Day 3

Day 3: January 1, 2019

               The morning after we rang in the New Year on the beach in Placencia, our wonderful adventures continued. As we woke up and began packing our bags a knock on the door reminded us not to be late to our breakfast at the Cozy Corner. This beautiful restaurant laid right on the edge of the beach on the tiny village we stayed the night on. A large deck held many wooden tables, there was fresh fruit on our plates and waves crashing in the background of quiet conversation. We ate an amazing breakfast, including some of the best banana pancakes our professor and students have ever had.

It was time to head to our next destination, Punta Gorda. The journey there was just as bumpy as the journey onto the peninsula but also just as breathtakingly beautiful. After dropping off our luggage at the hotel we were heading to the lunch spot our guides had chosen for us that day. On the short way over we were stopped in our tracks at the sight of about a dozen people dressed up in the most colorful clothing and rather strange-looking masks, our tour guide explaining that they were traditional Garifuna Dancers. We hurried out of our van as quick as possible, a small rain shower quickly following behind us. After finding shelter on a building’s front porch, the dancers showed us their quick and intricate footsteps while other men played the drums or chanted out words that tagged along to the beat in their native language. Although this was an unexpected surprise to our trip, it is one that all of us will never forget. 

We then arrived at Marian’s Bayview for lunch. We were greeted with cases of concrete stairs that felt unusual, however we continued up. Once we reached the kitchen and dining area, we met the lovely Marian. She told us all about how she has loved cooking for many years, and how she only makes food that is natural and that you cannot buy in stores. She offered us this amazing meal with chicken, fish, shrimp, and all types of rice and vegetables. Her husband gave us a delicious lime juice that a few of us have gone crazy for ever since. This woman and her husband were so kind and giving, her hospitality and love we will always remember. 

To continue this amazing day, we arrived at a farm in the beautiful Punta Gorda, we met Roy, a farmer/university administrator. He explained that his village and people have a large amount of land that anyone from their people could lease and use to grow life and give back to the community. He explained that there is a board of trustees for their land and some of the rules that are in place for the farmers. One of them really caught us in by surprise, any farmer with land cannot sell it but pass it down to another in their community. After this quick introduction to his farm we were able to spend close to 2 hours exploring his land by foot, learning about all the different plants. We drank from a coconut directly off a tree and sucked on sugar cane that was macheted into pieces for us. Roy showed so much pride and passion for his farm, getting the privilege to share that with him was priceless. 

                  After a very long day, we showered, rested, and then headed down to ASHA’s for dinner. With a beautiful view of the sea we sat and talked about our trip and what we were most excited about coming up in our trip. This day was a mix of culture, love, and passion that you cannot read about in a textbook. We were in it, we got to feel it, the people’s faces we met will forever be engraved in our hearts.

Best from Belize,

Amanda N. Sandoval