BELIZE: “The Rainforest & The Reef”

I originally posted this blog on Travelblog.org in May 2006. It was the first of many visits to Belize…the one when we fell in love with this small Central American country. I’m torn between wishing for a steady succession of tourists to boost the local economy and wanting to keep quiet about this slice of Paradise so it remains unspoiled. We are returning in February 2011…I want to see even more, relax even more, and see what new tropical drinks they’ve invented in the last two years!

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What better way to celebrate a marriage than to wander together? It had to be exotic to properly honor our 15 years together. We imported a grandmother once again to stay with our two kids, put our trust into our newest travel book – 1,000 Places To See Before You Die – and prepared for a full-fledged adventure.

GALLON JUG, BELIZE

So grateful to have arrived on solid ground at the Gallon Jug airstrip!

We arrived in Belize City’s tiny airport at 11:00 a.m. on a beautiful April day. I had heard warnings to steer clear of the city, so we were pretty relieved to be met almost immediately by our charter pilot. Daniel, a native Belizean who has been flying tourists around the island for the past 30 years (my confidence in Javier’s Flying Service was immediately boosted), would fly us to Chan Chich Lodge, a rainforest resort located in the middle of an ecological preserve. During a leisurely walk to the plane, Daniel educated us on the socio-economic situation in Belize. It’s quite sad, really…all the young people (including his own two sons) are wooed by America’s “offer” of money and material possessions. He expressed his hope that the U.S. would better secure the border to give Belize a fighting chance.

When we reached the plane, he invited me (and my trusty plastic barf bag…I learned on my honeymoon to never board a tiny plane without this necessary luxury) to sit in the front seat where I would be blown by fresh air and could keep my eyes on the horizon in an effort to avoid my usual motion sickness. I climbed in and nervously looked around at the interior of the plane, which was about the size of my small sports car and would e crammed with four people (I was sure glad I was a “rule follower” and packed VERY light). My husband’s last words before we took off were…“It won’t be as bad as you think, Honey.” Spoken like a person with an iron stomach. After about 15 minutes, Daniel figured out that he’d better start directing his tourist spiel to the husband in the back seat! By the time we landed 45 minutes later, I had used the bag twice and no longer feared dying in a small plane crash…death seemed preferable to the state I was in. (I felt completely vindicated when I saw the other passenger, a friend of Daniel’s, leaning over his bag.)

Chan Chich Lodge in Gallon Jug

When my feet hit solid ground, I focused on gratitude and not dread about the four more flights we would be taking in the next 10 days. We climbed into the waiting van and arrived at the lodge just 15 minutes later. After a warm welcome, we were immediately seated for lunch as it was ending soon and there would not be another opportunity to eat again until dinner. Unfortunately, my first meal in Belize – grilled grouper, sautéed vegetables, and rice – was not truly appreciated as my stomach was still roiling.

The lodge was incredible…very UNcrowded with only 12 screened bungalows surrounded by rain forest and several unexcavated Mayan ruins. We were told that the property, which is part of a 350,000 acre preserve and includes a pristine working farm, is owned by a Coca Cola executive who spends quite a lot of time here. What a brilliant man.

It was hard to remember that we were not in a zoo…this Howler Monkey was a bit too interested in us!

The first thing you notice when you arrive is the sound of the birds. The surrounding forest is home to more than 300 species of birds. (This is a probably a good time to mention that we are NOT members of the birding subculture that is able to name virtually every bird they see…we’re part of the vacationing parent subculture that desperately seeks relaxation & adventures without whining.) The most noticeable birds are the oscillated turkeys (the ones plagued by bright orange facial warts) and the Montezuma oropendula (with the unique sound and scrotum-like nests hanging down from the trees). It wasn’t long before we heard the “roaring”. Although we were convinced it was a monstrous cat lurking right inside the dark section of rainforest immediately to our left, we were soon enlightened that it was actually male howler monkeys we were hearing and they were perched in the forest canopy miles away.

