Caye Caulker in Pictures

**Click on pictures for larger view**

We landed in Belize on Tuesday and spent Tuesday - Friday on Caye Caulker. Of the 3 Belizean islands we have visited, Caye Caulker has been our favorite and we knew it was the only one we were interested in visiting on this trip.

We didn't find the island exactly as we'd left it.

In the past, we had found it to be much slower-paced and less crowded than the more popular, Ambergris Caye (called San Pedro by locals). However, it is clear that more and more tourists are becoming aware of the smaller Caye. We noticed several new hotels had been opened, resorts were in the process of being built, there was more trash on the beaches and much more pressure from the locals to look into their shops, eat at their restaurants, and purchase their crafts. Most surprising to me, was the golf cart taxis driving up and down the 1 mile of sandy road constantly offering to drive us to our destinations. It's only one mile! Why would we need a taxi?

The island is becoming less of a backpackers destination and more of a Caribbean "tourist trap." It is still beautiful, but we plan to explore the less popular Saltwater Caye for our next trip.

But, it was a wonderful 4 days. We avoided the tourist restaurants and followed the local traffic at meal times. This was a great decision for two reasons-- the food was cheaper and much much better! For breakfast, we walked about half a mile to a blue home surrounded by tropical flowers. The owner of the home sold cinnamon rolls right out of her kitchen. We ordered 3 cinnamon rolls and 1 cup of coffee each, which cost us $4.50 bz ($2.25 US) total.

For lunch, we were excited to find locally made salbutes. We ate salbutes for the first time during

the year we lived in Blue Creek and fell in love with them. We have not eaten them since we returned home and were anxious to taste the fried masa topped with shredded chicken, cabbage, tomatoes and lime. So, when we were strolling through the island one afternoon and happened upon a small blue building with a chalkboard advertising salbutes for $1.00 bz each, we couldn't resist. I ordered 2 or 3 and Nathan ordered 4. This cost us a total of $7.00 bz ($3.50 US). Also, a few blocks down, we passed a fruit stand offering fresh squeezed watermelon juice for $5 bz per litre. Yes please and thank you! Even Young Mister Picky Eater loved the watermelon juice!

Finally, for dinner we went 100% Belizean and found a local couple who made homemade rice and beans with stewed chicken for $7 bz each. They also made their own homemade ginger ale for $6 per litre. It was delicious and refreshing, mixed with a bit of orange and a twist of lime, but it was strong!! The ginger made it so spicy, I had to cut mine with equal parts of water. It would be absolutely fantastic in lemonade.

We pretty much spent those 4 days swimming in the Caribbean, eating and sleeping. I could not have asked for a more perfect vacation with my husband and my little boy. It was the perfect way to get away, relax and unwind before the whirlwind of reunions that Blue Creek would bring.

I mentioned in an earlier post that I got pretty red on that second day! Lucky for me it had become a nice tan by the next morning.

Corban and Daddy on a pier

Hey dad! Do you see that tree growing right in the middle of the water? Let's check it out!

Corban and Daddy in the Mangroves

Water time with my boy!

Corban and the Chicken

I wrote in an earlier post about Corban's reaction to the chickens. I think he thought we were playing a joke on him. This was pretty much the face he made the entire time he stood there looking at that goofy animal.

You guys, c'mon. Are you serious? This is one straaange cat! And it's head is much to small for its body!

Get-ohh!

What a fun day we had today!!

I will start with the highlight-- We got to ride in a Cessna 172!! That is a little 4 seater plane with 160 horsepower!! Nathan, Corban and I were invited to ride with John, the Pastor here in Blue Creek, who we are staying with tonight and tomorrow night. He gave us a great view of the village as well as the surrounding area. The highlight of the trip was seeing where Belize, Mexico and Guatemala meet. Just seeing a place where a few countries border one another may not sound too exciting, but to us it was amazing! I can't imagine too many people have seen that sight! And from 1000 feet up no less!! Corban is one lucky kid to be able to do all these things before the age of 2!

Today reminded me so much of this day. I can't believe that was more than 4 years ago!

