie sauces to…. all for about 2.50CAD ….. cheap!

From there we went a temple (Beji Temple) built in 1500’s that we had to put on sarongs to enter. We were allowed to enter as far as the centre

Batur Temple is 2nd largest temple in Bali …celebration tomorrow ….bamboo decorations on the street symbolize the dragon

Batur volcano…1717 meters high. We saw it off in the distance but now we are socked in again. We arrive at our hotel right on the rim of the caldera overlooking the 13 sq mile lake and the volcano right in the middle. It last erupted in 2000. Later it cleared so we could see it.

As we are driving our CEO (Gedesuka) provides information on customs and other information that I really like…..that what I take tour for….to find out about the place I am visiting.

There are more Hindus and Buddhists than Muslims so things are not closed for Ramadan. Oomsuntisiu (I may have spelled that incorrectly)….is the greeting with hands together. …..on forehead is to God almighty, on upper chest ….to the person you are facing and tip of fingers pointing down is to bad spirit (along with offering so as to be looked on favourably)

White colour sarong to wear to temple, dark for sad occasion, colourful to wedding. Jatiluwih waterfall translate to “truly beautiful”. Unfortunately,it was raining so hard it would have been dangerous to walk down to it so we didn’t go.

150,000 IDR is usual cost for lunch and/or dinner…about 15 CAD. Tipis usually 10% and tax of 6% is included in price. We give 200,000 IDR to Gedesuka to be given to bus driver, busboys, etc as the total tip for the week. I like doing it this way.

“Ice cubes” are made from mineral water so safe to have otherwise do not have ice

The floating Temple on the lake was from the 16th century. Braton Lake, Twin Lake then to waterfall. Denpasar is capital now. The country is no more a kingdom but governors are head now.

Working week is Monday to Saturday.

Kindergarten to university plus medical has to be paid. It is not free. Only wealthy families send their children to university. Each family house has family temple , family live together including grandparents. But instead of rooms for everyone they have separate buildings for parents boys and girls… owner must be balinese people.

CEO has homestay (wife looks after customers)for yolo G plus sells to market herbal drinks and pork sausage on line too besides tourism.

20 x3 /day @ 2000 idr each for offerings

Mount Batu karum terraced rice fields. Most rice takes 6 months to grow. Springs on mountains are used for irrigation. Sort of co-op organization. The land is considered heritage and so cannot be sold to outsiders only to Subuk organization members…..in keeping like our agricultural land reserve…..it must stay agricultural. Each owner has temple on their land Getting back up was 16 flights from the rice fields ….omg

Macaque monkeys… not many animals here

First off the West Jet was late leaving. It was out of their control apparently. Air-traffic control in Vancouver would not allow them to leave YYJ. Oh well, we had hours to sit in YVR. What a bumpy ride, even just taxiing out to take-off! I had never seen a plane with so few passengers…. 27 was all I could see, I’m going to say out of a possible 120???

The walk to international and our gate I’m at YVR….and the Sky Lounge was incredibly long. We had nice chats with few people travelling to Mexico City. First was a couple (she had grown up in M.C. and he had a service dog that was to detect if his epilepsy was about to happen. Amazing! I had never thought of them being used for that purpose). And there was a young lady from Mumbai who had spent a week travelling to Banff with her boyfriend. He had to return to Mumbai for an important meeting so she was continuing on to Mexico City…. by herself! So self confident. Wow!

Our China Air (from Taiwan not mainland China) flight, an A350-900, left the gate…. on time! I have to say that our “Premium Economy” seats were “almost” as comfortable and roomy as “Business”…. but not quite. I will say too that the service was wonderful… (better than any I have ever had from other airlines), the food plentiful and quite good. I don’t know if it’s the model of plane but it was so smooth….again, far better than any other I have experienced. It’s almost like it is gliding. There is almost no sound. I’ve been impressed.

Taipei was rainy although it was supposed to be 19 C. We didn’t see anything but the inside of the airport. We did keep running into a couple (Carol & Chris) from Mill Bay that were heading to Jakarta and another place in Indonesia to snorkel and dive….. their 5th time. I would say they really like it there, do ya think???

This next flight to Bangkok was delayed but I am sure that it is not going to affect anything. On arrival, the city is hazy and 33C. I think my jacket will be coming off. It’s 1:30pm on the 1st of April. We were picked up by the hotel shuttle…..very nice place with a pool. Everyone is so nice, bowing to you every time you meet but the time it took to get a drink….unbelievably long!

