We had heard that a variety of birds could be seen in the rain forest behind the hotel early in the morning, so since this was our last morning here we got up before the sun and dressed and packed. By 6:30 we were on the large back veranda of the hotel with our binoculars ready to see some birds. We were afraid that the light rain may have kept them away, but we were up anyway, so it was worth a try. As we sat and watched, several species of birds flew through our “backyard”. They would come in as a small flock and land in the trees and no more that 5 minutes later the flock would start to leave in the opposite way from which they’d come, like these trees were just a few in a large line on breakfast buffet. We are not typically bird watcher types, so I didn’t know the species names for the variety of colorful birds. But 2 species in particular caught my eye (and camera) and Google helped me with the names, the black-headed Trojan and the Collared Aracari (a relative of the toucan). Unfortunately we didn’t get to see the famous keel-billed toucan of Froot Loops fame.

A little after 8 our shuttle left for the small airstrip outside town called Maya flats. When I say small I mean a 400 square foot building and 1 strip of concrete maybe 100 yards long. This airstrip is fairly new and the cute wooden structure had a wrap around porch with rocking chairs where we could wait for our plane. The view of the Maya mountains from the porch was a bonus, and we thought we’d get to enjoy it for a few minutes before we left. Little did we know the fog that had settled over the tops of the mountains would delay the tiny planes that rely heavily on sight to fly safely over the mountains. So we settled in and talked and laughed with the 5 other passengers who were scheduled for our flight for what would be a 3+ hour delay. The reasons we decided to fly for this leg of our trip were both to save time, and because to hire a driver for the long drive to Belize City followed by a water taxi ride to reach the island would be around the same price. But here we were fogged in with no way to contact our friend John, at who’s house we were staying on the island and was presumably waiting for us at the airport.

We finally left about 12:15 (after a 9:00 originally scheduled departure time) in a tiny plane that would hold about 12 passengers. The Tropic Air employee who oversaw boarding told us where to sit according to our final destination, he then reminded us to buckle up and thanked us for choosing tropic air- or at least I think that’s what he said, he was also closing the small door by hand as he talked. About 12 minutes into the flight, we made a brief stop in Belmopan (the Capitol) to pick up several more passengers, which filled us to capacity. Since we had waited 3 hours for the fog to lift enough to see the mountain tops (we wouldn’t want to be running into them), to fly much of the way in thick white fog was not comforting. I keep telling myself it would break before we reached Caye Caulker so the pilot could see to land. Of course I did use some of the 22 minute flight to familiarize myself with the safety information located in the seat pocket. The plane bumped along, dropping a little as it hit air pockets, eventually it began to drop lower and lower until the fog did start to break and I could see the sparkling blue water of the Caribbean below me as if it was close enough to touch. As we descended quickly I then told myself if we landed in the water at least I now knew how to work the emergency exits. About 2 seconds before the wheels touched down I saw land below us, we had finally reached Caye Caulker safely. We taxied to the other end of the runway where the small terminal building sat. The back door was opened and the small rolling staircase was pushed up beside the plane so we could exit. Our friend John was just emerging through the trees on a small path beside the airstrip on his bike. Because we had not been able to reach him, this was the 5th plane he’d met today. We were the only passengers to get off at this stop and the plane quickly turned and headed back down the runway to take the rest of the passengers to Ambergris Caye. Ours were the only bags on the luggage cart so we collected them there beside the runway. (Of course we were still required to turn in our small luggage claim tickets to get them) We followed John down the short sandy lane to his house, which is not more than a 5 minute walk from the airstrip. He has a beautiful, uniquely built house called Sandcastle tucked into a lot full of palms and lush tropical greenery. He has 2 units connected to the house for guests/renters. Our small apartment is just perfect with its rugged stone walls in the bathroom and separate living room and kitchenette with a large screen TV. We even have a small, private screened in patio just off the living room. We spent the rest of the day seeing the updates to the house since we’d been here last year, doing some laundry and catching up with John.

Evening brought a trip to the sports bar for “Friday night Jam”. Local musicians perform, but any tourists or guests who are musically inclined are welcome to join the jam and even are offered the use of the instruments of the locals. To say there were some talented people would be an understatement, the atmosphere in the packed room and dance floor was electric as one after another performer shared their talents with us. They played a variety of music, with classic rock being the genre of choice. I kept thinking how the Hebert’s would absolutely love this. I don’t consider my a great music lover, but this was awesome. We stayed for a couple of hours and then found a local place for dinner, it was open air with only 3 foot wooden sides to define the space, with sand floors and brightly painted picnic tables. I had fresh grilled lobster and Christian had grilled shrimp. John opted for the chicken ( I guess he eats seafood all the time anyway). We had plenty of time to visit with the very slow (Belize time) service. But the atmosphere was so perfect I didn’t mind.

