Day Six--Fishing and Snorkeling

What a wonderful day! We met Cory of Freedom Tours--the guy that we met the day before near the house--at the dock around 7:45 am. morning. He had his nephew Conrad with him and all of the tackle and gear for us to go reef fishing. We went to our first stop and Cory and Conrad got our fishing rods ready. For bait we used the sardines that we had seen Cory catching the day before. We cast out from the boat and within minutes I caught a fish! I was a beautiful red snapper. The fish were really biting. By the end of fishing I caught only one more fish, a grunt. Skylar caught two barracudas, a snapper, and a couple of grunts. Clane probably got the most bites of us all, but he lost a lot of bait. He kept asking Conrad for "uno mas" piece of bait--he kept Conrad on his toes all day! He caught a black snapper, a yellow tail snapper, and a bunch of grunts. Gess had a rough start--not getting anything for the first couple of hours. Eventually he caught two barracudas and a black snapper though.





After the fishing we went to find lobsters under some "traps" that the fisherman put out. They are not really traps, but are metal plates that lobsters hide under to escape the sun. Unfortunately we didn't find any lobsters! Well, Gessner found one, but he wasn't able to spear it.

We went to a a small cleaning shack owned by a commercial fisherman in the middle of the ocean. Cory is friends with the owner and he lets Cory bring his tours there to cook lunch. Cory and Conrad cleaned all of the fish and then cooked them, while we tried to catch more fish and snorkeled. Gess did some spear fishing while Cory cooked and caught some crazy looking things--including a frog fish. He tried to scary Sky with it and the fish ended up cutting her leg!





Two sons of the shack owner were playing in the water and I went out to play with them. They were so cute! They were only 2 and 4, but they were great swimmers and were having so much fun in the water. The younger one, Alan, kept coming up and grabbing onto my legs and laughing.



Once the food was ready we got back in the boat and headed out to the reef. We ate the food--it was amazing--on the way. Cory also brought some lobster, so we had some even though we were unsuccessful in catching any.

Our next stop was Hol Chan Marine Reserve--meaning little channel. This is located in a break in the coral reef. Belize has the longest barrier reef in the western hemisphere--and the second longest in the world, truly an amazing place to visit.

When we arrived at the channel Cory anchored the boat to a buoy. Conrad stayed with the boat as we went out snorkeling. It was amazing snorkeling. Even just the coral was beautiful, not to mention all of the fish that we saw. When we first got out of the boat we saw a huge nurse shark--it freaked me out, but I went ahead and went out. We saw so many fish--schools and schools of them. We saw parrot fish, a sea turtle, jacks, a moray eel, angel fish, hawk fish, snappers, a giant blow fish, mackerel, grouper, probably a bunch of others.

After Hol Chan we went over to Shark-Ray Alley, which is also part of the reserve. There were a ton of big nurse sharks and huge sting rays! It was a bit unnerving to be around these creatures, especially because some of the tour operators were throwing fish into the water to attract them and also because some of the other snorkelers were grabbing and touching the sharks and rays. Sky and I just kept a distance and watched. The animals really are beautiful. Some tour guide caught a nurse shark and gave it to Clane to hold. There is a picture of it on Clane's blog: http://clanegesselphotography.blogspot.com/2008/07/belize-preview.html

It was a wonderful day--thanks Cory!!

When we got home we changed and hopped on our bikes and headed into town for dinner. We wanted around for awhile and ended up at a place called Carambas. The food was okay, but pretty Americanized--as was the crowd and music.



We still had a good time and after dinner went over to the frozen custard joint for another hit--that place is SO good! As we started to leave to head back to the house, the chain on Clane's bike broke! For some reason--maybe it was the rum at dinner--Sky and I started laughing and couldn't stop for awhile. It was late, but when we rented the bikes it looked like the guy lived at the shop, so we went over to see if he could fix the bike. We kept getting lost, but eventually made it there and Clane was able to get another bike.

Gess left me to lock up our bikes when we got home and I got attacked by a swarm of mosquitoes...you would think that I was covered in sugar water rather than 100% DEET spray! The bites turned into welts and I was pretty miserable. Despite these crazy bugs, we had a wonderful day!

Day Five

We did so much during the inland part of our trip, so we didn't have anything specific planned for our first full day in San Pedro. We slept until we woke up--I actually woke up to hear Gessner hanging up laundry (and thought that I must be dreaming!). We decided to head into town for a bit to check things out.

