Trip To Belize: Day 11 & 12

May 22, 2008

Today was kind of a throw away day, really. We woke up, had a nice breakfast talking to a CBC documentary guy who was staying at Coral House and then biked down to the local post office to send some postcards. This was actually quite the experience as nobody in the town seemed to know where there own post office was. "The white building" said many people but it took us 15 minutes of checking out the myriad of white buildings before we found it. It was fun meandering around though although, biking through the streets. At one point a police officer informed me that I was biking the wrong way down a street. This seemed amusing as there were no signs indicating this. But, chastised, I meekly apologized and turned around.

We felt sad as we checked out of Coral House Inn. Not only were we leaving this great little place to stay, but we were also preparing to leave this exotic little country and I had mixed feelings. I was happy to leave and get back to my kids and my regular life and I'd felt like the trip had been extremely satisfying emotionally, physically, and spiritually. Yet, I felt there was so much more to see and do in Belize and you never really know if you'll be back or not. As Shakespeare said "parting is such sweet sorrow. We flew to Belize city (via Placencia and Dangriga) and this time the short flights were not nearly as harrowing as when we arrived. A view from the plane enjoying the view of the cayes to the east:


Here's a final picture of us in Belize enjoying our final "little plane" ride:


From Belize City we flew to Miami and then flew to Toronto. Along the way I finished reading The Shack and watched "The Bucket List" on the plane. Both were meaningful experiences and I was hit hard again about the importance of relationships. We arrived in Toronto and went to the hotel (no upgraded room this time sadly) and promptly froze as we were unused to normal temperatures. We were exhausted but content and promptly went to sleep.

May 23, 2008
The flight to Winnipeg was nothing out of the ordinary except that on check in security found my swiss army knife that I had forgotten to take out of my carry on. Belizean and American "security" had both missed the fact that I had taken a weapon on board their flights, but the Canadians found it and confiscated it. I was both proud of them and annoyed that my knife was gone (actually they offer for you to go back through security and mail it yourself but I didn't want to miss my flight). After we arrived in Winnipeg we were met at the airport by Jobina's mom and the kids. Jobina cried quite a bit and I was a "little" emotional myself. Sometimes you don't know how much you miss something until you take a break from it. When Jobina asked if the kids had missed us she found out, well . . . not really. It appears Mom missed them alot more then they missed her! I think that's probably for the best.

When we got home we gave out some gifts to the kids. First we gave them some shells and sea glass that we had collected for them at Coral House Inn. Trinity also got a cute little Mayan doll from the PG market. And Riker? Well, he was VERY excited about what we gotten him:



Giving him his "mini-machete" was one of the highlights of the whole trip for me!

So there you go. After a total of 13 days (including travel days) we were home. I find that when people go on vacations they usually fall into a choice-reinforcing pattern. To justify the choices they make (say as in going on a vacation) there is great pressure for them to tell people it was good, otherwise they look foolish. And I would say I've done that in the past (especially about certain sketchy winter camping experiences). But I can honestly say that this was the trip of a lifetime, that it was worth the money, and that given the choice I would do it again. I had an adventurous second honeymoon in an exotic locale with great people and it was better then I even hoped it would be. Why? I think because I met God in Belize and that made all the difference.

Trip To Belize: Day 10

May 22, 2008

Today was a relaxing, lazy kind of day. We had a nice continental breakfast at the Inn and then Jobina and I got on the Inn's complimentary (and old school) bikes and went for a leisurely pedal around town:



Here's the sign welcoming you to Punta Gorda:


It was very hot and we took many breaks in the shaded palapa rest stops along the sea. Here's a picture of us that we took on a little dock where we stopped to rest and dip our feet in the ocean to cool off:

After pedaling a mile or two along the coast we were hot and decided to treat ourselves. On the way back we stopped for ice cream at a little cafe, where we were informed that they didn't have any ice cream. So we had ice cold bottles of coke and red fanta (mmm . . . red fanta . . .) instead:


Here's a picture of the street from the patio of the cafe:


