The first impression is actually really good, you feel a hundred times safer alone on the streets, even in the dark. Tomorrow at noon I'm going to Tulum and I'll stay there for about a week... then there'll be more to report :D

By the way, it was incredibly cold in this cave, especially because the clothes were absolutely soaked. On the way there I went forward and then went a little bit into the darkness, which was exciting :D The way back was also surprising because the water level was higher and the current was much stronger. This meant that we now had to swim some passages and in some of them we made extremely slow progress (narrow, full of water). And anyone who ever heard me freaking out about that stupid cave movie that traumatized me for years, yes, I thought about it extremely often, especially when the way back was suddenly full of water. But everything went smoothly, everyone got out, nothing potentially very old was upset or woken up, and I even got something to eat back at the parking lot :D Everyone was super exhausted, we had rum punch and then we set off on the route back again. One pair of socks didn't survive. That was probably my offering.

The next day, I continued by bus to San Ignacio on the border with Guatemala. I chose this place because here you can sit in a tire and swim through a huge cave over a river. The tour lasted about 2 hours and wasn't cheap (like nothing in Belize), but since it was the low season, there were hardly any people around and we were almost alone in the huge cave. In the high season, hundreds, if not thousands, of tourists swim downstream here every day with their tires, which the huge parking lot and the mass of equipment being rented out here revealed. Since we were almost alone, we also went to areas of the cave that you wouldn't normally see. The next day, I visited a remarkable temple with a fantastic view before taking another 6-hour bus ride towards the sea, specifically to Caye Caulker Island.

When I arrived there, I booked a diving trip. Not cheap either, at 350€ for three dives, but when do you have the chance to dive in the second largest reef in the world or in a blue hole with sharks? After another 3 nights on this nice, quiet island, it's time to move on. Unfortunately, there's no real beach here, but the stingray feeding is nice to watch and the lobster is also delicious.

Before heading back after 12 days, I made a stop in Playa del Carmen for more diving. You can safely avoid the city unless you're into spring break parties. Diving in the cenotes, on the other hand, is absolutely worth seeing. It's still unusual and a little claustrophobic to dive through dark narrow caves, but the rock formations and the colors of the sunlight trickling in quickly make this feeling disappear.

Now, half a year later, I'm writing the first lines in Stockholm before heading to Nepal towards Kathmandu and from there to the Mount Everest Base Camp. I'm as excited as a little child. P.S. Stockholm is absolutely worth seeing and if you don't mind the smell, lots of people in a small space, and train delays, you can also take the night train from Hamburg to Stockholm.

Today, we visited the second national park easily accessible from Hopkins. We woke up at 5:30 am and were at the bus stop at 6:50 am, without any difficulty.

This time, we weren't nervous when we saw buses passing by without picking us up because we now knew that they were the "real" school buses.

There were a few other tourists on the bus, heading to the Cockscomb Jaguar Reserve. We all got off at the intersection and we were the only non-locals left on the bus. A few minutes later, we were dropped off at the intersection that leads to Bocawina.

It was another few kilometers from the road to the entrance, but this time it was "only" 6 km :p :D

As we already knew, it's typical in Belize to have great bus connections between cities but no direct bus connections to tourist attractions. Either you pay over 100 € for a tour or you do it on your own, like us (and many others).

Since there were no hitchhiking opportunities, we had to walk the 6 km. But at least, there was often shade and the view was amazing with orange/mandarin orchards on both sides and hills/mountains in the distance. <33

Since I didn't feel very well in the morning, Jonas tried to cheer me up with Disney songs and played our favorite songs from "Moana" and "Frozen" :D :D

It made the walk almost effortless ;-)

After walking for about half of the distance, a car that wasn't a tour van stopped for us - two Dutch people!

They told us that there has been a speed limit of 100 km/h on highways in the Netherlands since the beginning of March to reduce CO² emissions. They complained about how annoying driving becomes when you can only go at a slow speed^^ They also praised Germany in this regard, where you can drive as fast as you want :D

When we reached the park entrance, the two of them tried to see if they could enter without paying again. They had already been here two days ago and were back now because they had booked a tour with rappelling at the waterfall for €45 per person!

The ticket seller insisted that they still had to pay. But he suggested that they should talk to their tour provider. Maybe they would get a refund for the difference in park admission :)

We thanked them again for giving us a ride and then looked at the map to decide which trail we wanted to hike first.

Except for two trails, all of them led to a different waterfall, which is our favorite thing ;-) However, to reach the waterfalls in the Bocawina area, you still have to walk along the road for quite a long time. So we decided to start with the Antelope Trail, which also has a viewpoint and is said to be the most popular trail :)

On the 100 meters to the start of this trail, we passed by a campground where a converted van was parked. The stickers on it indicated that two Swiss people were exploring the Pan-American Highway <3

Anyway, whenever we see trailers or large converted vehicles here, it's almost always Europeans who are also traveling around the world like us, which is pretty cool! If we knew about cars and had planned our budget accordingly, it would have been cool to travel around the world with a vehicle too, but we were a bit unprepared for that and prefer to leave it to others. So far, backpacking has been working out well for us ;-)

Oh well.

Then the trail started, and the first stop was a seemingly inconspicuous green hill, signposted as a Mayan temple. The ranger at the entrance had already told us about it and that it was the largest one on the site (there are several here). However, it hasn't been fully excavated ;-)

So we trudged up the hill, enjoying every stone that hinted at the original structure <3

It also made me think about how long it must have taken to excavate the famous ruins in other places, including Palenque. What an effort! :O

After the ruins, we entered the "real" forest. The path was slightly uphill but not so steep that it was too exhausting. We mostly saw palm trees on both sides, perhaps because the deciduous trees were taller.

Anyway, the trail was really beautiful again, and we were always fascinated by the leafcutter ants. Every time we see longer or wider paths, bigger houses, or anything "new," we stop to admire it^^

Eventually, the incline became steeper, and just before the waterfall, I suddenly saw a red-bellied bird in the tree above us that looked really exotic! I hope my non-biologist estimation wasn't wrong, but it might have even been a parrot.

Whatever it was, it looked amazing! ;-) :D

After spotting the bird, we finally saw the waterfall. It cascaded down many small black rock outcroppings and was already pretty impressive from below.

But what topped it all was a fairly steep path next to the waterfall, which consisted of wooden steps at first and then continued with roots and stones! :O

There were ropes along the path for safety, which I used quite frequently to help myself up the "over-knee-high" steps :D

About halfway up this path (did I mention that it was steep? :p :D), we passed an American family with a guide who were taking a short break. So we were the first ones to reach the viewpoint <3

Well, Cockscomb had been amazing, but I guess today's view was even more impressive! We were standing on the edge where the waterfall dropped down, so we could take breathtaking pictures. Let's see how the photos turned out, but for me, it looked like Jonas could fall down at any moment :O

On the scenic side, we saw the jungle again (this time unfortunately with a bit of civilization), and beyond that, we could see the Caribbean Sea. The view of the sea was something very special, and yeah.

It was the perfect spot to admire, enjoy, and snap photos ;-)

Afterward, we walked a bit further up, where there's a pool for swimming. The American family had also arrived by then (they had skipped the viewpoint) and the six of us went into the refreshing water <3

There are ropes installed at one spot so you can climb further up beside the waterfall, and of course, that was Jonas' first move^^

As usual, I was a bit more cautious and preferred to watch from below, but I also had a great time :p :D

The mother of the family told us that she knows Dortmund because of football (after asking where we live in Germany) because her daughter also plays soccer. And they had been to Munich some time ago, and their conclusion was: "Germany is beautiful country."

Jonas shrugged. "Some parts maybe are." :D :D

When the next (guided) groups of hikers arrived at the pool, Jonas and I continued or rather started our way back.

While descending, we both felt our knees... Getting older :D :D

Back at the park entrance, we looked at the map again to decide which trail we wanted to hike next since it was only 11:00 am.

This time, I was fully into it because there weren't as many sunny sections, so it was more bearable :p :D

We decided to do the 30-minute loop trail meant for birdwatching, where you can supposedly also see Maya ruins.

We did see a few birds, but they weren't as colorful as the "parrot" from the other trail, and they were too shy to photograph^^

Instead, there were ants, termites, and lots of big, fat, or interesting-looking trees and plants, so the trail was definitely worth it :)

We didn't see the Maya ruins, except for a few hills and a rock formation at the beginning of the trail, but that was okay. We weren't actually here for ruins anyway, but for hiking ;-)

We enjoyed our sandwiches for lunch on a bench under a small tree, and then we headed to our third choice: the Lower Bocawina Fall.

The hike there was supposed to take about 35 minutes, so an easy walk :)

First, we passed by the lodge, where you can apparently eat and stay in a fancy manner. They also organize tours like rappelling, and the outdoor area of the lodge was well maintained and really nice!

However, we just walked past it and then onto a drivable road, which we would walk along indefinitely until we reached the turnoff to the waterfall.

After about 15-20 minutes, it suddenly started to get windy, and the gray clouds in the sky didn't look promising! :O

We sought shelter under a tree, where we protected our backpack from the rain, and after some back and forth and a heavy shower, we decided to end our visit to the park here.

Within a short time, we were completely soaked, but that's what you have to expect when you're in the rainforest ;-)

I just care that our things in the backpack (e.g., ID) stay dry :D

As we left our temporary shelter (which was a tree) and walked towards the exit in the rain, the rain gradually dwindled, and eventually, the sun came out, so we applied sunscreen!

About 10 minutes later, the next downpour arrived, and we were wet again :D :D

Well, the forest truly lived up to its name^^

When we had covered almost half of the 6 km on our way back, a car with park employees passed by and stopped, even though we didn't wave at them.

We wanted to hitchhike, but since we were still wet, it was too uncomfortable for us to ask :p

But since they had already stopped, we naturally got in and chatted a bit until we reached the main road, where they let us off because they had to continue in the other direction. They were really nice! :)

We waited at the bus stop for about three quarters of an hour until the next bus arrived, but at least thanks to the sun, we were a good bit drier again! :D

When the bus reached Hopkins Junction, which is still 7 km from the town itself, a pickup truck stopped, and the locals hopped on.

