Lago Arenal and Volcan Arenal

We started our trip in La Fortuna, a town near the Arenal National Park.  We were hoping to see the lava flows from this active volcano, but it was not happening.  We got to see the cone for a few moments, but that was all.  We spent our time wandering around the cloud forest and Matt fished for guapote (rainbow bass) in the lake.

Canoeing the Winchester Wasteway

Getting ready for our maiden voyage!

The sunset on our first night.  We saw a pair of badgers here in the morning and spent the evening listening to owls and coyotes.

 

 

The water was very calm and slow moving, at times wide like a lake, and others narrow like a stream.  The thing to watch for is these deadly trees-Russian Olive Trees, with GIANT thorns.  There were many hanging over the edge of the river and we had several tangles with them and left with a few stratches.  Luckily, we only lost our hats.

 

We drug our canoe over some dunes to portage around this waterfall and canoe into the Potholes Resevoir. 

Winter Adventures

Snowshoeing at Crystal Springs

A hike on the John Wayne Pioneer trail

Razor Clamming in Ocean Shores, WA. There were hundreds of people out on the beach with lanterns.

Matt fishing the Metolious. Not even snow can stop that guy.

Target practice!

Our Christmas tree-cut down by Ben and lovingly decorated by the whole family.

Summer 2011 adventures

Snow Lake, Snoqualimie National Forest

Rampart Lakes Backpacking Crew, Alpine Lakes wilderness

Hiking trails near Sweet Home, OR

Cranberry Lake trout

Same trout for dinner! :)

Big Brown

Deception Pass State Park

The loading process...

The Mighty Eggplant canoe

Beaver in the Smith River

Snake in the Smith River

Pictograph from a cave on the Smith River

Rio Lagartos and Puerto Morelos

The biggest fish I've ever caught! Reeling it in is a lot harder than it looks.

We caught two Sierra Mackeral and two Baracudas, which became our dinner later!

Black? Eagle in Rio Lagartos Bio reserve.

Sunrise on the Gulf of Mexico, Rio Lagartos

Female Crocodile in the Rio Lagartos Bio Reserve.

Valladolid and Chichen Itza

The party bus in Valladolid. It seems as though its sole purpose was to drive people around the zocalo (plaza).

The ring where the ball would go through on the playing court in Chichen Itza. No one is exactly sure how the sport was played, but courts like this are found in many Mayan ruins.

I was amazed by the rows and rows of perfectly round columns.

This a skull on a platform on the main plaza where the Mayans made ceremonial sacrifices and executed prisoners.

"El Castillo" the main temple. It is actually a shell built on top of another temple.

Tulum and Punta Allen

The bluest water, ever.

"El Titanico"-our "hotel" in Punta Allen.

Male Frigate birds nesting. The chicks had just been born and the guide said this is how they scare other males away from the nests.

Gigantic lizard at the ruins in Tulum.

We found this incredible beach in between Tulum and Punta Allen and hung out there for the day. These birds were our only visitors.

The temple overlooking the water in Tulum.

We´re having a great time, even though I got a sun burn the first day and have to wear long sleeves on the beach! We spent two days in Tulum, where I met Matt. The beach there is beautiful, but it´s a little busy, so we headed about 42km away to a little fishing village called Punta Allen. It´s only about 25 miles, but it takes 3 hours on the worst road I´ve ever been on in my life. It was worth it though! The place is deserted and we stayed in some great places. I sat in a hammock all day. Literally, all day. It was amazing. Matt fished all day of course, and loved every minute of it. We are in a city called Vallalodid right now, and are staying here for a day trip to the major Mayan ruins of Chichen Itza tomorrow. I will definitely post more pictures when we get home!

Kristi