We went across the street and bought some postcards and then headed back to Coral House for a swim. I have a great picture of Jobina relaxing in the pool but for some reason Jobina hates it and threatened me if I would post it. Thus I will post a picture that represents her instead. It's a unique piece of art by the pool that I liked. I think it captures the bliss of floating in cool water on a hot tropical day rather well:


Lunch was at a Chinese restaurant which was unremarkable except that it had air conditioning. After lunch we got some ice cream (finally) and I tried the saursop flavored variety that the Belizeans enjoy so much. We crashed for the afternoon in our nice air conditioned room. Here's a picture of the room, small but nice:


At 6 we walked to an oceanfront bar/restaurant called "The Reef" for our last supper in Belize:


I had a T-Bone steak dinner (cost $7.50 CDN) and a glass of really nice red wine and Jobina had some crepe thing paired with a Belekin- both meals were amazing. We enjoyed our last supper in Belize as night descended and talked about how much we would miss this country, what it would be like to go home, and other things. On our way home we again ran into our friend "The King" who sold me a nice wooden ring, made of the wood of a certain kind of palm tree (whose name escapes me). We felt buying from him was the least we could do to support him as he had provided us with so many unique memories of PG (scaring us in the dark, his friendliness, his crazy home/shack, etc). Here's a picture of the King's home, taken in the daylight:


When we got back we went for yet another swim to cool off and then Jobina went inside to enjoy the AC and read. I spent a long time in the pool: thinking and praying about my life and especially what I was learning about God/relationship from reading "The Shack." I was the only one out there and I let my mind and heart wander where they willed. Later I crept upstairs to the deck overlooking the pool and ocean and read. I honestly feel like I have met God in a new way on this trip and I felt very much at peace.

I was telling my friend Jason yesterday that I have a hard time living in the moment; often I am thinking about the future and I miss what's happening in the "now." This night in Belize was different. I just enjoyed the moment; my book, the quiet, the surroundings, the ocean air, everything. It was very nice. Later I invited Jobina out to sit on the deck with me and we enjoyed the time together. Tomorrow we head home which is sad but good. I miss my kids.

Trip to Belize: Day 9

May 21, 2008

Well, we had our final day at Cotton Tree Lodge. Checkout is at 11:00 but since check in at Coral House Inn (in Punta Gorda) wasn't til 4:00, they graciously allowed us to stay for lunch and we didn't even have to vacate our cabana until right before we left at around 2:30. We said our goodbyes to the staff, Jay, and CeCe and before we left became the first paying customers of Cottonwood Chocolate! Here's a rather strange picture of me holding the first sold chocolate bar:

Antonio graciously drove us to Punta Gorda and dropped us off at Coral House Inn:


This is an exceptional place, I can't say enough about it. After the excitement of our daily trips at Cottonwood we were looking forward to a place to just relax, and Coral House Inn was it. The whole place just oozes relaxation, quality, beauty, and laid-backness. It's a beautifully restored villa, complete with walled in courtyard and a nice pool/bar area overlooking the ocean. Did I mention that they have the only pool in Punta Gorda? Here's a view of the entrance gate in the wall:

From our air conditioned (yes, AC!) room on the upper level we could look down on the pool with ocean in the background:


The pool is not huge, but it is more then sufficient to cool down and go for a great swim:


At the oceanfront there is a walkway down to the ocean where we went down and found some sea glass for the kids:


Here's some bananas growing on the yard:

Needless to say, we were impressed. The location is perfect, far from the core of town but close enough to get there quick. There are cemeteries on each side of the property so the neighbors are very quiet! And the bar is self serve, so you can grab or make whatever drink you want (you just write it down on your tab). We went for a few refreshing swims and got to know some of the guests. Here's a pic of me floating in the pool:


Here's a picture of the thatched bar area and pool loungers:


Soon it was time for supper, the first time we had to choose our meal in 7 days! We went to Marian's, a 3rd floor ocean side place a few blocks from Coral House. On the way, we noticed lots of holes in the ground and enventually we saw these multi-colored crabs pop out:

