Zentraveler zeros in on the Mystery Crystal Skull!

You were warned Zentraveler! Remember when you were poking around in the mountains of Honduras and visited the White Royal Monkey Empire. What did we tell you then and what message are we giving you now? “Don’t tell a living soul!”

Not only did you write about it on a blog and now every Tom, Dick, and Harry— plus the Indiana Jones types have been combing our mountains looking for the 13th Crystal Skull. I think I have had enough of you humans prying into our business. Don’t be surprised if you are going on a journey that no human has ever taken. Seat-belts ain’t going to help where you are headed!”

“I see by one of our crystal chips that you have been studying “The Mayan Factor.” How did you enjoy the rolling mathematics? You must have thought of yourself as rather clever. I see you have basically figured out some rather complex spacial travel logarithms. As Sherlock Holmes would say:”Elementary, my Dear Watson!”

Still rubbing my eyes and wondering where I am—- as if in dreamlike sequence I could see the vortex of the 12 crystal skulls and a direct red laser pointing to the 13th crystal skull. Just then a voiceover came out of nowhere. “Remember the time you were in Belize during a tropical storm and we decided to rescue you for whatever reason I can’t remember.” I shook my head as if in a daze.

Out of nowhere I could see the pulsating Crystal Skull buried 300 feet deep in a hidden cenote. A labyrinth of colors cascaded in 13 different directions. I am thinking Mexico. They have lots of cenotes and a lot of Mayan history. It’s probably located just west of Tulum, hidden in the jungle mangroves covered over with layers of past civilizations.

Then as if you were hit with a jolt of lightning, a neon map lit up showing the exact location of the 13th Crystal Skull. I quick grabbed a pencil and paper and jotted down the following location:”Dam pencil or pen won’t write. Why is it every time you have something important to jot down the writing instruments just decide to quit?

My god I thought to myself how close I was to solving the mystery of the Crystal Skull. “Remember that blustery Christmas day you decided to go up the Monkey River with the Belize army bloke, photographing mating red iguanas, hanging over the water. Is that all you earthlings have to do is travel around and photograph everything that moves? You are so shallow it amazes me.”

“Thinking by accident you might stumble onto our sacred grounds we drifted a heavy fog thicker than pea soup over your boat. Your army bloke wanted no parts of this and turned the boat around blabbing about sacred grounds and sped down river and out of sight.”

The 13th crystal skull pulsated and gave the exact location. “It is located at the headwaters of the Monkey River— which is also the cradle of civilization as we know it. We figured since you have already invaded the White Royal Monkey territory, the location of the 12th crystal skull— It’s just a matter of time before you crack the code. We knew you spotted the 12th crystal skull, it’s encoded right here on our master earth crystal. That’s why we have called you in. In our civilization we are looking for a few chosen earth humans as a sacrifice to the gods.”

“So as you played with The Mayan Factor math code your virtual interactive calculations have turned up in our crystals and now it’s your turn to learn about our evolved universe and more.” Being drawn like a magnet I proceeded from the village of Monkey River up stream, where I ran across water glyphs stepping stones showing me the way. They reflected a white electronic outline from the water. As if viewing a deck of cards, I could see a Jaguar with a right paw pointing west, a large Rabbit standing tall with it’s paw pointing the way. Sometimes there were several Mayan Warriors and you had to chose the one with the ax weapon to pick your next clue and head for your next coordinate.

Talk about jungle! I hired one of the natives in a motorized tuc-tuc to take me as far as the boat would go. From there we proceeded through the water, where we entered a maze of tributaries, which were encircled in a water maze. We then proceeded on a barely visible jungle trail with animals of all descriptions showing up like pop-up characters in a children’s book. There was an amazing display of flora and fauna along the way– with it intense jungle smells and noises.

As if in your own private zoo animals kept popping in and out. We saw manatees, dolphins, and even the occasional crocodile. You could see and hear howler monkeys, deer, ocelots, coatimundis, and a variety of colorful jungle birds. They appeared tame! All of the terrain was identical. When the clues seem to run out or I was stumped I could look in the sky and see the Crystal Skull sending off light beams into the heavens.

As the Crystal Skull magnet pulled, I was catapulted some 300 feet by centrifugal force down a crystal cylinder at high speed. I felt as if I was inside a dryer at warp speed. One of the Black and White Royal Monkeys, silhouetted in a rainbow neon halo, poured me a cup of tea and proceeded to show me the 13th crystal skull. Upon closer examination I could see several spaceships and a series of UFO holograms imbedded inside the skull— plus a series of aerial routes leading in 13 different directions.

With an elegant British voice the elaborately adorned Royal Monkey went on to lecture about knowledge was always passed down from the Chief Medicine Man to the next generation by simply rubbing the skull and using a very complicated ritual. I could see earth imbedded in a microchip about the size of a pea. He laughed: “you earthlings think your such hot stuff. Do you remember when we loaded over one hundred million Mayans on one virtual space ship for an exodus? That was very successful! They have been called into duty in another galaxy and they are performing quite magnificent —I might add.”

As he turned the crystal skull I could see The Garden of Eden in a hologram. One-more turn there was Atlantis with all of it’s modern technology. He pointed out we are still within the pea size of this crystal and the skull crystals are set up to radiate through unlimited number of galaxies. The first stepping stone takes us directly to thirteen planets which then multiply by rolling numbers taking us into new unlimited dimensions.

I was beginning to get woozy and I shook all over as the Black and White Royal Monkey instructed me to relax while they shrunk me to the size of a nano-atom. Talk about feeling small! “In your new nano-atom state you will have very little resistance as we catapult you into the next world.”

“But wait a minute” I clamored! “I have some emails to answer and I need to tell someone where I am going. He roared and spoke in tongues as he laughed about us and our real world. “To us since we are so far advanced we have always recognized earth as a mere virtual world. I can change the location of the skulls by pointing my mind and you and your brilliant explorers will be chasing crystal skulls that do not even exist in your world. You see this is one card game where we are holding the cards.”

He was holding a hologram which simply indicated 13 planets, 13 skulls and the Mayan doomsday of 20012. “Earth will be dust!” Wait I said: “Can’t we change the course of humanity?” “No! With your current world leadership their isn’t any hope even for the Pope. You were all pre-warned so we have no choice other than to fulfill your self-serving prophecy to eliminate earth and start fresh.”

