When we flew into Belize City it was a to a really small airport in with one runway, it was a reminder to myself as to how we are so privileged in the US. We met one of our host organization workers and then were off to the Zoo! It was a sweet little zoo, the director was American but all the employees were Belizian. We got to see tapirs, toucans, a puma, a jaguar, crocs, monkeys and many more animals, but my favorite was the Harpy Eagle. I had a conversation with the director while she was feeding the male eagle (who was raised at the zoo from birth) and talked about how I learned about them in 4th grade and did a project on them. It was really amazing to see one up close and personal. After that we went to the city we were staying in, San Ignacio, Cayo. We stayed at a mini-resort type accommodation, they actually had T.V., which we were all caught off guard by b/c they had cable too (I don't even have cable at home).
That first night we learned about what we would be doing, working with a local Mayan village who leased an area of 13,000 acres from the Belizian government to create a national park for 5 years (there national park system is so different and makes me appreciate what we have here so much more). We also learned about the bot fly, nasty little creatures I'm sure you've heard about. When we arrived the next day at the Park Warden's house, it was just a small little place with farm animals and crops, nothing fancy at all. We met the warden, Antonio, and he was super friendly, spoke English, Mayan and Spanish. We hiked about a mile and half to two miles to the camp site, along the way we saw slash and burn agriculture going on, and also the crops people were growing on that land. The people there use that land for their livelihood, though slash and burn is bad they aren't really thinking about that when they do it and I talked to the warden about it, it's tough when you are trying to preserve forests but people need to live. We finally crossed the border into the park and our first taste of adventure was going to a cave hidden off the path and through some jungle. I got to climb a vine for a bit, super strong and sturdy but full of ants haha. There were fruit bats flying in and out and from what we were told the cave was used for rituals so we did not go all the way in.
We got to the camp site, which was built by volunteers just like us, mostly British volunteers from Trek Force. They built the cabin, the seating area and also built pipes for the bathrooms. We had running water b/c we brought a pump/generator and got the water from the stream that came out of the side of the mountain, it was amazing b/c it came out of a little crack in the side of the mountain. We ate lunch and helped clean up an area where we were building a palapa (open spaced cooking area), we got to see huge spiders running around, a coral snake, larva/grubs, and also a lizard that I got to hold before letting go (this was all in the area of leaves we cleared out, not more than 100 square feet, less than that and there was so much life in that plot of land next to the cabin.
The food was amazing! Antonio, the warden, brought his neighbors, Ernesto and his wife and one of their kids Janai, to come up to help cook, his son, Junior, and his son's girl friend also came. The women cooked and the women in our group helped out and learned how to make fresh hot jacks! Mean while I set up the tents b/c I felt like camping in the jungle instead of sleeping in a cabin. Night came fast and we were soon eating by candle light and stuffing ourselves with fresh hot jacks that never seemed to end and beans, meat, some veggies and fruit. This is how we ate the entire trip. Our next day involved cutting re-bar, getting logs cut by the warden's neighbor, and building steps in two trails that they had at the park for the public. It wasn't as humid as I though but the bugs still loved me regardless. I got my first ticks that day and that was a common trend throughout the week haha. The area we cleared the first day and it was soon transformed into an area where tree trunks were put in and a roof was being built. We had moved thatched pine leaves to the area the day before and those would be put up soon. We leveled the ground with a pick axe and shovels (one thing that we noticed was the lack of supplies, these people have so little and yet they can get so much done).
Common Theme = Food, yes we ate well that day, fresh tortillas and left over hot jacks, sooooo gooood. The rest of the day involved finishing what we could of the palapa and also deciding on what to do the next day. We were told that night that we'd split our group into two, one would go to the waterfall they had in the park and the other to the cave. Originally we were told we could go to both, but the hike would be 16 miles total round trip. So as a group we decided to split up, I decided to go on the cave group's hike. Both groups participated in and helped out with doing a Rapid Environmental Assessment (REA), which for us meant listening for birds, spotting birds and various types of trees and recording them. Our group had the park warden, Antonio, who would stop every 100 meters and listen for birds and look for them, he has an amazing ear for them and can identify a lot of them off just their calls. We heard so many that day it was truly an experience I will never forget. There were so many at one point he couldn't id them all as he doesn't know all of them yet. We got to see a Gray Hawk catch a cicada in the air and eat it, pretty cool. I got good at listening for toucan's, they have a very distinct call and it was nesting season so the males were out and about.
