Day 1 March 28, 2015 – Flight,
Arrival, Eats, Zoo, Savanna Guest House
What a wonderful world despite and in
spite of all the political and ecomomic turmoil. At this moment, I do
not wish to talk or listen about politics. It is time for a magical
interlude with an encounter with Belize.
I spent my last night in NC wide awake,
having moved as many things as I could and making final arrangements
for accessing bank and mail delivery to Belize. My son, Will and his
wife, Laura accompanied me to RDU and helped prep me for what was
coming. I must admit to some stress reaction due to the fact that the
last time I had flown ws 30 years before. Now, the experience of
flying ws not my main concern, it was getting through all the TSA and
baggage check in. The only worldly possessions I took fit into my
backpack (not a small one either) and a elongaded vinyl job I has
purchased for the Miata, and a foam box containing three months worth
of meds and insulin that had to be maintained at a certain
temperature.
I had changed from purchasing my meds
from CVS to Humana's mailing system. I honestly did not think I would
get them much before mid April, but as it turned out they were
delivered to my son on Friday! We made sure the insulin was cold and
I decided I might as well take the box with me. So that made three
rather awkward bags/box to maneuver. I checked the big black vinyl
bag and went through TSA inspection with the other two. Surprisngly
no one asked me to open the insulated box, instead just asked me what
was inside. Of course, I told them. While waiting at the gate to
board, thay asked for volunteers to allow any carry on bags to be
checked and sent on to their final destination (for free---hint hint
for your travelers...wait until your get to the gate to have another
bag checked and you will save $25.) Now my travel was manageble as I
checked my backpack and left me with a reasonably size box to carry
on board.
The flight down
Packed...both legs of the flight were
packed. Met interesting folks next to me. Just nice people, with
interesting stories. First leg to Atlanta was about 1.5 hours,
Atlanta to Belize City was 3 hours. That was tough as you are packed
in like sardines and the seat backs do not recline!!! (Delta Airbus)
Belize Customs and Immigration
Besides just the awkwardness of
maneuvering three pieces of luggage, no problem.
Gayle and Mike met me at airport. We
drove out of the small airport and drove a few miles ad stopped at a
roadside vendor to eat. Chicken, sausage and pork BBQ. Just an old
shack. The owner was from California, a fifteen year resident here.
Black fella and his two sons 14 and 16 run the joint.
The drive to the Zoo was through what I
would describe as an african savanna with low palms and most
vegetation thinly spread. Roads are a trip, so are the drivers!
People pass whenever they feel like it, seldom if ever see a cop.
Road signage looks like US signage. Everything is written in English.
Everybody I've met speaks English.
Savanna Guest House and the
Belizean Zoo
We drove about an hour to the Savanna
Guest House run by an English couple called Foster. Richard has an
incredible life story. We did not get to meet his wife as she is
suffering a relapse of MS and cannot move around much. They are
wildlife film makers with many expeditions around the world. If you
have seen the Planet Earth and Life series, you have seen some of
their work. They have a studio setup to film animal behavior for
other filmmakers now. Fascinating sets he has created on his property
of 20 acres. It sits in the middle of 900 acres owned by a friend.
They have been here 30 years. Every June they hold a class for
aspiring nature film students to teach them filming techniques. The
stories this modest man tells are amazing.
So Google them and see what you find on
line. They are Carol and Richard Foster. Let me know what you find
out. He was telling us about a film shot he did involving Vampire
bats, He was approched to set up a replica of a prison cell from the
famous Hell's Prison in Equador as there were stories of bats sucking
blood of prisoners. Richard spent three months preparing a set
including a replica of the cell., brought in Vampire Bats to aclimate
them to the evirons. Then he laid down in the cell with only his leg
exposed, One bat finally landed on him and felt him tear a piece of
flesh off his leg. They secrete an anti collagulant, that keeps the
blood flowing. By the end of his “practice run” he had a pool of
blood under his cot. The film crew came in with the survival actor
for this series, and they had the scene shot in two days. Richard was
saying the filming equipment is so expensive now ($200,000 just for
the camera) that they half to do more and more set up staged shots to
reduce the cost.
The Zoo was actually started by the
Rogers and was setup and moved down the road a few miles and is
independently run. It sits on 50 acres. All animals and birds housed
there are either found or injured and brought there. Those that can
be returned to the wild are done so.
We went back for a night tour at the
zoo and had a really interesting time with a great guide. It was to
cost us about $20 US apiece but Richard never pushed it. I gave him
an extra tip on top of the $65 US.
Money is interesting here. It's a
straight 2 to 1 conversion, so most places/eateries post their prices
in BZ $. So you just cut it in half! There is a 12.5% tax and
gratuity added on to the bill and it is customary, it appears to
added a few percent as an extra tip. Some places will not accept the
extra gratuity.
People here really are friendly though.
Even though most live in what would appear to be abject poverty, they
seem to have a joyful spirit about them. Gayle and Mike indicated
that they have had a bout a 40% increase in petty crime over last
year, with most of that in Belize City.