“You are one of the lucky ones. We only have to choose 12 more earth human sacrifices and our mission will be complete. Bright red eyes flashed to a pale lavender and I could see thousands of angels dancing in the bright blue skies— all trailing a multi-colored laser beam heading into the unknown. As he was giving me my final instructions he reiterated how easy it would have been to align the 13 planets with earth and we could have survived. Another big belly laugh when he said: “earthlings don’t know what survival means anyway— so why bother.”

Then it flashed in Google colored neon across the sky: The Mayan Calendar will stop at the 21st of December 2012 and the earthy world as you know it will end. Good Riddins! Signed: The Mayan Factor!

Footnote: We don’t use fossil fuels so you better burn it all up by 2012. It might just save us a nasty clean-up phase—-if you know what I mean. Beam me up Scotty— I’m out of here!

QUOTE: “Flowery Mountain is a treasure trove of marvels and esoteric lore as none other. Here fresh flowers bloom and the trees are ever green. Rocks are of all colors and spring waters of various hues. The wine decoctions of its genii clear the mind and the herbs culled by sages procure longevity. At night in the Hall of Shining Stars come whispering sounds from where the wisterias quiver. Unable to sleep I burn incense and read Taoist books.”

– Hua-shan chih —–dailyzen.com

THINGS YOU MAY NOT KNOW: Your mathematical evolvement equation.

THINGS YOU MAY WANT TO SAVE: Your energy field! You may need it someday to escape this earth.

ZENTRAVELER SAYS: It’s all in zee travel! Be mindful of space junk as you fly around.

Follow the Zentraveler Blog often for Travel, Health and Zen-like stories and such. Where else can you get a three in one blog for the price of free.

Zentraveler discovers the Avocado for Prostate Health!

If you are a male and get an annual check-up you begin to dread seeing the doc putting on his rubber glove and tell you to drop your drawers and bend over. This is the simple prostate test along with drawing blood to test your PSA levels. Then it really gets complicated!

What the doc is looking for is early signs of cancer. That’s a good thing! (within reason) United States leads the world in prostate problems and also has the most biopsies- some are unnecessary, which a simple (free PSA test) would have eliminated, if the doctor’s chose to have ordered that exam for you.) Then the Doctor goes the next step and requests a biopsy of your prostate to see if you have cancerous cells or tumors in your prostate. Now the complications really begin to take shape. If you have cancer you may need to have a radical prostatectomy, which removes the prostate, and keeps the cancer from spreading; however you may lose all of your sexual performance and also be incontinent and have to use a bag or can’t control your urine.

You also have many other choices, which include freezing the prostate, micro-waving the prostate, using radical drugs, or the wait and see approach. (many men in their eighties and nineties have prostate cancer, but they probably won’t die of it) so they live with it and manage it and may not even know they have it. Think about it! I’ll bet a dollar and a donut your grandfather and some of our earlier pioneers like George Washington and Abe Lincoln never even had a prostate exam or had to worry about it.

Almost all men over the age of 50 have some type of prostate problems, which can be as simple as slightly enlarged, very enlarged, a prostate infection, which can be treated with antibiotics, or a prostate that is cancerous, which can metastise and spread throughout your body.

Since this blog is written to share information and possibly help someone I am the first to admit that this billion dollar industry is loaded with doctor’s who specialize in the prostate and you may need to consult with these doctors to get the results that you want. A lot of these Doctor’s are saving lives because they are able to detect prostate cancer early and can easily cure it.Yes I recommend getting your psa and prostate exam on an annual basis, but I then ask you to get informed and remain pro-active as you take your next steps on your prostate health. The new wave of medicine will include preventive measures which may eliminate the need to have all of these prostate problems. That’s the direction our new-breakthru research is heading.

But what if there is something that is so break-thru that could keep you from getting prostate cancer or possibly reduce the prostate size, or even reverse prostate cancer, simply by adding something to your diet— wouldn’t it be worth a look see? If I was told If I crawled across the desert and the combination sand and high heat would cure my prostate I would do it. Any of you folks who have gone the prostate route know what I mean. You can spend years going from one expert doctor to another with endless exams, biopsies, operations, worry and pain, and still may have prostate complications.

The avocado is colloquially known as the Alligator Pear, reflecting its shape and the leather-like appearance of its skin. Avocado is derived from the Aztec word “ahuacatl”. One of the presentations on the Avocado suggested that they were bibilcal and they hung in pairs on the tree and were directly related to the prostate.

People have been searching for prostate cures through the centuries. Stories have it that older Chineese men carry small bags of pumpkin seeds and chew on these daily. They know pumpkin seeds have a high zinc content and can be instrumental in helping with the prostate. Florida produces the Saw Palmetto berries which our American Indians used and is also good for the prostate. In addition they now have all sorts of pills, both at the health food stores, and by prescription plus prostate tea which you brew and drink.

“Avocados contain a very concentrated dietary source of the carotenoid lutein and contains measurable amounts of related carotenoids (zeaxanthin, alpha-carotene and beta-carotene) plus significant amounts of tocopherols (vitamin E). Avocado has also been found to protect the prostate from hyperplasia (non-cancerous growth) and prostate cancer. A research published in the January 2005 edition of the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry stated that an extract of avocado inhibited the growth of prostate cancer cells.”—–kukvis.com/avocado

“I eat three avocados a day – says George Bliss, age 81, has been eating avocados morning, noon, and night…After eight decades of daily avocado consumption, he’s still going strong; at 6 feet tall, he weighs a trim 180 pounds.” —— a quote from webmd

But can you imagine if you simply incorporated Avocados in your diet and you would not experience any prostate problems— plus as an added bonus Avocados are good for many diseases that effect the immune sytem and they are delicious. I will tell you that is something to crow about.

QUOTE: “When body and soul are rid of the dust of this world of dreams our understanding is awakened and Truth perceived.”

– Wall poem at North Peak Temple—–dailyzen.com

THINGS YOU MAY NOT KNOW: Your prostate looks and is the size of a walnut.

THINGS YOU MAY WANT TO SAVE: Your Prostate!

ZENTRAVELER SAYS: Eat Avocados often to ward off the dreaded prostate diseases.

Follow the Zentraveler Blog often for Travel, Health and Zen-like stories and such. Where else can you get a three in one blog for the price of free.

Zentraveler treks from Limon to the Rio Colorado River, Costa Rica!

There I am downtown Limon on the Caribbean east coast. Spending time in the park with it’s huge trees I spot my first sloth sort of hanging upside down. I chuckle to mysel! He probably moved to Limon so he could take part in the Reggae type music and all of the festivities that take place throughout the year. Now that’s some cool sloth I think to myself—-just hanging out.

