| June 19, 2004 |
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| The fog has blown away with the night and the clarity and color of these waters dazzles the mind. It's like waking up in a different world. The picture above is from last years trip. My sincerest apologies with the lack of real time pics but it would appear our hardware is incompatible with the new software. Bran promises to get it fixed in Belize City. |
| The western Carribean is as different from its opposite half (eastern side) as it's possible to be. There's more space, fewer people and higher mountains. It is a frontier where tourists aren't a dime a dozen and the charts can still be off by a half mile. There are travelers from all over the world in these waters, many of whom are out here for six months, even a year, to savor Central America. Some wind up staying forever. A friendlier group you'll never find. Belize is the only English speaking country in Central America. Its literacy rate is 90%. It has a stable government with a stable currency, the Belize dollar (BZ), which trades two for one against the American dollar. Either are accepted anywhere within these waters. Belize is stunning and its people work to keep it that way. The coral in its crystal waters is healthy and thriving, 70% of its tropical rain forests are still intact and the interior of the country is full of incredible limestone caves to explore. Native animals range from the jaguar, to the howler monkey to the manatee including over 290 species of birds. |
| We stopped in at San Pedro to provision ourselves...J's complaining loudly about the lack of strawberries *soft smile*. For fruit lovers, this is paradise. Mangoes and papaya, kiwi and pineapple, of course those big red berries. For the more carnivorous, the canned bacon is actually a tantalizing teaser and of course, Belikan beer. The beer is almost as good as currency down here *smiling*. Taking a little bit of a stance, Elliott and I demanded running time, so Tezza, Brandon and J rented a golf cart. The island itself is 4 miles in length and I can't help thinking of the look on some of the natives faces as we jogged enthusiasitically behind the cart... Drooping, weary but relaxed and content, we set sail, heading onwards to St. Georges Cay. We've decided to spend a day there, swimming, snorkeling and playing, before anchoring in Belize City. |
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