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First breakfast in Belize. A tasty combo of baby banana,
watermelon, a whole grain toast slice, and banana bread. |
Patricia's Blog
It's breakfast time at the Savannah Guest House. After having a great night sleep, I woke up took the hottest shower of my life. Literally, for the first time I have to say I missed cold water. Got ready and had my bag packed once again and ready to enjoy our first morning in Belize. Dressed and ready for a new day, I walk down the stairs and meet up with my peers, my professor, and our hosts in the kitchen-dining room and have a delightful breakfast. After the breakfast, we had a mini tour of the grounds and I was amazed on how our host was very into documenting on different animals. This place had a recording set of natural habitats for certain animals to be filmed for the world to see and learn more about the animals in Belize.
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| Our comfy green bedroom with our nets. |
Once again it was time to head back into the road and go off into our next adventure. We left our little humble a bo and arrived for a quick visit to the capital of Belize, called Belmopan. At the capital we just briefly looked around, mostly at the marketplace and, of course, dear old rain comes pouring down on us. Good old rain just keeping us "refresh". The best part about our this day was arriving at the Mayan Center. Red dirt, muddy road taking us to a beautiful garden and colorful structures where we met Aurora and her husband Ernesto, two lovable people with special talents. Aurora took us girls to choose what room we wanted to share; every room had the same layout, however there was just something about the light green room that seem to be bigger than the rest. After getting settled in, we all decided to go to the women center and take a look around some of the beautiful hand made jewelry and trinkets. After our little window shopping, we all went on a 15 minute hike into a Cacao Farm. I was just amazed how much dedication there has to be put when growing chocolate. What's funny that the cacao bean taste is so bitter, which make me question chocolate a bit LOL. After our tour of the cacao farm, we went back into the Women's Center and went into the chocolate room, where we saw the difference between the modern way of making chocolate to the traditional way.
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| Cacao bean |
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Traditional way of making
chocolate |
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Going back into our room, we had a chance to get to know one another more. We had some deep conversation from school to personal issues, which got us all amazed that we are more alike then we thought. This was the start of our bonding, from classmates to friends. Now, its din din time!!! The night was calm, yet raining, and the first thing we all did when entering the dining hall was connect to our wifi and started letting our social world know of how our trip is going and calling our loves ones, telling them we are still alive. What a great dinner we had, some rice and beans, fried plantain, a salad, stewed chicken, and fresh juice with bread pudding for dessert, YUM!
After our delicious dinner, Ernesto and Aurora spoke to us about how their Mayan community center started and all their ups and downs they dealt with to be where they are now. Ernesto went into giving us a lecture on how thatch roof works and how the community comes together to build a new home for a family. Once the rain calmed down, it was off to bed and await the our next day adventure.
Dani's Blog
Today started like any other...except that I woke up in Belize so not really. It all felt like a dream; the weather was warm and humid, everything was green and alive (a stark contrast to the sub zero temperatures happening back in New York) and time felt like it was lazily moving forward. After getting ready and packed we headed downstairs for one of many delicious breakfasts to come on our adventure here.
Promptly after breakfast we were surprised with a tour around the home, the couple owning the house also cinematographers for Belizian wildlife.
After the tour we finished any last minute packing and soon found ourselves zipping across Belize's countryside. First stop, Belmopan!
So it wasn't as luxurious as one would think as the capital of the country, but the market displayed an array of new and exotic fruits, and we were able to tour some of the local architecture. After picking up a few bags of local fruits and vegetables, we took off once more.
Pit stop: Bertha's Tamales!
More road tripping!
And finally our final destination (for the day) at last; The Maya Center.
And finally our final destination (for the day) at last; The Maya Center. But the adventure didn't stop here, thanks to rising at the early hour of 6am (a time most architecture students are falling asleep) we had hours to spare to explore our surroundings. Like:
Citrus Farms
Cacao Trees
Coffee Plants
And the mysterious process by which cacao becomes chocolate!
But that's not all!
Walkiria, the Professor, Canti and Phillipe took off on the hunt for her fabled and legendary bag while the rest of us remained behind (and received readings from our lovely host Aurora.) Before too long and after the disappointment of Walkiria returning empty-handed (foiled again) it was dinner time!
Hands down the most delicious meal of this trip.
After a hearty dinner and some long overdue wifi roaming and calls back home to family, we called it a night.
