It is the first day in Belize! Today we had an easy flight into Belize City, and after about an hour of driving, we stopped for lunch at a restaurant called “Cheers”. It was an outdoor layout with a ton of previous visitors signed shirts that were hung up on the ceiling. I ordered rice and beans (not beans and rice), and while we waited, one of the waitresses told us to check out a pond out behind the place. She said we would be able to see fish and turtles, so we walked over to it. As soon as we rounded the corner of a bushy tree and saw the pond, there were about six large splashes. We were all quite confused until another few happened, and then we realized that iguanas were launching themselves from the trees into the pond! I recognized both black spiny-tailed iguanas and green iguanas, and as we continued to watch them, they kept dramatically splashing into the water below. I also saw a turtle, but it dipped under the water before I could identify it.

We drove for a ways longer and got to our place for the night: The Crystal Paradise Ecolodge. This place is rustic but gorgeous, as it is right in the middle of the forest. There is a chorus of frogs, insects, and birds coming from all around. We walked down to the nearby river and saw a hummingbird and a large, brown butterfly which were very cool too.

I am excited for where tomorrow will take us and should get to bed soon, as we have another early wakeup. Next update is about Mayan ruins, Las Cuevas Research Station, and more dense rainforest! Talk to you then!

Claire C