Home away from home

It's a regular Saturday in Belize. The sun is shining, the humidity is on the verge of oppressive and the heat of the sun wraps around with the comfort of a blanket. I wake up at eight in the morning. Michael is already up and getting ready for the day ahead. We look out at the ocean from our apartment to see if any storms are heading towards us. It is the rainy season, but today the sky is no-worries blue. I perk coffee while Michael gets his big breakfast of papaya, bananas with a mix of at least three cereals together. We sit leisurely. There is no rush.

Once dishes are clean and put away we head out to the Pickwick Club across the street for our work out. The ocean and palm trees paint the backdrop to our short walk. In Belizean fashion we say good morning to everyone who crosses your path; no recognition required. After a good sweat we jump into the club pool and sit out in the sun lathered in sunscreen. The Central American sun will roast you in minutes. The heat feels amazing, but moving to the safety of shade is necessary. We start to get a little hungry and decide it's time to head home.

After a hot cooked lunch, sandwiches are unheard of here, we get picked up by Gastone and Marta to watch some European football at the Riverside Tavern. Walking into the pub you feel like you've been transported to an American sports bar. It is a popular spot for the ex-pat community. We are joined by Mirna, our Thursday night pilates instructor, and say hi to all the familiar faces around us. We laugh, drink and watch Gastone's changing reactions to his home team's performance. He hasn't stopped smiling since the Italian World Cup win. Once the game is over and the chatting is done it's siesta time. Michael and I curl up into bed for a bit of nap at home before the evening comes.

We wake up before dinner time and head out to the local Indian restaurant called Sumathi. It's just down the street and makes for an easy and tasty dinner out. On the way to the restaurant we pass Richard and Maria's flat. They are sitting on their balcony and invite us up for a drink. Richard is the owner of Premium Wines and has an arsenal of wine and liquor at his fingertips. One drink turns into five. The four of us decide to get the buttered chicken and naan delivered. Five drinks turns into ten and five hours has passed quickly with debate and laughter. It's time for Michael and I to stumble home.

After six months in Belize, we have discovered a circle of friends and have found comfortable routine. Being newlyweds and on our own, Michael and I have become a real team. We look to our future and think of parents who reminisce about their first year together as a married couple. The cheap apartments they lived in, subjects studied and jobs they held are always main attractions to the tales told. Michael and I feel lucky to have our story begin in Belize. We will hold the memories and friends we have made here close to our hearts. We have made this place our home away from home.

A couple weekends portrayed in pictures

Michael at one of Belize's largest churches, Holy Redeemer, for an Indian Catholic wedding.

A little cake full of bubbles for the bride and groom.

Danesh and Michael chat it up during the wonderful Indian reception.

Ashok is like many people from Belize's Indian community, very welcoming and kind.

Jason, winner of Taste of Belize's culinary competition, and his expecting wife Rachel.

David and Sarah, Scotiabank's commercial banking manager, enjoying the wedding celebrations.

Michael dancing the night away!

Amit and Sharon, the happy couple enjoying their wedding with smiles all around.

Looking forward to fresh seafood at Caye Caulker's annual lobster festival.

Checking out the BBQ's and bars on the beach.

Our friend Vern and his son, Vern Jr., happily hanging out together.

In true Belizean style we headed north to Chetumal, Mexico for a little shopping therapy.

Michael manages to influence our friend Gastone.

'No Michael, you don't look like a small sickly child.'

Marta and Gastone looking for deals at Chedraui, a Mexican superstore.

Michael's favourite aisle in the grocery store, candy of course.

Sushi and the Submerged Crocodile

Sushi, the submerged crocodile and learning standard covers our weekend's adventure. With only a month left here in Belize, Michael and I are starting to feel pressure. We figure we have to pack as many adventures into our few remaining weekends as we can. So this weekend we set out to have fun with friends, hang out in the jungle and of course to learn something new.

