Buen Provecho

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On saturday (July 8th), Adam and I took the boat from our resort to San Pedro to catch the Caye Caulker water taxi to Belize City. Here we took a cab to the airport and waited for Adam's plane which also happened to have Kristin and Rani on it. It's always hard to say goodbye to Adam and even a bit harder after such a glorious week, but we know the goodbyes are now numbered and that makes it easier!

It was great to see Kristin and Rani!!!! They brought me my first wedding magazines! And, man, those things are overwhelming!!!!!! But so fun, too!!! We got in a taxi and I basically reversed my route, but instead of heading to San Pedro, we stopped in Caye Caulker. We found a hotel (that claimed to have AC), had dinner and spent the night.

On Sunday (July 9), we shopped, got acquainted with Caye Caulker and watched Italia beat France! WOO HOO!!!!!! It's really a hoot to watch true "football fans" down here!!! Go Italia!!!!! On Monday (July 10), we took a whole day snorkeling trip with 3 stops: Coral Reef, Shark-Ray Alley (YES, you heard me right) and Hol Chan. We saw so many different types of fish (snapper, different colored tangs, parrotfish, angel fish, grouper, rainbow fish, lion fish, and barracudas) stingrays, nurse sharks (both of which we got to touch and watch feed), sea cucmbers, lobster, different kinds of crabs, mutli colored coral, coral fans (my favorite kind of coral), conch, and so much more!!! I can't remember all the names of all the fish we saw. I never thought I would knowingly swim with sharks, but I have to admit, it was one of the coolest things I have ever done. I have a newfound respect for them. Nursesharks, at least, are so calm and beautiful!!!!! Our guides were hilarious and seemed to be marine whisperers! They held sting rays and sharks for us to feel. Their island accents only added to the picture. As I type this I still feel like I'm on the sailboat that took us out watching one of our guides take a live conch out of its beautiful shell and getting it ready for conch ceviche (raw with veggies and citrus juice). Sailing back watching the sun set and listening to reggae music was phenomenal! As a side note, my friend, Rani, finally figured out how to pee in the ocean at the very last opportunity. It was a crack up trying to give advice to do this!!! 😊

On Tuesday (July 11- Happy Birthday Brooke W), the weather wasn't so good, so we slept late, wandered around in the town, and then took a half day snorkeling trip straight out from Caye Caulker whereas our other snorkeling trip was east of San Pedro. We saw all of the same things as the day before with a few additions. I saw several lobster, touched tons of sting rays on my own, and saw a green moray eel. That is an ugly looking creature! After dinner (I've eaten so much blackened fish, shrimp quesadillas, shrimp everything and fish everything- I feel like Forest Gump), we got caught by a torrential downpour. It was hilarious to run back from the internet cafe in the rain. After that we hung out talking in our hotel since we had to get up early for our Wednesday adventure.

On Wednesday (July 12), our alarm went off at 6am and we headed to the boat dock to catch a 6:30am ferry to Belize City. We negotiated a deal with a taxi driver to take us on our adventure for the day. This was one of the coolest days I've had since I've been traveling. We went first to the Community Baboon Sanctuary. Now this isn't where baboons are, that's just what the locals call Black Howler Monkeys, which are only found in N. Guatemala, Mexico and Belize. We stopped in the welcome center, which was a hut with tons of pictures and history of how the sanctuary came about. I read how a biologist, Rob Horwich, was trying to save and preserve the natural habitats of these rare monkeys. He first met a man named, Fallet, who was interested in what he had to say and since the biologist was white, suggested that he (Fallet) introduce him to the neighbors so as to ease the way a bit. The community is a voluntary group of neighbors who have agreed to keep the trees and edges of their land natural enough for the monkeys to survive and prosper. I believe it started in 1985 and has now become known as the first sanctuary to successfully relocate howler monkeys to other areas. It is about 20 square miles. Fallet seemed to be about 60 years old and had the most amazing stories and antecdotes. He was a true treasure and we were lucky enough to have him be our guide to find these rare and beautiful monkeys that are my new favorite (the same type we saw in Tikal 😊. He taught us how many of the trees and plants have medicinal purposes such as aiding in excema (mahogany tree), slowing the rate of poison in the blood if you're bit by a snake, helping aid in the aftermath of the birthing process, birth control and a pregnancy test. This last one was so interesting. He pointed out a plant that he said if a pregnant women pees on it, it will wither on the spot. If a nonpregnant woman urinates on it, nothing will happen. He told us stories how all of these medicinal herbs have played a role in his life. He was an extremely intriguing man and I feel lucky to have met him!

On to one of the most memorable times of my life (many of which have occurred on this trip)..........I not only got to see black howler monkeys and hear them, but I got to feed them!!!! Fallet brought out a banana and these monkeys came over like we had gold! They were crawling all over us to try to get the bananas. One even crawled on Kristin's head! It was quite honestly one of the coolest experiences I have ever had! Monkeys holding my hands, eating out of my hands and looking at me face to face! Nothing is comparable! My love of monkeys has only multiplied since this experience! Adam, how do you feel about becoming a rescue site for monkeys? Do you think they have a need in St. Louis?