Walkiria's Blog
I woke up at around 6:30am and began to get ready i was a little surprised there was hot water. In fact, that water was extremely hot it was almost unbearable. I got dressed and I waited for the other girls to get ready so I can go downstairs with them. Around 7:00am I hear the car pull up and it's Canti and Felipe they've arrived to have breakfast with us. Breakfast Time at the Savanna House was at 7:30am we were all downstairs serving ourselves our breakfast. Everything looked Delicious. There was Banana beard, Watermelon, Pineapple, and Toast.
The owners of the Savanna house were a couple who lived in Belize for quite a few years originally they are from the states. They take part in filming the wildlife and creating documentaries about the animals. Some of the spaces in the house consist of studios in which the filming takes part. It's actually quite fascinating the animals that he has and the stories that he told us about when he went inside a Bat cave and while filming himself in it. We covered every inch of his body except on side of his leg. At a certain point, the bats would come out and start flying around him and he felt them on his body but he let it happen. Suddenly, He felt one on his exposed leg and the bat was sensing his leg searching for a vein. Until he felt a pinch he said that it hurt but again he let it happen. Then he felt the bats tongue move inside his wounded leg.
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| The Savannah Guest House Room |
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| Outdoor patio with a view |
After the tour of the Savanna house we were on our way to Belmopan the capital city of Belize. I asked if I could make a call to Delta Airlines baggage claim to find out the status of my bag, Felipe hands me his phone and when I called they told me that it is on flight and expected to arrive around 2pm. i felt a little relaxed but I knew i had to call consistenly. So when we arrived at the market, There we helped Canti do some of the food shopping to take back to BFree. The market was an interesting place many business were selling clothes, food, toys for children, music, all sorts of things. A city like no other just trying to get through the day. Food shopping didn't take most of our time so we were quick to get back in the car and be on our way to the Maya Center. A few miles closer to the Maya Center we stopped for Ms. Bertha's Tamales (I'm glad we did) Those Tamales were awesome. They tasted so good.
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| This is the leaves that Bertha used to make the Tamales |
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| Bertha's Tamales are very famous |
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| Deliciousness! |
We arrived at the Maya Center and we get taken to our rooms where we will be staying. Aurora and Ernesto Saqui were the owners of this facility and their hospitality made me feel welcomed. I loved it ! Being at the Maya Center i felt like Nature was never disappearing.
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| Aurora's Garden |
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| Cabin Rooms in The Maya Center |
The Maya Center is full of amazing history and craftsmanship done by women. That alone amazes me. Maya Center is a community that ties together all the facilities. There is a school, Aurora and Ernesto's guest house, The chocolate factory, the Women's center and many residents who live there.
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| Many of the souvenirs that were being sold were hand made by women |
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| Chocolate Factory |
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| Hot Room for the Cacao Seeds. They need to be kept here for up to 7 days |
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| Cacao Seeds |
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| Drying Process |
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| Ancient way of making Chocolate |
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Handmade Crafts by Women
Back to the bag, I call Delta airlines and was told that my bag would be sent to Independence where I had requested for it to go. They confirmed with me that my bag was being put on the flight to Independence with Maya Island Air. Felipe, Canti, Professor Lia, and I get in the car and head out to Independence. I was already thinking of yay i will see my bag!!! 20 minutes into the drive Felipe's phone rings and it's Delta Airlines. "Hello Ms. Cabrera, your bag is going to Dangriga". I thought Dangriga? why Dangriga? That's way off the route that we are suppose to take. Felipe , the taxi driver takes the hone and tells the agent " Are you sure that the bag is in Dangriga ? Okay, I am on my way to get the bag." I was stressing out. Why did they have to send my bag to a place I didn't ask them to send it too. As we are driving we notice the change in community, the people, everything was different. Belize in general is different. We arrived at Maya Air and I go inside and I tell the agent "Hello I am expecting a bag from Delta Airlines they called me and told me it'd arrive here" He told me "The plane is in the air she be here in a few minutes". I waited, I noticed an Old lady walking in with a similar issue as mine as I heard her tell the agents. The first plane arrived, but no bag. I asked once again and he said there is another plane in the air it could be in that one. I waited again.. Waiting was something I did the most on this trip. A couple minutes passed and NO BAG !!
Felipe's phone rings and it's Delta Airlines, now they are telling me that my bag HAS arrived in Placencia. Oh Goodness!! Placencia ? I won't be there till I almost leave. At this point I wanted to cry. Felipe takes the phone and starts to tell the guy off and to put the bag for pick up and that he will send a driver to pick it up. I gave Felipe and his driver full authority to please get this bag to me. Felipe gave the agent the drivers name and then hung up the phone. Felipe tells me "I will send my daughter to pick up the bag and drop it off at Independence and tomorrow morning we will get the bag before you go on the hike. I was a little relieved but feeling a bit anxious that my bag has literally been all over Belize hence the name of my blog. As we get ready to leave, the lady who was also having the same issue as me asked if we can give her a ride to her stay. Of course we didn't have a problem with it so we let her come. The lady was very sweet and we figured out that she was a Professor as well teaching about Women Health care. It was interesting to have met with someone along the way, it was quite an experience.
