Another day in tropical paradise

You could call it paradise. It was overcast and breezy while we were hanging out at Placencia Beach, not the least bit hot, which is just how we like our beach time. Dennis made his sand angels and frolicked in the Caribbean and did not want to leave. We drove a long time to get to Placencia, but we were rewarded with breathtaking vistas of the Maya Mountains as we drove through them. We made a stop at Blue Hole National Park and observed one of the famous sinkholes. We stopped in Hopkins on our way back, just to see it, and if ever there was the complete opposite of a seaside resort town, Hopkins is it. We bought gas at some guy's house (shack)--they sold us 5 gallons and filled the car from a plastic gas can. Only a few people tried to sell us stuff at the beach (despite the signs prohibiting it), so it was much more enjoyable than our Mexico beach experiences. It's amazing to me how abject poverty exists right beside wealth (really, side by side shacks and nice homes) and no one looks down on others.

We are getting into the routine, cranking open the window slats to catch the evening breezes, brushing our teeth with bottled water, showering in cool water, wearing shoes everywhere indoors (scorpions, pinworms...). Last night it was pleasant enough that we enjoyed a couple of games of dominos before turning in. We actually needed our covers, too. The weather since Monday has been just wonderful. For the record, we could shower in hot water if we used Mom & Dad's bathroom, but it hasn't really been an issue.

There is so much jungle here! I haven't before seen mountains covered in palm trees. And we had never seen a banana farm before today. On our way to Hopkins we had to stop to let a dozen coatimundis cross the road. Everything is so exotic! The lifestyle is easier, slower, but there are so many adventures to be had: caving, exploring ruins, waterfall hikes, wildlife preserves, diving, snorkeling... And everything is so cheap! I can see many future vacations to Belize. I'm also surprised by the availability of Wi-Fi all over the place. It has been nice to check in!

Tomorrow is our last day. We considered boating out to the islands (and a real beach resort), but I think we are going to tour more Mayan ruins and a Mennonite settlement. Dennis is very excited about it!