Go Slow on Caye Caulker

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If you're looking for some great snorkeling while staying on an island paradise look no further than Caye Caulker in Belize.

Caye (pronounced "key") Caulker is a small coral island off of Belize's northern coast. It's well known to snorkelers and divers for it's proximity to Belize's Barrier Reef, and to backpackers as an all-around great chill-out spot as they travel around Central America. I and a group of thirty friends (old and new) spent five days on the little island relaxing and exploring. We arrived via Maya Air on a little two prop plane from Dangriga on January 3rd, and left via a water taxi to Belize City on the 8th. Unfortunately, the first three days there we got rained on, but that didn't stop us from having a fantastic time. Tropical rain comes down hard (and often), but it's not nearly as bone-chilling as the Oregon rain I grew up in, and it was simple enough to make the best of it.

The island is more or less a sand bar on top of a coral shelf. At its highest point, the island reaches a massive eight feet. You can easily see how a hurricane would cover the whole island in a matter of minutes. There's no pavement, just sandy lanes lined with conch shells and intermittent potholes. You can get around the island easily enough on foot (barefoot is the preferred modus operandi), but there are also bike and golf cart rentals for your leisure. As you walk the paths you'll encounter crabs making their way from one side of the island to the other. The three main streets are Front Street, Middle Street and Back Street, but if you need to get anywhere you won't be navigating with street signs. The island is small enough where you're more than likely to run into what you're looking for just by rambling about. If not, the locals are friendly and will be happy to point you in the right direction. The most common thing you'll see besides dreadlocked Rastafarians are signs emblazoned with "Go Slow," which is aimed at the golf carts but also somewhat of a motto for the island. It's pretty difficult to imagine a place more laid back than Caye Caulker.

According to several people, Caye Caulker is supposed to be similar to what Ambergris Caye used to be back in the 60s. Most travelers we met who have been to Ambergris Caye as of late speak of it with somewhat sour reviews, preferring the less populated, more rural Caulker.

Getting There
Unless you have the super-hero boat car you're not going to be able to drive to Caye Caulker, and I doubt you're an Olympian so you probably won't be swimming there either. A zip-line from the mainland would be pretty epic, but until that happens your two options for debarkation are boat or plane.

There's a small airstrip on the south side of the island with service from Maya Island Air and Tropic Air. It was about $70 US for us to get from Dangriga to Caye Caulker on Maya Island Air. They fly in and out of most major towns in Belize. Upon landing, you can walk north into town from the airstrip or catch a golf cart taxi if you're carting around heavy luggage.

Your other method of getting to Caye Caulker is to catch a forty-five minute water taxi from Belize City for about $15. Boats leave from the historic Swing Bridge in Belize City or from the pier in front of the Bliss Auditorium and let you off on the main dock in Caye Caulker, which is a fairly central location.

Both forms of transportation are easy to set up, just show up at the right place and time and book your flight or taxi, although you may want to book the flight a bit earlier than the day of.

Lodging
For our first three days on Caye Caulker we were living in luxury at the Sailwinds Beach Suites, just a few blocks north of the cemetery on Beach Street. Rooms were not cheap at $180 US a night, but split between four people per room it wasn't too bad. They were clean and came with a hot plate, cooking utensils, dishes, and a private bathroom with hot showers. Each had a bedroom with queen size bed and a living room/dining area with a fold out couch. They were adjacent to Auxillou Beach Suites, and Diane's Beach House and our crew of thirty travelers pretty much ended up taking over all three. They are all fairly similar and so are the prices. Each room has a nice porch out front with chairs and hammock and views out across the Caribbean.

Directly next door to Diane's is a cute little hostel on the beach called Tina's Backpacker's Hostel. We didn't get a chance to stay there ourselves (booked solid), but the people we ran into who did had nothing but good things to say about it. It's got a "vibes garden" for chilling out under the stars with fellow travelers, and a little dock on the water with some hammocks to lounge about in. I would recommend showing up early if you want a bunk, because it seems to be a popular place.

If the hostel is booked, and you're traveling on a budget (baller's on a budget represent!), your next bet might be to head further north along the beach, past where Beach Street joins Front Street and hit up the Tropics Hotel. This is living at a bare minimum, nothing much more than a place to crash out, but it's cheap and a lot of our crew ended up there after our three day stint of luxury at Sailwinds/Auxillou/Diane's. No one had anything really nice to say about this place other than, "I slept there," but there weren't a whole lot of complaints either. They've been working on fixing up the place so it may be better once you show up. They have some nicer rooms too if your willing to spend a bit more.

If you just so-happen to be traveling in a group of six-ish, the best deal for lodging on the island (that we found) is at Sandy Lane Guest House and Cabanas right near where Front Street meets Beach Street. Actually, after looking at some other pics around the internet, it may not even be called Sandy Lane Guest House, but it's right by the Sandy Lane office, and they are probably associated some way or another. It's a couple little blue houses separated by a courtyard with picnic bench set back just a bit from the road. The lady who runs it lives in the building next door. We were lucky enough to call this place home for our last two nights on the island. It has a clean bathroom with a hot shower, a large kitchen, dining area/living room, and three bedrooms (two rooms with twin size beds, the other with a bunk bed) all for $75 US a night. It wasn't as clean of a place as Sailwinds, but for $75 bucks a night, split between six people, you can't go wrong. It has a massive porch with accompanying massive hammock and chairs with a view out over the sea (like everywhere else on the island). We threw a nice little dinner party (hooray for traveling with chef extraordinare Jason from Mamanoot's) and partied it up on the porch. Good times indeed.

