I had a couple of daytrips to Hopkins and past it several times. Hopkins is rich in the Garifuna culture which I posted about yesterday. Beach, meets jungle and mountains is a good way to describe the area.
I like to fish! There were many things I was able to do on my trip and I am extremely fortunate, lucky to be able to do. We did talk about getting a fishing trip together but for whatever reason it didn't happen. It was one of the daytrips I blogged about Saturday that didn't happen.
At the docks by Placencia and in the waters looking for crocodiles we saw plenty of tarpon!
Easter in Belize was my first Holiday religious otherwise spent in a foreign country. What I noticed was how less capitalized the holiday was. I am sure the day was celebrated in the local churches.
Here is a video from a couple of years ago about how Easter is celebrated:
Crocodiles were the top reason for my trip to Belize! Beer, new friends and food made the trip special. However, day trips made incredible memories. Sometimes they were trips to where I was going flying in little Cessna airplanes. Adventure trips to relocate a crocodile from the zoo in Belize City, or a trip to neighboring towns, or jungle hikes, tubing trips, and ziplining. My favorite day trip was a scuba diving outage.
Outreach trip to schools and the University of Belize were a great way to gain a better understanding of the culture. All trips were a way to take in more of the scenery. The daytrips all added to the adventure and most days we were on the water somewhere! Trips to the capital to renew passports was an adventure catching a bus then finding alternate transportation back.
There were daytrips and adventures I didn't get to squeeze in during my month in Belize. That certainly makes the urge to go back very strong! Some of the trips I missed will be revealed in later posts.
Crocodiles was the reason I went to Belize. Crocodiles were the driving force behind my adventure. Even though my journey was an adventure there was a journey to my adventure and in my mind the people I was fortunate to meet along the way helped made this adventure and future adventures possible!
There are two types of crocodiles in Belize, Morelet's ad American Crocodiles.
That ice-cold beer I mentioned in the first post was a Belikin. The beer of Belize and after getting through customs which wasn't that awful was just what I needed in the Belize City Airport to calm my nerves.
A video of the Belikin bottling process...
Happy April Fool's Day! Time to celebrate my Holiday with a Battle of the Bands. Keeping with the theme of the day today's song will be the Beatles "The Fool on a A Hill."
The Beatles version:
Those who are new or for a refresher. I post the original follwed by 2 or more contenders. You vote for the cover version you like in the comments. I count up the votes and post about the winner around a week or so later.
Contender 1: Petula Clark
My trip began a few days earlier than April 1st. It was the grand adventure going to Belize to study crocodiles. The last time I travelled internationally was in another century, another time when a passport wasn't required and it consisted of walking across the border of California into Mexico. The anxiety hit me as a walked across the metal walkway towards the open door of the airplane.
Made my flight in the predawn hours to Atlanta. Where I caught my second flight to Belize City.
Tori Amos won the Battle of the Bands 2-0 over Blackmore's Night. We celebrate winners here.
I first became aware of Tori Amos from a girl in California I was crushing on the time. She introduced me to a song called "China"
April is just around the corner. Last year I didn't participate in the challenge because I spent the month in Belize. I am turning last year's excuse into this year's theme. It was not your normal trip to Belize it was quite the adventure! A whole lot of Crocodiles, culture and in the end a handful of great new friends. So stay tuned as I write about my month in Belize.
Here is a little geography to get you ready:
Actor, martial artist, fitness enthusiast, Chuck Norris passed away.
A video of his journey from a karate champion to fame...
Sometimes I get the idea to use a tune that I have already used in a Battle before. Most recently this happened with Good Rockin' at Midnight luckily I picked completely different covers. This time around I am using a Bob Dylan song "The Times They Are A Changin'" which I used in July of 2017.
I am going to skip with sharing the original song and dive right in with the contenders....
