Group Dinners

One of the best traditions we've started here is our weekly local group dinners where we all get together for a night on the town at one of San Ignacio's fine restaurants. Each week, we select one restaurant that is locally owned and operated and loved by the community. For our first meal we decided to meet our Adele fanatic neighbor who owns The Bowl. Although the restaurant is only open for lunch, the owner Windy was happy to keep The Bowl open just for us. The dinner was fantastic! With the option between chicken and fish, most of us chose fish, treating ourselves to some variety in our diets. Both dishes were served with delicious vegetable fried rice and corn. The portions were huge but with a tall glass of lime slushy, we managed to scarf down the food in front us.

Our second local dinner was just as impressive as the first as we were treated to Erva's famous burritos. Ranked in the top three of best restaurants in San Ignacio on Trip Advisor, our expectations for Erva's were high and certainly exceeded. The burritos and handmade flour tortillas are known all around town and luckily for us we were able to get a behind the scenes peek at Erva's technique. Not only were we being treated to a great meal, we even made it ourselves! - for the most part. After arriving at the restaurant, Erva welcomed us into the kitchen for torilla making. She gave each of us a hand sized ball of dough and with rolling pins we flattened out the dough, unaware of the difficult task that lay ahead of us. Next we had to pick up the dough and toss it back and forth between our hands, carefully stretching out the tortillas. This may sound easy but it proved to be quite difficult as we tried to keep the tortillas from ripping. Next Erva placed our not-so-circular tortillas on the stove top until they gradually puffed up and formed tortillas.

Jordan and Hayley rollin' out the dough!

"Face" painting Smiles all around!

Next we were welcomed into the kitchen to assemble the burritos. Four of us stood shoulder to shoulder at the table with each our freshly made tortillas in front of us. First came the refried beans.

"Paint the whole face" 

said Erva, explaining to us that the tortillas needed to first be covered in an evenly-coated bean base. Next came the lettuce, the tomatoes, the onions, the chicken (or chaya for those who preferred it) and finally grated cheese. The daring also slapped on some fresh jalapenos to add a little kick. Then we rolled up the burritos and tossed them in the microwave in order to perfectly melt the cheese and warm the tortillas. Next came the feast! The labor was definitely worth the reward. Yet again our huge meal seemed impossible to conquer but with the help of the delicious unique dragonfruit juice we did the unthinkable. Another incredible meal!

We were also invited to dinner at our Indigenous professor, Filiberto Penados' house one evening. Dr. Filiberto lives in the Mopan Mayan village of Succotz. Located in Cayo, Succotz was just a quick bus ride away from San Ignacio. Upon arriving in Succotz, we were greeted by Dr. Filiberto who gave us a quick tour of the beautiful village on the way to his home.

When we arrived at his house after walking up and down the hills of Succotz we were greeted by Dr. Filiberto's wife, Bertha and his two children.  Some of us relaxed on the porch and spoke with Bertha on the porch about life in Succotz and her jobs as a nutrition teacher.  Others took to the yard and played games with Dr. Filiberto's sons.  We were later joined by Dr. Filiberto's parents who joined us for a delicious meal of chicken tamales, salad and freshly squeezed orange juice.  A few of us were even treated to a slate carving demo given by Dr. Filiberto's neighbor.  Overall it was a wonderful evening full of good food and good people!

Hedgehog volleyball!

Succotz is well known for its slate carving                                                                                                                              Someone had a little boo-boo! 

Looking forward to more delicious meals!  Next stop - Serendib for Sri Lankan food.  Mmmmmm.....


--Submitted by Diana del Solar

Field Trips/Course Work

Field Trips out of San Ignacio:

Iguana Project (2/2/2012)

     The first field trip we made was right here in San Ignacio, just a bit up the up the street from Martha's! The Iguana Project is stationed at the San Ignacio Hotel and Resort. After we had learned a bit about iguanas we got to meet them up close and personal! We met Gomez (the dominant male and main project mascot) as well as Bradford (a male a few years younger) and Roxy (a pregnant female).  It was a pretty rainy day and since reptiles need the sun to warm, their internal body temperature all of the iguanas were very calm and slow-moving.