If you want to stay in the upper echelon of style and comfort, you can book one of the nicest rooms on the island at Seaside Cabanas for around $150 US a night. The rooms are inviting and they have a beautiful swimming pool overlooking the Caribbean. However, when given the choice of a swimming pool versus the Caribbean Sea... I'm guessing you'll go with the sea. Who knows though, the pool does look quite nice, and if you don't feel like getting all salty again but want to take a dip, here's your spot. There's also a little bar attached called Uno Mas if you feel like slipping out for a quick drink.

Food
There's really some great options when it comes to eating on Caye Caulker. The full time residents of the village are mostly fishermen, so you can expect plenty of fresh and delicious seafood. Some of the more exotic tastes are conch and barracuda, but of course you'll also find the normal fare of lobster and other assorted fish.

Probably our favorite spot to chow down was Rasta Pasta Rainforest Cafe. I think we ate there four times over the course of six days. The two standout dishes were the curry and their coconut battered lobster (the coconut battered fish is equally good). Both were off the hook delicious. Those delicacies along with conch fritters, crab rangoons, a great staff (Mike and Shanti, you guys rock!) and burritos the size of your arm, makes Rasta Pasta the place to eat on Caye Caulker. Rasta Pasta also offers an incredible concoction that they call the Rasta Ripa. A Rasta Ripa is dark rum mixed with homemade ginger beer (which they make daily) and poured over ice. It's the best mixed drink I encountered in Belize. We were ordering the stuff by the gallon and bringing it back to our rooms. It's that good.

The most popular "high-end" restaurant on the island is Habanero's which, unfortunately, I didn't get a chance to try, but was told that their fish wrapped in banana leaves is incredibly good. They have a nice outside dining area where you can do some good people watching as well.

Right next door to Habanero's is Rose's Cafe. Rose's Cafe has a great breakfast but their big selling point is their grilled seafood dinner. They have a barbeque set up right out front where you can choose from an assortment of fresh caught fish and seafood. Lobster, snapper, yellow tail, take your pick directly off the grill and feast!

If you're looking for a good meal at a cheaper cost, Marin's was pretty good to us. The ceiling features a number of hand painted Kriol proverbs, such as "Wen teef teef fram teef, God laff," and, "Sea breeze blow pilikin same place 'e wan' go." Have fun deciphering and then pondering these deep thoughts from the Belizean book of wisdom.

Herbal Tribe had some mediocre food in my opinion, but for what they lacked in taste they made up for in atmosphere. Their restaurant opens right up to the beach. At night they had punta drumming and a couple of Guatemalan marimba players who were fantastic. If you happen to be a cute girl, they'll have no problem letting you get in on the marimba to trade some licks with you.

Don Corleone's was also pretty tasty, though it was a little pricier. We didn't get a chance to try this place for dinner, but their breakfast was fantastic. They had the best fryjacks that I tried on the island.

If you want to get some fresh baked goods to bring back to your room, the local bakery right next to the bank on Middle Street is great. I highly recommend going there in the morning and grabbing a good share of fresh made sugar donuts. The people you're traveling with will thank you plenty. Kitty corner from that is a great place to get fresh juices as well.

For grocery shopping, there are four little markets on the island that I know of. Chan's Market was pretty good, however the best selection was at Chinatown Market, which is a couple blocks further south from Chan's down Middle Street.

Oh, I almost forgot, the Barefoot Bar had some of the most incredible shrimp ceviche I've ever tasted. It's also a fun little bar to hang at as well with a nice rooftop area. You can find it just a bit south from the Split.

Entertainment
If you're spending any time on Caye Caulker, you will inevitably find yourself hanging out a lot at the Split. The Split is where the island was (supposedly) ripped in half by Hurricane Hattie in 1962. The channel is about twenty meters wide and deep enough for boats to make their way through. There's a long crumbling concrete pier which stretches along side of it where people lay out their towels and soak up the sunshine.

When you're ready to cool off with some good drinks (as you're apt to do while lying in the hot sun) there's a great little bar situated at the edge of the Split called the Lazy Lizard. The Lazy Lizard is owned and operated by one of the island's most well known residents, Ras Creek. Ras also operates a snorkeling tour on which you'll see rays, sharks and seahorses. His funky blue Rasta boat is usually parked right there in the Split. Creek has knowledge of the local marine life like no other, and will be happy to show you his great photo collection and tell you how he could have saved crocodile hunter Steve Irwin's life. The wooden high-dive over the Split at the Lazy Lizard offered some great entertainment as well.

During the day you can rent canoes and sea-kayaks from several spots along the island. We took a couple out and explored the mangroves along the north island where supposedly salt water crocodiles like to lurk. You can easily make it out to the reef on a kayak as well if you're up for it.

