Belize 2002

Mom

and Dad are the awesome kind of parents who let Tai and I choose our

senior year spring breaks. In May, 2002 Tai would be graduating from

high school so for her final spring break she elected that we take a

family trip to Belize.

From Belize City we flew a small prop

plane out to the coast where just a few months before a hurricane came

along and decimated much of the town. Walking down the cement

sidewalks, you would pass house skeletons where the only things

standing would be toilets and pillars. Hurricane damage is funny

though. When one house can be reduced to rubble, another can be

completely spared from any damage.

While

many travel medicine doctors recommend staying away from street food, I

have always found these little vendors to have the best dishes to

satisfy any stomach. And while in costal Belizian village, you've got

to try the fish.

While still on the mainland we decided to explore the neighboring jungle and marshes where we saw lots of spiders and MANATEES!

While

Belize is a small former British colony, it borders a huge and

magnificent barrier reef dotted with little isles. Following a very

rough boat ride by "Junior," we arrived at one of these said islands. .

. . When you think of a deserted island in the middle of the ocean,

with nothing but the white sand and a couple of palm trees, this was

Ranguana. No more than 100ft across and probably less than 400ft long,

the island had a cooking cabana, outhouses, and three stilted cabins.

Since the islands owners own one cabin and our family took the other

too, we had this little spec of paradise to ourselves... well

accompanied by a cook and his friend, who would spend the days fishing

and catching us our dinner.

Our days were then spent snorkeling,

sunbathing, napping, snorkeling, eating, napping, repeat. For a week.

Brilliant. (except I did get pooped on by a pelican)