Belize
San Ignacio

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    • Day 4

      San Ignacio - Day 2

      March 14, 2020 in Belize ⋅ ⛅ 31 °C

      It was the first day that we didn't need to get up at any specific time so we lazily lounged around our cabana until about 10:30am. And then hopped in the jeep and drove to Xunantunich, another ancient mayan site.

      To get there, we had to take the world's shortest ferry ride (a statistic i just made up), which holds just 4 cars and crosses a small river and is propelled by a hand crank. And free.

      The actual site isn't as expansive as other locations i have visited, but the main temple was massive. Alexa and i made our way to the top, and on the way up, we noticed some people were focused on the nearby jungle trees. The back of the temple was against a hill so we wandered off to take some pictures of the spider monkeys and some large iguanas. And then continued to the top. It was so high, people at the bottom looked like ants. Mom was pretty knackered from the walk uphill to the site and relaxed in the shade as we climbed up and down the temple.

      When we got back to San ignacio, we stopped at a large market and had some tacos for lunch. As we were eating, we saw Alan and Sharron from Indiana who we met at Lamanai a few days ago.

      Then went back to our hotel and relaxed in the pool. We decided going to Tikal, Guatemala was no longer viable because the border was likely to close soon and we didn't want to get stuck on the Guatemala side. Which was disappointing as it was the whole reason this trip was booked. So i spent most of the afternoon trying to figure out a new plan and where to stay.

      For supper, we drove into town to a really cool restaurant that a few people recommended and ran into Alan and Sharron again. Funny how that happens sometimes.
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    • Day 128

      San Ignacio, Belize 🇧🇿

      July 20, 2023 in Belize ⋅ ☁️ 31 °C

      Nach fasch 7 Wuche Guatemala si mir witersgreist uf Belize. Dr erst Stopp isch in San Ignacio gsi. Es Städtli churz nach der Grenze vo Guatemala nach Belize. Es isch härzig, abr louft nid viu. D’Lüt si grad ume viu angers aus no in Guatemala. Si si viu grösser und hei ihri Wurzle viufach us Afrika und offizielli Landessprach isch Englisch. Landeswährig isch Belize Dollar und mä erkennt di Britischi Commonwealth Zuegehörigkeit uf aune Münze und Nötli - d Queen isch öpe überau druffe (no)😅 Z‘ Land isch sehr grüen und es schiint meh Rücksicht uf d‘Umwelt gno z wärde, wöus ufgrumter isch und weniger Dräck a dä Strassenränder het.

      Vo San Ignacio us si mir no witeri Maya Temple ga ahluege, wo chliner si gsi aus die in Flores/Tikal, abr ou sehr interessant. 🛕🙌🏼

      Am einte Tag hei mir sones Iguana Rescue Center bsuecht. 🦎 Dert tüäsi jungi Iguanas ufzieh und mit 2 jährig freilah, abr ou verletzti Tier wieder ufpäppelä und wieder id Wildnis freila. Di Tier wärde bis zu 20jährig und chöi bis zu 2 Meter läng wärde. Z‘interessantischte a dene Tier isch, dass si chöi useläse weles Gschlächt si möchte si. Das heisst, we si männlech si, chöi si sech entscheide wiiblech z si. Die Umwandlig geit abr nume einisch im gsamte Läbe vom nä Iguana. Das mache si denn wesi merke es het entweder kes Wibli odr Mändli meh ir Umgäbig umso d Population z‘erhaute. 🧐
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    • Day 500

      San Ignacio

      August 9, 2023 in Belize ⋅ ⛅ 35 °C

      Auf dem Weg an die Karibikküste machen wir noch einen Halt in San Ignacio, ca. 20 km nach der Grenze. Hier in Belize wird auf einmal wieder Englisch gesprochen und man wähnt sich eher in der Karibik als in Lateinamerika. Der Ort San Ignacio ist vor allem für die Besichtigung der ATM Caves, den mystischen Mayahöhlen, bekannt. Die Preise für die Tour starten aber bei 100 US Dollar und da Thomas sich in den engen Höhlen nicht ganz so wohl fühlt sparen wir uns das Geld. Auch sonst gibt es im gemütlichen Städtchen einiges zu sehen. So haben wir die Mayaruinen Cahal Pech am Rande der Stadt fast für uns alleine. Diese sind zwar nicht so imposant wie diese in Tikal, kosten dafür praktisch nichts. Tierisch wird's dann beim Green Iguana Conservation Project, ein durch Spenden und Eintrittsgeldern finanziertes Projekt zum Schutz der Leguane. Diese werden in Belize immer noch von einheimischen gejagt und gegessen und sind hier mittlerweile eine bedrohte Art. Dieses Projekt hat sich deshalb zum Ziel gesetzt die einheimische Bevölkerung über die Leguane aufzuklären und die Jagd auf die Tiere zu stoppen. Wir nehmen an einer interessanten Führung teil und erfahren so einiges und können die Iguanas streicheln, halten und für Fotos posieren. Verletzte Tiere werden hier wieder gesund gepflegt und wenn möglich wieder ausgewildert. Es werden auch Eier ausgebrütet und die Tiere anschliessend in geschützten Reservaten freigelassen. Danach gönnen wir uns im Fluss eine kleine Abkühlung, aber da auch der Fluss kaum kühler als die deutlich über 30 Grad Lufttemperatur ist, muss als Ersatz ein eiskaltes einheimisches Belikin Bier in der kleinen Fussgängerzone herhalten. Und natürliches muss auch noch auf den 500sten Tag unserer Reise angestossen werden 🍻🥳.Read more