Very interesting. Marian's was delicious; classic Belizean cuisine. You had three choices: a roasted chicken, beef, or seafood dish. Jobina had chicken and I had beef (about $5 and
$6 CDN) which included the meat plus a salad, potato salad, plantains, rice, and beans. They were super filling and delicious. We tried lime juice, there version of lemonade except with limes - very good. We got to see gecko's chasing each other on the walls of the restaurant:


We walked home in the dark and Jobina was a bit nervous. Suddenly as we were passing a dark shack a large man in dreads shouted something at us and jumped up from his yard and ran up to us! Needless to say it was a bit out of the ordinary (Jobina was quite frightened!). A very eccentric Belizean introduced himself to us as "The King" and asked us where we were from. After talking for a few minutes (which relaxed us) he invited us back to his shack (which appeared to have no power since it was dark) to see the art that he was working on. I told him that maybe we would stop by during the day and though he was disappointed I think he understood how we might be hesitant! After getting back we relaxed by the pool and discussed theology with an American named Todd (who surprised us in the middle of the conversation by going and peeing on the yard). Then we went to bed in air conditioned bliss!

Trip To Belize: Day 8

May 20, 2008

Today was a different kind of day (for a 2nd honeymoon) because Jobina and I spent much of the day apart doing our own thing. CeCe and I wanted to go back to Blue Creek and climb that mountain we had seen while Jobina wanted to relax and "veg" at the lodge (she also wanted to watch them experiment with chocolate making). I have never really climbed a mountain before (at least to the top) so I was pretty excited. Holly from Cottontree also came along under the guise of "scouting out" the trip as a future mainstay tour. Laura (Jeff the owner's sister) also joined us in the morning. Here's the colorfully painted "Jungle Bus" that Vincent drove us in:


When we got to the village of Blue Creek, Vincent negotiated with local guide Sylavano to take us up the mountain (called Hokeb Ha). Soon Sylvano was leading us down the now familiar path to the caves, but then we found the trail leading up the mountain. Before leaving CeCe had asked Vincent "Any rocks?" "No," he said, "no rocks." This was amusing as the trail was covered in loose rocks (as well as trees, vines, and roots). Ah, Vincent, your lies make me laugh. Here's me:


Hokeb Ha mountain is 18,500 feet above sea level (confirmed by my GPS) and was for us about a climb of 13,000 feet of mostly vertical terrain. Luckily there was lots to hold onto as we carefully choose our line up the trail - trees, roots, rocks, etc. Sylvano mentioned to us not to touch certain black marks on trees or roots as they were poisonous and "bad boils" would break out on your skin if you touched them! Here's the view going up:


And here's a picture looking out from the trail a couple hundred feet up the mountain:


The heat was quite intense and that combined with altitude change made some of us a bit overtired, woozy, and (I'm not saying who!) a bit whiny. But we all soldiered on and were treated with some amazing views at the top. The great thing was that there are actually trees and bush on the tops of these Mayan Mountains so you can find shade to sit down after. Here's what it looks like from the top:

Here's a picture of Sylavano climbing a tree on the summit and doing a wild Mayan call into the valley below:


Here's CeCe, triumphant after a hard climb:


Sylvano told me that when he was younger he lead British soldiers (who were mapping and surveying the area) up this mountain. He had chopped out an area for a helicopter to land and the British soldiers had found Mayan settlement remains and had marked it on their military maps as a "ruins" site. There were certainly lots of rocks and Sylvano showed me what was left of a table made of lava rock which would have been used to crush corn or cacao on. This rock is not native to Belize and would have been brought up the mountain from Guatemala - proof that there has once been a Mayan settlement on top of this mountain. That kind of history is all around you in Belize and so much of it is undiscovered or buried. Here's me and Sylvano at the summit:


The climb down the mountain was faster and a lot of fun - way easier then going up. Only once did I almost slip but I caught myself on a nearby tree. After we got down we decided to go for a dip in the pools of Blue Creek below the waterfalls:


