Flashback: DIY Wine Cork Board

For those of you who love wine, you may find yourself wondering what to do with all those leftover corks. Well, here’s a fun DIY project, an idea that I’m sure it nothing new to you.

Back in 2007, I created my own wine cork board after painstakingly collecting 198 true corks (no synthetics). And no, I did not drink 198 bottles of wine all by myself. Luckily some friends donated to the cause.

I wish I had step-by-step photos, but no such luck. So I’ll do my best to recapture this project for you. Good luck!

Shopping List (16″ x 20″ wine cork board):

• 198+ wine corks (no synthetic corks)
  You’ll want extras (see step 2)
  
• 16″ x 20″ frame
  I found mine on clearance at World Market. IKEA has inexpensive frames too.
  
• Hot glue gun and glue sticks
• Patience  :)

Step 1: Remove glass from frame and replace backing.

Step 2: Before even touching the glue gun, arrange all your corks. I did this in pairs (see photo). You’ll find many are different sizes, so you have to work with the arrangement. I’m pretty detailed-oriented, so I also made sure all the names were right-side up (or all facing leftward or rightward).

Step 3: Once you’ve figured out the arrangement, go ahead and heat up the glue gun. Just pick up one cork at a time, place a straight line of glue on the backside, then immediately replace and hold down for a couple seconds. Continue with the other 197…

Step 4: Ta-da! You have yourself a wine cork board! Now start tacking on your favorite photos.

Flashback: Whitewater Rafting

Today, we’re flashing back to Honduras in June 2007 (again, I know)…

Along the country’s northern coast, you’ll find spectacular adventure and eco-tourism opportunities – hiking, kayaking, birdwatching, zipline canopy tours, natural hot springs and of course, whitewater rafting.

This was something I never imagined I’d allow myself to take part in, especially considering I’m terrified of drowning. But there we were, in the city of La Ceiba on the Río Cangrejal bordering the stunning Pico Bonito National Park. And two rafts were already being carried down to the river by our guides.

The Río Cangrejal is home to some of the best whitewater rafting in Central America. Depending on the time of year, the rapids can range from an easy Class II to a challenging (and not to be taken lightly) Class V.

June is right at the beginning of rainy season, so on the day we arrived the rapids were ranking at about a Class III. After a lengthy safety and technique demonstration, we were ready to embrace the adventure.

Okay wait, I’m lying. Yes, we got in the boat. But I was still incredibly nervous. Seated in the center section of the 6-person raft, I obediently tucked one foot under the seat in front of me, the other under my own seat, and perched on the edge of the raft. As we started bouncing over the rapids, paddling to the rhythm dictated by our guide, I was forgetting to breathe thanks to my nerves.

About 15 minutes in, we hit a rough patch of rapids and the girl sharing the row with me tumbled overboard. Those couple seconds she was in the icy water seemed like forever to me, but our guide snatched her up by the life vest and we were on our way again like it never happened. Let’s just say, I started to pull myself off the edge of the raft a bit. I did NOT want to go overboard too, no matter how quick a savior our guide was.

Continuing on the hour-long trip, we coasted through calm waters and observed the national park and wildlife, and then another patch of rapids would creep up on us and all focus was on following our guide’s calls, “Forward, Right Side Back, Get Down!”

The journey ends with one last challenge: a drop down a small waterfall with a wicked current at its base. Truly, the waterfall was only 5-7 feet tall at that time of year, but the current is serious enough that our guides thoroughly prepare everyone for the drop.

Away we went, following his calls, and then we dropped and were completely submerged in water! But we didn’t fall off… just popped right back up on the boat. And oh was that water freezing!

The entire experience was exhilarating and nerve racking at the same time. I’m proud to say that despite my nerves, I had a great time. Enough so, that I calmly embraced the adventure a handful times more on future visits to that river. Even once in the rain. Yes, my fears are still there, but I just follow all the instructions and keep my guard up. And the result is simply unforgettable.

———-

If you’re visit La Ceiba in the future, I highly recommend contacting La Moskitia Ecoaventuras for the Río Cangrejal rafting excursion. Owner Jorge Salaverri and his team grew up on this river, and know its personality well. Its a wonderfully friendly and knowledgeable team:

*Photos are compliments of Tim Shisler, my photography mentor. ;)  All were captured in November 2010 – the last time I went rafting in Honduras.

Flashback: A Farmland Take-Off

Today, we’re flashing back to June 2009….

Well here’s an adventure I never thought I’d embark on. I was in a situation where I needed to unexpectedly fly from the small town of Copán Ruinas in Honduras to the major city of San Pedro Sula. Basically we needed to get to San Pedro Sula quickly in order to catch our flights home to the U.S.

The thing is, its a 3 hour drive between the two, and we needed to make the trip faster. So, a few small charter planes were chartered by the large group I was with to get us from Point A to Point B. Here’s the catch: there’s no airport in Copán Ruinas.