We started the weekend here in Belize City. Friday, we headed out with some friends to Chon Saan Palace. This Chinese food restaurant is a local favourite. If you know us you might be thinking 'Chinese food, you guys never eat that', but we were there to try something much riskier, sushi in Belize. In a country where you can't buy fresh salmon at the grocery store, we were getting ready to eat it raw.

Remarkably enough, the food was just fine or maybe it was all the sake I drank. I'm still not entirely sure. Food aside, hanging out with friends was fantastic. We enjoyed the evening with Mirna, our pilates instructor, Maria and Marta, from our pilates class and Gastone, Marta's husband and my new produce shopping buddy. The evening was a great kick off for the next couple of days to come.

On Saturday, after our usual trip to the gym, we relaxed for a bit before heading out in the bank's pick up truck to Lamanai. Lamanai, Mayan for the 'submerged crocodile', is one of the largest and most picturesque Mayan ruin sites in Belize. Set on the New River Lagoon, the site has three temples with unique carvings and an unusual ball court, where the Mayans used to play games reenacting their battles. After seeing other Mayan ruins in the Mundo Maya, we were drawn to Lamanai for it's unique characteristics. We were also excited for our overnight stay at Lamanai Outpost resort.

Along the way to Lamanai you get to drive through one of Belize's Mennonite communities. The experience is quite surreal. Being surrounded by Carribean Kriol and Central American Spanish for so long the sight of blond hair and blue eyes seems strange. The Mennonite's drive these low-to-the-ground horse and carriages and they all wear the same kind of uniform. Men in black overalls, collar shirt and straw hat and women in puffy armed full skirted dresses with bonnets on their heads. They were very friendly. Always moving to the side of the road and waving as we passed. We are happy we got the chance to see one of the Mennonite communities, but with dirt path being one of the worst 'roads' we have ever been on, we were happy to arrive at Lamanai Outpost resort.

As you enter the resort, you are first taken a back by the amazing view through the trees of the lagoon below. The open air thatched roof dining area cleverly takes advantage of the view. We were graciously welcomed and taken to out thatched roof villa. The interior was simple and elegant, with a comfy ultra suede couch, sink into softness bed and emacualte bathroom. With some time before dinner we set out to explore the well maintained grounds of the resort.

We ended up at the dock on the lagoon. It had that very familiar feeling of being on the lake by the cottage. We immediately relaxed on the dock enjoying the view. The familiarity brought a sense of serenity with it. After some time by the water, we headed up to the main building for dinner.

I finally tried a Belizean dish called fish sere. It's white fish and vegetables cooked in coconut milk. Although I only ate the fish, it was very good. The dining area was beautiful at sunset. With candle light, jazz music and a breeze from the lagoon below we were thrilled to be there.

Mark, the owner of Lamanai Outpost, is an Australian Michael met through the bank. Over the years Mark has built Lamanai Outpost as it's own little city. They sanitize their own water, create their own electricity and have their own satellite, providing phone, television and wireless internet. Mark has also hired great people to help run the resort. The dining manager, Lou, who we met over dinner was remarkably attentive. Ken, our tour guide, was knowledgeable and fun. He was like one of those great camp counselors from your childhood that you never forget.

On Sunday morning, we joined the resort's tour to Lamani's ruins. We were with an entire family, made up of grandparents, their two children and spouses with the grandkids. They were an adventurous family from the States, travelling all together every two years to different spots on the globe. We were also joined by a friendly couple from Amsterdam. They took a very long flight to be in Belize for a week of vacation. We realized very quickly why these travellers chose Lamanai Outpost.

Beyond the amazing grounds and luxury accomodations, the resort has a variety of activities to take advantage of. Every night you stay entitles you to two activites. Some of the favourites include: the tour of Lamanai's ruins, 'New River at Dawn' sunrise boat ride and breakfast on the river, 'Howler Monkey Trek' through the jungle to meet some of Central America's favourite monkey, the 'Sunset Cocktail Cruise' on the New River and the after dark, the 'Crocodile Encounter' where you get to meet an endangered Morelet crocodile. If you want to just relax you can go for a swim in the lagoon or just take the resort's canoes out on the calm waters. If time permitted we would definitely return.