After this incredible experience, we returned to the cab and went to the Belize Zoo, which is known for being a conservationist zoo. All of the animals have been rescued and are unable to live in the wild which to me is so much better than visiting a zoo wondering how the animals arrived there. The habitats were so natural and the animals all seemed at ease in their homes. We saw more howler monkeys and actually got to hear one male howl for over 20 minutes, spider monkeys, spotted jaguars, a black jaguar, ocelots, parrots, crocodiles, alligators, eagles, a puma, deer, tapirs, toucans, tayras, agouti paca (looked like a mini Ewok), fruit bats, storks, owls, coatimundis and more! We even saw a fox cross the road on the way back to Belize City.

Now, I am back on Caye Caulker after what can only be described as a typical travel event in my Central American trip. Since crossing the border from Guatemala, most everything has been smooth sailing minus some rain. Well, today on the boat back to the island, we stopped in the harbor and were told that we would have to switch boats since there was something wrong with the motor. No big deal, right? Well, another much smaller boat arrived and they tied them together and I have to say that while I have been crammed in many buses, cars and vans, I have never had the experience of being crammed on a boat. We were like sardines and it was hilarious! The scene only magnified as the rain started and it felt like accupuncture on our arms and faces. It was even more a riot, when they stopped the boat to pull tarps out to pull over our heads. Ofcourse, the only hole in the coverage was above my and my immediate neighbors. That's always the way it goes! But, I did have my handy duty child's raincoat to save the day and from what I hear I got the better end of the bargain. (fresh air is sometimes better 😊 So now, I am in my last night in Central America and I can't believe this month has gone so fast! In some ways, I can't wait to be home and in others, I'm sad to see it end. I feel like a different person, a better person for all that I've seen and experienced. And all of you know how much my life has changed on this trip. I truly can't wait to get started!

It's Friday (July 14) and I'm home. Ironically, I sat next to a couple on the plane who live in Melbourne Beach about 2 miles from my parents. The woman even works at our family dentist office. At the airport, I got out of customs and saw Campero boxes (this is the best fried chicken in Guatemala that is very famous and really good) traveling from Guatemala to Ohio and San Francisco. I helped an older Guatemalan couple find their plane. They were so lost and so cute! It feels so good to be home!!! I am so excited to have my cell phone and make and receive calls, take LONG, HOT showers, eat whatever I want (especially a turkey sandwich), put my toilet paper in the toilet while flushing (small pleasures), watch TV, and do my own laundry.

Now it's Saturday (July 15- Happy Birthday Aunt Melissa!) and I have just flown into Melbourne to pick up Bella and Mocha (our dog and cat). I had this elaborate plan to fly home, spend a couple days with the fam, then drive back to Atlanta with my mom and then after Mom left, drive to St. Louis to see Adam and my new ring. Adam had told me he was running a 5k this morning and so I wasn't expecting to hear from him and yet............Let me recap my flight for you. Here I am sitting on the plane looking at a bridal magazine, when someone asks me if the seat next to me is taken. I look up and there is Adam with his video camera on and my ring in his hand. He said he couldn't let me go home without my new ring! Do I not have the best fiance EVER? I mean, regardless of how well he seems able to lie to me 😊, he is the most romantic man I have ever met and he loves ME. Can you believe it? He's here with me to help look at wedding sights and his parents are coming up tomorrow (Sunday) to meet the whole family. I'M GETTING MARRIED!!!!! Now it seems real! I'm the luckiest girl on the planet!!!!

To recap everything and summarize as this is my last blog, I've learned so much about other cultures, other people, and mostly myself on this trip. I will never forget how nervous I was arriving at my Guatemalan family and how sad I was to say goodbye or how excited I was to hold wild monkeys and snorkel with sharks. I was educated in Guatemalan culture and saddened by the poverty. And I can't even begin to compare all of this to how suprised and thrilled I was when Adam proposed to me on the top of a Mayan ruin and surprised me in the airplane just this morning. All of these things and more I will never forget. I want to thank all of you for the love, encouragement, and support you've given since the start of my journey. I have so much left ahead of me and I am grateful to know that you will be with me on the way. Having said that, there is a saying in Guatemala, "Buen Provecho" which literally means good digestion. It is typically said after meals as a way of excusing yourself and to express gratefulness to the cook. What I take it to mean is enjoy your food, your experiences, your family and friends, your life and your adventures.

With all the adventures ahead of me ......engagement, moving, getting married and starting a family (in the not so near future- don't freak out Adam 😊 and the adventures in store for all of us, I leave you with this..........

Buen Provecho!

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Photos

Shark-Ray Alley
Our guides were feeding these nurse sharks before we were supposed to snorkel with them- doesn't instill a lot of security, does it? :)

Kristin, Me and Rani
On our sailboat all day snorkeling trip. We had a blast!

My favorite Black Howler Monkey
I don't even think I used the zoom! They were in our hands!! AHHHH!!!

My RING!!!!!!
Isn't this the most beautiful thing you've ever seen? Adam knew what I wanted when I didn't even know what I wanted!