Belize, you have my soul

It is time to talk about Belize. The beautiful Belize, the country where I left my heart and soul. It sits waiting for my return and every day I am pining for that time to come when I am boarding a plane to head back to a place I love. I was in Belize the beginning of December for 6 days. I can say it was love at first sight as I was instantly drawn in. I felt like it was home and where I belonged.

Belize is a country that is maybe the size of Massachusetts, with a population about 350,000. Yes, 350,000 is what I said. They are an English speaking as they were a British nation until 1981 when Belize became an independent country. The other languages are Spanish and Creole. This makes it real easy to communicate with everyone you come in contact with.

Traveling there is easier than I had thought from the west coast. Only one lay over and then we were in Belize. The small airport reminded me of a the airport from my hometown back in the seventies. Getting off the plane on the stairs rolled in on a truck and no terminals. It was like I had gone back in time. Next was customs and it was not to crazy in this small airport and we had to turn around and check in for our flight on the Tropic Air little plane to get over to Ambergris Caye. If you are staying on the main land, you can rent a car to your destination or you are met by someone from your resort. The 15 minute flight to the island was more than enough to enjoy the views from above. The waters so blue and the small islands spread out on the inside of the barrier reef was a beautiful sight to see.

As we landed, we were met by the manager of our resort, La Perla Del Caribe. Enrique was his name with a great welcome to his little tropical oasis he was willing to share with us. He put us on a taxi and took us to board the water taxi that many of the tourists get to know well as these boats are mostly the main transportation on the island. There are no cars (with the exception with the taxi's that pick you up at the airport) and the prime mode of transportation besides the boats are golf carts, bicycles and the use of your own feet.


We were settled into the boat and headed up the coast line towards our destination of La Perla Del Caribe. Passing along the shoreline were many beautiful resorts and homes. The residential homes ranged from very moderate to fancy but not any looked out of place for this island. The sun was setting during our boat ride and the air was cooling off. Comfortably warm. Once we landed our feet on the boat dock, we all looked up and saw our beautiful home for the next 6 days. White sands, palm trees, turquoise blue waters, the sound of the water breaking at the reef and our villa. Ahhhhhhhh, heaven.

The villa was a 2 bedroom, 2 bath that was set up with the living area in the middle and each room at the each side of that area. Each room had a screened in sun porch to enjoy if you wanted to just hid away for a few. The villa also had a front deck with lounge chairs to just sit with the waters edge about 30 feet away and watch the people who walk along the beach. It was the best place to sit and enjoy your morning coffee while watching the sun come up or relax with your cocktail in the afternoon as you watch the locals ride their bikes home from work on waters edge. (This is their rush hour.) Enrique was great at making us feel at home. Anything we needed he or his other assistant Toshiba was there to help out at any time. As they made us feel like family the entire trip. 


Morning

 
Since we were a bit further north of the main town of San Pedro, the options of restaurants were a minimal and our villa had a kitchen. So what did we do; ordered our groceries with alcohol too. What a great thing to do. There was food for us at any time we were hungry and our alcohol was plenty. We did not have a problem cooking while on vacation. We did wander up the beach to a restaurant called Portofino for dinner one night and it was delicious with a lobster bisque soup so creamy and buttery it was divine while sitting on the second floor balcony listening to the waves and the trade winds blowing slightly. We could have taken the water taxi's into the small town and tried the cuisine there but we found ourselves completely content staying where we were.

There were days of excursions that entailed of doing a bit of snuba (not spelled wrong, it is snorkeling/scuba mixed. It is a great way for us non-certified scuba people to try) This is great for snorkelers to get underwater and enjoy its beauty. The boys went bone fishing with an old fisherman who new every nook and cranny of the area surrounding the island. This is a good adventure for any fly or spin real fishermen out there, the guys really enjoyed themselves as the girls sat on the villa deck looking out at the ocean and drinking the local Belkin beer. Then we went to the main land seeing the country side touring a Mayan Ruins Xunantunich and cave tubing along the Yucatan range. We learned about the Mayans and where they loved and praised the Gods and then to the caves where the river flows trough and you are tubing through learning about how they sacrificed to those same Gods in those caves. This was a full day. We had a long boat ride to the main land then the car ride to the ruins which was across the country itself. Literally, we were a few of miles from Guatemala, then we had a great local cuisine in Benque Viejo del Carmen. A small town nestled along the river bank of Mopan and up the hillsides of the Yucatan. On our way back to Belize city was where we took a turn into the jungle of the Yucatan, this is where we went floating into caves. Equipped with our protective headgear, head lamps and float tubes we were off on our hike through the jungle. The guides educated us on all the trees and plants. Then we came over a hill looking down was this turquoise pool of water peaking out from in between the caves. Making our way down into the really cool water, we all attached ourselves to each other and into the cave we went. Pitch black except for the little spot lights from all of our head lamps. Listening to our guide telling us about the history of the caves and of his own heritage as well, it was one of the best lazy rivers I have floated. We also had a great time going to the marine reserve to snorkel around swimming with sea turtles, sting rays, nurse sharks and many other aquatic sea life. I really recommend this one because of all the marine life you get to see and experience. Don't be afraid to swim with the sharks it is a thrill of a lifetime and they are only nurse sharks. On this excursion we were able to meet a couple of men cleaning the conk that they had farmed. Then we were able to try ourselves some raw conk. I can say it was one of the most delicious raw seafood I have had. It was like a sweet buttery flavor. I can still taste that little morsel of goodness. All of our guides were kind and gave you the history of Belize and its surrounding areas. 

This trip was filled with fun activities and we were able to just sit and shut the world out while relaxing on the deck or by the pool. I did not want to leave. I felt like it could be home for me and that is what I plan on making Belize someday. Time stood still there.