Bruce hunts for the Summer Tanager bird while at the Lubaantun ruins.
After waking up and having a hurried breakfast, we said goodbye to Blue Creek and started the trek to South Water Caye. To break up the bus ride, we had a stop for a brief geology lecture, courtesy of Bruce. We hunted through the debris on the side of the road, and managed to find fossils of shells and coral, adding excitement to the bus ride.
To add a cultural excursion to the day, we stopped for a tour of the Lubaantun ruins. Peter enlightened us about the general history of the location, while frequently halting his lesson with bird watching interludes. Lubaantun (meaning Place of the Fallen Stones) is a Maya site located in Southern Belize, in the Toledo district. The center flourished during the Classic era (AD 730s – AD 890) and was entirely abandoned afterward, making it one of the most short-lived Maya sites. Lubaantun is known for the many ceramic objects that have been found there, including ritual pieces and charm stones. The site is most famous for the discovery of the crystal skull and the controversy that surrounds it. The theories and allegations surrounding its discovery are too numerous to go into detail; however, it definitely adds a certain allure to a site where mortar was used in this architectural style already makes it an intriguing place for archaeologists.
We then furthered our immersion into the cultures of the region with a traditional Garifuna lunch at a restaurant where we were able to experience Garifuna food and dance up close and personal. This proved to be entertaining for a variety of reasons largely concerned with our group’s dance skills and the realization of our potential for making a run on Dancing With the Stars.
However, we had to hit the road again and eventually reached the city of Dangriga and two boats that took us on our promised and long-awaited ride out to the Caye where we were greeted by a salty ocean breeze and sand between our toes. This was quickly followed by a mad dash of students into the ocean (keeping an eye out for yellow stingrays, of course) which was a fitting way to kick off our stay here at South Water Caye.
After a day of travel, the extraordinary views of South Water Caye were extremely appreciated.
– Sam and Tom
(Dream Team)