Our tour of the ruins were informative and fun. Ken, our guide, explained the story of Lamani's ruler Lord Smoking Shell and the importance of the pre-Classic Mayan trading city to the region. Of course, Michael and I climbed the steep incline of El Castillo, High Temple. With lots of practice ascending and descending Mayan Temples over the last five months we realized we were quite good at it. There really is a technique to coming down those scary stairs. The faces on the temple walls made them different from the structures at Altun Ha and Tikal. Besides the mounting attack of mosquitos as the day progressed the tour was perfect.

Upon our return from the tour we sat down to a tasty lunch at the resort. Michael managed to entertain Lou and others with his signature 'dirty' napkin tricks. We chatted with Mark, the owner, and we finally found a little something Belizean to take home with us. The Lamanai Outpost gift shop had some of the best art pieces we've seen since our arrival in Belize. We settle on two 'rubbings' of Mayan stone carvings, known as stelae. After collecting our belongings and some 'good byes' we headed off on our return to the city.

The bumpy, an partially desserted, road heading back afforded the perfect opportunity for Michael to teach me how to drive a standard vehicle. Driving standard wasn't nearly as scary as I thought it would be. I did let Michael take over again after some practice. I was focussing on the gears and did not feel confident enough amongst the maze of innocent Mennonite families in horse drawn carriages.

From start to finish the weekend was great. As we count down our weekends left in Belize, this past weekend of friends and adventure reminded us of all that we will miss.

The Pics to Prove It

The dock on New River Lagoon at Lamanai Outpost.

Michael 'driving' Lamanai Outpost's cool black boat.

Amazing view of the New River Lagoon from the dining area of Lamanai Outpost.

Hey Ken, nice binoculars!

The jaguar face of Jaguar Temple at Lamanai.

Michael being a monkey, again.

Centre court of the unusual Mayan ball court.

Getting ready to climb High Temple.

Making it to the top always gives great views.

Michael on top of the world.

Coming down is always harder, but worth it.

Michael 'lounging' in Lamani's acropolis.

The creepy Olmec mask with crocodile head dress at Mask Temple.

Belize's national flower the black orchid.

Michael had to take this picture. I'll let you guess why.

Tasting Lou's drink creation over lunch.

'The shirt' was purposely left at home to avoid embarrassment, but was eagerly worn when we arrived home.

The Happy Couple

A week ago, I asked my brother, Joey, when he was going to finally ask his girlfriend, Kathleen, to marry him. They had recently moved in together and everything was going exceptionally well. They make eachother so happy. So I felt it is my duty as a sister to ask such questions. His response was that he was putting off the deed as long as possible. Well, that wasn't true. I don't know what surprises me more the fact that I couldn't read the truth behind his answer or that he managed to actually keep a secret. Either way he wasn't waiting for anything. He had a plan.

Last night Michael and I received an excited call over the internet from Joey and Kathleen. They are engaged and will be getting married! We are thrilled for my borther and his bride to be. We love them very much, wish them all the best and can't wait to give them both a huge hug and kiss.

Wicked Jungle Weekend

It wasn't the average May long weekend. Exploring Belize took us into the jungle for an adventure we'll never forget. We've done our share adventure traveling, but our stay at Caves Branch in the heart if the Belizean jungle was just what we needed to get our adrenaline going.

Months ago, at a silent auction, we hovered over a vacation package for two nights, all meals and an adventure for two at Ian Anderson's Caves Branch Jungle Resort. We didn't realize what we were bidding on, but after experiencing this weekend we know our instincts were right.

