A Pineapple a Day and a Cacophony of Dogs

After an uneventful flight to Seattle and afterwards an overnight in Dallas Fort Worth Texas, we were almost denied boarding our flight to Belize. American Airlines seemed to think that Visas were necessary. Luckily after what seemed like ages, we were issued our tickets and on our way. Prior to that while we were standing at the ticket desk, I was psyching myself to think that the hotel we stayed at wasn't that bad to return for another evening despite the freezing temperature. The microwaved egg sandwiches in the lobby restaurant were even okay.

As we flew over the jungle of Belize, my first impression was that of amazement. Lush green trees that seemed to go on forever were the palate of the landscape from up above. Belize City doesn't really seem like I city...... I have been told that there are three traffic lights but have yet to see any. We are staying in the Diocese Guest House which is situated one building away from the Caribbean Sea. The weather is hot and humid for us but apparently the locals are telling us this is not hot.

Bordered to the north by Mexico and to the west and south by Guatemala, Belize has the largest barrier reef in the Western Hemisphere. The country is relatively small with a population of 275,000. The largest ethnic group is Creole.....descendants of British Settler and African slaves. The majority of Creoles reside in Belize City. Half of the population is Mestizo which is a mix of Spanish and Native American heritage. The Garifuna represent another large ethnic segment of African slaves and the Carib and Arawak Indians. There are also Mennonites, Belizean and ancient Mayans.

One could say that walking through Belize City stimulates all senses. There is definitely a Caribbean flavour to this Central American country. Walking in the streets of Belize, one must continually gaze down at the haphazardly edged sidewalks. The city has been a hotspot in the country for serious crime and yesterday this was in the headlines http://edition.channel5belize.com/?p=27643
Despite the dangers that the citizens face, the people are warm and friendly. The intoxicating aroma of food from street vendors and restaurants are everywhere, as is noxious vehicle fumes and open sewers. We have been regular customers with Cordelia who sells mouth watering, fresh pineapple and have met Emmerson by the seawall next to our guest house. At first glance, Emmerson appeared to be a weathered older man riding a bike but when he stopped to carve his piece of mahogany wood with his machete next to where we were sitting (yes we had that thought too), we soon found out he was our age. Andy was playing his guitar and the waters had few lights in the port after the cruise ships left.

The staff at the Anglican Diocese in Belize City have been incredibly helpful and supportive. Cecile (who is the Bishop's secretary) took us out for a seafood lunch yesterday. Today the Bishop took us out for a beautiful lunch that included grilled conch. Tomorrow the Bishop will be taking us to the Cayo district which is close to the Guatemala border. Joe took us to the Belize zoo today which houses the endangered species of Belize. What an afternoon!

My last impression of Belize City was tonight on our way home from the Supermarket. A ramshackle house was getting moved and while it slowly inched its way though the streets in the darkness, we noticed two men standing on the top of the moving house. One man in rubber boots would lift the sagging power lines with a 1x4 wooden stick, while the other man would push down on the metal roofing to allow the house to proceed. People congregated everywhere to watch the spectacle.

We will travel to Corozal on Friday morning to see the parish we will be serving in. St. Paul by the Sea we are told is a gorgeous location and is eight miles from the Mexican border.

One last comment is that of the dog residents in the city. Dogs roam freely in the city so today on my morning seawall walk, I was surprised to see a dog owner walking his dog on a leash. My surprise turned to that of shock. While holding onto the leash, the owner threw his dog into the sea. Maybe this is a new thing........express dog wash! While I write this, the nightly cacophony of dogs barking, rings in my ears. Our resident dogs, Lassie and Rambo live in the yard of the Diocese Guest House. They are quite the characters but I am starting to think they are nocturnal.