And now we have reached our final day...The last two days we have spent on the largest of Belize's islands, San Pedro. While Caye Caulker only had people riding around on golf carts and bikes (with maybe two or three cars on the island), San Pedro is full of cars and vans. The place where we are staying is much nicer than any other place we have stayed, with a pool, poolside bar, a beach, and great rooms. We spend our first afternoon just lounging around the pool and eating chips and salsa. We also hopped on bikes the hotel provided and perused and got to know the town, with many of the girls finding shop after shop that they liked.
The next day the girls and Mr. Gels went sea kayaking through the "rough" Caribbean. They spent a couple of hours paddling out to the reef until their bodies started to tell them it was time to head back to shore. This gave the kids a flashback as to what the indigenous people of Belize must have done to get around hundreds of years ago (so it was basically a history and PE lesson all in one.)
Today, a group of people decided to go snorkeling again while the others lounged around the hotel creating sand art and playing beach volleyball. For the snorkelers, the experience was much different than what we did in Caye Caulker, as the sea was choppier and the water was it bit more murky because of the overcast sky. The snorkelers were taken to Hol Chan Marine Reserve and a different Shark Ray Alley. In Hol Chan, they were able to see similar fish to what was in Caye Caulker, but the fish were bigger, brighter, and there were more of them. For instance, instead of a lone barracuda, they swam with a family of five.
In Shark Ray Alley, they were able to swim with many more Nurse Sharks, where the guide picked them up and let the snorkelers pet it. They also were able to pick up the rays. The overall experience on this snorkeling trip was harder because of the conditions, but what they saw was still spectacular.
We have reached the conclusion of our travel blog for the 2007 excursion to Belize, but thanks to all of you for reading and commenting on our adventures. Please share our experiences with others as we are looking to build on this trip and have many more successful ones into the future!
Tuesday, June 5, 2007
Saturday, June 2, 2007
Under the Sea
Barracuda!!! As we went out to the beautiful Caribbean Sea for our first snorkeling adventure, we looked over the side of the boat and saw a two foot barracuda staring back at us. Phased by nothing, we hopped into the water and saw some of the most amazing and impressive fish that any of us have seen. Mr. Gels said these reefs and fish were better than the Great Barrier Reef, and this waters far surpassed the seas of Thailand and Vietnam.
Our three stop snorkeling excursion began by an hour snorkel near a part of the Belize Barrier Reef (the second largest barrier reef in the world). The water was a majestic turquoise, clear enough where the students that chose not to snorkel could clearly see much of the marine life. The reef itself was very impressive, with large brain coral, cactus coral, and many other types. We also saw fish big and small, white, gray, yellow, blue, green, purple, and any combination of the above adjectives. We felt like were in Finding Nemo. As we swam throughout the waters, we were hit by various warm and cold patches, and we ran into many schools of fish. There was more of a variety of fish than any of us had experienced.
Our second stop on the tour was to Shark Ray Alley. Here, we were able to swim with the docile Nurse Sharks and gigantic Rays that must have been 3 feet in diameter. Our guides attracted the Rays and Sharks by dropping food into the water, which caused the animals to swarm. We all got a chance to touch the Rays, which were slimy, and most of us swam with the Rays and sharks for a half hour. The experience was surreal.
Our final stop on our snorkeling tour was to a reef garden, which was an hour for us too just explore the reef by ourself. There was another spotting of a nurse shark there, as well as more of the same fish we saw at our first stop.
Caye Caulker has exceeded expectations, as has the entire trip thus far. We look forward to hearing your comments!
Our three stop snorkeling excursion began by an hour snorkel near a part of the Belize Barrier Reef (the second largest barrier reef in the world). The water was a majestic turquoise, clear enough where the students that chose not to snorkel could clearly see much of the marine life. The reef itself was very impressive, with large brain coral, cactus coral, and many other types. We also saw fish big and small, white, gray, yellow, blue, green, purple, and any combination of the above adjectives. We felt like were in Finding Nemo. As we swam throughout the waters, we were hit by various warm and cold patches, and we ran into many schools of fish. There was more of a variety of fish than any of us had experienced.
Our second stop on the tour was to Shark Ray Alley. Here, we were able to swim with the docile Nurse Sharks and gigantic Rays that must have been 3 feet in diameter. Our guides attracted the Rays and Sharks by dropping food into the water, which caused the animals to swarm. We all got a chance to touch the Rays, which were slimy, and most of us swam with the Rays and sharks for a half hour. The experience was surreal.
Our final stop on our snorkeling tour was to a reef garden, which was an hour for us too just explore the reef by ourself. There was another spotting of a nurse shark there, as well as more of the same fish we saw at our first stop.
Caye Caulker has exceeded expectations, as has the entire trip thus far. We look forward to hearing your comments!
Man it's hot out here
The heat here is breathtaking, meaning it's so stifling that we can hardly breathe. That being said, the beauty is amazing, and we have spent most of our time on Caye Caulker lounging in the hammocks on the dock of our hotel and swimming in the clear water. Last night many of us entertained ourselves by creating crazy light pictures, drawing pictures with flashlights while the cameras extended their exposure time. Today, we are going to venture to Shark Ray Alley, feeding the sharks sardines, and hopefully not having them feed on us (just a reminder that these sharks are more like catfish than dangerous sharks.) We will update you after we return.
