Blogs from Punta Gorda, Toledo District, Belize, Central America Caribbean

About the only thing we were really interested in seeing in Punta Gorda was the chocolate factory. We actually drove right by it when we first got to Punta Gorda but the waiter at the cantina where we stopped for a drink gave us better directions so we headed back and found it right away. It was smaller than I thought it would be. They ask us if we want a tour and of course we do! It's a small plant, just a few ladies running the whole show. They have a cocoa plant growing out the back door to show us what the bush looks like. They get their cocoa beans from the neighbouring Mayan villages. Each batch of choloate starts with cocoa beans from a singe day's harvest from a single farmer. The cocoa ... read more

Oh hey there, fancy seeing you here! We´ve rather a lot to catch up on. Our final few days in Belize passed far too quickly for our liking. We had an amazing taxi drive up to the junction after deciding against the relaxing hitch-hiking experience that we had to get into Hopkins. Our driver was the coolest reggae-playing rasta ever, named Shaka after his instrument (Maracas). After catching the bus with the Brizzle and German girlies and meeting our friend Shakil (another band member who taught us the art of Garifuna dance) we arrived in a boiling Placencia. We had a slight miscommunication with the bus-conductor and ended up being dropped at the wrong hostel in the midday heat with our bags, nightmare situation. After a mini-breakdown on the side of the road (which lasted until ... read more

Hello from Belize! I am one week away from coming home-it has gone so fast! Last weekend we stayed at Moho Caye-a private island 15 minutes off the coast of Punta Gorda, Belize. The island is tiny, with 8 or so cabanas and a lodge each with their own beachfront and the only land between them a small path. The resort was once an up and running 5 star resort. Our guide, Roberto, said that it was the sort of place that if you had to ask the price you couldn’t afford it. $15,000 for one week! Everything is made out of Rosewood and the long dining hall in the lodge seats 30 people. We had our guide Roberto, his sidekick, Andy and three 18 year old boys that now work for the manager of the ... read more

We left Caye Caulker yesterday and flew to Punta Gorda. We ended up on the milk run which involved a total of 7 landings and take offs. I'm prone to motion sickness and am surprised I didn't spend most ot the rest of the day throwing up. It was definitely a great way to see Belize. Lots of great areal views. We arrived in Punta Gorda, or PG as it is locally referred to, around 2:00 pm. When you get off the plane you immediately notice the lushness and the gorgeous mountain scapes to the west. PG is the largest most southern centre in Belize. You can see Guatemala to the south and you are very close to Honduras to the east. There is lots to do around here but be sure to do your research ... read more

This week was a whirlwind. So many new things! We have kind of settled into a routine by now. We are separated into two teams that consist of PA students, Pharm students, Doctors, Pharmacists and local Belizean employees of Hillside. Each day, we rotate working at the local clinic (which is two feet from our dorm) or traveling in a mobile clinic to different villages of Belize. Hillside Health Clinic covers much more of Belize than I had realized and is an integral component of the Ministry of Healthcare of Belize. Mobile clinics have been such a neat experience. We pack as many medications as we have available and pile into the back of the van. The roads we mostly travel are gravel and VERY bumpy. Luckily, I have my dramamine :) When we get into ... read more