Hidden away in the fish-part of my mind is the opportunity to fish tarpon on the Rio Colorado river. I had sent away for a video and received a video from one of the sportsman’s shows— showing huge tarpon taken on fly-rods and plugs. Written somewhere they claim the World Record Tarpon is rolling in the river just waiting for the next fisherman to get a hook-up. Knowing I couldn’t afford the luxury fish camp treatment, where you prepay x amount of dollars and are catered to like a king— from the airport pickup to a fly-in plus your meals and yes if you are not careful with your instructions they might even set the hook for you. I was hoping to put my own trip together and go out with some of the locals and fish for tarpon.

After a few inquiries and checking my map I knew it was possible to trek by river all the way to the Rio Colorado situated on the Nicaraguan border. The Rio Colorado where it empties into the Caribbean is the border between Costa Rica and Nicaragua.

Making my way by hitching I arrived at Mion the last port where boats set off for northern river travel. Some go as far as Tortuguero, a famous resort and eco-travel area situated directly on the Caribbean. Tortuguero is beautiful series of canals and jungle lodging with their total emphasis on the Green turtle. They have made arrangements with the locals, who can collect a set amount of turtle eggs for eating, at the beginning of the season. Then the locals help conservation officers with all of the duties of turtle watching, protection and hatching. This is an excellent example of keying into the locals and getting them involved in a worldwide project. The only way we can make a difference is to teach conservation from the grass roots. My hat’s off to Costa Rica! They are doing a fantastic job of incorporating eco-tourism with conservation.

All of the boats were either booked or wouldn’t be leaving for a few days. A Rastarfarrian fellow with a rainbow colored hat and a rather large beard approached me and asked me where I was headed. I told him the Rio Colorado river on the Costa Rican side. We negotiated a price for the trip and moments later he showed up with a twelve foot, two-seater panga, with a large round, plastic, see thru waste can— filled with petrol and connected with a see thru plastic line to the engine.

As we headed north the jungle became more intense and the dream of a lifetime was unfolding before my eyes, I have always wanted to be an explorer and when you are on such a trek your creative mind takes over and you actually believe you are one of the original explorers- or so you have the feeling. This is it—– you say to yourself!

Monkeys hollered and chattered as they leaped across the canopy, all sorts of colorful birds dove across the water and cruised at various speeds out of sight. It was just my guide Rafael, myself, and the river. We haven’t passed one boat nor spotted one building or spotted one human. It was just us and nature as we cruised up the river. What a feeling!

I felt at least in the company of Zane Grey and Ernest Hemingway who pioneered the sport-fishing industry. I tipped my hat to Zane and Ernest as I spotted large fish rolling and jumping up ahead. My guide noticed my enthusiasm every time a fish broke water and ask: “if I wanted to fish some.” He went on to say: “one of his buddies had some trolling rods which we could rent and we could also get lunch.” I told him: “great! Sounds like a plan.”

We docked in front of a small river shack and ate a typical Costa Rican lunch arroz con pescado and fried bananas. I thought to myself I could eat this every day of my life and be very happy. After lunch we trolled up and down the river with feathers and plugs. We caught several fish in the five pound category that looked like they were in the jack family and returned to the fishing shack. My guide said: “those fish will make some family a tremendous meal.” We gave his friend the fish, bid our goodbye’s, and headed up river.

The river kept getting more exotic and beautiful with large translucent blue butterflies dancing over the water as if they were in a ballet. We came to the exit point for Tortuguero and he asked me: ” if I wanted to spend the night here.” I told the guide I would like to push on and arrive at the Rio Colorado River lodge this evening—- if possible.

At the divide in the river he turned left and headed up a more narrow river system. After a hour or so of river cruising he picked up the see thru waste can gasoline tank and shook it. “Bad news we don’t have enough gasoline to make it.” As if belly shot I half-heartily asked: “What do you recommend?” He hesitated and said: “if we are lucky I have a friend up river who might have some petrol.” Great I thought! What have I gotten myself into this time? Is it the boiling pot? A downright river murder plot or just an excuse to steal a tourista’s money through a well planned river hi-jack. I bet they do this all the time to unsuspecting tourists. With my mind beginning to run wild I finally said to myself what do I care all I can lose is my life. Looking at my Rastafarrian Guide I began to say to myself: “Don’t worry— be happy!”

I point this out because here you our on your trip of a lifetime without a care in the world and then boom, bang, your stomach is beginning to tie up in knots. I wasn’t looking forward to spending the night in a twelve foot panga with mosquitos, the size of small helicopters, baring down on me.
Or a hungry jaguar leaping out of the woods for a midnight snack. The jungle seemed to be crowding the river and crowding my thinking. Shadows were making the river look dark and foreboding. If I was Zen enough I would accept the fact that I’m ok when things are great and I am also ok when things are shitty. But, we westerners aren’t built that way-but we can always learn.
After-all if you boil it all down. Life is a journey—– isn’t it!

Rafael slowed the boat down for maximum efficiency and even with his laid back attitude, I could see the veins in his neck begin to protrude. Just then he pulled up to several river shacks and hopped off stating: “at least we can crash here if they don’t have any petrol.” The gas tank had about a thimble full as we sputtered in.

Rafael said: “look here it’s been a while since I made this run and I now have this bigger outboard and didn’t calculate my gas. I thought I had plenty.” A few minutes later with some heavy dialogue he returned and asked:” if i could pay some more money because in this neck of the woods gas would cost a pretty penny.” Looking over my options I agreed to pay extra. It’s like being up the river without a paddle and that ain’t no idiom.

Several more hours of river travel the swallows were diving down low and picking up insects just above our heads. The jungle noises were intensifying and it was getting darker by the minute. We passed a river boat loaded with bamboo. This stretch of the river was low and there were four men with ropes walking in the river pulling the loaded boat down river.

It was now dark and we had no boat lights. I had one flashlight that would not last very long. He said: “the only thing we had to worry about was hitting a floating log in the river.” Then he laughed and shouted:”Nirvana! See those lights up yonder— that’s the little village on the Nicaraguan side. We have made it amigo.” We hi-fived each other and proceeded to dock.

He dropped me off at the local tico lodge and I invited him to stay the night and I would pick up the room tab. He thanked me very much and said: “oh no mon! You see’s I gots several girlfriends just across river. They loves Rafael.” I thanked him for the trip and we said our goodbyes. We hugged and Rafael offered If I was ever back in these parts to look him up.

You could barely see him crossing the river as he silhouetted out of sight under the partial moon. Standing on the dock you could hear the engine moan with the rise and fall of each set of waves. With the night breezes echoing the sound you could tell he reached the other side when the engine came to a halt and shut down.

