http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Belize/Stann-Creek-District/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Central America Caribbean , Belize , Stann Creek District en-us Thu, 03 Dec 09 00:24:49 +0000 Thu, 03 Dec 09 00:24:49 +0000 Birthdays are my favorite time to be happy wear crazy hats and drink brightly colored drinks This year was no exception as I was sharing my birthday with two other Aries legends Zach Polman and Chris Jackson As per every other birthday I had about a weekrsquos worth of events planned for me and anyone who was lucky to be caught in my hurricane. The festivities started on April 4th when http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Belize/Stann-Creek-District/Placencia-Village/blog-438924.html I have been lucky to spend a great deal of time observing and thinking about the seas this summer through snorkeling and diving with educated guides and reading some amazing scientific and sciencefiction books. The ocean is a living breathing and adapting organism with a geologic evolution we can barely appreciate Because Belizersquos entire coastline is protected by a 170 mile barrier re http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Belize/Stann-Creek-District/Placencia-Village/blog-438250.html In going through some photo CDs that I have I discovered pictures that I'd never placed on my computer or shared with you. Turner and I had traveled to Belize in 2005 to visit friend Rodger Christopher. We briefly experienced Belize City before traveling and being chauffeured by Rodger to his base of Sittee River Village. The towns of Dangriga and Hopkins Village were part of our experience as http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Belize/Stann-Creek-District/Dangriga/blog-435006.html It sounds like I made it up but no the hokey pokey water taxi to mango creek is the name of the boat trip that was the final leg of our journey from Granada Nicaragua to Placencia Belize. There was a bus ride on offer for less money than the boat but with a name like the above there's only one choice really It took three days to reach Placencia much of the way using the bus company Tica B http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Belize/Stann-Creek-District/Placencia-Village/blog-426493.html I tried uploading some pictures but it didn't work so you'll have to wait a bit longer for them sorryI'm in Placencia at the moment which is a beach resort about 2 and a half hours from Punta Gorda. It's very nice here chilled out lots of sand palm trees and sunshineWe are staying two nights in the Seaspray hotel which we managed to get pretty cheaply. After arriving last night we went to http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Belize/Stann-Creek-District/Placencia-Village/blog-397537.html Hello my dearest family and friends A heartfelt birthday THANK YOU to every one of you who made my day soooo special from so many miles away Especially MOM The Friday before my birthday I was able to find the 39 minute slot our post office was open and had duty tax receipts and excited to see a huge birthday box from my mom Now in order to pay duty tax we are required to open the b http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Belize/Stann-Creek-District/Placencia-Village/blog-395555.html April 22 WednesdayHappy birthday to me. I've never been 51 before so I'm not sure how to act but I'll just keep on faking it as I've done for the last 50 years and everything will work out fine. I decided to sign up for the Open Water Scuba course at the Splash Dive Shop. Cost is 350 USD and it includes all gear books and 4 dives out on the reef. Today was all academic work I read some of http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Belize/Stann-Creek-District/Placencia-Village/blog-395296.html April 19 SundayWe were up fairly early and packed then I had the desk clerk call the Mayan Air office to reserve a couple of spots on the 900 flight. She told me that the flights for Corozal are at 700 am and 1000 am so we booked the 1000 and got a taxi ride to the airstrip where we dropped off our duffel bag and then walked into town for a bit of last minute shopping. San Pedro is sever http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Belize/Stann-Creek-District/Placencia-Village/blog-392825.html A hard rains gonna fall After enjoying our visit to Tikal we thought we would visit Belize as we were relatively close to the border. After a 3 hour journey to the customs office in Guatemala we were left a little lighter in our wallets after the unofficial 'tax'. On the Belizean side after declaring our contraband banana we found we were stranded with no local transport to the nearest town or bu http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Belize/Stann-Creek-District/Placencia-Village/blog-379174.html text http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Belize/Stann-Creek-District/Placencia-Village/blog-377103.html I sit here at my six month anniversary of expatriation and wonder