The Iguana Project's main purpose is to breed green iguanas in captivity so that they can release them back into the wild when they're a bit older (and they aren't as vulnerable to predators).  We learned that one of the biggest threats to Iguana conservation is actually human consumption, which is how they got the nickname "bamboo chicken."  It's a tradition in some cultures here in Belize to eat iguana around Easter time.  The Iguana Project is working hard to educate local people in an effort to end this practice (especially the eating of pregnant females).  After we visited the adult iguanas, we got to go into a separate enclosure where they kept the juveniles.  They were so cute (and much more active)!  and before we knew it, they were climbing all over us! 

Belize Bird Rescue (2/2/2012)

     After lunch we visited a woman named Nicki Buxton who runs "Belize Bird Rescue--Parrot Rehabilitation Center and Bird Sanctuary" out of her home in Belmopan.  We've learned that in Belize it's illegal to own a captive parrot unless it is licensed--this is mainly because a lot of these birds are endangered and only captive-bred parrots are allowed as pets.  Many people poach birds from the wild in order to make money--often times they are sold in the U.S. and wild bird populations are unfortunately decreasing at an alarming rate. Even the birds who are "pets" in Belize are often kept in really small cages and many die at a very young age.  Nicki realized that Belize didn't have any sort of organization in place to help these birds and so although she didn't originally come here planning to start a bird sanctuary, she decided to try and do something about it. The center focuses on creating and distributing educational materials, as well as doing presentations in some of the local schools. Part of her operation also involves "bird rehab," which means taking previously owned parrots and essentially making them "real birds" again.  Once the birds were part of a flock, and could communicate with one another and forage for food, she would release them back into the wild (where they belong!).  When we visited, she had over 40 birds on the premises: 25+ parrots, a keel-billed toucan, a crested aracari (another type of toucan) and even two peacocks! We learned a lot at Belize Bird Rescue and it was really inspiring to see someone making so many positive changes despite having to overcome quite a few obstacles in the process.

Community Baboon Sanctuary (2/3/2012)

     We also visited the Community Baboon Sanctuary where we got a tour from one of our professor's younger brothers, Conway Young (everyone knows EVERYONE here!).  The CBS was started because the population of black howler monkeys was decreasing because of habitat destruction--mainly deforestation along river banks (their favorite place to live).  The strategy for helping preserve this habitat was to ask the people in the local surrounding communities to sign a voluntary pledge that encouraged them not to hunt or trap the monkeys as well as keeping a "buffer zone" of trees on their land so that the monkeys could travel easily from place to place.  This program represented a community-based conservation model that has worked fairly successfully.  We walked from the main building onto a path where we learned about traditional medicine and plants and then we got to see the moneys up close! There was a family group of seven, and Conway fed them some of their favorite food--trumpet tree leaves. The monkeys are pretty small in size--but you'd never know it when you hear them howl! We joked about how they sort of sound like dementors from Harry Potter.  But we're happy to report that they are much cuter, and since the CBS has started, their future is looking much brighter--they even did a relocation project a few years ago and brought a group of monkeys to Chaa Creek where they have been living in (and repopulating) the area ever since!

Belize Zoo (2/6/2012)

Jay getting a kiss from Junior Buddy!

Alyson and the Boa

 Through Dr. Isabell's course on wildlife conservation in Belize, we had the extreme pleasure of getting a V.I.P. tour of the Belize Zoo led by Sharon Matola, the founder and main woman behind the scenes of the zoo.  Sharon came to Belize originally in 1983 to film a wildlife documentary and, after filming ended, she was left with 20 animals, thus the beginning of the Belize zoo.  Aimed at educating the local public, specifically Belizean school children, all of the signs around the zoo are written in fun and engaging ways, some even in Creole!  With Sharon, we had the most amazing experience behind the scenes.

A Tapir--the national mammal of Belize

We got to hold a boa constrictor, feed a tapir (the national mammal of Belize), go inside the cage of the scarlet macaws and feed them peanuts (or try to...they got a little excited and kept flying around), and even go inside the jaguar enclosure and meet Junior, the most famous animal at the Belize zoo (he even made the phone book cover this past year!).   It was an amazing experience and in my opinion is the best example of conservation through hands-on education in Belize. 


Belize Herpatarium Aquarium Park-BHAP (2/6/2012)
 After going to the Belize Zoo, we visited Tony Garel at the Belize Herpetarium Aquarium Park (BHAP).  Currently in the process of construction, Tony is building the first tourism and educational facility in Belize specializing in herpetology (snakes!).