Saying my prayers I knew Rafael was safe. I muttered on: “May we each have a good night’s sleep as I crawled into bed and thanked my lucky stars for the trip of a lifetime.” Drifting off to sleep I had visions of giant Tarpon rolling in the river and that’s all I remember.

QUOTE: “Every plant and tree knows spring will soon be gone A hundred pinks and purples Compete with their bouquets Willow fuzz and elm pods lack such clever means They only know how to fill the sky with snow.” – Han Yu (768-824)—–dailyzen.com

THINGS YOU MAY NOT KNOW: What parts of the World have never been visited by Man? Although the highest mountain peaks have been climbed and the densest forests have been visited, there are still about 140,000,000 square miles of unexplored area on earth. Those miles are found on the ocean floor, with its winding valleys, towering mountains, steep canyons, and vast plains.

On land, there are still some remote areas that can be reached only on foot. Some of these as yet unexplored places are in the mountains of New Guinea and in the jungles of Africa and the Amazon.

Then, too, there are the colder regions still to be visited and explored. However, these regions, the Greenland icecap, northwest Siberia, and Antarctica, can only be reached by dog teams.—–bigsiteofamazingfacts.com

THINGS YOU MAY WANT TO SAVE: Some money! Here is one tip that can save you some money and also keep you fit. Walk as much as possible. For small journeys, instead of taking the car, walk. It keeps you fit and reduces fuel bills. Park as far away as possible when you pull into a parking lot. That little bit of extra walking adds up and allows you to slow down. What’s your hurry anyway?

ZENTRAVELER SAYS: Life’s a Journey in more ways than one!

Follow the Zentraveler Blog often for Travel, Health and Zen-like stories and such. Where else can you get a three in one blog for the price of free.

Zentraveler on unlocking the secret of Zen!

I saw a 9 year old kid who just got a new $98.00 game. The parents told me he had to have it.
They also told me they couldn’t understand the game because it was too complicated and couldn’t help him out when he got in a jam. After the parents exited the shop he told me he loved the new game and was the best gamer on his block. He reached in his back pocket and showed me the cheaters version of the game, which can be learned in minutes as opposed to hours, days, weeks, months, and even years.

If I told you ZEN was it—- would you believe me? We all have our own ideas of what Zen is and wouldn’t it be nice to live in a Zen world. I have news for you as Obama would say: “Yes you can.”

Your world can be as Zen as you want it. After-all you are not your past and you are not your future. You are now! I know what you are thinking. My now is too dam complicated and really sucks. I have a question for you? Who determines your now? I hope the answer is you! Because if you are marching to someone else’s drum you will never have eternal peace or at least what you envisioned for yourself within this life-span. ZEN-UP!

The more you search, pray, learn mantras, rock back in forth in a religious frenzy, struggle and wallow in just plain hell the farther you are from just being—–which is the essence of Zen. JUST BE! Like the kid— why struggle when you can have a shortcut to the good stuff. It’s possible. It’s all in there. It’s all a part of this great universe. All you have to do is find it.

Need some help? I found the writings of D.T. Suzuki “An introduction To Zen Buddhism”, which is more or less like the kid’s cheater book. He has most of the answers and believe it or not anyone can use this as their life primer on learning the true meaning of Zen.

“Zen has nothing to do with letters, words, or sutras. It only requests you to grasp the point directly and therein to find your peaceful abode. When the mind is disturbed, the understanding is stirred, things are recognized, notions are entertained, ghostly spirits are conjured, and prejudices grow rampant. Zen will then forever be lost in the maze.”—–D.T. Suzuki

“The wise Sekiso (Shih-shuang) said, ‘Stop all your hankerings; let the mildew grow on your lips; make yourself like unto a perfect piece of immaculate silk; let your one thought be eternity; let yourself be like the dead ashes, cold and lifeless; again let yourself be like an old censer in a deserted village shrine!’

“Put your simple faith in this, discipline yourself accordingly; let your body and mind be turned into an inanimate object of nature like a stone or a piece of wood; when a state of perfect motionlessness and unawareness is obtained all the signs of life will depart and also every trace of limitation will vanish. Not a single idea will disturb your consciousness, when lo! All of a sudden you will come to realize the light abounding in full gladness. It is like coming across the light in thick darkness; it is like receiving treasure in poverty. The four elements and the five aggregates are no more felt as burdens; so light, so easy, so free you are. Your very existence has been delivered from all limitations; you have become open, light, and transparent.

You gain an illuminating insight into the very nature of things, which now appear to you as so many fairylike flowers having no graspable realities. Here is manifested the unsophisticated self which is the original face of your being; here is shown all bare the most beautiful landscape of your birthplace. There is but one straight passage open and unobstructed through and through.

This is so when you surrender all — your body, your life, and all that belongs to your inmost self. This is where you gain peace, ease, non-doing, and inexpressible delight. All the sutras and shastras are no more than communications of this fact; all the sages, ancient as well as modern, have exhausted their ingenuity and imagination to no other purpose that to point the way to this. It is like unlocking the door to a treasury; when the entrance is once gained, every object coming into your view is yours, every opportunity that presents itself is available for your use; for are they not, however multitudinous, all possessions obtainable within the original being of yourself? Every treasure there is but waiting for your pleasure and utilization. This is what is meant by ‘Once gained, eternally gained, even unto the end of time.’ Yet really there is nothing gained; what you have gained is no gain, yet there is something truly gained in this”. D.T. Suzuki

So there you have it! All you have to do is to begin and just by the act of beginning you have opened door after door until you go through the magic door and all is yours and a part of the universe which is forever. So for those of you who have been searching for the answer. It’s been right inside you from birth and if you want to help make this a better planet you can help spread the word from one thought to one family, to one nation, to one universe times a derivative of 50 googleplex plus 6,320,430 digits to the 9nth power. And all you thought was I’ll read this blog, but wow— maybe I could make a difference.

QUOTE: “Just as the soft rains fill the streams, Pour into the rivers, And join together in the oceans, So many the power of every moment Of your goodness flow forth to awaken And heal all beings; Those here now, those gone before, those yet to come.”

– Traditional Buddhist blessing——dailyzen.com

THINGS YOU MAY NOT KNOW: It’s all right there within us. It’s not somewhere else— so stop looking. As they say in the computer world—-get connected. To yourself that is.

THINGS YOU MAY WANT TO SAVE: Nothing! Don’t even think it! Get rid of that stuff internal and external so you can move to the next level.

ZENTRAVELER SAYS: Z—– E—– N—–Z—E—N—Z-E-N ZE Z.