Our journey continued on, and at one point we sat down on some logs for a break, then the warden told us to turn around and look at what looked to be a normal hill...nope it was a Mayan Ruin that had jungle overgrowth. We got to hike up it, dangerous at some points with very shaky rocks, almost lost a foot when the person in front of me stepped on a rock and it came loose and dropped right in front of my foot. We saw what used to be a map of the different ruins/rooms in this area but the rock was cracked so half of it was buried and broken. Antonio showed us that there were grave robbers who were digging into the ruins to try to find gold. It's only him and another volunteer that patrols 13,000 acres of the park, 2 people! I asked how he dealt with robbers and poachers and he said he didn't have a gun or anything so it was just him talking to them and telling them about the park and how sacred it is. It was so cool to hear him talk calmly about it and how he just talked to people who were robbing the park. From there we hiked more until we got an area called Mayan Spring, it was a camp site the last British Group built with a water well with pipes, we refilled our water bottles with some fresh water from the well and then went to the cave. Unfortunately no jaguar sitings, but we did see jaguar scat (feces) with some fur in it, about a few weeks old. The warden calmly picked it up and examined it, pretty cool. We added that to the REA and that was our last entry, overall we would end up with about 35 different types of birds and about 15 different trees. Before we got to the cave we had to rub our fingers on a specific type of tree sap that was meant to show the Mayan Spirits we respected them and were not there as visitors. We got to the entrance and saw a spectacular site, the opening was full of rock formations and bats and sparrows flying in and out of the place. I didn't notice it at first but there was something flying around my head and it kept bugging me, so I swung at it a couple times to get it away, turns out it was a killer bee and the next was about 20 feet above our heads.
Note to self, never mess with killer bees, never run, they will find you. Antonio told us to duck and we did I assure you of that, once the bee left for a minute we ran into the area before the cave entrance, dropped off our stuff, only took our flash lights and cameras. Also another interesting note, this cave is not open to tourists, only the park warden and a few other people have explored it so we were given an amazing opportunity to go into a cave that still had many unexplored areas. When we entered we got a sneak preview of what was to come with some dead stalactites and stalagmites. We also saw fragments of broken pottery and other out of this world rock formations. I stayed back and helped out a few of the students and ended up holding one of their camera's and flash light while we made our descent. It was a few minutes in when I watched as my camera rolled out of my pocket and down about 200 feet of cave until it landed at the bottom. I yelled out "don't worry it's just mine," b/c I had the other girls camera in my pocket too. When I finally reached the bottom it was slippery b/c of the liquid dripping down from the stalactites, Antonio warned us not to touch the stalagmites because they would die not form after being disturbed. I got my camera back and surprisingly it was intact, though all the buttons weren't working and the screen wasn't working I tested it and it still flashed (but not sure if it was taking pictures).
Our journey continued into the depths of the cave, oh forgot to mention we did not have helmets or suits or anything. We got into one crevice and had to crawl sideways into another. We got to some that had a super small ceiling and more fragments of pottery. That's were we saw the cave spider, or scorpion spider, the girls freaked out but I kind of just sat there and watched it. I figure the eye site had to be bad (just looked it up, they are blind it turns out and are not poisonous as I was telling them but they wouldn't believe me). After that we kept crawling, climbing and just taking the cave in. We got to one area where we had to slide in b/w a very narrow gap (we could tap the two formations and it sounded like a xylophone). We got into a very very very tiny room and at the lowest point was a skull and jaw of a Mayan Sacrifice, it was unbelizeable we were in a room where a Mayan Sacrifice was buried. I'm sure it's not the best thing to touch and hold the jaw but Antonio was showing it to us and we could only sit there in awe and take pictures. After some more exploring and following Antonio we got to a room that was just discovered a month before by Antonio and the other warden. It contained 8 giant pots. The Mayan believed the pots contained spirits and they would break them inside the cave after performing rituals so the spirits could leave.
