Grab a Guide and GO!

Posted on August 3, 2011 by Laurie

Solo traveling has all of the mystery and appeal of historic explorers heading out over the plains in search of adventure, complete freedom, self-discovery, introspection. I can take a little bit of that. But really, I love the energy of a good traveling companion or two. Or even 8! My June 2011 Alaska Adventure included just that – 8 good friends out in search of adventure and birds. We chose to hire a guide, and am I ever glad that we did.

Alvaro Jaramillo has led birding tours for most of his adult life. Most recently he has started his own company, Alvaro’s Adventures. When we hired him he was leading tours for Field Guides, a birding adventure company based in Austin, TX. Having a guide on our trip was what made the trip not just fun but also amazing. He was so well matched to our group that he was speaking Texan by the end of our two weeks. His skill and knowledge of birds enabled us to see 170 species of birds while we traveled the great and huge state of Alaska. And we didn’t just see the birds, but learned their life histories, their plumage details, interesting facts about them. He knew Alaska well enough to drive us skillfully around in our big white van, booking us at hotels that were suited to our birding itinerary and landing us at restaurants that met all of the dietary restrictions that we brought along with us. He knew the hotspots to stop at, where the birds were, where the good picnic spots were and how to get to the airport on time. Our trip logistics were like a well-oiled machine!

There are situations when hiring a local guide makes more sense than bringing one with you from your home country. Who knows the ruins of Belize better than a local for whom they are literally their back yard? Also consider the sustainability of hiring local guides where the money spent on them stays in their own community.

Let JB Journeys plan your next adventure trip for you and we’ll be sure that you have a local guide who will take your experience to the next level. No matter how experienced you are as a traveler, a well-matched guide will show you the local highlights that you may miss on your own.

Posted in Alaska, Birding, Responsible travel, Sustainable Travel, Travel, Uncategorized | Comments Off

It’s the People Who Make Travel Fun!

Posted on July 27, 2011 by Laurie

“Eight stars of gold on a field of blue” is how “Alaska’s Flag”, the official song of Alaska begins. It describes the flag that was designed by a 13-year-old boy in 1926 who entered a contest. The culture that was created when rugged individuals carved out a living in an icy and inhospitable land is alive and well in 2011. During my two weeks traveling around the state this past June I experienced a state that goes from wild to managed, with not much in-between, and with all of the people to match.

My story begins on a plane from Anchorage to Nome.  We flew from Texas to Anchorage for a two-week birding trip to Alaska with our guide, Alvaro Jaramillo. Our flight to Nome was early on our first morning in Alaska. We were in high spirits as our journey began. Arriving at the airport with plenty of time to spare, we sat idling expectantly while waiting for our flight to the tundra. One never knows who will end up in the seat next to them on a plane when it is not possible to select a seat before-hand.

I approached my seat and seat-mate with a bit of trepidation. A 9-year-old boy sat in the window seat with his shoes off and feet up on the seat. I’m still not sure what I was expecting, but certainly not what followed! I asked him “Are you on your way to visit someone?” and he answered “Yes, my grandparents are cabin people. They spend every summer in their cabin just outside of Nome and I stay with them for three weeks every summer. My brother used to visit with me, but since we’ve gotten older we argue a lot so we stagger our visits. He’ll come for my last week there and then stay for two more weeks after I leave. We seem to get along fine during that one week every summer.” Since they’ve gotten older? He’s 9! We went on to speak of ham radio operators (he has a license), what cloud layers we could expect to encounter during our flight and what level they were at, why Anchorage was the perfect size city to grow up in, and why it was cool to fly as an unaccompanied minor (“The flight attendants know my name, and I must admit that I like the extra attention”). What a delight! And what a perfect introduction to the people of this great state, perfectly comfortable going from the largest city to a shack by a stream, feeling responsible for letting a visitor know that Alaska is the best place to be.

Don’t you just love to travel?

Posted in Alaska, Birding, Uncategorized | Comments Off

Sustainable Travel – what does it really mean?

Posted on July 26, 2011 by Jean

We are often asked what we mean by sustainable travel or responsible travel.  A brief definition from Sustainable Tourism International would be that “travelers, businesses and destinations protect the environment, preserve cultural heritage and promote economic development.”

