Belize – Part 2 – Belize City
After spontaneous travel by land from Maya Riviera in Mexico to Bacalar, then into Belize (Ambergris Caye), here is part 2! Thirty two years ago I visited Belize and Guatemala. I am here to rediscover it in this solo second chapter, post divorce and empty nest. This was to be my first Christmas without the “Rogue” or either of my children, a prospect I was not looking forward to, thus this spontaneous adventure.
https://www.expedia.com/shop/second-chapter-nomad for hotel recs
Dec. 16, 2024 – An absurd day! Left San Pedro by water taxi/ferry (easy). Someone whisked the Beast (my suitcase) straight from the taxi. (Using the last of my $1s for tips. Glad I brought so many singles). 1 1/2 hours to Belize City by boat. I’ve been warned by many sources that it’s not safe there. I’m staying in a historic hotel built by a Scotsman The Great House. (Belize was an English colony.)
https://www.expedia.com/shop/second-chapter-nomad/guatemala-and-belize
Upon arrival, a kind worker from the ferry company used his luggage trolley and walked me all the way to my hotel!
On a Quest in Belize City
I was on a film business mission today which involved a taxi to nowhere. Ended up on the “South side” which I was told not to go. Much walking ensued (passing by all the Coca Cola Christmas decorations). Saw historic sites I wouldn’t have seen if I’d stayed sequestered in my hotel.
Adventures in Belize City
Finally took another taxi with John. On the wild goose chase again to an address that didn’t exist. John deposited me at a waterfront more locals restaurant as I hadn’t eaten all day. He didn’t charge me, but said we could meet for a drink. Hard no.
I ate delicious Belizean baked chicken, rice and beans, coleslaw again (their signature dish). Fed leftovers to stray dogs (a very sad problem here.) Had a rum and coke cause this had already been some day!
Another long walk in blazing sun to yet another address to no avail. I had many “helpers” along the way. I saw many side streets and slice of life moments. Probably not the safest on my own.
The grand finale was being directed to a hardware store in lieu of the original business destination. Upon leaving, sweaty and exhausted, I pondered the long walk back to my hotel.
Beep beep!! Roll my eyes. Leave me alone.
To what do my wondering eyes should appear … but Taxi John beaming at me! I was relieved and took the ride. Paid him and he didn’t even ask for that drink!
Evening ended with Santa at the hotel next door. And a woman from Wisconsin who gave me a free drink when I entered. Random! (Side note, most people are kind, helpful and trustworthy in this world.)
Brunch – Belize City
Dec. 17, 2024 Belize City – Plot twist – After yesterday’s debacle, now the film commissioner is available for brunch… no word yet as of 9:15 am and I have a noon shuttle to San Ignacio. LATER – He showed up, and our meeting and brunch was a go!
Film commissioner made it just in time to drop me at the ferry terminal in Belize City to catch my shuttle inland to the jungle region, San Ignacio (my hotel is in neighboring Santa Elena). I’m staying at sister property of the San Pedro Drift Inn, a comfortable, safe budget accommodation.
San Ignacio
Easy two hour journey with eleven passengers. Passed villages and Mennonite communities. Humidity increasing. As I was dropped in San Ignacio, Cesar took over in his dilapidated taxi, but at least he helped me with the Beast (suitcase) which has managed to be color coordinated everywhere.
Hotel restaurant closed here today so Cesar shall get me in an hour to deposit me at a recommended restaurant, Guava Limb.
I’ve booked excursions the next three days which will be extraordinary but a bit grueling. Tikal in Guatemala tomorrow (bucket list!), 6 am pick up! The famous cave tubing (?) the following day. A horseback ride in the jungle to Xunantunich ruins the following day. I think we’re supposed to say “archaeological preserve” now. The horse expedition is to save face from when I was taken out by horse from Tayronas jungle in Colombia, super sick in 2017. (Daughter was my witness).
Living la Vida!
Drift Inn Sister Hotel in Santa Elena
LATER – Taxi back to San Ignacio to Guava Limb restaurant. https://guavalimb.com/ Delicious. Saw sweet village Christmas decorations/lights. Avoided the local “cow foot soup”. haha. Got another decrepit taxi back. So tired! Up early for Tikal.
(Tikal – separate post).