Tony and a beautiful snake

The institute is actively involved in assisting authorities with the removal and relocation of problem reptiles such as crocodiles and venomous snakes.  Currently he is housing quite a few snakes and crocodiles.  While we were there, Dr. Isabelle, our professor and trained wildlife veterinarian, took a look at one of the crocodiles who had gotten in a fight with another croc, and administered it antibiotics and other treatments.  We even got to go inside the enclosure, with two other crocodiles watching our every move, while she administered treatment!

Dr. Isabelle and Tony assessing the injured crocodile

Tony's master plan for the herpetarium includes much more than is currently built, but he hopes to open within the next year or so to the general public.

Sneaky Snake with Julia P.

 Doing conservation work with snakes and other reptiles is extremely difficult in Belize, because culturally most Belizeans hate snakes and immediately kill them on sight.  So having a reptile educational facility within Belize is a huge step towards an understanding of snakes and their positive impact on the ecosystem!

Trip to a Tropical Rainforest (2/11/2012)

Dr. Colin Young explaining some of the magic of the rainforest!

On Saturday the 11th we had our final field trip with Colin Young, our professor for Linking Ridges to Reefs--a fabulous course studying the ecosystems of Belize--at Black Rock, hiking through a riparian tropical rainforest!  Black Rock is a beautiful resort tucked in some of the most beautiful rainforests we've seen yet, and we had the extreme pleasure of meeting one of the co-owners Cameron.  He was an amazing host and showed us all around the resort, giving us the V.I.P. tour of the resort's water treatment system and hydro generator!  After the tour we started out on our hike!  It was a cloudy day but we were excited to get out of San Ignacio and explore the rainforest with possibly the most knowledgeable ecologist in Belize.

Diana at the top of Black Rock

We had to take a canoe across the river to get to the start of the hike, which was a fun way to start, and from there we went straight up.  Colin pointed out incredible plants and the intricate layering of the rainforest as we went.  The RAINforest truly held up to its name; when we got about half way, it down poured on all of us.  It was a pretty neat moment, but made the rest of our hike extremely slippery.  We all helped each other reach the top clinging to trees, roots, and the pants of the person in front of us!  Finally we reached the top and got to see the most amazing epiphytes covering every tree around us.  The view was stunning, as we stood inside of the clouds looking over the river.

Meg, Demelza, Jordan, and Julia S. post hike

The most hilarious part of our trek, though, was the walk--or should I say slide--down the mountain.  Trying not to slide face first down, we laughed and rode the mud, some on our feet and some on our butts, all the way to the bottom.  A very muddy ending but an incredible adventure!








ISIS (Institute for Sustainable International Studies) Courses:

Our three ISIS courses--Indigenous Politics-Chalenges and Possibilities with Dr. Filiberto Penados, Linking Ridges to Reefs-An Ecosystem Based Approach to Biodiversity Conservation and Development with Dr. Colin Young, and Wildlife Conservation in Belize with Dr. Isabelle Paquet-Durand--are all wrapped up as of Tuesday 2/21. Now we're focusing on Intercultural Competence and Communication with Meg and our service-learning projects in San Ignacio.

--Submitted by Hayley Williams and Julia Stratton

Settling in at San Ignacio

After 2 long weeks of traveling throughout the beautiful country of Belize, we finally got to settle down in San Ignacio and unpack our bags! No more living out of backpacks or handwriting papers by headlamps! We were reintroduced to the luxuries of life...long hot showers, computers, and WIFI!

Balcony view of West Street

Our home for the next 10 weeks is Martha's Inn. It's like 'Real World Belize'--3 floors of awesome rooms, each with its own balcony looking out over San Ignacio. We realized early on our neighbor recently purchased the new Adele album. She apparently really likes it. To top it off, we're serenaded each night by the lovely sounds of the local karaoke bar.

  Our first day we got the run-down of all the sweet spots around town. Along with a handy-dandy map.Our tour guide for the day: the lovely miss lady black bean. She is a local dog with a spunky personality who follows everyone around (hence her other nickname, shadow).

Jordan & her map of San Ignacio

A few cool spots around San Ignacio. What are you in the mood for?

Ice Cream? ----Sweet Ting or Cayo Twist
     Absolutely delicious soy ice cream and ice coffee that some of us have visited nightly since being    
     here

Burritos? ------ Erva's Restaurant

      Foot-long burritos wrapped in a homemade tortilla, the best in town! 