From there we continued until we got to another area where the Mayan burned the bodies of their sacrifices, yes there were charred bones there. Archaeologists were still excavating the site and it was roped off. Antonio showed us some more pots and plates that were used for food offerings. No one knows how the pots got into the cave, if they were made in the cave or not or if they were brought in. How though did they get into some of the rooms? They could not have fit through some of those crevices. It's a mystery that is waiting to be solved, one that I would love to help solve. After that we climbed up to an area where when you looked up all you could see was black dots, and the smell, yeah lots of bats and lots of guano haha, it was sweet though to be in such an untouched space and see them in their natural habitat. Antonio then told us to turn off our lights and he then he turned his on against a rock, you could see through the rock! This guy gets to explore caves and do stuff like this, aweesome job! We got lost on our way back for a bit but then found our way again, crawling and climbing, getting muddy and watching our steps b/c of the large ledges.
Once we got out we took some pictures to show we made it out, then we rushed to get our stuff and ran out a different cavern of the cave b/c the killer bees were hanging around. We hiked back in good time and at the junction of the trails to the cave and waterfall we saw a leaf on the ground. None of us thought anything of this but it was a marker that the other group had already headed back. Antonio said we had time to go to the waterfall so of course we all said YES! We hiked on the trail and then went off onto a very hidden path and to a stream where we filled up our bottles with fresh spring water. We continued the hike until we got to the camp site for the waterfall. After hiking down about a quarter mile of large steps we could hear the waterfall. We got out of a clearing and there right before us was a 5 story waterfall with small pools and smaller little falls/rapids at the bottom. My goodness, if only I had a working camera, though pictures don't do it justice I got a shot of it with my Polaroid.
What would I do at a waterfall with giant pools and refreshing water, jump in! Good thing for board shorts. Swimming in that water (that we were told to watch for crocs and snakes on the shoreline, good thing there was nothing in some of the murky parts) felt so good after hiking for 12 miles. Climbing up the pools I got to the main pool at the bottom of the falls and walked around until I was standing next to it, hearing and feeling its power. I slid down the bottom (it was a mini slide) and then swam to the side to climb up but couldn't b/c it was so slippery so I swam back to the ledge of the pool and jumped from that one into the bottom one. Then I climbed back up once everyone else jumped in (we didn't care, some jumped in with all their clothes on). I found little black worms crawling on my arm and thought they were leeches, I still think they were but was told they were worms ( I got them by trying to climb out of the pool and rubbing against the rocks). After flicking them off and also pulling out two small ticks from my foot I climbed up the side of the falls to the pool above the main pool (no ropes, nothing mind you).
At the upper pool there was a rainbow at the bottom of that fall, it was so peaceful there. I just sat there, looked around at the panoramic view of the jungle (no camera, though again pics could not do it justice) and just sat an enjoyed nature. I really felt at peace for the first time in a long long time. The mist of the falls, the sun, the jungle, the rainbow, I could not have asked for anything else. After a few minutes a few of the girls climbed up with Antonio and we just sat there in silence and enjoyed the falls. Finally we had to go b/c the sun was setting so we climbed down and jumped to the bottom pools and then went to get our stuff. We took a group pic before leaving, then got dressed and started our hike back. We made pretty good time actually and along the way we got to talk to each other a lot more and I think we all learned a lot about each other that day. The experiences we shared that day we stay with me forever, who would have thought I would have the opportunity to hike 16 miles into the jungle, through a cave, swam in a giant pool and climbed a waterfall all in one day?
Our last day in the jungle involved finishing the steps in the trails and also trying to finish the palapa. I got to use a chain saw the last day for a little bit (though it took forever go get it started). We weren't allowed onto the top of the palapa but we handed leaves and wire to Antonio and his son for the roof. We actually did not get to finish it but it was still cool to see that something came from nothing 4 days earlier. When we originally arrive there, it was just leaves on the ground, 4 days later the foundations to a structure were in place and all we needed was for the roof to be finished (leaves put in). A lot of the time I actually observed a wasp pull a large spider to a hole it was digging. It was amazing to sit there and watch this insect do all that it did (capture the wasp, paralyze it, dig the hole, drag it to the hole, then cover it, it took a few hours but eventually it covered the area and you could not tell where the spider was buried...it was Discovery Channel and National Geographic in REAL LIFE). We took one final picture with the group under the palapa and started our hike back down to Antonio's home. Antonio stayed behind to finish the palapa himself. I forgot to mention that we had jugs of water that lasted us most of the 4 days but we ran out the last day so we all had a little bit left, just our luck b/c it was super hot and sunny that day. The hike back was bitter sweet because we knew we were leaving the ticks/snakes/botflies/etc but we were also leaving a part of ourselves in that forest. We had bonded so much those 4 days with Antonio, his family, his neighbors and the puppy Cassie (forgot to mention that too).
