Friday, March 20, 2009

The Yucatan Peninsula


We are back in the USA now. We want to apologize to those of you who have been following our blog and have been worrying about our whereabouts. Wireless access was either really hard to find and/or very very slow in most areas we traveled. Anyway without further adew, here is what weve been up to for the last couple of months. We have been blessed with an amazing, life changing adventure.

Hangin with some new friends at the lagoon in Bacalar, Mexico.

Sedric decorating Em's dreads with a stylish wrap.
The Lagoon in Bacalar.
The water was so clear! Beautiful!
Relaxing afternoon at the Cenote Azul in Bacalar.
Camping spot just south of Mahahual on the Quintana Roo Coast.

Two local brothers invited us to camp on their property for several days, and what an experience!! They took each of us snorkelling in the coral reef just off shore, and Ben went spear fishing (or as we like to call it underwater hunting) with them. He spotted a giant eel, several baracuda, a sea snake, and an amazing amount of different fish species. Marco and Jesus have been doing this for 30 years and are pros. Each night we feasted on fresh lobster and various fish. They simply descale them and cook them whole, it was VERY different for Em :) Ben even ate a fish eyeball :S While the boys were spear fishing, Em spent her time collecting sea treasures of all kinds - lots of shells and beautiful pieces of sea glass.

Bike ride in the Sian Kaan Biosphere Reserve near Tulum, Mexico.
The white sandy beach stretched for miles and there was hardly another soul to be seen!

Chichen Itza Ruins

We were amazed by the amount of detail preserved throughout the ruins.

The famous Ball Court.

The Observatory.
One of the many lizards we spotted catching a sun bath.

Takin It Easy Belizean Style


The beginning of our adventures in Belize. A rest near the beautiful countryside.

Bike ride into the town of San Antonio for delicious choco bananas, a local treat :)

This is how a pineapple grows.

Here's the pineapple patch on a friend's property.

Camping spot in the Cayo District a few miles from San Antonio. We explored much of the district riding our bikes up and down the bumpy dirt roads.


5 Sisters Falls



Climbing down the rocks to Big Rock Falls.

Ben with his handy machete at Big Rock. Can't go far in the jungle of the Cayo without one.

Camping spot in San Ignacio Cayo District. We stocked up on delicious produce at the local market.

Homey parked outside of the Blue Hole National Park.

Em jumping into the Blue Hole.

Not long after the swim Em got a terrible case of swimmers itch. It was unbearably itchy and ALL OVER, it lasted waayyy too long.

Chillin on the Carribbean ocean in Placencia. Ben crackin open a fresh coconut to enjoy the purest water within.

Art time on the ocean. Brewin some coffee and feasting on coconuts.

Em reading and Ben fishing the New River in Orange Walk.
Ben napping by the water.
We took a boat ride down the New River to visit the Lamanai Ruins. Along the way we saw lots of wildlife - crocodiles, lizards, bats, birds, monkeys, and turtles.



Lamanai ruins.


Repelling from the top of one of the ruins.

Homey's camping spot on the New River.
Ben caught a (massive:) catfish in the dark!