We hesitated for a moment but then dared to ask if we could also hop on the flatbed, and yep, it was no problem :)

In my imagination, our hitchhiking always somehow involved pickup trucks. We had seen people on the flatbed and I always thought, "how cool!"

However, in reality, it was less fun than I had imagined :D :D

It wasn't bad or anything, but the wind blasted our faces and it was too breezy to even keep our eyes open. I have great respect for the people who always casually STAND there (for safety, I preferred to sit^^) and gaze into the world :D :D

Back at the accommodation, there was only the shower left, and then we had our last meal at our "regular restaurant" where we both had the burrito <3

Now I'm so full that I don't want to move anymore, but we still have to pack because we'll probably take the bus at 6:00 am tomorrow!

If everything goes according to plan, we will arrive in Flores tomorrow evening, but the internet at the hostel isn't supposed to be great, so we'll see if I can write a blog then :D

In any case, the national parks in Belize definitely get a big thumbs up from both of us ;-)

Yup - as planned, today was the "lazy day". That means we didn't go on a trip, but we still walked for over 2 hours ;-) :D

On our third day here, we took the time to explore the village itself, which was pretty cool :)

In the north, there is a lagoon, and we walked through half of the village, which consists of only 1 to 3 parallel streets where everything happens^^

Eventually, the village center ended, and we walked along a gravel road that leads past a cemetery and two gated communities with really fancy villas right on the beachfront to the lagoon.

I also found a house made of shipping containers interesting :O At first, I thought they were just parked there, but then we saw that there were windows and a motorcycle parked in front of the complex. Then we saw curtains and finally a resident.

Anyway, the further you are from the center of the village, the more colorful and unique the houses are, like an Inuit skyscraper.

The lagoon itself was quite beautiful, and we could see mangroves and hear some bird species on the shore. There was no one else there <3

Oh, and on the road, there was a termite road that had built its way there, and what I found particularly impressive was that the path was a tunnel, it had a ROOF :O I had never seen anything like it^^

After visiting the lagoon, we headed back and turned onto the road that leads out of Hopkins to photograph the wetlands there. We had already passed by there with a taxi and buses, and each time we found it quite beautiful but never had the opportunity to take photos, which we made up for today :p

We saw a nicely-looking iguana on a lamppost :O Another small highlight of our walk ;-)

As we looked over the wetlands, we saw high flames in one of the gardens behind a house. Of course, we were curious and Jonas wanted to go there right away because obviously, a whole tree was burning there.

Maybe it was (controlled) deforestation, but it looked a bit worrying!

As we turned onto the street that leads to this house with the burning tree, we found the village entrance sign, on which the flag of the EU is also depicted. The EU apparently supported Belize with money to expand the road system and water supply. Then there was something about bananas, so maybe it was a win-win situation :D

Near the burning tree, we heard loud music, and since we couldn't see the flames anymore, we assumed it was under control...

After a total of over two hours, we were back at the hostel, where we were both hungry and completely sweaty :D :D

After a little snack, we spent the next few hours walking along the road to the beach <33

Just like the previous days, there was a shaded spot thanks to a palm tree, so it was alternately hot, cold, and wet but always pleasant. This is how I imagine the perfect beach day - not with blazing sun and renting a sun umbrella :p :D :D

We really lucked out and booked a place with real luxury here, and we are super grateful for that! :)

In the afternoon, we walked along the water towards the south to make sure we had explored the "whole village." The sight wasn't that varied, with the sea on one side and the beach on the other, but at the beach, there were always small points of interest like colorful huts, hammocks, or a row of fishing boats that had just returned with their catch.

At this point, some birds circled quite close to the water, probably hoping to get a share of the catch - which actually happened and was a cool spectacle somehow :-)

We walked along the beach for about twenty minutes or so and then turned back because the sun side was already burning :D :D

After showering, we went to another restaurant for dinner, which we had seen on the morning walk. It was a bit of a walk, but it advertised vegan and vegetarian options, so we stopped by Fred's Lime Tree <3

The menu wasn't very big, but it was perfect for us. With more than 10 dishes, it takes unnecessarily long to decide anyway :D :D

Jonas had risotto with olives and mushrooms, and I had a vegetable plate with rice in soy-ginger sauce. It was delicious, but unfortunately, for more than double the price compared to the previous days, it was also much too little as a portion :(

Well, at least we had maybe quality food^^

The staff told us that we were a cute couple and was super friendly and invited us to come and watch free drum lessons at 6:00 p.m.

But first, we went to the horror ATM that we constantly find in Google reviews, which doesn't dispense cash. However, it is the only ATM in Hopkins, so after the surprisingly expensive meal, it was our only opportunity to get enough cash for the park tomorrow :D :D

And... tada! To our surprise, it worked smoothly, and we immediately rewarded ourselves with some Oreos from the supermarket next door.

As we had seen in a YouTube video, Oreos are actually vegan! :O <333 We are saved on our cookie journey! :p :D :D

With the sweet dessert in our stomachs, we went back to the restaurant to watch the drum lesson, but what we found was a copy of what we had already seen on Tuesday evening.

Two men and a teenager were drumming for the audience as entertainment. There was no mention of drum lessons, and then a younger boy joined in, accompanying the drums with rattles...

After about fifteen minutes, Jonas and I, as non-(re)paying guests, vacated our table since there were only four tables in total, and we didn't want to take up space for others.

We left a small tip and said goodbye to now chill here a little before the alarm clock rings again at 5:30 a.m. tomorrow.

Hoping that the second national park works out tomorrow, we will enjoy our last day in Hopkins before moving on the day after tomorrow :)

04.03.2020

Wir waren gestern noch bei der Drum-Session aber sie war nicht ganz das, was wir erwartet hatten^^ In der Beschreibung des Taxifahrers hatte es so geklungen, als ob sich dort (auch) Einheimische versammeln und zusammen Musik machen aber stattdessen kamen wir an eine Beach Bar, wo ausschließlich Urlauber saßen und dann ein paar Locals trommelten und eine Frau auch tanzte.

Es war jetzt nicht schlecht oder so aber es war halt wie eine typische Touri-Vorführung im Hotel-Urlaub und daher nicht so „authentisch“ oder spannend für uns :p

Heute Morgen klingelte dann um 5:30 Uhr der Wecker!

Um in das Cockscomb Wildlife Sanctuary Jaguar Reservoir zu kommen, muss man sich ohne eigenes Auto schon ein bisschen Mühe geben^^ Im Internet gibt es aber Blogs, auf denen genau beschrieben ist, wie man auch auf eigene Faust dort hinkommen kann und so fühlten wir uns fast abenteuerlich, weil man den Rückweg Trampen muss :O

Zunächst aber stellten wir uns gegen 7:00 Uhr an die Straße, da dann ca. der Bus durch Hopkins fährt, die Leute einsammelt und dann nach Dangriga fährt. Das ist die Stadt, die eigentlich gestern unser Zwischenstopp gewesen wäre :D

Um zu dem Park zu kommen, müssten wir dann an der Kreuzung an der Hauptstraße aussteigen, wo wir gestern auch vom Bus rausgelassen wurden und das Taxi hatten nehmen müssen. Von dieser Kreuzung aus würden wir auf den nächsten Bus in Richtung Süden warten. Dieser könnte uns dann bis zum Maya Center bringen, wo man das Ticket für den Park kauft und von dort sind es noch gut 10 km zum eigentlichen Beginn der Trails.

Soweit der Plan :)

An der Straße standen um 6:50 Uhr schon zwei Mädels, die auch Deutsche sind und hier im Hostel übernachtet hatten. Wir tauschten uns ein bisschen aus und als ich sie nach der Exit Fee in Mexiko fragte, nickten sie nur. Sie hatten sie beide bezahlen müssen!! :O

Anscheinend waren sie aber an einen anderen Grenzübergang gekommen als Jonas und ich, obwohl sie ebenfalls von Chetumal aus gestartet waren aber hmm… überrascht waren wir alle vier :D

Als dann am Ende der Straße ein gelber Schulbus zu sehen war, machten wir uns bereit und als dieser dann abbog, wurden wir ein bisschen nervös :O Noch schlimmer wurde es, als der Bus von dieser Querstraße dann wieder von uns weg fuhr ohne uns jemals eingesammelt zu haben. Oh nein! Hatten wir unseren Bus verpasst? Hätten wir weiter die Straße runtergemusst? -.-

Eins der Mädels fragte sicherheitshalber noch einmal bei unserer Gastgeberin nach und tatsächlich: sie sagte uns, wir sollen ganz ruhig bleiben. Der Bus, den wir gesehen hatten, sei wohl der ganz normale Schulbus gewesen :D :D

Das kann man aber auch wirklich schwer auseinander halten, da wie bereits erwähnt die öffentlichen Busse hier auch alle ausrangierte Schulbusse sind, von denen die meisten nicht einmal neu lackiert sind sondern einfach noch die klassische gelbe Farbe haben, die man aus USA-Filmen kennt ;-)

Wir quasselten noch ein bisschen mehr und gegen 7:15 Uhr kam dann auch tatsächlich der richtige Bus! Wir sammelten noch einmal alle aus Hopkins ein und dann ging es los in Richtung Hauptstraße/Dangriga.

Mit im Bus waren noch ein paar andere Touristen, die so aussahen, als könnten sie ebenfalls das Jaguar Reservat auf dem Plan haben und tatsächlich: als wir an der Kreuzung ausstiegen, folgten uns ein französisches Pärchen und ein alleinreisender Kanadier, der ein „Beer Lao“ T-Shirt trug (ist wohl etwas für Laos-Insider ;-) ).

