From Tikal to Belize

Tikal was a spectacular adventure into the jungles of northeast Guatemala.  We woke to Howler Monkeys growling high in the trees above.  After breakfast we met our driver and loaded the van.  Within a few hours we would be in Belize.

Belize is just south of Mexico and east of Guatemala on the Caribbean. We wound our way through the Belizean jungle gently decreasing our elevation as we came into Belize City. The four hour ride went quickly and our driver easily found the pier in which we would grab a boat to one of the Cayes. A Caye is a low-elevation, small sandy island formed on the surface of a coral reef.

Because traveling to Belize was not part of my original itinerary I wasn’t quite sure where we would actually be going.  The next boat leaving Belize City was heading to Ambergris Caye and to the town of San Pedro. Within minutes of arriving in the big city, our bags were thrown on the boat and we were zipping through the gentle Caribbean Sea.

Upon arriving in San Pedro, we grabbed our luggage and began heading to the tiny town.  A woman asked if she could point us in the direction of our hotel.  I explained that we had no reservations and would be looking for a hotel.  She was beside herself as she exclaimed “you mean you came to San Pedro without reservations – you’re kidding, right.”  I assured her we were not.  A few short steps later I met Eric.

Eric was a tour guide operator pedaling snorkeling trips and other such adventures on this tropical paradise.  I told him of our dilemma and he dropped everything.  The family remained sitting on their luggage on the sidewalk in downtown San Pedro while I hopped in a golf cart with Eric.  He took me to a hotel that he had called while driving which had a pool, beachfront rooms and plenty of lizards in the backyard to keep the little ones occupied.

The official language in Belize is English, however, a healthy mix of Spanish and Belizean Creole are widely spoken. Belize was originally a part of the British Empire and from 1862 to 1973 is was known as British Honduras. In 1981it became an independent Commonwealth with Queen Elizabeth II remaining as the head of state. Interestingly, Guatemala has claimed ownership of all of Belize throughout its history.

Eric took us out snorkeling where we swam with manta rays, turtles, large Nurse sharks and Moray eels. My nine-year old Reed struggled on his first attempts to snorkel.  He took in water but his perseverance paid off. The following day we were back out with Eric fishing the seas just past the great reef. Everyone caught fish which one of the many restaurants prepared for us that evening

San Pedro is a small town.  There are dozens of restaurants and small shops to buy nothing you need but everything you can’t live without. Luckily for my son Reed, shoes are not required anywhere. Here in San Pedro everyone gets around using golf carts. The rental business is brisk. After a few days in paradise I began to feel the itch. That evening at dinner I let everyone know we would be leaving the island in the morning.  They wondered where we would be going.  I explained that I would know in the morning. That’s the way I roll.

I worked things out with Eric, my Belizean guardian angel, and the following morning we were back on the boat taking the hour and half boat ride back to Belize City.  There we hopped onto another van driven by Eric’s cousin.  Soon we would be back in the jungle tubing down a river through a mile-long cave with Eric’s brother. Our next destination was Punta Gorda in southern Belize.  It is a town where there road ends…