Baljinder's Blog:
The 8th was our first morning in Belize, we woke to the chirping birds after the vast rainfall the night before. We hadn't experienced rain like that before, loud against the roof, you could hear each and every rain drop. We had split rooms among the four of us in the Savannah Guest House. I didn't expect the water to be so hot. It was extremely hot! That's what you call a true hot bath. Besides, we were looking forward to our first breakfast in Belize at 7:30 am, which the Foster's kindly provided in their kitchen.
Toast with jams and butter, fresh juice, fresh cut papaya and watermelons. During breakfast the Foster's told us about their successful book "Pat the Great Cat" used to teach children about animals.
Shortly after breakfast, the Foster's gave a tour of their place and the animals they tended to. They were studying Tarantulas, various kinds of fish, and the Margay.
After the guide, our driver Philip, took us to to Belmopan, Belize's capital city. There we went to the market and saw the governmental buildings. We were introduced to the Belizean culture, their food and products. We were to assist our guide Canti with the groceries to be purchased for BFree, our main destination of study in the rain forest. We then walked around within the vicinity of the market to see the environment before we had to head back to the taxi for a ride down the Hummingbird Highway.
The Savannah Guest House
In the Foster's "backyard".
In Belmopan.
In the market.
The next stop after the market was Berthas Tamales, a small hut like restaurant just off the highway. We had some great tamales with soda.
Bertha's Tamales
Prof. Lia and Dani being friendly to the dog.
After the tamales, we were off to the Maya Center, our hosts were Aurora Saqui and Ernesto Saqui. We were given a choice between two rooms with bunk beds in the Nu'uk Cheil Cottages. After we chose our room, we settled in with our luggage and went back out to get a tour of the local farm across the road we had entered from. We went through the orange orchids and crossed a river in the farm by foot. We were introduced to Cacao trees, the fruit that bares chocolate beans. The group and I were fascinated by the the Cacao, and were even given a demonstration of a ripe Cacao. The beans are covered with a slimy but sweet tissue that you can eat, as well as the bean if you chose, but could be dried for later use for making chocolate. This is when I learned that the nature of Belize produces and takes back its own waste. For example, the shell of the cacao can be placed back on the earth which would provide nutrients to the plants around it once degraded.
 The Cacao Tree
 The Cacao
 The Coffee Plant
We were a little disappointed that the banana trees attract a lot of pesticides and have to be maintained constantly and covered rather than let it naturally process.
We even saw the actual coffee bean plant and learned its process and saw the greenhouse in which the cacao and coffee beans were dried.
Walking across the river in the farm.
The greenhouse and the cacao drying process.
After the farm tour we went to Julio's Chocolate Factory where we learned how chocolate is made from the Cacao beans. We all got a chance to grate chocolate.
After the chocolate, we went back to the Nu'uk Cheil Cottages, and we had learned that Walkirias luggage was delivered. Poor Walkiria didn't receive her luggage at the airport because it wasn't sent to it's final destination. Hence, the Legend of Walkiria's Bag. While Dani, Patricia and I stayed back at the cottages, Walkiria, Prof. Lia, Canti, and Philip went to fetch Walkiria's bag. During the time they were gone, we all decided to spend some time in Aurora's Gift Shop. Some of us got our fortunes told, since she is well known for that and her personality. We bought some slate carvings of the mayan culture. Dani, Patricia, and I started to chit chat about our lives and what we plan to do., and started to know each other more. Soon enough it started raining, but it then stopped when Walkiria finally arrived WITHOUT her luggage 3 hours later. We discovered that Walkiria and the escorts went all over town because the bag was misguided. She told us about the trip and how they ended up in Dangriga from all over.
Eventually, it was time for dinner, cooked by the very own Aurora.
After dinner, Ernesto gave us a presentation on the Mayan culture. We learned that he is the Director of Cockscomb and Chairman of the Maya Center. Aurora told us her story about growing up and how she learned to carve slate and what her after had taught her and her two sisters. She took after her grandfather to be a healer although she never thought it would have happened.
All of us lost track of time from all the learning and couldn't believe we had done so much in just one day. It was time for bed.
The Nu'uk Cheil Cottages
Auroras Slate Carvings
Thatch Roof in the Maya Center Hall
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