Belize Walkabout: 2013

Sunday, December 29, 2013

Thursday, August 22, 2013

A little diversion...

Hey friends and travelers. I had to got to Belize City for a little business, so I'll share a few details on the budget hotels I stayed and some wanderings on the way back. I tried a budget hotel in the City I had not been to before, but didn't get any internal pictures.

When I travel lone I don't care about any frills. I care about 3 things, price, clean, and secure parking. the Golden Tree on Coney Road gave me all three. Conveniently located by the medical centers, dentists, ITVet and close to Northern Hwy, it was a good location. They had rooms with king bed, some with jacuzzi tubs, ranging around $150 (all prices BZ dollars). I got a basic room with double bed, AC, TV private bath for $70. On yes, included a continental breakfast. Took some haggling but that is part of the fun.

The parking area in enclosed as you can see. That's high priority to me in the City. So i was happy with the deal, but of course budget hotels are not for everybody.

Finished my business and headed north and then cut over on the Barrel Boom Road. Turned north by the Boom since I had not been up that way yet.

The Burrell Boom area was pretty quite so I stopped by the El Chiclero Inn Just to see what's going on. I met Otho and Mary Faulner, the proprietors there. Super helpful and friendly. had a nice chat for an hour or more. I'd like to o back and get some of the knowledge out of their heads. Having been here close to 40 years they must have some cool stories and I only had time to scratch the surface with them.

Anybody know what these are? Got a nice chat about what these were used for...

So I left the Faulkners and took a walk up to Flowers Bank. Another nice little Village and had some good chats with some new friends there. I had thought I may be able to find a way to get to Valley Of Peace through the forests, but it was getting dark and really would need more time plus probably a good guide as there are only trails that go west from there.

NICH has done a good job documenting some of the facts of Flower's Bank. I'd like to learn more about these people listed below and maybe take a dorrie ride down the river to Belize City sometime.

Some interesting details of means of employment back in the day and current industries.

I may need some horses if I'm going to get north and west from there.

I had to go back to the Boom and then up Western Hw to get to Belmopan. the National Achieves turned out to be a treasure of some information I was looking for. While looking for some immigration and migration documents, I came across a Land Deed where some people bought huge tracks of land for $1.17 US per acre.

Some back road areas off the Hummingbird. Mennonite community.

I found some nice trails back near and in the Sibun Forest Reserve area.

Some trails leading to some old encampments.

This was an enjoyable walk. Some of the areas can get a bit overgrown.

Blocking the trail. I went over it, but full of thorny branches.

Well that's all for now folks!

Sunday, August 11, 2013

Birds on a Wire

Living in a bit back-a-bush rain is normally a welcome thing. We have electricity bu no running water so rely on rain water for household stuff like showers, dishes, cleaning, and irrigation. When the water gone it gets tough.

Been raining all morning which is excellant for my new crops and to fill my cisterns. And the "Birds on the Wire" let me know more is coming this way!

Birds on a wire tell me more rain is a'comin