We also have now moved from Abe's house to John and Marians--as I just mentioned above. Abe and his family have been so wonderful and hospitable, it was great to be able to spread out and get comfortable in their home over the past three days. But as Nathan says, "Fish and guests go bad in three days." We didn't want to wear out our welcome, so we said our thank yous and our goodbyes today and headed to our final home-away-from-home in Belize. John and Marian weren't a pastor couple when we lived here last. John taught with Nathan and we had several opportunities to spend time with them and have some really great conversations. So, when they invited us to stay a few nights I was happy to accept! We have already had an awesome flight and a wonderful dinner-- they have set the bar high and we can't wait to see what tomorrow will bring!

Also, thanks to our time here in Blue Creek, Corban knows the difference between a horse and a cow almost 100% of the time! As I mentioned before, Cow is "pow" to him. And horse is "ossthhh"-- but he is getting his point across! And his newest word, as of bedtime tonight, is gecko, which he pronounces as "get-ohh!" This came about tonight when we found a baby gecko in his crib. I guess baby geckos need a safe place to sleep, just like baby people! Anyway, geckos are very very fast. So, as soon as he was discovered in the crib he shot out and crawled onto the wall then stuck to the ceiling. As Nathan changed Corban's diaper, he looked up and practiced saying, "get-ohh!" We have video of this and you better believe it will be up on one of our blogs very soon! I am so happy that Corban is learning so many new words and seeing so many different animals up close-- something that just doesn't happen in our little suburb!

I still have so many pictures to post. But, so much is happening so quickly and time is passing so fast, I can't keep up with everything. Suffice it to say, most of our pictures will have to wait until we get home. But, we are having a wonderful time. We are getting tired but will be very sad to say goodbye to this beautiful country and it's friendly people in just a few days time.

The only disappointing part of the day is that we didn't have a camera when we went up in the plane. The pictures aren't the best quality, because they were taken from Nathan's phone. His phone actually has a decent camera, but definitely not one made to take clear, detailed pictures from such a distance!

That white dot in the middle of this photo is an obelisk marking the point where Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize meet.

Totally Captivated

Ready for Takeoff!

Oh, and It's Nathan's Birthday

Let me just tell you all, we came to Belize during the rainy season. Which means, we came during the hottest and muggiest time of the year. Here in the sub-tropics, the humidity builds and builds until the air and land can't take it any longer. When you are sure you are going to melt into a pile of sweat-soaked clothing, the thunder crashes, the clouds rush in and it pours.

Now, I am from Washington you guys, and we know rain. We know the difference between showers, sprinkles, light rain, pouring rain, misty rain, hail, etc. But there is no rain like Belizean rain. One moment the sun is baking you and the air is so thick you are sure you can part it with your hands. The next moment, the rain falls. It pelts down on the metal roofs and pours over the gutters (ok, that's not true, they don't even bother with gutters here). The buildings are surrounded by pools of water and the ditches on the sides of the roads are flowing over. Then, 10 minutes or so, the clouds leave and the sun is back out. In another hour, everything is dry, leaving the break in humidity as the only clue that the rain had come.

We picked this very hot day to take Corban to Lamanai. Lamanai is a Mayan ruin that is very nearby-- only about an hour drive. Which, on these bumpy, limestone roads, translates to about 25 miles. We did a very quick tour. We trampled through the jungle, Corban pointed out all of the ants that crossed our path, we showed him his first howler monkey. Oddly, he was too busy marveling at the ants to care to look up and see those curious little black monkeys looking down at us. We climbed the 3 largest temples and took some great pictures.

For dinner, we went to visit a family who were very dear friends to us during our time here-- Dave and Daphne. They had just purchased 2 new cows at an auction earlier that day. Corban saw his first cow yesterday and called them "Doggies." Today, when he saw them up close, Dave and Nathan finally taught him to say "Cow." Although, he has to put his own spin on it and calls it a "Pow." But he is very confident now and by the end of the evening, every time he heard one mooing he would point outside and say, "Powww!"