"Fast food" and on a budget?----Mincho's, 3 tacos for $1 and passion fruit juice




For once we look forward to Monday mornings! Thus begins 5 straight days of amazing Martha's breakfast. The menu includes banana pancakes, breakfast burritos or fresh fruit. Most importantly is Martha's Breakfast Special--eggs, choice of fry jacks or tortilla, beans, fruit, and amazinggg banana bread!

Tortilla making at the market

One of our favorite activities is the market. On Saturdays this is the place to be. You can find any kind of fruit or vegetable you could ever imagine, even better--10 bananas for 50 cents American. The Market is an activity that everyone partakes in. While strolling around the market you can bump into Mennonites selling cheese, Mayan women selling traditional crafts, and foreign backpackers passing through.

Bananas!

National elections are right around the corner meaning San Ignacio is booming with political activity. Everywhere you look there's blue and white flags for the PUP party or red, white & blue flags for the incumbent UDP party. The other day our usually quiet street was bustling with campaign parades. We expect more rallies and parades in the next few weeks, up until election day on March 7th.

UDP Parade!

The best part of San Ignacio is by far the people. Our first night out with the locals, we attended a bonfire with students from Sacred Heart Junior College at the Crested Caracara Reserve right outside of town. We shared laughs while feasting on a well-rounded meal of sausage, porkchops, and steaks. No forks necessary. It was really great to finally meet some kids our age and kick back and relax. We ended the night singing 4 Non-Blondes accompanied by the lovely Joe Awe on guitar.

 Lastly, our newest group ritual is family dinners every Thursday. Our first meal consisted of eggplant Parmesan, pasta, garlic bread, and candy cake. (Compliments to our chefs, Jordan, Storm & Hayley!) We shared some of fondest memories of our trip thus far, many of which included our goofy bus driver Elias.

--Submitted by John Neri, Jordan Walsh 

South Water Caye

If you have already read the blog post about Hopkins, and if there is snow on the ground, STOP! DO NOT READ ANY FURTHER! (You might be too jealous.) Just when we thought it couldn’t get any better than our own private beach cabana in the real world Belize--Hopkins style--we get our own island; see I told you not to read any further if currently you are cold with the heat on 65. As we pulled away from the town we had fallen in love with, in the backseats of the van, we had no idea that South Water Caye would be the stuff dreams are made of. We clambered onto a boat, strapped our life vests on, and began to jet across water so blue it made your eyes hurt. After about a half hour of riding the waves, we pulled into the island. There we were greeted with warm smiles and a tour, and our adventure in learning began.

South Water Caye is nestled between two resorts but is nothing like them from what we could tell. There are little private cabanas all made of natural wood and thatched roofs and then a bigger cabana in the center where our dorm was. At no point are you more than a 1 and a half minute walk to the water, and a few of the great opportunities we were able to take advantage of follow: Sunrise and sunset kayak trips; a dock where you could see octopi, stingrays, and turtles swimming by at all times; and volleyball court complete with a built in player in the form of a palm tree. Some pretty serious volley balling took place and Jay showed us his skills as South water Caye’s best baller. The next five days would be jam packed with Dr. Colin Young’s class, Watershed Ecology, and you could say was the perfect pairing of information put to the test by literally submerging ourselves in our topics. Not to mention on top of all this we ate some of the BEST food that is worth detailing later in this entry. Trust me, guys...we couldn’t make this stuff up.

I can’t think of a better setting for a college class to take place than the open air beach bungalow of a classroom at South Water Caye’s International Zoological Expedition (IZE). In Dr. Colin Young’s Watershed Ecology course, we spent every day--usually all day between meals and expeditions--learning about things such as how major deforestation in the rainforest or chemical runoff from a citrus plantation can affect the health of the coral reefs. It is safe to say that every one of us came away from our learning experience on South Water Caye with a greater appreciation for Belize’s ecosystems and the incredible services they provide.

After being enlightened about the riparian rainforest, savannas, wetlands, mangroves, sea grasses and coral reefs in the most beautiful classroom in the world, we had the opportunity to explore the depths of Belize’s vast barrier reef and put our knowledge to use. For some, it was a first to strap on mask, snorkel and fins and be opened to a whole world that exists below sea level. We got to encounter some of the reef’s most exotic and beautiful creatures, from the deadly Lion Fish, to the ferocious Great Barracuda, to the graceful Southern Sting Ray, and with a little help from our great snorkel guides, we could actually identify what we were looking at. Our guides were smarter than us, however, as we were the guinea pigs to test the tempers of the up-side-down jelly fish in our attempt to snorkel through the mangroves. After a few stings here and there, everyone was back in the boat, and the guides, still dry, brought us to a more enjoyable snorkel destination.