So, we were driven on backroads to the next closest thing: flat farmland in a valley amid the Western Highlands (right on the border of Guatemala).

That’s right. Our “airport runway” was a strip of farmland (and yes, that’s it in the photo to the left).

Being the chicken I am, I decided to “volunteer” for the last flight. This gave me a chance to see the several other flights lift off safely into the distance.

As a boarded my plane, I’d be lying if I said my stomach wasn’t turning. The engines revved up, and before I knew it, we were making our way down the bumpy “runway”. Then we were up amid the early morning clouds. Safely flying above the scattered mountains and small villages below.

It was probably the longest 40 minute flight of my life. I was on edge the whole time! I tried to distract myself by spotting the small towns below (and trying to guess which was which) and listening to my music. But when I spotted the metropolis of San Pedro Sula and that beautifully paved runway, I breathed a sigh of relief.

But… it was certainly an adventure I’ll never forget. Its not often you hear someone say their airport was farmland in western Honduras!

Flashback: Swimming with Dolphins

Today we’re flashing back to August 2007…

On a return visit to Honduras, I visited Anthony’s Key Resort on the island of Roatan. Anthony’s Key is one of the oldest resorts on the island, dating back 40+ years. The resort is home to the Roatan Institute for Marine Sciences, where visitors can take part in a dolphin encounter, dolphin snorkel or dolphin dive.

I’ve always wanted to swim with dolphins, but was always put off by experiences in a pool or that were very staged. Anthony’s Key offers anything but that. The dolphins reside in a large open water enclosure, on a small island near the resort. Those dolphins who don’t feel up to participating can freely retreat to a private area where guests cannot disturb them.

I participated in the dolphin snorkel, which begins with the dolphin encounter. This was the somewhat “staged” portion of the experience – though I understand now that it is completely necessary. Participants were divided into groups of 5-6 and assigned to a trainer + dolphin. Sans snorkel and fins, we lined up shoulder to shoulder, and walked out into the water until about waist deep. At that point, we were introduced to our dolphin, learned about their behavior, were able to feel their skin, and even pose holding them (see below). It was a lot of fun, especially when our dolphin’s friends (who were not with another trainer) kept swimming by in a playful nature. The most important part of this encounter was becoming familiar with dolphins’ behavior, playful nature, etc.

At that point, we went back to the beach to put on our snorkel masks and fins. With 10-14 dolphins swimming about the enclosure, our group of a mere 12 people (the max allowed at once) freely swam with our new friends.

The experience was absolutely amazing! The water was crystal clear and I could hear the dolphins chattering to each other – which helped signal when they were getting close. They would playfully swim around me, especially if I dove down and pulled on some of the seaweed. Our group continued this way for 30 minutes! Just us and the dolphins.

This is truly one of my most memorable experiences to date. I’ve been lucky enough to swim with the dolphins at Anthony’s Key three times since then. And each time is unique in its own way. One time, a dolphin was pregnant. Then the next time I visited, her two-week old baby was swimming around the enclosure with her (look just below the tail of the second dolphin in the thumbnail photo for this post). It was incredible to see!

If you have the inclination to swim with dolphins, I highly recommend an experience like this. But be sure to check on the facility you’re considering. Anthony’s Key and the Roatan Institute for Marine Sciences have an excellent reputation for their treatment of dolphins. I’d love to say all facilities keep up this same high standard, but I fear many do not. So just be sure to check on that, to ensure you’re memorable experience is good for all involved.

Flashback: Witnessing Sponge Diving First-Hand

In honor of an old friend who is visiting Orlando this weekend, I thought we’d flashback to Memorial Day 2009…

A few friends and I decided to spend the holiday weekend at my parents’ house near Clearwater. You know, enjoy a little beach time, margaritas, etc. One stop they knew we needed to make was a visit to the Tarpon Springs Sponge Docks.

For those of you unfamiliar with Tarpon Springs, its a city known as having the highest-percentage of Greek-Americans in the U.S. The Sponge Docks are a tourist area filled with shops, authentic Greek restaurants and museums dedicated to the memory of the once thriving sponge diving industry of the area, which died out after a particularly bad red tide in the 1940s.

Here’s a piece of trivia for you… Sponge diving is the oldest known form of the original art of underwater diving. (Add that to your random facts vault.)

While I’ve visited the Sponge Docks before (albeit many years ago), I had never taken the sponge diving boat tour – created to give tourists a glimpse of this former activity. Lucky for us, one of the girls had worked with the tour owner in another career life. So we were able to score free seats on the boat.

And off we went, slowly moving through the murky waters surrounding the area. At a certain point, the captain stopped the boat and a young man dressed in the diving suit jumped in. The traditional sponge diving suit includes weighted boots and a horribly heavy brass & copper helmet. Seriously, it must take some serious strength to carry that when above water. An air tube is hooked up to the helmet and runs back to an oxygen tank on the boat. Using a metal hook of sorts, the sponger walks along the bottom of the murky channel and “hooks” a living sponge (or several) and then brings his collection back to the boat. The sponges are later dried out and used for a variety of purposes – including old style sponges used for bathing.

