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From
the wetlands and Diary 4, I now see the
beach and get back in the central part. 25/1 2020.  After a real
good sleep (needed after a cold night, one with back-cramps
and one
with an endless dog-concert), I spend quite some time at the office,
catching up on accounting. Then I head out in the nice sunny day.
The first target is within the town; Santa Rita, a small Mayan area
with a nice pyramid. I also see several Black Iguanas at the sight.
Once
more, I try to find the beach in or without town, but it is either
mangrove or concrete. Then it is back on the gravel road to the
little hand-pulled ferry. The guy have had a busy morning, and I
don't mind waiting for a car or two more. I spend the time watching
the nicely coloured
Then I head further on bye more limestone roads. It leads through mainly cane fields, and then Progresso. Progresso is, despite its remote location on a gravelroad, a rather new town with nice small houses. It does have a bit of mangrove-beach out to the huge lake, but not impressive. Next up is Chunox, which is even smaller, but contain of new houses.
The
Then I reach my target; Sarteneja, a little but nice fishing village. I find Backpackers Paradise, and it is not bad. I get to share a whole house with Canadian Nicole, and head straight for the beach, expecting nothing special. But am so much in for a treat!
Then
it is half pass five, and I rush - in the car - down to the seaside
once
I get way more than I had expected, but luckily enough, Nicole help me finishing up the six plates. And it was really great food! Back at camp, it is quiet, as the gang have gone down-town to find dinner. I finish up work, and join them, when they get back. Awesome rave, great bonfire and interesting conversation. Santa Rita and Sarteneja. 26. Then I head out on the other side of the
peninsular to a wildlife sanctuary. Here are quite some volunteers,
but none have to time to show me around, and I just leave again.
Back
at the beach, I try to follow it to the other side, but it a mix of
private lots and mangrove. I try further out, but here, new muddy
trails leads to newly cut down forest and
Home in the late afternoon, and try-out the hammock. Well, I last four minutes. I get a copy of 12 hours of Under The Moon's rave-music, and go home to work, until sunset. It just can't be misses at the seaside! Rave party, Sarteneja beach and sunset. 27. I am considering spending yet one
more day here in lovely Sarteneja, but I get too restless. Just as
I'm about to leave, Nati invites me on a horse wagon tour. Can't recall last
time I got an offer like that,
Then
I start the long drive towards San Ignacio, and even make it a bit
longer (120 km), to see the things I missed on the way out. The first stint
is two hours by gravel roads through Chunox and Progresso
and then Orange Walk. I see one of the small wild pigs; Belizean
Collared Peccary; Tayassu tajacu and a young
Grey Fox; Urocyon cinereoargenteus on the
It is through the usually boring lowlands, and I tend to speed. At noon, I try a few truck-stops, but they don't have anything without dead animals in. Then a real nice restaurant turns up along the roadside, and I get a delicious burritos and a mug of tea.
In La Democracia I have a choice: A
familiar 70 kilometres on gravel or Almost in Dangriga, I meet the little track to the Barquedier Water Fall. At two in the afternoon, I am the first guest of the day. It is a nice walk through the dense rainforest, and the trees are overgrown in familiar vines. Huge tree ferns align the tack, and birds are tweeting.
The
trail start following the little river, and if it wasn't for the
dense vegetation,
A bit further down the road, Café Casita De
Amour is found. The house it self should be worth a look, but I
don't find it that entreating. But they do serve a nice cup of tea.
Then I have 100 kilometres home to San Ignacia. I might speed a
bit.. I see a sign for Blue Hole, and give it a try. As
expected, it is a cenote, and quite nice, as I have it to myself. I reach my favourite hotel at five, and head out into the town. I find a new, rather tourist-filled street - at least 20! My dinner turns out to be cauliflower with tofu in. Something got lost in translation, I think. I head over to my favourite restaurant and comforts myself with a great Pina Colada Cheese cake. Home to work in the dark. The North, Hummingbird Highway, Barquedier WF, Blue Hole.
Pass the City Hall to pay, then down-town to
organise a ride to Guatemala in the morning. Apparently, I'm to only
one, and I don't feel like hiring a minibus all by my self. Shared
I pass the markets place, which is a bit more alive today. Here are some real clean stands with cloths and farm products. I get down to the nice and perfectly clean river, and see some Green Iguanas. Then out on the smooth gravel roads around the town. In Belize relativities, this is highlands - more than 10 metres above sea level.