When we got to Antonio's we got some water from his house (from a spring), and then sat around and played cards with Junior. I walked around with Junior in their gardens (they had so many different types of fruit trees, kiwi, mango, blackberries, etc etc. It was such a simple place, they were so happy and content with their little farm it definitely shows the contrast between the way we live our lives in the US and how people live theirs elsewhere. Some of the girls went to the neighbors< Ernesto's house and came back and told us they got to see their wedding photos and felt so loved that they were willing to share their house and pictures with them, even though we only knew met them 4 days ago. When the van got there we were all saying our good byes to Antonio and his family, I gave him a pair of my hiking socks b/c he said he could always use an extra pair (he walks the park every day almost with just his gum boots!) I felt bad b/c I wanted to do more and help out more but before I left I told him I'd be back, matter of fact I promised him I'd be back one day.
We got back to the place we stayed at on our first night and we all were tired and kind of sad so that night was just us catching up on sleep and doing tick checks haha. One of the guys on our trip was really sun burned, when he took off his shirt it looked as if he was still wearing his undershirt. The next day we got to go to a local school to work with children. We were supposed to teach them about the environment, jungle, endangered species, water conservation and photosynthesis. After splitting into groups we got our lesson plans ready, then we walked to the school. This school is one that is already overcrowded, but it still takes in kids because they cannot refuse. In Belize, schooling is only required until the end of primary school (6th grade). Nothing is required after that, so education to many families is not the first priority. Many kids cannot even afford the US $1 for lunch, they come to school with nothing, just their school bags and curious minds. When we got there it was recess so kids were running around, they were jumping up and down and they love playing tag so of course I was "tagged" and was "it" right when I got in there. Running around it was interesting to see how the school had many ledges on the side but kids ran up and down without a worry, I was kind of scared I'd lose an ankle or two.
After recess the kids went back to class and we got split up into 3rd and 4th primary classes. I got a 3rd and it was weird to see that it looked just like a third grade class I was in with crafts/projects they made hanging on the wall, a marker board, and other pictures of animals and maps. The kids were so excited that they did not want to sit down, every time I asked a question there were those that wanted to answer all the time but we definitely tried to get all the kids to participate. They especially like to write stuff on the board or with the mini boards we brought with us. We were trying to tell them to be nice to each other and not fight as to who got to go first when writing something on the board, but it was tough, they were just super excited to see us and learn. I was really impressed b/c they already knew what photosynthesis was and about all the animals in the jungle. After taking some pictures (which they were all super excited for too), we went back to the courtyard while their regular teacher finished the lesson. We donated all our supplies the school so they could use it in future lessons. Kids in the younger classes got to go home after that, while the older kids had another hour or so of class. We stayed after all of our groups were done and I played tag around the school, those kids were quick, but it was all fun b/c everyone got into it. After taking another group pic on their makeshift jungle gym we went back to our accommodation, except this time I got a ride from one of the host organization's staff members (lack of water again).
From there we walked down the hill to this super awesome tasty soy based ice cream parlor called Cayo Twist (if you are ever there you NEED to try it). We were the first in line, they hadn't opened yet, so some of us went to a convenience store they had next door. Another thing to note in Belize is the Taiwanese and Chinese own all the convenience stores and supermarkets, not a joke it's true. I bought a disposable camera there (wrong thing to do, you'll find out why later). It was kind of funny b/c when I was paying for it I noticed that the owners spoke Cantonese, and then all of a sudden out of no where (though expected) they told one of their employees to watch some of our girls and to make sure they didn't steal anything. I wasn't the only one who heard it, another girl in our group heard it and also spoke Cantonese and was about to say something but I told her not to, we were in a different country and stuff like that happens everywhere we go. But in the end we both figure something was going to be said so when we left (after making our purchases) she told them thank you lovely ladies in Cantonese and their faces were priceless b/c they were laughing at first and then all of a sudden shock/surprise/confusion.
