We travelers don't have TV and pass a lot of time reading and trading books. Some books I pick and some are given to me by others. Thus the diversity. I have come up with the "Hammock" rating system for my book list. The more "hours in the Hammock", the better the book. On this scale, a 4.0 would be the highest honor (almost unobtainable unless it is by Douglas Adams, Robert Asprin or JRR Tolkien). Enjoy!

arrow  And The Sea Will Tell by Robert Bugliosi- True story of murder and sailing the South Seas. First half was great, second half gets long. Overall, amazing / 3.1 Hammocks

arrow The Bourne Supremacy by Robert Ludlum- Another spy/counter spy. Too early in his writing career. Read his later stuff first / 2.4 Hammocks

arrow The Beach by Alex Garland- Adventures of a traveler in Asia. Couldn't put the book down. 10 times better than the movie/ 3.4 Hammocks

  Hot Six by Janet Evonavich- Comic adventures about a bumbling female bounty hunter. I must find the first five books soon/ 3.2 Hammocks

 The Prometheus Deception by Robert Ludlum- First spy type book I ever remember reading. Couldn't put it down/ 3.5 Hammocks

 The Sigma Protocol by Robert Ludlum- Another great spy/counter spy book. Topic may make some squeamish/ 3.1 Hammocks

 Six Short Plays by Eugene O'Neill-Read all 6 plays. Not as good as Harry Ape or Emperor Jones/ 2.7 Hammocks

 The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas- Wish I would have read it in high school/ 3.5 Hammocks

 Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton - Thought the characters in the movie version were perfect/ 2.5 Hammocks

 The Lost World by Michael Crichton - First book was better/ 2.0 Hammocks

 False Memory by Dean Koontz - First ever read of a Koontz book, not bad/ 2.5 Hammocks

 Intensity by Dean Koontz - I got suckered into reading more Koontz after reading False Memory and hoping this would be good/ 0.5 Hammock

 Boy's Life by Robert R. McCammon - Great read, combination of Stand by Me and the Wonder Years/ 3.2 Hommocks

 Gone South by Robert R. McCammon - Read Boy's Life first/ 2.2 Hammocks

 Dracula by Bram Stoker - Makes me want to see the movie/ 3.1 Hammocks

 Different Seasons by Stephen King - reread from a long time ago, just as good this time/ 3.0 Hammocks

 Night Boat by Robert R. McCammon - Perfect script for Mystery Science Theatre 3000 staring Mr. T and Luke Perry/ 3.2 Hammocks (for humor not quality)

 Skeleton Crew by Stephen King - Lots of stories, some good some not so bad/ 2.7 Hammocks

  

Surfers eating asparagus before they go surf have a higher chance of getting attacked by a shark....(their pee smells). Thanks Diane from Australia for that one.

Donald Duck comics were banned from Finland because he doesn't wear pants

A female ferret will die if it goes into heat and cannot find a mate

The original name for butterfly was flutterby

Bats always turn left when exiting a cave

Almost half of Ecuador is protected land

Instructions: Just read the sentence straight through quickly without really thinking about it.

Acocdrnig to an elgnsih unviesitry sutdy the oredr of letetrs in a wrod dosen't mttaer, the olny thnig thta's iopmrantt is that the frsit and lsat ltteer of eevry word is in the crcreot ptoision. The rset can be jmbueld and one is stlil able to raed the txet wiohtut dclftfuiiy.

Amazing, isn't it?

Geese Fact: When a goose gets sick, wounded or shot down, two geese drop out of formation and follow it down to help and protect it. They stay with it until it dies or is able to fly again. Then they launch out in formation and try to catch the flock

No one knows why, but the quack of a duck does not make an echo, .

An ostrichs eye is bigger than it's brain.

If you added up all the deaths by sharks, crocodiles, and poisonous snakes...it is still not as many as are killed by falling coconuts!!!

some facts curtesy of http://www.emmitsburg.net/humor/index_list/interesting_facts_index.htm.

This restaurant in Managua, Nicaragua gets the "raised eyebrow" award for this update. I didn't translate anything, this is how it appeared.

     RESTAURANT LAS CAZUELAS

Sopas (soups)

Seven Seas-a delectable combination of fish, shrimp, crab, and bulls balls
Iguana and Crab combo
Shrimp and Rocky Mountain Oysters
Shrimp and Brains
     and finally,
Brains and Bulls Balls

     PANAJACHEL, GUATEMALA - restaurant above PanaRock Cafe

Steak to the Wine Tints - Steak in Red Wine Sauce
Potatoes to the Vapor - Steamed potatoes
2 eggs to the pleasure - Eggs however you like
Meat to the Iron - Grilled beef
Steak Mashed, potatoes - Steak, mashed potatoes