You've no idea how hard it was...

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...to resist calling this blog 'You better Belize it', 'Belize it or not', 'Seeing is Belize-ing' etc.

We've done quite a bit of moving on over the last few days. We left Merida last Tuesday on a very very early bus (6.30am) to get to Chichen Itza for the day. It was fabulously impressive, especially the giant ball court which is decorated with friezes of beheaded game players. Historians aren't sure whether it was the losing or winning team who lost their heads, as sacrifice was apparently considered a great honour. The Mayans, and the Toltecs who took over Chichen Itza after them, were very big fans of beheading. Someone broken the rules? off with their head. Someone a model citizen? Reward them by taking off that useless encumbrance atop their necks. Weather a bit nippy? best behead a few folks to appease the weather gods. Anyway, it was very cool except we were a bit upset we weren't allowed to climb the giant pyramid, but it was very hot so its probably for the best.

Next stop was Tulum, on the Caribbean coast, the scene of more ruins, less impressive this time but right on the sea and with their own beach, so a pretty amazing setting. We stayed in a 'beachside cabana' - for this read 'hut made of sticks' and got to share our room with an interesting selection of wildlife including spiders, lizards, the inevitable mozzies, and a mouse which not only tucked into our breakfast overnight, but then pooed all over the remains. We're thinking of sticking to solid walls for the next few stops! Anyway, the beaches were astounding - fine white sand and perfectly clear turquoise water so we had a lovely time. Most surreal experience was teaching a German Boy Scout Leader who kept saying 'VOT!!?!!' to play Shithead.

Yesterday we crossed the border into Belize and stayed a night in the border town of Corozal. Its not a town with much going on, but one of those random places you're really glad you stayed in. Not a tourist in sight, the friendliest guest house owner you could ever wish to meet, and a place like nowhere we'd been before - the guidebook described it as a 'relaxed Caribbean town' which i guess kind of summed it up - wooden houses, nothing over two stories high, kids playing in the streets, lots of people hanging out on porches etc etc.

Anyway Si says its unfair that I got to write about three different places so I will stop here even though we have moved on again. I hope all you guys are fine and dandy, let us know what you've been up to, we like getting news of home!

love nat xxx

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Photos

Chichen Itza
Big + impressive.

World's largest Croissant
Bigger, more impressive

Caught in the act
Archaeologists 'sexing up' Chichen Itza!

Skull decorations
It was that era's Laura Ashley

Chichen Itza
from a slightly different angle...

The hall of 1000 pillars
I only counted 8

Si relaxing at the ball court
head intact

Tulum Ruins
Lovely little town where they weren't obsessed with head removal

Si @ Tulum Beach/Ruins
What a lovely combination

Another lovely beach
Not a pier in sight though

Lizard
Hard to see the scale from this photo, but this guy was roughly 8 feet in length