He also saw his first chicken. I was inside helping with dinner, so I didn't witness the hilarity, but Nathan captured a few pictures. There stood the chicken, looking up at Corban and there stood Corban, still as a statue-- pointer finger outstretched with a huge grin on his face. In the photos he was wearing an expression as if to say, "Seriously, you guys? Are you seeing this? This has got to be the ugliest cat I have ever seen!" It was a great night with a wonderful family. It is so nice to get connected again.

Tomorrow the village is holding a potluck for us at the local park. The invitation went out saying, "Anyone who knows the Lemanskis or would like to know them is invited." I can't wait to see everyone!

Photo evidence of my difficulty acclimating to this humid weather. But wow, does Corban take a great picture!

The Fam in the Jungle.

Nearly to the top of the Temple of the Jaguar

About halfway up the High Temple-- This one is H U G E people!

Happy Birthday Nathan!

Happy Birthday to you
Happy Birthday to you!
Happy Birthday dear Nathan
Happy Birthday to you!

In honor of Nathan's 33rd year, I am posting a few of the pictures from Caye Caulker. This is all the pictures I have had a chance to edit so far. After all, we are on vacation here people! :)

You know I am kidding, blogging is my one true addiction!

Walking "downtown" Caye Caulker

Very excited to get into the water

Total Surfer Dude

Catching the Water Taxi back to Belize City with Caye Caulker in the background

The Caye

I know you've already seen this one, but I really liked it. And it's my blog, so I am posting it again.

Tanned Toes

Nathan thought these baby palms trees needed a teeny little hammock

Corban and Daddy going for a swim.

Goodbye Blue, Hello Green

The Lemanskis left Caye Caulker this afternoon and have safely arrived in Blue Creek.

We left behind the blue-green Caribbean, the white sandy beaches and crystal blue sky. We have traded it for the jade, emerald and lime green colors of the rain forest. The olive green hues of the farmland dotted with white Brahma cows. The dusty, potholed roads made of a mix of white limestone and rusty clay, marking the way for trucks piled high with brown sugar cane. We have traded the gentle sounds of the sea and the cry of the merchant selling souvenirs for the whirring of cicadas and crickets and the rush of the wind blowing through the palm trees.

I can't decide which part of the country I love most.

At the Water Taxi, we met Randy Remple. He was in Nathan's 9th grade Spanish class three years ago. But, know he is a high school graduate studying to be an insurance salesman. He drove us the 2 hours into Blue Creek and took us to Abe's house.

If you don't know us personally, I will just tell you that we met Abe when he hired Nathan to teach in Blue Creek in 2006 and our relationship quickly and easily blossomed into a friendship. We are staying at his parent's home for most of our time in Blue Creek. Tonight, his entire family (those that live in the village) gathered at his brother and sis-in-law's (Albert and Nancy) house to eat dinner with us and welcome us back to Belize. They have always been so good to us and continue to make us feel like a part of their extended family. Albert and Nancy have adopted a little girl, Kyra, and built a beautiful home since we last saw them. Corban fit right in with the cousins, fighting over Kyra's toys-- really favoring the pink D.o.r.a sunglasses and baby carriage ;)

We have a few days here in Blue Creek and A LOT of people to see! Tomorrow is Nathan's birthday, so we plan to head out to the Mayan ruins of Lamanai and spend the day climbing ancient temples and walking through rain forests older than my mind can comprehend.

So again, we are safe and sound. We are having a wonderful time. And falling in love with this beautiful and diverse country all over again.

Slowing Down

**Sorry, still no pix yet. Soon!**

This was our second full day on Caye Caulker. We are getting the feel of island life again, and have slowed down to enjoy the scenery, sounds and the people. When you first step on Caye Caulker from the main dock, you pass right over a mosaic in the sand that says, "Caye Caulker- Go Slow." And those native to the island shout the reminder any time they see you walking too quickly or in a hurry to do anything. "Hey lady, dis is de island, Mama. Go Slow."

Love that.