Although our experience here couldn’t have gone any better, it was a little bitter to know that these beautiful corals are only a fraction of what they used to be. Rising water temperatures, acid rain, chemical run off, exploitation of other ecosystems and numerous other factors have caused, and continue to cause, major deterioration of Belize’s most beautiful attraction. However, the knowledge we took away from our experience at South Water Caye will allow us to spread the awareness of the importance of environmental conservation.

On our last full day there we said our goodbyes to Colin, who had to catch a boat back to the mainland, and it was bitter sweet to say the least. Bitter because we were saying goodbye for a while to the professor who had facilitated some of the best teaching experiences we have ever had, and also bitter coming to the realization that our time at South Water Caye was about to end. Sweet because we had our first day with no class and we put our game faces on (well Dan put his sun block face on) as we headed out to do some serious lounging on the beach before the surprise fishing trip we would embark on.

The first group went out to do some fishing and came back hours later with over fifty fish in buckets all caught on hand lines. The second group went out and although they caught less fish, were compensated by the boat ride in that was timed perfectly for the sunset, although not timed as perfectly for the rain! We bolted to the dining room out of the downpour and into yet another one of the finest meals imaginable, and this time our dinner was caught with our very own hands.

The food had been beyond amazing before this meal and is worth talking about. The women in the kitchen were always singing and smiling and making magic happen. We ate handmade tamales, fried shrimp, shrimp scampi, yummy hot vegetable soups, and all around beautiful meals. The last night we had the fish we caught baked in butter, baked potatoes, and a coconut cake that melted in your mouth.

Bellies full, some of us climbed into a hammock and slept the night away with the ocean air rocking us all the while. The next morning our island adventure in learning had truly come to a close as we packed our belongings and headed to San Ignacio to set up shop for the next 2 and a half months.

--Submitted by Storm Leland and Dylan Estabrooks   

Hop in to Hopkins!

As the family bus rattled and kerpluncked away from the Cockscomb Wildlife Preserve, we wondered with glee what adventures lay beyond the jaguars and waterfalls. After a ride through the supple and sensuous, rolling valleys of the Maya Mountains, we were delivered to the breathtaking savannahs of lowland Belize, until arriving at our final destination. As we drove through the sandy streets of Hopkins Village, our sweaty faces were glued to the bus windows, taking in the scenery of our long awaited paradise. The family said, "bring it on!" (Bz Family, 2012).

GETTIN INTO THE GARIFUNA GRIND

Perfumed flowers

Sun shining for hours

Happy childrens' faces

Heather taking new paces

Into the crystal blue sea

Her first encounter, feeling free

Straws in coconuts

"Thank god these aren't cahune nuts"

Garifuna drummers goin' nuts

UVM kids shakin' their butts

Dylan's spicy moves

Launched us into Hopkin's nighttime grooves

Scrumptious barbeque, HAPPINESS STEW

Real World Belize

Jay did not expect his eardrums to be blown out upon showing the girls their home for the next 2 nights. Every time a door was opened to reveal a new bedroom a chorus of screams would ensue. You could say we were kind of excited.

Picturesque

Some lovely flores adorning our walkway

Babysitter's Club

We had a gaggle of local nuggets showin' us the ropes. This is Anson.

"Coo Coo For Coconuts!" (The Coco Boys, 2012)

So, Hopkins was pretty laid back. It was so great for the family to get in some needed r&r. But let me tell you, chopping the tops off those coconuts and making them into drinking utensils was very strenuous!

HALLELUJAH

Our German hosts sure knew how to cook! Promptly at 7, this glorious feast awaited us. Succulent grilled meats, scrumptious tropical fruits, and an abundance of vegetables meant it was surely to be an evening of indulgence. 

Blazing Trails, no pun intended

The following morning, we were lucky to receive a personal tour about the colorful community of Hopkins. A few of us bought some conch jewelry from a local vendor. While we were stopped, we witnessed a plump, Texan tourist on a golf cart pull over and pay a little girl on her bike a dollar to take her picture. It was weird. The only thing sustainable about that development was how uncomfortable we felt. Am I right, or am I right?