We biked home in the light rain and the cool air. Today has been very cool for the island, dipping below 70. But with the constant sea breeze and the rain, we were chilled after the 5 minute bike ride home. But the changing weather is only part of the fun. Perfect start to our stay on this island paradise.

We started our day off with breakfast at Pop’s, you really can’t beat inexpensive homemade tortillas and refried bean and eggs, and then we spent some time exploring the town. San Ignacio (including the sister town of Saint Elena) has about 20,000 people and is considered a pretty large town here. You can see a little of the leftover colonial style of the British in the main streets. Near the Macall River, which separates the twin towns, is a vast market with fresh fruits and vegetables along with a variety of arts, crafts, and homemade oils and food. This is especially bustling on Saturday when the Mennonites, the Amish, and people from small villages for miles around all bring their produce to market.

In the afternoon we headed for Barton Creek to see the cavernous cave with the river running through it with our personable guide, Cruise. The 45 minute ride (to go 12 miles) to the cave through dirt roads in the rain forest was just as bumpy and treacherous as most of the jungle roads around here. The last few miles were narrow and directly down the side of a mountain. The site of the cave is beautiful with even a small restaurant and facilities for tourists. We all 3 sat in one long canoe with Cruise at the rear and me in front and in charge of the large spotlight. We crossed the large deep pool of crystal clear water leading to the tall, narrow mouth of the cave. Palm trees growing out of the sheer rock face curved toward the sun with vines hanging across the entrance. It looked like a scene setup for a Tarzan movie. Big, fat rain droplets began pattering softly on the surface of the water and through the trees. We glided quietly into the cave and were immediately under huge ribbon-like formations gleaming at us from 100 feet above. Even though we’ve been to several caves these formations were somehow very different. Different colors and more jagged on the tips. Although we had our cameras on this trip, the inky blackness make recording the experience almost impossible. In sections the stone ceiling was so low over our head we had to duck, and in other areas large car sized boulders were seemingly suspended from the ceiling and we had to squeeze beside them. We saw a cave spider as big as a salad plate and an indentation in the ceiling with a colony of fruit bats huddled inside. In about half a mile we came to the end, or at least as far as we could go. Reportedly, the river continues for at least 7 more miles mostly under the rock with occasional cavernous sections (that have been explored only by archaeologists who went in with scuba gear). The return trip was no less intriguing while I was using the big spotlight to see as much of the walls and ceiling as possible. Most of the Mayan artifacts discovered in this cave have been removed by the archeologists, but a few pieces of pottery can be seen on high ledges and even one skull that has become calcified almost into the rock.

The daylight slowly became visible, first as a small fissure and then as a discernible crack in the rock face. Rain pelted the water in a steady rhythm now as the canoe slid into the light of day. The trees of the rainforest kept us partially protected as we crossed the clear lake. We left and wandered around the beautiful grounds of the restaurant for a few minutes before we began the arduous trip back to the hotel.

We spent the next hour talking and laughing with Cruise as we questioned him about life in Belize and he questioned us about life in the states. He pointed out different crops and shared history about the different villages we passed through.

The day ended with dinner at Guava Limb Cafe, a small restaurant in town that boasts organic and healthy food. Their slogan is “slim and trim like the guava limb”. It was delicious, and we sat on a small, brightly painted balcony overlooking a serene park. We have loved our time in San Ignacio. There seems to be endless things to see and do here and we will definitely be back. But tomorrow we will be traveling to Caye Caulker, and we are looking forward to more adventure there.

After yesterday’s adventures we were looking forward to a slightly more relaxing day. We went into town for breakfast at a local place called Pop’s. With its 8 homemade booths the entire restaurant (including the kitchen) is about the size of my living room. They had every Belizean breakfast item we’ve ever heard of and several American ones too. But since we are IN Belize, we naturally wanted to order from the Belizean side of the menu where each selection included refried beans (of more the soup consistency) and either freshly made flour tortillas or fry jacks. Everything was great. After breakfast and a short stroll through town, we begin the climb back to the hotel. The city is nestled right in a small valley and our hotel is on a higher elevation no more than a mile from the center of town. But a mile up the side of a mountain is no joke. Another couple we passed told us we were brave, they walked down but always took a cab back up. That seems a little like cheating. Everything less than 2 miles (even on the side of a mountain) is considered walking distance here. (Probably less than 5 miles for the locals, but we are not quite there yet.)