Die Franzosen sprachen uns auf Englisch an und fragten, ob wir uns dann vielleicht vom Parkeingang ein Taxi für die 10 km zum Beginn der Trails teilen möchten und da sagten wir natürlich sofort zu! Alternativ könnte man auch versuchen, den Weg zu trampen aber dabei muss man sich halt darauf verlassen, dass auch Autos in die Richtung fahren, da dort eine Sackgasse ist und somit kein Durchgangsverkehr herrscht. Wer dorthin fährt, fährt da für den Park selbst hin ;-)

Im zweiten Bus war dann wieder alles ganz einfach und wir fünf stiegen zusammen am Maya Center aus, wo man wie gesagt das Ticket kauft. Die beide Franzosen gingen erst noch zu ihrem nahegelegenen Hostel für die Nacht, um ihre großen Rucksäcke abzugeben aber wir warteten auf sie, da nur ein einziges Auto jemals in Richtung Park fuhr und so das Taxi die sinnvollste Lösung war :p

Für dann nur 5 € pro Person wurden wir den Weg entlang gefahren, wobei wir einmal anhielten, weil eine Schlange mitten auf dem Weg lag! :O Sie war vielleicht zwei Meter lang, schwarz und laut unseres Fahrers war sie auch giftig.

Es war also die perfekte Einstimmung auf den Dschungel^^

Als die Männer die Autotüren öffneten, um ein Foto von nahem zu machen (ich hatte nur aus dem Auto eins gemacht), kroch die Schlange aber eiligst davon, sodass mein Foto das einzige Beweisfoto blieb :D

Der Fahrer gab uns außerdem auch noch einen Tipp, welcher der ganzen Trails sein Favorit ist. Er schlug den vor, bei dem man zu einem Viewpoint hochläuft und anschließend noch zu einem doppelten Wasserfall gehen kann, in deren Pools man schwimmen darf <3

Wenig überraschend entschieden wir uns alle vier für diesen Trek – den Tiger Fern Trail.

Der Beginn des Treks war schon ganz schön. Es war jetzt nicht mehr so „wow“, da wir ja in Asien auch schon viele Dschungel-Wanderungen gemacht hatten. Ein bisschen sieht es immer ähnlich aus aber das heißt nicht, dass es langweilig wird, weil das Laufen an sich ja eigentlich der Grund ist, warum wir losgehen. Aktiv sein macht Spaß :p :D

Nach ca. einer halben Stunde kam dann ein stetiger Anstieg. Der Trail ist auf der Skala „leicht“/“moderat“/“schwierig“ als schwierig gekennzeichnet und wir hatten uns schon die ganze Zeit gefragt, wieso.

Selbst als der Anstieg kam, war es zwar bergauf aber jetzt nicht allzu anstrengend. Man schwitzte dank der Luftfeuchtigkeit eh bereits nach wenigen Minuten aber ich kam jetzt nicht sofort außer Atem.

Als Hardcore-Veganer könnten wir behaupten, dass es daran liegt, wie wir uns die letzten zwei Wochen ernährt haben aber ich glaube, das wäre doch etwas übertrieben :D :D

Als wir dann nach einer weiteren halben Stunde oben ankamen, war ich wirklich begeistert. Der Ausblick war genial!! <33

Man konnte von dort oben den zweithöchsten Berg von Belize sehen und drumherum lagen auch ganz viele Hügel und unten war dichter Dschungel.

Bei den meisten (oder allen?) anderen Ausblicken von Viewpoints, hatten wir bisher immer auch eine Straße oder sogar ein Dorf irgendwo gesehen aber hier war einfach in alle Richtung nur Dschungel. Das war schon sehr besonders und wirklich wirklich toll <33

Als die Franzosen uns einholten, verließen wir den Viewpoint und begannen den 20-minütigen Abstieg zu dem ersten der beiden Wasserfälle. Da wir die ersten hier waren, hatten wir perfekte Foto-Sicht und auch die Wasserfälle waren ganz toll. Die Pools waren beide recht tief, sodass das Wasser recht frisch war aber das hieß nicht, dass Jonas und ich nicht ein bisschen geschwommen und geklettert wären ;-)

Es war schon ein idyllischer Ort und wie wir beide finden, ist es immer besonders toll, wenn man eine Wanderung an einem Punkt mit einer Schwimmeinlage unterbrechen kann – vor allem oder zumindest im Dschungel, wo man die ganze Zeit so schwitzt :D

Auch hier holte uns die Franzosen nach einer Weile ein. Wir schwammen ein bisschen zu viert dort herum, doch dann machten Jonas und ich uns auf den Rückweg.

Oben am Viewpoint machten wir unsere Mittagspause mit Toast und Erdnussbutter-Honig-Creme und Ausblick auf den nun nicht mehr ganz so sehr hinter den Wolken versteckten Victoria Peak <3

Es war glaube ich einer der schönsten Lunch-Spots, die wir bisher hatten. Das einzige Manko war, dass es selbst dort oben im Schatten noch schwül und heiß war und ohne Brise dann auch nicht allzu gemütlich :p

Aber naja. Frisch gestärkt ging es dann zurück zur Straße, wo wir ganz langsam gingen und gezielt nach Tieren Ausschau hielten. Angeblich kann man hier süße Chamäleons sehen aber leider hatten wir kein Glück :(

Dafür fand Jonas eine Schlangenhaut, einen eingeschüchterten Gecko und einige coole Pflanzen :)

Jaguare sieht man übrigens eigentlich nie aber das war uns vorher schon klar. Wir waren einfach für das Wandern im Reservat^^

An der Straße liefen wir dann ca. 15 Minuten Richtung Maya Center, weil wir als nächsten Trail den „Plane Wreck Trail“ nehmen wollten.

Der Forscher, der das Jaguar-Reservat gegründet hat und einige Tiere mit GPS markiert hat, war bei einem Sturm und Gewitter auf der heutigen Straße als Startbahn mit seinem Kleinflugzeug losgeflogen. Leider verhinderte der Sturm einen erfolgreichen Start und so stürzte das Flugzeug mit den drei Insassen (Forscher, Helfer und Pilot) nur knapp 100m von der Straße entfernt in den Dschungel ab.

Glücklicherweise wurden die drei Insassen nur leicht verletzt aber das Flugzeug ist nun als Wrack aufgearbeitet mit Stützen zur Ausstellung an seinem Absturzort.

Als wir dort ankamen, waren nur zwei Tschechen da, von denen wir ein Foto machten und sie den Gefallen erwiderten. Der Anblick des Flugzeuges hier im Dschungel war schon irgendwie cool und wir waren froh, den kleinen Abstecher gemacht zu haben :)

Nach dem Plane Wreck war ich auf einmal ziemlich müde und k.o., obwohl erst 12:30 Uhr war. Jonas wollte aber gerne noch einen weiteren Trek laufen und auch wenn ich ein bisschen quengelte, kam ich dem Wunsch schließlich nach.

Auf der Straße war kein Schatten und es war einfach so schwül und heiß, dass ich mit Wandern eigentlich durch war für heute aber hey :D

Auf dem nächsten Trail sahen wir dann richtig viele Blattschneiderameisen, die vor allem Jonas wieder sehr begeisterten <3

Die Tiere haben ihre Straßen so gut und lange belaufen, dass dort ein richtiger Trail auf dem Pfad ist, so als wäre es ein Motorradstreifen oder so :)

Neben den Ameisen gab es dann auch noch ein paar schöne Pflanzen wieder und wir bogen versehentlich auf eine Art Naturlehrpfad ab, wo wir ein paar Infotafeln zum Regenwald lesen durften, was auch nicht schlecht war ;-)

Am Ende dieses Trails landeten wir wieder beim Visitor Center aber kurz davor fand man im Gebüsch noch alte Holzfäller-Fahrzeuge, die wie das Flugzeug als „Wrack“ dort liegen.

Am Visitor Center parkte ein rotes Auto mit einem Fahrer, der aber nicht losfuhr. Für den Rückweg zur 10 km entfernten Straße müssten wir nun Trampen, denn Handy-Empfang gab es hier nicht, sodass man auch kein Taxi rufen konnte, selbst wenn man den Preis bezahlen wollen würde :O

Meine Laune war auf einem kleinen Tiefpunkt :p :D :D

Am Beginn des Tiger Fern Trails stand ein Auto, das anscheinend auf jemanden dort wartete und eine Viertelstunde später, hörten wir ein Fahrzeug hinter uns.

Jonas winkte dem Fahrer zu und tatsächlich – er hielt an! :O

Der Fahrer war ein Amerikaner aus Milwaukee, der ursprünglich aus England kommt und auf dem Beifahrersitz saß ein Kanadier aus Toronto, der witzigerweise auch per Anhalter mitfuhr.

Der Ami war super freundlich und freute sich, dass er seinen Carbon Footprint heute ein bisschen verringert, indem er das Auto vollmacht und joah :D

Beide Männer haben ihre Unterkunft ebenfalls in Hopkins und so wurde uns direkt angeboten, dass er uns nicht nur zur Bushaltestelle sondern direkt mit zurück in die Stadt nimmt. Voll genial <3 ;-)

Vorher wollten sie aber noch beim Plane Wreck anhalten, was natürlich völlig okay für uns war. Wir schauten es uns auch gerne ein zweites Mal an und dann ging die Fahrt weiter :)

Die beiden sind schon ein paar Tage länger hier und gaben uns auch direkt Tipps, welche Parks oder Aktivitäten hier in der Umgebung ebenfalls interessant sind. Ein Nationalpark zum Wandern klang besonders attraktiv und wir werden ihn vielleicht übermorgen ausprobieren!

In Maya Center hielten wir noch ein weiteres Mal an, weil der Kanadier seine Trinkflasche dort im Ticketoffice vergessen hatte. Neben dem Ticketoffice gibt es noch ein Maya Chocolate Museum, was aber eine reine Verkaufshütte ist :p

Jonas und ich überlegten, ob wir unserem Fahrer als Dank für Mitnehmen eine Schokolade spendieren sollen und kurz drauf tat der Kanadier das gleiche :D Somit bekam der Ami direkt zwei kleine Tafeln Schoki und natürlich griffen Jonas und ich selbst dann auch noch zu :D :D

Zurück in Hopkins verabschiedeten und bedankten wir uns noch einmal und gingen dann noch für ein Stündchen an den Strand, um ein bisschen im dank Wind ein bisschen welligerem Wasser zu toben <3

Irgendwann ging es dann aber zurück aufs Zimmer, Duschen und dann wieder zum gleichen Lokal, wo wir auch gestern schon gegessen hatten. Jonas hatte wieder die Burritos und ich hatte Bohnen mit Reis und Coleslaw, was auch mega lecker war!! Bohnen halt :p :D

Auch wenn es dafür viel zu früh ist, bin ich jetzt schon ein bisschen müde und freue mich, dass morgen wohl ein recht fauler Tag wird^^

Der Tag heute war aber richtig toll und am meisten freue ich mich gleich auf die Sichtung der Fotos, in der Hoffnung, dass sie das wiedergeben, was wir mit den Augen gesehen haben :D

This morning, the alarm clock rang at 5:30 a.m. and with breakfast and packing we managed to be completely relaxed at the bus station at 7:00 a.m.

