belize

Today’s Travel Tuesday photo takes me back to Belize… Caye Caulker to be exact. Here I happened upon some sort of unofficial cat hangout. Aside from the few cats you see in this shot, there were about 10 more lurking around. I love the one approaching the camera. The cats followed Caye (pronounced ‘key’) Caulker’s slogan of “go slow”. They, and everything else on this island off of mainland Belize-including me, operated on island time (read: slow motion).

Now is the perfect time to go to Caye Caulker as their Lobster Fest begins June 15th and runs through July. Lobster is abundant locally here so the prices are far less than you’d expect to pay.

If you need a place to stay, Amanda’s Place is one to look into. You will feel like you are staying at a friend’s house (a nice friend that is clean and considerate). The rooms are not too crowded nor too spacious and there is a pool just steps from your door.

Caye Caulker is 5 miles long and very pedestrian friendly–especially since there are no cars allowed and can only be reached by water taxi from Belize City or Ambergris Caye. It is situated 1 mile west of the 2nd largest reef in the World: the Belize Barrier Reef. Rent your diving or snorkeling gear at Frenchie’s- or even get certified here to scuba.

The reef is protected as a reserve and therefore is quite clean and full of colorful sea-life. While there, I swam with (and petted) Nurse sharks, friendly turtles and eagle rays.

Here is a pic of me with one of those friendly turtles.

Get there and be prepared to acclimate quick into relaxation mode!

Wow-Tuesday came around fast this week!! Sorry for posting a day late, but here is this weeks Travel Tuesday photo!

While in Belize a few years ago I had the experience of witnessing this boat sail (barely) into the vicinity of population near the hotel I was staying. The boat passengers: 12 Cuban residents roaming the ocean for 16 days, with little to no navigation capabilities and minimal water.

All 12 people survived, but were severely dehydrated and weak. The makeshift sails (on what clearly was a row boat modified to try and withstand high waves) were detached and torn and the floatation devices strapped to the sides, to help keep the boat from tipping, were actually old tire inner-tubes patched with materials that looked to have come from a bike tire patch kit. Inside the small boat were only a few signs that life had existed: scattered empty water bottles, a few blue tarps and some random black dress socks.

This is not the first incident of Belize welcoming Cuban’s escaping to freedom– Belize seems to be on the path of the ocean current from Cuba. The Belize people aid the refugees that survive these trips–they do not send them back or notify Cuban authorities.

It was a very interesting moment of contemplation for me. I couldn’t imagine being in the situation of boarding a rickety boat, leaving all of my possessions, my country, my friends and family behind–risking my life hoping to survive to start a new life. Whenever I feel that my life is not going the way I want it to–I look at this photo and remember how fortunate I am.