It was super refreshing after the heat of the mountain and Laura, Holly, and I, swam right up to a waterfall and put our faces into the pounding water. I screamed happily into the falls as the heavy water pelted me - quite the rush. Later swimming in the pool with the fish was fun (although one of them nipped me) and then we dried off and headed back to Vincent's for lunch and the ride back to Cotton Tree. Here can you see the fish (the largest are about a foot long):


I found Jobina and after she and CeCe went to deliver some school supplies to a nearby school (you'll have wait til she posts about it on her blog), we hung out until dinner. After dinner Jobina hung out in the lodge and I went out to do something I had really wanted to do but hadn't yet - swim in the Moho River at night. It was a bit scary diving into that river by myself in the dark but it was lots of fun, especially under a full moon. To end off our last night at Cotton Tree we stopped by the lodge and were invited to attend an impromptu chocolate tasting party that some of the chocolate makers were having. Nice!

Trip To Belize: Day 7

May 19, 2008

At 6:30 AM Jobina, Jay, CeCe, Laura (one of the owner's sister) and I gathered in the main lodge for an early breakfast. Today one of the owners of Cotton Tree (Chris) is taking us on a snorkeling/fishing excursion to West Snake Caye (island) in the Port Honduras Marine Reserve. Neither Jobina or I have ever gone scuba diving before so we are pretty excited. We will leave at 7 AM and take Chris's boat 10 miles up the Moho to the ocean, swing past Punta Gorda and head out into the reserve. It's supposed to take about an hour and 45 minutes to get there.

Zooming down the Moho river to the coast was awesome. Jobina and I stayed near the front of the boat and it was quite a rush as we careened through the twists and turns on water as smooth as glass. Here's what it looks like from the front of the boat, early in the morning:


I checked our speed on my GPS - we were doing just under 50 km/h. If as a mountain biker you like fast, tight, and twisting singletrack, well, this was the river-boating equivalent. Here's me enjoying the bliss of the wind and the speed:



Our friends CeCe and Jay in the back with Chris at the wheel:


We zipped along pretty fast, occasionally almost hitting native fishermen in their dugout canoes. There is almost no other habitation on the river so it's quite pristine. Chris showed us some large mangrove trees with their huge roots hanging into the water and said that they were over 400 years old. Also we saw a settlement/village that was started by some Baptist missionaries. Chris said that the missionaries came in, build a church, organized the village, trained indigenous leaders, and then left a nicely functioning and Belizean led church/village behind. That's how to do missions! Chris said every time he misses home (the U.S.) he goes to Church there.

Eventually we made it to the mouth of the Moho and entered the Caribbean where it got much rougher. A little north up the coast we passed Punta Gorda, picked up a friend of Chris's named Wayne, and then headed out into the reserve:


Unlike the Moho river, the ocean was quite choppy and since Jobina and I were near the front of the boat we were soon being thrown around in our seats pretty good. Suddenly we'd be zipping along and we'd be ejected a couple inches off our seats! Very exciting. The Mexican style boat (I forget what it was called) has a fairly flat bottom and the seats are slats of wood. Needless to say, in waves if you are in the front the ride gets quite bumpy. We put life jackets under our butts to cushion our landings.

Finally after passing many islands, most of them choked by mangroves, we reached West Snake Caye. What a beautiful island! Beaches, coral reefs off shore, little white crabs on the shoreline; it was everything paradise is supposed to look like:


We went for a refreshing swim in the ocean. Here's my beautiful wife toweling off back a the beach:


Here's the two of us on the beach (yes, I'm squinting, it was a hot blinding sun, so sue me):