Cave Tubing – Nohoch Che’en Caves
Dec. 19, 2024 Santa Elena, Belize – Woke up early again this time for Cave Tubing. Nohoch Che’en Caves. https://www.mayawalk.com/belize-cave-tubing-tours/ A little over an hour drive with Jason our guide and Karim (from Tikal trip) as driver. They were great. Maya Walk Tours out of San Ignacio is a reliable company. Two girls JC (Cali) and Eva (Canada), both alone, were the only other guests. They were about my kids’ age, so that was fun. I have met so many people traveling, I’m never ever “alone”.
I was a little nervous not knowing what to expect again. All of the rain has raised the level of water in the caves where they only just reopened two days ago. There’s always a chance of flash flooding (yikes!). My fear was of bats, but that was a non issue. Saw a few of the creatures minding their business at the top of the cave. The crocodile on the jungle walk gave me more pause!
Cave Tubing Gear
You get a cool life jacket with a pocket, and a helmet with a high tech flashlight. You trust your driver and leave all belongings in the van. I finally bought a water proof overpriced phone protector so I could take my beloved photos. Used my reef shoes that I purchased at Xplor in Mexico. They’re a must for these excursions. Whatever you wear will get wet. I chose my swim suit and a tank top. Bug spray a must as you’re totally exposed in the jungle.
40 minute walk through rainforest with a lot of explanation about trees and plants. Watched leafcutter ants move the forest floor around. We paid $2.50 to have our inner tubes awaiting us. Well worth it. At the river we had to cross in the swift current. There’s a rope to hold on to so as not to be swept away.
Inner Tubes
A little further along and you arrive at the river where the inner tubes await. Jason attached our four together. We sit back and relax while he does the guiding. With the higher water level he had his work cut out for him with stronger currents and rapids. It was sooooo much fun!
Gorgeous inside the cave. Would’ve been pitch black if not for our headlamps. This is the Mayan Underworld. Many sacrifices and burials took place in these caves. They believe the tree roots were the hanging stalactites (which totally makes sense when you see them.)
There were some waterfalls. Just unbelievably peaceful and mesmerizing. Over a mile of underground river later, we lazily floated further in the jungle on the river. Jason expertly guided us through rapids and past obstacles from the latest flooding. He said the river changes every day.
When we were done, we drove back, with the requisite lunch stop of chicken, rice and beans, and potato salad. It always tastes delicious after an activity in the great outdoors!
Xunantunich Archaelogical reserve
Dec. 20 2024 – Xunantunich, another spectacular Mayan archaeological reserve (not called ruins anymore). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xunantunich This one in Belize, close to Guatemala border. The river was too high for cars or horses on the hand crank ferry, so we had to walk which meant long additional hike each way. Plus extremely high climb up the main temple! No rails or anything. Yikes! Check out the Amish fellows at the top. On the return I got to do the hand crank for the ferry! My guide Jose has remained a friend.
Horse back riding
After this fab journey we went straight to the horses. This was great redemption from being taken out by horse in Tayronas jungle, Colombia, when I was violently ill! Barrack the horse and I were at one, Zen-ing out (apart from how sore it is for me!).
Ate at Guava Limb again, and met the owner, British in Belize for 47 years! Had the same delicious blackened grouper with pineapple salsa. Divine. I was sooo tired, and so sore from the horse.
Back at hotel, they had Gurifuna musicians, lively drums (The Garifuna are descendants of enslaved Africans who survived a shipwreck off the coast of St. Vincent in 1675. The survivors intermarried with the indigenous Kalinago (Carib) population and fled to the Honduran coast in the 18th century).
Dec. 21, 2024 – Ready for shuttle Santa Elena – Belize City; another to Mexico border, another to Bacalar!
Journey from Belize to Mexico
First leg: Santa Elena, Belize to Belize City. The driver insisted the passenger he was looking for at my hotel pick up was “Formerly Aguada” because that was written in name section of his passenger list. That was the old name of my hotel the Drift Inn. I was the last to be picked up, and there was a jam packed van of disgrunteld passengers waiting for this to be sorted. He insisted my name was “Formerly”. Okay. From here on I am Formerly Known as Kim. (Haha).