It is now April 1

The next morning we were in the lobby at 6 am to get our hotel’s shuttle to the airport for our flight to Bali. Everything went pretty smoothly in the airport although there was huge numbers waiting to get checked in. They say it is definitely recommended to be there at least 3 hours before for international flights which we were. This flight was Thai Airlines…nice colours but not the quality and smoothness of the China Air. We took a cab to the hotel called Swastika Bungalows in Sanur where we were staying. (Strange name to call a hotel). It’s a huge sprawling complex of 2 story buildings that are linked by a zigzag labyrinth of paths through beautiful gardens. We were in number 75 and I know some were well over 110 and I know that because I got lost several times. It had atleast two pools but although the buildings looked good as did the roofs,, it was sorely in need of help. It could be a real posh place.

We met up with our CEO Gede Suka and the rest of the group…18 in all…. 2 more than normal. Again the women outnumbered the guys. There are only 2 guys. we all walked to a restaurant. While there the skies opened up…pouring. It slowed down for the walk home but still got a little wet.

I will add more with pictures later tonight if I have time…..along with what everyone likes to see…..the pictures but right now, I am going to push send.

If you are no longer interested in following my travels I will gladly take you off my list of followers. Just let me know. Responding on this site is rather difficult so if you would like to, send me a text or email.

Anjou is our guide at Jaguar rescue centre is from San Diego

148 varieties of snakes in Costa Rica …only 28 are poisonous

Floky-1 toed sloth… won’t be released because it’s genetically mutated so they don’t want it replicated in nature.

The toucan has a neurological condition so can only hop… not fly

Ocelot & margates are smelly. One has leukaemia and feline V immunity (didn’t get the full name) like house cats get.

Howler monkeys can be heard 2 kms away but can sound like they are just on the other side of the wall.

In the spider monkeys troupes, the female is the alpha. The thing hanging out their butts is indicative as to who is higher up the chain of command.

3 finger sloths look like they have a perpetual smile on their face as opposed to the 2 fingered sloths

The 2 fingered gal was electrocuted so is missing most fingers so cannot be released. Sloths only take a poop once a week when they can lose 1/3 of body weight

Mamamia and Abba ….. Abba is missing 1 arm from electrocution. Money they make at the centre goes to insulated power lines

40% of rescued jaguars are released within a year. Some take longer to get better. None were in the centre today.

Toucan is greatest predictor of macaws besides humans. Macaws can live to 70 years

Netting used in Kevlar jackets are made from the web that orb spiders’ web.

Feb18/23-Pto. Viejo to San Jose & 19/23 returning home

We got a chance to sleep in a bit so didn’t leave until 11:30. It was a good thing since some people had a bit too much partying the night before. Some were noticeably quiet on the bus.

Going through the Braulio Carrillo National Forest was a constant climb on a very winding highway. It was very beautiful…. Kind of reminded some of us of some highways in BC only with palm trees thrown in. It was strange that in places the two out of three lanes were downhill. The elevation at the highest was at least 5400 feet above sea level before our descent into San Jose.

We went out for our final dinner with the group. Jaxon and I left ahead of everyone else because 3am was going to come early.

When we checked in at the United counter, they had my one checked suitcase opened for inspection….. never happened before. And then when we were to board our flight they randomly had Jaxon open his pack sack and body waned and patted down…. Kind of weird but he took it all in stride.

It’s been a fantastic journey a very long day returning home but someone was really looking forward to seeing mom and dad and even brother.

Unfortunately at YVR, we missed where we were to pick up our checked luggage from International baggage and redeposit for our flight to Victoria. Consequently we were unable to go back and find it…ended up waiting for an incredibly long time ….too long, for someone to bring it to us. Finally they did and we had to race to go through security AGAIN where there was a huge lineup and limited X-ray machine. I had paid $31.50 for the one bag to be checked ….to Victoria only when going through security had a knife confiscated because it wasn’t checked. (Gee, they didn’t say anything about the fact I also had liquids/gel over-sized for carry-on). I said that I knew it was there but that I had paid to have it checked. He said well you can go back through to that place but I said throw it away, I don’t have time. Jaxon ran on ahead to hold the plane for me. When I am almost at the gate, he is running back towards me to security where he left his suitcase. I said I wasn’t going to get onto the plane until my grandson got here but he made it back in time even if he vomited into a garbage on his run. The plane left with us on it…with under 5 minutes to spare.

