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Here we are back in sunny Belize. We've been in Placencia a few days and it's so relaxed and beautiful. We've just been hanging out at our cabana and sipping Cocolocos by the sea.
The Chichi markets were good, lots of textiles and local handicrafts, I don't think Chris has ever done as much shopping in his life! Lucy's bartering skills (inherited from big John no doubt) came in handy and we went home with a few bargains to say the least!
After Panajachel we sailed across lake Atitlan to the hippy hang out of San Marcos where it's possible to align your Chakras and practice meditation. There's also a one month Yoga course which includes a week of silence at the end. Chris wanted to sign Lucy up for this but the course was full!
The lake was one of the most magical places we'd ever been to, you can see from the photos why the Mayans thought it had mystical properties. One day we Kayaked around the shore and went swimming in the refreshing water.
Upon leaving the serenity of the lake we went back to the hussle and bussle of Antigua with it's pretty cobbled streets and old colonial buildings. We met up with Lucy's friend Jenny who's studying out there and hit the town.
A major highlight of our trip was visiting the Pacaya Volcano. It was amazing, trekking over the cooled lava rivers up to the 300m from the crater rim. We saw it erupting which is very rare and were able to get up close to the boiling lava. We toasted marshmallows on it and saw some people cooking hot dogs too. It was amazing.
After Antigua we had a mission and a half of a journey over to Belize. We left at 7am on a tour bus bound for Puerto Barrios. After one change in Guatemala city we were on a direct luxury bus which came with cumfy chairs, movies in English and complimentary water, it was great.
Upon arriving in Puerto Barrios we promptly jumped in a cab to our hotel as the town was a typically rough boarder port town and we feared for our lives!
When we arrived at the hotel it looked like a cross between Faulty towers and the house in the Shining. It had an eery deserted feel to it and the wooden beams, floors and walls were all warped out of shape.
After booking our boat to leave the next morning we confined ourselves to a night on Gin Rummy in the hotel room.
The boat ride to Belize the next day was bumpy to say the least but it was all worth it when we stepped off the boat in the sleep village of Punta Gorda. You can tell when you're in Belize as the customs officials drawl 'ya got anyting to declair? No? You caan go den' and the words 'right now' mean some time in the not too distant future.
We'll be leaving for Dangriga and Glover's Atol tomorrow and won't have any form of communication for a week, what bliss!
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