Our first day was spent riding bikes into San Pedro town and getting sunburned. There's nothing better than getting a farmer's tan on Day One!!!
The next day we spent the day traveling to and visiting the Mayan ruin site, Lamanai... A full day of water travel, eating local cuisine, exploring amazing ruins, and conquering any fear of heights (and snakes) we may have!
On our boat ride to the Lamanai site we saw some men fishing. Definitely not fly or deap sea fishing... Belizeans don't have enough money for all that fanciness - just good old fashioned hand fishing with a line!
On our boat ride to the Lamanai site we saw some men fishing. Definitely not fly or deap sea fishing... Belizeans don't have enough money for all that fanciness - just good old fashioned hand fishing with a line!
And these people were just thrilled to see tourists traveling down their river!
This was a beautiful flower we saw on our hike into the site - I was too full to remember the name of it...
This is the main temple at Lamanai, simply referred to as "High Temple" (you think?)
A couple of pictures from the tippy top of High Temple...
Mom makes it to the middle level of High Temple (Yes, I'm at the top taking all of these pictures)
Mom starts her descent...
These stairs don't really look that steep, do they?
Almost back down to safety...
Ahhhhh, happy to be with the masks at Mask Temple.
These guys just wanted to say goodbye as we left the site : )
I spent the next day getting over a stomach virus caught while on the island. As tired as I was, I couldn't resist an afternoon of snorkeling. Sadly, our pictures didn't turn out that well. The snorkeling experience at Hol Chan was near to if not better than the Caymans!
So, the following day we were back on the road. This day we were traveling in style - a plane trip back to the mainland and our own personal tour guide, Brainard (pronounced Bernard) who drove us to the western side of Belize. We visited the ancient Mayan city of Xunantunich in the morning and had the pleasure of cave tubing in Belizean jungles in the afternoon!
Our ferry across the river to Xunantunich
The left side of the main temple at Xunantunich-
Here we are on the side of the main temple at Xunantunich...
And on the top of the main temple at Xunantunich...
While on the top, some beautiful views of Belize and Guatemala...
The other side of the main temple at Xunantunich-
And then we make it down, YEAH!!!
On our way to the caves we rode through a few small towns in Western Belize. Here is a picture of the only suspension bridge in Belize:
Lunchbreak at the taco stand-
Getting ready to go cave tubing - here we come bats!!!
On our way back to Belize City after cave tubing. This is an above ground cemetery in Belize City.
Some school children on their way home.
A shot of Belize City on our ride back to San Pedro in the Cessna.
We were traveling lightly on our trip to Xunantunich. Had we been carrying bags we would have had a crazy time at baggage claim in San Pedro!
We have more pictures and even more memories, but hopefully that's enough to entice you to visit Belize for your next vacation. Should you happen to be visiting in 2013, look me up... I'll be managing the newest, and only, supermarket on Ambergris Caye while my Mom is out diving with her new cutie patootie boyfriend : )