I love to travel to different places, don’t mind flying too much but hate airports!

Next journey coming the end of March…stay tuned!

We left our La Baula Lodge around 9:30 heading back upstream and then onto Puerto Viejo on, as the sign on the boat says, “Public Transport”. It takes approximately 1 hour. Then the hike up from the river bank packing our suitcases and backpacks, to our awaiting bus.

The highway that we are travelling on a the main from Pacific to Caribbean, is constantly packed with transport truck as I mentioned before…. Carrying offloaded freight from one coast to the other to be reloaded on awaiting freighters as a way to avoid the heavy cost of using the Panama Canal. The amount of construction on the highway is absolutely huge. 4 years they have been working in it.

If you think things are cheap here, think again. Lunch for Jax was cheese burger and ginger ale and I had the worst beef sandwich and water (not bottled) totalled 12,400 colones …. translates to $29.47 CAD incl. tax and tip.

We stopped in a place called Moin, for a short break. This place is big for shipping containers for the port of Limon. Limon is also an important cruise ship port. Ship passengers sometime take 2-3 day trip out of here to visit La Fortuna and other places.

Puerto Viejo has a lot of people that originated from Jamaica. They were brought here to work on the railroads and most decided to stay. They have had a big influence on the food and language (combination of Spanish and Jamaican English) of that area. There a large population from China as well. They were also brought to work on the railroads.

The next day we went to the jaguar rescue centre. That was a big disappointment. There were no Jaguars but they did have a good number of rescued animals. It was difficult to take pictures since there was glass between us and them.

After lunch we were to bike riding on the multi-coloured bicycles….pieces robbed from one bike to another…lol! But…..it was a torrential rainstorm. As a matter of fact the power was cut for a while. Anyway…that was cancelled. Too crappy to do anything.

I will be quite happy to leave this place although it does have its charm. The mosquitos are driving us all crazy.

A

After we arrived yesterday we did a little walk along a path near the town to see the green macaws that feed on the almond beech trees that are there.

First we head over to the park admin to pay for park entrance. Only the guide had to get out. Most of our group with the exception of Jaxon and I, went kayaking in the canals so because he and I were only two, joined another group from the UK (Explorers travel company) guided by Juan Carlos.

Reptiles are thermal receptors not cold blooded as most people believe.

1970…park began. Those that lived here in the park were allowed to stay… along the waterfront but no one can take up residence after (grandfathered). The area of the town is a sand bar with mouths of 2 rivers on either end so is an island

Black mandible toucan.

Bloodwood trees besides 1000 other species of trees …. Is the base that all things grow from in the forest

Manatees are totally protected. They are the sloths of the sea. No boats are allowed with motors in the section where there are because they float near the top of the water and so get run over by the motors

All fresh water in the river (is not brackish) because the country rose one meter in 30 seconds in 1991 during an earthquake so is higher than the Caribbean Sea

Orependula is very common

Baby caymans are protected in nursery from predators and the males.

22 jaguars in 22 kms… seen during turtle nesting season. Other times they live in forest. Years ago all the mahogany trees were cut down to extinction.

Spider monkeys tried to shake a sloth out of the tree but failed… very unusual cuz they are vegetarian.

Heard howlers but didn’t see. Wished I had gotten video of the sound they make but…..

Red headed manakin

Most of cocoa is affected by a fungus so probably world shortage of chocolate coming up and so price will probably climb.

Later we went for a walk in the National park but didn’t see much more than what we had previously except for a Central American Agouti…. an overgrown rodent.

At one point there was a board with instructions as to what to do if coming face to face with a jaguar.

Apparently there are 28 on the 22 kilometre island. We went to the ocean side where our guide told us about the turtles… the first of three types that come to lay their eggs are the Leatherbacks. I believe he said the turtles start to come around June with the last here until November. Usually they lay about a 1000 eggs each. Last year the jaguars ate 400 of them.

The guide also mentioned that you don’t swim in the ocean here. There is great undertow, a sudden drop off, sharks and barracudas.

Also out because of the big drop off and currents there is an area that sucks all the plastics in the ocean to spin around.

On the way back to the entrance there was a group of spider monkeys entertaining us.