    • Day 43

      Chocolate

      February 12 in Belize ⋅ ☀️ 32 °C

      Today we learned about chocolate!

      The roots of the company we visited are Maya, for whom chocolate was an important part of rituals and celebrations and very different from the palm oil/sugar rich product we are used to from home. We learned about the process of fermentation and roasting before making traditional Maya hot chocolate drink from the roast beans. These are ground to a paste, mixed with hot water and a little honey and chilli and cinnamon. They have been making chocolate this way since 1000 BC!

      The farming cooperative exports beans to Europe. For me, part of travelling is learning about other cultures and traditions and the impact of our actions at home on others. We asked what we, as western consumers, could do to have the most positive impact on the cacao farmers. The answer was to eat chocolate with a high cocoa chocolate, 70% or more.

      Did you know, the name of the company ‘Green and Black’s’ was inspired by Maya chocolate - in Maya tradition they knew where to plant a cacao tree if they found Black soil they planted a cacao bean and if in one week they had a Green shoot appear then it was the spot.
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    • Day 13

      Afternoon/Evening in San Ignacio

      March 4 in Belize ⋅ ⛅ 34 °C

      After around 2.5 hours on the bus we arrived in San Ignacio! A small town and not over touristy either. After checking into our hostel we took walk to the nearby supermarket to buy the ingredients for a gourmet egg and beans on toast dinner!

      We decided we needed to sit down and plan our route into, out of and around Honduras and after a few hours we were no closer to working out a route, but we have sent a few dozen email and WhatsApp enquiries to help us out.

      After dinner it was free rum punch at the hostel from 6pm to 9pm so we will and truly made the most of this!
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    • Day 14

      Green Iguana Conservation Project

      March 5 in Belize ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

      This morning we took a short walk to a nearby hotel home to the Green Iguana Conservation Project! The project takes in injured iguanas that would be unable to survive in the wild, breeds them and releases the healthy offspring back into the wild when the time is right.

      There were two enclosures, one for the adults and one for the bright green kids! Our guide was full of information and it made for an interesting start to the day. The hotel also had howler monkeys living it its trees!
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    • Day 14

      Evening 2 in San Ignacio

      March 5 in Belize ⋅ ☀️ 33 °C

      After battling through the heat at Xunantunich we needed a rest so found a bar to watch Bayern Munich v Lazio. Then I faced my first American haircut which actually went very well in my opinion!

      For dinner, Dan cooked up some cheese and tomato omelets before we were almost the last people standing from an evening of free rum punch!Read more

    • Day 156

      Grenzübertritt nach Belize

      April 10 in Belize ⋅ ☀️ 40 °C

      Der Ablauf war sehr schnell und einfach - welcome! Das einzige Land auf unserer Panamericana Tour in dem Englisch gesprochen wird! Karibikfeeling, Rastafari Typen, Jamaikamützen.
      Unser nächster Übernachtungsplatz liegt im Kiefernwald. Der Mountain Pine Ridge NP ist 430 qkm gross, Kiefern, Kalkstein, Höhlensysteme. Am Rio on pools finden wir natürliche Badebecken im Granit mit kleinen Kaskaden.Read more

    • Day 41–46

      San Ignacio

      February 10 in Belize ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C

      Including tonight we have spent 5 nights in San Ignacio. This is a town very close to the border with Guatemala in the Cayo district of Belize.

      The town itself is fairly basic but it has been a great base to explore the region. It was Valentine’s Day today and they certainly go to town on that with roses and teddies everywhere. It is also the local elections and they take the approach of fairly negative campaigning. There are political flags everywhere along with banners slagging off the other party.

      We leave for Guatemala tomorrow.
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    • Day 155

      Camp #66 - River Park Inn

      January 31, 2023 in Belize ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

      35bzd for the night.
      Our last camp spot in Belize. It wasn't far to walk into the town. However there was a couple of dogs that jumped up at Laura in the middle of the night as she tried to climb out of the tent for the bathroom. It wasn't the nicest experience.Read more

    You might also know this place by the following names:

    San Ignacio, סן איגנסיו, SQS, San Ignasijus, Сан-Игнасио, Сан-Ігнасіо-Кайо, سان اگناسیو، بیلیز, 聖伊格納西奧

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