Building Houses in Haiti

    After Jamaica, I set myself up with a very unique opportunity to head out on a two-week trip to Haiti and help build houses for the people living there through a program called Global Builders. Quite frankly, it was pretty amazing that I was able to have such a great experience in the middle of my trip. I had an overall great time working with the program building houses and rejuvenating my soul.

A picture of two smiling Haitian children I met

    A typical day had me waking up around 6 to eat breakfast at 7 AM. Work started at 8:00 and lasted until lunch, which we ate on site between 12 and 1 o'clock. After lunch, we got right back to work up until 4:00 PM. Dinner was then served around 6 once we got back from the worksite. We had pretty nice weather for most of the days I was there so there weren't too many issues with the rain preventing us from working. The cost of the trip covered all the food, lodging, and transportation expenses for me so I didn't have to worry about it.

    As for the actual work I was doing, it certainly wasn't a cakewalk. Some examples of tasks I had to do while there included laying blocks, clearing rubble, applying stucco, cutting rebar, mixing concrete, and more. The work wasn't easy by any means, but after being on vacation for months, it felt pretty good to be productive in some way. The one thing I will say is that the heat was pretty ridiculous. I had to constantly drink water to stay hydrated and protect myself from the heat.

A big, beautiful waterfall at Bassin Zim

    We had work on all days except Sundays, which were our time to rest, relax, and go sightseeing through opportunities set up by the organization. The first Sunday I was there, we visited a local school to spend time with the children. It was so heartwarming to see all their little smiles when we played games and sports with them. The other Sunday I was there, the group visited Bassin Zim, a beautiful treasure of nature filled with waterfalls, coves, and caves. The views were absolutely breathtaking. The experience of building houses in Haiti as a whole was one of the best things I've done in my life so far.

Having Fun in Jamaica

    The next stop on my journey turned out to be Kingston, Jamaica. I had been there before with my family, but this time I wanted to be closer to the city and really immerse myself in the culture. I flew in on September 8th and headed to my hotel, the Labrish Guest House in Kingston before doing anything else. The first place I visited within Jamaica was Devon House, the former residence of Jamaica's first black millionaire. I soaked in some of the Jamaican history and culture represented by the house and also grabbed a cone of devon stout ice cream from the famous I Scream shop.

A board with all the unique flavors offered at I Scream

    Other than Devon House, I also visited Port Royal to give me more insight into Jamaican history. It used to be known as "the wickedest city in the world" for being the pirate and shipping capital of the Caribbean in the 17th and 18th centuries. While in Port Royal, I was also able to catch a ferry ride out to Lime Cay, a small little islet off the coast of Jamaica. The beaches and the clear blue water were beautiful there.

    I also spent a few days away from Kingston hiking through Blue Mountain National Park, which was very serene and a nice experience. I love hiking so it was great to get out there once again and explore Jamaica's natural environment. Another thing I did a couple nights to meet some friends was bar hopping. Kingston had a pretty lively nightlife and it was fun just going around meeting and hanging out with different people.

Entrance gate to the Bob Marley Museum

    The best part in Jamaica, however, was definitely the Bob Marley Museum, located at Marley's very own home. I don't think I expected to enjoy it as much as I did, but it was very charming and fun. Bob Marley is revered in Jamaica as a national hero for spreading Jamaica's culture, specifically reggae music, to the rest of the world. It was very interesting to me how important he is to the people living there as well as his importance in the general history of music.

Further South to Panama

    I caught a flight further down south to Panama City after my two weeks in Costa Rica and took a shuttle to my new hotel, Hotel República. The first thing I absolutely wanted to check out in Panama City was the famous Panama Canal. It obviously isn't flashy or exciting, but it was still pretty neat to actually see it in action and realize its great importance to international trade.

Aerial view of a huge cargo ship heading through the Panama Canal

    I was able to get a good view of the locks as well as the ships heading through them by going into the Miraflores Visitor Center. It doubles as a museum and gave some good information regarding the Panama Canal and its history. Overall, I was glad to have the opportunity to witness it at least once in my life.

    Another quaint little feature I enjoyed exploring in Panama City was Casco Viejo, or the Old Town. A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2003, Casco Viejo held a lot of life in its mix of old ruins and architecture and was a very pleasant experience. Some of the attractions I visited within Casco Viejo included the Iglesia y Convento de la Compania de Jesus, the Iglesia y Convento de Santo Domingo, the Paseo de las Bovedas, and the Plaza de la Independencia.

100-foot observation tower overlooking the Panama Rainforest Discovery Center

    Always looking to experience the natural side of things in these beautiful Central American countries, I took trips to the Panama Rainforest Discovery Center and Parque Nacional Soberania. Both were beautiful spots of wildlife and great for hiking. The observation tower at the Rainforest Discovery Center was an excellent sight, but I still think I preferred the far more extensive hiking trails present at Parque Nacional Soberania. These highlights concluded my trip to Panama as I prepared for the next country I'd travel to.

Next Stop: Costa Rica

    I flew into Juan Santamaría International Airport and took a long bus ride to Jaco where I would be staying in a hostel for the next two weeks whilst enjoying the beach. I had been going to a lot of places and doing so much so I wanted to simply relax for a little bit. I spent most of my time in Jaco heading to the beach, enjoying the nightlife, and relaxing.

Jaco Beach

    Jaco Beach was absolutely stunning, the perfect sight for rest and relaxation. I had made some new friends with some other young travelers staying at the hostel I was at and spent a lot of time just hanging out with them. A couple of them taught me some very basic surfing, although I wasn't very good at it at all. The nightlife in Jaco was amazing, and it was even better to go bar hopping and such with my new group of friends.

