Random Weekend Excursion
08.02.2010
71 °F
So on Friday, everyone was going to the Belize Zoo for a class field trip. It seemed interesting and I didn't really have anything better to do, so I had planned on going. Then, Kalyn and D said they weren't going and were going to find another adventure. Since I didn't want to get a lecture while at the zoo, and I'm tired of walking around in a pack of 18 Americans, I decided to stay.
We did a little research and decided that we would try to go to Hopkins or Placencia in the South. It was already 4:00 so that didn't provide a lot of time for transit, but we were hopeful. We hopped on a bus for Belmopan and began our journey. The bus ride was uneventful and little sticky, but 45 minutes later we were at the Belmopan bus terminal. Luckily, we had arrived about 20 minutes before the last bus out to Dangriga, a town just north of Hopkins.
Belize is small country, about the size of Massachusetts and with a population similar to Vermont's so we ended up running into Bam. Bam teaches a school in San Ignacio and lives at the Tia Maria (where four of our number are staying). He is from the South and was going home for the weekend. We tried to solicit some advice from him, but Bam is a little shy and didn't end up being too helpful.
This bus ride was a little more interesting. It took place on an air conditioned bus (probably why it was $8bz). At Belizean bus terminals, you have to be aggressive with the line and try to get on early to get a good seat. Us dumb Americans politely waited and because of this we got the seats in the back right above the engine or something else hot. Our fronts were cold and our backs were sweating. Then there was an angry man speaking Kriol in front of us talking to his friend. Kriol being English based, we could pick up on certain parts of it and he was not pleased. He was essentially complaining about us and Galen students. This conversation was sparked by a Galen ad in the newspaper he was reading. He said he didn't like people coming in and telling them what to do with there land. I think there was also something about people getting educations and leaving the country. He also thought that the teachers sucked and they can't pass the quizzes they give their students. We decided to be backpackers from outside Vancouver if anyone asked.
Shortly before reaching Dangriga, Bam talked with us again and scared us shi*tless. He told us not to go to the beach, don't try to go to Hopkins, and basically to get a room and stay there. His warning coupled with an image I had from the movie City of God made me freaked out. I may or may not have been carrying my Swiss army knife in my hand. We sought out cheap accommodations and after checking a few places we discovered the Chalenor which ended up being $15bz a person ($7.50 US). After that we got some food and I had ice cream that had a very medical taste to it. After a few rounds of kings and fuck the dealer, we went to bed.
I have to go to breakfast now, but I'll continue with the second half later.