Our first stop was Estell's By The Sea. It took us awhile to find it, but it was definitely worth it! The restaurant was right on the beach and the whole floor--both inside the building and on the patio was covered with sand. We ordered from a menu board--all of the food looked great!--and chose a table out on the patio. it was a beautiful setting! While we were waiting for our food, I pirate-looking man came with a bird and put it on our thatched umbrella, which of course made me very nervous. The bird seem nervous too, so the pirate came back and got her. There were also 3 dogs roaming around the restaurant and sleeping at guest's feet.





When our food arrived we eagerly dug in. My was really good--especially the fry jacks with honey and jam. I also had a glass of pineapple juice, which was so good.

After breakfast we wondered around town, looking for someone to take us fishing and someone to fly Clane over the Blue Hole. We found a bike shop and Sky negotiated a good deal for us, so we all rode away on beat-up, single speed bikes and no helmets. The bikes had pedal brakes, and it took me awhile to get used to that! Riding like that made me feel like a kid! It was a lot of fun!



After that we decided to go back to the house and then go to the beach. The water was SO warm. The water is really shallow right off the beach, and stays that way pretty much to the reef. The waves are also very calm because they break on the reef before coming inland. Sky and Clane snorkeled and Gessner tried his hand at spear fishing. I just walked around and enjoyed the water. It was a great time!







While there we met a guy that was fishing with a net for sardines. Sky and Clane talked to him and arranged to take us out the next day for fishing and snorkeling.

After our water activities we decided to head into town for dinner. So we all got on our bikes and headed over. We ended up at a placed called the Reef Restaurant. The food was excellent! I ordered coconut shrimp and it was fabulous. Not the deep-fried stuff you get in that States. This was shrimp cooked in a sauce made with cocunt milk. It was so tasty! I also had a drink called a "Mango Tango." It was made with mango (duh), local rum, and mango-flavored Tang (who knew such a thing existed?). Clane had a BBQ lobster burger, which he said was amazing and Gessner loved the stewed chicken.

After dinner we walked across the streed to DandE's Frozen Custard for dessert--it was SO good! The owners are originally from Pennsylvania. They decided to start the custard business because the husband couldn't find a place on the island to get a milkshake the way he wanted it and saw that as a business opportunity! The place was busy, and everyone patiently waited--the custard was definitely worth the wait!

After that we stopped to get a few snacks for the next day and rode back to the house. We hung out and relaxed for awhile.







Despite are diligence with sunscreen and bug spray we all had a bit of a burn (mine was probably the worst) and several bites. But we were having an amazing time!

Day Four

We got up in the morning and the cooks made breakfast for us. After breakfast we got our hats, headlamps, and dry bags ready and heading into the cave. In order to enter the cave you must jump into the river and "swim" a bit through the entrance. Once inside you have to crawl through some rocks and wade through water. This was my first time spelunking (or as Gessner calls it, kerplunking), and it was SO much fun!



Actun Tunichil Muknal (ATM), or "cave of the stone sepulchre", was discovered in 1986. When uncovering the site, archaeologists left the artifacts as they were and only cataloged and took pictures of them. They found lots of pottery and also 14 human skeletons that are in fairly good condition. It is believed that this site was used for human sacrifices.







The cave was simply amazing and really beyond description. We spent about 3 hours in the cave. We were the first ones in and the next group was just starting as we were exiting, so we had the cave all to ourselves. Ted was an amazing guide. At one point Ted wanted to demonstrate what it would have been like for the Maya to attempt to leave the cave if all of their torches went out (since they didn't have flashlights like we did), so we all turned out our headlamps and made our way out. The darkness was incredible! I couldn't even see my hand directly in front of my face!



After we finished the cave, we went to camp for lunch. Clifford had made sandwiches and salad. As Sky started to eat hers she noticed maggots--which we think came from the mustard! She couldn't eat anymore and I was very happy that I had already finished! I just tried not to think about it! After lunch we packed up the tents and gears and headed back out to the van. The hike was much easier in daylight than it had been the night before and we were able to enjoy the scenery. We did not run into any snakes or skunks on the way out either. We got to the van and got loaded up and headed to Belize City. We were ready to make the transition from the jungle to the beach!