Follow the Zentraveler Blog often for Travel, Health and Zen-like stories and such. Where else can you get a three in one blog for the price of free.

Zentraveler reveals benefits of The Grizzly Bear Diet!

Bare with me as we explore the reasons Bears don’t have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, heart problems and all of the diseases that effect man from a western diet. A lot of humans have been following one part of The Grizzly Bear Diet and that part is to load up and put the pounds on before winter. Only one problem humans don’t hibernate. They do the opposite! Once the feed bag starts they keep loading up all through the winter, through the spring, through the summer, and through the fall. Now you got a miserable Bear walking around!

So unless you can self-adjust your metabolism or have a food eating regime made of steel— the only way you can beat the western diet syndrome is to make food choice changes that will add years to your life. If you have ever examined the stool of a bear you will see it consists of berries, nuts, and plenty of fiber. Oh yes— Bears do not get colonoscopies, partial stomach removals, botox injections, artery by-pass surgery, prostrate removal, nose jobs, and breast implants.

So unless you want to yo yo like the hibernating bear the proper way to eat is to eat reasonable size meals and get lots of exercise. So there you have it! If you want to add years to your life, and stay away from the dreaded western diseases, you should do yourself a favor and go on The Grizzly Bear Diet—– which consists mainly of wild salmon, berries, nuts, greens, and plenty of pure mountain spring water.

What do Grizzly Bears get out of this diet? Big, strong, healthy, specimens who are in perfect shape with the exception of the ones who have learned to adopt the western diet and dumpster dive. Stay on the Grizzly Bear Diet and some will say you are at least as smart as a Bear. Now in this fast paced electronic world—- that is saying something.

THE GRIZZLY BEAR DIET
BREAKFAST:

Three small blueberry pancakes with pure maple syrup
one glass of orange juice
one piece of wheat toast with blackberry jam
one small cup of yogurt with fresh red raspberries

LUNCH:

Wild Salmon cakes with avocado and tomato
one cup of Ginseng Tea
Watercress salad

DINNER:

Wild Salmon Filet grilled
Wild rice or sweet potato
Spinach salad w raspberry vinaigrette
large glass of mountain spring water with lemon wedge

SNACK:

One bowl of bran cereal with fresh blueberries and soy milk and all of the oatmeal
you can eat.

Bon Appetit! For variety you can switch to large garden salads with oranges and fruits, select many different types of fish including: sardines, and when you are really hungry or want an extra pick-me-up —you can eat trail-mix nuts and drink pure mountain water, which will not only quench your thirst, but also act as a filler and you won’t be hungry. Hungry as a bear that is!

QUOTE: “Only when the mind is settled can it become quiet. Only when the mind is quiet can it become still. Only when the mind is still can it see. And only when the mind can see, Can it reach the mystery of mysteries. This is the process that anyone who Practices has to go through. How long it takes is up to the individual.”

– Yen-ch’eng—–dailyzen.com

THINGS YOU MAY NOT KNOW: What animal’s favorite game is Bellywhopping? The frisky little otter, who lives on the banks of lakes and streams, is not much of a worker, but is a great player. While its neighbor on land, the beaver, is busy building dams, the otter builds slides on snowy slopes for its favorite game – bellywhopping.

The otter has a smooth stomach which slides better than a toboggan, and a long, flat tail which serves as a steering rudder. The playful otters wait for, each other to slide down, then they climb up again for the next slide. But the best fun comes when they slide down their snow hill right into the icy water. —–bigsiteofamazingfacts.com

THINGS YOU MAY WANT TO SAVE: Round oatmeal boxes! They make excellent outside planters and will eventually bio-degrade.

ZENTRAVELER SAYS: Grin and Bear it—then stay on the Grizzly Bear Diet for a healthy lifestyle.

Follow the Zentraveler Blog often for Travel, Health and Zen-like stories and such. Where else can you get a three in one blog for the price of free.

Zentraveler treks to Cahuita, Costa Rica on the Atlantic Coast!

Throttling down through the clouds with the thunder crackling overhead and sharp lightning just off our wings, the pilot had just enough vision to touch down at the San Jose airport. Pitch dark night, with heavy rain blowing in sheets, we felt rather lucky to be alive—as we scrambled under a heavy downpour to the airport. This was my first flight on the Spanish owned Iberian airlines and I highly recommend their professionalism and outstanding service. I will definitely book their airlines again.

After a crazy taxi ride to San Jose– I settled in at the Johnson Hotel for the night. The following morning I took the first class bus to Cahuita which takes about three and one-half hours. Taking the bus is an excellent way to view the countryside and take in the sights as you cruise through the mountains and reach the fertile green valleys. We passed miles and miles of green palm trees swaying against the bright blue sky and couldn’t help but wonder what lays ahead.

Arriving late afternoon in Cahuita, I thought I must have dreamed about this town before ever laying eyes on it. As I wandered around on the dirt streets and could see this was no modern high rise cement factory— like so many of the other tourist destinations are turning into, but a simple fisherman’s town with it’s quaint buildings, streets, and shops. This entire section of the coast is wild and wonderful with huge colorful plants growing everywhere. I found a backpackers room and thought I was settled in for the night. It’s one thing to hear balling cats during the mating season, and barking dogs that bark all night, but to be awakened by wild horses whining next to your bedroom was a first. Sometimes we need to go with the flow and enjoy what is being served. Speaking of breakfast, I meandered to the north of town and sat in the restaurant for approximately two hours— before I was served my breakfast.

You are thinking ahead of me! This is another of those Zen tests to see if you are going to complain, act out, or adjust. Your self talk takes over and says: “just sit back and relax and watch the cats play in the foreground.” Your alter ego is edging you on and says: “This is mas redicula! I am getting pissed— there must be other restaurants that would appreciate my business. I think I’ll get up and walk out.” Just then my self-talk answers back and says: “what do I care —I have a very comfortable seat and the smells from the kitchen are beginning to permeate through my skin. Just then- A huge cup of steaming hot Costa Rican coffee has arrived and the smiling dark haired waitress welcomes me to Cahuita and takes my order. It’s amazing what a big smile can do!

There were three other customers in the restaurant so I could see why the long delay. Your self talk interrupts and says: “You are just being facetious!” Then the homemade bread with homemade wild berry jam, a fresh tropical fruit plate to die for, plus a large glass of freshly squeezed pineapple juice arrive. I am in food heaven now! And just think I almost left the place. Should we say instead of Father knows best —-“-Zen knows best”!