Our destination was the village of Hopkins further south, and to get there, you have to travel almost an hour west into the interior to the capital Belmopan, just to then drive almost two hours back east to the coast to Dangriga. From there, it would be another 40 minutes along the coast to the south to Hopkins.

So the plan :p

When we arrived at the bus station in Belize City this morning, we wanted to take the bus to Dangriga. We were put on one of the buses, but it wasn't until the ride that it became clear that this bus does go to Belmopan, but then continues west.

That was a bit of a shame, because it would mean one more transfer, but we couldn't change it anyway, and changing buses isn't that bad either ^^

In Belmopan, we left the bus and also said there that we wanted to go to Dangriga. We were referred to a ticket counter (otherwise you pay here, like in many countries, IN the bus during the trip, but good) and I told the lady that we wanted to go to Hopkins and would have to drive through Dangriga for that.

She replied that she could sell me tickets to Dangriga for 8:30 a.m. (it was 8:15 a.m.) but that another bus operator with a bus would come at 9:15 a.m. that goes directly to Hopkins.

That sounded very inviting! :)

Our gut feeling told us that we should just go to Dangriga anyway, as we had researched and as our host in Hopkins had recommended. But since this new bus seemed like a good alternative and we trusted the lady at the counter, we finally decided to wait for the bus at 9:15 a.m.…

During the waiting time, we bought banana bread and some coconut snacks, even though we had breakfast just three hours earlier :D Well, travel days make you hungry ;-)

When the bus arrived – the destination was Placencia, which is south of Hopkins and therefore sounded legitimate – Jonas even bought a second banana bread because it was so delicious, and then we started.

This time there was a baggage rack above the seats, so there was enough space to sit comfortably without a backpack on your lap :)

Since almost all the windows were open and since we were allowed to drive on the highway at 90 km/h, it was quite drafty on the bus :D But with my buff, that was no problem, and it was of course much much better than having to simmer in the stuffy bus ^^

Yesterday from the Mexican border to Belize City, you could mainly see flat land and a lot of open space with sometimes green, sometimes dry grass, but today it became much more varied!

There was still the change from green to dry, but there were also hills, a mountain range, and above all a lot of jungle (often combined with the hills). So, the drive was definitely worth it in terms of landscape ;-)

Also cool were the large factories that apparently produce orange juice or something similar, and in general seeing the agriculture in the area :)

At some point, our "idyll" was interrupted when the bus attendant pointed out to me that we would have to get off for Hopkins.

What?

When boarding and paying for the ticket, we had already mentioned that we wanted to go to Hopkins, and it was sold to us as if this bus would also stop there. "So this bus doesn't stop in Hopkins at all?" I asked just to be sure, and the bus attendant shook his head. "No, we'll drop you off at the intersection there, and then you flag down the next bus in that direction."

Oh. That was kind of surprising ^^

The bus stopped and a few other passengers who also wanted to go to Hopkins got off, and Jonas and I collected our luggage and followed them. "Take the next yellow bus," the bus attendant explained to me again, and at that moment a yellow-green-red bus drove by. Yellow was part of it, so I assumed it was the right bus ^^

Moreover, all the other people who got off with us at this deserted intersection got on the colorful new bus. At the door, I quickly asked, "Hopkins?" and the bus driver nodded. "Hopkins Junction," he explained, which meant "intersection," but I didn't worry about it for now. I got on and he closed the door to drive off.

"Stop! There's one more coming!" I quickly called out, since Jonas was, unusually for him, behind me with his huge backpack :p Otherwise, he sometimes runs away from me ^^

The bus driver waited for Jonas and then we drove off. With this new bus attendant, we paid for a ticket to Hopkins, but after about 15 minutes we found out that we would have to get off at the intersection.

"Hopkins Junction" is actually a bus stop, but unfortunately it is still 7 km to the city itself from there.

"How do we get to Hopkins now?" I asked the bus attendant confused. "Take a taxi," he replied casually. Great -.-

Fortunately, an old car was also parked at the bus stop, which in no way advertised itself as a taxi. The driver leaned against the car outside and ate an orange, but he approached us as we walked past him.

Since he was our only option (7 km with four backpacks and the food bag in felt 35°C heat and without shade on the empty street were NOT an option :D :D), we got in his car and he drove us directly to our accommodation.

Already when we first drove in, we were thrilled with Hopkins. The village consists basically only of a main street that runs parallel to the sea (which is maybe a maximum of 50 meters away from the street and can always be seen:O), where there are guesthouses, bars, and supermarkets or something like that.

It is small, seems quiet, and above all super idyllic <3

The taxi driver also mentioned that there would be a music session with drums at a pizza place this evening and suggested that we stop by there :)

The accommodation itself is also pretty cool. We were greeted by Primrose (yes, exactly like in The Hunger Games ;-)), who checked us in and gave us a super friendly welcome!

The room is larger than expected with its own small bathroom. The walls are pink and the ceilings and curtains have a flower pattern, so it looks super cute <3

To our surprise, it was quite comfortable in the room even without air conditioning or a fan, and we hope it stays that way and that we can sleep well :)

After check-in, we just went across the street and were right on the beach, and wow!!

The beach is not particularly wide, but there are many palm trees that provide shade, and even though there is a beachfront with (rented) pavilions, it is super quiet. We saw only a handful of people in the hours we were there, and we were even alone in the water!

Funny how there is such a beautiful, Caribbean-looking beach here and no one is here, and we almost have it all to ourselves :O

A few birds and two dogs were our constant entertainment, and overall we had a few beautiful hours there :)

Actually, we came down here for the nearby national park, which we might visit tomorrow, but we were positively surprised by how beautiful Hopkins itself is, just with its beach <33

In the afternoon, it was just a 2-minute walk back to the room, to shower and to go shopping. When shopping, we even found almond milk and also soy milk this time, but they cost more than twice as much as we knew from Mexico, so we went back to the Indian classic: bread, peanut butter, and bananas for the next few days as breakfast :D

Anyway – prices in Belize are significantly higher than in Mexico. Things here cost at least twice as much, but hey, that's just the way it is, so we might not stay here for too long :p

Before we maybe go to the drums later, we had dinner. We found a great cafe with an online menu, but when we arrived, the owner told us that she no longer runs the cafe :( What a shame!

Instead, we walked up the street in the other direction and found a small residential house where two women were playing cards at a table for money, and a man greeted us as hosts. A baby lay in a baby bathtub filled with pillows, and there were still two puppies and some children running around.

At the table where we sat down, there were still the homework of one of the kids, and it was just so cool and inviting because everything was so familiar ^^

The dogs annoyed me a bit, but well, there are worse things ;-) We ordered two vegetarian burritos, which had eggs and cheese but no meat, so it wasn't vegan again today, but it didn't matter :D We expected that anyway ^^

The portion was huge, and I couldn't finish mine – also because I once again didn't pay attention to the fact that there are always onion feasts here :p :D :D Next time, I'll remember to mention it. Definitely!

The food was delicious and, as I said, very filling, so we could go home satisfied. Maybe we'll go there more often in the next few days because when paying, the host assured us that he would have even more vegetarian options tomorrow. How sweet <3

So, now we might go to the music "event," which would for sure be quite funny, and so the first day here in Hopkins comes to an end for us, but there will be a few more to come :)

This morning we had a last breakfast overlooking the playground <3 It's almost nostalgic to leave the apartment ;-) We really can't decide, can we? :D :D

We wanted to leave at 8:00 a.m. and we made it on time, even though the time didn't really matter. We walked towards the bus station on the street (this time we had four backpacks and a separate food bag with our leftovers ^^) to hail a taxi.

In Merida we weren't particularly successful, but here in Chetumal the taxis honk at all pedestrians to offer their services, so we didn't have to wait long to find one :)

Our hostess had told us that the ride should cost about 25 pesos and when we arrived at our destination and the driver wanted 50 pesos, we weren't surprised at all. Always these Gringos :p

So we paid double the price, which is only an additional 1.25 €, so we can't complain now ^^

At the bus stop for the collectives that go to the border, there was a bus that was leaving as we arrived. But that was not a problem, as these buses leave every 15-20 minutes! So they are really BUSES (a bit creaky, old ones, without air conditioning) and not just collectives (vans), which was great for us because we had enough storage space ^^

The bus only had four people when it started, but we picked up some more along the way - including two Turks who had even more difficulties with communication than we did. They spoke to the driver in English, but luckily the driver could speak English exceptionally well, so it worked out ;-)

The ride was quite bumpy, even though the road was actually flat, but the bus was quite old, so we got our free massage :D

After about 45 minutes we finally arrived in Santa Elena and the final stop is right at the border, so we could walk from there. Yay!

Together with the two Turks and a Mexican woman who works as a tour guide and volunteered to help the Turks, we walked the 50 meters to the Mexican border booth.

We had already heard a lot about what to expect there. There is a so-called exit fee, which amounts to about 500 pesos (about 25 €) depending on the passport/nationality.

Normally, this fee is automatically paid with your plane ticket if you arrive by plane, so you don't have to pay it again when you LEAVE.

In many blogs, we read that travelers have to pay the exit fee at this Mexican border booth in Santa Elena even if they have already paid it when entering as described above :O To avoid paying it, you have to show a paper receipt of your entry flight ticket. Having it on your phone is not enough.

Jonas and I had booked the flight through a third party and didn't receive an invoice that shows this exit fee as a separate item. So we expected to be among the unlucky ones who would have to pay 500 pesos each, which the border officials would then pocket. That's how things are in Central and South America...

This morning, the two Turks approached the counter first. One of them didn't have an entry stamp in his passport, so the discussion started right there... The Mexican tour guide stood by to help and translated partially, but at some point the officer seemed to be tired and called Jonas and me over instead.