The drive to Belize City was uneventful and took about 2 hours. The van dropped us off at the water taxi station so that we could take the taxi over to Ambergris Caye. As soon as we pulled up, some pushy local came up to the van asking us where we were headed. I think that he was attempting to "help" us so that we would tempt us. He informed us that we had just missed the water taxi and would have to wait for the next one. As I stepped out of the van, some other guy said twice that he would "looooove" to keep me company while I waited--just want I needed! The driver gave us a warning--"Remember where you are--you are in Belize City"--renewing our concerns about crime there. We took our luggage into th terminal and bought our tickets. Sky and I sat on a bench with the luggage while the guys went out to find some food. Some strange guy came up to us and asked if we wanted to buy some "Belizean" gum and when we told him no, he sat in front of us for a long time. It made both of us feel uncomfortable, especially as he moved behind us and continued to stare at us. Soon the guys came back with some tamales, but neither Sky nor I liked them. When Gess put our partially eaten food in a bag, that guy asked Gessner if he could have them. Gess gave them to him and he quickly ate them. We gave him the rest of our food too and I know that I felt bad about that situation. Poverty is a big problem in Belize, and I can't even imagine being in a situation like that. That being said, he was still creepy and I was glad to get out of there!







We eventually boarded the water taxi and set out to San Pedro. As the water taxi was getting ready to leave, a marching band came across the bridge. No one know what the occasion was, but it looked like a parade of some sort.




Madonna's song "La Isla Bonita" is about San Pedro, and is a good description--it truly is a beautiful island! The water taxi took about 1 hour and 20 minutes and it was a nice ride. Gessner was even able to take a nap, while the rest of us enjoyed the scenery.



We arrived in San Pedro and were met at the terminal by Armando--a tall guy with long curly hair who reminded me of someone from Hawaii Five-O. Armando loaded our stuff up into a van and drove us to the grocery store so that we could pick up any food we wanted. Then he drove to the dock and loaded our stuff into a boat. The house that we rented was only 1/2 mile from the center of town, but it was located on the other side of a bridge that did not allow any motorized vehicle larger than a golf cart to go over it. So, we took a boat instead. We arrived at the house--Casa Maya n Breeze (which you can tell is owned by a non-Belizean because it should be called "Case Maya Breeze" not "Mayan"). We settled in, taking much needed showers! Remember, the hotel didn't have hot water and we spent the night in the jungle. Plus, we had been slathering on sun screen and bug repellent, so we were probably pretty nasty!


The house was nice--a beautiful view and big, but it was a bit hot and the fans weren't really providing enough relief. There was also a huge mosquito issue there--I probably ended up with more than 300 bites (and I am not exaggerating!), despite wearing tons of repellent. The others fared better, but it was bad. Sky and I took to running from the street into the house in an attempt to avoid them!





After we were showered and settled in, Gess and I decided to go and get some dinner. The management company told us that there were some restaurants nearby, so we decided to just walk and see what we could find. It turned out that there was a restaurant called Sweet Basil just next door. We sat on the patio and enjoyed a really good dinner. I had shrimp kabobs and Gessner had conch cerviche. After that we decided to walk into town to check it out. We walked across the bridge (called the Boca del Rio--or mouth of the river--bridge). Some of the roads were terrible with huge holes and puddles in them. It was dark, but I didn't feel unsafe at all. We came to a Chinese restaurant, of all things, and Gessner decided to get some more food. The owner was really nice and even told me when I dropped money out of my pocket--which I thought was very honest--it was a US $20, which was $40 Belizean! We talked to some locals and then headed back into town and called it a night!

Day Three

Day Three


Originally we had planned to go on an overnight caving adventure with Mayawalk tours. When we woke up, however, it was pouring rain and we were all apprehensive about spending the night in the rainforest while it was raining so much. Plus, Clane really decided that he wanted to venture into Guatemala to see another Maya ruin. We had originally decided against going into Guatemala because we had heard bad things about the treatment of tourists there. I will admit that I was a bit upset about changing plans, but I tried to be flexible. We were picked up around 9:00 am by the Mayawalk tour guide, Ted, and he took us back to the office to discuss the plans. Ted was awesome and wanted to do whatever possible to accommodate us. After some negotiation, we decided that we would go into Guatemala that morning and then go into the rainforest for the camping and caving as soon as we got back.


So, we set out for the Guatemalan border with Andrew. He was great in getting us across the border without a hitch. He contacted the driver on the Guatemalan side, who drove us to the Tikal, about 50 miles west of the Belizean border. I am not sure what the driver's name was, but he made me a bit nervous because he was watching a movie the entire time he was driving. At one point there was a horse standing in the middle of the road and we really didn't think that he was going to avoid hitting it! Actually at several points during the trip we saw horses wandering the streets--like stray dogs--it was very strange!