In the evening, the popular place to go is the I & I Reggae Bar. It's a three story bar, complete with swinging chairs, a good sound system, and hammocks on the roof. When you're done shaking your booty to some reggae, make your way over to Oceanside Nightclub for some entertaining karaoke with the locals. The Barefoot Bar and Herbal Tribe, which I mentioned earlier, are also both great spots for hanging with the locals and grabbing a drink.

The North Island
If you want to explore the more undeveloped north side of the island, you'll have to cross the Split. You can either swim it or catch a boat ride across. We didn't feel like swimming because it was a bit rainy on the day we decided to cross, so we caught a cheap boat ride over from Ras Creek.

We were trundling aimlessly along the trail looking at the many hermit crabs when some guy shows up out of nowhere with a Rasta colored bandana and says, "I think I'm supposed to be your guide mon," something that evidently was included in our fare to Ras for taxi-ing us across the Split. I'm not sure if that's a normal thing, or if they were just looking for something to do because of slow business on a rainy day. Anyway, that's how we met and befriended one of the coolest people on the island, Mandingo. If you're hanging out on Caye Caulker, meet and make friends with this him, he's one chill guy.

He led us up to the beach on the north island showing us a number of cool little things along the way and made some interesting items out of the local flora to pass along our group, including a kazoo from a reed and thorn, and a funky leaf head-dress. Like Ras Creek, he has a wealth of knowledge regarding the local wildlife on Caye Caulker. He also happens to be an amazing punta drummer and if you're lucky you'll catch him playing while there.

Sadly, the north half of the island is where most of the trash from the south side ends up. The large sandy beach which has been reclaimed from mangroves has the potential to be incredible but is littered with washed up garbage.

There's also some development happening on the North Island, including a fancy new restaurant that recently opened and a resort that's going in, but due to time constraints we explored neither.

Snorkeling
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You can't stay on Caye Caulker without going snorkeling at least once. It's impossible. It's like going to a concert and not seeing the band. If you blow the opportunity, you'll be missing out on one of the more incredible moments of your life. Caye Caulker has a large marine reserve with several preservation and conservation zones to protect the marine habitat which makes for some truly stunning aquatic ecosystems.

Seeing this wonderland under the sea cheaply is easy enough. You can rent a snorkel and fins for around $5 US a day from any number of places scattered about the village. Snorkeling right around the island you'll find a nice variety of rays and other exotic fish. In and around the Split we found rays, schools of yellowtail snapper, the biggest puffer fish I've ever seen, and of course, barracuda which are common throughout Caribbean waters. Don't worry about the barracuda, they're generally harmless. Just don't swim while wearing shiny objects like necklaces and such, barracuda may mistake them for the little fish that they feed on.

When you're ready to get a little deeper, and really want to see some amazing marine wildlife, you'll want to make your way out to the barrier reef and the infamous Shark-Ray Alley. We hopped a boat with Ragamuffin Tours who gladly took our entire group out for a day of snorkeling which included three snorkel stops, a lunch and a "happy hour." Ragamuffin's crew was fantastic and the sailboat we went out on (the Raga Queen) was beautiful. Belize's barrier reef is supposedly second only to Australia's in diversity and beauty. The color of the water looks like it came from the sketchbook of some 80s fashion designer; it's the most mind-boggling aqua you can imagine. Nevermind the fact that I was nauseous from the choppy waves (it was raining that day), it was still one of the highlights of my trip. And even though choppy waters can put a hamper on some visibility, we saw some epic wildlife along the reef. Rays (the most incredible being spotted eagle rays), nurse sharks, angel fish, moray eels, sea-turtles, snapper, you name it, were all darting in and out of the assorted corals and sea plants.

Overall
Plain and simple, I loved Caye Caulker with its relaxed style of living, great food, and out of this world snorkeling. It may be just a bit touristy, but at its heart, it's still a little fishing village adrift in the Belizean Cayes, and it's far less touristy than Ambergris Caye is supposed to be. Yes, it's loaded with backpackers, but I never really felt bogged down by them. However, if things like this worry you, and you want to get really secluded, I recommend hitting up Tobacco Caye which is further south, not far off the coast from Dangriga. I stayed on Tobacco Caye a couple years back and it was extremely relaxing. You could walk the perimeter of the island in less than fifteen minutes, but the snorkeling was not quite as good and because of its small size you won't have the selection or variety of things to do like you have on Caye Caulker. If you're looking to relax but still partake in all of the great restaurants and activities available while in Belize, make your way out to Caye Caulker and "go slow."

Fryjacked!

While traveling through Belize, at some point or another, you're going to run across a delicacy called fryjacks. Fryjacks (sometimes fry-jack - Belizean Kriol rarely uses an "s" for pluralization) are a popular and addictive Belizean breakfast treat. The best way to describe one would be for you to imagine a croissant mating with a tortilla, whose offspring, in turn, did it with a pancake. The resulting cro-tilla-cake baby would be a fryjack. They are most often served up with beans and/or maple syrup (sometimes honey) and they are utterly fucking delicious. Yep, that's right, they're yummy enough for me to use the fuck word. They're that level of tastiness.