Today was an extension of yesterday in almost every sense. We woke up, walked to get our breakfast. Went to our room to eat and get read to swim. Walked to the beach where we swam until Corban couldn't take it and had to take a nap. We went back inside and Nathan went and got us lunch while Corban slept. As soon as he woke up, we walked back down to the beach. We fed him on the way and back into the water we went. The 30 minute rule totally doesn't apply in the Caribbean. :) Again we swam and swam.

We interrupt the calm and beauty of the day to bring you a sad event. Nathan and Corban were in the water, inspecting the cracks in a broken piling, which crabs had claimed as home. Corban was getting really excited and all was right with the world. Then, out of nowhere, a jellyfish swam between Nathan and Corban, stinging them both. Corban cried for about 3 minutes and eventually calmed down and resumed pointing out boats and playing with sand. Both he and Nathan had some pretty ugly red bumps. I felt so bad for both of them, but especially for poor Corban, who can't make sense of what happened and only knows that something came and hurt him in the middle of an otherwise happy day.

After the sting went away, Nathan and Corban were ready for more sun and Caribbean Sea. We put SPF 50 on Corban and SPF 15 on ourselves-- guess who got burned today? Yeeeah, Nathan and I have a nice red hue and Corban is just looking like a sun-kissed island boy.

We discovered one of Corban's funny talents on this trip. He has the uncanny ability to point out every.single.ant that crosses his path. Do you have any idea how many ants are on this island? We are beginning to get an idea! "Aaatt. Aaatt. Aaat." Oh my goodness, he has to stop and point at each one. Which only further encourages us to follow the advise of the island and it's people: "Go Slow."

I'm excited to tell you about the wonderful food and share some tips on how to make a trip like this affordable. But, my time is nearly up and the internet cafe so I must sign off. We are leaving the island tomorrow and headed to Blue Creek to meet up with old friends. We will miss the island, but we are anxious to see so many beloved faces.

Until then, try and go slow.

Reset the Clock

In June 2007, we flew home from our year in Belize. Since that time, we have occasionally spoken about it saying, "Remember what we were doing for Christmas a year ago?" "Man, to think we have been home from Belize for 2 years." And most recently, as I looked down from the window of the plane, laying eyes on the rainforest and farmland of Belize I said, "Wow, I can't believe I haven't seen this sight in over 3 years!" Nathan immediately responded, "Now. You are seeing it now. Reset your clock."

I loved that.

The clock has been reset.

We are in Belize now. We are on Caye Caulker now. We swam in the Caribbean today.

But it's even better now, because we're here with our son. It makes the nights end a little earlier and the mornings come a bit sooner. But, it is just as we left it.

More will come. I will find the camera cord (hopefully!) and load a few pictures.

Mostly, just wanted everyone in blog land (mom :) to know:

We landed safely in Belize City.
We got to the Water Taxi without any hiccups, thanks to a great driver
The boat landed in Caye Caulker.
We are here.

Our clocks have been reset.

Testing, Testing 1,2,3.

It's time to pluck this blog from oblivion, because we will soon be headed to beautiful Belize! We are so homesick for the enchanting land we once called home and the friends we have so dearly missed!

First, we will land in busy, humid, sunny, tourist-hungry Belize City.

Right away we will board a Water Taxi, which will speed over the clear Caribbean water to...

Beautiful, slow-paced, Caye Caulker. Yes people, that is an island surrounded by the Caribbean Sea.

After 4 days, it's back on the Water Taxi for us and a 2 hour drive over lime and clay roads...

Destination: Blue Creek! The small town beside the Rio Azul, tucked inside beautiful sub-tropical rain forests. From there, the adventure will continue.

The trip begins in less than 48 hours. I can't wait to introduce Corban to so many new sights, sounds, flavors, people and smells.

The Last Chapter - 12/9/2007

Melissa and I have been in Washington for several months now, but I am still in love with Belize. It is a third world country with many problems - but to quote Lilo & Stitch, "It is small, and broken ... but it's good." Sometimes I wonder if our year living there actually happened. At times I feel like we woke up from a dream; that living in Central America never actually happened and we've been in Washington this whole time. It went by so quickly and we did and saw so many amazing things that I often can't believe I actually lived that life. The experience permanently changed me and the people we met are unforgettable.