While a very slow-paced attraction, it was certainly interesting to see this in person. We capped off the day with an authentic lunch – including some of the best spiced sangria I’ve had to date. Opa!

 Photo of sponge diver in water by TopTechWriter.US (Flickr).

Flashback: Indian Cooking Class

Today we’re flashing back to November 2010…

My mom’s friend Surinder regularly teaches cooking novices like ourselves how to prepare authentic Indian cuisine. Born in India and raised in England, Surinder started by cooking for friends while residing in Rochester, NY. They loved her dishes so much, they asked for lessons. That skill eventually led to Surinder teaching professional classes in her Florida townhouse.

We thought it would be fun to gather a group of friends to take on a cooking style that we were both so unfamiliar with. The 10 of us narrowed down our course choices to the following menu:

Mango Lassi
A cool & refreshing drink made with homemade yogurt & mango pulp

Assorted Chutneys
3 of Surinder’s secret recipe chutneys

Lamb Seekh Kebabs
Ground lamb with spices, wrapped around skewers & baked

Butter chicken
Chicken marinated in yogurt, herbs & spices, cooked in Ghee clarified butter in rich tomato sauce with ginger

Vegetable Korma
Fresh garden vegetables cooked with yogurt, nuts, cinnamon, green cardamom seeds & peppercorns

Saffron Basmati Rice
Palou with nuts & raisins

Mango Kufee
Indian mango ice cream with mango sauce

Dressed in her traditional garb, Surinder was very welcoming and shared insight into the importance of spices in Indian cuisine. She started the class with a taste test of 3 chutneys, of which she asked us to guess the ingredients. I couldn’t quite pinpoint the elements of each, but found them very tasty (especially the cilantro-infused chutney). The exact recipes are locked away in Surinder’s secret family recipe book.

We continued with the very refreshing mango lassi (I think downed 3 or 4 glasses) and the lamb seekh kebabs, all of which were excellent.

My favorite, though, was the main dish: butter chicken. I couldn’t believe how much garlic and onion was added! But I ate every last drop of what was piled on my plate. It was absolutely delicious! I can see why its the most popular dish Surinder teaches.

With enthusiasm for her homeland’s cuisine and an ability to patiently share its intricacies, Surinder made me truly appreciate what I had been privy to that evening. I left with recipes in-hand, eager to attempt the complex dishes on my own. I have yet to schedule the dinner party to do this, but when I do, it will bring me a sense of happiness to share Surinder’s passion with those around me.

Fine Indian Cuisine
Surinder Dhaliwal
Palm Harbor, FL
surinder @ tampabay.rr.com

If you’re interested in recipes for any of the dishes listed above (and you can’t personally make it to one of Surinder’s excellent classes), just request which one in the Comments section below. I’d be happy to share!

Mango Lassi photo courtesy of The Purple Foodie (Flickr). Butter Chicken photo courtesy of cyclonebill (Flickr). All other photos by Douglas R. Clifford.

Flashback: Zipline Canopy Tour

Today we’re flashing back to June 2007…

It was my first visit to the island of Roatán, just off the Caribbean coast of Honduras. I had a packed schedule of activities (many of which you’ll hear about in the future). There was one that I was particularly excited for, yet absolutely terrified by: the zipline canopy tour.

The whole idea of putting all my faith in a fabric harness and metal clip to keep me from falling to my death is…well…not exactly logical or comforting. I’m A-OK with keeping my feet firmly rooted on solid ground. So after we arrived at Gumbalimba Park‘s Monkey Trail Canopy and I was strapped into the awkward harness, I was starting to feel the panic set in.

This particular course starts at the top of a mountain covered in lush jungle. We would traverse a series of 13 cables, some as long as 780 feet and as high as 82 feet above the rocky terrain below. After a thorough safety demonstration, it was time to go. I delayed as long as possible, allowing the others in my group to assure me all was safe. And then, after a very deep breath…I was off!The first cable was a great test run. Very short and relatively level, easily allowing me to get a good sense of braking. After that, I let go of all my fear and just had fun. As we descended further down the mountainside, the trees began to clear, exposing panoramic views of the turquoise Caribbean Sea. Along the way, we spotted macaws flying, iguanas sprawled across tree branches, and even white-faced capuchin monkeys watching our every move. The best part? The course concluded with my toes in the sand!

Overall, the experience was amazing. I find ziplining both exhilarating and relaxing. Which is probably why one co-zipper commented that I look so proper and calm…like I could be sipping a cup of tea while in route. I have zero hesitation when I embark on my “flights” now, and even jumped at the chance in another Honduran town to zip across a half-mile long cable suspended some 200 feet above the tree tops!