When I returned from Belize I started craving them, so naturally I turned to the web to stir up a recipe. Unfortunately, two internet recipes later, I had some of nastiest fryjacks imaginable. The second version was even worse than the first. My lovely girlfriend, Brooke, made me stop experimenting before I "ruined fryjacks for her." They were more of an oily dense biscuit than a fluffy cloud of tasty goodness. So, I emailed Camille and Jason down at Mamanoot's and begged them until they coughed up Nan's own secret recipe for fryjack.
They're simple to make, vegan, loaded with fat and thus really really frickin' good.

Mamanoot's Fryjack (Fry-Jacks) Recipe
Makes 12 Fryjack (about 4 servings)

Ingredients:
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup shortning
water (I ended up using a little less than 3/4 cup)
oil for frying

Directions:
• Mix the first four ingredients together in a bowl with your hands then start adding water. Maybe 1/4 cup to start with and keep adding as needed to make it into a dough. It shouldn't be too sticky or too dry to make it right mon.
• Now knead the dough until it is soft.
• Break off 6 pieces to form into balls and roll em up.
• Let them sit for 15 minutes.
• Now turn the balls into a tortilla shape and cut them in half.
• With your knife create a slit in each half where you can tear the fryjack in two pieces after frying them.
• Have your hot oil ready. Yes, there should be enough in the pan to let the fry jacks FRY. Maybe about 1 cup of oil.
• Bust em out (once they're golden brown), syrup em up and dip 'em in some refried beans. LORD HAVE MERCY!

There you have it, your new favorite breakfast! Thank you Nan, Camille and Jason of Mamanoot's!

Dangriga and the Garinagu

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During our stay at Mamanoot's Backabush, a few of us ended up taking a daytrip into Dangriga in the Stann Creek District of Belize. There's not a whole lot to do in Dangriga (a few cool little bars, some decent restaurants), but the people who live in and around this little seaside community are worth mentioning.

Walking or driving around the town you'll be greeted with bright smiles and friendly waves from the locals as they go about their daily business on their cruiser bicycles. Picking up a conversation is easy, Dangrigans, like most Belizeans, are pretty easy going and happy to chat it up with just about anyone.

A significant portion of Dangriga's population is made up of the Garifuna people (Garinagu plural) who are of African and Amerindian decent. Their language is an incredible amalgamation of Arawak, Yoruba, Swahili, Bantu, Spanish, English and French, but they speak good ol' English as well, along with the local Belizean "Kriol."

In short, the Garifuna culture originally sprung up on the caribbean island of St. Vincent in the 1600s where escaped and shipwrecked African slaves "intermingled" with the local Caribs and got to making some babies. This cultural merger of the music and spirituality of Africa with those of the natives of St. Vincent also happened to be the birth of the Garifuna culture. In 1796, after an ugly series of disputes with British colonists, the Garinagu were exiled from their St. Vincent homes and relocated elsewhere in the caribbean. Struggling to survive, and hopping from island to island, they slowly made their way to Honduras. Following more persecution, a large portion of the Garinagu eventually found their way to Belize, which was the first country to grant them autonomy.

Dangriga is an important city to the Garifuna people as the landing point in their exodus from Honduras. They came via dugout canoes on November 19th, 1832. As you travel Belize you'll be sure to see old dugout canoes scattered all over the place: at restaurants, in hotels, I even saw one on top of a billboard sign. The event is celebrated annually across the country as Garifuna Settlement Day. If you're lucky enough to be in Dangriga during that time you will no doubt hear some of the most amazing drumming and punta music of your life. Supposedly the drums are audible all the way back to Mamanoot's in the jungle.

Punta music, or punta rock is the local music of choice; you'll hear it everywhere you go in Belize and it's purely a Garifuna creation. The punta rock sound is centered on unique and complex drum rhythms which make for some great booty shaking. It often comes paired with some hillariously cheesy (to my ear at least) synth thrown in to boot, though lately it's gotten back to its roots with acoustic intruments as well. If you get a chance to see some punta music while in Belize, don't pass it up, the drumming will rock your socks off. If you’re curious what punta music sounds like, Andy Palacio and the Garifuna Collective is as good a starting point as any. Palacio is probably the most well known punta musician out there right now and definitely worth checking out (find the newer stuff if you want to avoid the synth madness).

Besides being the focal point for the Garifuna culture in Belize, Dangriga is also an important travel hub. It has a small airport where you can hop a plane to other nearby destinations, or you can charter a boat out to any of the nearby cayes (pronounced keys) including Tobacco Caye, which I had the pleasure of visiting a few years ago. As you wait for a flight, make your way over to the fancy Pelican Beach Resort to grab a drink and a bite to eat. It's right next to the airport and has a nice beachfront dining area. It was a bit rainy when I was there, but what can you expect? In the tropics it's going to rain every now and again.

There's also a small thrift store in the middle of town that has some interesting stuff if you're into thrifting. And don't forget to check out some of the great store names (Blooming Dale's, the Price is Right Store), and the wonderful hand painted signs.

If you're considering it, it's definitely worth spending at least a few hours in Dangriga and exploring the town while you wait for a boat or a plane. Talk to the locals, they're unbelievably friendly and nice, and pick up a punta rock CD while your at it.