This is a sad entry for me becuase it is just one more reminder that it's all over. This will be my last entry on this blog - the final chapter, though Melissa may have something to add still. From now on my posts will continue on my original blog, Where There Are No Palm Trees.

As hard as it was to leave Belize, I know coming back to Washington was a good thing. The lifestyles are just so different that living in one place makes the reality of the other seem like a dream. It feels like we traded one world for another. We traded beaches for mountains, summer for winter, fireflies for streetlights, and washed-out limestone roads for interstate traffic. We traded the sound of howler monkeys beyond the rainforest trees for the howl of the Sounder train beyond the evergreens. And we traded palm trees in paradise for family and friends.

When we returned to the States, we didn't have jobs or a home to come back to. Now, we live in Auburn, WA in a fancy-shmancy apartment. Seriously - it's set up more like a resort than an apartment. It's brand new (we're the first tenants in this unit - with granite countertops even!) and has a clubhouse for us to enjoy as part of the rent we pay. It includes a sports court, decently equipped gym, pool, spa, theater room, common kitchen and living room which can be used for private functions, a cafe with free coffee, tea, and continental breakfasts, free internet and television, cooking & exercise classes ... it's crazy!

I ended up taking a High School teaching position at Auburn Moun-tainview High School. I teach 10th Grade English and one class of 11th Grade Reading. My kids are fun and I love my job. Our school was built in 2005, overlooking the famous landmark Mt. Rainier. Melissa also has a new job - she has recently been hired by King County Juvenile Probation, so she's back in the game doing what she loves to do. God has blessed us in amazing ways!

Though we have finished the last chapter on Belize, the book is not over. We are now working on writing a new chapter for our life together under the cloud cover of Western Washington, planning visits with our friends in Central America, and re-acquainting ourselves with old friends and family in the States. Through it all, we carry with us the warmth that Belize and its people have left in our hearts, basking in its tropical heat wherever we go...

Reality Check - 7/6/07

What a crazy month it has been! This was the first view of home we caught from the air as we made our final descent into Seattle, Washington on June 16th, 2007. Our last view of Belize was palm trees and sun. Our first view of Washington was Mount Rainier and snow. It is a breathtaking view, but it made us cold just to see it!

Since we have been home we have visited nearly all of our family and many many friends. We've also spent time with friends that feel like family (that's you Rodenbecks!) and family who feel like good friends (yup Ryan and Lindsey, you guys rock!) Since we've been back we have been to the mall, sipped drinks at Starbucks, shopped at Old Navy, browsed in huge book stores, gone to the theater, eaten at a great Mexican restaurant, taken a wine cruise on the lake, and so many other things we were dying to do while we were in Belize! We are having a blast, but boy do we miss Belize! I actually feel homesick for some of the sights and people that I miss so much. Here is a quick list-

Susy: I miss your kids and our times at the pool
Lizzle for Shizzle: I miss hearing you say, "Hello my friends!" and our bedtime chats.
Hilda: I miss your great cooking, our chats, lying in your hammock, our great adventures, and of course, the dogs!
Abe: I miss playing Texas Hold'Em, flying around the country, going on grand adventures, and your laugh!
Marg, Margaret, Susy, Susanna, Tina, Corrina: I miss our Thursday mornings!
Susie: Thanks for teaching me how to make tamales. I miss your silly son!
Marian: I miss our Wednesday evenings, bible study in your computer room and your crazy boys!
Cynthia: I miss your smile, never knowing what your thinking, and your "zany-ness"

There are more, so many people were generous to us during our stay, there are so many people who made us feel comfortable and welcome. Thank you all, you are the reason we miss Belize so much.

I absolutely want to visit again. Thank you for a wonderful and unforgettable year!

By the way: this isn't quite our last post. Keep checking for our official sign-off!