After our swim we hung out on the beach and talked to one of the rangers who was building a new station on the island to keep a look out for Guatemalans who fish illegally in the protected waters. After this it was time for some snorkeling! Jay had crept off to do some fishing on the other side of the island, so the rest of us got into the boat and tied up the boat to a buoy about 100 yards away from him and got ready to snorkel. Neither Jobina nor I had ever done this before so were both excited and a bit nervous. Chris told us to make sure we spat into our masks as a first step. "Um, how much spit?" I asked incredulously. "About this much," he said and promptly hocked a huge lougie into his mask. Riiiiight. Anyway after a few minutes we got out masks and "fins" on. Here's Jobina about to take the plunge:


Here she is again in the water:


Later I too jumped in:

Snorkeling is an amazing experience. After you figure out how to breathe (and not panic) you relax into it and begin to notice what's all around you. Such beauty! The coral, plants, and starfish are fascinating enough, but the fish were mind-boggling. So many fish! It was like Finding Nemo in real life. Even without my glasses I saw three huge fish that were almost as long as I was. Gliding quietly in the water I saw scores of multi-colored fish chasing each other around and soon I was chasing them. So much fun! I'm not sure how long we stayed out there but it was magical and over way too soon. I can see moving to the Caribbean just to be able to snorkel like that. All I can say is "Wow."

Eventually we pulled ourselves away from the fish and returned to the boat. I was surprised to find Jobina there with a case of seasickness. She seemed to feel better though when we took off for a nearby Ranger station/interpretative center on another tiny island nearby. The island was small but cute with a three story tower in the middle. Here is the welcome sign after we were given permission by the rangers to dock at the island:


This island had the most unusual urinal I have ever seen. It hangs right over the water. Here it is:



When you go inside and pop up the toilet seat lid, here is what you see: tropical water with little golden fish swimming below you. Peeing down onto the fish was quite the unique experience (and they didn't seem to mind)!


After a nice lunch underneath the Ranger Station where it was nice and cool, we took a tour of the station. Here is the view from one of the windows:


And here is a map showing the reserve with all the little islands that the rangers patrol. With precious little resources (money or supplies) these rangers do an admirable job to protect the fragile eco-system that they have been entrusted with:


Warning: Frank discussion of my bodily functions ahead, proceed at your own risk.

Soon we left the station, did some fishing from the boat, went snorkeling again, and then headed for home. As were doing our last snorkel I realized that I had to go pee. Can you pee in the ocean I thought? You can pee in lakes - but maybe not the ocean, maybe the salt in the water would hurt delicate parts of the body? Indecision ruled me. Although this makes no sense to me as I look back, I decided to hold it. The problem was when we got back into the boat my bladder starting giving me more urgent messages. Soon we were jumping across the water and Jobina and I in the front were being slammed down again and again as the boat hit the waves. Not good! I told Chris I had to go the bathroom so he actually went faster - which was even worse because the bumps were harsher. I thought my bladder was going to burst. Images of me peeing off the boat or being poisoned by my ruptured bladder tormented me. I prayed fervently. Finally (after what seemed an eternity) we neared PG where I was told that we could stop off at a dock near Wayne's apartment and I could use his facilities there. As we approached this place, suddenly Chris changed his mind and said the tide was too far out to risk going at this dock. Arghhh! So we headed for a Texaco station near the main town dock. A few minutes later as we neared the dock suddenly Wayne's hat flew off his head and into the water, a victim of the intense wind. "Noooooooooo!" I screamed internally as I felt I was near the edge of having an accident. We slowly turned around and went back for the hat but we missed it the first time, necessitating another run at it. Finally we scooped it up, wasting several minutes in the process and I began to lose all hope. Chris eventually got us to the main PG dock and I hobbled onto it and very slowly goose stepped my way to the Texaco station. "Where is the bathroom please?" I croaked to a disinterested Belizean behind the till. She motioned with her head outside. I practically crawled around the building only to find the door was locked. I grimaced and crept back to the lady? "It's locked," I whispered to her and then she pointed to the key on the counter. With my last bit of self control I grabbed it, and got outside to the bathroom and relieved myself. "That was the most beautiful moment of my life," I said honestly to the laughing boat as I returned. I love that gas station! Here's a picture of me in front of it a few days later. I'm quite fond of it actually. It will always have a special place in my heart.