In short, this implies that the traveler has a responsiblilty to the places s/he travels.  The destination provides the opportunity to be visited and explored in a way that the traveler’s impact is beneficial. Sounds simple but this is truly a complicated formula in capitalist and developing areas, though it need not be.

Do you buy organic? If so, why? is it for your own health benefits? Consider the health of those who work in plantations and it quickly becomes a mutual health benefit.

Tourism is similar. What you get from an eco-trip and what the provider gets can be mutually beneficial.

Many examples of sustainable tourism exist and I’d like to feature a few of these and consider the benefits.

Stay tuned.

Posted in Carbon Neutral, Responsible travel, Sustainable Travel | Comments Off

Mi Hacienda es su Hacienda

Posted on June 28, 2011 by Jean

The evening we arrived at Hacienda San Lucas there was a terrific rainstorm. It only added to the dramatic atmosphere of San Lucas, a 100+ year old family home turned boutique hotel. The main house is a classic adobe and tile roof hacienda, with dark wood furniture, an old kitchen with wood burning stove, and great overhanging patio roofs. At the main entry you see a bunch of old saddles lined up as if ready to be mounted on horses. Honestly, it looks like the Ponderosa.

The old hacienda, now a boutique hotel

When Flavia Cueva returned to Honduras in the late 90’s, the place was in disrepair. With love and a lot of sweat, she restored the hacienda using local materials, techniques, and labor. There are two guest rooms in the main building and six more were added in 2008, all built with traditional methods. The rooms have high ceilings with wood beams, two double beds, a lovely stone bath with shower, a ceiling fan, and nice big screened windows to catch the breeze. Lighting is limited to two small bedside reading lamps and lots of candles.

Off the main driveway is the path to enlightenment: the yoga platform Gaia.

Gaia - yoga center

The backyard gives way to an expansive lawn, where guests gather each evening with a cocktail to watch the sunset over the Copán River and the amazing Mayan ruins of Copán, a UNESCO World Heritage site.  Mot-mots and magpie jays fly back and forth across the yard.

It’s an enviable location and worth the price of admission.

After sunset, a dinner of contemporary Mayan cooking is served on the patio. It started with a salad of melon, cheeses, and green papaya with hibiscus vinaigrette, followed by a simple corn soup (corn is a staple of all people of Honduras, rich and poor), a tamale, and the main course of Mayan roasted chicken with a spicy sauce, rice, black beans, and veggies in a rich butter sauce.  House dessert is a rum cake with candied papaya.

Service is efficient and genuinely friendly. Most of the staff come from the nearby Chorti village; several from families who have worked on San Lucas estate for generations. Doña Flavia employs 25 people at the hacienda, all local.  They younger staffers work evenings or weekends and must attend school; they may be the first in their families to do so.

So what you ask is the price of admission? A double room at the Hacienda costs $125 per night which includes breakfast; tourism taxes are 16%.

A yoga retreat of 6 nights occurs several times per year led by resident yogi, Leah Sunshine Glatz. Copán is the cradle of American civilization and a wonderful place to explore the connection between two parallel paths: the wisdom and practice of Maya Cosmology and the science of yoga. It is a week of adventure, magic and self-discovery. The retreat typically includes daily yoga practice, a meditative tour of the Mayan ruins, an archaeological presentation, Temazcal, the Maya sweat lodge, a Maya fire ceremony, and a visit to the hot springs. All breakfasts, three lunches and four dinner (at the Hacienda), all taxes and gratuities, and yoga mats and props are also included in the price of $1455 per person in double.  The Hacienda and Gaia are available for instructors to create their own retreat.

Copan - a UNESCO World Heritage Site (within view of Hacienda San Lucas)

In Honduras, tourism may one day play a major role in the country’s economy, but it is not there yet. That is very good news for those of us who want to travel and avoid crowds. For example, the ruins of Copan and the spectacular statues are a world treasure and can be visited without the crowds of other Mayan sites such as Chichen Itza in the Yucatan, which receives thousands of visitors per week, especially off cruise ships. Tourism in Honduras is still in an intimate stage and it is a treat to be in a group of four or even two with the full attention of a well-trained guide.