We handed over our passports, the officer looked at them, stamped them, and then returned them to us. And that was it!!! :O We weren't even ASKED about the fee and didn't have to come up with an explanation to avoid it. We could simply go through :D

Maybe it's because we walked to the border and didn't take a tourist bus like all the bloggers we read about. There's definitely good money to be made there ^^ And we also had the tour companion with us, so maybe the officer didn't want to do anything illegal in her presence :D

Whatever it was, we saved 50 €!!! Yay!

We then crossed the river that marks the border between the two countries at this point and "over there" we took a van together with the Turks and a family with two children to the Belizean border booth (walking would have been too far ^^).

This border was a whole building with toilets and a tourist "helper" who explained how to fill out the immigration form <3

After about 15 minutes, we were done and officially arrived in Belize!!! Yipi! Next country!

My family and even some of my friends had never heard of this country before and well. It's quite small, but we were excited to be here :)

Outside the border building, there were again many vans that wanted to take us to the next town, Corozal, where there is a bus station from which you can travel further through the country. Since we had booked accommodation in Belize City about 3 hours away for tonight, we wanted to go to this bus station.

But first, we needed cash - in Belize it's Belizean Dollars. As the tour guide had told us, there are men with waist bags in the parking lot who exchange money, so we used our saved pesos ;-)

Equipped with the right currency, we returned to the vans and drove for 15-20 minutes to the city, where we were dropped off right at the bus station and met the two Turks again ^^

They wanted to continue to Guatemala today and we also found a German (who we initially mistook for an American because he spoke English so flawlessly ^^) alongside the locals there.

But guessing who the "locals" are :p Most of them just look like the Mexicans across the border in Chetumal, although there are also many black people living here, whose ancestors were slaves on the nearby Caribbean islands and who eventually settled in present-day Belize. The official language here is English, but at the bus station and on the bus itself we only heard Spanish and a local language ^^

The (loud) music played on the bus was a kind of "Jamaican reggae", as I would call it, and it was really fun and made me feel like dancing :D

The bus started to fill up, but after we started driving, we picked up more people and it quickly got cozy ;-)

It would take about an hour to the first stop in Orange Walk Town and then another two hours to Belize City.

The first half hour went well, but then we suddenly stopped and the bus driver and the bus assistant looked at the engine hood of the 1977 school bus. By the way, all the public buses here are retired school buses, which actually looks quite funny :)

After the two men had checked something, one of them got some insulating tape and used it to fix something.

Then we continued, but not for long^^ In the next village, we stopped at a mom-and-pop shop where the bus assistant bought a canister (I suspect oil?). There was another involuntary stop, and then, yes, it was suddenly the end.

We entered the enticingly named village "Buena Vista", the bus driver stopped and turned off the engine. "We are not going any further. We will refund the remaining ticket price to you," they explained to us in Spanish (which I understood only because someone kindly translated it into English for us ^^).

So about 50 people left the bus and after we got our money back, we joined the other stranded people on the side of the road. I cautiously asked if a replacement bus would come. No, it won't. We would have to take the next passing bus. That sounds logical, but the buses are always crowded and I couldn't imagine that all 50 of us would fit on the next bus if all the seats are already occupied :O

Some people waved down trucks or private vehicles, others went to the opposite side to go back.

We stayed with the waiting people and when a bus arrived maybe half an hour later, most of us, including Jonas and me, miraculously managed to fit in! :D We had to stand, but at least we had a bus!

We might have gotten the 23 km to Orange Walk Town by hitchhiking, but from there we would have had to take the bus again, so yeah^^

Fortunately, some people got off there too, so Jonas and I had a seat. Yippee! But of course, new people got on, including a woman with a baby, and Jonas gave up his hard-won seat and had to stand again :D

The next two hours were quite dull. It was hot, I smelled of sweat, and I needed to use the bathroom. It was crowded, and I couldn't even complain to Jonas :p ^^

In Belize, there seem to be many gangs, similar to Mexico, and Jonas also noticed men in the back of the bus with neck tattoos of weapons or one guy who had a knife on him. There was also a guy in front of me wearing a hoodie, which might indicate affiliation with a gang, and a bandana on his wrist.

We don't know for sure, but the bus assistant also stopped shortly after leaving the bus station to give a guy on a motorcycle a thick bundle of cash and in return received a small cloth bag. It was probably just our minds playing tricks on us and there may have been misunderstandings, but it shows how much we are influenced by other opinions and things we have read :p We pay much more attention to such things when we expect them.

After the two less comfortable hours, we arrived in Belize City. When we turned down a taxi driver there, he got immediately offended, but well. It's only a 5-10 minute walk to the hostel, so the taxi is not worth it at all ^^

At the hostel, a taxi with two girls arrived, who turned out to be Swedes, and we share the accommodation with them :)

Everyone has their own bedroom, but we share the kitchen, bathroom, and living room like a family in this wooden apartment built on stilts.

It's really beautiful from the outside, but especially from the inside, and so lovingly furnished <33

Unfortunately, the kitchen doesn't have a stove, but we're only here for one night and we'll just eat out once ;-)

After checking in, we took a little walk through the city, with the following goals: ATM, supermarket, and a vegetarian snack/restaurant that we found on HappyCow (thanks to vollwietweg ;-)) :)

All we had heard or read about Belize City was that it's ugly, that there is a lot of crime, and that you shouldn't leave the house after dark. Sounds inviting, doesn't it? :p

But since it was broad daylight and we give every city a chance (see Cebu City in the Philippines ^^), we went out anyway, and I found some really nice photo opportunities by the water, but also the town hall, the Finnish Embassy, or a few churches <3

ATM was no problem at all (apparently even without ATM fees!) and then there was a small promenade along the waterfront, which was deserted but quite nice :) There are also expensive hotel chains and casinos, so maybe it's "prettied up" for the tourists, but it's part of the city and we really liked it!

But when we reached "Vegan Bites", we were unfortunately disappointed to find that it was closed :( What a shame! According to the internet, they're open until 5:00 p.m. and it was only 3:30 p.m., but well. We just had bad luck and had to look for another alternative ;-)

Meanwhile, we walked parallel to the water through a quite fancy residential area with many security cameras, Jonas found an Indian restaurant on Maps.Me, but when we arrived there, we found out that it's closed on Mondays...

But the universe doesn't want to make it too easy for us :D :D

We stopped at a fruit and vegetable shop, where we bought bananas while the children had a makeshift booth made of old crates and cardboard under one of the tables and kept giggling. It was sooo cute <3 And it brings back nostalgia and makes me want to build a booth again! :O :D

Eventually, we happened to pass a restaurant that advertised rice and beans on its sign.

We entered the restaurant, which had four-person tables that looked like an Italian or Greek restaurant :) An older black lady sat at one of the tables on her phone, and when Jonas and I sat down, she called out "Wendy!" and then a young woman came out to take our order.

She came up to us with a notepad and pencil and asked what we wanted to order, and I cautiously asked if there was a menu. Without a menu, how can I know what I want to have, right? ^^

She looked a bit annoyed and got us the menu, and then she stood next to the table with her foot tapping on the floor, finally ready to receive our order.

On the menu, there was chicken, beef, cow feet, and fish. Hmm...

We asked about vegetarian options, and she somehow explained that there were none until Jonas explained to her that rice and beans were listed outside. "Okay. Then two rice and beans?" she asked.

We agreed, so as not to make it more difficult for her, and a few minutes later, we were served reheated food from the microwave ^^

Similar to Mexico, we didn't feel particularly welcome in Belize either :D

In the end, we were given toothpicks and a peppermint candy, which were brought to our table on a tea cup and then spilled onto the counter for us to pick up. It was almost funny :D

We took the candies and thanked them, but we were glad when we were outside again ;-)

The last stop was at a supermarket, which wasn't so easy here, as all the small shops are shielded with metal grilles and you can't see what they have to offer ^^ And since the first friendliness didn't come across, we were more in the mood for a market where you can go in and browse for yourself :D

Fortunately, we found one, but it was quite small and, of course, there was no plant-based milk :( But we still had plenty of oats, peanuts, and now also bananas, which actually speak for a cereal breakfast, so due to lack of options, it was the cow's milk.

I was a little "disappointed", but the effort we would have had to make to find plant-based milk somewhere here was really not worth it :p

So tonight (if we get hungry) or tomorrow morning, our vegan test phase will end, but hey.

Back at the hostel, I finally took a nice cool shower and really looked forward to this post, as there is finally something to tell :p :D :D

Tomorrow morning, we will probably take the bus at 7:00 a.m. to continue our journey because we have to transfer once, but that's okay. I think we've already seen some nice places in Belize City today, and allegedly the city doesn't have much more to offer anyway ;-)

But it's really nice to be "actively" traveling again <33

To all a Happy New Year. We hope you had a good start. We celebrated at the harbor. It was a great evening.

Yesterday (31st Dec) we took our last trip in Belize: We sailed along the coast for 6 hours on a sailing ship and stopped at three points for snorkeling. Here too, the tourists are controlled by rangers. What we saw was very impressive: A turtle, about 35 years old (according to the guide), was eating a lobster and was attacked by a green turtlehadfish. We also saw sharks, rays, many 'Dorries' (you know: Nemo's girlfriend *g*), other fish and of course corals. But see for yourself.

Today is our last day on Caye Caulker. Tomorrow we will travel to Belize City; on Friday we will fly to Toronto. We will have a stopover of about 24 hours there. We might take a hop-on hop-off bus to get an impression of the city.

Yesterday we drove from Placencia to the island of Caye Caulker. First, it was a 3-hour car ride and then a little less than an hour by water taxi. This island was split into two parts during a hurricane in 1961: the main part has the small town, and the other part has the beaches.