SAD NEWS UPDATE: I'm extremely sorry to say that I just found out punta rocker, and award winning musician, Andy Palacio died of a stroke and heart attack this past week on the 19th of January at the age of 47.
Link to NY Times Obituary

Mamanoot's Backabush - Belize

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For anyone who ever wanted to know what it was like to be a Maya traveling through the Central American jungle two thousand years ago, or maybe wanted to live out their Indiana Jones fantasy, spend some time in the Mayflower-Bocawina National Forest at Mamanoot's Backabush Eco-Resort. The time spent exploring some of the incredible trails and dining on world class cuisine will be the highlight of anyone's journey through Belize.

Mamanoot's is one of two properties in the Mayflower Bocawina Forest and was purchased by Nan Noot before Belize declared the area a National Park in 2001. It's an eco-lodge, meaning it's about as environmentally friendly as you can get, generating its power via solar, wind and hydro electricity. That said, Mamanoot's does an excellent job of leaving the surrounding jungle unadulterated, staying true to its claim of being "an energy saving, self-sufficient paradise."

You can find 'Noot's nestled four and a half miles down a dirt road off of mile six on the Southern Highway in the Stann Creek District (about half an hour drive outside of Dangriga). They can come pick you up at the end of the road if you don't have an appropriate vehicle to navigate it. Their staff is unbelievably friendly and helpful and will be happy to arrange for your transportation to and from the airport if needed (either Belize City or Dangriga) as well.

Nan and her Backabush crew's dedication to preserving the environment around them has left the rainforest looking how it probably appeared a million years ago. Mamanoot's is surrounded on all sides by some of the lushest rainforest imaginable, teeming with exotic wildlife amid the dense foliage. Around sunrise and sunset birdcalls will careen off the trees from all directions. The occasional group of howler monkeys will make their presence known as they pass from tree to tree. The raw beauty of it is honestly staggering to the point of speechlessness.

Everything is super-sized, from the ferns to the insects. Leafcutter ants don't have paths; they have foot-wide highways cleared through the underbrush. Here, a tree isn't just a tree, it's got vines and air plants and an assortment of alien looking flowers, moss and mushrooms sprouting out of it in every direction until the entire thing looks like some nonsensical beast taken from the pages of a fantasy novel.

Walking the perimeter of the property, you half-expect to see a T-Rex come barreling out of the foliage and chomp up a member of your party in a single bite. Both "Land of the Lost" and "King Kong" were referenced more than once by fellow travelers. The unearthly shades of greens you'll see... Jesus, they're indescribable. The pictures can't even begin to capture the sheer scope of it all.

Camille Bemer, Mamanoot's hostess, Nan's daughter, and an all-around amazing person (not to mention a great friend), arranged for our group of dirty-thirty (!) travelers to be greeted two days before the new year with a chartered bus in Belize City. We were picked up at Goldson International Airport and driven three hours south to our destination in the jungle. Being the amazing hostess that she is, Camille had the bus stocked with a cooler full of cold Belikins, the national beer of Belize.

A few pit stops later, we arrived at Mamanoot's where we were greeted by Nan, and another good friend, Jason Crane (resident chef and Camille's fiancée). We were shown across the firefly lit grounds to our cozy cabanas where we could drop off our gear and then headed back across the property where we congregated in the main dining hall for some delicious food and some ice-cold drinks.

We would spend the next few days ringing in the new year with good music, great food, wonderful atmosphere, inspiring hikes, amazing friends (both old and new), and two marriage proposals (congratulations Camille and Jason, and Atom and Mechelle!).

The following are a few key points for anyone who would like to, or is considering visiting Mamanoot's Backabush, Playground in the Jungle.

Hiking

The Mayflower-Bocawina forest is extremely secluded and you're about as likely to run into a monkey as you are to run into another human while you hike any number of the nearby trails. As you make your way under the triple canopy, Ezme, the nineteen year old resident guide and jungle boy-wonder will point out jaguar footprints, edible plants, exotic wildlife and all sorts of crazy things hiding throughout the forest. The kid is a full blown genius when it comes to knowledge of the surrounding area (and he happens to be a pretty damn good artist to boot), so make sure to ask plenty of questions.

Along with some good hiking shoes, that you don't mind getting muddy or wet, don't forget to wear a swimsuit or equivalent under your clothes because the big payoff at the end of these trails are cascading waterfalls and crystal clear swimming holes.

The two waterfalls we visited were Bocawina and Antelope Falls, the latter being the more difficult of the two to hike but the more rewarding. Both have amazing opportunities to escape the balmy heat ("balmy..." say it, "balmy." It's fun.) in scenic pools and are beautiful and unique in their own way. The top of Antelope Falls (Upper Antelope Falls) boasts a crystal clear pool at the base of a stunning waterfall, which is scalable and leads to even more crystal clear pools and more stunning waterfalls, which in turn leads to even more of the same. Cliff diving anyone? You bet your mosquito bitten ass. The first pool at Upper Antelope has a nice fifteen footer to jump from. Just watch your step because navigating the slick rocks can be difficult and more than one person from our party ended up with cuts and scratches at both Bocawina and Antelope (it's less slick where there's running water and algae doesn't have a chance to build up).