225/75R15 - 5/30/07

Melissa and I just finished celebrating our two year anniversary down South. We found ourselves taking a little side trip, however. As we were heading back into the mountains toward Belmopan, we passed several orchards; the orange groves growing right next to the side of the road. Melissa wished to herself that she could get a closer look at them. That’s only funny in hindsight.

As we were driving along with the windows down, we suddenly heard a terrible screaming noise from the edge of the trees, keeping pace with the truck and causing us to think some unknown jungle animal had flown toward us and was now following along, jaws open wide and talons ready to attack. When our reality checks were cashed, we realized we had only blown a tire. The truck needs an alignment, and on these roads it didn’t take long for the rubber to wear down. After it blew open there was a hole in the side of the tire large enough for a toucan to nest in. Lucky for us, there was no cell service and we were in the middle of nowhere. Wait … that’s not luck.

We tried to get the tire off, only to realize our jack was in fact broken. We had passed a large, walled mountainside estate about a half mile down the road that may or may not have been the home of an international drug lord, so we started walking toward it looking for help. That’s when we noticed the clouds on the horizon. The beginning of June marks the beginning of rainy season, and the clouds indicated that this year’s rains would arrive right on schedule.

Alongside the wall of the house we met Miguel, who was able to find a jack for us behind the compound. We started back toward the truck, just as the rains hit. Rains here are surprising in two ways. One, they are almost exactly like standing under a waterfall. Two, the rain is warm so the water soaking through your underwear is surprisingly refreshing. At first, anyway…

Miguel came along to help, and another local stopped to assist as well. Between the four of us, we were not able to get the tire off the truck. Our only other option was to walk to the nearest phone – which the big house did not have. Melissa and I started to walk in the rain when a woman and her young son emerged from the orchard and told us of the citrus company a mile down the road that had a phone we could use. We walked with her, keeping in mind the lodge Melissa read about in our guide book as we passed this way a couple days earlier.

We arrived at the rusted, rickety gates of the Hummingbird Hershey Citrus Company, Ltd to call the nearby resort. Caves Branch Lodge had vacancy, so we asked for the guest shuttle to pick us up, take us to the truck to get our bags, and to the lodge to dry off. While waiting we learned that the citrus company’s building was once a research outpost for the Hershey chocolate company. They grew nothing there, only used it for “research.” I’m really not sure why Hershey would need a field station in the middle of nowhere and outside the jurisdiction of the FDA and US laws just to figure out how to improve their chocolate … maybe to come up with exciting Wonka-like flavors or search for oompa loompas?

When we got to the secluded, romantic lodge we explained our situation to Oscar, the head handyman. We told him we were comfortable leaving the truck there until tomorrow when we could take a taxi to Belmopan and buy a new tire. He wasn’t comfortable with that. So, he had George, a Romanian in Belize who could only communicate in Spanish, get a tire and drive me to the truck while Melissa played Scrabble with a girl who worked at the lodge. Nothing is simple however. We arrived to discover:

• The tire wouldn’t fit (the holes were too large.)
• George had a bad battery in his truck, which died after we parked leaving two decrepit trucks alongside the highway. “Now that’s what I call ironic.”
• The once-a-year hatching of the “rain bugs” that accompanies the first rain shower had since happened and our truck was swarming with a thick cloud of black-winged termites that can find their way under any clothing. Pestilence, or vacation? You decide!
• After a running start in George’s truck, we went back to Watchman Mitch at the Hershey Co. to ask for a tire, which he had – but without air.
• I had to guard the truck (it was now dark) while George and Miguel took the tire to the big house to put air in it.
• The tire would not hold air, so I had to guard the truck again while George returned to the lodge to try to find a different one. I stood by the road in the rain with a crow bar. I’m handy.
• George returned with Oscar, who knew that the crow bar I held as a weapon was also used to stick in the small hole between the bumper and tail gate. It is the “key” that lowers the spare to the ground, though that’s not how it works in any of the vehicles owned by the people trying to help us. What a versatile tool! It is a weapon, lug wrench, key, crow bar, and I’m sure it could also be used as a shoe horn and back scratcher. Every home should have one of these things.
  

