6-29-2017 Surprise Party for Ratka

Today was our friend Ratka's birthday, and her partner Byron arranged a really beautiful surprise party for her.

The picture didn't turn out so clear, but you can tell she's surprised. Ratka is on the left, but it was also the birthday of her
visiting friend, Jelena (on the right, that's Byron in the middle).

The view of the wet grass Savannah from the palapa deck upstairs.

A friend's daughter hanging out with Maggie, the host Chris' dog.

Byron making a lovely toast to the two birthday girls.

Byron (chef/manager at Barracuda Bar & Grill/Beaches & Dreams Resort) made a feast for
everyone.

It was a fantastic evening filled with great friends, food and conversation. What fun!

6-25-2017 Another Mango Fest

We and several friends from Hopkins went to a private party that the host, Alan (in the white shirt) calls Mango Fest.

He has an incredible solar powered house.

And beautiful views.

Pam loved this chaise lounge with the hat because it looked like something from the movies.

There were several games involved, including, but not limited to pool (billiards), a coconut toss, and a golf chipping contest.

The players were trying to get closest to marked trees and posts on the way out and back.

Players finding their balls for the return.

The final goal was to hit the ball into a doorway at the base of the stairs (directly beneath the woman to the right).

Handing out the prizes for the games.

There were loads of mango trees on the property, giving us fresh mangoes at the party, and we
were allowed to take home some of what he called the commercial #31 mangoes. Yummmm!
Thank you for everything, Alan.

We saw lots of birds on the drive home. This looked like some kind of hawk.

We also saw a Collared aracari, a type of toucan. It looks red and black, with a long beak, almost in the center of the photo.

6-20-2017 Deedra Departs

It was time for Cara's mother to leave, so we took the ferry back to the mainland and had to stop for a photo opp at the new
BELIZE sign by the lighthouse in Belize City.

Across the street is a cute little park.

Nearby is the Baron Bliss tomb and lighthouse.

The tomb of Baron Bliss

Baron Bliss left a fortune to Belize (then known as British Honduras) in the form of a trust, and only the interest can be spent
to help the people. There is an annual regatta and national holiday in his honor.

We had a great visit, but all good things must come to an end.

6-19-2017 Exploring Caye Caulker

In the morning we picked up a golf cart from Buddy's Golf Cart Rentals and began our tour of the island.

We first took Cara's mother to see the seahorses at Iguana Reef Inn.

They have created a seahorse habitat off of their dock/beach area.

They can be hard to see at first. There is a seahorse just left of center in this photo.

Once you see one it's much easier to see others.

Still, they don't photograph terribly well with our phone cameras.

We continued south on the residential road. You can't really get past the airstrip, but the island widens in this area, and there
is a lot of land that is being cleared and filled and put up for sale.

An iguana watched us from a construction site.

We went back to the main street and stopped for lunch at the Sub Stop. When we were here in April it was called Sub Away
and looked remarkably like a U.S. chain restaurant, but for obvious reasons he changed the name and created a new menu.

They have picnic tables and this nice seating area overlooking the beach.

In driving around we encountered these two male iguanas fighting in the middle of the street. 

A guy said he had been watching them for at least fifteen minutes. We watched for another five, then drove on. Neither
seemed to have the upper hand, so it was going to be a matter of which one got exhausted and gave up first.

A cute anole with a colorful backdrop.

We returned the cart and went back to the hotel to chill on the rooftop deck, read books, take naps, etc.

The view from the rooftop deck...

We considered other places to eat, which were closed, so we ended up back at Bambooze for dinner. They have good,
affordable food, though, as well as shelter from the rain that came later, so we were happy. This is Cara's "Avocado Lunch
Bowl". Cara is thrilled that it's avocado season again!

Deedra's fish filet kebab with salad and baked potato

Erics Mango Tango fish filet with baked potato and stew beans