Belize 2011

May 30,  San Pedro, Belize

Nice relaxing start to the day!  Again.  I could get used to this!

But borrowed a bike and rode into town.  Great as along the beach. It is the major road and mode of transport here.  Even though the tides are not that big there is still enough hard sand to ride on, but there is a well worn path along the way!  Very nice, some very nice homes with many for sale!  Also some nice resorts overlooking the water.

The sand in places is a fine white powder!  And the water is very warm but most of the way there is sea grass growing everywhere!

Took about 2 1/2 hours, a long ride, and some of it in soft sand!  But arrived and took a bit of a ride around.  The airport seems to be in the middle of town.  Lots of shops, restaurants and hotels.  Had lunch and headed back.  Only took 1 1/2 hours as stuck to the road.  Dirt/gravel and full of pot holes.  Met 1 couple that traded in their golf cart for bikes.  They said it was faster and easier.  Golf carts is the main vehicle on the roads.  Have to admit, going just as fast on bikes as people are in golf carts, just a bit more effort!

Nice to get out and about the place.

May 29,  San Pedro, Belize]

Nice lazy start to the day.  Lots of coffee, then breakfast and then orientation meeting for the hotel.

Then walked the 15 minute bike ride to the local store.  Took about 45 minutes, and it was fairly hot.  Lots of lizards.

Turns out the place delivers for nothing!  Bonus

I walked back along the beach.  Many places for sale and many new places going up.  

Not many people around.  Must be only about 20 people staying at this hotel.  Not a big one but still not many people.  Close to being more staff than guests!

Went for a swim  in the Caribbean.  Very nice.  Water is very warm and very salty.  The beach along here is  has very nice white sand.  Some of it is so fine it is like powder.  Catch is the water is full of sea grass.   Not many people in swimming.

Relaxed, read and napped for rest of afternoon.

Interesting resort.  The place is basically shut down by 9.30 pm.  Very quiet.  Well guarded though, 2 security guys and 2 security dogs!

May 28,  San Pedro, Belize

Up for an 8 am start but the tour guy did not show up until 9!  Long wait.

The tour was a trip about 1 hour out of Belize City to a a cave where we walked for about 30 minutes and then spent about 30 minutes floating through the cave and then another 30 minutes floating down the river to the starting point.  Very interesting.  Apparently this cave was used by the Mayans as part of a ceremony of moving into the afterlife, which they called the underworld.

River very low so had to push over some rocks and do a fair bit of paddling.  Amazing as wedged in the roof of the cave was a huge log.  it was about 6 feet over our heads.

After lunch were driven to the boat terminal  to catch the boat to San Pedro.  Just caught it in time.  1 1/2 hours later and a stop at Caye Cauker, made it to San Pedro.

Then into a taxi to another dock to catch another boat.  This boat would take us to the resort.

A long day with lots of different modes of transport!  Car, foot, inner tube, water taxis (3), taxi.

Arrived and just relaxed.

May 27,  Belize City, Belize

Up at 7 am, another early morning, for the shuttle to Belize City.  After about 2 hours arrive at the border.  Fairly chaotic.  Trucks parked everywhere.  Easy process to leave Guatemala, except the officers asked for 20 quetzales, the local money (about $2.50) for an exit visa.  No one was paying so I did not either.   Apparently they will try, but it is not an 'official' payment.

Then after about 2 1/2 hours arrived at boat terminal in Belize City.  Caught a taxi to a guest house.  Interesting as it is run by what seems to be a Chinese family.

Walked around a bit and then had lunch at the park nearby.  There were many food shacks, but only 1 was open.  Had a great chicken burger, but turned out the chicken was flaked and in BBQ sauce.  Actually very good.  Ended up talking to a guy that was just hanging around waiting for someone.  He had (past tense) a few acres of farm land but he had lost it in a shady deal.  So sad!  But he seemed to believe that things would work out.  He had also applied for a job and had not yet heard anything about it.  Later I met him again and he was so happy that he had received a text message that he got the job.  Funny as he was so excited about it he had to show me the message.

Went out for dinner at what turned out to be the local bar.  The bartender did say that they had a happy hour and the place turned into a night club.  We thought we went early enough but I guess not!  Lots of people there by the time we finished eating!

So different to hear English spoken all the time!   It has been a while since English is the main language!  End of January!!