There's also a viewpoint at Antelope Falls where you can see over the jungle canopy all the way to the ocean. Basically the whole place brings to mind any number of fancy-smancy words like magical and majestic and it's a guarantee you won't be able to wipe the crazy grin off your face or keep your eyes from popping out of your wondering skull at any given moment.

A few words of advice before adventuring off on these absolutely incredible hikes: wear light long pants, a light long-sleeve shirt, and plenty of mosquito repellent. The bugs in the jungle are relentless. You are indeed a rare person if you can go into the Central American rainforest and not be preyed upon by any number of blood-sucking parasites, the most annoying of which are the black flies. I foolishly decided to not wear enough repellent on one such hike and came back with eighteen bites on my right foot and ankle. Eighteen, that's no joke people! So make sure to rock some deet/equivalent or be prepared to get your scratch on. Worse still, you could have the rare misfortune of playing host to a beefworm. So protect your skin from the bloodsuckers.

Also, these are day hikes. Don't get caught in the jungle at night, that's when the jaguars like to hunt.

Wildlife
The surrounding jungle not only hides some of the most beautiful waterfalls and picturesque swimming holes imaginable, but it has over 235 different species of birds. Among them are toucans (the national bird of Belize) motmots (including the ever-so-elusive Keel-billed Motmot), trogans, parrots, and numerous manakins (Booya! Did I just sound like a birder or what?). As far as wildlife of the mammalian variety goes, although shy, the forest hides numerous jaguars, howler monkeys, tapirs, ocelots, coatis, foxes, kinkajous, bats and a number of other little monsters that hunt and play in the jungle. According to Ezme, there's also a croc lurking nearby. If you're lucky, and know how to walk quietly, you'll see a few of the forest denizens, snap off a few pics, and avoid being lunch.

And don't forget the domestic wildlife that lives at Mamanoot's either. The family cat, Mr. Chulo has as much jungle know-how as a jaguar. He runs the place and is as proud of a feline as any. Camille and Jason also have two other amazing cats they transported down with them from Los Angeles, but they're of the indoor variety, so chances are rare that you'll meet them. The new puppy Noni (after the noni fruit which has curative properties) is the main star of the show though. She's a rescue straight from the streets of Dangriga, and is as sweet and cuddly as can be.

Archeological Significance
Just a few hundred yards away from the premises are unexcavated Maya ruins. The Mayflower Archeological team is currently working on excavating three sites in the direct vicinity. There's speculation that Antelope Falls held a specific spiritual significance to the Maya people due to the unexcavated city's proximity. Once you see the falls, you'll understand why.

Accommodations

Mamanoot's has three family size cabanas and a lodge with six attached rooms. The rooms are cute and cozy with warm showers, private bathrooms and fresh water. Some of the most delicious water I've ever tasted comes right off the tap. The beds are some of the comfiest we experienced in Central America and an overhead fan keeps the room nice and cool in the hot climate.

Food and Drink

The dining area and bar are the focal point to Mamanoot's Backabush. It's constructed from local woods and bamboo with a thatched roof. Three of the four walls are dominated by massive windows covered with double screens to keep out the bugs, but allowing you an incredible view of your jungle surroundings. Near the bar is a small library detailing some of the local flora and fauna along with information on the area (among other things). You can also find a display case with a selection of Maya spearheads and tools which were found on the site during construction, so that's pretty interesting. Just outside are hammocks and a swing hung from a massive tree. It's a great place for just hanging out, playing cards, and sipping on a Belikin. If you happened to bring your laptop, Mamanoot's also has free WiFi via satellite internet.

Once your stomach starts growling, and you've worked up an appetite from all of the exploring you've been doing, you're in luck. The food at Mamanoot's is nothing short of delicious. Chef Jason Crane honed his skills at world renowned Chateau Marmont and then at fine dining hot spot Cafe Pinot in Los Angeles before relocating with Camille to Belize. He does an incredible job with the local fare which centers heavily on a diet of fresh seafood, plantains, beans and rice. His black beans are probably the best I've ever tasted, loaded with roasted garlic, caramelized onions, and toasted cumin. Some of the shrimp dishes he makes will knock your socks off; I just drooled on my keyboard thinking about it.

Vegetarian travelers will also be happy to know that Mamanoot's is vegan and vegetarian friendly which is pretty much unheard of throughout much of Central America. One morning for breakfast we chowed down on a tasty tofu scramble which featured some of the fresh local vegetables grown nearby.

It's unbelievable to find this quality of food in the middle of a jungle. Even if you're just passing through the area for a day hike, it's worth it to stop by Mamanoot's for some good eats that you'll be hard pressed to find anywhere else in Belize.

And don't forget to get your drink on. The beautiful wood, stone and bamboo bar is fully stocked with plenty of Belikins along with a rum made by Nan's family (which is knockout good). Just don't get too hammered or you'll miss out on some of the great conversations which await.

