A rat fit for a Queen! Once fed to Queen Elizabeth II the Pacas or what locals call Gibnuts were also called Royal Rats. We did see some on our trip I did not eat any.
I had conch first as fritters and then I had them in a couple other foods, Queen Conch is one of the largest conch species. I believe they are threatened or protected in Florida, but Belize has a very protected marine area.
Placencia is the place I spent the majority of my time in Belize. The town is a beach town in southern Belize. Great access to the lagoon, nearby jungles and mountains. The sea was right there for Caribbean views, scuba diving, snorkeling, cruises and more!
Small shops, coffee shops, eateries, rum all easily available. No big chains, no super stores, and health food was cheaper than junk food.
Going to Belize was an opportunity! When I was in Belize getting to know the people, I was staying with was an opportunity. Which led to the opportunity to explore the jungle, zipline, raft, scuba, snorkel, explore Maya ruins or simply enjoy coffee! Yes, there were some missed opportunities but more often then not some wonderful opportunities!
Another animal I did not see in the wild in Belize was the Howler Monkey. I did hear them in the jungle at the night.
The primary language in Belize is English as the country was British Honduras until 1982. The second biggest language in Belize is Spanish which makes sense considering the countries location. the third most popular language is Kriol also known as Belize Creole.
I had a couple of daytrips to Hopkins and past it several times. Hopkins is rich in the Garifuna culture which I posted about yesterday. Beach, meets jungle and mountains is a good way to describe the area.
I like to fish! There were many things I was able to do on my trip and I am extremely fortunate, lucky to be able to do. We did talk about getting a fishing trip together but for whatever reason it didn't happen. It was one of the daytrips I blogged about Saturday that didn't happen.
At the docks by Placencia and in the waters looking for crocodiles we saw plenty of tarpon!
Easter in Belize was my first Holiday religious otherwise spent in a foreign country. What I noticed was how less capitalized the holiday was. I am sure the day was celebrated in the local churches.
Here is a video from a couple of years ago about how Easter is celebrated:
Crocodiles were the top reason for my trip to Belize! Beer, new friends and food made the trip special. However, day trips made incredible memories. Sometimes they were trips to where I was going flying in little Cessna airplanes. Adventure trips to relocate a crocodile from the zoo in Belize City, or a trip to neighboring towns, or jungle hikes, tubing trips, and ziplining. My favorite day trip was a scuba diving outage.
Outreach trip to schools and the University of Belize were a great way to gain a better understanding of the culture. All trips were a way to take in more of the scenery. The daytrips all added to the adventure and most days we were on the water somewhere! Trips to the capital to renew passports was an adventure catching a bus then finding alternate transportation back.
There were daytrips and adventures I didn't get to squeeze in during my month in Belize. That certainly makes the urge to go back very strong! Some of the trips I missed will be revealed in later posts.
Crocodiles was the reason I went to Belize. Crocodiles were the driving force behind my adventure. Even though my journey was an adventure there was a journey to my adventure and in my mind the people I was fortunate to meet along the way helped made this adventure and future adventures possible!
There are two types of crocodiles in Belize, Morelet's ad American Crocodiles.
That ice-cold beer I mentioned in the first post was a Belikin. The beer of Belize and after getting through customs which wasn't that awful was just what I needed in the Belize City Airport to calm my nerves.
A video of the Belikin bottling process...
Happy April Fool's Day! Time to celebrate my Holiday with a Battle of the Bands. Keeping with the theme of the day today's song will be the Beatles "The Fool on a A Hill."
The Beatles version:
Those who are new or for a refresher. I post the original follwed by 2 or more contenders. You vote for the cover version you like in the comments. I count up the votes and post about the winner around a week or so later.
Contender 1: Petula Clark
My trip began a few days earlier than April 1st. It was the grand adventure going to Belize to study crocodiles. The last time I travelled internationally was in another century, another time when a passport wasn't required and it consisted of walking across the border of California into Mexico. The anxiety hit me as a walked across the metal walkway towards the open door of the airplane.
Made my flight in the predawn hours to Atlanta. Where I caught my second flight to Belize City.