Go Fish

A depiction of Hopkin's traditional fo' eva fishin' flow.

Hopkins is a Garifuna Village, technically meaning it is inhabited by the descendants of African explorers to the Lower Antilles in the 1300s and the Arawak natives of the West Indies. Their heritage is little known and utterly remarkable. Today, Garifuna culture spans coastal settlements throughout Nicaragua, Belize, and Honduras. These souls of the sea are known for their food, music, dance, language, and vibrancy.

CocoCrustYaNuts!

Our mouths are watering reminiscing about the delicious coconut crust we ate at the Belfuna Bakery. This vibrant women's cooperative employs primarily single mothers in Hopkins Village. Making use of old ovens with innovative baking techniques, the women of Belfuna have intentions of expanding their beachfront enterprise to include a medicinal garden and affordably priced cabana rentals. Our charming  hostess tickled the cockles of our hearts and left the whole family hungry for more!

Ted Talks: ideas worth spreading

Ted McKoy, our tour guide and Hopkins wiseman, delivered a heady lecture about what community development means for his seaside, Stann Creek village and the rest of the Caribbean. Ted's the name, social media and communication is the game.

To learn more, visit his websites:

http://thecaribbeanconnect.com/

http://www.visithopkinsvillagebelize.com/

Bust a Move

 

The whole family got to rock out on the deck of our casa to a private show from a local Garifuna band and their junior buddy. They have been breaking out of Belize with recent international 
gigs to perform Punta percussion. Punta is the traditional music and dance of the Garifuna people. Each of us got a chance to play the bass drum with the rest of the band. Then we danced!

We were all sad to leave Hopkins. Despite the challenge it faced of revitalizing local players in the tourism economy, Hopkins was a proud community striving to develop on its own terms. 

We will surely find our way back to the melodious voices, warm smiles, inspiring minds, and open hearts of the dear people who made our visit to Hopkins Village so memorable.

This blog entry was brought to you by Demelza Levick and Julia Prince. 02/21/2012

Cockscomb Basin Jaguar Reserve

            As we packed up our belongings (as well as Jordan’s, Alyson’s and Diana’s) and said our goodbyes to Faustino and the gang, the exuberant UVM crew was ready to head to Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary.  We arrived at Cockscomb just in time for lunch, where our gracious host, Julio, greeted us.  This was the first meal we ate outside of Laguna in four days.  We were served with the traditional Belizean dish of beans and rice, accompanied by chicken and refreshing lime juice.  I think I saw Mel tear up when she realized she wasn’t going to be able to eat her favorite dish of cahune.  With our stomachs stuffed to the brim, we hopped in the bus and traveled down the long and windy road into the jungle.  The group was shown to their accommodations for the night.  After four days of separation, the boys club was once again reunited.  While some unloaded the gear, others marveled at the discovery of flushing toilets.  The relaxation was short lived, as we had a full night of activities ahead of us. 

Shortly after Dr. Isabelle’s presentation on our animal profiles, we inhaled aquick dinner (much to the delight of Elias) and prepared for the night hike.  Headlamps on, pants tucked into socks, raincoats zipped up as far up as they could go, and coated on bug spray, we were ready to hit the trail.  Our guide Julio led us into the jungle in hopes of catching a glimpse of the elusive jaguar.  As we “silently” trundled through the woods, we came across a fresh jaguar paw print placed perfectly in the mud.  “We just missed him,” said Julio.  Although we did not see any jaguars, we did witness the cat-like reflexes of Elias jumping up after falling down a small hill.  But the hike was not in vain as we also saw a tapir track and a kinkajou. 

The next morning we awoke, only to realize something was missing; the obnoxious crowing of a rooster that had received numerous death threats from people finding themselves wide awake at 4 o’clock in the morning.  Shortly after, we sat down to a much-anticipated breakfast of Raisin Bran and Corn Flakes to gain our strength for the hike up to Ben’s Bluff.  Not much was said as we trudged up the mountain, focusing on nothing but careful foot placement.  When we finally reached the top, we were rewarded with a spectacular view of Mt. Victoria and the majestic landscape of Belize.  It was not the same without our three missing compadres, but we knew they were there in spirit.  After spending ample time at the top, we started back down towards home base (for that night at least).  We made a quick detour so we could stand underneath the supple waterfall and cool off.

--Submitted by Dan Devlin