Travel Beyond was recently featured in a Gear Patrol article about exploring Actun Tunichil Muknal Cave (also called ATM Cave) in Belize. Read the article, watch the video or learn more about Belize.
Immaculate Tomb: Exploring Actun Tunichil Muknal
Archive for the ‘Latin America’ Category
The end is near?
The real story behind the December 21 conclusion of the Mayan calendar
Written by Kim Bercaw
Most of us have heard some rumblings about the fast approaching conclusion of the Mayan calendar. The precise timing of this occurrence is debatable, but December 21, 2012 is generally accepted as “the big day.” (This is obviously for PR purposes. You can’t promote the end of the world unless you have an exact date, for heaven’s sake!) There’s certainly no shortage of news reports and “expert opinions” on the subject, but no one can seem to agree on specifics. Here’s what popped up on four different sites when I Googled it:
- Widespread and frequent severe weather events will occur including (but not limited to) tsunamis, tornadoes, volcanoes, earthquakes and toxic gasses seeping from large cracks in the Earth.
- A complete shift in the Earth’s magnetic field will occur, resulting in cell phone incapacitation, worldwide chaos and billions of dead birds and fish. (?!)
- Generalized and unexplained panic will ensue, resulting in global war and the end of civilization as we know it.
- Aliens will drop down from space and take over the world.
Though the claims sound ridiculous, I’d be remiss not to at least ask the question… Should I put the skids on my pre-holiday Belize trip and invest in a 7,000-watt propane generator instead? Or, more realistically, should I stick close to home, just in case?
In a word… No.
The truth is, the people who’ve been making these disturbing predictions aren’t real experts on the subject and, coincidentally, none of them are even remotely Mayan.
Carlos Barrios, a historian, anthropologist, investigator, spiritual leader and ceremonial priest of the Guatemalan Eagle Clan IS Mayan. He also happens to be a respected authority on the Mayan Calendar. Here’s what he has to say about the matter:
“Anthropologists from around the world visit our temple sites. They read the stelas and inscriptions and make up stories about the Maya, but they do not read the signs correctly. Other people write about prophecy in the name of the Maya. They say the world will end in December 2012. The Mayan elders are angry with this. The indigenous have the calendars, and know how to accurately interpret it, not others.”
According to Mr. Barrios, December 21 doesn’t signify an end as much as it does a beginning. It marks the start of a new era. A “rebirth” of the Earth, so to speak. According to the prophesies of his ancestors, this rebirth won’t happen overnight. It could take decades. And, most importantly, it’s a GOOD thing. So if you’re wary of all the speculation out there right now, rest assured– you don’t need to lock away your passport because of it.
According to the NASA’s official website, “Just as the calendar you have on your kitchen wall does not cease to exist after December 31, the Mayan calendar does not cease to exist on December 21, 2012. Nothing bad will happen to the Earth at this time. Our planet has been getting along just fine for more than 4 billion years, and credible scientists worldwide know of no threat associated with 2012.”
More encouragement for the travel-leery can be found on the U.S. State Department website. Or NOT found, rather. The site, which routinely posts comprehensive lists of travel advisories for American citizens, bears no mention of December 21, 2012 or the Mayan Calendar.
So this December 21, I’ve decided to raise a glass and celebrate the possibility of better things to come. And I’m hoping to do it in an exotic locale. (Not to brag or anything, but this plan beats the pants off building a Spam can tower in a concrete bunker somewhere.)
If you happen to be considering a December trip, or have another month in mind, our Travel Beyond consultants would love to help. They’re trained to assist you with every detail, and they can pretty much guarantee your flight won’t be cancelled due to an alien invasion.
Posted in Belize | 1 Comment »
Easter Island: Exploring the world’s most remote, inhabited island
Written by Linda Bendt for Tonka Times Magazine
Few places in the world can be identified by a single, iconic photograph. Egypt with its Great Pyramids. China with its Great Wall. Peru with its sites at Machu Picchu. And for those who truly appreciate travel, photographs such as those innately provoke a desire to explore. To learn about and appreciate the lives and traditions of those who came before us. To inhale the beauty of the landscape and the mystique of its being.
