The group consisted of a Swiss couple who just got married in Guatemala after their year long volunteer project. They are social workers back home and really sweet, down to earth people. Then there was a couple from Vancouver who I didn't really talk with much because they kind of just cuddled and slept most of the journey. Then another couple, John from Philly and his gf, Saskia, from San Diego. They were on the trip as part of their 10 day vacation to see each other since she was volunteering in Belize for a year while he finished his Master's, with a focus on the effects of Global Warming, in Paris.
Then there was Susan, a Civil Engineer from Saskatoon. She's volunteering at a water filter project in Honduras and had to come up to Belize to renew her visa....hard life, eh? She has just discovered the wonderful world of yoga and meditation so we had some very interesting conversations. Then there was good ol' Joe from San Fransisco, who was in Belize for a week to escape the 9-5 grind before going home and looking for another temp job. Also aboard, were two Czech girls who were really fun to party with during our rum punch night the first evening.
My favourite little group was a Canadian family who now reside in Kamloops, BC but grew up in the Soo! Russ and Wendy are a very interesting, active couple who have done all sorts of travelling and eco-challenges around the world. Wendy was one of the top female athletes in Canada! They have a little 2 1/2 year old named Bree who was just the smartest kid I have ever met. Wendy is quite intelligent herself and came down to Belize 2 weeks before her family to conduct grassland research with her 20 PhD students. Russ runs an outfitter's store and had all sorts of cool gadgets.
Last but not least, we have sleeping Mike. He has now fully embraced the laid back lifestyle of the Caribbean. At the beginning of the sailing trip he was eager to learn about sailing and fishing but soon found his calling on the top deck. :)
Mmmm dinner! Meet Captian Miguel who caught most of our meals during the trip and kept the boat on course. The crew consisted of three fun Belizan sailor's who also happen to be amazing cooks. They caught barracuda for us during the day and cooked up a storm for us at night.
During the day we relaxed on the deck, took snorkel breaks and visited tiny little islands along the way. At night we camped on isolated islands and drank a few too many rum punches. I was really happy with the trip and surprised at the great group we found ourselves.
We sailed into Placencia, Belize on Thursday. Placencia is a quiet beach town with a predominantly Caribbean feel. Belize is the only country in Central America where reggae is more common than salsa. I had a great opportunity to hear some great live reggae and I was even able to attend two Garifuna drum shows where Black Caribs beat out some funky tunes. After a hard day at the beach, we retreated to the popular hangout called The Tipsy Tuna. The drink menu was five times greater than the food menu, but both were equally satisfying.
There is a specialty side dish in Belize that always makes me giggle. To accompany your meal you always have the choice of either rice and beans or beans and rice. Yes, there is a difference: rice and beans ae served separately while beans and rice are cooked and mixed together!
Tomorrow I bus to Blue Creek Village, a Maya pueblo close to Punta Gorda. Belize has a great ecotourism association that sets up village stays in order to allow traveller's the opportunity to get beyond superficial sightseeing. I am looking forward to meeting some locals, trying traditional foods and living amidst the beauty of the region for a few days before heading back to the beach lifestyle. This time next week I will be in Utilia, Honduras where I plan to take my advanced scuba diving certification. Until then, RESPECT, mon!
No comments:
Post a Comment