After we returned to the hotel, we bought tickets to tour the Green Iguana Project located on the hotel grounds. Nigel came to collect us and took us on a fascinating tour of this 18 year old conservation project that rescues, rehabilitates, and studies Green Iguanas. Most are released back into the wild, with the exception of a few with conditions that render them unsuitable – i.e. they would be quickly killed in the wild. On the way through the rainforest to reach the project, we encountered a large termite nest in a tree, which we’ve seen many places in the rainforest. Nigel encouraged Christian to try a few termites since they are often used for food in survival situations. He was less than impressed. Nigel tried to convince him they tasted like chocolate but he couldn’t see it. Once at the place where the iguanas are housed we first watched them from outside the enclosure while Nigel told us about the work they do. Then it was time to go in. Yikes! We entered the enclosure on a walkway built up in the center, but the iguanas here are friendly and most of them started coming to us. Nigel warned us about not stepping on their incredibly long tails so I used the little hop I learned from Orlando yesterday to avoid the tails. The longer we stayed in the enclosure, the more comfortable I became with them. They really were gentle. Nigel then proceeded to take some of the largest iguana and let them climb on Christian (that was out of the question for me). We fed them leaves of the elephant ear plants, we became very popular once we had the leaves. Next we went into the enclosure of the smaller iguanas (I would’ve preferred to have started here) The young males would fight with the older ones and these females were not old enough to mate, so they had to be kept separate. The iguana project was actually more interesting (and less creepy) than I had thought it would be. We were almost disappointed when Nigel led us back through the rain forest to the hotel.

Next on the agenda was the ancient Mayan city of Cahal Pech, which was reportedly within walking distance the opposite direction of town. The sun had climbed high in the sky and it felt like a Mississippi day in August with the humidity, but we were ready to see more. We walked up the narrow street trying to avoid the speeding cars until we reached the intersection we were looking for. The sign said the archeological preserve was only a quarter of a mile away. But a quarter of a mile up the steepest hill I’ve ever climbed in my life took more than a couple of minutes. I have to keep reminding myself we are in the mountains!

Once at Cahal Pech we were greeted by our guide, Gouldon. Hiring a guide is not a requirement here, but it makes the trip much more worthwhile. Spending the next hour immersed in the culture of the Mayans in this ancient city was fascinating. The most mysterious part is the evidence that all Mayan cities in Belize were abandoned around 850 A.D. The current educated guess of the archeologists is that it involved a drought and their belief that they had angered the rain god. But could that really be the answer for every city in the country being abandoned at once? Of course, there are the theories about aliens, but I don’t believe those either. The Mayan didn’t disappear, most just left Belize for what is now Guatemala. Even now there are small communities of Mayan descendants here, but they make up almost half of the entire population in some regions of Guatemala.

On our way back down Christian stopped to talk to a man cutting a lawn. He turned out to do the equivalent of Christian’s Jon here in Belize and they really seemed amazed with each other as they both described a little bit about the specifics of their work. The same but very different. After our trek back down the side of the mountain we were hot, to say the least. So we couldn’t think of a better way to spend these last few hours before dinner than at the hotel’s gorgeous pool. We were easily amused by the free icee tasting fruit drinks that a waiter brought us, and since this was our first activity on this trip that did not involve a hike in a rainforest or on mountainous terrain, we enjoyed every minute.

Back to town for dinner. The restaurants seem to have both an Indian and Chinese influence with curried meats of different varieties and fried rice dishes that seem to be very popular along with the more traditional Belizean dishes. Another successful day, and we have many more to go.

It was a rough start to our vacation with our trip to San Ignacio yesterday, we encountered a horrible wreck in which 11 people were injured and 1 killed. Our car sat perfectly still on the Western Highway for more than half an hour. It was a sobering start to our trip as we passed a scene from which no one should have walked away. We finally arrived at our hotel well past dark, and so our first real look at San Ignacio would have to wait. After a personal tour of the hotel, the concierge Rueben wanted to speak with us about tours. I had emailed them already saying we definitely wanted to visit Actun Tuntichil Muknal archeological site (or ATM cave for short). So they had gone ahead and booked our visit for the next day. Ok…. Hard to handle when we are tired and hungry from a long day of travel, but we agreed. We didn’t even realize that this would be the most challenging tourist destination we would have ever visited. So we got some dinner and went to bed.

