Wednesday, September 15, 2010 – Day 08

I was up by 6:30 in the morning and in record time was ready to leave for the airport. I got the knapsack on my back and walked to the bus terminal. The bus to Ladyville (the stop for the airport) was there, “waiting” for me and left almost as soon as I got on. In half an hour the bus stopped at Ladyville where I got off w/ another 2 passengers.

The airport is 5 kms from the bus stop and there are only two ways to get there. The first one is to walk, and the other one is to take a cab. My plan was to do the second and resort to the first one only if there were not cabs around. This is the main reason I left so early. One of the two passengers that had gotten off w/ me asked me if I were headed for the airport and when I told him I was looking for a cab he waved and somehow a cab appeared out of thin air. All three of us got into the cab and in 10 mins we were at the airport.

I went to the stand of AA got myself confirmed and then took a seat waiting for time to go by and board the plane. The young man that had made the cab appear walked up to me in his uniform. He turned out that he worked at the airport and had to do the bus cab routine everyday and knew all the tricks. Actually, as he said, he never paid for a cab because soon as he started walking someone would give him a ride. He was very polite and thankful for taking him on the cab. As he was in the unloading team, until an airplane landed he was free to hang around. Chatting w/ him and learning things about Belize helped time go by and soon it was time to go to the boarding gate. Before doing so, however, I took the last picture of the trip.


I proceeded and boarded the plane. This time I had enough sleep the night before and was fully awake during the flight, enough awake to work on the netbook. At Miami I got on the connecting flight and at 20:00, local time, the plane landed in LaGuardia. By 22:00 I was home.

Tuesday, September 14, 2010 – Day 07

I was up at 6:30. By 7:45 I was at the terminal of Caye Caulker Water Taxi, which is a company that runs speed boats between Belize city, Caye Caulker, and San Pedro. At the ticket booth I found out that the next boat and also first boat of the day was going to leave at 8:00 and the last boat to return from Caulker was leaving at 16:00 from the island. I bought a two way ticket. Later I found out that there are other boat lines covering the same route that leave as late as 18:00 form the island.

Be that as it may, we left at 8:00


As I realized the small Menonite community’s members are all over the place. Two of my fellow passengers were Menonites.


In about one hour we docked at Caye Caulker.




Soon as I got off the boat I was accosted by a local that convinced me to walk w/ him to Mario’s, an agent that arranged snorkeling excursions. Mario informed me on the one day and half day tours. Answering my question he said that on the half day tour I’ll see the same things but for a shorter period. I told him I would think about it and return. I went for a walk around the island and then returned to the office and bought the half day tour. I had to be back by 10:15. I availed of the opportunity and walked around more.

The shabby part


The better part


The beautiful part


By 10:15 I was back and Mario instructed me to go to the dock at the beach, a block away and wait for a boat that would come to pick me up. He said, since it was the slow season he joined forces w/ other agencies and they group their customers together. I followed his instructions and went to the seaside


The most successful scam.
I waited for about 20 mins, way past the time they should have showed up. The boat I was waiting for never showed up, instead Mario appeard on his bike saying in a loud voice that I was out of luck. What had happened was that the other agency had canceled and therefore the entire tour was canceled. No snorkeling for me. I told him that somebody else on the island must have a spot for me. He said that he had called everybody and nobody had enough customers to sail out. If, of course, I were willing to pay the double price, then it would make it economically feasible for him to send his boat out w/ just me on it. I realized that it is either yes or no snorkeling for me. All I managed to do was to bargain him down a bit and then say yes. He left and w/in 10 mins the boat w/ the captain was at the pier. I boarded and we sailed out.


Caye Caulker seen from the reef


When we arrived I put my swimming suit on got the snorkeling gear and dived. My camera is supposed to take underwater pictures. This was its first test.

Stingrays


Dog fish


The boat


From the sea surface!!!!


Shark


Man of war


Swimming w/ the dogfish


The coral reef


Diving




Stingray


The reef






After we returned to terra firma there were two hours left to walk around on the island till the last boat.


At the northern tip of the island I spotted the long sought paradise and actually entered it.

Tropical paradise (bar on the beach)




In paradise










At 15:30 I left paradise and slowly started walking towards the boat dock.






At 16:00 the boat sailed back to Belize city


By 17:15 I was back in Belize and walked back to the guest house. Upon my arrival I realized the damage I had done to myself. I had been burned like I had never been burnt before. The sun was unforgiving. My back was lobster red!!!! Throughout my career, I make a point to stay out of the sun and be well covered at the same time. This was the first time that I had exposed myself, for three consecutive hours too, to the sun w/o anything to protect me (no sunscreen or garment.) Everything has its price. Other than going to town to buy something to eat, I stayed at the guest house and went to bed early.

Monday, September 13, 2010 – Day 06

I was up by 6:30. Greg was supposed to be there at 7:30 but showed up at 8:00. He said that he had been mistaken about the time, so, he left and returned at 9:00. We took the northern highway and drove about 90 miles and by 10:30 were at the lagoon where I would catch the boat. The guides and the captain were there but were still waiting for a group to show up. Within half an hour the group arrived and we boarded the boat and left

The launching point


Spider monkey




There is a community of Menonites in Belize. They are primarily occupied w/ agriculture. Actually, even though they account for less than 5% of the population, they are responsible for more than 30% of the country’s agricultural production.

Menonite encampment along the lagoon




As we sailed along the lagoon the abundance of fauna and flora was obvious. We saw all kinds of animals and birds, including vultures and crocodiles. The guide said that there are no alligators in these waters, only crocodiles. Personally I do not know what the difference is. I asked him and he gave me a dubious explanation. Honestly, I do not think he knew.

The bayous


The lagoon



The captain (Isidor)


Docking at Lamanai


The lagoon


Finally after sailing at high speed for more than one hour we arrived at Lamanai. As I found out, Lamanai can be reached by land as well, but it would take an entire day of driving and the road was in really bad shape. Be that as it may, we docked at the pier and landed.

The pier


It was time for lunch, which had been arranged for by the guides. The place we had lunch was really beautiful and idyllic.


Having satisfied our dietary needs we all felt that we now had the energy to take care of our spirit and following Isidor, our guide, we walked to the site.

The first pyramid at Lamanai


Top of first pyramid








Low gravity field






After the first pyramid we proceeded to visit the royal chambers

Pyramid seen from the royal chambers


The rain God pyramid










Going up the rain God pyramid






View from above


The jungle


The lagoon





We then proceeded to the third pyramid, the croc







View form the top



That was the end of the site and we walked away in the rain. So far it has rained many times but the rains, which can range form drizzling to a downpour do not last for more than 20 mins. And soon after the rain is over, the sky clears up.

Majestic trees


We boarded the boat and headed back
The group




Greg drove me back to the guest house and after leaving my stuff there I took a walk and visited the bus depot. Even though it was earlier than 17:00, once more there were no employees at the teller windows and hence no reliable way to find out what were the departure times for Ladyville (the stop for the airport) on Wednesday. I had to rely on heresay. I asked several people that were waiting for the bus and a couple of drivers. The consensus was that the first bus leaves as early as 6:00 in the morning and that there are buses every half an hour. I walked back the long way, going through the city center and stopped to buy food and also have a beer at the same place




I grabbed the food and walked to the guesthouse. By 22:00 I was sound asleep.