We eventually arrived at Tikal, which is located in a Guatemalan National Park. Tikal, "The place of voices", is the largest Maya ruin, with around 3000 structures. It was one of the major population and cultural centers in Maya civilization. Tikal was also used as background scenery of the Rebel base on Yavin 4 in the film Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope.













Our guide, Mario, was simply amazing! He is very knowledgeable about the site and was a lot of fun.



We spend about four hours with him exploring the part. There really are not words to describe how amazing the site is. The structures are so beautiful and stand so tall and prominently in the landscape. It is set in the rainforest, however, and many of the sites remain unexcaved, so you can see how they were "buried" by forest. Some of the structures are tall, with very steep steps. We were able to climb to the top and enjoy amazing views.



After we explored Tikal, Mario took us to the driver and we drove to the outside of the national park and stopped for lunch at a little restaurant there. The food was SO good! After lunch, we heading back toward Belize and dropped Mario off. It was dark when we reached the border and the driver dropped us off to go through customs. The customs official pretended that he did not speak English (though I am sure that he did) and made us pay $2 US each to get back into Belize, even though there is not supposed to be any charge. We knew that there was no charge, but felt unable to confront the official and since it was such a low amount, went along. That was a bit disturbing to me, however. We are so spoiled in the States with mostly being free for government coercion and corruption.


Anyway, we made our way back into Belize and met Ted, the guide from Mayawalk. He drove us back to San Ignacio where we got all of the gear for the camping trip. We stopped and picked up the cooks--Clifford and his son WarrenWe drove about 45 minutes to the entrance of the Actun Tunichil Muknal (ATM) cave. The road was dark and extremely bumpy and I wasn't sure the old van was going to make it. But we made it there in one piece and grabbed the gear to start the hike into the jungle. It is SO dark in the rainforest. The canopy of trees blocks out all of the stars and feels like a roof covering everything. We were all excited, but a bit apprehensive about hiking so late (it was about 9 pm when we started out--and to put it in perspective, the sun sets around 6:30 pm).


Anyone that knows Gessner knows that he loves to look for animals--especially snakes--so he was on the look out, even in the dark. Shortly after we started out, Gessner yells that he sees a snake. Clifford was not far behind him and determined that the snake was a fer-de-lance, one of the most poisionous snakes in Central America. As soon as Clifford saw the snake, he chopped it in half with his machete! Ted told us not to point things out as the "locals" are really scared of them and will kill them immediately. We were in a conservation area so you are not supposed to kill anything.


After that, Gessner either didn't see anymore snakes or didn't point them out. We also encountered a skunk on the trail, which was ready to spray, but fortunately we got by without getting hit. On the hike we had to cross three rivers. That was a bit difficult because it was so dark--we each had a flashlight, but the light wasn't much against the pitch black of the jungle. But we made it to the camping site which was location just outside of the cave's entrance. A couple of the tour companies, including Mayawalk, have built some structures that are used for these tours. There were thatched huts for some shelter, a big fire pit, some picnic tables, and a "stove" like area. The cooks set everything up and started making dinner for us--a traditionally Belizean meal of rice & beans and stewed chicken. While they cooked we set up our tents and settled in. Ted also too us down to the river to see the opening of the cave. We ate dinner and drank some rum punch and then headed to bed. Gessner and Sky (and Ted) heard a puma that night, but I slept right through it!

Belize Trip--Day Two

Day Two

We got up pretty early today, but since we went to bed so early the night before, most of us felt pretty good. We had arranged for a taxi driver to pick us up at the hotel at 7:00 am to take us to Xunantinch, a Maya ruin. In order to reach the site, you have to take a hand-cranked ferry. Gessner didn't believe that a vehicle could be transported that way, so he owes me and Sky five bucks!



When we arrived, the site was still closed and we had to wait. We decided to run overs to Benny's Kitchen for a bite to eat. The restaurant wasn't open, but they let us in anyway. I ordered beans and tortillas, which were delicious and only cost $3 Belize, or $1.50 U.S. The others had empanadas which were only 50 cents U.S. for 2! Our entire breakfast for the four of us, including fresh squeezed OJ, was only $10 U.S.