I love to explore on foot, so I headed north with a small backpack and ran into a native Costa Rican who had the Costa Rican flag mounted on a coconut tree hanging out over the blue waters. ” Of course I love Costa Rica he volunteered. Can’t you see I have my fishing and sleeping shack, several chickens, and yams planted everywhere. Then he broke out into a huge belly laugh. Rich people don’t have this. I am probably the richest person in the world. Look at my sunsets and sunrises, my blue sky, and the beautiful trees that produce coconuts for eating and drinking. My family settled this part of the coast nearly one hundred years ago. There was a ship wreck just yonder and my grandfather and grandmother— originally from the island of St. Vincent, destined to be plantation slaves, escaped and swam to shore. We have been here ever since. Yea mon!— this is the life. I wouldn’t trade it for all of the tea in China. Come back and visit me. Who knows what destiny brings— maybe you will be my neighbor someday.” Looking at this ageless wise man I wondered if this was another test in my journey.

As I trekked farther north I discovered the beaches turned into volcanic black sand; however the water was crystal clear and shimmered a bright blue. I took a long swim and felt like this is the way to travel— just you and the elements. Moments later I came upon a small fisherman’s house with a sign which read: “Restaurante”. I sat on the front porch overlooking the blue sea and shared my meal with the owners. It was a combination of arroz con pescado, breadfruit, and fried bananas. It’s times like this you reflect and wish everyone in the world could have such a good feeling.

The following morning I got an early start and went south through the Cahuita Natural Park. Crabs that looked like rocks and sticks were moving everywhere, plus a variety of birds flying in and out of the canopy. There’s a bright green parrot. Too bad I don’t have my birding notebook, vest, binoculars and those rather intellectual looking glasses birders always have. I figure I have an advantage by knowing the birds are a bit weary of people running up kneeling down and pulling out their birding manuals for a quick spot identification and then talking in low whispers to their birding partners. The little bird asks the big bird why are they spying on us— have they nothing better to do? Birds don’t get it and I don’t either. There’s a family of monkeys scrambling along atop of the canopy. I am the only one in the park it appears. The only human that is!

After walking approximately seven miles and meandering along the beach like a child, I am very relaxed and think to myself— this is it! I pick up a small coconut and play stick ball. I spot a bottle floating and wonder whether it has a message in it. Maybe I will find some gold pieces of eight coins and claim the hidden treasure. What would happen if I got stranded here? I say to myself.”I could live off of the coconuts and crabs if I had too.”

As if in a dream or an oasis here comes a brown bodied bikini girl up the beach. After a brief warm handshake, she told me she was from Germany and was staying in a natural retreat at the southern most point in Costa Rica. “I can walk to Panama if I chose to.” she replied. She wanted some info on the town of Cahuita and was considering relocating for her next leg of her trip. She asked me what I was doing in this part of Costa Rica.. I picked up a flat rock and skipped it about seven times across the bright blue waters and told her: “I was trying to figure out the meaning of life.” She laughed and asked:” if I found it– would I share it!” I thought to myself this is just another of those Zen koan tests and wondered if I passed all of them would I get the big bright light that Buddhist monks and sages talk about throughout history. Just then the black clouds rolled in and the sky opened up with a sharp jolt of lightning— zig zagging down to the edge of the water. I better get a move on —- it looks like a tropical storm is fast approaching. Was this a sign?

Drenched in a downpour, I made it safely to the next town of Puerto Viejo— making my day trek of approximately ten miles. I stayed overnight at a waterfront cabina and met some of the local surfers. They informed me their town of Puerto Viejo is fast getting a reputation as one of the hot spots for surfing in the world. The following day I had a typical fish lunch prepared with coconut, a fresh garden salad, and a huge helping of wild rice. This small friendly restaurant was under a thatched roof with all of the meals prepared by a native husband and wife team. As you finish your second cup of Costa Rican coffee you can’t help but notice the outrageous flowers and plants that are growing everywhere due to the rich soil and extremely warm climate. I hitched a ride back to Cahuita and started looking at maps to start the next leg of my journey.

So there you have it! If you want to spend some time in one of the most tranquil villages in Costa Rica and explore the world famous Cahuita Nature preserve then why not book a trip here and become one with nature. Who knows you might like it so much you will move here someday.

“Costa Rica’s world-renowned natural beauty is abundantly present in Cahuita. Toucans, sloths, iguanas, howler monkeys, sea turtles and other exotic fauna run wild. Orchids, jasmine, ylang ylang, and frangipani perfume the salt-sprayed air. With access to untouched rainforests and volcanic black sand beaches, the village and its surrounding area boast endless possibilities.” —–Frommer’s Guidebook

QUOTE:”The truly still mind, with which you were born, is the mind that moves freely. Without ignoring anything, it reacts wholeheartedly to everything it encounters, to everything on which it reflects. And yet, for all that, it is the mind that is never seized by anything, but is always ready to react on the spot to whatever it encounters next. The mind that is still is the mind that never forfeits its freedom and is able to constantly keep rolling and rolling and rolling.”

– Soko Marinaga Roshi (1925-1995)—–dailyzen.com

THINGS YOU MAY NOT KNOW: Did a Beard ever start a war? Surprisingly enough, yes! It all happened back in 1152 in France. King Louis VII, who wore a beard, married the lovely Eleanor of Aquitane, daughter of a French duke. As a dowry, Eleanor’s father gave Louis two provinces in Southern France.

Then Louis went off to the Crusades and, alas, returned without his beard. Eleanor said he looked ugly without the beard and asked him to grow another. Louis refused. Eleanor then divorced him and married King Henry II of England.

Eleanor wanted her father’s two provinces to give to her new husband, but Louis refused. Henry therefore declared war on France to get those provinces by force. That war, called the “War of the Whiskers” lasted 301 years!—–bigsiteofamazingfacts.com

THINGS YOU MAY WANT TO SAVE: Indigenous people around the world! They have some good secrets and a wealth of information that you will never learn if you eradicate them.

ZENTRAVELER SAYS: Travel with an open mind and practice being a cigar-store Indian. You might be amazed what you see and learn.

Follow the Zentraveler Blog often for Travel, Health and Zen-like stories and such. Where else can you get a three in one blog for the price of free.

Zentraveler on Emptyness!