A huge part of the area I drive around in is
farmland, and it is huge farms.
The fields are sapphire green with cows and great
looking huge trees, corn, beans or maizena. I stop several
times to have a look at the huge amount of epiphytes in the trees.
Then I cross Mopan River with the hand-winched Duck Run
Ferry, and find my way back to San Ignacio Then I make a large loop to the other side. At first, it is small, partly rotten wooden huts, small fields and endless lines of laundry for dry. After some time, I connect with the "German area", and the roads get smooth, the fields huge and the crops perfect.
I return the car at two, figuring I don't have
any use for it until tomorrow at
29. My plan is to catch a shared taxi for the 15 kilometre tour to the Guatemalan border in the morning. I find a taxi with one seat vacant, and drive straight to the border. I'm the only one here, and get through in minutes.
Belize was honestly not the awesome nature
experience, I had hoped for. Way too much is wetland or savannah, with not
that much interesting. The few towns are not that interesting
either, and the beach a joke. I have taken 2521 photos
HIGHLIGHTS FROM BELIZE, driven 2310
myself and spend 4426 BZD; around 15,600 DKK and €2100, which was a
bit more expensive, than the other Central American countries.
Next adventure is in Guatemala. |
fish and the aquatic plants along with the
mangrove.
road changes into red clay, and reminds me of
Africa. Here are fields with small bean plants, more cane and more
nature. Then I reach Shipstern North-Eastern Biological Corridor
and despite it does sound entreating, the dense, rather dry forest
holds too many mosquitoes to be remotely interesting. 
The most perfect Caribbean beach
is found here. I make way too many photos, as I stroll along it -
and it is worth it. I stop for lunch at a restaurant, but am eager
to go on. I follow it to the end, and airport: A bumpy stretch of
grass. Back on the backside of town. The ovner of the camp is a famous
French DJ, and the national radio are here to do some recordings
tonight. Her music is great, and I might even look forward for it?
again. Here is the only place in the country, where you can
experience a sunset, and I won't miss it. It is actually great. Back
at the same restaurant, I order a bunch of real cheep vegetarian
courses, summing up to a meat-main-dish.
It was yet another cold night. I can't say that I am looking forward for
the Guatemala mountains at night! I catch-up on a lot of different
work until noon. Then I head down-town to try and find lunch. Well,
last nights success have to be followed up, and I get a few of the
best courses.
new lots. I see a single
whip-snake and some Black Iguanas, along with Brown Pelicans and
other beach-birds.
and I'm in. It is way out in the
back-lands in a Mennonite wagon by the narrow trails, to pick-up some
bundles of fresh grass for the horses. I get to drive the horse some
of the way home; a first for sure.
road. I pass outside Orange Walk, and them meet
the sealed road after 80 kilometres. I gas the car, and set out on the next stint
of 210 kilometres sealed road.
90 by smooth road. Well, I am
driving in a bloody Jeep, so smooth it is. Around Belmopan
and then down
the
Hummingbird Highway once more. It is still a nice drive
through the green limestone hills.
it would offer some great motives. At the
waterfall, three rangers are working on a rock-wall of some sort.
Well, they are more swimming in the pond. I make a lot of pictures
of the bright white stream and fall, with the black rocks as
background.
Well, a deep, blue hole, fed by a underground spring.
28.
I have pretty much seen what I wanted, but I have the car for yet
one more day. I plan a road-trip to the surounding farmland, and
find some entreating village names: Bullet Tree Falls, Blackman
Eddy, Spanish Lookout, Duck Run, Buena Vista, Mount Hope,
Unitedville and Billy White. However, the day start with a
parking-fine: €22. And it is the same spot I have parked on for five
nights or so?
taxi
to the border should only be €2, and the public works on the
other side.
This is where the Germans produces
the food for the country. I had expected Spanish Lookout to be some
sort of town, but it is just some large industries, scatted around
some huge, nicely trimmed lawns. Even the huge farms around here are
in a pristine state: Newly painted, white fences, trees cut into
shape, small ponds and alike.
for lunch. For a first, I
try one of the Chinese restaurants, and get a huge mount of
glass-noodles with steamed vegetables for next to nothing.
eight anyway. Home for a cup of tea
and some work. At four, I head out in the little town again, waiting
for dinner
time. A loop around the market and the river, then a restaurant. I
have seen this town by now - actually; I have seen the country.
