Posted with BlogsyDay 5. - Entrance into Guatemala
Today we had a lovely breakfast at a local restaurant and our waiter, Jimmy, said they had the best coffee in Belize. We all shared fresh fruit, French toast, and a thing Belizeans call a "fry jack" which is pancake batter fried and stuffed with eggs, meat, cheese, etc. We had a lovely breakfast (desayuno in Spanish) and then packed up in our rented van and headed to the border.
Once at the border we paid our exit fee to leave and our entrance fee for Guatemala and got our passports stamped. The drive was bumpy at parts and smooth at others. Our driver today was a bit more cautious than yesterday.
We arrived at the Jaguar Hotel in the Tikal park where we will stay for 2 nights. It reminds me a lot of camping at church camp. After settling in we went to the restaurant at the hotel and shared salad, soup, and a pita....o and a bottle of lovely wine that we took back to our room. We are currently sitting on the hammock on our patio, talking, writing, drinking, and having a great time.
Gramma and I then went out walking around the area and I got bit or stung by something and it stung really bad for a bit.....Uncle Mark went into "dad-mode" and brought out his magnifying glass to see if the bite was from a stinger or fangs from a spider or such. After Mark and Gramma went into ask about what the bite could be and decided it was probably a Sancubo (vicious, nasty biting gnat), the sting began to subside with some hydro cream and all is well. Nasty little gnat!......then we had some fun with Gramma's camera:)
....O and Mark being..well....Mark!
While we were out, we did see an Agouti, which is a type of rodent...most like a large guinea pig. They are native to this region and in Belize they call them large rabbit-like rodents because they bound off their back feet like rabbits when they run.
Well, the electricity here goes out at 9 and we have a big day ahead of us tomorrow traversing one of the largest accessible Myan archeological sites open to the public....so we are off to bed.
Goodnight from Guatemala!
Days 3 & 4 -Guatemala 2013
Day 3 we were in Chetumal and walked around the city and down by the bay. The mural pictures below are from inside the state congress building of Quintana Roo. This mural was massive and covered the walls and ceiling. I LOVE local art and it was mind blowing. In the scenes there were quite a few political, religious, and historical agendas being portrayed. The pictures don't do it justice!
We then took the "express" bus to Belize City......which was anything less than an express trip. This bus did eventually get us to Belize City after stopping at every intersection on the way to pick up and drop off locals to home and work. Needless to say, we were the only tourists on the trip. What an experience! To add to it, crossing the border into Belize from Mexico was an experience on its own....what a mess. After this very long trip we waited at a bus station for a few minutes for our next bus to San Ignacio. This bus was also a local bus that was ....nothing less than long......very long. We finally made it to San Ignacio .....get our hotel and headed down for a lovely dinner.
Today (Day 4) we took a local tour up to the Myan Archeological site at Caracol (which means snail). All I can say is that it was simply AMAZING! I am still in awe of the size and architecture...I mean, the sure size of these structures sent me into shock.
Our tour guide was fabulous and really engaged in us understanding the history behind the structures. The tour just included the three of us (Gramma, Mark, and me) and our guide who was a Nature excavator and knew the land, plants, and trails.
The drive took about 2 1/2 to 3 hours each way up an extremely bumpy and eroded road. Our tour guide also drove like a lunatic (as Gramma put it)......she was in the front, Mark and I in the middle seats holding on for our lives. Honestly, that was so much fun, and Gramma even managed to drink her coffee not spilling one drop.....the mark of a true traveler.
On the way back we stopped at a granite water cascade (giant waterfall of death, according to Mark) which was simply the icing on top of a wonderful day...a Grand day! We left around 7:30am and returned close to 6pm.
We are now sitting in our hotel readying ourselves for a good night sleep after a lovely dinner and MUCH needed showers as we had been trumping through the jungle all day. We are having a grand time and missing all of you.
- Kristin Noel
Day 2 -Guatemala 2013
We are still in Mexico today! In the morning (la mañana) we went to la playa (beach) a few blocks from our hotel. The beach was so beautiful and the sand was like powder. We also ran into a sand sculpture for Day of the Dead.
We spent time at a beach side bar and had natural coconut water from a coconut......served in a coconut. Way cool! We then went on a lovely swim in the ocean. We then traveled via bus (autobus) to Chetumal.
Once in Chetumal, we found our hotel and went to dinner at a lovely Italian restaurant. Gramma and I shared pesto pasta! .....another long day of travel. The bus ride was 5 hours. Our hotel is nice with 3 double beds.
We will walk around tomorrow in Chetumal and then travel across to Belize. Interesting, Belize is actually an English speaking country as it is part of Britain.
T-minus ....TODAY!
We made it! Currently in Playa Del Carmen ...went out for a wonderful dinner and staying in a lovely hotel (Barrio Latino). Heading to the beach tomorrow morning (mañana) and taking a bus (autobus) to Chetumal tomorrow afternoon near the Belize border.
It has been a LONG day of travel, but certainly an experience. The locals are so kind and encouraging with my broken Spanish, but I can tell just from a few hours that I am absorbing more! ..can't wait to see how fluent I can get after 3 weeks!
Thank you family and friends for your prayers!
Happy Travels,
Kristin Noel
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