Additionally, eco-tourism is in its infancy and Hacienda San Lucas has been a leader, providing guests with the unique experience of staying in an authentic family hacienda. Doña Flavia takes pride in working with an employing people from the local village to work in the Hacienda, make crafts, and give tours.

You arrive the Hacienda a guest; you leave as a family friend.

Posted in Boutique Hotel, Culinary, Honduras, Maya Ruins, Yoga, Yoga | Comments Off

Bathrobes and slippers in a jungle lodge? I think I’ll like this place.

Posted on June 16, 2011 by Jean

We arrived at the Lodge at Pico Bonito to be greeted with a cold towel and bottle of water. How civilized.

Famous resident bird - Lovely Cotinga

Famous resident bird - Lovely Cotinga

Aware that there is only one first impression, the lodge has staffed the receptions department with friendly, bi-lingual young women from the local villages. They are dressed in a uniform of turquoise polo shirts and dark blue slacks, the colors of the Lodge’s most famous bird, the lovely Cotinga.

Danielle welcomed us, completed paperwork, dispatched our luggage  and gave a mini-tour of the property, pointing out the activity desk, gift shop, restaurant, bar, conference room, pool (yes, a jungle lodge with a swimming pool), and trails, and voila – we ended up in our cabin.

Arts and craft style

Local Honduran pine used to build the cabins

The architecture is Frank Lloyd Wright meets CCC.  All cabins are built of local pine in an arts and craft style with lots of boulders at the base. Cabins and public rooms have high ceilings and ceiling fans both indoors and out.

When the Honduran government declared Pico Bonito a national park in the late 1980′s, the law included several provisions, such as allowing for touristic uses including an eco-tourist lodge. An investment firm of Hondurans and North Americans decided to build the Lodge at Pico Bonito with the purpose of it becoming the pride of Honduras. It opened in 2000 and today the Lodge is a member of the Small Luxury Hotel group, and has been rated as one of the Top 10 Eco-Lodges in the World by National Geographic Adventure.

How and why has it received such acclaim?

The lodge has attracted the attention of birders around the world and boasts over 400 species that can be seen on its property and the surrounding National Park. Bird tour companies are traveling down with small groups, and individual travelers can take hikes with one of the lodge’s five resident guides, each of whom grew up in the surrounding villages and know the flora and fauna like it’s their back yard, which it is!

Lepidopterists from the University of Florida have been coming to Pico Bonito for several years and have succeeded in collecting insects for their museums.

The Lodge employs 60 people from communities like El Pino and La Ceiba and many have been with them since the start back in 2001. The staff are all bi-lingual and professional. (In the closest town, El Pino, 90% of the residents work in the pineapple plantation.)

Check out the bathrobes on the bed!

Back to those bathrobes. The cabins are furnished with two doubles or one king bed, table and chairs, a lovely tiled bathroom with shower. Coverlets and shams are on the beds with robes and flip-flops for each guest. Bathroom amenities include the usual soaps and shampoos and a small coffee pot with Pico Bonito blend of coffee. Outside is a veranda with chairs, table, a hammock and a ceiling fan. How luxurious to take a shower after a day of hiking, put on your robe and retreat to the hammock with a book. One afternoon while doing just that, a Collared Aracari landed on our porch railing. He was there for only a second, but what a thrill!

Collared Aracari

The 22 cabins are scattered around the property and hidden among the woods. Some cabins have AC but it is not often used as the ceiling fans seem to suffice, even in the hottest months. We never used ours.

The dining room is nothing short of amazing.  There is none of that Tuesday is fish night and Wednesday pasta. The menu is long and varied and servings are plentiful. Dinner entrees include coconut shrimp, coffee/chocolate rubbed beef, chipotle pork chops, and coconut/curry veggies.

The Lodge at Pico Bonito is a great setting for family vacations; something for everyone.

Narrow Gauge tracks to Cuero y Salado

What could be more fun than a hike to a waterfall and then jump in? Or if you prefer, you could swim at the lodge’s very pleasant swimming pool. Other activities include birding, visiting the butterfly farm, the Iguana nursery, or the serpentarium right on the grounds. Additionally, you could  take a snorkeling trip to the coast, go white water rafting, or visit the Cuero y Salado Wildlife Refuge. This last one is an interesting piece of Honduran history: you start by traveling along a narrow-gauge railway in a small train leftover from

Banana Train - a piece of Honduras history

the banana companies. Then you travel the refuge by boat, up and down fingers of the mangrove swamps, looking for crocodiles, iguanas, turtles, monkeys and lots of birds like Boat-billed Herons, Tiger-Heron,  the rare Agami Heron, several kingfishers, tons of Whistling Ducks, as well as several species of Morpho butterflies.

