Au revoir Vancouver

Bon, voilà, je m'en vais de Vancouver dans 4 jours après avoir passé à peu près un an et demi entre cette ville et la cote Ouest Nord et centrale américaine. Prêt à décoller pour la France, qui commence à me manquer, ou même l’Europe de manière plus générale, ma famille et mes amis qui y sont, sa culture, sa diversité dans un espace relativement restreint, sa bouffe et son pinard, etc. 

Mais je sais déjà avant de quitter cette "beautiful British Columbia", ou "British Columbia, the best place in earth" comme il l'ont modestement rebaptisé (qui a néanmoins une part de vérité), et Vancouver, que pas mal de chose m'y manqueront. En numéro un je dirais sa proximité avec la nature, ces grands espaces, montagnes, qui m'avaient attiré au premier abord. J'en ai largement profité ces 3 derniers mois, même si la météo n'a pas toujours été au top, il est appréciable de pouvoir se retrouver au dessus de 1500 mètres d'altitude les pieds dans la neige après quelques heures de transport en commun, vélo, et/ou randonnée au départ de Vancouver. La quantité de neige est parfois contraignante, certains sommet accessibles uniquement entre juillet et septembre, ce qui fait  que l'année passée, le nombre de randonnée n'impliquant pas de neige se comptent sur les doigts d'une main, voir d'une demi-main. 

Clear-cut in Vancouver Island

L'immensité de la Colombie Britannique renferme de nombreux espaces vierges, protégés, mais le reste est souvent surexploité, déboisé comme le chantent bien "Les cowboys fringants". Et les choses ne vont pas en s'améliorant depuis que le premier ministre Stephen Harper a la majorité au parlement, ses actions se résument à favoriser une exploitation intense de toutes les ressources naturelles pour une meilleure "santé économique de son pays", ce qui selon lui et l'église dont il est membre serait dicté par la bible. Ses dernières idées ont été de simplifier l'équivalent du code de l'environnement pour supprimer les études d'impact environnemental pour tout type de projet, de faire classer les groupes de défense de l'environnement comme une forme de terrorisme local (par leur volonté de nuisance à l'économie du pays) et j'en passe. Un grand projet est aussi de construire un pipeline pour transporter du pétrole depuis les tars sands en Alberta, chargé de composé chimique volatiles jusqu'à Vancouver pour exportation vers l'Asie.

Queen Elizabeth park

En contraste, Vancouver a pour projet d'être la ville la plus Verte d'ici 2020, et pas mal d'efforts sont fait dans ce sens. Evidemment, pour une ville avec autant de pluie (300 jours par an je crois?...), il est facile d'avoir le gazon bien vert, mais l'espace dédié au parcs, jardins communautaires, la possibilité de cultiver les bandes enherbées sur les trottoirs est un bon début pour augmenter la part d'aliments produits localement. Hier je passais par un ancien parking fermé, qui a été transformé en un champs de culture hors-sol de 1ha, tout cela entre un viaduc et des immeubles. De nombreux efforts sont faits aussi pour rendre la ville plus cyclable, (bien qu'elle le soit déjà très largement), de nombreux "itinéraires cyclistes" sillonnent la ville, ce qui permet de se rendre à peu près n'importe où en ville sans vraiment croiser une voiture. La ville surtaxe aussi l'essence pour inciter les gens à prendre les transports en commun.

Bon je m'égare un peu, mais pas forcément, tout cela rend la ville de Vancouver très agréable à vivre, et fait que j'ai apprécié cette ville. 

Et pas une bière à la main!

S'il y avait des points négatifs, je parlerai des taxes, et plus particulièrement sur l'alcool, qui rend la vie assez chère... Je lisais un article récemment dans lequel ils comparaient la politique de taxation de l'alcool en Colombie britannique à celle de la prohibition. L'alcool y est cher certes, mais aussi absent de la majorité des évènements en plein air dans certaines salles etc. les licences exceptionnelles étant que très peu accordées. Du coup, il est vrai que souvent il y a moins de vie, l'ambiance est moins festive, hier pour la fête de la Musique à 10h on arrête tout et tout le monde rentre chez soi... Après ça évite aux flics de sortir leur matraques! 

