Sharon's Souvenirs

Monday, February 22, 2021

Random Costa Rica Cell Phone Photos: Part 1

The fact that Dominical hangs their moniker on a tree tells the whole story. It's a tiny, surfing oasis in the jungle way down south near Panama. It has a certain vibe: granola. We love it. Today, I'm posting a few random photos from my phone. They don't really belong to a larger story, except, when you put them all together, they tell the story of Dominical. Follow our steps...

Tacos with guacamole made with fresh picked avocados.

Jolly Roger changed the way I make pizza. Now, I use tortillas as a crust too. Less carbs. Less work. Nice and crisp. I missed hanging out here without fear of coronavirus this year.

Falafels and the fix'ins in Manuel Antonio. The best mango-ginger smoothie ever!

Our favorite coconut dive.

Ventanas beach caves.

Cigars for the boss.

Late night frog inspection.

Dominicalito beach.

Stay tuned...

The Awesome Links:

Wild Bird Wednesday

Our World Tuesday

Sky Watch Friday

My Corner of the World Wednesday

Mosaic Monday

Travel Tuesdays

Pictorial Tuesday

I'd Rather be Birding

Saturday's Critters

Monday, February 15, 2021

Placencia: Part 1

Did you notice that something salty and soft was missing from my Belize posts over the past year? French fries? Anchovies?

Water!

But not just any old lake or stream...the caribbean. We love Placencia. It has culture and heart. Soul. Still, you're just a sailboat away from snorkeling at sea. There's Tutti Frutti gelato and late night cinnamon rolls. (see below) There's One Barrel and Cuello rum. We've created so many cocktails over the years, like a tintum: skunky red wine and rum became an infamous, sangria-like martini. There's the T. L. C. I don't know what the "L" stands for, (love perhaps?) but the "T" is for tequila and the "C" is for cactus paddle - as in Sanpellegrino orange and cactus paddle drink. Now, after a night at Barefoot Bar on Placencia beach, we have rum and coconut water. Yum! We didn't create this delight, but it has started a new craze. In Costa Rica, we brought a pitcher from our digs, dumping 3-4, farmer's market coconuts for later use. So refreshing. Even without rum. This week, follow our traveling spirits...

After Barefoot Bar, we followed a complete stranger to the cinnamon roll dude - just because the perfect stranger stopped us with a query: "Hey, do you like cinnamon rolls?"

I love this photo. It looks like a painitng, but it's simply a reflection.

A surfboard shrine!

Stay tuned...

The Awesome Links:

Wild Bird Wednesday

Our World Tuesday

Sky Watch Friday

My Corner of the World Wednesday

Mosaic Monday

Travel Tuesdays

Pictorial Tuesday

I'd Rather be Birding

Saturday's Critters

Monday, February 8, 2021

Tuzigoot

“The American Indian is of the soil, whether it be the region of forests, plains, pueblos, or mesas. He fits into the landscape, for the hand that fashioned the continent also fashioned the man for his surroundings. He once grew as naturally as the wild sunflowers, he belongs just as the buffalo belonged….” – Luther Standing Bear, Oglala Sioux Chief

The beauty of Luther's words warms the soul. I would love to feel the desert heat sinking into my bones, right now, instead of sub-zero temperatures. Last summer, we visited Tuzigoot National Monument in the parched landscape near Clarksdale, Arizona. Tuzigoot means crooked waters in Tonto Apache. The ruin site spans 110 rooms, in a pueblo overlooking the Verde Valley. The Sinagua people built Tuzigoot around 1125-1400 CE. Interesting fact: trapdoors and ladders were used to access many of the rooms. See the photo below. As always, make tracks!

“Being Indian is an attitude, a state of mind, a way of being in harmony with all things and all beings. It is allowing the heart to be the distributor of energy on this planet; to allow feelings and sensitivities to determine where energy goes; bringing aliveness up from the Earth and from the Sky, putting it in and giving it out from the heart.” – Brooke Medicine Eagle

The Awesome Links:

Wild Bird Wednesday

Our World Tuesday

Sky Watch Friday

My Corner of the World Wednesday

Mosaic Monday

Travel Tuesdays

Pictorial Tuesday

I'd Rather be Birding

Saturday's Critters

Monday, February 1, 2021

The Belize Raptor Center

Luna, the spectacled owl.

"A wise old owl sat in an oak. The more he saw, the less he spoke. The less he spoke, the more he heard. Why can't we be like that wise old bird?" Edward Hersey Richards

I can't believe it's been a year since we visited The Belize Raptor Center

Last year, we drove by a tiny, hand-scrawled road sign several times during our stay in San Ignacio, Belize, wondering about the mysterious raptors. Then, the local owners of our jungle cabana told us about the wonderful tour at the B.R.C. - not only wonderful...free. Although, if you don't leave a donation, you'll be sent straight to purgatory. Just say'in. The tour proceeds rain or shine, tourist or no tourists. The raptors need food and exercise everyday, after all. Follow my lens for a fun, feathered photo safari...

I think this is Ky, the gray-headed kite.

I think this is Jamin, the bat-falcon. Or is it Maya, the Orange-breasted falcon? I have a Maya t-shirt, so I should know, right? Hmmm.

Ghost.

Zion, perhaps? Akna? Not sure.

This is Cora, the black vulture. 100 % Cora. No doubt about it. She was a special bird, beloved by Sarah, the raptor whisperer. I guess Cora follows her everywhere and loves her beak massaged. I dare you to massage this beak! Sarah did. Repeatedly. All creatures need a little love.

At the end of the tour, we spotted baby howler monkeys in the trees. I hope this post persuades some of you to spurn the isolated islands like Ambergris Key, and have a real vacation on the mainland.

Those who drink whiskey with the owls at night, cannot soar with the eagles the next day. Brian D. Ratty