Some information about Belize: Belize has only about 380,000 inhabitants and used to be called British Honduras. The official language is English - but most people also speak Spanish and Creole. Belize is a small country, but 40% of its land is covered by forests and nature reserves. Belize City is not the capital, Belmopan is. During the aforementioned hurricane in 1961, Belize City was destroyed to the point that it was decided to choose another location for the capital. Although Belize was British (and now belongs to the Commonwealth), people drive on the left side here (and not on the right). Why? Almost all cars were destroyed by the aforementioned storm. Since it was easier to get left-hand drive cars, the traffic was switched. Belize is of course in the hurricane zone, but it has been spared from further major disasters. Belize has good roads, a pretty good infrastructure, and is a safe travel destination: so it's ideal for a vacation on your own.

Now we wish everyone back home a Happy New Year.

Nach einem eher enttäuschenden Ausflug gestern (wir haben einen Dschungelspaziergang gemacht, Bilder sind dabei) war heute die Aufregung groß, denn heute war Tauchtag, jawollja und ihr wisst: Ich bin ein Hasenherz mit Löwenmut. Aber mithilfe eines tollen Guides ging alles super. Bevor man hier tauchen darf, erhält jeder eine Einweisung durch den Ranger, der darauf hinweist, was jeder weiß: Nichts anfassen und nichts mitnehmen, außer der Erinnerung und den Fotos. Wir haben gesehen: Haie, Barrakudas, Schildkröten, Rochen, Engelsfische, Fetzenfische, Muränen und viele mehr, deren Namen wir aber nicht wissen. Es war ein unbeschreiblicher Ausflug. Und trotz aller Angst zuvor: Wir werden beim Tauchen bleiben. 

Yesterday (still a public holiday) we went to the ATM to withdraw money. The machine did not dispense cash nor return our card!!! Big commotion... The bank was closed, so should we block the card or not? ....

When we asked at the hotel, we were told that this happens often and we shouldn't worry. So we didn't block the card. This morning before our departure to Placencia, we retrieved our card. In total, the machine had collected 3 cards. Now, of course, feeling uncertain, we went to the bank counter to withdraw money and had to pay a 10% fee. That's how you make money.

The way to Placencia is beautiful. Placencia itself is a coastal area and today we swam in the Caribbean for the first time. Our room is right by the sea, we can hear the waves right now.

Most people in Belize spend Christmas like this: On the 24th of December, women cook many dishes, in the evening people gather with their families, eat together and wait for midnight - then fireworks are lit everywhere. On the 25th of December, everything is closed, because everyone is sleeping in. The only exceptions are the tourism industry/hotels. There are no public transport either. If you want to go somewhere, you need a taxi, of which there are only a few. Yesterday, we only took a walk to the village and then to the nearby Mayan site Cahal Pech. Cahal Pech was the residence of a royal Mayan family.

By now it is very hot (today we have 30°C) and in the afternoon the pool is in demand. 

Today we visited the Barton Creek cave. You can paddle about 1.5km into the cave on the river. The cave itself was a Mayan memorial site. Offerings to the gods were also made through human sacrifices. Stalagmites and stalactites grow together from the bottom and from the top. We had to duck our heads quite a few times. Without a headlamp, it's pitch black because there is no lighting. It was a great trip.

P.S. Today we were back in the world of unpaved roads: The way to Barton Creek leads the last 8-10km over bumpy tracks and through a stream (where a tour bus got stuck 2 days ago). Which means: Never drive without four-wheel drive here either ;-)      

We arrived in Belize this morning, specifically in San Ignatio. It's a bit different here than in Guatemala. The roads were in good condition on the way here (but that might change *g*) and the people seem Caribbean casual.

In the past few days, we had the opportunity to photograph Christmas trees or nativity scenes in many places. We'll show you a selection so you can see that we're not missing out on anything.

Now we wish everyone who stayed at home a Merry Christmas and peaceful holidays.

Apart from trying to charge us the Mexican tourism tax twice, our first terrestrial border crossing went smoothly.

For our first night in the third country, we stayed with Couchsurfer Lucas in the border town of Corozal. During an evening walk, he gladly answered our numerous questions about Belize, giving us the perfect insight into the country.

With his cosmopolitan and knowledgeable manner, he not only told us about Belize's past as a British colony and its close relationship with Jamaica, but also explained why Guatemala has been claiming Belize for years.

As a member of the Commonwealth, the face of the Queen still appears on banknotes and coins of the "Belizean Dollar". Belize was the only country that did not have to cede to Spain at the end of the 18th century.

Since Belize was ruled by the also British colony of Jamaica at that time, it took on many similarities as the younger brother. This was particularly evident to us in the Caribbean slang English, the lively atmosphere, and the enormous consumption of cannabis. We often encountered the special humor: "Don't be shy to say 'hi' - don't be shy to get high'."

The traces of the colonial relationship can still be found in both countries: the Brexit negotiations in the fabulous English House of Commons are conducted on the finest Belizean mahogany.

Lucas told us a lot about the different ethnic groups that make up present-day Belize. The mestizos (a mixture of Native American and White) who immigrated from surrounding countries now make up the largest part of the population, followed by the dark-skinned Creoles (a mixture of African and White) who were brought to the Caribbean state as slaves. The Maya, the original inhabitants of Mesoamerica, are still the third largest population group. The other small population groups are also very interesting: for example, the so-called Garifuna are West Africans who accidentally stranded on St. Vincent and then mixed with the local Caribs.

Because Lucas can trace his ancestry back to all possible ethnic groups, it took him a long time to answer when we asked him which ethnic group he feels connected to.

Caye Caulker

Despite all the great conversations with Lucas, the next morning it was time to continue our journey:

Since Belize is very expensive, we only planned to stay here for a week, and our only major destination was the Caribbean island of Caye Caulker (pronounced Key Koker). So in the morning, we set off for Belize City, from where the ferries depart for the islands in the afternoon.

Caye Caulker is a blend of Caribbean flair and diving paradise. The motto of the island is "Go slow," and indeed, as soon as we got off the ferry, we felt a sense of total relaxation:

Caribbean Flair

There are no paved roads or cars. Even the police only drive around on golf carts. Between the colorful wooden houses, the palm leaves sway in the gentle breeze, and reggae covers of all imaginable genres can be heard from the nearest cocktail bar.

Furthermore, hustlers are trying to sell their weed on every street corner, and even the stray dogs seemed to have strangely red eyes. If it weren't for Belize flags hanging everywhere, you could think you were in Jamaica.

Diving Paradise

But now let's talk about the underwater world, the primary reason for our visit.

Belize also has a share of the previously mentioned Mesoamerican Reef (here Belize Barrier Reef), but here is another special feature that makes Belize the number one dive destination in the Americas:

Three hours by boat from Caye Caulker is the Great Blue Hole, which is often hailed as one of the world's best dive spots in dive magazines and on websites. Geologically, it used to be a cenote that is now submerged under the sea surface. From the air, it appears as a seemingly perfectly symmetrical, dark blue hole with a radius of over 300 meters in the midst of the turquoise sea.

Countless tourists spend their annual vacation in the little Caribbean country to dive in the world-famous Great Blue Hole or admire the unreal sight during a scenic flight.

Due to the wealthy tourists and the popularity of the islands, such activities are extremely expensive and therefore outside of our budget. To still get a glimpse of the fabulous underwater world, we decided to opt for the luxury of the common man: a full-day snorkeling tour on a sailboat through the Hol Chan Marine Reserve.

Snorkeling Tour

And indeed, at several stops, we saw what is usually only found while diving.

The enormous biodiversity did not remain hidden from us for long: already at our first stops, we saw tarpon, various types of stingrays, sea turtles, and even a manatee.

Then we arrived at the highlight of the tour: Shark Ray Alley. And suddenly, as if on command, our boat was surrounded by nurse sharks up to four meters long.

In the next moment, we were handed our snorkels. "Remember you don't have to be faster than the shark, just be faster than your buddy," joked our tour guide as we jumped into the water. We had never seen such large marine creatures before, let alone entered their habitat. A feeling of awe and fascination came over us.

The day before, we had learned from an expert that supposedly harmless sharks can be identified, among other things, by the fact that they have several small dorsal fins. Potentially more dangerous sharks have only one large dorsal fin.

Even though their size and appearance were intimidating, nurse sharks, as long as they are not provoked, are considered completely harmless. They have no teeth and suck in their food. The accurate distinction based on the dorsal fins quickly became redundant.

In the water, the sharks avoided us, but when we moved away from the large group of snorkelers, we could get very close to two smaller sharks - incredibly exciting!

Accompanied by reggae music, we sailed to another stop, the so-called "Coral Garden." Here, near the water's surface, we were presented with the amazingly colorful underwater world.

In addition to numerous corals in all imaginable forms, various colorful fish complete the vibrant scenery. The huge coral formations rose like a rock landscape.

As long as our breath allowed, we could dive down to a small cave on the seabed. We would have loved to spend the whole day there...

All in all, the snorkeling tour was an absolute highlight of our trip. It was incredible to see so much in one day. However, it should also be mentioned that while reputable tour providers now strongly disapprove of it, in the past, the sharks were fed for the tourists. Over the years, the animals have been conditioned to seek contact with the boats, which is, of course, not a natural behavior pattern.

Our Daily Life on Caye Caulker

To not strain our budget too much, we had the largest shared bedroom of our entire trip here with 16 beds.

Especially the English-speaking nations are very strongly represented on the Caribbean island. So our hostel was dominated by booze-loving Irish and Australians, who gave us an introduction to their party culture one evening.

Paradoxically, Caye Caulker does not have a beach, so apart from the high-priced tours, there is not much to do. Most tourists simply indulge in rum and the relaxed vibe at one of the bars like the "Lazy Lizard" during the day.

During our stay, the weather was perfect. We witnessed picturesque sunsets every day for four days.

When we were not paddling on a kayak over the fiery water towards the setting sun, we spent our evenings at the "Iguana Reef Inn."

Because when the first orange tones appeared in the sky, feeding time started on a pier. The cheeky pelicans put on a real air show: to catch a fish from the fishermen boys, they zoomed just above our heads and, if necessary, between us. In the water around the pier, huge stingrays gathered, much larger than a family-sized pizza.

And so, surrounded by hungry animals, day after day, we witnessed the spectacle of the red fireball sinking into the sea.

After four nights, it was time to continue our journey: from Caye Caulker, we went to Belize City, then the capital Belmopan, and finally to San Ignacio. Here, we spent one night before heading to Guatemala the next day.

