Placencia, Belize

Yesterday I left San Ignacio in the morning and got a shuttle ride to Belize city. I got to drive through the City cause the guy had to pick up some people coming in on a water taxi from the Cayes. The city looks pretty rundown. Glad I didnt spend any time there. Then I went to the airport to meet my parents. Their plane landed from Houston, but they were not on it. The ticket agent confirmed that they missed the flight, but got on the next one (surprised that there WAS a next one) and would be in at 4pm. I figured out that they could still catch the last flight to Placencia, and since we had agreed earlier not to wait for each other if one of us missed a connection, I boarded my flight to Placencia. The plane was a 10 seat propeller plane, and I sat directly behind the pilot! No 9-11 security in effect here. The flight was cool. The plane dipped and dived for landings like a WWII fighter plane. I got it all on handycam.
Placencia (pop. 458) is another quiet one-street town, though this one is entirely geared to American tourists. Lots of Americans here. Our hotel, Tradewinds, is a little cabana just 30 feet from the ocean. It is a lot like the place in Fiji, except it's concrete and we are located next to a kennel of barking dogs. Not a bad place for $50 a night, right on the Caribbean. That's pronounced ca-rib-BE-an, right Dad?
Today it rained most of the day. Ive just been hanging with the folks. We've enjoyed Omar's restaurant, Cozy Corner Cafe, Purple Space Monkey restaurant, and Tipsy Tuna barefoot bar.

Today we went on a boat ride and hike up the Monkey River. As you can see, Mom got some sun. We rode a small outboard boat a few miles down the coast and then stopped at a tiny village to pick up our local guide. We then slowly motored up the river looking for wildlife and seeing birds, small crocs, turtles, big iguanas, and bats. After a while we pulled ashore and hiked into the jungle. Our machete-wielding and knowledgeable guide pointed out every tree and it's function to the indigenous Maya. Finally he located the highlight of the trip. He ran ahead to scout out the area, then called us over. Once we reached him, he paused for effect, then slapped the side of a big tree with his machete. Immediately several howler monkeys exploded into a chorus of screams and grunts. They were less than pleased to see us, and very vocal about it.

After we left the monkeys we had lunch in Monkey River Town (pop. 100), then saw some manatees on the thrilling ride home through dense mangroves.

Actun Tunichil Muknal Cave, Belize

Today I did a tour into a cave called Aktun Tunichil Muknal. We hiked a couple miles through the jungle and then went deeeeeep into this cave that has a river running though it. We had to swim through the cave in parts! We had headlamps, it was pitch black, slippery. Not too claustrophobic and tight, except in one or two places. Once we had hiked/swum in a half mile or so, we climbed to a dry section where the Maya had performed religious ceremonies. There were broken pots everywhere that had not been touched in over a thousand years! They just found the cave in 1989. In the far back end of the cave there was the big finish....HUMAN SACRIFICES! Yep, remains of at least 14 people that were sacrificed to the gods 12-13 centuries ago. I got pictures of skulls and one complete intact skeleton. Pretty cool. Although, the price you paid for getting to see that was being wet and cold in a cave for four hours. So, tomorrow I'm off to Belize CIty again to meet the folks and then we fly a puddle jumper to the coast. I'm currently in negotiations for transport tomorrow. One guy has offered to take me there at 7am for $37, I'll probably end up going with him. Another American guy from today's tour said he might be able to get me a ride, I have to go check in with him.

Tikal, Guatemala

When I arrived solo at Belize City Airport, my ride didnt show up. This was concerning because there was no bus leaving for San Ignacio that late in the afternoon, so I was pretty much screwed. After an hour, in desperation, I asked a couple that was waiting for their ride if they were heading west? They were heading to San Ignacio, and said I could ride with them! I was so psyched. Not only did I have a ride, but now I didn't have to pay the exorbitant fee of $90 for the shuttle. Then, just before we left, a young kid shows up in 1987 Toyota Corolla with a smashed windshield, one headlight, and no gas, and says "Does anyone know Sam?" Damn! I left my new friends, and got in the kids car. He said he got a flat and that's why he was late. Might have been true. Then he wanted to stop for beers! I said no, that I'd wait until I got to my hotel. The Casa Blanca in San Ignacio is very nice, squeaky clean, with TV, plenty of room, and for $24 a night, probably the best value I've ever had. Belize has a great local beer, Belikin, which I had a lot of. Food is OK and really cheap. I spent the first day just hanging around San Ignacio. The town is pretty dull. Nothing going on, no shopping, no decent bars, nothing. It looks nicer than Mexico, but not as nice as Costa Rica. People are very friendly, and I feel completely safe. In the morning I ran to some small Mayan ruins. In the afternoon I saw the whole town in about one hour, and then just sat in a park and read a book.

Today I took a tour to Tikal in Guatemala. It is an awesome sight. The temples are enormous, very well preserved, and you can climb to the top of two of them. The Maya had more advanced cities than anything in Europe as of 900AD. It's crazy that people lived better 1100 years ago here than they do now. Guatemala seems OK, not dangerous or noticeably poorer than Mexico or Belize. The border was a piece of cake, the passport people even smiled! I was expecting Nicaragua again. People all have livestock in Guatemala, so the van is constantly swerving to avoid pigs, cows, horses, chickens, dogs, goats, sheep, and children. The driver told us that there is no auto insurance in Guatemala. If you hit anything you pay for it on the spot. If you hit someone's horse, you have to pay for the value of the horse then and there, or you go to jail, until someone comes up with the money. Yet we never braked to avoid animals, just swerved and hoped for the best. Ive never seen so many domesticated animals running wild before. Also, we changed vehicles and drivers three times, to avoid bringing a van across the border. By the time I got to Tikal it was some guy I just met saying, "Hi Sam, I'll be your guide, and then Hernando will drive you to Melchor e Mencos, then Francisco will be waiting for you, then he'll take to the border, and after you cross Jose will be there with the van." And I'm thinking "What?, which guy was Jose?" But it all worked out like clockwork. Good people here. I was with four other Americans in my tour group, two couples from California, and we had a fun trip. At the end of the tour we bought beers and carried them up the highest Mayan temple and drank Belikin with a view over the jungle. We all had dinner together last night and went "bar hopping" in the 3 empty bars in town all blasting horrible reggae music.

Recognize this shot? It's the exact same view seen at the very end of the movie Star Wars as the rebels are landing at their base after blowing up the Death Star, right before Han and Luke get their medals.