Le multiculturalisme de Vancouver fait que l'on trouve toujours des évènements un peu plus animés, par exemple en allant au Russian Hall pour un festival de musique des pays de l'Est, avec danse avec les grand mères et tout type de gnole (tant que c'est à plus de 50). 

A Vancouver, tout le monde et personne vient de Vancouver, la ville a tout juste 125 ans, ce qui fait que seules quelques générations y ont vécu, immigrant depuis l'autre coté du Canada, d'Asie, d'Europe ou d’Amérique du Sud.

Voilà en gros ce que j'avais à raconter, vous pouvez voir en dessous des photos de ces trois derniers mois avec entre autre:

- un weekend escalade et dégustation de vin dans l'Okanagan,

- quelques aventures d'une journée autour de Vancouver auto-propulsées (vélo et marche à Mount Seymour et Grouse mountain), ou avec l'aide de bus (Mount Harvey)
- Loop de 300km en vélo sur Vancouver Island
- Construction de sentiers à Meares Island avec une asso de protection de l'environnement dans le but de créer des zones protégées

- un weekend en vélo sur les Gulf Island avec nuit dans une "cob house" (maison construite en bois/argile/sable/paille)

- une semaine de "vacances" sur Vancouver Island avec 25km de rando dans la journée pour arriver à l'extrême pointe de l'île, de l'observation de baleines à bosses, ours et autres, et du crapahutage dans des grottes.

- Car free day, la journée sans voitures (enfin que dans certaines rues)

A bientôt

Raf

A cripple in Guatemala: lost city in the jungle volcanoes and guns!

Going out of Belize city

After having my foot cut on a shell in Belize, and having been resting for 5 days I decided to head at Guatemala; even if my foot wasn’t totally recovered I could wear my hiking boots and barely walk which was good enough to travel again! 

In a day I did all my way through Belize, letting me guess this country was very different from what I had seen in Caye Caulker and from Mexico but I hadn’t enough time to stop anywhere as I was chasing Martin in Guatemala! I arrived in the afternoon in Flores, an Island in the middle of a lake, linked to the land with a bridge. Very small and pretty you can walk around in 40 minutes, even being a cripple, enjoy the nice cobblestone streets, colonial buildings and very touristy atmosphere. From there, the next day I took a bus to Tikal, some huge Mayan ruins in the middle of the jungle 70 km North of Flores to camp and be ready to go at the dawn. Starting early, just when they open the gate definitely worth it, for the first hour at least you avoid the tourist flow, multiply your chances of seeing wildlife, and the foggy atmosphere make the site even more mystic. 

As I was going to the main square of the site, I saw oscillated turkeys, spider monkeys, going up on one of the main pyramids I was surrounded by parrots, in a big cacophony, saw a Toucan going as a rocket with his beak right in the front of me. The very steep stairs taking you on top of these pyramids make it very impressive, climbing on top of one bring you to this beautiful view of the jungle with erecting temples. Wandering in the trails you cross these fascinating leaf-cutter ants able to strip a tree of its leafs in a day to grow the mushrooms they eat, these gangs of “racoons” sniffing around with their tail up, or maybe hear these terrifying howler monkeys! 

Tourists are very present, but you can always escape from the mass and enjoy the sight of an overgrown pyramid listening the sounds of the jungle. After this intense morning walking about 10km in Tikal, I went back to Flores where I had to remove my stitches and see how to meet again with Martin in Antigua. Regarding my stitches, it wasn’t such a big deal to do it, I just had to stop by the health center, however it certainly has been the most painful part of my injury (which wasn’t actually too bad)! 

Tikal Toucan

Tikal

Spider Monkey

"Racoons"

Antigua streets

At night I took my way to Antigua, on an overloaded night bus, stopping in Guatemala ciudad and transferring via a shuttle to Antigua where I met and joined “team France”, that is Martin and 2 fellows he met in Tikal while I was resting in my hammock in Belize, François from Québec and Cédric from France. I found them not in the best shape ever as it was 8AM and they had a pretty intense party the night before but it was cool to hang out in the rooftop of the Hostel with them, drying my scar in the sun, having coffee, beer... 