Contender One: Tori Amos
Suzanne Vega won my last Battle of the Bands 2 to 1 over guitar master. The Battle was a tip of the hat to Bob Weir. Anyway we celebrate winner here...
"Luka"
I discovered Sonny Jurgensen as a teenager listening to Washington Redskins football games. He had become a broadcaster due to his stellar career with the Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Redskins.
Highlights:
Last night's Super Bowl proved the saying "Defense Wins Championship." The Seattle Seahawks beat the New England Patriots 29-13,
A song so good I forgot I had used it back in 2016. Here is a link. That one featured Montrose and Lemmy/Johnny Ramone. January's battle featured Elvis against Link Wray. Link Wray won this Battle 2 to 1.
As the tradition we celebrate winners here!
Link Wray with "Rawhide"
With the passing of Bob Weir, I thought it would be fitting to use a Grateful Dead song associated with him.
The song is Cassidy. Here is the Grateful Dead version...
Contender One: Billy Strings
The NCAA football season came to a climatic end with the Indiana Hoosiers winning the championship over the Miami Hurricanes. Indiana is my champion and here are my final rankings.
1) Indiana Hoosiers (16-0) beat Miami 27-21 to finish the season. Crushed Alabama 38-3 and Oregon 56-22.
2) Miami Hurricanes (13-3) lost the final 27-21. Knocked off Texas A&M 10-3, Ohio State 24-14, and Ole Miss 31-27 to reach the finals.
3) Ole Miss Rebels (13-2) lost their coach but crushed Tulane 41-10, beat Georgia 39-34, but fell to Miami 31-27.
4) Georgia Bulldogs (12-2) fell to Ole Miss 39-34.
5) Ohio State Buckeyes (12-2) lost to Miami 24-14 to end their season. Undefeated until falling to Indiana and Miami.
6) Oregon Ducks (13-2) crushed JMU 51-34, shut out Texas Tech 23-0, lost to Indiana 56-22.
7) Texas A&M Aggies (11-2) lost to Miami 10-3.
8) Notre Dame Fightin' Irish (10-2) did not play.
9) Texas Tech (12-2) season ended being shut down by Oregon 23-0.
10) BYU Cougars (12-2) beat Georgia Tech 25-21 in the Pop Tarts Bowl.
11) Alabama Crimson Tide (11-4) beat Oklahoma 34-24, got crushed by Indiana 38-3.
12) Utah Utes (11-2) doubled up Nebraska 44-22.
13) Texas Longhorns (10-3) beat Michigan 41-27.
14) Oklahoma Sooners (10-3) lost to Alabama 34-24.
15) Virginia Cavaliers (11-3) beat Missouri 13-7.
16) Iowa Hawkeyes (9-4) beat Vandy 34-27.
17) Vanderbilt Commodores (10-3) lost to Iowa 34-27.
18 Houston Cougars (10-3) beat LSU 38-35.
19) Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (9-4) lost BYU 25-21.
20) James Madison Dukes (12-2) lost to Oregon 51-34.
21) SMU Mustangs (9-4) beat Arizona 24-19
22) TCU Horned Frogs (9-4) beat USC 30-27
23) Michigan Wolverines (9-4) lost to Texas 41-27.
24) USC Trojans (9-4) lost to TCU 30-27.
25) Illinois Fighting Illini (9-4) beat Tennessee 30-28.
Lindsey Stirling one December's Battle of the Band 4 to nothing. She was the best Grinch keeping all the votes. Celebrating winners is what we do on these posts.
Here she is with "Roundtable Revival"...
You might not know his name but if you are a country music fan you know the songs Jim McBride wrote.
His first hit by Conway Twitty "A Bridge that just won't Burn"
Starting the New Year's with a new Battle of Bands. This month I am featuring a Rockabilly tune called "Good Rockin' Tonight." Sometimes it goes by other names.
Here is the original version for your pleasure: Roy Brown who did the song as a jump blues.
ROY BROWN "Rockin' at Midnight