After Benny's we went back to the bridge and were able to cross. The taxi drove us the last mile up to the ticket booth and we bought our tickets to the site from armed military guards. Apparently the security is pretty tight there because it is so close to the Guatamalan border.



We also met a very cute dog that was hanging out with the guards. Dogs seem to be everywhere here...just wandering around the streets. They are quiet, not barking much. Clane mentioned this to one of the guards, and he said that their barks are silent, but there bites are not!

We took a short walk up to the site. We were the first visitors there and we decided to do it without a guide. Xunantunich (pronounced "Shun-an-tun-ich") means "Stone Maiden" in Maya, though it is believed that the original name for the site was Kat Witz or "clay mountain." Xunantunich was first explored in the 1890s. It includes 5 plazas. The tallest building in the city is known as El Castillo and it is 40 meters high.

The ruins were beautiful and it was so neat to be there alone. We climbed up onto the ruin. It was amazing to be sitting on something that was built 1500 years ago. Xunantinch was Because we were the only ones there, we were able to explore and do just about whatever we want. Gessner and I decided to go to one of the buildings across the way from the one that Clane and Sky were at. Apparently Clane took a nap and Sky just sat and relaxed. On our building, Gessner meditated and I wrote in my journal. It was relaxing to be in such a place, just taking it all in. It was a great way to start the day!









We had arranged for the taxi driver to meet us at 10:30 am, so we headed back to the entrance and checked out the gift shop. Gess and I spent some time looking at the gift shop and talking to the guards. When the driver picked us up and took us back to the main road, we also stopped at some vendors that were now lined up on the street selling there goods. There was a lot of jewelry made mostly out of seeds. There were also clothes and other handmade goods. We stopped and got a few souvenirs and chatted with the locals.

Instead of taking us back to the hotel we asked the taxi driver to drop us off at a local restaurant for some Belizean food. He took us to a place called Elvira's. Gess ordered the whole fish--it was probably a snapper and it was very tasty. The rest of us had burritos, which were delicious. Our waiter was also very friendly, making jokes with us and teasing us.

Our taxi driver met us in town and took us back to the hotel so that we could get ready for our caving canoeing trip. Our tour guide met us at 1:30 and we set out for Barton Creek Cave. Barton Creek Cave is about an hour away from San Ignacio by car. The drive goes through Mennonite farm land. We saw several farmers and families on our drive there and they were all friendly. We also drove by orange and grapefruit fields. The drive was beautiful. We arrived at the opening of the cave. The cave is an archaeological site that is reachable only by boat. We got into two canoes. Clane and Sky in one and Gess, the guide, and I in the other. Inside you see many formations--absolutely breathtaking. Stalagmites and stalactites are everywhere, shining like crystal from the water droplets on the ends of them. Pottery and other artifacts have been discovered in the cave and you can see some pieces of it there. You can also see a human skull that is embedded in one of the sides of the cave. The Maya used the cave for burial ceremonies, with the underground cave representing the underworld and its seven levels. The site is simply breathtaking and really indescribable--you must check it out!








After the canoeing trip, Gess and I took a little swim, which ended in a splash fight and him dunking me into the water. It was fun and reminded me of being a kid!

Outside of the cave the restaurant/bar there has a spider monkey named Mango. We fed bananas to her and Gess unsuccessfully tried to pick her up. We also saw a Toucan that the owner said was injured in a storm.



The driver dropped us off in town and we had dinner at Hannah's. The food was okay, but nothing too spectacular. I did have a slice of lemon meringue pie that was wonderful though--not too sweet and not too tart and nice fluffy meringue. Gess also had some flan that was, in his words, "to die for." After dinner we walked around town a bit and then made our way back to the hotel.

Belize Trip--Day One

Our flight from Seattle was scheduled for 6:00 am, which means that we needed to get up very early in order to get to the airport on time. Of course, I procrastinated on packing and cleaning, so was up very late. We decided to try to get some sleep when I started to vomit! I don't know if it was nerves (I tend to be a nervous traveler), a bug, lack of sleep, or the anti-malaria medication, or some combination thereof. I was really miserable. Luckily Gessner was able to get a couple of hours. The town car came to pick us up around 3:30 am and we headed over to Belltown to pick up Clane and Sky. We made it to the airport without incident. Clane and Sky were also up all night, so we were a tired, but excited group. I continued to vomit at the airport and really felt horrible. Also, I realized that I forgot my super-organized file folder with all of the information at home. I was upset, but really tried not to get too flustered.