Volcan Pacaya

After that Martin and I went to the market, mostly to eat, and I purchase a wonderful pair of flip flop to leave my foot breath and dry more than in my hiking boots! On my way there when I was waiting Martin which was cowardly shaving his moustache, I randomly crossed Markus, a friend who I rode a bit in Baja California with and did all his way in the same time I did, but on a bike. He was pretty surprised when I said him I came from Tikal the night before although it took him about 2 weeks to come on his bike! In the afternoon we took a tour to go to the Volcano Pacaya, about an hour and a half from Antigua, to hike to the basis of the crater. This volcano is still active and had a huge lavas fields a few years ago, and on the pictures when we booked the tour, but unfortunately we didn’t get to see that... It was still a great spot, good view on other volcanoes, lunar landscapes, we experienced volcano heated sauna (sort of...), cooked quesadillas in the volcano oven, saw an amazing sunset... I was pretty glad I tried to hike up there, then I knew my foot was okay and that with my hiking boots I could do more or less everything I wanted! 

Volcan Pacaya

Volcan Pacaya

Volcano cooked quesadilla

Antigua

At night we went in a few bars in Antigua after warming up with Guatemalan rum in the hostel, it was good fun, we even got to see the Pink Floyd in live, or maybe not, but at least to listen them. For some friends who came back a little earlier (Aussie/Kiwi/Israeli team (AKI team)) the way back has been pretty intense as one of them had a gun pointed at his head after peeing on a doorway, but he even didn’t realize, he kept walking without paying attention! It just goes to show the later you go back the safer you are! Or just don’t pee in doorway in Guatemala! 

The next day we were leaving to Lago Atitlan, a few hours West from Antigua, but before that I had an hour and so to visit the city. Colorful, sunny, flowery, half ruined churches and buildings, cobble stone street, monasteries, volcanoes surrounded, this city is very enjoyable, beautiful, quiet, but I just barely had the opportunity to feel what it is! 

On the way to Lago Atitlan

Team France

Lago Atitlan is known as to be one of the most beautiful places in the world, and I have to say that Yes, it’s beautiful, and Yes more than many other places but maybe it’s too much to go that far! Well, arrived there and after an intense bargaining session, team France and AKI team where ready to settle in our hotel, right by the lake for 2€ each with private room! Over there we haven’t done much, hung out in the 4 different bars of San Pedro within the one just by the hotel with a very generous, funny, crazy, drunk owner, but over all a very good person, took a boat to the other side of the lake in San Marcos, went around had wine and back. Most of the people here come to learn Spanish, or to enjoy the spirituality of the site, do yoga... and as we were not there for any of these reasons I kind of find it a little boring sometimes. 

Chichi Market

A part from that we went on Sunday to one of the biggest and most bustling market in Central America, in Chichicastenango and well, many things happening, very beautiful, but one more time I have to say that it’s a little too much to say that... I have to remember that the Lonely planet tend to overwhelm you a little bit and make every single place the best place in the world, and a must to see, etc. After all it was fun, we did some pretty good deal, bargain for any single object in the market, even the ones we didn’t wanted, listen to the canon shots, for Guadalupe virgin certainly, and took our way back at the beginning of the afternoon. The most exciting part of the market was probably on the way there, when we were going up the steep, windy, gravel road, passing a truck, the bus hit its mirror. After that the driver was going particularly fast, almost jumping the famous and numerous topes (speed bumps) till we get to an intersection with a few houses and a car came head to head with us, the truck which was actually chasing us came behind so no other choice than stopping! The driver went out to talk with the help of Cédric he apparently needed, they started to argue and the other guys pulled out their gun, but nothing else happened, and the truck had nothing by the way! As you can see guns are very present in Guatemala, many people have it, every store, bank, have a security guard with huge shotgun, and we have even seen a men picking up empty glass bottles with a massive gun! 

Security  guard for empty bottles

Church in Chichi

Lago Atitlan from Indian Nose

The next night we went up “the Indian nose” at 4AM to watch the sunrise on the lake surrounded by volcanoes, it was a bit hard to wake up and get to the top although it was only a 40 minutes hike but it was really worth it! We had a good noodles and coffee breakfast with a stunning view of the lake, a volcano erupting in the horizon, pink sky, fog embracing the mountains, I could almost say it was amazing. 

