7 October 2011 Mia's 4th Birthday

Today's blog is devoted to Mia's 4th Birthday.  She spent the morning at Castillo de San Felipe, she likes it there as there aren't any "street dogs" and it is a nice park where she can run and play safely.  She climbed a slanted coconut tree and stood on a canon, just basically had a good time.  We stopped at Rosita's Restaurant on the way back to Tijax and had lunch.  Mia got to share some of my fish sandwich and the waitress gave her a birthday hug.  That evening she had a hamburger patty with swiss cheese on top instead of a cake and icing.  She had a busy day and went to sleep earlier than usual.

I have attached some pictures of Mia's life so far, her puppy pictures are on my other computer back at the house, so I only had a few of the early Mia pictures.

Click on pictures to enlarge

Mia's 4th Birthday hamburger and swiss

Mia at 3 months 

Mia at 2 months 

Mia at 4 months 

Mia at 2 months playing with Heather's dog Libby 

Mia's 4th Birthday on the shore of Lago de Izabal 

Mia and Rose, note sign in background "BEWARE GUARD CHIHUAHUA ON DUTY" 

Mia at "J" Byrd's in Placeincia, Belize 

Mia at Bruno's in Fronteras, Guatemala 

Mia on a 350 year old canon at Castillo de San Felipe, Rio Dulce, Guatemala

Rose and Mia at Castillo de San Felipe, Rio Dulce Guatemala 

Tree climbing Mia 

Mia watching for "whatever" 

Birthday hug at Rosita's

 Tired Mia

Family portrait 

Mia on the prowl Castillo de San Felipe, Rio Dulce, Guatemala

Potty run to shore Puerto Morles, Mexico 

Mia, Matt, Carla, & Beef, Puerto Morles, Mexico 

Mia and Geff somewhere in Belize 

Mia at park at Castillo de San Felipe, Rio Dulce, Guatemala 

Mia at BC's San Pedro, Belize 

Mia, Felipe & Margretia Playa Norte, Isla Mujeres, Mexico 

1 October 2011 Trip To Tikal Mayan Ruins

1 October 2011 – rose and Jessi decided to take a road trip on the bus to the Mayan ruins at Tikal, said to be the capital of the Mayan civilization.  It was a 5 hour bus ride north; they took the regular bus without air conditioning, like most of the buses here with the exception of the “Express Bus” it was full and people had to stand in the aisles until someone got off and you were lucky enough to get a seat.  When the got to El Remate the changed to a collectivia (a local van) for the final ride to their hotel.

The next morning they got up with the sun for their trek to the ruins.  After a 20 minute walk through the rain forest they arrived at Temple VI.  During their walk they encountered a grey fox, spider monkeys, several bird spices, and well as many insects and mosquitoes.  They had been forewarned to wear long sleeves and long pants as well as to cover themselves with plenty of mosquito repellant.

After Temple VI they took the trail to Temple I “o Gran Jaguar”, from the pictures it looked like the temple that they filmed the movie “Apocalypto” .  According to Rose and Jessi  these are the nicest and best restored ruins that we have seen on the whole trip.  Unlike the other ruins we have been at you are able to go inside the rooms, tunnels, and pyramids.

They stayed most of the day at Tikal and returned to their hotel for dinner.  The next morning they got up, caught the collectivia from the hotel to El Remate where this time they caught the “Express Bus”, which is air conditioned complete with a restroom and a guaranteed seat.

Click on pictures to enlarge

Arcopolis Norte 

Back of Temple VI 

Backyard of Hotel La Casa de Don David  

Caution Monkeys overhead 

Rose's dinner after a hard day 

Detail Mayan stone carving 

Gran Plaza 

Gran Plaza 

Happy travelers 

Inside Temple VI 

Jessi at Temple VI 

Lago Pente Itza 

Mayan stone carving 

Parrots 

Rain forest 

Lobby/restaurant La Casa de Don David 

Mayan stone carving 

Spider monkeys playing 

Rose at the base of the Temple I o Gran Jaguar 

Stone carving in front of Temple VI 

Stone carving in Gran Plaza 

Temple I  o Gran Jaguar

Temple VI 

Temple VI 

Temple VI 

Termite nest 

Toad 

Tucan wood carving 

Tunnel under Temple I o Gran Jaguar