JE 119

Belize City to Caye Caulker

Tim

Sunday, April 9 – Belize City

Good Morning! Breakfast included Sorrel Juice and homemade Johnny Cakes. Good stuff!

As I was on my way to Belize, contemplating my one full day in Belize City, it finally dawned on me that that day will be Easter Sunday. Well, that was kind of stupid planning! Again! Anyway, I’ll make the best of it and take a walk around the city (it’s what I do…)

The walk from the B&B to the far eastern tip of the city should take about an hour.

The Panamanian Embassy is across the street from the B&B.
And the waterfront is a block away from the B&B.
My walk is going to take me mainly along the waterfront. This is the Ramada Inn.
There is a nice walking/biking path along the water.
Baron Bliss Lighthouse, erected in 1885 on the former site of a Spanish fortress which was nearly destroyed after the Battle of St. George’s Caye in September 1798. (Note really sure if it should be called a Lighthouse though!)
View from the Swing Bridge.
It’s kind of hard to see, but the blue-shirted guy in the boat is waving at me to take a picture of him. So I did! Funny!
The Supreme Court Building.
The Government House (ca. 1814) was first the residence of the Governor of British Honduras and later the residence of the Governor General, the Queen’s representative in Belize. It is now a museum.
The Cathedral Church of St. John the Baptist was constructed from 1812 to 1820 with bricks that had been used as ballast aboard ships. It was the first church to be built in the colony of British Honduras.
The church is located across the street from the Government House Museum.
Belize Civic Centre

The fact that my walkabout occurred on Easter Sunday turned out to be a good thing. The city was deserted! The only place that I would have liked to have visited was the Government House Museum.

Fuel Price Check (open on Easter!): 12.32 BZD/gallon; the easy math converts that to 6.16 USD/gallon.

I returned to the B&B in the early afternoon and relaxed in the Jacuzzi. I followed that with some journal work, and a return to the Friendship Restaurant for some dumplings (thank you for being open on Easter!).

The day turned out better than I expected!

Monday, April 10 – transit from Belize City to Caye Caulker

I met some interesting people at breakfast today: a couple from Belgium who have been to Uganda to see the gorillas; a gentleman from Pakistan who now lives in Washington, D.C. and works for the world bank, which has resulted in his visiting over 100 countries; and an entrepreneur from Canada who, like me, will be traveling to Caye Caulker today (on a different schedule though) – we will likely meet up there later in the week.

I have an early afternoon departure from Belize City to Caye Caulker via a water taxi/ferry. My taxi ride to the ferry terminal took 15 minutes and cost 10 USD.

Ferry Terminal
It turns out I had a “stupid, but lucky” moment when I scheduled this portion of my trip. This is the hectic scene at the baggage claim here in Belize City, for the passengers arriving from the islands (including Caye Caulker). I learned that the long Easter weekend (Good Friday and Easter Monday are holidays here) is a popular time for the locals to travel to the islands. I dodged the crowded island bullet by waiting until today to depart!
Our boat to Caye Caulker will be the green one (where arrival passengers are now exiting). The larger ferry will be going to Ambergris Caye (more about that later).
On our way! The ride took 40 minutes and cost 43 USD for a round trip (I’ll be returning on the 14th).
Caye Caulker ferry “terminal” dock.
Baggage claim

Caye Caulker (pronounced “key corker”) is a small island, measuring roughly 5 miles by 1 mile. Along with Ambergris Caye, they are the most popular islands to visit in Belize. One is known for its luxury resorts, excellent (and expensive) restaurants, and a bustling nightlife. The other is smaller and more rustic, attracting travelers seeking a relaxed Caribbean vibe. Based on the island I chose, I’m sure you can guess which is which!

There are no automobiles on Caye Caulker, only golf carts, bicycles, and feet (walking!). The walk to my Airbnb took 10 minutes.

I’m staying at a place called the Gumbo Limbo. I booked it through Airbnb, but it’s available through their own website and other travel booking sites as well.

The lounge area and entrance to my studio apartment.
4 nights @ 98 USD/night
There are other cabins on the property
And a bar!
Bikes available for guests to use. Yes please!

After getting settled in, I took a short walk around the area.

The Gumbo Limbo is located a block away from the waterfront.
High Street Caye Caulker!
Oh Oh! I’ve spotted an ice cream shop!
One scoop Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip, one scoop Belizian Fudge (not what I thought, but the vendor described the flavor to me before I chose it – it’s cinnamon & caramel), all in a homemade waffle cone (4 USD). Awesome!

Tuesday, April 11 – Caye Caulker

My Airbnb host recommended a tour operator to use for a snorkeling excursion. I stopped by their shop yesterday to book a spot for today.

The snorkeling tour is scheduled to last 6 1/2 hours and will take us to three different spots: Coral Gardens, Shark Ray Alley, and Hol Chan Marine Reserve. The cost of the tour was 100 USD, and included equipment, drinks, lunch, and rum punch!

What will be on view in Coral Gardens is self-explanatory. The same goes for Shark Ray Alley, except to point out that the nurse sharks we will be swimming with are harmless. And Hol Chan Marine Reserve covers approximately 4,400 acres of coral reefs, seagrass beds, and mangrove forest. Hol Chan is Mayan for “little channel”.

(I don’t have a waterproof camera, so sadly the only pictures I have to post are from what I took onboard. Sorry!)

Our snorkeling catamaran. There were 15 passengers and 3 crew members in our group.
A beautiful, calm day for sailing and snorkeling! That’s Sam & Sophie, who I’ll be hanging out with later.
Guess where we are now? We’ll be jumping in to join them imminently!
Lunch included chicken breast, rice, pasta salad, vegetables, and fruit slices. Very good!
The snorkeling is done, time for a rum punch!
Under sail during our leisurely return to Caye Caulker.
Round 2!

This was a fun day! The snorkeling was excellent. Among other things, we saw beautiful coral, parrot fish, barracuda, tarpon, eels, rays, and of course, the nurse sharks. The duration of the snorkeling stops was just right, and each was followed by a slow-paced sail to the next location.

The only issue some of us had was the fact that in order to attract the sharks, they were fed from the stern of the boat. Not sure if that is the best long-term plan for the ecosystem, and ultimately I guess we (the passengers) are culpable by booking and paying for the tour. A complicated issue.

I enjoyed meeting the other snorkelers, and upon returning to Caye Caulker a few of us got together for some more rum punch! (only 4 USD per drink)

A rare Tim sighting in the journal! Joining me (l-r) are Sam, Sophie, Katie, and Tush. They hail from the U.K., Australia, and New Zealand. We plan on meeting up again tomorrow too.

6 thoughts on “JE 119”

  3. This has probably been my favorite entry so far! Caye Caulker looks like an awesome island, and the snorkeling sounded like a great day trip! Excited to hear more about it.

    Reply

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