To end the Lago Atitlan chapter, another good story, the last night a local girl came at the hotel to ask us if her friend was here, and she actually was, with another of our friends then she ran into the room, and kicked her friend in the head shouting that she wanted her keys back and blablabla, well everything ended up good and we didn’t really understand what was the story about these keys! 

Ready for breakfast

To stay with the superlatives our last destination in Guatemala was to hike up the highest volcano in Central America, the Tajumulco at 4200m which we after all had to change with the Santa Maria as there wasn’t any trip planned there on our schedule... Starting from Xela, we left with a volunteer foreigner organization funding local education project which had lots of equipment to “lend”. However we were not that satisfied with them, they charged us more because of late notice to join the trip, then they wanted to charge us more for the gear after saying us everything was included in the price and that we could not have discount if we don’t borrow anything, and in addition the guides were Americans! 

Trying to drink rum

Well I didn’t like them very much, and it’s a little frustrating afterwards to see you could have done it by yourself and that it would have been more fun. Here is the GPS track if you want to do it by yourself in the future:

 http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/79455511, it’s easy to find, and there is no risk to be attacked there apparently. So we went up this volcano that we couldn’t see, the whole top was in the clouds, it wasn’t too bad, but we could definitely feel the elevation as the top is at almost 3800m and the toxins we accumulated the days before (you know Guatemalan food is very rich and fat!). Getting to the top was satisfying but we couldn’t see more, just clouds around and guessing a beautiful view. We had some sips of rum up there which make our heart beat at 200 a minute so we decided to stay sober, watch the beauty of the clouds enjoy our pasta try to stay warm and run to bed as the sky wasn’t clearing up at night. This was very unfortunate as the Volcano Santa Maria is dominating the Santiaguito, one of the 10 most active volcanoes in the world (ouf we still have done something the most...!) and supposedly you can see the lavas in the crater at night. I woke up every 2 hours to check out the sky, but nothing happened at night, too foggy... just hearing eruption every 30 minutes and seeing flash lightning through the tent and diffused through the fog, actually sometimes it was a little bit worrying. 

Sunrise from Santa Maria Volcano

The morning was way better, we were above the clouds before the sunrise, seeing just a few volcanoes over it and later it cleared up pretty well and we’ve been able to see the whole valley, the chain of volcanoes, the Santiaguito a thousand meters under us. It even did us a few great eruptions with ashes clouds going higher than us it was impressive, but not as bad as when you just hear the sound! The way down was nice and easy, we got to Xela around noon, showered, packed everything and run to the bus station to try to go out from Guatemala before the night and the next day in Zipolite (in Oaxaca beaches) for a party. 

Morning eruption

El Santiaguito

Leaving the mountaintop 

That far in Guatemala we were only using the easy way to travel, taking shuttle from travel agencies which just carry tourists, pick you up at your hotel and drop you off at the next one; which is not making you feel like you’re really in the country, you go from one touristy place to the other travelling just with tourists... It’s about 5 to 10 times more expensive and less fun so we wanted at least to experience once the chicken buses before leaving, even if most of people say you it’s not safe at all and they are very often attacked! Then we’ve been confronted to the mess of the “bus stations” everybody wanting to take you in his bus even if that’s not where you want to go, the unreliability of the bus driver, schedule, but we made it on time just for the night, to the boarder after 3 buses and 5 hours to go through 100km. The ride was very beautiful, mountains, canyons, jungle and gold mines and coca fields according to my Jehovah’s witness neighbour in the bus with who I had interesting discussion (because I said him I was catholic and sort of read the bible so I skip the religious discussion)! Arriving to the boarder you need to cross it walking for 5 minutes, going through the immigration looks optional and between the 2 immigration offices, it’s a very weird area. Boarder town are always a very strange mix, hookers side by side with policeman and militaries, lots of beggars, people wanting you to change money with huge wads of bills in their hands, and to repeat the refrain lots of guns. After all we went through without any problem, hopped on a taxi motorcycle to get to the bus and made it on time to catch the night bus in Tapachula to arrive the next morning in Zipolite. Guatemala was a nice country, but I didn’t stay there long enough to really feel the country, really be in contact with local people or end up in very random non touristy places. Being there I felt very funneled on the tourist flow and it’s hard to get off the tracks, people of travel agencies take such a good care of tourists, but sometimes you don’t feel that free. This might be justified by the apparent insecurity prevailing in the country and they don’t want anything to happen to tourists... 