It’s easy when I first get to a new place and I’m feeling exhausted and have no idea what to expect, that I begin to think “why am I here? I want to go home where everything is familiar and comfortable!” But all I have to do is get a good nights sleep and walk outside the next morning and see the beauty all around and meet friendly people who I want to know more about.

After breakfast we boarded a van for the hour ride to the Mountain Tapir Reserve, which is where the ATM cave is located with Lee and Linda from Michigan and of course our guide Orlando. Orlando told us all about every town and village we passed through and Lee and Linda told us horror stories of Michigan winters. We finally turned onto a rutted dirt road for the last 7 miles of the trip. Once at the Reserve we were briefed on the days trip since we obviously had no idea what we were in for. The ATM cave is a very important archeological find, discovered only in the 80’s. There are many Mayan artifacts in the cave and the government has decided not to remove these but to leave the cave intact as a sort of “natural museum”. Only 2 of the hundreds of articles found have been removed to national museums, because two included hieroglyphics to be studied, but the rest along with skeletons believed to have been human sacrifices of the Maya remain in the cave. 25 guides have been trained and licensed by the government and no one is allowed to enter the cave without one of these guides. There is nothing allowed in the cave. No hats, no cameras, no sunglasses, no water; only a helmet with a headlamp and the clothes you are wearing can be taken in. This is all to preserve the integrity of the artifacts and remains in the cave.

Our trip began with a 45 minute hike through the rain forest to reach the mouth of the cave. At the start of the trip Orlando mentioned that there were about 70 species of snakes in the rain forest and instructed us that if we saw a snake on the path we should jump over it. He even demonstrated this little hop for us. I was thinking that if I saw a snake on the path I probably would NOT jump over it and something involving a scream would likely happen instead.

About 5 minutes into the hike we came to the first river, lucky for us this is not rainy season and we would not actually have to swim across the swiftly flowing river about 200 feet to the other side. We did however, have to walk across in the extremely cold water of the mountain stream which was about 3 feet deep. No problem, except for the slippery moss covered stones lining the riverbed that threatened to steal your balance with every step. For the duration of the hike, about 40 more minutes, there were 2 more similar rivers. Orlando stopped often to point out different trees and explain their significance both to the ancient Mayans and to Belizians today. We were thrilled to catch glimpses of a Coatimundi and an Agouti (nicknamed the royal rat after it was served to Queen Elizabeth).

We finally reached the small rest area at the mouth of the cave where we left our water bottles, (the only thing we could carry into the rainforest). The entrance to the cave was breathtakingly beautiful, like a 50 foot high fissure in the side of the jungle covered rock which spread open at the bottom to a width of about 20 feet where the river flowed out of the mountain. Our first climb (and what turned out to be one of the easiest) was over boulders along the side of the river to get to the 50degree water below and swim about 75 feet across the deep pool into the cave.

Here is where I hesitate, fearing I can’t accurately describe the cave’s beauty or the treacherous half mile trek we took to the dry chambers of the Maya. And with no camera to document the trip, it may sound like a bit like an exaggeration, but honestly I don’t think I could exaggerate the beauty and difficulty of this trip if I tried. Of course there are pictures online taken before cameras were banned, but they don’t do it justice either. But I feel like if I don’t put it into words, I may start to believe this beautiful cave and this crazy adventure will begin to seem more like a figment of my imagination in years to come. So I guess I have to try.