We flew to Dallas and some of us were able to get some sleep. I was rudely awaken when the woman next to me slipped grape juice all over her white pants, and on me as well. Instead of just dealing with the wet pants, she proceeded to get out her luggage, get a change of clothes, and change in the airport bathroom, leaving me standing in the aisle waiting for her for 15 minutes. The rest of the flight was uneventful and we landed in Dallas. I was still very nauseous, but thankfully did not vomit on the plane! We only had a short layover in Dallas, so we were soon on the plane to Belize!

We arrived in Belize City at about 4:00 pm local time. We got through customs with no problems. The Belize airport seemed really small. It was also hot and had a strange smell--sort of a mix between body odor and hot dogs!

My first impression of Belize City was that it looked like the other Latin American cities I have been too. Nothing too exciting. Belize City is known for having a high crime rate, so we planned to just leave Belize City as soon as we got there. There was a shuttle waiting for us when we arrived. Angel was the driver. Bill was also with him--who appears to work at the Aguada hotel where we stayed. Bill was originally from Delaware, but had lived in Belize for about 15 years. We also took a guy named John into town with us. We were headed into San Ignacio which is in the Cayo District (Belize is divided into 6 district. San Ignacio is the capital of the Cayo district, and locals often just refer to San Ignacio as "Cayo"). The Cayo District is on the Western Border of Belize and the Guatemalan border is only about 8 miles from San Ignacio. San Ignacio was about a 2 hour ride by van from Belize City.





On the ride we asked the driver and John a lot of questions about Belize. John is a teacher at one of the community colleges. His father is Irish, his mother American, and he grew up in Mexico. He had just returned from visiting family in Philadelphia and needed a ride to San Ignacio. There is a public transportation system, so he could have taken the bus, but it would take a very long time and is generally unpleasant. The bus are very popular though and we noticed a lot of people waiting for the bus while we drove to Cayo. One thing that immediately struck me was how unrushed people seemed to be. Here when people are waiting for the bus you see them checking their watches, checking the bus schedule, looking down the street to see if the bus is coming, pacing, or otherwise looking impatient. In Belize, the people just stood waiting, not fidgeting, not pacing, just waiting. It seemed so much more calm and relaxed that in the States--a definite change of pace.

We arrived at the Aguada Hotel and got settled into our room. It was a simple "family" room with 2 bedrooms. One had a queen sized bed and the other had a queen bed and bunk beds. Both rooms had window air-conditioning units and one of the rooms had a TV and there was one small bathroom. The room was only about $65 US per night, so it was a pretty good deal. It wasn't fancy, but it did serve the purpose. One big drawback was that it didn't have hot water. Also, it was located outside of San Ignacio, in Santa Elena. That was a bit inconvenient because it took awhile to get into town for any restaurants, etc.

We were all very tired and hungry, so we decided to eat at the little restaurant at the hotel. The boys ordered T-Bone steaks, Sky got spaghetti, and I ordered "chicken pieces." The service was very slow and we didn't find the people to be particularly nice. While we were waiting, a truck filled with small kids pulled up outside. They were out there for awhile, so Clane went out to take some pictures. I can't wait to see how they came out! Also while we were waiting, Gessner found a turtle. A young girl who seemed affiliated with the hotel saw it and had Gessner take it to put it in the pond on the property.

When the food finally came--after about an hour--we immediately noticed a very foul smell coming from Gessner's plate. The meat smelled rotten. Clane's seemed okay, but when he tasted it, he said it tasted horrible. Gessner told the waitress and she took it back. A few minutes later, Bill came out and said that the steak was fine, it was just slaughter and done different than in the States--the guys didn't bite though! Gess ordered some chicken pieces, and Clane shared the food with the rest of us. So, while the meal was a bit scary, we tried to just move on and hope for better :)

During the meal we also decided what we were going to do the next day. We decided to check out a Maya ruin and then go cave canoeing.

We went to bed at an insanely early hour and Clane, Sky, and I slept well. Gess, unfortunately didn't, as some group of teenagers were outside making a lot of noise. Gess even played the grumpy old man and told them to be quiet--but that only lasted for about 5 minutes.

Starting Back Up

I have been SO bad about blogging! I have a couple of other blogs on a few other sites that I have periodically posted to, but nothing regular.  So, here is another go at it...

I just got back from a fabulous vacation to Belize, which will provide a lot of good material to start back up...so stay tuned!!