Birthday bar in Zipolite

Being back in Oaxaca beaches was good, but hot, very hot, probably the warmest place I’ve been in this travel which didn’t encourage us to have much activity! The plan was just to take some sun before going back in our respective non sunny places, meet again with a member of team France, and celebrate the birthday of one of his friends. Just getting there I realized it wasn’t the best place for me as they left lots of sand in the beach (silly idea...) and my foot was still a little open so I could not walk in the sand, swim, or even wear flip flops... 

Zipolite beach

Zipolite waves and red flag

After all it was okay, and anyway, swimming is pretty dangerous there, in 2 days, not being 100% of the time in the beach, we’ve seen 2 persons rescued so I was feeling safer drinking beers in the beach! When we got there we rested a bit and started looking for Cedric which wasn’t that difficult, we just had to find the most bustling bar, and he was behind. After that, as planned we devoted our time to hold the bars, sleep, eat and chill on the beach. 

Oaxaca Market

We still managed to leave on time to get to Oaxaca where I had to pick up my bike at Christian and Marina’s place, a Swiss-Mexican couple who welcomed us one more time with very good food. We just spent a few hours in Oaxaca bought and ate some Mole and other few stuff and hopped on another night bus to Mexico. The last 2 days I spent there went very fast, I had to deal with my bike box, buying a few more stuff to bring back, etc. 

We also went to the museum of Anthropology, very interesting one, and to end the trip, to see Lucha libre (Mexican wrestling) in Arena Mexico which was lots of fun and impressive to see these fatties do a back flip from 2 meters high and fall on the other or in the ground! 

Last moments at the airport

The wrestling finished, we went at the airport by subway with all my mess, about 70kg to wait almost all night my flight. I got in Vancouver last Wednesday the customs kept me a bit to question me, I might have been suspicious with all my boxes, but I had good stories for them to let me come into Canada. Now I found back some cold, but also a house I can stay more than 3 nights in, shower every day, cook, which is actually pretty nice too! I’ll be here for 3 month, taking advantage of the mountains, the snow and so and will go back in France by late June! Hope you get to that point, the last weeks where pretty busy! 

Bye! 

Raf

Une semaine à Caye Caulker, Belize

The split, separation entre les 2 iles de Caye Caulker

Après avoir vadrouillé dans la péninsule du Yucatan pendant une semaine, appréciant ses ruines, ses résurgences karstiques, ses plages de sables fin sous les cocotiers et sa vie nocturne, nous sommes arrivés à Caye Caulker lundi dernier. L’arrivée à l’immigration au Belize donne un bon avant gout de l’ambiance dans ces iles, très relax, entre deux centres de plongée, des masques et tubas dans les bureaux, 2 questions, un regard sur le passeport et nous y voila ! Cette petite ile tranquille peuplée de 1200 habitants ne déborde pas d’activité, mais nous voulions nous y arrêter pour plonger ou faire du snorkeling. Notre première journée aura été très pluvieuse et venteuse, ce qui ne nous aura pas permis de sortir trop, juste faire un tour de canoë, essayer de pêcher et se prendre quelques bonnes saucées et gouter le rhum et la bière locale en terme d’activités culturelles.

Avant le départ pour la plongée masque

Le lendemain matin, nos masques et tubas sous le coude, nous étions prêts à affronter la barrière de corail et tous ces poissons pour la journée, néanmoins la météo ne s’annonçait pas meilleure, et il nous fallait trouver un tour qui nous emmène là-bas. Au final après quelques bonnes saucées et un petit tour, nous décollerons (en bateau), un peu tard, mais sous le soleil en direction de la plus vieille réserve aquatique du Belize, depuis 1987 ! La journée aura été vraiment impressionnante, nous nous sommes arrêtés sur 4 différents sites, nageant entre herbiers de posidonie, jardins de corail, bancs de sables et tapis de conches. Mais le plus intéressant reste la vie aquatique et d’avoir pu nager au coté de requins, tortues, raies Manta, poissons de plus d’un mètre, ou d’avoir la sensation de nager dans un aquarium entourés de poissons de 1000 couleurs, comme à Marseille, mais en un peu plus vrai.