Activities at Chan Chich include walking (remember the giddy excitement of treasure hunts when you were a child?), eating (delicious gourmet local specialties at every meal and, most importantly, Lissette’s Secret Sauce made at Gallon Jug Farm), reading (I’ve never had the luxury – when I could appreciate its value – of finishing a book in two days), and siestas (in our own personal hammocks swinging gently over our cabana deck). That’s what we do ALL day EVERY day…which is particularly thrilling for parents of active young children! One day we got out of the box and took a horseback ride through the countryside…probably the best sighting was the tiny one-room Gallon Jug high school. If you want to see some wildlife, all you have to do is meander around the grounds…basilisk lizards (those crazy reptiles that stand up on their hind legs and run like hell when startled), all kinds of strange looking birds (that we don’t know the names of), colorful snakes (sometimes falling from trees mid-meal), and very large bugs (and spiders) of all shapes and sizes.

There are nine miles of trails surrounding the lodge where you can explore on your own or with a guide. On our first night, we took a guided night walk and saw several humongous forest scorpions, two giant cane toads, lots of red rumped tarantulas and a small crocodile. These walks are worth the price…first, you have the knowledge of the local guide (priceless), plus you have the advantage of multiple pairs of searching eyes resulting in substantially more creature sightings. Our initial solitary daytime walks on the lodge trails yielded nothing more exciting than huge moths and butterflies. But, then we acclimated. To become acclimated, one has to SLOW DOWN and pay attention to every falling leaf, snapping twig, any noise whatsoever. From that point on, we regularly encountered entire families of howler and spider monkeys on multiple walks.

Is it real? Nah, touch it! Crap…it was!!!

We absolutely loved Chan Chich Lodge…it offered us the perfect balance between exotic adventure and relaxation. Although we didn’t see as many mammals as we had hoped, we weren’t disappointed as the staff spoiled us and the food was outstanding. Although we were happy to be temporarily childless on this trip, we hope to bring our two children back for a family adventure. Well, the hammock is calling my name…it’s siesta time. Next stop…Ambergris Caye.

AMBERGRIS CAYE, BELIZE

San Pedro, Ambergris Caye

We got off the plane in San Pedro (I definitely progressed…although I was well into the mouth-watering phase, I held my stomach contents down refusing to enter the final phase) and stepped back in time about 50 years. The town is straight out of a Jimmy Buffet song – populated with middle-aged men hanging out with their sailing/diving buddies, honeymooning couples with the nervous young wives clinging tightly to their new hubby’s arm (and questioning his sanity for the very first time), and frat boys on spring break. It has a distinctly Caribbean flavor, which we learned (from Daniel, the pilot) was a result of the country being initially populated by prisoners, most of whom were former slaves from the West Indies. The majority of the streets are dirt and lined with colorful shops and vendor stands selling everything from fresh fruit to diving services. The only modes of transportation are golf carts, bicycles (often faster than the golf carts), and dirty feet. The local language is a mix of Spanish, Creole and English, often peppered with a variety of four-letter words and always including the consummate Caribbean “Ya, Man”. I am quite grateful that everyone happily speaks English (a souvenir from the British colony days) to the tourists. Unlike heavily travelled areas, the locals here seem to genuinely appreciate the tourists…we were always greeted with a bright smile.

As it was initially a bit overwhelming, we were thankful to be met by a land taxi that took us to a water taxi that took us straight to our home for the next several days – Journey’s End Resort (now closed). We would return to San Pedro soon…after we shed our luggage and got our bearings.

We were met on the resort’s dock by Bill, a Creole Belizean wearing one of his many pairs of colorful Converse high tops and carrying a tropical drink in each hand. After being encouraged to relax Belizean-style for a while, we were shown to our room – a tiny plantation-style bungalow just steps from the shore. A big four poster bed with mosquito netting filled the interior giving the room some old world character.

Journey’s End Resort in Ambergris Caye

Having missed the last afternoon ferry back into town, we decided to walk. What we didn’t know was that it was 4-1/2 miles down the beach. We got about a third of the way there when two very inebriated American gentlemen came barreling around the corner in a golf cart. Within 30 seconds they invited us for a drink and offered us a ride into town. We spent the next 45 minutes drinking rum punches at Captain Morgan’s Resort with Alan (a retired family physician) and James (with the Department of Defense and our “limo” driver for the day) – two avid diver buddies determined to drink all day. This was a great place! Thatched roof cabanas scattered about the sand, plenty of hammock-endowed palm trees, catamarans just begging to be pushed out onto the calm turquoise water, and two oceanfront swimming pools…and the bar, of course. After we were done admiring CM’s, we four-wheeled it back into the dusty town, paid the bridge toll to two Belizean men paid to spot tourists, and were dropped right at the door of Alan and James’ favorite restaurant – El Fogon.