During the great depression millionaire’s were jumping out of windows at Wall Street and they still had a few million dollars left in the bank. A child in South America is working with the seagulls, wild dogs and vultures to extract a hunk of bread from the city dump. When you can learn the valuable Zen lesson “there is enough” then you can retire some of your ego driven frustrations and begin to be in tune with nature. The next time you see a flock of birds flying high in the sky and going through some playful acrobatics you can be assured they are not worried about starving. They know the creator has provided enough for everyone. Therefore they go on with life not helter-skelter, but totally aligned with the universe. Humans are the only ones breaking all of the rules of nature and then look up in the sky for answers, or go into therapy for 10 years, or run our their obsessions to the detriment of the world.

Empty yourself of everything. Let the mind become still. The ten thousand things rise and fall while the Self watches their return. They grow and flourish and then return to the source. Returning to the source is stillness, which is the way of nature. The way of nature is unchanging. Knowing constancy is insight. Not knowing constancy leads to disaster. Knowing constancy, the mind is open. With an open mind, you will be openhearted. Being openhearted, you will act royally. Being royal, you will attain the divine. Being divine, you will be at one with the Tao. Being at one with the Tao is eternal. And though the body dies, the Tao will never pass away!

Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu

QUOTE: “Spring morning on the lake: The wind merges with the rain, Worldly matters are like flowers That fall only to bloom again. I retire to contemplate behind closed doors, A place of true joy, While the floating clouds come and go The whole day long.”

– Zhengue (12th cent) ——dailyzen.com

THINGS YOU MAY NOT KNOW: Did the lost continent of Atlantis ever exist? In 335 B.C., the Greek philosopher and writer, Plato, wrote a tale about a splendid empire on a mythical island in ‘ the Atlantic Ocean. He called this empire Atlantis. But historians and writers down through the ages have questioned whether Plato’s tale was truth or fiction.

According to Plato, Atlantis had a very advanced civilization, with written laws, with people highly skilled in engineering, and with magnificent temples of gold, silver, and ivory. Plato described how the armies of Atlantis conquered parts of Europe and Africa, but were defeated by the Greeks. —–bigsiteofamazingfacts.com

THINGS YOU MAY WANT TO SAVE: Space in your mind! You may need it where you are headed.

ZENTRAVELER SAYS: Get rid of all that stuff including your cluttered mind! Get empty!

Follow the Zentraveler Blog often for Travel, Health and Zen-like stories and such. Where else can you get a three in one blog for the price of free.

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Zentraveler stuffs himself with Eggplant to ward off Cancer!

Who would have thunk it? Just when you thought you heard of every new nutritional cure that came down the pike— there is some exciting research about Eggplant and it’s effects on cancer. When we begin to investigate those folks who have longevity it takes us back to olive oil, Greek and Italian dishes loaded with tomatoes, Eskimos who consume a lot of wild salmon, Japanese who use seaweed and lots of seafood plus tofu. All of these folks have low incidence of heart problems, cancer, and the rest of diseases attributed to a western diet— loaded with saturated fats, white flour, white sugar, white anything, and junk food.

Cure cancer with Eggplant? That’s C U R E, not just improve one of today’s most common and scariest cancers? Usually in under 3 months! Hear about the 80,000 success stories and not one case of cancer coming back.

How did this one get covered up? EGGPLANT! And the latest research isn’t from some fly-by-night outfit that you’d be afraid to take your dog to—but the Royal London Hospital.

Virtually the entire medical press ignored this natural discovery. But one courageous M.D. broke the news—and has spent his career proving that nobody does it better than Mother Nature. Some say he’s changing modern medicine.

Dear Health-conscious Friend: Would you believe that an extract from eggplant could cure—-that’s cure, not just improve —-the majority of non-melanoma skin cancers (squamous and basal cell cancers). Usually in three months or less? This may seem like an outrageous claim, but researchers have know about these incredible results for over 20 years!

It might have remained a secret for another two decades if award winning doctor Jonathan Wright, M.D. hadn’t published the research —and dared to tell the truth. It’s a cure! Just look at the proof;

“It’s a cure!” —-straight from Royal London’s Hospital’s double-blind, placebo controlled study. Using a form of eggplant extract called BEC5, doctors treated both invasive and non-invasive non-melanoma skin cancers. The results were equal to those resulting from invasive surgery, minus the scars. And doctors concluded: “In our view and experience, BEC5 is safe and effective. It is a cost effective treatment for both primary and secondary skin cancer.”

Even more importantly, follow-up research on patients who used BEC5 shows once their cancer went away, it did not recur. Over 80,000 patients have used it successfully. Microscopic analysis consistently shows death of all cancer cells. Better yet no cancer has ever returned.

Best of all, BEC5 does not kill any healthy human cells. With microscopic precision it selects and eliminates only the cancer cells. Healthy cells are not affected in any way by the treatment. source—– Jonathan V. Wright, M.D. Nutrition & Healing

Eggplant is not only delicious, but is relatively inexpensive and can be prepared many different ways. Who knows if adding eggplant to your table will provide a wonder cure. We do know it is very good for you and fits within the rainbow colors of anti-cancer foods. So why not live it up and serve eggplant smothered with your favorite tomato sauce.

Disclaimer:
The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, cure, treat or prevent disease. Individual results may vary, and before using any products, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.

QUOTE: “The truly still mind, with which you were born, is the mind that moves freely. Without ignoring anything, it reacts wholeheartedly to everything it encounters, to everything on which it reflects. And yet, for all that, it is the mind that is never seized by anything, but is always ready to react on the spot to whatever it encounters next. The mind that is still is the mind that never forfeits its freedom and is able to constantly keep rolling and rolling and rolling.”

– Soko Marinaga Roshi (1925-1995)—–dailyzen.com

THINGS YOU MAY NOT KNOW: What is the largest office building in the world?

The Pentagon, which is the headquarters of the United States government’s Department of Defense, has been the world’s largest office building since it opened on January 15, 1943. It lies on the west bank of the Potomac River in Arlington, Virginia, just across from Washington, D.C.

The Pentagon was named for its shape, which means a five-sided figure. It has five rings, one inside the other, with corridors going from the inside out, like the spokes on a bicycle wheel. Each outer ring is 921 feet long. —–bigsiteofamazingfacts.com

THINGS YOU MAY WANT TO SAVE: Yellabinna! In Australia, a group dressed in animal costumes held a parade in which they carried flags and banners in support of protecting Yellabinna (yell-uh-BEE-nah), the world’s largest stretch of mallee wilderness.—–globio.org

ZENTRAVELER SAYS: Eat your Eggplant—– it’s good for you!

Follow the Zentraveler Blog often for Travel, Health and Zen-like stories and such. Where else can you get a three in one blog for the price of free.

Zentraveler discovers Utila in The Bay Islands of Honduras!

