2008 Daily Journal

Sunday, July 27, 2008

Yesterday, our evening ended at Nuuk Chil with a rich cultural experience. A Marimba band entertained us during a tamale dinner that included a traditional chicken soup called Escabeche. Ernesto, our host, delighted us with information about Mayan traditions, ceremonies and present day obstacles while children from the village danced the traditional Marimba and Rooster dances. Then we all joined them and danced the night away!

Our early morning bird hike began with seeing a Roadside Hawk on the fence outside of our cabins. We were also fortunate to see a Violet Sabrewing and a Little Hermit, two of Belize’s 21 hummingbird species. Our breakfasts at the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary and Jaguar Preserve have been wonderful. This morning, we assisted Rashede, the cook, with making homemade flour tortillas. The secret is the coconut milk and the hot iron pan, called a camal.

After breakfast we went on a three kilometer hike which took us to a beautiful waterfall. On the hike, Cindy and Liz spotted a family of Peccaries, brown gray mammals similar to pigs. We also saw Howler Monkeys high above us in the trees. Once we reached the waterfall, we enjoyed a refreshing swim and an invigorating massage from the falling waters.

When we returned from our hike, we packed up our gear and hopped in the vans, eager to reach the next stop on our adventure, South Water Caye.

July 27 Q & A

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