When I reached the other side of the pool and struggled to pull myself up on the rocks avoiding the sharp edges that all promised a nice cut, I stopped to take a good look around. I have been in a few caves before, both in Belize and in Missouri, and I thought I knew what to expect. But those experiences did not prepare me for this one. A river they simply call “the roaring river” (not the official name) flows all the way through the cave. It is said to be about 3 1/2 miles through the cave, although we would only travel about a half mile to the dry chamber. The river was very deep at some places and no more than 2 feet deep at others, but it was the cave itself that held my attention. Even just inside the mouth the ceiling at its highest point seemed to be at least 200 feet tall. And there were boulders the size of cars wedged against each other as if some ancient rock slide had created this cave. We continued hiking up the middle of the river, as in most places there was only a sheer rock wall alongside the river, we squeezed through boulders leaning on each other in which only your head could squeeze through the visible opening and the rest of your body had to be under water. We climbed collections of boulders at places where the river ran completely under them so we had no choice but find a way over. We picked our way carefully up and over small waterfalls, if that word can apply to a 3 or 4 foot drop off. In some areas the stone roof was very low over our heads, which was a problem for the more claustrophobic members of our group. In other area the ceiling soared so high we could scarcely see it even with our headlamps pointed up. In some places we found ourselves climbing up a 20 foot rock, which was a problem for the lady scared of heights, especially when we turned the next corner and found ourselves on a ledge 25 feet over the river. I’ve never focused so hard on where to step, and where to put my hand, and how to shift my weight. It took well over an hour until we reached the point where we started climbing up to the dry chamber. In this chamber they don’t allow shoes (what?!) but we did bring socks. So then we climbed straight up rock faces in socks to get to the large flat chambers above. This is the part the seems a little unbelievable, even to me just after I did it. Of course we were all looking at Orlando in disbelief every time he’d show us what we had to do next. He’d climb up the wall quickly saying “left foot here, right foot here, hand here, swing your body around and your almost there”. Needless to say, it wasn’t quite as easy for us as it was for him. Thanks to the adrenaline coursing through our veins and the constant threat of falling, we were alert and focused and we didn’t have any accidents. When we finally reached the lower of the dry chambers, I was awestruck. It was almost as if someone had been in here camping a few years ago instead of between 700 and 900 A.D as archeologists say. There were clay pots, mostly broken pots, scattered everywhere. There were small fire pits in every nook and cranny of the space we could see which was about half the size of a football field. There were 2 large carved stone tablets on a high place in the distance. Archaeologists believe that the nobility of the Mayans came here for religious ceremonies of sacrifice and burnt offerings. At the end of the ceremony the pot had to always be broken, and so we saw many that were similarly broken in large pieces. We walked further and further back until we came to the place where it is believed human sacrifices were made. Several skeletons are clearly visible and it is believed that if the sediment under them were excavated, many more would be found in what amounts to a pile where they were left after sacrifice. They believe that the Mayans wanted the heart to present to their gods, and once it was removed the body became unimportant. The end of the dry chamber (at least the part open to the public) holds a final skeleton, completely intact. After studying it, they believe this one was a young woman of about 20 years of age. Every detail of the skeleton is visible; the teeth, ribs, vertebrae, etc, have been calcified and covered with a thin layer of sediment in the cave. It was an eerie feeling, and a somber mood seemed to fall on the group. Even if it had been over a thousand years ago, here were people who died horrible deaths to please a god that lived only in the imaginations of the Mayans. We stood no more than a few feet away from artifacts that you would think should be locked away in a museum. There were thin red pieces of string or plastic laid along the path to separate the artifacts from the walking path. No barriers, just trust that the respectful guides would not allow any harm to come to them. Of course this has not always been the case. There is one skull with a hole in it that was caused from the dropped camera of a tourist shortly after the cave was opened to the public. The cave was closed after that, but eventually re-opened with the new rules about not carrying anything into the cave and not wearing shoes in the chamber.

At this point, having already been in the cave for about 2 hours, I would’ve liked for Orlando to open a back door and lead us back through the rainforest. But alas, this is not Disneyworld, and there is no emergency exit. We turned to leave the chamber and find our shoes to make the same trek back out of the cave. Climbing down these rocks that we had just ascended proved to be no easier. We did stop a few times to admire the formations of countless colors and types. Many were beautiful ribbons of rocks cascading down the walls sparkling with crystals. There were stalactites and stalagmites straining to reach other, along with a few we spotted that had reached each other and formed majestic columns. But we were mostly quiet on the way back, whether from exhaustion and continued focus on not falling, or because of the weight of what we had just witnessed, I can’t say. We all agreed that if the U.S. had made a discovery such as this, they would never let us see it in this natural setting. Not to mention that the treacherous trip into the cave would carry far too much liability in the U.S. to be allowed (we had the same thought last year after the Jaguar Encounter). We stopped to eat lunch once we were out of the cave since Orlando had brought it in a backpack and left it outside the cave. It was delicious, of course we were all starving. We talked with Orlando about his life in Belize and about his family. These are times I always love, finding out about the lives of people who live differently than I do. After the long hike back out of the jungle and through the 3 rivers, we were ready to change into the dry clothes we had brought. The return drive was no less bumpy, but was even more beautiful as the fog from the morning had lifted and we had an impressive view of the Maya Mountains.

Once back at the hotel, we decided to take advantage of the couple of hours of daylight left and walk into town. This was our first time to venture into San Ignacio and we loved it. Quaint streets packed with stores and restaurants. Several parks throughout the town and people walking here and there. A beautiful market with fresh fruits and vegetables and some local arts and crafts. This is going to be a great trip, I can feel it already.