Conclusion Belize

We had a nice and above all very relaxed time on Caye Caulker, but due to the high prices and limited opportunities, we would not have wanted to stay much longer. In general, it seems that the island is somewhat in the shadow of its extremely good reputation.

However, for us, a tour of Belize's underwater world was enough to fulfill dreams and create new perspectives. We had never experienced the sea so vividly and seen such a variety of fish and corals, and all of this without proper diving!

Above all, the first encounter with a shark will always be unforgettable. From this point on, our enthusiasm for snorkeling was fully ignited, and despite our minimalist possessions, we no longer want to be without snorkeling gear. Belize has opened up whole new horizons for us!

We will remember the people of Belize, especially for their refreshing humor and their Caribbean slang English: "Got a tail of a whale or a whale of a tale?" - Did you catch a fish or are you just telling tales?

After everything we have experienced here, we can only agree with the famous slogan "You better Belize it." Whatever it means exactly, it's true.

Saludos!

D&J

In addition to curiosity about visiting this country, we have plans to see more Mayan ruins. Xunantunich is one of the best-preserved Mayan sites and is located about 13 km from San Ignacio. We ride an old American school bus for 2 Belize Dollars per person until 1 km before the site, from where we cross the Mopan River with a small ferry and then walk another 1 km to the ruins.

Of course, these ruins are not as impressive as Tikal, but definitely worth a visit.

The heat is unbearable, and the cooling off in the turquoise river afterwards is just what I need. Many Mayan families apparently come here to swim.

Besides archaeological sites, Belize also has many caves, but unfortunately, the country is also very expensive (European standard), so we decide to go back to Guatemala.

At the border, we are unfortunately faced with an exit fee of 40 Belize Dollars (20 US Dollars) for me and 10 Belize Dollars for Julio. Well, it was still worth the experience to have visited the country. :)

After six weeks in Guatemala, it was time for a change of scenery :) I took a shuttle to Belize, Belize City, and then a boat to Caye Caulker. I had almost crossed Belize off my list, but I found out that the route to Mexico would lead me through the country anyway, and if I had to pay the exit fee for Belize, I wanted to see at least a little bit of the country.

So I decided to go to the Caribbean island of Caye Caulker for three nights and two days. It's a destination that almost every backpacker visits when in Belize (at least the ones I met). It's one of the cheaper islands where you can do snorkeling and diving trips, including to the second largest barrier reef in the world. On the way, I met nice people again. Among them were two British girls who, as it turned out, were taking the same route to Mexico as me. We ended up in the same hostel.

The island is not very big and doesn't have a proper beach. However, at one end of the island, there is a restaurant or a bar with a pier into the water, where you can easily go into the water. The water is very clear. You can see starfish and already observe a few fish. There wasn't much activity on the island as it was still off-season. It was a bit new for me that suddenly everyone around me was speaking English again. Only a few also spoke Spanish and Creole, the native language of the inhabitants of Belize. It sounds a bit like a wild mixture of English with a strong Caribbean accent and Spanish.

On the first day, I explored the island and booked a snorkeling tour together with Maegan and Gabi, the British girls. The next afternoon, we set off for the three-hour trip on the sea. First, we went to a spot where you can see nurse sharks and stingrays. And as soon as our captain dropped the anchor, some of the sharks came swimming towards us because they are used to being fed from the boats. However, we and our guide did not feed them. So we quickly jumped into the water and could observe the animals up close. But I was especially fascinated by the stingrays, some of which came swimming curiously. They move so gracefully through the water...

After a while, when the sharks realized that we wouldn't feed them, they left and we went to the actual national park. In order to snorkel there, you have to be with a certified guide. The reef has been protected for a long time and is therefore still very well preserved. You can see colorful corals and various fish. There is a spot where many fish gather, which is why it is called "the aquarium". As a crowning conclusion, to our surprise and that of our guide, we saw a manatee! This gentle giant was threatened with extinction until a few years ago and is still rarely seen in the area.

In the evening, we enjoyed one last sunset on the island and the next morning we took the ferry to Belize City to continue by bus to the border with Mexico.

The next country I visited was Belize. Some people don't even know it exists, while others (like me) don't know that the official language there is not Spanish, but English. This is how it happened that when I arrived in Belize City, I spoke Spanish to taxi drivers, ticket sellers, etc., and always received an English response. I even got a little annoyed because such a reaction in Spanish-speaking countries usually means that your Spanish is not good enough and you should switch to English. In this case, however, it was simply my fault for not informing myself beforehand about the language spoken there. But the realization came, albeit a bit late. However, I didn't spend a night in Belize City, but took a water taxi to Caye Caulker Island. Whenever I hear the name now, I think back to my entry into Belize, where I was asked where I would sleep in Belize. As I completely mispronounced the name, the security officer laughed at me and sent me on my way without anyone feeling the need to check my luggage for banned items. Caye Caulker is similar to Holbox, a beautiful little island with a great beach and sea, where there are no proper roads or cars, only bicycles, golf carts, and a few motorcycles, and the motto is 'Go slow,' as you can read in restaurants, hostels, and supermarkets as an invitation not to stress and enjoy life.

I used Caye Caulker to take a snorkeling tour, where I could swim with sharks, stingrays, hundreds of fish, turtles, and manatees. I also saw a huge crab, we visited an old shipwreck underwater, and looked at seahorses at the water's edge. Unfortunately, due to my backpacker lifestyle and the somewhat high prices, this was the only tour I did on the island. The rest of my time, I spent on the beach or at 'The Split.' The Split is a place where the island was split in two by a hurricane, and today you can pass through it with your boat.

Back with the water taxi, this time I went to the small town of San Ignacio, where I tried typical Belizean dishes. One of them is practically the national dish in almost every Central American country: chicken on the bone with rice and beans.

It sounds and is unspectacular, but it's very simple to prepare and is one of the cheapest dishes on the menu. Another typical Central American dish that I tried is Tamales: a type of paste made from corn and other various ingredients, wrapped in corn husks, which you can find almost anywhere as a take-away. I already had a similar version from Chile in mind, where it was called 'humitas' and had a different taste. Unfortunately, it didn't suit my taste at all in Belize, and my ignorance even led me to taste some of the corn husk, which was immediately spit into the nearest trash can. No, you can't/shouldn't eat it. Yes, I googled it afterwards.

Unfortunately, I felt more than uncomfortable in San Ignacio because due to my conspicuous appearance (you have to know that Belizeans already have a very dark skin color), I received offensive comments every few meters, once I was followed by a man on a bicycle, pushed against a wall by another person, and even harassed with rude comments and unnecessary compliments while eating in a restaurant. That's why I only spent one night there before continuing to Guatemala.

After acclimatizing, the backpacking journey began. Instead of Holbox, I decided to go to Isla Mujeres because it's extremely close and easy to reach from Cancun. It's very touristy, but definitely worth exploring for 2-3 days. With good company and a cool hostel (Poc Na), even better. Activities included biking, ping-pong, slackline, partying, eating tacos, and enjoying the sun. On the day we returned to the mainland, it started to rain heavily (everything was flooded on the island) and that's why we stayed for a night in Cancun and enjoyed the home cinema (see photo).

Collectivo is a cheaper alternative to buses and it's also a way to travel like the locals. So, I took the collectivo to Bacalar. Wow, that small town on Laguna de Bacalar is fantastic. Especially the lake is unbelievable, so clear and perfect temperature, I could swim there every day for 2-3km. The Yak Lake House Hostel has a great reputation and it was my home for 5 days. Kayaking was a better way to explore rather than taking a more expensive boat tour. That's how I discovered 'Cenote Negro', where the turquoise water suddenly turns black and instead of being 3-4 meters deep, it was 90 meters. I experienced wonderful sunrises and felt grateful for being able to see such incredible places in the world. After watching the sunrise, I helped myself to a delicious fruit buffet and enjoyed papaya, melon, mango, and banana in the hammock. So, I was really happy for that.

I learned that my plan to enter the USA via Canada was not so easy, as Mexico and Canada do not accept our travel documents (or at least it's risky). But in Bacalar, I met some funny backpackers and since their route went through Belize to Guatemala, I decided to join them and solve that 'problem'.

It's only 1 hour to the border and after several bus and taxi rides, we arrived in Belize City, the capital. Besides speaking English and seeing the queen on the Belize dollar bills, everything indicates that it's a typical Caribbean country. This feeling was even stronger when I stayed on the island of Caye Caulker. The self-proclaimed motto 'go slow' can be really experienced in this touristy place, completely stress-free, countless friendly beach bars, a beautiful sea, and the locals have a lot in common with Bob Marley - their appearance and what they consume. As this was my last day at the Caribbean Sea and people say that the 'Great Barrier Reef' in Australia is the most beautiful reef (although I already heard that about Isla Mujeres), I went on a snorkeling tour. And I must say, it was really amazing. We saw nurse sharks, stingrays, seahorses, turtles, and countless smaller fish. We also found a restaurant that was very authentic, like eating at someone's home - wonderful. Living in the sun brought joy and I think I've finally had enough vitamin D.

After just a few days in Belize, it was time to continue to Guatemala. So many people talked about it and I'm excited to see the mountain landscape.

A song that has been accompanying me since the first day in Mexico (it's in Spanish, so it's not about the lyrics): https://youtu.be/VYtJAuoZxcc

Wishing you a snowy winter until next time..

During a guided tour of the site, which included several impressive temples, our guide Amir gave us an interesting insight into the history of the Maya culture and of course amazing views over the site. Unlike in Tikal, Guatemala, Belize lacks the funds for further excavations and research, so only a tiny small part of the site has been reconstructed so far.

There was a lot going on in Caye Caulker. We managed to find a cheap hostel online for the first night, but it was actually not bad. The atmosphere was relaxed, but the so-called 'managers' seemed to be high all the time. They assured us that they were not drug dealers themselves, but if we needed anything, they would call someone who would come over. In the afternoon, we had to run around the entire island for about 3 hours to find accommodation for the second night. I was getting annoyed, but Nathan remained calm and patient with my complaints, so we eventually found a nice and affordable place to stay, albeit only for one night.

