People, Places, and of course, The Food.

The People:  Our trip started with William, our shuttle driver who picked us up at the airport on Thursday and drove us to Parrot Nest Lodge.  During the 1 ½ hour drive, William introduced us to the local specialty of rice & beans, as well as the local Belekin beer, which we sampled on the way to the lodge.  William also picked up some local pineapple, which he said went perfectly with the Belekins.  He was right. 

Theo and Marcus run the lodge.  There we met Kelly and Lezlie, brother and sister from Texas, our first day.  A day later, we were joined by Dave and Sue, who run a bed and breakfast near Banff.  They all have been great company at ATM and over dinner and breakfast the last few days.

Places:  Parrot Nest Lodge in Bullet Tree Falls (about 3 miles from San Ignacio) is the perfect combination of rustic charm and modern day amenities.  Individual cabanas surround the main lodge, each tucked away just enough so you aren’t staring at the other guests as you’re lounging in your hammock on the deck, but you don’t feel isolated.  The surroundings are lush, and the toucans are as bright as the birds of paradise and other flowers lining the paths.  But we aren’t really roughing it – the cabanas have private bathrooms, showers, hot & cold water, and there is always a full pot of coffee (and a fridge full of beer) at the lodge.  The Mopan River runs behind the lodge, and inner tubes are free for guests to use for a lazy ride down the river.  Guests are greeted by four-legged hosts Nina and Puppy, and the three cats all take turns hopping in your chair the minute you get up for a fresh drink.  And, yes, there is a parrot at Parrot Nest Lodge, and she is a chatty one, although she has only one leg. 

The Food:  We’ve been spoiled.  On most of my travels I have avoided “hotel” food, and opted to go in to the local towns to sample what they have to offer.  Not here.  Dinner and breakfast at Parrot Nest is not to be missed.  Rice dishes, chicken, pork, shrimp curry…  local eggplant, squash and tomatoes…  oh, and the desserts!  Lemon pie, banana bread, homemade ice cream with brownies.   Breakfast?  Omelets, fruit, French toast, and today, pancakes!  Just. Fabulous.  We have had the local fare in San Ignacio and surrounding – breakfast papusas at the Saturday market, quesadillas, sopadas, burritos and tostadas.  Everything has been great.  Spices are used more for flavor than heat, but a bottle of local hot sauce sits on every table, just in case that’s your thing.  Fresh juices are widely available –  the watermelon juice is my current favorite.  And the local market has a good supply of rum and fruit juice that have become the staple of our pre-dinner cocktail hour.

And, the Belizean attitude…  mellow doesn’t begin to describe it.  Everything moves at a lazy pace.  A Saturday market that you can walk through without being accosted by every vendor.  Even when actually looking, it is such a soft sell.  The shops are the same – buy something, don’t buy something, whatever.  Our day today consisted of walking up the road for lunch, then about a 20 minute walk to throw our inner tubes in the water for a ½ hour float back to the lodge.  I think that’s a busy day for Belize.