Belize Day 4

I've really got to get the rest of this trip documented, because other parts of my life are happening, but I feel like I can't write about them until I get this trip finished.

This day we checked out of the Lodge and planned to head to the beach. Suzy suggested that we stop by one of the local hotels where they raised iguanas. So on our way out of town we stopped, and I'm so glad that we did. The tour guide explained to us that often iguanas in the area are hunted and eaten, and their numbers in the wild were declining so at the hotel they had started a conservation project where they raise iguanas and then release them into the wild.

He took us into the first enclosure that housed several adult iguanas. He explained that these iguanas would never be released because they were too tame. This was very evident as they lumbered right over to us and ate out of our hands. The kids thought they were so great, and really enjoyed feeding, petting, and chatting with the big reptiles. 

Next we were taken to another enclosure that housed the baby iguanas. Before we even knew what was happening the guide started pulling these smaller iguanas off of branches and putting them all over us.

The kids really thought this was great, I couldn't believe that at least one of them didn't freak out when they had lizards crawling all over them. Shane later told me that visiting with the iguanas was one of this favorite parts of the trip.

After we were done with the iguanas we headed out of town. On our way out I snapped this picture of the one way bridge that we almost crossed going the wrong way the day before.

On our way to the beach we stopped at the zoo. We had heard a lot of good things about the zoo, but I have to say it was probably one of our least favorite attractions. Most of the enclosures were so full of plants and trees that the animals were impossible to see. We did see a few though and especially enjoyed the tapir that wanted to give the kids kisses through the fence.

After the zoo we continued on our journey. I decided we would take the coastal highway, which I had read was a dirt road, but a good dirt road. Calling it good was being fairly generous. While we were driving along we were talking about our vacation so far and in response to something Shane had said, I said, "We're not that adventurous." It was quiet for a minute and then Shane laughed and said, "If I kept a journal that is something I would write down, we're driving down this crazy, rough dirt road in Belize, no signs of civilization, have maybe passed four other cars in the last hour, and Nicole says, 'we're not that adventurous." Then I laughed too, because he was right, we really were on an adventure.

When we finally arrived at the resort we were relieved. The kids immediately wanted to get in the water. I don't have a ton of pictures from the pool and the beach, because most of the time I was in the water with them, but rest assured in the next few days we would log plenty of time in the pool and nearby beach, it was the kids favorite thing.