where the days have gone I came to Belize hoping to accomplish many goals and finish numerous projects all of them still patiently listed on the back of a Suduko puzzle. Somehow when making that list I forgot to factor in the People of Placencia I recently read a captivating story called ldquoTherersquos No Place Like H http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Belize/Stann-Creek-District/Placencia-Village/blog-376876.html When Aly and Zach and I moved to Placencia in November we were surprised and delighted to find that we were not the only newbies in town As a matter of fact quite a collection of young people have moved here recently from Austria Canada NY and England In particular we have become good friends with another threesome from Canada Jodie Erin and Brad. They have opened a fantastic restau http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Belize/Stann-Creek-District/Placencia-Village/blog-375721.html Hello family I'm doing my best to keep the stories coming but I have been just too busy living them to document Although its a few months later I hope you still enjoy them A few days after returning from our adventures up North Megan arrived for a Holiday Extravaganza She was our first visitor to the tiny peninsula we call home and also my first time being able to meet my friend ou http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Belize/Stann-Creek-District/Cockscomb-Basin-Wildlife-Sanctuary/blog-371333.html Wow this internet is slow so this is going to be very very short. I've tried a few times now to upload some pics but no luck.We left Caye Caulker this morning after completing our open water scuba diving yesterday. I was pretty happy to get that certification I tell you.We're in Placencia now this tiny little village down the coast. We're heading to Punta Gorda tomorrow where we will be catching http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Belize/Stann-Creek-District/Placencia-Village/blog-364889.html I am travelling to Placencia with a dreadlocked Finnish dude named Topi he attracts the local's attentions for his rasta looks quite aggressive and demanding guy but we got along wellwe lived a lazy life whilst in Placencia hammocking drinking and wacki backi after every mealsWe have to stop in Belmopan to wait for more passengers to Dangriga the driver made an announcement in the microphon http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Belize/Stann-Creek-District/Big-Creek/blog-363455.html As so it goes from one great adventure to another... I look forward to sharing this international relocation adventure with you But first a recap After returning from ATW over the summer I visited most of my friends and family all over the country and the world My sister Alyssa and I took a 2000 mile road trip through Utah NV and CA and took in hikes and awe at Bryce Canyon Zion Lake Ta http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Belize/Stann-Creek-District/Placencia-Village/blog-342940.html Hello there amigosUnfortunately we're not able to upload photos on this computer so we can't show you the photo of adam wrestling the shark but needless to say we ate well that night Thanks for all your messages sorry if we're not replying to them individually .. but it's great to hear from you all ... just in response to a couple though ...Taragh adam shooed the tarantula to the room ne http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Belize/Stann-Creek-District/Dangriga/blog-322929.html So we went to Hopkins planning to spend a couple nights to see the beaches we heard were beautiful and ended up staying a week of course. We didn't even know at the time but it turned out that the weekend we were there was Hopkins Day weekend. So this usually sleepy town was bustling with people. We stayed at Lebeha which is the drumming center. We actually ended up making friends with the guy http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Belize/Stann-Creek-District/Hopkins-Village/blog-315073.html PlacenciaWe caught the 7am boat to Belize yesterday morning. It was around an hour and a half across the bay mostly through open water with the land off in the distance. It was another pretty trip and a big change to be in open water with the hills around just blue rises along the western horizon and water as far off as you could see toward the east.Unfortunately we had to slow down a couple http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Belize/Stann-Creek-District/Placencia-Village/blog-307552.html Hola Patojos little kids in guatemalanPato and I have made our way to Belize. Rio Dulce turned out to be kind of a laid back place and we quickly got on our way to Livingston which is highly dominated by black people who were brought over as slaves and then have dominated the area. It is a really cute town and the boat trip that takes you there from Rio Dulce is even better. It was full of l http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Belize/Stann-Creek-District/Placencia-Village/blog-284526.html