Overall
All in all, if you are looking to explore the Belizean jungle first hand and experience its numerous treasures, Mamanoot's is where to do it. I have been twice now and plan on going back again. Both times rank as my number one and two favorite trips I've ever taken. It's impossible to go there without being installed with some magnitude of wonder and awe. It's both an inspiring and life affirming trek. However, if you're squeamish about bugs and mosquitoes, I recommend going somewhere not in the tropics. Maybe South Dakota is more your steez.

If you want to make reservations at Mamanoot's Backabush you can contact them by phone at: 501-670-8019, fax: 501-522-2910 or email: info@mamanoots.com. Their website is http://www.mamanoots.com/.

Introducing... Belize!

{All pictures are in a slideshow format - click to advance}
If you're planning a trip to Belize anytime in the near future, I've assembled a few basic facts that you may (or may not) want to or already know. I just came back from old British Honduras (that's Belize), so hopefully some of my information can be of use to someone out there in internet land and I'm not just running my digital yapper. Over the course of the next couple weeks I'll detail a few highlights of my trip to Central America which included (among other things) Mamanoot's Backabush and Caye Caulker in Belize, and Antigua, Pacaya Volcano, and Tikal in Guatemala; but for now... general information ahoy!

Belize is a tropical country bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the east, Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula to the north, and Guatemala to the west and south. It happens to be the only country in Central America where Spanish is not the official language, rather, it's English, being a former colony of the British Empire.

Belize is mostly rural with a total population of 297,651 (70,800 of which live in Belize City). A rainforest covers most of it that I saw. You can see the jungle constantly trying to reclaim everything from telephone poles to abandoned cars everywhere you go. Off the coast in the Caribbean is a large network of coral islands called cayes (pronounced keys) with the largest barrier reef outside of Australia.

If you're ever in nearby Guatemala, you'll notice that Belize doesn't appear on several of the maps there. Much of the Guatemalan government continues to believe they have some claim to Belizean territory. However, the overall vibe of Belize is unlike that of Guatemala, or the rest of Central America for that matter; instead, it's much more Caribbean. It's almost as if an island, not unsimilar to Jamaica, crashed into Guatemala and formed its own country. You'll find plenty of dreadlocked Rastafarians in accompanying gear throughout Belize.

The food is more Caribbean than Central American and has a hint of Indian to it. You can find Belizean curries all over the country. Like the rest of Central America, rice and beans are staples of the Belizean diet, along with seafood, but, like I said, these things have more of a Caribbean taste than a Central American one. One of the most popular foods there is conch (pronounced konk) which is a mollusk and tastes somewhat similar to scallops with a calamari texture. It kind of has an abalone quality to it, if you've ever tried that.

For such a small country, the population is incredibly diverse. With mestizos, Kriols, Maya, Mennonites, Garinagu, and a surprisingly hefty population of Chinese folk, you'll find yourself in the middle of a racial melting pot. And unlike much of the world, everyone pretty much gets along swell with eachother. All have their own languages (the Kriol and Garifuna languages are particularly interesting), but English is the lingua franca. The Belizean accent sounds very similar to a Jamaican one, and you'll hear a lot of the word "mon" thrown about.

The currency is the Belizean (BZ) Dollar and the exchange rate is more or less $2.00 BZ to $1.00 US. Just about everywhere you'll go they'll accept US dollars. In fact, I never once ran across a place that didn't accept US cash. Often you'll get a US $1.00 back instead of a Belizean $2.00. When compared to Mexico or Guatemala, Belize is a little pricier. Things are still cheaper than the United States, but not by a massive margin, especially when you're out on the cayes where most of the food comes from the mainland.

Traveling through Belize is simple enough. The infrastructure is fairly developed compared to several second and third-world countries. The main roads are nicer than some back streets of LA (which isn't saying a whole lot, but hey, they could definitely be worse). Bus lines run pretty much everywhere. Taxis are simple to hail in the bigger cities (work out a price with the driver before you hop in). You can book cheap flights on Cessna's that service the majority of Belizean cities and larger islands. The two major local airlines are Maya Island Air, and Tropic Air. Also, water taxis run to and from the cayes out of the coastal cities if you don't feel like getting on a Cessna.

Two of the things you will learn to love as you travel through Belize are Belikin Beers and Marie Sharp's Pepper Sauce.

Belikin Beers are pretty much your only choice when it comes to drinking beer in Belize, but that's okay. They're pretty dang good and come in four flavors: Beer (lager), Stout, Lighthouse Lager, and Premium.

Marie Sharp's is a Belizean hot sauce made from a blend of locally grown habanero peppers and carrots. It is (and most people who have tried it will agree with me on this), the BEST hot sauce in the world. It has a perfect combination of heat to flavor, and according to custom's agents, it's the most common thing brought back as a gift from Belize. Trust me; if someone you know likes spicy food, this is the gift for them. I recommend bringing back more than one bottle for yourself too, because it's a sad day when you run out.

Don't be afraid to mingle with the people. Belizeans in general are a pretty happy-go-lucky and friendly folk. The only place I ran across con-artists and scammers was Belize City, but coming from LA they were pretty easy to spot. They're usually just the average crazy looking guy wanting a tip for telling you some information you already know.

