OK, just one more!

Arron at the bar in the Cantina.

Saturday May 10, 2014

Jackie and I got up early to take our gear down to the cantina.  We need to leave about 7am.  Normally we have breakfast at 8am, so I figured we would get a little snack to send us on our way.  Wrong!  Arron got up early and cooked us a wonderful breakfast at 6:30!  Final goodbyes, then we loaded up and left.  Our final drive out the 8 miles of gravel road. 

Giovanni, our personal guide.  He is amazing (and cute!!)

Stacy, Arron and Jackie

Stacy, Gio and Jackie

Jackie with all the ladies

As we were bouncing along… something way up in a tree caught my eye… toucans!!!  (the fruit loop kind!!).  I got a couple of decent photos, even though they were really far away.  (Thanks camera!)

The toucan that I saw from a great distance.  (Thanks for great telephoto).  This is the Keel Billed Toucan (or the Fruit Loop bird!).  It is the national bird of Belize.

We drove through San Ignacio and onto the highway.  There was a special annual Mother’s Day bike ride taking place.  We were behind the group for a while, then got a police escort to go around.  Next stop:  the Belize City Zoo!

Welcome to the best little zoo in the world! 

White tailed deer.  Note the different looking antlers.  This is because the antlers we are used to seeing would get caught in trees and bushes.  So they have adapted these antlers that they can still use for sparring.

Spider monkey

The Belize Zoo and Tropical Education Center was started in 1983, as a last ditch effort to provide a home for a collection of wild animals which had been used in making documentary films about tropical forests.  Shortly after the backyard "zoo" began, it was quickly realized that its Belizean visitors were unfamiliar with the different species of wildlife which shared their country. This very aspect fomented the commitment to develop the little zoo into a dynamic wildlife education center.

The Keel Billed Toucan, up close.  Beautiful colors!

The other toucan

Today, The Belize Zoo and Tropical Education Center is settled upon 29 acres of tropical savanna and exhibits over 150 animals, representing over 45 species, all native to Belize. The zoo keeps animals which were orphaned, rescued, born at the zoo, rehabilitated animals, or sent to The Belize Zoo as donations from other zoological institutions.

 

Blue Crown Mot Mot.  Another beautiful bird, we did not see him in the wild.

Howler monkey

A visit to the zoo is the best way to get an introduction to the animals of Belize, and to understand why it is important to protect the habitats that sustain them.   The Belize Zoo and Tropical Education Center believes that by bringing the people of Belize closer to the animals which are their natural heritage, they will feel proud of these special resources, and want to protect them for future generations.

This is a very nice little facility, in a natural setting, allowing us to see native animals.  It was definitely worth the visit.

Then, off to the airport, got caught behind the bicyclists again!  We were planning to be to the airport about 2 hours before our flight, but didn’t get there until 90 minutes prior, oops!  And the line was looooooong!  I was afraid we were going to miss our flight, but we were assured that we would be fine.  And we were…. Just barely!  They were calling our names!

Anyway, pretty uneventful flight home.  Got into SeaTac, gorgeous weather for the drive home.  Got home about 1:30am.  Unloaded the car… and took the dogs to the beach!  LOL!!!  I knew they would want to go in a couple of hours anyway, so I headed them off at the pass!  Afterwards, took a much appreciated shower and went to bed. 

Another wonderful trip is over.  Until next time…