Did I mention how delicious and amazing Cayo Twist was? It was the perfect snack for the weather. We chilled there in the patio of the place for a while then headed back to the accommodation. We got our stuff ready and then walked back down the hill a little to a Mayan Ruin, right next to our accommodation! We paid to get in and then got to see temples and courtyards/plazas, about 100 meters away from where we were staying. We hiked up to the highest point, ran around the different plazas, got to just sit there and admire the ingenuity of the Mayans. They even had a rain gutter for their temple that went from a high point and then into the lowest point in one plaza. There were many rooms and arches we took pictures of too. Oh and fun fact, San Diego State Archaelogists were part of the excavation of the site. We had dinner back at the accommodation and then called it a night b/c the next day was our last full day in Belize and it was going to be packed with fun. I stayed up late though catching up on my journal b/c it was tough some days to write in it with all the activities going on and the exhaustion.
We woke up, got our stuff ready, had breakfast, then met our two guides. We were first going to Xunantunich - the Stone Lady in Mayan, where El Castillo is located, one of the tallest Mayan Temples around b/c it sits atop a hill over looking the border of Guatemala and Belize. When we got there we had to go across to the island on a ferry, hand cranked ferry actually, one of only 5 left in the country. There were giant iguanas lounging around the waterside and running lizards, it was pretty sweet. The guides said if we could catch one we should watch out for their tails, unfortunately they can swim pretty well too so if they saw us coming they'd jump into the water. We drove up about a mile to the parking lot to the ruins and we saw that there were armed soldiers near the gate. This, as the guide we met there told us, was the Belize Defense Forces, who were there to protect the area b/c it was only a 10 minute walk to the Guatemala Border from there. We learned that the temples were built high as a sign of power and because the Mayans believe that the higher you are the closer you are to the gods.
The first courtyard we entered was meant for the farmers in the region to congregate each month. It was a way for the priests and royalty to show their support for them. From there we could already see El Castillo, the large stone temple. We heard some more stories from our guide, took some pics, listened to the monkeys in the trees, then walked up the giant stone steps toward the top. Each time we stopped we got to see more beautiful views of the surrounding area. The carvings on the side of the temple are actually refurbished ones b/c weathering had damaged the old ones, new ones were put in. We got to the top and there were more killer bees flying around but they seemed to enjoy flying around me the most. The view from the top was spectacular, we could see all the courtyards, and our voices carried to the farthest ones. To our east we could see the border fence b/w Guatemala and Belize, it really was maybe a 3 minute drive. We sat at the edge of the top of the temple and sang some songs, even got someone to yell encore from the bottom. On our descent we saw a huge swarm of killer bees in a palm tree so we ran to the bottom and got under a picnic area. We learned more about how the Mayans lived their lives; we walked through a ball court (one of their ancient sports that the winning team was honored by sacrificing their lives, so for all you super competitive people out there think twice next time you play a game just to win).
As we continued on we were taken to a spot that had an amazing photo op of the temples, turns out National Geographic photographers used that spot for one of their photos used in the article they wrote about the place. Our guide then showed us stone carvings they found in the ruins of ancient warriors and rituals, they were huge stone slabs with carvings on them. Turns out that UCLA archaeologists were involved with excavation of this place too. After that we got some water and took off to Barton Creek, a 10km long cave with artifacts, ruins and who knows what else in it. The road to the place was bumpy/hilly and it was fun going off roading in a van, we even crossed two rivers in them (though they were more not flooded at the time we all hummed the Indiana Jones Theme Song to add to the effect). On the way there we passed by Amish Country, turns out the Amish lease the land from the government for 50-100 years then renew it when their lease is up. It was unique to see them working on their farms and using no modern technology, makes you appreciate all the agricultural advances we've made here, but also I applaud them for doing everything they do without modern technology.