Day 2 – Sunday, March 29, 2015 –
Studio Walk through
Observations for the day. Richard
Foster gave us about an hour tour of his studio and sets he uses for
filming. Facinating operation. I had to cease taking pictures in one
active set where they had trained a small cat to leap between
branches. There is a platform in place for the visiting film crew to
use and lots of high powered lamps to illuminate the scene.
After saying our goodbyes, we drove on
up to San Ignacio which sits in what appear to be foothill mountain
ranges. Its a beautiful setting. The town itself looks hobbled
together with really odd arrangements for streets. We stopped and ate
at this strange sounding place that locals just refer to as “Nam's”
It's official name is really a Mayan name. Small place, but they use
all free range chickens and beef...very good.
Gayle and Mike do have cable and yes
you can get all our usual channels and a few extra movie
channels...all cheaper by the way than in the states.
Day 3 – Monday, March 30, 2015
The Mayan ruins nearby San Ignacio
called Xunantunich, or “Stone Lady.”
We got up early and went to a nearby
Mayan ruin called, Xunantunich. Our guide was Oscar, a 10th
generation Mayan in the region. He is 33 and a well versed guide. The
walk to the ruins was too much for Mike's hip so Gayle and I went on
the tour. Even we had to call it quits when we attempted to climb the
steps to the main temple. We made about a third of the climb up these
really steep steps. The steps are made strategically high to force
people to bow before the High Priest on their way up. This main
temple is about 500 ft high. There were three classes of people in
this village of some 15,000 people. The High Priest, the upper class,
were the only groups permitted to go up the temple, and the common
people who lived beyond the boundaries of the temple grounds were not
allowed.
The grounds have large plaza areas for
gatherings and markets, and modern archeologists have dug down to
identify a lower level plaza under the one now visible, which must
have been an incredible feat over centuries, as there were no tools
not the wheel. They have dated that level to 1500 BC. The part now
visible is dated to around 950 BC. The size of this ruin is almost
overwhelming given the short stature of the people and the absence of
tools implements. The mortar was made from limestone, sea shells and
water...and it is still holding up over a thousand years later.
Geopolitics, economics and drought
helped to drive people out of this area. There is a lot more info on
this temple of course and I'll try to provide a link for you to
explore this particular temple closely. Fascinating people and life
and societal structure. There is at least two ball courts where
people would play a Mayan ball game that would last five days. These
games were played by four men, two men on a team, using a 9 inch
rubber ball. These games served a ceremonial and political purposes
among the group or between two villages. Over one million people
lived in this sector of Mayan culture at their heighth.
The Butterfly Farm
After the Mayan ruins, we traveled back
toward Gayle and Mike's and stopped by the Butterfly Farm. The owner,
a young man well versed in butterflies, gave our tour. There are over
500 varieties of butterflies in Belize and they have cultivated
several species. The enclosed space was awash with several beautiful
varieties. The owner said he had taken over the Farm about 18 months
ago and is working to bring back the farm to a more prosperous and
enriched collection. I did my best to capture them through pictures,
but they are illusive.
Clarissa Falls
Clarissa Falls , is a resort area
almost across the road from Gayle and Mike's and is an operating
cattle ranch as well.. The outdoor sitting was very comfortable and
the spaghetti and garlic dish, one of Gayle and Mike's favorites was
delicious. The owner is fast becoming one of their favorite people in
this area.
I am getting my pictures organized and
will post them in the blog under the “Photo Journal” tb, when I
get it all figured out. This is the first real workout for my camera,
so I am going through a learning curve. My pics will improve as time
comes on.
We are two hours behind NC time.
Wednesday, Gayle and Mike are bringing
me the three hours down to Placencia, and I am sure they will give me
a good orientation. I certainly can expect the temps and humidity to
be higher on the coast. They are going to take a snorkeling trip out
of Hopkins, north of my place, on Weds and stay overnight before
returning to the quaint town and area of San Ignacio.
This is starting out as one incredible
“Bill's Excellent Adventure!” due to the friendship and guidance
of my hosts, Mike and Gayle. I am slowing alclimating to the activity
and culture of this unique country. There are a lot of Canadians
here, especially with Spring vacation upon us. I imagine Placencia
will be a beehive this week!
Tomorrow, we all havel ocal errands to
run. I want to pick up a few extra shorts and shirsts, maybe a
folding lounge chair since I started out light to save space and I
wanted to buy what the locals wear that is seasonal. I also need to
call Edwin, the caretaker for my Placencia home to make arrangements
to haul me to the house by boat and guide me about getting power on,
etc.
Wednesday G&M drive me to Placencia
by mid morning, meet Edwin then go have lunch. G&M decided to go
to Hopkins to snorkle and I have decided to get adjusted to my new
place first. They will spend the night in Hopkins, go snorkeling then
return home. The snorkeling trip is about $65 US with group to an
dive location about 40 miles off shore.
M&G and my path will cross again
around April 22 to go to the Chocolate Festival in Punta Gorda. This
will be a three day event. By April 27th, I will need to
get to Independence to renew my Tourist Card for another month.
(Costs $25 US per month for the first 6 months, then $50 US per month
for the next 6 months. After 1 year on a Tourist Card you can apply
for Belizean Residency for $1,000.)
BEA continues....!
