Nerea and family are visiting. This is a shot from our first day on the road.

Day 9 - back at the airport

From Belize Day 7 ...

So you are thinking to yourself, what happened to days 4-8? Small island, limited internet connection. Right now i am sitting in the Belize International Airport with a fantastic internet connection - somthing that was lacking in our cute little place on Caye Caulker. I have uploaded photos from days 1-4 and 6-7. Day 5 was spent eating and sleeping - we were exhausted from the snorkling trip the day before!

I am hoping that marc will back-blog after we get through the security line (well, he is in the security line, i am sitting at the front of the line on a bench playing on the computer- i love you marc!). EEk! time to go - bye!

Day 3 - Caye Caulker Barrier Reef

Crikey! Didn't this gal learn anything from the Croc Hunter?

From Belize Day 3 ...

Today we went on a snorkeling tour with Ras Creek. He was a fisherman and used to clean his conch on the reef, which attracted rays. They got used to him, and began eating out of his hands. Now they flock whenever he arrives and he can handle them. He started a tour company and spearheaded a movement to have the reef declared a reserve in 1998.

The underwater camera is phantastic. I swam down to the bottom at one location and snapped a shot. The camera told me I was 3.5 meters down. We will post albums on Picasa and link to them.

Oh, I started the day fixing the owners wireless router. He has offered us free use of his bikes and kayak. Looks like we are in the island swing of things. Barter is here to stay.

Day 2 - Belize City - The Belize Museum

From Belize Day 2 ...

The head in the back is the largest jade object yet discoved in the Maya area. Here it is shown as discovered, arranged in a Mayan burial. (Check out the large ear plug in the foreground, too.) This giant head, carved from a single piece of jade, is a symbol of Belize, and is currently protected by a thin plexiglass box that contains the burial remains. (No photos allowed in the museum, so you can see security was tight.) The museum is housed in a two story, 18th century jail that was closed in 1989 when it had 6-8 inmates per one-person cell. It currently showcases a great collection of Mayan jade objects, a city history, a philatelic collection, a stellae, and a lot of intricately decorated ceramics dating from 500 BC to 900 AD.

From Belize Day 2 ...

Detail of the Altun Ha Jade Head. Sitting on its side, the mouth is on the right hand side.

Mama Chen's

Lunch after the museum, but where to eat. Wandering to a few more sights I spied Mama Chens. Chinese? They should have some veggie options. We walked in, sat down, and this young lady comes up and says, apologetically, "Sorry, we have no food with meat." Purrfection. A couple of very tidy Rastas started making recommendations. Courtney was in heaven. We need to send the info to Rough Guide, as they don't have an entry there. Oh, and great BUBBLE TEA!

dining at DFW

As Jasmina would say, in her slightly Eurpean, mostly Valley Girl accent, "Dee Eff Double-U is Fucking AWESOME!"

It's like a 22nd Century pueblo. Every 15 or so gates you come to a crossroads of stores, entertainment and eateries. Each one is a collection of two-story stainless steel sheathed casitas with McDonaldses (with free video game consoles) under restaurants like Reata Grill and Cantina Laredo, where we are eating. Alcohol and Cofee bars mingle with 7-11 type stores, and Cartier is 30 ft. from my dining table.

We just had fresh quacamole and fiery chapotle salsa and CDO has started on her Spinach/Mushroom/Onion/Cheese Enchilada. "It's very nice. It has some sorta creamy yellow sour cream on top." That's the Chepotle sour cream.

Well, time to eat. Photos to Phollow.

***Update 7/9/2007***

From Belize Day 1 ...

photo of marc's yummy, yummy food

list lover

i love lists. i make lists on the computer, on scraps of paper, on the back of books, anywhere really. for the upcoming trip i of course have many lists in progress. today i was making lists of what i needed to do before i leave on sunday - lots and lots. a few days ago i googled 'what to bring belize' and found a few fantastic lists of what we needed. i knew i could come up with most of it myself, but i liked the idea that someone else had done most of the work. just in case you are planning an adventure to a caribbean island or central american country, here is the list, feel free to use it!

Travel
__ Passport
__ Itinerary & confirmation numbers
__ Cash
__ Travel Checks
__ Credit Cards

Clothing
(Pack normal beachwear and casual attire for the Caye. Be sure to pack light weight, fast drying clothes for the jungle.)

__ Bathing suit(s)
__ Hat (sun protection)
__ Sweater, sweatshirt, or windbreaker
__ Long sleeve shirts (for hiking)
__ Long Pants (for hiking)
__ Shorts (some nylon)
__ Shirts
__ Underwear (cotton)
__ Lots of socks
__ Sleeping attire

__ Sandals
__ Sturdy hiking boots
__ Athletic shoes


Toiletries
We recommend packing all toiletries in ziplock plastic bags.

__ Sun screen (waterproof)
__ Sun Burn Cream
__ Insect repellent

__ Hairbrush
__ Deodorant
__ Shave gear
__ Baby wipes
__ Shampoo & Conditioner
__ Toothbrush, toothpaste & floss
__ Feminine products (tampons, etc.) if needed
__ Bio-degradable soap
__ Spare Eye-glasses

__ Hydrogen peroxide
__ Band-Aids
__ Benadryl-ointment
__ Ibuprofen
__ Dramamine
__ Swimmers ear drops
__ Necessary medication ( aspirin, anti-diarrheal, lactade, etc.)
__ Prescription Drugs


Equipment
It is very important to get good quality equipment and try it on first.

__ Sunglasses (preferably polarized)
__ Beach towel
__ Mask, fins, snorkel
__ Water shoes
__ Dive suit/wet suit (if sensitive to sun/cold)
__ Mesh bag for damp clothes

__ Water bottle
__ Waterproof flashlight
__ Batteries
__ Binoculars
__ Notebook or journal
__ Camera (+ underwater case or disposable underwater)
__ Memory Cards for camera
__ Day pack
__ Pocket knife
__ Waterproof headlamp (for caving)
__ Poncho
__ Bandannas
__ Hand towel/Shammi
__ Energy Bars/Snacks
__ Go Fish Cards