One last quick note before I sign off. When you're leaving Belize, if traveling from Goldson International Airport in Belize City, make sure you get to your flight extra early. Why? Because past security check (and an annoying $32 US leaving the country tax) awaits one of the funkiest bars in Belize. It's Jet's Airport bar, run by Eden "Jet" Holland. Mr. Holland started working at the airport as a knick-knack vendor and has since become owner of one the most famous places to get a drink in Belize, not to mention one of the most photographed. Check it out, it's well worth it. Anyway, that should point you in the right direction if you're planning on going to Belize. I leave da rest up ta you mon!

Belize You Me

Well, I'm not off across the ocean on a cargo ship just yet. I've barely even started selling my stuff. Don't worry, I'll alert the mass of internet bargain hunters and eBay patrons when it happens. You won't be left out.

The holiday season has been hectic as always. I was up in Portland visiting family and friends to share in some holiday cheer and rain. Now I'm back in Los Angeles, the land of a million smog infused palm trees and collagen infused lips, neither of which are native to their environments. Ah yes, joy to the world.

Anyway, to cut to the chase, my girlfriend, Brooke, and I have been planning a trip down to Belize for quite awhile now and we finally leave this coming Sunday, December 30th. We will be slurping and burping in the New Year at Mamanoot's Backabush in the middle of the Mayflower Bocawina National Forest. Celebrating alongside us will be a group of about thirty friends, friends of friends, and (probably) some complete unknowns. I had the pleasure of having my blood sucked dry by mosquitoes while visiting the same place two years back. It was a similar situation (lots of friends, New Years, &c.) and it was one of the best times I've had in my life. I hope to repeat the experience and avoid playing host to a beefworm once again (do NOT click that beefworm link if you are at all squeamish, click this one instead: the human botfly).

We'll be spending a few days there in the jungle, hiking and exploring the rain forest, then we're off to lovely Caye Caulker (Corker Cay on the old map of "British Honduras" above). I've been to the Belizean Cayes before, but never Caye Caulker, and look forward to the experience. According to some friends, the little coral island is home to one of the best bars in the world. I'll keep you posted. From there, who knows? We've been discussing making our way over to Guatemala and visiting the Mayan ruins of Tikal, we might just head back to Mamanoot's to relax for a few days - it all just depends on how we manage our meager funds or not.

In the meantime, I thought this trip would be as good an opportunity as any to work out my blog-clogs and flex my travel-writing skills (or lack thereof). So look forward to (or dread) the onslaught of posts that will ensue from Central America. I'll try to keep you updated as long as I have internet access and as long as my malaria medication keeps me from getting the ol' marsh fever.

Defining the New Transient

I'll try and keep this short and to the point. All my life I've wanted to travel the world to see just what's out there and it's high time I get off my procrastinating ass and do something about it. I've eyeballed atlas' and ogled globes, but I believe culture, like food, is best experienced first hand rather than observed.

My plan in a nutshell? Sell everything I own, say goodbye to my friends, family and pretty much everyone I've ever known, give a final kiss to my lovely lady, and travel by cargo ship across the Pacific. Who knows what will happen once I'm there. I'm of the opinion that traveling is best done with an open schedule. Sure, there are a ton of places in the world I aim to visit, and I plan on visiting them all, but I'm gonna keep my route as loose as possible. You never know what opportunities for adventure may present themselves at any given moment. I will say this though, I'm researching both New Zealand and China as possible points of entry into the East.

Traveling can be expensive, but no more expensive than living in Los Angeles when done correctly. My goal would be to work while I travel, paying my way as I go. I have two skills that I can sell, and neither one needs to be centralized to a single location. The first is as a graphic designer (print media), the other is as a musician. I will apply both if I have to in order to keep myself dry and moving. Look, I already know the music thing isn't gonna pay for squat, but often venue owners are happy to exchange a meal and a couch to crash on for a show. I'm anticipating making most of my money the same way I do now, by design gigs. Only now I will be working exclusively from a laptop and on the other side of the world.

Meanwhile, I'll be immersing myself deeply as possible into whatever culture I'm visiting. This includes eating like a local, living like a local, and speaking like a local to the best of my ability. If that means eating crickets and sleeping on a cot, I'm fine with that. If it means staying for a few months in one city simply to pick up a few extra phrases in Mandarin, well, that's fine too. It's impossible to see a whole city, let alone a country, in a week anyway... unless that country is Monaco maybe (a whopping 0.7 square miles, half of which is a casino).

This website is going to be pulling triple duty as the launching pad for my exodus from Los Angeles , my travel journal, and as a means to stay in touch with friends and family (both old and new) around the world. My estimated departure date is sometime near mid-Summer 2008. I have no return date, it could be anywhere from two months to never, hopefully somewhere in the middle.

Well that's pretty much it. Impossible? Well, I say, "Bah," to the nay-sayers. I'm gonna make it happen, and if it doesn't work out, well, at least I'll know I tried my best to follow what has pretty much been a lifelong dream. At the very least it will be educational. More than anything, I just want to see if it can be done. I know it's not going to be easy, but it will be rewarding whether everything goes as planned or not. In fact, I'm anticipating it won't go as planned, but that's why it's an adventure and not a vacation.

I'll keep you all posted as things progress. Subscribe to the feed or bookmark this page and check back from time to time if you want to keep updated.