In Caye Caulker, there is only one motto: Go slow! Signs everywhere remind you of this, and if you walk too fast in the eyes of the locals, they will kindly tell you to 'go slow!'

We spent most of our time looking for the best and cheapest food on the island and chilling at 'The Split'. There is a bar here, where you can swim, play beach volleyball, or simply laze in the sun.

A snorkeling trip is a must when you're in Caye Caulker. We spent the whole day exploring the underwater world at different spots. It was incredibly exciting and beautiful: colorful fish, corals, a shipwreck, turtles, and my personal highlight, nurse sharks and stingrays. The cute sharks swam in groups around the boats, while the rays leisurely glided along the seabed. I was completely fascinated and followed a stingray with my GoPro, not realizing that I was getting closer to a larger group of sharks and fish. The sharks swam past me without any concern, and I panicked, desperately trying to paddle back. Watching the sharks from a safe distance was much more relaxing.

This snorkeling trip was simply amazing, truly unBELIZEable! Just like the whole stay in Caye Caulker. I'm sure we will be back, and until then... GO SLOW

When asked about the countries I wanted to visit and Belize was mentioned, many people couldn't relate. What is Belize? Oh, a country. And where is it?

Belize is located in Central America, between Mexico, Guatemala, and the Caribbean Sea. Belize is the second smallest country in the American continent (about the size of Hesse) and the only country in Central America where English is the official language. 

The journey from Martinique was a little world tour in itself, first to Miami, then by train to Fort Lauderdale, spending the night at the airport, continuing to Atlanta, and finally to Belize City. I didn't have a guidebook for Belize and somehow didn't have a proper plan for what to see and do there. I couldn't make sense of my jumbled notes I made before the trip. So I decided to go to the town of Dangriga, south of Belize City, just to get out of the city. After almost 4 hours of bus ride in a retired American school bus through the tropical landscape of Belize, I arrived exhausted in the less touristy town. In my simple but cozy hotel, I met a couple from Denmark right away. We immediately decided to go to a football game together, some important final. It took about 10 minutes in the stadium for us to realize that one team had only 7 players on the field. Nevertheless, they managed to tie 4:4 and unfortunately lost in the penalty shootout. There was plenty of Belizean street food and beer, and the locals were all very friendly.

The next day, together with the Danes, I continued to the small colorful beach village of Hopkins by bus and taxi, and we were immediately fascinated by the relaxed charm of the village and the Funky Dodo hostel. 

In the evening, I had my first magical moment in Hopkins. I had signed up for the nighttime bioluminescence tour at the hostel. For this, we were first taken to the Sittee River. Equipped with flashlights, we boarded the boat in the darkness to hunt for wildlife. We spotted several crocodiles in the water, some sleeping birds, and some kinkajous (honey bear or Potos) in the trees. Then we took the boat along a narrow channel surrounded by mangroves to the Anderson Lagoon, and what happened here was truly magical. At first, I didn't realize what was happening behind us. But wherever the boat touched the water, it immediately began to glow or rather shimmer. We left behind a several meters long luminous trail in the deep black water of the lagoon. Just like the many small fish that fled from the boat and scattered in all directions, leaving a trail of glitter behind them. As we circled with the boat, a large glowing ring formed in the water. After the boat stopped, we all drew small luminous circles in the water with our fingers and were delighted like little children. And then we were allowed to swim in the lagoon. At first, it was a bit creepy to climb into the black water in complete darkness, especially since we had been looking out for crocodiles before. But once in the pleasantly warm water, all concerns were quickly forgotten. With every movement of our arms and legs, the water around us glittered and sparkled, instead of making snow angels, we all made bioluminescence angels. With just small movements of our fingers, a light shower of glitter was created, it felt like magic. Even when we got out of the water, a residue stuck to our skin, so that when we rubbed it, we still glimmered. So far, this was the most magical moment of my journey. Unfortunately, this experience could not be captured in photos.

The phenomenon of bioluminescence can be observed here from December to June when the plankton in the water is set in motion. 

In the surroundings of Hopkins, you can visit some nature reserves and go hiking, but I preferred to chill on the beach or in a hammock, buy street food from the children, eat ice cream, explore the place, and read. 

In the hostel, we all agreed that this was the perfect place to celebrate the new year. After a drumming and dancing performance, we started cooking and pre-drinking. With a large group, we headed to the beach to experience the New Year's Eve there. And here we all experienced another magical moment. After we watched the fireworks, hugged each other, and wished each other luck for the new year, it suddenly became very quiet. Everyone stood in unanimous silence on the beach with their feet in the surf, looking out over the dark sea for at least 10 minutes. Each was lost in their thoughts, thinking about everything they had experienced, seen, or done in 2018, and what 2019 might bring.... Hard to describe, but definitely a magical moment for me. So let's see what the new year has to offer. I still have 6 more, hopefully exciting, months ahead of me in the world....

The island lives by the motto "go slow" and that is fully lived by the locals. You see many Rasta-men, who gladly shout the saying at you. In general, as a woman, you receive a lot of attention from the locals, which I personally didn't like.

On the island itself, there wasn't much to do except jump into the cool water, but the sunsets were beautiful.

On the second day, we booked a snorkeling tour. At the first stop, we got to feed "baby Barracudas" with a dead fish, and then we could look at small seahorses from the beach. Then finally we went into the water. Belize hosts the second largest barrier reef after Australia, and it was amazing. We could see many corals and different fish, we didn't want to leave the water, but still we went on to the next stop. To the nurse sharks and stingrays. Unfortunately, they were being fed, but it was still amazing to be in the water surrounded by 1-2m sharks. But both we and the sharks kept a safe distance from each other. At the last stop, we received a guided tour, where our guide pointed out different fish to us and told us their names, although I can't remember them anymore.

The next day, there wasn't much going on, so we spent the day doing laundry and a little bit on the beach, where we also enjoyed the sunset in the evening and went to bed early.

In the morning, we took the bus to Flores in Guatemala.

Lamanai - Caye Caulker - San Ignacio

After two and a half months, the day finally came when I could finally leave Mexico. In the south of the Yucatan Peninsula, I traveled from Chetumal, Mexico, to Orange Walk Town in Belize in two and a half hours. You don't come here necessarily for the city, but rather for the nearby Mayan ruins of Lamanai.

The border crossing went smoothly. The buses here are much older than those in Mexico. An old American tour bus from the 70s, at least with air conditioning, took me to the small town.

The residents of Belize are a colorful mix of Mayans, Garifunas (a mixture of former African slaves and Caribbean natives), Mestizos (a mixture of Europeans and locals), Chinese shop owners, and some expatriate Europeans or North Americans. The official language is English, although the local Mayan languages, Spanish, or a (fun and cheerful) English-based Creole are also often spoken. Although you can hear the English influence in the Creole, it is still difficult to understand.

Lamanai
The river trip the next day on the New River was fast-paced and super exciting. The river has carved its way through the jungle with numerous branches and curves. The guides knew exactly where to find the animals. We saw crocodiles, birds, bats on the trees, and snake cacti curling around entire trees.
After about an hour, you reach the ruins of Lamanai in the middle of the jungle. These are difficult to reach with means of transportation other than boats.

The ruins, although I have seen many by now, are unique. For example, the Temple of the Masks. Each new ruler of the city had their part built on top of the existing structures. Only the top three levels are visible, but the temple has a total of 6-7 levels, some of which are partially underground.
From the great pyramid, you have a perfect panoramic view of the jungle, and at the Temple of the Jaguars, the archaeologists claim to have found the king's sleeping place.

The next day, I continued towards Belize City to take the water taxi to Caye Caulker. This was my first time traveling on a proper, so-called Chicken Bus. An old American school bus with simple benches, no air conditioning, usually overcrowded, and stops at every corner where someone wants to get on or off. And it's almost free.
In Belize City, the largest city in the country with 70,000 inhabitants, there is not much to do or see, which is why I went directly from the bus terminal to the ferry terminal.

Caye Caulker - go slow!
Caye Caulker is pure Caribbean feeling, just as you would imagine. The motto of the island is "go slow," and that's exactly how it is. There are no cars on the unpaved streets, only golf carts or bicycles. Although it is touristy, luckily there are no big hotels, so mass tourism has not yet arrived. In the evening, there is a bar that stays open until midnight, where the entire island comes together. After that, you can still go to the reggae bar until 1 am, but then it's definitely time for night rest.

For food, there is a lot of fresh fish and especially lobster without end. You definitely shouldn't miss out on that.
There is not much to do here other than lying on the beach and sitting at the beach bar.
And of course, diving. Here, I made my first dives after obtaining my license. Unfortunately, I didn't have an underwater camera, so I don't have any pictures of it. But the nurse sharks, the green moray eel, the barracudas, the turtles, the lobsters, and the countless colorful smaller fish are incredibly fascinating. And of course, the turquoise, clear water around the islands and the reef invite you to swim between the dives.
But since beach vacation is not really my thing in the long run, on the third day, I took the water taxi back to Belize and went to San Ignacio with the Chicken Bus.

San Ignacio
Originally, this stop near the Guatemalan border was not part of the plan. But after multiple recommendations from other travelers who came from the opposite direction (south to north), I decided to stay here for a few days. And it was worth it. Not primarily because of the Xunantunich ruins, which were interesting to see, but especially because of the Actun Tunichil Muknal caves (ATM). The tour, costing $85 dollars, was by far the most expensive one I have booked on my trip so far, but Belize is much more expensive than Mexico. Equipped with a helmet, headlamp, swimsuit, and water shoes, you climb, swim, or walk with the guide to the end of the cave and back. Sometimes you just barely fit your head above water to squeeze between the rocks. The place used to be a pilgrimage site for the Mayas, where they held ceremonies, probably to appease the rain gods. Many pots were found here, as well as several human skeletons, probably of family members of the tribal leaders who were sacrificed here.

Unfortunately, no photos are allowed, as some tourists have damaged or destroyed artifacts while taking pictures, and the authorities have therefore banned all electronic devices in the cave. But the organizer sends photos by email to the participants, taken with permission by a photographer.

And with that, I leave Belize behind after eight days and continue to Guatemala. The first stop is Flores, near the Tikal Mayan ruins.