Among the great aspects of traveling or touring Honduras, is that it is not over-crowded. In fact, the opposite. We visited Mayan ruins and saw about 40 or fewer others there. At Cuero y Salado, we were the only visitors that day. It’s wonderful to have the full attention of a local guide.

The Lodge at Pico Bonito seems to be doing everything right and the prices reflect the high quality of accommodation, dining and experience they offer.  Summer specials are an excellent time to try it out and we have a Family Summer Adventure at a very good price.

Regardless, this is a quality eco-lodge with extras added in. I’ll be back.

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Copán is the new Tikal

Posted on May 30, 2011 by Jean

For decades Tikal has been the symbol and the most visited of all the Mayan temples. It is featured in dozens of movies, including scenes of Star Wars movies. Tikal lies in the northern portion of Guatemala, the Petén. This area has recently been in the news with some problems being blamed on Mexican drug lords. Whether true or not, it is horrific and inhumane. Our travel partners tell us that life is very normal for travelers in the Petén and that the news should not deter travel there. No country is without its problems and in today’s world of instant news, it’s hard to ignore reports of such extreme but they must all be considered.

So we highly recommend Copán in Honduras, the new Tikal.

While we are visiting Copán during low season, the small number of tourists was surprising and we are told that even high season does not have the mass tourism you see elsewhere. Local guides are well trained in anthropology and worth the small extra cost as you walk among the magnificent structures and statues, this latter being Copán’s strength. However, the greatest of Copán’s treasures is the hieroglyphic staircase, created by 18 Rabbit, the 13th king of Copán. When he came to the throne in 695, he had built a staircase with the history of his family written on these 63 steps. It is said to be the longest inscription in the Maya world and is currently 71% intact. By that they mean that they have most of the steps reading correctly but they don’t know if they are stacked in the correct order. It’s an amazing piece of work, considering it was done all by hand, with no beast of burden helping to move any of the giant rocks. And equally amazing that it is in such good condition, after some 1,500 years.

When is a good time to visit? Anytime. You might consider a visit in 2012, the year the Maya calendar is said to end. However, it has lasted this long, we know it will last much longer.

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Bird Rescue, Breeding & Release in Copan Ruinas, Honduras

Posted on May 23, 2011 by Barbara

Today I visited Macaw Mountain Bird Park and Nature Reserve, a bird ‘sanctuary’ for abused,  neglected, unwanted, bird-napped exotics in Copan Ruinas, Honduras.  Not one for enjoying seeing animals in cages, I usually make an exception when the purpose is for rehabilitation and rescue. How happy I was to have visited this oasis of beauty, hope and renewal.

The project is a result of ex-pat Lloyd Davidson’s inheritance of his former partner’s rehab birds from Roatan. Lloyd explained in his frank, easy going Tennessee manner, that many newbie ‘islanders’ feel like they have to have an exotic bird to complete their image.  A parrot is a lifetime commitment, as they can live 50-70 years, and macaws 100 years.  Many a ‘pet’ bird is abandoned, neglected or given away as a result of their owners disenchantment. Lloyd relocated with his birds from Roatan to Copan Ruinas in 2003 and build Macaw Mountain.

The reserve is located within a remnant 9 acre forest at the outskirts of the city. Facilities for visitors and birds alike are well constructed and aesthetically pleasing. Some of the birds are able to be re-released. Others will never be able to.  The visit consists of a guided walk along wheel-chair accessible  ramps winding among large airy cages. There is a special area of calm for birds under stress (so many are in bad shape when they arrive at Macaw Mountain) to recuperate with carefully monitored socialization, vitamin enriched food and supplements.  And, there is an area where certain birds are on open perches for up close interaction with visitors. (I was told many can fly, but choose to remain here.)  An open air restaurant run by local favorite Tanya (of ‘Twisted Tanya’s’ restaurant & bar) overlooks an inviting swimming hole open. The admission ticket is valid for 3 days – it’s a perfect natural setting to take refuge from urban life. 