Caves Branch Jungle Resort is set in the picturesque green of the jungle. Feeling fully isolated the resort is small and attracts travelers looking for a thrill. Acres upon acres of land was bought 15 years ago by a Vancouverite, Ian Anderson, who explored the area and built the resort from scratch. Ian and his family still live at the resort and frequently hangs out with travelers who stop by. Over dinner our first night he told us stories of discovering caves and trails in the jungle around us. He and his crew went into the jungle uncovering close to 70 caves. At the time, Belize's Department of Archaeology knew of just four. Ian is a true pioneer.

Caves Branch Resort has a main building where all guests share meals at set times. There are varying accommodations at varying prices for everyone from backpackers looking for a place to pitch their tents to honeymooners looking for a romantic and private getaway. We stayed in one of their upgraded Jungle Bungalows. The stand alone structure had large screens along the walls leaving us open to the elements of the jungle. Hearing the jungle at all times was so relaxing. We didn't even mind being woken at three in the morning to the screams of howler monkeys who live near by.

We arrived on Saturday afternoon and took the opportunity to relax on hammocks in the jungle. We had already decided what adventure we wanted to experience. The resort offers the ever popular cave tubing and zip lines, but those activities didn't seem to pose a big enough challenge for Michael and I. After our expeditions in New Zealand, we feel like we can do anything. How could we resist the adventure titled 'Waterfall Cave Expedition'. With a vague explanation of something to do with climbing waterfalls in caves we were ready for anything.

After a great breakfast with new fast friends at the resort we headed out for the day. It was raining, but we didn't care; we'd be in a cave all day. We took a ride on the back of a pickup truck. A very dangerous and Belizean thing to do. After passing through orange groves in the vehicle we headed into the jungle for a short hike to the cave. We each received a pack with drinking water, a life jacket, a rope and a helmet with a head lamp. We didn't understand why we were handed life jackets as the rainy season hasn't set in yet. We put it to safety procedure and didn't think to much of it.

At the cave entrance we were met by a community of bats. After brief observation of the flying rodents we moved on. With five hours of underground fun ahead of us we needed to get going. As we headed in to the cave it was bone dry. We made our way ducking under and around rocks. As we traveled through we began to encounter puddles of water that slowly became small streams. At one point Michael and our new English friend Phillip were jumping rock to rock avoiding getting their shoes wet. It was pointed out to them that they would be getting very wet very soon. We thought we knew what was coming, but really had no idea.

In New Zealand we went caving. So of course we assumed we knew everything there is to know about being underground. Well, you know what they sat about assuming. We obviously had no clue. In New Zealand we went tubing and had to jump into the water. For the adventure down under we were supplied with a full wet suit. Here in Belize were told to wear hiking boots, pants and a t-shirt. We didn't see what was coming at all.

As the water levels in the cave rose we started walking through and then swimming through the water. We had hiked, waded and swam through the caves for well over an hour when we finally came to our first waterfall. I was a little nervous. Maybe it was the homemade rope harness or maybe it was that I had never climbed a 20 foot rock face, let alone one with a waterfall coming off of it. I watched a few others go before me seeing where they were placing their hands and feet on the way up. Of course Michael wasn't nervous at all. I think he was looking forward to the workout aspect of the activity. It became 'my turn' and I swam to the base of the waterfall. Our guide hooked me onto the safety rope as I told her I'd never done anything like this before. She just looked at me and said 'go slow'. I have to admit I had no reason to be nervous. I actually had no trouble getting up the rock face, even with the water splashing on my face. Michael, of course, had no problem.

Our first waterfall was the largest. We tackled two more as we headed deeper into the cave. Their height was closer to ten feet a piece. Besides our extremely heavy wet pants we were loving the experience, but the best part was still to come. We reached the turn around point. We would be heading back the way we came. My head swam with how we would get down the waterfalls we climbed up. There was only one answer, jump. The life jackets we had questioned before began to make sense. We had to jump the shorter waterfalls before reaching the big 20 foot one. This made for good practice as you couldn't just jump, you had to aim. We were in a cave and the pools of water we were aiming for were neither right below us nor bigger than a couple square feet. There was little room for error. On the last jump I was a little freaked out. After plunging into to the water my arm hit a hug rock shelf beside me on my way up to the surface. I was close. Besides my bad but good enough aim on the last jump we had a thrilling time.