For those travelers who yearn for something a bit different, something magical, something in which few others have photographs to share, we take you on the journey to Easter Island.
An Abundance of Historic Richness
Claimed to be the most remote inhabited island in the world (more than 1,200 miles lie between it and the nearest inhabited place), Easter Island was so named in 1722 when the Dutch mariner Jacob Roggeveen arrived there on Easter Sunday. It was later re-named Rapa Nui (Big Island) by western mariners during the 19th century because of its similarity to Rapa Iti Island, located far to its west. For most, it’s the Easter Island name that seemed to stick.
However, long before these explorers set sail in the Pacific Ocean, skilled Polynesian mariners had ventured far into the expanses to explore and colonize even the most remote places – Easter Island among them.
Once settled, the Polynesian people established the Rongorongo, their system of hieroglyphic script, and one of their most noteworthy developments – the Moai. These statues, believed to have been built between 1100-1680 AD, were hand chiseled from volcanic rock and took a team of 5-6 men nearly a year to complete just one sculpture. Nearly 900 Moai have been inventoried over the centuries.
The statues, each reflecting a male’s head and torso, played a significant part in the lives of local people. Built as a means to worship their ancestors, Moai were believed to possess the special powers of mana, the sources of wealth, prestige and legitimacy for the ruling class. Today, visitors to Easter Island can observe more than 100 of the Moai still standing.
A Proud But Diminishing Culture
The inhabitants of Easter Island, known as the Rapanui, are proud of their origins. And, because they experienced extreme loss of life early in their island living, the elders knew they would rely on generations to come to carry on their traditions. Today, with such few Rapanui people in the world (a recent census of Easter Island revealed less than 4,000 residents, only 60% of which are of Rapanui origin), it’s more important than ever to share and preserve their cultural roots.
The relatives of those early inhabitants still preserve many of the original forms of culture through local cuisine, sports, dances (such as the Sau-sau and the Tamure), music, ceremonies, and craftwork. One of the most engaging displays of culture still actively used today is their language – vananga.
Those seeking the best ways to experience the Rapanui’s local culture first-hand should visit the island during Tapati. This 10-day festival takes place each year in late January through early February. Throughout the celebration, two teams compete against each other to determine who will be the “queen” of the island for the coming year. The competition brings these two clans together to race on banana logs through the island slopes, battle it out in surfing and canoe contests, share their skills at traditional song and dance and much more.
Extending Beyond Easter Island
Technically part of Chile, Easter Island is 2,200 miles west of the Chilean mainland. Lan Airlines is the only airline that offers flights to the Island. Depending on the season, there are 4-7 flights going each week to/from the gateway of Santiago.
Many visitors exploring Easter Island couple the trip with an inland excursion in Chile. While the country could offer weeks, even months, of independent adventures, pairing it with Easter Island is a great way to see at least one of the country’s vast regions.
The Atacama Desert is one of Chile’s most unique land formations. This 600-mile strip of land west of the Andes on the Pacific coast is considered the driest desert in the world. Visitors often enjoy evenings in Moon Valley, the Tatio Geysers, the altiplanics lagoons and amazing archeological tours.
For those who prefer a more diverse setting, the Patagonia region, stretching from Valdivia to Cape Horn South America, is like no other. Offering an amazing mix of fjords, channels, valleys, glaciers and much more, any nature lover would be sure to swoon over the breathtaking vistas.
If the islands of Polynesia are more your flavor, Easter Island is a great side trip on the way to Tahiti, Bora Bora and other exotic, beautiful locations in the South Pacific. Lan Airlines offers two flights a week to/from Papete (Tahiti). The combination makes for a perfect cultural experience followed by a little R&R on the beach.
For more information about Easter Island, Chile or the Islands of Polynesia, contact us.
Posted in Chile, Easter Island, Tonka Times | No Comments »
