Happy New Year's to you all. I am here in a bar in San Ignacio just back from a tour with Destiny Tours. We went to the Caracol ruins with our trusty guide Sergio. We fell into his knowing hands quite accidentally but most fortunately.Once we finalized payment (very affordable I might add) we agreed to meet up with him early on January 1. We drove in his trusty Isuzu down roads that I would never attempt even with my trusty Subaru. Sergio seemed to know the road like the back of his hand, missing every (almost) bump, hole and rock protrusion. He has been doing this tour, his favorite, for about 10 years. However he is from the south of Belize. As a certified guide he is a wealth of Mayan information.
There were 4 of us on the tour so Sergio was able to answer every possible question we had for him. The ruins have a mystery to them that sends the imagination racing once you drive 2 hours on the gravel and rutted road to get there. The ruins are dated to be in the classical era of the Mayan story characterized with one of the tallest man made structures in the whole of Belize. Sergio filled us in on the various theories offered by archaeologists about the ruins, religion, way of life, and even the ball courts. An added treat was the stop over at the Rio Ann cave on the way there and then on the return, a stop at the Rio Frio swimming hole. A very sweet swimming hole full of small cascades and ice cold crystal clear water in various pools scattered throughout that part of the river.
Sergio was also a wealth of information about the local flora and fauna. That was an added treat since I didn't have room in my suitcase for the huge book on MAYAN BIRDS. Once home, we realized all the shops and restaurants were closed for the holiday (we actually planned accordingly)so we had food heated in the room and I had Chinese shrimp and rice (chinese never close here evidently).
Impressions of San Ignacio, at own of about 35,000. The folks here are living in harmony with folks from all over the world. The culture and people represent blends from Mayan, Spanish, Lebanese, and Garifunga. They are most helpful with tourists and seem to understand when we absentmindedly walk in the road while admiring a particular site. Folks here are as nice or even nicer than folks in the south. Everyone passing you by says hello, good morning or as in today, Happy New Year.
