Sunrises aren't pretty without pollution

So I'm in Mexico, joined by my loving brother and doting father. We went out for dinner last night and Thai food in a Mexican restaurant while listening to a folk/jazz singer named Cooker John (I bought his cd...look him up). Now my brother is attempting to learn how to snorkel in the condo pool (I've never understood the appeal of a pool two feet from the warm Caribbean sea) with a mask that's too big for him. But anyway...

Belize was lovely! We spent a day in Corozal a border town to Mexico. We stayed at Seabreeze, a "budget" hotel run by a Welsh man named Gwyn (I love names without vowels), who appears to only tolerate people's presence for the sole purpose of subtly mocking them. This is not to say that he is an angry man, au contrare, he was a highly entertaining and socialable person.

Then we went by water taxi to a tiny fishing village called Sarteneja. We stayed at Fernando's Guesthouse. Then we went to the local restaurant and found that it was run by Fernando's sister (Toni) and her son (Tino). The Shipstern Nature Reserve nearby was fantastic and we had an awesome tour guide (Damien) who was friends with Tino. Essentially everyone we met in this village of 3,000 people was related in some way. Then when we took the plane to go to San Pedro (the party city) and Tino drives us out of town to a runway, where he proceeds to leave us saying if he doesn't see a plane in 30 minutes, he'll drive back to get us (pictures to come). The plane came.

After Sarteneja, San Pedro was very busy with golf carts and the occasional car whipping down the narrow streets. We visited one of my dad's old high school friends here. He went to Belize to work for a month on route to Malaysia and has now been there for 20 years. His family was so welcoming, not unlike everyone in Belize.

The last city we visited was Caye Caulker, which we were told was a much more laid back, friendly version of San Pedro, which it was. We rented a kayak and took it around the island, which took about 2 hours. It was amazing to be out there on the water and a lot of work getting around the whole island...who knew ocean currents were so strong. The next day we went snorkeling on the local reef (apparently the second largest after the Great Barrier). Our guide was possibly the sweetest person we met and definitely my favourite. His name was Carlos and he was from El Salvador, but had lived in Belize for most of his life. (if anyone reading this happens to go to Caye Caulker, say hi to him for me). He took us out and told us the names of all the fish and coral, then let us play with stingrays and go out on our own :S

Anyway, I left Belize with an awkward tan/burn and the knowledge that nothing is actually made in Belize, it's all brought in from Guatemala.

p.s. sorry mocha gurl, these are going to end up being long.