The Spanish Trio: Costa Rica, Honduras, and Guatemala

Three countries have flown by and now we’re anchored about 5 km from Belize City where we tomorrow we will visit our last port-of-call before returning to Nassau to disembark. Classes finished today with only a reading day and finals left for our two sailing days after Belize.

Since the 7 days in port and 2 sailing days since my last post, every day has been a new adventure. I have so many stories to share, but I cannot begin to do them justice with the time I have to write tonight. I wish I could share them all, but for now here’s a small glimpse of the highlights:

Costa Rica – Visiting Chiquita’s Fruit Solutions Plant and seeing the success of their biodigester, saving them energy and reducing their environmental impact; Being spoiled with fresh fruits, juices and incredible food; Seeing Earth University and La Finca Virgen, the cacao farm of Doña Chepita my host mom for a day; Using my Spanish!; Exploring the beaches and selvas of Cahuita National Park, seeing the capuchin monkeys, snorkeling off the shore and eating fresh mango from the street vendors

Honduras – Passing through three military checkpoints to see El Cajón Dam and hydroelectric plant, the tallest dam in the Western Hemisphere; Standing an arm’s reach away from a 75 MW turbine shaft rotating at 300 rpm (and not being able to take pictures); Ending up at Rawacala, a totally different park than intended thanks to communication challenges and having an amazing day hiking through the rainforest and swimming by the waterfall; Eating lunch – pescado frito, the way all fish should be cooked with head, fins, and tail intact when it arrived at the table – in a hut overlooking the water on the Caribbean coast; Becoming a translator for my friends and relying on my Spanish skills in all sorts of places

Guatemala – Avoiding the Semester at Sea herd and venturing to Castillo de San Felipe by scenic taxi ride and being the only visitors in the park; Finding the most amazing seafood at a restaurant on the water of Río Dulce (sopa topada with a whole fried fish, whole crab, snails, and shrimp cooked in coconut milk with plantains); Seeing tens of turtles swimming and lounging by the water’s edge; Kayaking through the winding bends of a small river and seeing the mangroves; Soaking up the sun, playing water volleyball, and enjoying water slides at a nearby resort overtaken by the Semester at Sea herd

On Ship – Enjoying the Talent Show, both the comical and skilled; Discovering “behind the scenes” of the MV Explorer (in Spanish) on the Bridge Tour and sitting in the captain’s chair; Bonding with my adopted Shipboard Family and sharing a 5-course Special Dining night together; Turning in the R&D Project for the “Engineering a New Tomorrow” Seminar; Completing classes and our final energy debate; Planning more adventures in Belize!

And that’s only the summary.

From an engineer that’s learned so much and enjoying every minute,
Allison