I finally rolled in to Caves Branch for dinner to find Melissa had been adopted by a kind family from Texas. The lodge employees didn’t want her to eat alone, so they asked other guests to sit with her so she wouldn’t have a chance to worry or feel lonely. We spent the rest of the night and next day enjoying our stay at a lush, romantic jungle resort as an unplanned end to our anniversary celebration. We left with some souvenirs: a great T Shirt, road rash from working on the tire, bug bites from standing in the rain at night, and a bag of wet clothing.

Though it was an unexpected detour, the lodge and the tours available there were top notch. I highly recommend checking it out – but on purpose.

Marriage is Paradise, 50% of the time – 5/28/07

One thing we’ve learned about living in Belize is that time seems to move faster here than anywhere else we’ve been. It seems like back home, the weeks moved slowly; we were always saying, “Great, it’s Monday … again.”

Strangely, in Belize we’ve noticed the opposite. The weeks fly by, and it seems we’re always saying, “Wow, it’s Friday again!” In the blink of an eye a year has gone by – school is over, we’re getting ready to move back to the States, and our 2nd year anniversary came and went. Two years already! We celebrated our anniversary this week in Hopkins, a Garifuna village down South in the Stann Creek district. Fitting, considering we spent our honeymoon in Placencia – by another Garifuna village in Stann Creek.

Hopkins isn’t as well known as Placencia, but Belizeans seem to prefer it. It’s no wonder. Most of the mainland in Belize has no beach along the coast, only mangroves. Hopkins and Placencia are the main exceptions. Lucky for us, low season in Hopkins (when the rates drop) starts at the beginning of May rather than the beginning of June. And, you get the best deal if you just show up. Without a reservation, you usually get a 20% discount, though I wouldn’t attempt that during the busy season.

So, we drove down the scenic Humminbird highway that snakes through the Maya Mountains from the capital of Belmopan to the coast. Those mountains are as lush and green as the Cascades, but tropical. Giant Cohune Palms (which look like up-side down feather dusters) pierce the rainforest canopy covering the narrow, towering peaks. It’s a sight I’m glad we were able to appreciate before leaving.

Once in Hopkins, you basically have 3 choices for fancy resorts. Belizean Dreams, Jaguar Reef, and Parrot Cove. Belizean Dreams was both fancy-shmancy and hoity-toity. Parrot Cove was nice, but for our anniversary we wanted a bit more. Jaguar Reef was juuuust right. It’s the choice Goldilocks would have made. The beach at the resort was beautiful, and it was close enough to the village center to bicycle in. They had a nice restaurant, friendly staff who insist on memorizing your name when you check in, AC, kayaks, bikes, and snorkels to use, two pools, wireless internet, massages under the cabana on the dock, and most amazing of all – a remote-controlled ceiling fan. I mean, let’s get serious here folks – that is pretty awesome.

The people at the resort and in the village itself were unbelievably friendly. They certainly make a tourist feel welcome. We biked into the village to look at the gift shop and get some exercise. We stopped at the local market, and while waiting in line the woman in front of us turned and began talking to Melissa. She asked if Melissa wanted to hear the music she was listening to, then put her headphones to Melissa’s ears. She then mentioned that if we liked it, she would burn us a copy and gave us her phone number. That’s not really the typical mindset in most resort towns.

Most of the time though we spent at the resort, swimming in the pool or on the beach. Even though there were not many people staying at the resort, the guests we did meet were also celebrating marriage. Most were on their honeymoon, with one or two other couples celebrating an anniversary. It was then that I realized Melissa and I have spent half of our marriage living in paradise. Half in the States, half in Belize. How cool is that! Though, many of the honeymooning couples we met were able to say they’ve spent almost 100% of their marriage in Belize. Oh well. On a side note, a shout-out to Miller’s Pub in downtown Chicago. Hope you enjoyed your trip. Melissa and I met the owner and his new wife at the poolside bar. Thanks for the T Shirt!

