Better Belize It

We're back from our Belize adventure! If you noticed I hadn't been posting you now know why. We spent a week diving on the Aggressor III out of Belize City. No Wi-Fi available miles out to sea!

Our floating home for a week.

Here's the dive platform. Strap on your fins and giant stride right off. "The Pool Is Open!"

We saw so many sea turtles, I lost count. They are exciting to swim with every time.

As you can tell.

No joke, I can't eat grouper anymore. They followed us around like dogs. The dive master fed them lionfish, which they are afraid to eat until they're dead and unmoving. Then they gulp them down headfirst in one huge lunge.

We had one day to explore Belize City before going aboard. A delicious local cafe provided breakfast. Ted had a homemade Hot Pocket and I tried the Coconut Crust. It's pastry crust stuffed with ground dates, coconut, nuts, and honey and tasted like a coconut baklava. And while we discuss Belizean food, I have to tell you that fast food there is a freshly made tortilla with refried beans. It might be the only city I've ever been in that didn't have a McDonald's and I hope they can keep it that way. 

Colorful Belize City. We ate lunch at Nerie's, far right in the photo.

After breakfast we ventured into the city to find the Museum of Belize. A helpful local named Frank approached us and before we knew it he was guiding us down side streets and sharing local lore of various buildings.

Of course when we arrived at the museum Frank informed us that it was his birthday, and wouldn't we like to give him a small birthday gift of some green papers? Which we did :)

The Museum of Belize is in the former jail. Our favorite parts were the Mayan collection and the room of insects. (Even the ticket seller wrinkled her nose as she said "that's right, a whole room full of bugs" but it was an incredible exhibit of every kind of insect to be found in Belize.)

This is a reproduction of an actual Mayan tomb.

The Mayan ceramics and jewelry on display were mind-boggling. This pumpkin jar wouldn't be out of place at Williams-Sonoma, but it was made over a thousand years ago.

After our week of diving, the adventure continued in the Belizean jungle and even over the border into Guatemala. 

More on that tomorrow!