Since there are so many captive scarlet macaws at Macaw Mountain, and a nearby population of tame scarlet macaws at the Copan Ruin site the logical thought process ran towards implementing a breeding program.

Success depends on many factors.  Hopefully biologists are successful with creating a breeding environment for the macaws. Hopefully chicks will thrive and begin to widen their range from the food augmented nursery site.  But the community will need to be ready to embrace them.

Perhaps the greatest goal is education of people, with emphasis on schoolchildren who are most receptive.  The first step is to facilitate a positive encounter with the magnificent birds, and from this foundation build a desire to guard them against the perils of pet trade, hunting and habitat destruction. Much of the populace of Honduras, and surrounding Central America countries are uneducated regarding their eco-system. They don’t have the funds or inclination to come to nature reserves.

You can help by donating to Macaw Mountain’s educational program. As we approach 2012, the beginning  of a new cycle,  dedicate your energies and resources to stewardship of this ancient Mayan valley.  Thank you, Barbara

Posted in Birding, Birding, Honduras, Maya Ruins | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Special prices on stateside sailings

Posted on May 19, 2011 by Jean

If you are staying stateside this summer we have some great prices on small ship sailings in New England. This one is really nice, roundtrip from Portland Maine on July 14 and in 7 days visits Bath, Rockland, Belfast, Castine (where my family summered for many years) and Bar Harbor. That’s a lovely collection of New England villages. Book now and receive $1000 discount per couple.

The Grande Caribe has only 48 cabins and takes 96 passengers. Nice numbers.  All on Blount Small Ship Adventures.

Send us an email and we’ll be happy to reserve your cabin!

Sailing the coast of Maine

Grande Caribe sailing Maine's coast

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Top 10 places to go in 2011 – Panama on Lonely Planet list

Posted on May 17, 2011 by Jean

When we started our travel company in 2006, we focused on Panama. After having traveled to many tropical countries, we’ve seen the good and the bad of them.  My first trip to Panama produced a Eureka moment, when I realized that this country had the best of everything and the potential to avoid the worst. I thought everyone would go there because they wanted to see the more natural areas before they got ‘Cancun-ed’.

Well I was right and wrong. Right because Panama really does have the natural thing all over, as well as the history. It’s a country that is easy to travel, with short distances and good roads and frequent domestic flights. The history is amazing with an international scope.

Wrong because not as many people as we’d hoped have been traveling to Panama in the last few years. However those who do tend to feel the same way as we do. And it’s not too late.

Now Lonely Planet has named it as number 4 on the list of top 10 countries to visit in 2011.   I guess they’ve been reading our blog.

Also when we started, we were the only company specializing in travel to Panama and we are considered Panama experts. You want to know Panama? Contact us at jbjourneys@yahoo.com and please visit our Panama Boutique website.

We feature locally owned hotels and lodges and those with a responsible work ethic. You should meet the people of Panama, one of the country’s best assets. It’s a colorful and fun place, where you can immerse yourself in nature and local culture.

Posted in Panama, Sustainable Travel | Comments Off

Places you gotta see before you die

Posted on April 19, 2011 by Jean

Really?

There are books filled with lists ’1000 places to see before you die’ or travel mags telling you have to visit these 10 beaches before it’s too late or 15 places to see RIGHT NOW.  Do lists and challenges like this make you want to jump a plane and head to Upolu Island, Samoa, now that 2 seasons of Survivor survived there? Or Greenland before oil platforms go up? Or Kurdistan now that the war has lessened? Or maybe Colombia, not that it seems terrorists have moved further north?

Or are these places you would avoid?

The latest list I received is 10 Natural Wonders to See Before They Disappear.  It would scare me that if everyone went to see them right now, it would cause tremendous environmental damage.

I have a list of places with fun names that I want to visit. Dili. Turrialba. Christmas Island. Sal si Puedes. Mal Pais. Utopia (who wouldn’t?) Uncertain (been there)  Hot Coffee (I’d like to wake up here every morning!)

Do you have lists of places you really want to see? Let me know what they are and why you want to go there.

In the meantime, JB Journeys can send you just about anywhere! jbjourneys@yahoo.com.

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