A scarlet macaw found in the trees at Carara National Park

    One other nice thing I did in Jaco was visit Carara National Park to view the beautiful rain forest and wildlife inhabiting Costa Rica. Without a busy schedule, I was able to spend a few days hiking and enjoying the park. Bird watching is very popular there so I got to see such beauties as scarlet macaws, orange-chinned parakeets, black-throated trogons, and many more! I also saw crocodiles, poison arrow frogs, and some rare glimpses of monkeys.

    I got around the area mostly by bus because of how much cheaper it was compared to taxi fares, and it allowed me to visit a bunch of other beaches along the coastline such as hermosa, Esterillos, and Bejuco Beach. All the beaches were pleasant places to relax and gather myself for the rest of the trip. Overall, I had a nice time during my two weeks in Jaco, Costa Rica and I enjoyed the change in pace compared to the rest of the trip.

Two More Weeks in Guatemala

    At the end of my stay in Guatemala City, I took a long cab ride all the way to Antigua Guatemala, where I would stay at Selina Antigua for the next two weeks of my trip. For my first day in Antigua, I went on a self guided walking tour that explored the various sites of ancients ruins still present in the city. Some of the highlights of this tour included the Church of Candelaria, the Church of Santo Domingo, the Convent of the Capuchins, the San Jose Cathedral, and the San Jeronimo Convent.

The fountain in the middle of the San Jeronimo Convent ruins

    One of my favorite qualities of Antigua was how charming and friendly the entire city seemed, and so I spent a great deal of time walking around shops and markets for souvenirs and just interacting with the locals. Most times I had to barter for better prices, but the vendors were all very friendly and welcoming. I picked up a few pieces of the beautiful jade jewelry found there as gifts for my mother and sisters. 

    Another cool place I visited inside the city was ChocoMuseo, a chocolate museum with plenty of history and activities. I took part in a mini chocolate workshop that allowed me to curate my very own piece of chocolate from hand!

One of the frequent eruptions on Volcán de Fuego

    The most spectacular highlight of my entire time here had to be the overnight trek up Volcán de Fuego, an active volcano. On the first day, our group started hiking at about 9:00 AM, and we stopped around 1 to take a break for lunch. During the hike, we passed through four distinct zones: farmland, cloud forest, alpine tree forest, and of course, volcanic. I rented a walking stick before the hike from recommendations based on how difficult it was. After hiking a bit more, we settled at the knife-ridge to watch the sunset, which was absolutely breathtaking with the glowing lava spewing out. The next morning, I woke up at 4 AM to summit Acatenango, too. It was such a great opportunity, I couldn't resist. We had breakfast afterwards and headed back down the volcano. It was truly one of the most amazing things I've ever seen or done in my whole life.

Goodbye Mexico, Hello Guatemala!

    I got up very early to catch my 7 AM flight out to Guatemala City on July 14. It took almost 5 hours and a connecting flight, but I made it into my next country by lunchtime. I grabbed lunch at the airport and made my way by taxi towards my hotel, Casa W'ies. I spent most of my first day just wandering around the city too tired to do much else at the time. 

    

A jaguar at the La Aurora Zoo

    The next day, my first stop was the La Aurora Zoo, considered one of the best zoos in all of Central America. It was so amazing to witness all the different exotic species of animals that aren't usually present in American zoos. Overall, the zoo is broken up into four sections: Africa, Asia, Granita, and American. Some of my favorite animals were the helodermas, also known as Gila monsters. Not only are they a very interesting reptile to see up close, but the zoo does a wonderful job in protecting the two species native to Guatemala as they are considered an endangered species. 

    Some other attractions I was able to check out while in Guatemala City included the Plaza de la Constitución, the National Palace, the Metropolitan Cathedral, the Popol Vuh Museum, and the National Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology. One really cool attraction I visited was the largest theme park in all of Central America, IRTRA Mundo Petapa. 

IRTRA Mundo Petapa's iconic rainbow arches accompanied by some fun performers

    I had a blast at the amusement park, going on a plethora of rides while also checking out Guatemalan history in other sections of the park. It even featured a zoo and botanical gardens! My favorite moment was the incredible view over Guatemala City and the land surrounding it from the top of the towering ferris wheel. This capped off a wonderful excursion to Guatemala City.

Another Two Weeks in Mexico

    I spent my last day in Mexico City eating that sweet sweet street food breakfast and wandering around before hopping on a midday flight Mérida, Mexico through Volaris. I chose Mérida as my second destination because of the Mayan and colonial history represented there which was very interesting to me. I checked in at Hotel Kuklin and spent the rest of the day walking around and admiring the city's architecture. 

Plaza Grande, Mérida's colorful central square

    The place I spent the most time at during my time in Mérida was the Plaza Grande (only a 20-minute walk from my hotel) where dancing, shows, craft fairs, and many other events took place almost daily. I even joined a free walking tour in the morning after I got there on Wednesday at 9:30 AM. This was truly my favorite part of staying in Mérida and where I spent most of my evenings.

    I was very interesting in the Mayan history near the city so I first visited the Gran Museo del Mundo, a museum dedicated to historical and present-day Mayan culture. Before that, however, I did rent a car so I would be able to visit all the Mayan ruins I would like with all the time I need as opposed to taking a scheduled tour.

Cenote X'batun, a beautiful natural pool south of Mérida

    I visited Dzibilchaltún, Mayapán, Kabah, Sayil, Labna, X'Lapal, the Loltún cave, and of course the most important Uxmal. All of the sites were truly amazing to visit and get a taste of Mayan history. I also visited Cenote X'batun which may have been the most stunningly beautiful pool I've ever swam in in my life. Heading there on a weekday definitely let me make the most of it with an almost nonexistent crowd.

    Overall, I had a great time in my two weeks at Mérida with all the Mayan historical sites and the fun evenings at Plaza Grande.