Snorkeling around Caye Caulker, Belize from Rafael on Vimeo.

Snorkeling in Hol chan marine reserve from Rafael on Vimeo.

Ponctuée de ti-punchs et planteurs le retour se fera longeant les mangroves sur une mer d'huile à la recherche de crocodiles mais sans succès. 

Dernière plongée 

Les lieux du crime

De retour à l’hôtel on se prépare pour une sortie en canoë aller voir le coucher de soleil autour des restes de ti-punch. En montant dedans avec martin, on perd l’équilibre du coup je saute dans les 30cm d’eau pour pas finir le cul dans la flotte et retourne sur la berge. En marchant dans le sable, je sens que quelque chose me dérange au niveau du pied et en le soulevant je vois une flaque de sang sous mon pied et comme un coupure. Finalement il s’avèrera que c’est assez important et profond, Martin et d’autres partent donc à la recherche de l’infirmière du village, ou d’autres qui étaient en vacances dans un hôtel, mais en ce jour d’élections nationales, impossible de trouver quelqu’un pour nettoyer et réparer mon pied ! 

Martin s’y collera avec ses gants de chirurgien, ses compresses et sa pince à épiler, que la plaie soit à peu prés propre pour passer la nuit tranquille. Le lendemain on trouvera l’infirmière qui me recoud à raison de 5 points de suture sous le pied et entre les doigts de pieds, ce qui ne nous aidera pas à partir le jour même comme prévu… 

La coupure, apparemment bien plus profonde que ca

Dur dur l'operation

Apres le passage de l'infirmiere

Martin restera avec moi 2 jours de plus, mais mon pied ne se rétablissant pas si vite, et comme je le disais, l’ile ne débordant pas d’activités, il a pris la route de Tikal au Guatemala le samedi matin. 

Maintenant j’attend qu’il soit plus tard, que mon pied cicatrise, je partage le pas grand-chose qui m’entoure; ce petit monde composé de si peu, un banc de sable, des cocotiers, la mer et sa vie aquatique, quelques golfettes en guise de voiture, des vélos, mais déambuler pieds nus dans les rues de sable reste le plus agréable. Un si peu d’une grande richesse, sa barrière de corail bien sûr, au croisement entre la culture caribéenne, son rhum et ses curry coco; rasta, son reggae et son herbe; maya, ses pyramides et son maïs, qui sont bien loin mais qui se retrouve sur le morphotype de certains et bélizienne, je sais pas trop pourquoi si ce n’est peut être pour le mélange de ce tout. 

Les rues de Caye Caulker apres une averse

A tout ca se rajoute la « culture touristique » qui apporte certes une diversité mais nuit un peu à la culture locale. Un si peu qui tient à pas grand-chose, un ouragan, un tsunami la ferai disparaitre, l’ile a déjà été coupée en deux par le dernier ouragan, un développement touristique plus important la gâcherai. L’ambiance y reste très agréable, détendue, bercée par le reggae, réchauffée par le soleil, rafraichie par les averses et les embruns marin, les papilles gustatives stimulées par les épices, le citron, les odeurs de poulets et poissons grillés au boucanier dérivant au grés des vents. Je ne peux malheureusement apprécier cette ambiance qu’en partie, ne me déplaçant que très peu de l’auberge avec mon fauteuil roulant improvisé, un vélo sans chaine ! Je reste à l’auberge apprécie ce lieu fait par les gens qui l’occupe, où les ambiances changent avec le flux de personnes, assez chaotique et peu accueillante au premier abord, elle se transforme en un lieu chaleureux où l’on partage de bon repas au bout de quelques jours. 

L'auberge

Belizean Jerk fish

Demain je l’espère reprendrais la route vers le Guatemala à Flores, retrouver Martin et tester dans quelle mesure je peux marcher et visiter le Guatemala, terre de volcans, jungles, pyramides et rivières qu’il sera peut être dur d’apprécier sans gravir des sommets traverser des forets ou dévaler des canyons ! 

Stay tuned !

Raf