Once we arrived at Barton Creek, we learned that it was Canadian man who purchased the land and built a little restaurant/resort and adventure tour activity center for people to visit. We had lunch there, got some fresh lemonade and then got ready to go canoing in the cave!!! We learned we'd only be going for 1km but the cave was 10km long. We only had one paddler in each canoe so I volunteered to paddle for one, little did I know what I would be getting myself into. The person in the front of each canoe was in charge of the lamp (which was 1000 lights put into one, it hurt a lot if they pointed it at your eyes). The entrance to the cave was beautiful with long vines hanging down from the jungle into a large pool. Bats flew in and out while we canoed in. We were told to look for giant catfish too b/c they make their homes in the cave. The stalactites and other rock formations were so beautiful, too bad I only had disposable cameras (one I bought back in Atlanta during our lay over, the other from the Convenience store remember). We got to one point and our guide pointed out a human skull on a ledge, the Mayans believed this cave led to the underworld so sacrifices were done in this cave. There were 8 bodies up by the skull we were told, but they had moved them b/c people had been going into the cave and taking objects/artifacts out. After passing under a limestone bridge our guide told everyone to get low in the canoe (basically lay down) b/c the ceiling soon became the height of the canoe, I wish I could show you how low it really was, it was a really interesting experience paddling while laying inside the canoe and trying to avoid jagged rocks.
When we got to the end of the area where we were supposed to turn around we turned off all the lights and just sat there to listen. It was complete darkness and all we could hear was the water dripping from the ceiling of the cave down to the water below and off other rocks. Quite peaceful, could have taken a nap. After a few minutes we turned on our lights and got ready to go back, our guide said we should race, but after we got through the low ceiling part. We took it seriously and raced, luckily we got a head start in my canoe and kept it all the way through (but remember the rules of the ball game, winners = sacrifice haha). When we got back to the dock we were told we could swim in the pool but to watch out for piranhas, of course he was joking. I looked up and thought to myself, can I jump off one of those vines or the cliff, then I asked the guide, he said yeah we have a ladder. So we grabbed the ladder and I climbed up, got to a point where there was a vine we could stand on to get ready for the jump (~25 feet), it was soooooooo fun (I hit the bottom after getting in the water but it was mushy luckily), and the water was really refreshing. Two of the girls in the group decided to do it too, everyone else not so much. One of the guides actually got a dive off. There was also a rope swing near the bottom we used but had to avoid the canoes. After getting dried we went back to the restaurant to change, there was a pet spider monkey hanging around so we played around with her for a bit (her name was Mango). She kept trying to take the plastic bag with my disposable cameras in it b/c she thought i was food. We took off after that and headed back to San Ignacio.
That night instead of eating at the accommodation we wanted to go out to eat. We stopped by our host org Pro Belize's office and asked if Molly, the first person we met in Belize, would like to join us. We went to this restaurant called Helen's. I sat outside with two other people while the rest sat inside (it was too hot inside). Combing my back I found another tick, this one was larger than the others, one of the girls helped me pull it out, when she looked at it she asked if it was a tick, it started walking...yup. The spot still hurts actually, the head may still be in my skin so we'll wait and see if another body pops up. We feasted that night, a lot of the girls got burritos and quesidillas, they were huge. I got a fish plate and I was super full, usually I can finish off more but it was a big plate. We went into the town and to some shops to get some music and I got a lot of headbands and bracelets. Of course we couldn't call it a night without stopping by Cayo Twist, the director of Pro Belize joined us too and we all sat around chatting and reliving some moments. That night we did our final reflection and it was amazing to see how close we'd gotten throughout the trip.
The next day involved us debriefing with Pro Belize and then getting our stuff on a bus and saying our goodbyes to the Pro Belize Staff and taking off for the airport. It was about a 2.5 hour ride, no bathroom breaks, it was a school bus mind you. We sang a lot of the way there and just tried to enjoy the sites and sounds of the Belize country side until we go to the airport. We spent our last Belizian dollars on banana jam and Marie Sharp's exotic sauce and hot sauce...they are delicious! Flying out of the airport I tried to enjoy my last few hours in Belize while writing in my journal and remembering all the good times we had. I will return one day, who knows when but hey if anyone wants to join let me know!
To all those who I traveled with thank you for the good times and memories, there will be more to come, you all have so much potential and good things lie ahead for everyone.
Thanks for reading, I'll try to update you all when I get to New Zealand,
Cheers,
Tyler
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