Friday, June 1, 2007
Unbelievable Mayan Stuff
Hello again,
This trip keeps getting better. In the last two days, we have witnessed two of the most rare, and impressive Mayan ruins that exist. Two days ago we traveled with a Mayan Rasta to a little known cave called "Barton Creek Cave." This cave, basically discovered and explored by our guide David, illustrated the advanced nature and forward thinking that the Mayan culture possessed. We explored the cave in colorful metal canoes, three/four to a canoe, with two people paddling and one person womaning a battery powered spotlight that we act as our eyes in the cave. One would think that the hard part of the tour would be maneuvering the canoes in the cave, but that is an incorrect statement for some; my sister Rebecca and I showed our amazing rowing abilities by getting stuck in multiple stops before reaching the cave. To top that off, we got our first rain of the trip, which made it all the more enjoyable (while also dropping the temperature 20 degrees, making the climate much more bearable).
When we entered the cave, it seemed like a normal cave. However, we quickly learned that this is truly a unique cave. As we floated down the creek, bats flew over our heads and lobsters and catfish swam beneath us. The stalactites and stalagmites were enormous, but the most impressive aspect was how the Mayans utilized the cave. We saw a bridge they built which has withstood 1500 years of beating, as it was made out of materials that are harder and more durable that cement. Pottery shards also scattered the cave, and we even saw half of human skull (which potentially might be an illustration of the brutality of their culture.)
The next Mayan trip we went on was to a massive ruin site called Caracol. This site, only 15% excavated (and recently so), is the massive site of one of the most dominant and successful Mayan people, rivaling only a few groups such as the Tikal in Guatemala. On our hike around the ruins, we learned a lot about the lavishness, social and political hierarchy, and brutality of one of the world's most successful civilizations. When the kings and queens of the Caracol Mayans built temples they didn't hold back. The structures were multiple level, with large chambers for sleeping, massive steps, engravings of animals and gods, and areas for play and social interaction. The temples stood about 136 feet high, the tallest man-made buildings still today in Belize. Standing atop these ruins we felt atop the world.
The lavishness of the kings and queens was also seen in the tombs constructed for them, being just as ornate as the temples (though much more creepy). We also saw the difference between the royal and peasant buildings, showing a distinct division between the people socially and politically. We cannot wait to see what these ruins will look like once they uncover all of what lays beneath the forests surrounding the parts already uncovered.
After exploring Caracol, we went to the most beautiful waterfall and pools where we lounged for hours. One can only explain how beautiful they are in pictures, which you will see soon.
We just got to the islands and Caye Caulker, but my internet time is running out, so check back later and please write comments!
This trip keeps getting better. In the last two days, we have witnessed two of the most rare, and impressive Mayan ruins that exist. Two days ago we traveled with a Mayan Rasta to a little known cave called "Barton Creek Cave." This cave, basically discovered and explored by our guide David, illustrated the advanced nature and forward thinking that the Mayan culture possessed. We explored the cave in colorful metal canoes, three/four to a canoe, with two people paddling and one person womaning a battery powered spotlight that we act as our eyes in the cave. One would think that the hard part of the tour would be maneuvering the canoes in the cave, but that is an incorrect statement for some; my sister Rebecca and I showed our amazing rowing abilities by getting stuck in multiple stops before reaching the cave. To top that off, we got our first rain of the trip, which made it all the more enjoyable (while also dropping the temperature 20 degrees, making the climate much more bearable).
When we entered the cave, it seemed like a normal cave. However, we quickly learned that this is truly a unique cave. As we floated down the creek, bats flew over our heads and lobsters and catfish swam beneath us. The stalactites and stalagmites were enormous, but the most impressive aspect was how the Mayans utilized the cave. We saw a bridge they built which has withstood 1500 years of beating, as it was made out of materials that are harder and more durable that cement. Pottery shards also scattered the cave, and we even saw half of human skull (which potentially might be an illustration of the brutality of their culture.)
The next Mayan trip we went on was to a massive ruin site called Caracol. This site, only 15% excavated (and recently so), is the massive site of one of the most dominant and successful Mayan people, rivaling only a few groups such as the Tikal in Guatemala. On our hike around the ruins, we learned a lot about the lavishness, social and political hierarchy, and brutality of one of the world's most successful civilizations. When the kings and queens of the Caracol Mayans built temples they didn't hold back. The structures were multiple level, with large chambers for sleeping, massive steps, engravings of animals and gods, and areas for play and social interaction. The temples stood about 136 feet high, the tallest man-made buildings still today in Belize. Standing atop these ruins we felt atop the world.
The lavishness of the kings and queens was also seen in the tombs constructed for them, being just as ornate as the temples (though much more creepy). We also saw the difference between the royal and peasant buildings, showing a distinct division between the people socially and politically. We cannot wait to see what these ruins will look like once they uncover all of what lays beneath the forests surrounding the parts already uncovered.
After exploring Caracol, we went to the most beautiful waterfall and pools where we lounged for hours. One can only explain how beautiful they are in pictures, which you will see soon.
We just got to the islands and Caye Caulker, but my internet time is running out, so check back later and please write comments!
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