Day 1 and something

I will start my “blog” about our trip to Belize in Atlanta when we boarded the plane to Belize.   The  plane to Belize wasn’t  a really tiny plane, it was a four across seats, with really nice stewardess’ that seemed so much more relaxed than others.  The people on the plane weren’t ordinary either, they seemed to be more friendly towards each other, assisting  each other with stuff and making sure everyone was comfortable.   We sat behind a couple from Tallahassy and next to another couple from Chicago I think.   The couple from Tallahassy were older and the woman was very informative about Belize, I believe they lived here part of the year.

                When exiting the plane it was the old fashioned way of going down the pulled up stairway and the first thing you notice is the blinding sun as you go down the stair, the next thing you notice is the blast of heat that comes with it.  Automatically your sweat pores open up and then the body does it’s internally cooling.  You do not stop with the body cooling you down so it’s important to drink a LOT of water.  Some people don’t enjoy the heat, and usually I am one of those, but to me this heat was a  rather nice heat.  Instantly I didn’t feel the pain I normally feel when walking on my ankle with the gout, I also didn’t feel the nagging pain in my side from the kidney stones.   I smiled and didn’t stop until the next morning!

                After going through customs, a fairly nice group that was pleasant but not personable, we then were on the outside of the airport.  We had arrived earlier and of course had to wait for our car rental to pick us up but while waiting taxi cab drivers would ask us nicely if we had a ride and then  continue to discuss with us Belize while we were waiting.   I didn’t feel the normal push of cab drivers trying to do a pick up but just a friendly group of individuals.   When Rocky arrived with the vehicle and escorted us to his  “office”  (very nicely maintained shack)  he was very curious about who we were, where we were going and in many ways much like other Belizians in that they are very friendly and helpful.  Every where we went we were given information about different areas.  Advise flows freely from these people in the most helpful of manners.

                We took off first to get the gas for the vehicle, at a shell station.  While Charlie was filing the vehicle up I went inside to get some water.  The “Crystal” water sells all over the place, it is the drinking water of Belize and tasted much like regular drinking water.  The bottles cost a belizian dollar a piece and when I handed the cashier a 5 dollar beliezian he gave me a one belizian dollar and one American dollar for change.  It was confusing trying to establish weather I had gotten the correct change and I talked to Charlie and he said of course it was ok, that the American dollar equaled two belizian so in actualllity I had gotten 3 dollars back.  Be aware of the way the belizians do things, and how they can quickly convert your change.  When I came out and asked Charlie how much did the gas cost he told me it was $138 dollars, which in American money is $69.00, a bit more that we pay  but the vehicle  we rented doesn’t seem to burn it up that quickly.

                Be mindful of where you are in Belize,  we wanted to go one way and ended up on the wrong highway that eventually got us where we wanted to be but took  a significantly more amount of time.  The road less traveled isn’t always a good road to go on but what the hell, we were on an adventure.  If you want to practice how to drive in Belize, think of taking a truck or SUV down a country road, I mean a real country road with LOTS of pot holes, no signs on the streets, no highway lights and being ready for any animal to run out at you.   We were  (I should say Charlie) was driving on the road going at  a slow pace and taking his time when this animal that reminded me of a raccoon/large dog ran out in front of us.  I was happy that he failed to hit it but when speaking to an ex pat later on I found out Belizian’s call the animal squash because there are so many squashed on the side of the road.  Very simply life style with a very simple explanation.  

                We stopped at a Road side “stand” , one of many lining the highway in order to get some lunch. We ordered taco’s (3 for a belizian dollar) and got 3 taquito’s instead.  The man there knew enough English to say he didn’t speak it very well and I told him I knew enough Spanish to tell him I didn’t speak Spanish too well.  I have to say they were very good taquitos and very satisfying but was warned later on by an ex pat that I shouldn’t stop at road side stands because they are there one day and gone the next and that it was better to hit up someone more reliable who actually has a restaurant because they have to have good food all the time, since they can’t run away from their business, that the road side stands you don’t really know what your getting!

                We finally arrived at Corozal Beach Sands Resort, the road again is little more than a winding dirt road with LOTS of ruts ( let me drive instead of Charlie, he hasn’t learned how to see the shadows and know there’s a bump major in the road) and met our hotel runners, Jen and Bill.   Bill is a chef of the highest order with an amazing capacity to give really great advice.  Listen closely though because he might say the same thing twice in a different way.   Jen readied our “room” while Bill showed us the swimming area and let us know which area’s required swim apparel while others there was no requirement.  Our room was a Hut with a queen size bed, small table and two chairs, side table, lamp and a net hanging over the bed.  There is a wardrobe, a side room with a walk in shower and the toilet and the sink.  It was simple, not fancy or decorative but well maintained.  You can see through the floor boards though, little cracks of lights come up.   The walls are only waist high and the remaining height is simple wooden shutters with netting on the outside. 

                Jen and Bill not only run the hotel but the bar and restraint here.  Bill is enterprising and always trying new things, he has a tilapia hatchery he is trying that seems to do well.  He also has a garden, and is in to thinking of ways to achieve the most he can.   The restraunt/bar seems to be a mix up of New York meets Tiki Island,  simple wood tables and chairs and a deer head over the bar.  Jen is quiet but once she warms up to you is so sweet.  They were helping us look at property up here since a lot of the ex pats tend  to look in southern belize but the more self sustaining ones tend to live up north.  We made plans over dinner (delicious!   But we were so tired we were ready to drop!) to go to Corozol the next day and see the town hall (really gorgeous painting) the town, the church and the market.  We followed her (this time I drove, we went fast and Charlie held on to the “oh shit” handle.  It was very reminiscent of perhaps a small Mexican town with many friendly people around and many hawkers.  I learned the best place to buy meats (Frank’s Processed Meat) and that Patty’s Place had potatoes almost exactly like the ones I make at home.   I bought some hairclips because I could not take the heat on the back of my neck and I bought real made on the spot pork rinds!  They were delicious.  We decided after the market to return to the hotels to check and see if Dan, the local selling property wanted to meet us today or tomorrow and it was decided that we would return and go to Cerres temple.

                Cerres (pronounced SER-ous) is a mayan templ e that was also much like a park setting.   The temple was down a rather long path that was lined with these plants that have purple, red green leaves.