Sopping wet and bit chilled we had lunch in the cave. Our guide took us on a bit of a detour up a clay hill to an old Mayan ceremonial ground. We got to see clay pots, the original fire pits and a creepy calcified skull. After hearing the rush of water for so long the silence of the cavern was eerie. Coming out of the ceremonial grounds had to be the most dangerous part of the day. We had to slowly slide down a slippery and steep clay hill on our asses. With no safety gear, any false move would have left one of us tumbling onto the rocks below. We luckily made it down in one piece.

The way back is always shorter than the way there. It was true for our journey out of the caves and into the jungle. Once back at the resort Michael and relaxed until dinner. We headed to the main building early to hang out with other people. We joined our friend Phillip and met a couple from Denver, Curtis and Amy, as well as a few other friendly travelers. When asked about our waterfall adventure Michael kept making everyone laugh by exclaiming 'it was just like Goonies'. We had dinner and laughed the night away. It was great to just hang out with people over a couple drinks.

The next morning we opted to explore the area around us without a group. We headed a few minutes down the main highway towards the Blue Hole National Park. Of course we missed the main entrance only to be caught by our friend Phillip who was heading off on another adventure tour. He laughed and gave us a big wave as we passed him for the second time.

We went on a 30 minute hike through the jungle to the Blue Hole. It is a round turquoise pool of water created by a sink hole located in the middle of the jungle. There we met Amy and Curtis and relaxed for a while. We the went back through the jungle towards St. Herman's cave. We didn't go into the cave but enjoyed the hike there. We were lucky. After such hot dry weather for so long the recent rainfall brought all the butterflies out for a drink. There were new colours and patterns at every turn. I'd never seen anything like it.

After three hours of hiking and hanging out it was time to head back towards Belize City. We stopped half way at a restaurant owned by a friendly American woman we met a while back snorkeling off Caye Caulker called Amigos. After a Belizean meal of chicken with beans and rice we decided to go back to the Belize Zoo.

We were so happy we went back for 'take two' of the zoo. We realized we hadn't seen everything on our first visit. Sitting back and really watching the animals was relaxing. We discovered a pond area without fencing and saw a baby crocodile in the water. I was taking a picture of the crocodile only to realize that I was standing less than a foot from its brother. The crocodile was out of the water right next to the path. If it wanted to take a bite out of me I would have been hopeless. I jumped. Michael laughed at my reaction and decided to get nice and close for a picture. We rationalized the lack of fencing meant that the juvenile crocodiles must be tame. The Belize Zoo wouldn't put their patrons in danger. Right!?! Well, when we came across the pond a little later on we noticed a much larger crocodile on the water bearing its teeth. It just didn't seem right. We avoided crossing that path again.

It was an eventful and fantastic weekend. We felt like we were traveling again. It's an amazingly free feeling. We also realized that all the people we met were asking us where to go after finding out that we've been living here. It was strange to realize how much we've learned about Belize just over four months. It was great to hang out with new people and see the beauty of Belize. I wish every weekend could be spent making such great memories.

The Pics to Prove It

Michael wearing his favourite shirt. What would a weekend be without it!?!

Wild orchids grow on trees in the jungle.

Our private jungle bungalow.

Hanging out on the hammock.

Michael and our friend Phillip.

Michael and I at the Blue Hole.

Michael being Michael in the jungle.

The entrance of St. Herman's Cave.

View of the orange groves from our jungle hike.

The huge Harpy Eagle.

Playful Puma.

Hey, you lookin at me?

The baby crocodile that could have taken my foot.

The larger crocodile that could have easily eaten us is showing it's teeth.