With a soft touch the big jet lands in the dark in San Pedro Sula, Honduras. We pull out our flashlights and arrange for a taxi to take us into town. The check-in at the hotel is done by candlelight. Generators are whaling outside the few bars that line the streets in the vicinity. I meet several travelers who ask me If I am going to the Bay Islands. I told them I have been reading about Roatan. One of the travelers recommended going to Utila the smallest and least expensive of The Bay Islands. That’s all I needed to hear— Utila here I come.

After a sleep in the dark and having a tropical breakfast, I was told the entire city was on electric ration. They normally have electricity for a few hours in the late afternoon so people can cook. The rest of the city operates on sidewalk generators when needed. As always I can’t wait wait to hit the road and check out the South Sea looking Islands that are so close to the United States.

The big bus roars out of town with me sitting on the motor in the last seat on the bus. What do I care— maybe the thermal heat will take care of some of my aches and pains. The fellow sitting next to me on my left offers me a sandwich as we travel through the countryside. He wants to know if it is true that education in the states is free. One bloody wing of one new military airplane would pay for every child’s education in Honduras. At the central park five year old boys work 12 hours a day shinning shoes and selling chick-lets one at a time to earn enough to eat. School is out of the question, because that costs about $30.00 a year and most of the poor cannot even envision that much money—yet alone pay tuition.

Miles and miles of royal palms jut up next to the highway as we make our way toward La Ceiba. We make various stops to let people off the bus and pick up some going that direction. The bus breaks down— it sounded like the transmission went out. No problema! The bus driver walked several hundred yards to a nearby house and came back with some tools. A few hours later we pulled out and off we went as if we were on a demolition derby as the bus-driver crashed through the ruts and potholes.

I spot bright red Marlboro Man tin ads hanging underneath bridges, attached to some houses and placed any place they can put one up.(got to sell those cigarettes) The new white plastic chairs are a big hit as they dot the countryside and are the mainstay at all of the restaurants. I sometimes wonder if man needs a governor on himself so he doesn’t ruin anything more. It would be called a “ruin governor” and would blast off every time someone got a stupid idea of polluting the planet even more,

Arriving at La Ceiba I could see the blue Caribbean sea and made my way to an ole sea-dog from Holland, who had rooms for rent, and a tiki bar built next to his backpackers hostel. Sitting in a rocking chair, the Sea Captain filled me with hair raising adventure stories that simply wet my appetite to travel more and more.

The following morning I took a bus part way toward the Muelle de Cabotage (the docks) in La Ceiba and then decided to hitch the rest. The docks are located some 15 to 20 minutes by cab from downtown la Ceiba— so don’t be surprised when you head out on a unmarked country road. Standing there along the roadside, a bevy of young soldiers popped up through the ditch, camouflaged by tall grass, and surprised me with their machine guns. Minutes later they showed me their bullets and gave me a half of loaf of bread and disappeared into the thick brush.

A vegetable truck picked me up and delivered me to the ferry docks. At the docks I met a New Zealander who was attempting to travel around the World on his bicycle. He spent a year in preparation and had special tires, shocks, and spokes. At this point in his travels he had logged thousands of miles. He was shot at three times, robbed once, nearly run over by speeding trucks and cars several times, invited by a girl’s father to marry and been bitten by several dogs.

One bike, one small back-pack, and a lot of determination brought this traveler on the road. I admired him and only hoped for the best. He said he would be traveling for one year or more depending on his health, money, and etc. Little things like a bus ticket now take on a new dimension. That’s what I like most about travel—– it let’s you think.

Utila is World famous as a diver’s destination with over 50 dive shops and a reef so rich with fish and corals and it is only second in size to the Greater Barrier Reef of Australia. Utila Island is the least expensive place to get your PADI divers rating and you can arrange special dives to meet your individual needs— including night dives and shipwrecks.

I had my five piece Fenwick pack fly- rod with me and met another fly-fisherman from Austria. We walked to the most Easterly point on the Island and waded in the blue waters casting with the current. Using a small, blue, handmade streamer with some gold tied in the belly, I caught several small Jacks and a couple of ugly, brown, fish, which I had never seen before. At any rate it is always good to get out and wet a line.

Utila island is unique with picture postcard houses dotted around the front harbor. It has a poplulation of around 2500 folks— most of which are centered around the town of Eastern Harbor. You can walk to the beaches in less than thirty minutes and find everyting you need on mainstreet including restaurants, a breakfast coffehouse with Johnny Cakes and an owner who will call you by your first name on your second visit. With a stiff British accent: “How are you this morning VanScott?” I stayed just over the first hill at a private guest house and ate some delicious breadfruit, fried plaintain and fresh fish from the sea. .

While walking to the backside of the island, I met a man on a huge black mule who told me he had a large vegetable garden and supplied most of the town with their vegetables. The people are friendly— mostly speak English, and live on one of the quaintest island paradises in the world.

Getting here is easy, there is a regular passenger ferry, the Utila Princess, which runs 2 times a day between the mainland port of La Ceiba and the Municipal Dock arriving in the centre or “El Centro” of the town. Depending on your time schedule you can either fly direct from San Pedro Sula to the Bay Islands or go by bus which taxes approximately two and one half hours. Utila’s small Airport receives several flights a day from Aerolineas SOSA and Atlantic Airlines.

So there you have it! If you want an island experience that feels and looks like a South Seas Island, would like to get your divers certification at cut-rate prices, explore some of their rich history, and become a part of a friendly island, where everyone knows everyone—- then why not book a trip to Utila in The Bay Islands of Honduras.

QUOTE: “The temple is buried in white clouds But the monk does not sweep them away. As he opens the gate to receive a guest, All the vales look hazy with flying pollen.”

– Yi Dal (1539-1612)—–dailyzen.com

THINGS YOU MAY NOT KNOW: What fish catches Other Fish with Its Own Built-In Rod and Reel?

The Frogfish is an unusual creature because of the way it catches its food. Long threads that look like fishing lines grow out of the frogfish’s head. At the end of these threads are barbs, resembling the notched ends of a fishing hook.

As the frogfish waits for its prey, it lets these threads float in the water. Smaller fish, thinking these threads are worms, take a nibble. But that nibble hooks them on the barb and they are immediately eaten by the “fisherman.” ——bigsiteofamazingfacts.com

THINGS YOU MAY WANT TO SAVE: Your Temper! What good is it anyway?

ZENTRAVELER SAYS: It’s all in zee travel! Virtual or real—– who’s keeping score?

Follow the Zentraveler Blog often for Travel, Health and Zen-like stories and such. Where else can you get a three in one blog for the price of free.