Wednesday, February 17, 2016

Why Not?

Since returning from our last trip, we've been getting lots of questions from neighbors about our travel habits. Why would you want to go anywhere and stay a month?  Why do you like to travel so much?  Why do you even have a home? 

What I'd really like to say in response is why not?  Travel is all about seeing and experiencing new cultures, new people, new things. 

As my aunt always said, I wouldn't have missed it for the world!


Huichols in the village of Yelapa, Mexico.
 

Fire dancers in Bucerias, Mexico.


A vendor in San Pedro, Belize carrying her wares on top her head.


Beach vendor on Playa Norte, Isla Mujeres.


A woman selling fruit in West Bay, Roatan.
 

School girls and a local delivering beer on Isla Mujeres, Mexico.
 

A young woman walking down the street in her 'hair/fur skirt' in El Centro, Isla Mujeres.  A friend told me this is the typical dress in Chamula, Mexico, another place I hope to visit someday!


One of the girls from Chiapas who sell Guatemalan woven goods on the beach on Isla Mujeres.

 
A little boy who marched as El Presidente in the Dia de la Revolucion parade on Isla Mujeres.
 

A Rastafarian with his kids on Caye Caulker, Belize.


One of the bullfighters of small stature (they refer to them as midget bullfighters) waiting to perform on Isla Mujeres. 


Mariachis leading a December procession through El Centro on Isla Mujeres.
 
 
Crazy woman on top El Castillo at Chichen Itza.
 
Recently on Roatan, we boarded a boat for the short ride to West End late one afternoon.  It wasn't a licensed water taxi -- just a guy returning from West Bay who wanted to make a little money on his way home.  While I was looking at several inches of water in the bottom of the boat wondering if we needed to start bailing, Big John struck up a conversation.
 
He wanted to know where we were from.  After giving him a short 411 on us, I asked him if he was from Roatan.  He said generations of his family had always lived on Roatan, and he had never left the island except for one short day trip to Utila, the next Bay Island over.  I'll admit that blew me away since Roatan is only 30 miles offshore from mainland Honduras and many people go there to shop.   He owns boats and runs fishing and snorkeling tours out of West End.  He said his sister wanted him to come to Boston and live there, but he had no desire to leave his home and life in the Caribbean.  And really, why would he want to trade the life he knows and loves to work multiple jobs and shovel snow in Boston!  We talked about the beauty of Roatan and how lucky he is to live there.
 
We ran into Big John several times, and he introduced us to his wife and happy little boy who loved to run down the dock and greet us with the latest version of hand slaps.
 
And that is why we love to travel and stay for more than a day! 
 
 
 

5 comments:

Lynda & Lawrie said...

Perfect reason. Cheers Lynda

stillhowlyn said...

You are chronicling some of our favorite travel destinations in both Mexico and Belize and Roatan. Love all the pics.

Diane Daniel said...

There will always be people who don't get it... I like this quote to sum it up.
“The world is a book, and those who don't travel only read one page.”
― Augustine of Hippo

Greetings from Florence... spending the next 2 months in Italy. Because we understand "Why not?" :)

Life's a Beach! said...

Hi Lynda and Lawrie! Hope to see you and the furry kids in April! We've got a funny Tommy/Sparky story we've been saving. LOL

Lynda Bogart Stilley, thanks! I thought of you when we were at Villa Delfin on Roatan. We never made it to the top of Tamarind Drive to the Rum Cake Factory on foot. I was afraid I'd fall and skid all the way down the hill. We loved the experience of staying there. Carleen and Marlin were great! We'll probably return to Roatan when we get the chance!

Diane, love that quote! Also love that you're in Italy for 2 months! Wow!

Arla said...

Here's another quote I love "Travel is the only thing you can buy that makes you richer'" (don't know who said that). Love the Mark Twain quote. I just sent it to my son who is en route to the Galapagos as I write but he left Boston with some angst. Great post!