Belize Jungle

Gomez

We are spending the next week in lodgings called " The Parrot's Nest" in San Ignacio (western Belize) on the edge a rain forest. It was blistering hot when we arrived, a 60 mile drive from Belize City (which we both agreed to be the 'armpit' of the world). It took two and a half hours to do this short distance, there were almost more potholes than dirt road. Our transportation was an old school bus which had two speeds ..... a bat out of hell..... and grinding halt .... stopping between 70-100 times (in a cloud of dust) to let the locals on and off.

Our accommodations are becoming even more rustic, wooden hut, corrugated roof, chicken wire windows. While relaxing on our deck we noticed a couple of strange looking animals (Agouti) otherwise known as " The Royal Rat! " as this animal was a dish served to Queen Elizabeth in 1995 when she was visiting Belize! I have definitely stepped outside my "comfort zone".

A fun Day
The owner of our adjoining property (English fellow from Oxford!) gave us a ride into town, "San Ignacio" located 3 miles away, and we spent a while pottering around the daily fruit market before walking to the local Maya ruin called Cahal Pech, meaning " place of the ticks" once home to the Maya Royal family. It was very accessable, low key, no hoards of tourist coaches.
On our return home we stopped off at the iguana hatchery, had a very informative tour guide who introduced us to "Gomez" the 15 yr old reigning male who lives the life of riley. It was cute seeing Ron covered with many of his offspring. We cooled off mid afternoon with a 40 min float down the muddy river which surrounds the property...I was very happy I wore shorts rather than a swimsuit as the fish were having a grand time nibbling our butts as we sat in our large inner tubes, I began to wonder, a little late perhaps, about the possibility of river snakes. We enjoyed relaxing on the communal deck watching the sunset on the river, feeling good to have done a 5 mile walk as we were beginning to feel a bit sluggish.




Gomez's offspring!

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