Though we realize marriage isn’t always going to involve glamorous locations, it has still been an amazing first two years. Our cup has been filled to overflowing and we are both ready to start the next chapter in our life. It was obvious from the beginning that marriage isn’t easy, but we’ve learned that at least half the time it is paradise…

"Your mom's an 'effing' Legend!" - 5/22/07

This statement was uttered by a particularly drunk, but very well-meaning, Irish student on our third evening in Caye Caulker. But, I am getting a little ahead of myself…

Mom was here a total of 10 days and we had a great time. It was really nice to have someone to show around this beautiful country. Mom has a great adventurous spirit, so she was ready for all we were willing to dish out! After Chan Chich, we headed back through Blue Creek and out toward Belize City, making a stop at the Mayan ruins of Lamanai. We have 2 previous blogs about Lamanai, so I won’t go into all the history and what-not. I just want to say that mom climbed the ruins, braved the Central American mosquitoes, dodged the army ants, searched for and hooted at howler monkeys like a local. We had an amazing time and got some wonderful pictures.

That night we continued to Belize City where we spent one night and caught a water taxi to Caye Caulker the following morning. We arrived on the island and began the sweaty task of finding a hotel for 4 nights. Yes, I know what you are thinking, you think we should have made reservations somewhere. Well, low season locals know it is better to ask around for a room than to make a reservation because you are more likely to get a good deal. So, we found two great rooms with A/C and cable that were right on the beach. Mission accomplished, it was time to find out what the island had in store for us.

We signed up for the same sunset tour Nathan and I took on our last trip to the Caye. So, at 5 pm, we and about 10 sunburned tourists set sail. It was a beautiful evening. The sun sets behind the island, so they sailed a few miles out and we watched the sun disappear and the stars and moon grew brighter all around us. Stop for a moment and try to picture this. The gentle rocking of a sailboat inside the reef, the sound of the water against the side. The wind is blowing gently, bringing the clean, refreshing smell of the ocean along with it. The only light you see is the streetlights on the distant island and the glow of the heavens. And then the raucous sound of a half dozen Irish college students bellowing drinking songs at the top of their lungs. …Oh yeah, there was also lots of rum punch. As soon as we set sail, they chopped up some delicious fresh conch ceviche- which, for some of us, was the only food we had had since breakfast. After they finished making the ceviche, they began passing around pitchers of rum punch which they had all prepared in a 5 gallon jug. Yes, the surroundings were beautiful, paradise even, but everyone knows that Caribbean + tourists = rum!

Anyway, the college students were singing Irish drinking songs and my mom was teaching them YMCA camp songs in return. They also taught me an Irish phrase which they told me meant, “Hello, nice to meet you.” But, surprise, surprise, it doesn’t mean that at all. It means something much more offensive. So, the boat docked about 2 hours later and we continued the rest of our vacation, which included getting some food in our stomachs.

It was two days later that Nathan and I came across the charming young man who provided the title of this blog. He saw us, immediately recalled the evening with mom on the sailboat, and wanted to wake her up and have her come drinking with him and the rest of the college students. Reggie you’re right, this certainly is a new world.

We also went on our final snorkeling tour while we were on the Caye. Mom was not excited about snorkeling because she had only gone once before in Cancun, which has no reef and was recently hit by a major hurricane. But, she was awestruck by the beauty of the barrier reef in Belize! We saw some striking bright blue coral, TONS of beautiful fish that would cost a small fortune at a pet shop back home, sting rays, sharks, a moral eel and 2 bottle-nosed dolphins all backdroped by beautiful sun-soaked coral. Mom, who before this trip wasn’t excited about either sailing or snorkeling, can now be classified as an “enthusiast.” It was the perfect day for our last snorkeling trip in Belize.

We headed back to the mainland on Tuesday the 23rd and made two more tourist stops with mom. We went to the Belize Zoo and got some great pictures of the local wildlife and Old Belize, which is like the “Old West” of Belize, where you can purchase great wooden souvenirs. Finally, we headed back to the Radisson for dinner and mom’s final sleep in Belize. Dropping her off at the airport the next day was sad, until we realized we could say, “See you in three weeks!” It was a great way to end an unforgettable trip.