El Fogon in San Pedro

El Fogon is a tiny hole-in-the-wall with dirt floors serving Creole food on picnic tables. We devoured the most amazingly fresh REAL red snapper…a meal you just don’t find in the states. And, did I mention the fritters??? Oh my…what a meal. We didn’t have much time to shop before the ferry left…we spent most of our time buying a handmade necklace from Daryl the Rastafarian (“I make de necklaces in de day and come out in de night.”). While reaching into his bag to choose a thank you gift to give to us, my husband and I later laughed at our identical thought…that this guy was going to whip out the hugest joint we ever laid eyes on (it wouldn’t be the first time this trip). But, no…this sweet guy gave us a small needlepoint magnet of Belize as proudly as if it were carved out of solid gold.

Ahhh, the consequences of a laid back lifestyle – we missed two ferries back to the resort after arriving just one minute late. Oh well, back to Fido’s (“Fee Doze”) Bar to have a drink and listen to a band singing the blues, the Eagles and, who else but Jimmy Buffet. I am slightly suspicious that there might be a conspiracy lurking around the boat docks…one involving very prompt ferry captains, adorable little puppies, and friendly locals. All I intended to do was feel a little soft fur and kiss a wet nose…the dog’s owner had other plans. By the end of the next day, courtesy of Raul, we ended up with a timeshare at Captain Morgan’s. At this point, I’m thrilled…I sure hope we don’t have buyer’s remorse once we reenter the real world.

Everybody must explore the underwater jungle at the Hol Chan Marine Preserve at some point in their life. Upon arriving at the preserve, you must check in with the guy with the most coveted job in Belize…the fee collector. (He’s the one lounging in the anchored boat taking money from tourists all day.) What a life. We quickly got down to business and jumped in the water with our guide. I’ll give you a visual…you know the underwater screensaver you’ve seen on tons of computers? It’s here – for real. Just add a 4-foot green moray eel, several huge leopard spotted rays, and an 8-foot nurse shark and make sure the water temperature is equivalent to a mildly heated swimming pool. It’s warm, clear and calm…my kind of place to snorkel! I had another brief moment wishing our kids could see what we were seeing…some day, without a doubt.

Our very sweet San Pedro vendor-mon…

Courtesy of a convention of hyper-relaxed American corporate types staying at our resort, we were treated to a 20-member steel drum band while narrowing down the best Belizean tropical drink that evening. Even with our resort at 100% occupancy, there were no crowds…people disperse to the multitude of exotic or quiet places (or one of the plethora of bars). I love it…it feels like we don’t have to share too much.

The next day we woke up to warm, gale force winds (I stood corrected by the locals who labeled it a “breeze”). It was the perfect day for venturing out to experience more local color, so it was back to San Pedro to catch a water taxi to Caye Caulker, a small laid back village on the tiny island we could see from our resort. In Caye Caulker, the local color is vibrant…literally and figuratively. The buildings that line the shore and sandy “streets” are pulled right from an eccentric painter’s palette…a single house will be painted up to four colors – turquoise, golden yellow, mango, chartreuse, blue, whatever strikes their fancy. It’s a slightly poorer town than San Pedro and is the destination of choice of rebel travelers who resist conformity, the traveling student, and life’s drop-outs who must stretch their travel dollar as far as possible. If you are ever looking for a place to escape and recapture your spirit, look no further…I have no doubt you’ll find it here.

One of many colorful homes on Caye Caulker

Life in Ambergris Caye is slow and casual…the perfect balance between activities and relaxation. There’s a bar about every 20 feet and you could take off your shoes (and make-up) at the San Pedro Airport and never put them back on until you got back on the plane. The sign that welcomes you to San Pedro says it all…”No shirt, no shoes, no drugs…no problem!”. I know we’ll be back…many more times in our lifetime. And, we’ll be staying at Captain Morgan’s, of course!

Me chillin’ in Paradise…