So I sit up front with him in the only remaining seat. Two hours through villages and lush green countryside. This is always a confusing operation as to who is actually going to drive you. I was just living on a prayer that Simon would be there at the ferry terminal to take me to the Mexican border. I waited about twenty minutes, while a security fellow insisted on accompanying me and toting the Beast (infamous suitcase). Simon arrived! My same driver that picked me up at the border last time. A welcome sight. He also immediately took over the Beast and toted him to the van.
Belize City to Mexican border
Leg 2: This time I was with a young German woman who has been traveling South and Central Amerian on her own for four months, and a Spanish couple also on a four month trek. So fascinating the people you meet on the road in forced shared companionship. Another two hour ride to the Mexican border.
The border crossing is always confusing and tedious. Very helpful having Simon on the Belize side. You have to pay $20 cash to exit Belize. Then go through immigration. Then we’re handed over to a Mexican taxi driver for Leg 3. Bags deposited in his trunk. He drives us through No Man’s Land (neither country) to numerous check points. First is a check in the taxi of our documents briefly.
Immigration
Then the actual immigration. A poor system where you wait in line, only to find out you must fill out a form, but they don’t give it to you until you’ve waited in line. Then you have to wait in line all over again. I didn’t have to pay an entry tax as I’m leaving in a few days. The Spanish couple much to their horror had to pay nearly $40 each because they’re staying longer than 7 days. They didn’t have the money, so we had a delay while they had to wait in a bank line.
Meanwhile, Taxi Driver sent me with the Beast and all belongings to the aduana. A rather pointless task of lugging everything in another building, and up onto a scanner, only to then take it all back to the taxi again. No paper receipt or anything. Just a verbal ok. The Spanish couple finally caught up and we drove a minute before being stopped for another check. Asked to open my backpack. Then the officers asked if we’d been through the scanner. Yes. Took our word for it and off we went. There are a lot of guns out in full force. The border is no joke.
Back to Bacalar
An hour later in the Mexican taxi and we arrived back to Bacalar. I’m staying at the same cute Casa Chukum. Home sweet home! I had been dreaming of Mr. Taco the whole journey, and he did not disappoint!
It felt like a miracle this journey worked. I had prepaid the return journey once I saw it seemed to work from Mexico to Belize. There is so much trust placed in strangers on these sorts of journeys. But it all worked out!
Back to Cancun
Dec. 22, 2024 – Morning avocado toast in Bacalar with gatito trying to steal from my plate. Taxi at 9:30 a.m., bus station, 10:00 bus to Cancun. 2 1/2 hours to Tulum. Another stop in Playa del Carmen. This was the all local Mexican bus as I made a slight error in booking to the city of Cancun rather than the airport. Oh well. Accept the extra hour and $25 taxi.
Long journey with no food (should have planned for snacks) as bus stop only accepted pesos of which I have nada, the ATM was broken (as were the Banos!). But bathrooms on board. Twice I had to navigate the bus on Mexican roads to use the facilities. An adventure in itself! (As always, carry your own TP… important tip!). Oh I did take a packet of Fruit Loops which I haven’t eaten in decades. Lunch!
Listened to entire Blondie concert on the overhead TVs and then two rom-coms dubbed in Spanish. Overall, a very pleasant journey. Pre-booked seats (I chose front row), comfy enough. 5 hours in total. Plus the unnecessary taxi to go backards to airport hotel. Se la vie.
Cancun Airport hotel
My Marriott City Express airport hotel was by far the worst of my entire journey. I was famished. Very rudimentary “burger and fries” type of thing (in Mexico!). No bar (!!). I went around the corner to buy a bottle of rose from the 7/11 (this is what it’s come to). And a taqueria that was closing and only had carnitas. I am really really hoping they don’t make me ill.
Alarm for 4:00 am for shuttle to airport to flight to LA, then airbus to Santa Barbara to my awaiting adoring parents whose home sounds utterly delightful right now! AND I was upgraded to first class which never ever happens!
Dec. 23, 2024 In the air Cancun – LAX
I feel like I’ve fully surrendered to living in the moment. I’m okay the Rogue isn’t here and not coming. I’m ok my kids are off doing their adventures (Ireland and Thailand/Laos/Cambodia). I feel like I’m at peace with Ex. Things are all out of my control. What will be will be. Se la vie.
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