Water sports

Other creatures

Sunset Cruise and Private Dinner

Give me a break, Apple health. I’m on vacation

The travelers

We are here to celebrate Chris’s birthday. Of course,  Mike is wearing his favorite Traveler’s shirt that was recently altered.  

Snorkeling on Glover’s Reef

  

We finally got a wind free morning and took a boat out to go snorkeling on a nearby coral reef.  The water was very clear and the snorkeling was pretty good only Matt and Grandpa Mike went in, while others enjoyed the sea breeze for 44 minutes. Unfortunately, they were in the water for 45 minutes so there was less enjoyment for the final minute.  

The spotted eagle ray photo was from the dock, but they saw rays, barracuda, lobsters, triggerfish, parrotfish, needlefish and many others when snorkeling 

Birding with Midge

     

At many resorts, we get to know the bartender well.   The same is true here, but for a much different reason.  He’s also the bird guide!!!

We didn’t come here to go birding, nor to drink as much as our younger selves.  However, we brought binoculars and the small camera for some casual birding.

There aren’t any Belizean exotics here, but there are a few migrating birds   

Of course, there are frigates, and the laughing gull was good to see.  Weirdly, a rare Bird alert email tells me that both were in Long Beach while we were down here.

The most unusual find was a red-breasted Merganser, which don’t usually migrate this far south, but stop at the Yucatán Peninsula In Mexico. 

We saw a few East Coast warblers , including an American red start and a northern Parula.  There was also an indigo bunting and a spotted sandpiper 

Finally, we saw some of our favorites from home, including a ruddy turnstone and a yellow-crowned night heron. 

The next day, a yellow-bellied sapsucker was outside our room.

Morning execrcise

Back to the basics

There’s nothing like floating in the Caribbean.

Grandma’s Island: a different sort of vacation

Arriving at Manta Island

We took a helicopter out to to Manta Island.   All the other guests were arriving by boat, so we had the island to ourselves for half a day.

Back to Belize.

We are heading to Belize for Chris’s 65th birthday. This is also the 25th anniversary of her 40th birthday, which is when we started taking vacations to celebrate major birthdays. This time, we are grandparents and what could be better than bringing your daughter, son-in-law and and grandchild with you.   

Of course, we packed early in the week, but decided to rearrange everything at the last minute.

Back to Work

The Helicopter came for us

The staff bid us farewell

The ride was smooth

We passed over some manatees and the pilot circled so we could get a good view.

Check in went smooth

At the airport, we were reminded why we like Belize

Frosé

Mike has become obsessed with frosé
 (frozen rosé).  Here's our recipe on vacation.

Rosé wine

Cranberry juice for color

Splenda

Coconut vodka - because coconut vodka makes anything and everything better

Put it in a few empty plastic water bottles

Put in freezer and wait a few days

Cut the bottom off the water bottles and squeeze out.

Other Birds

We really didn't come to this part of Belize for birds, but some were nearby.

White-winged Dove sitting on two chicks 

Plover

Royal Terns (remind us of George Castanza)

Tropical Kingbird 

Eastern Kingbird

Somebody please stir my coffee

I'm having a do nothing day.

Picnic lunch

Cayo Espanto excels at spoiling people.  We arranged a picnic lunch on a remote beach.

When we arrived, everything was set up.  They even made some strawberry lemonade at Chris's request which goes perfect with coconut vodka.

We sat down for lunch, and then rearrange the furniture a bit.

Mike went for a swim and Chris stayed behind dreaming of clorine.

Fishing in Belize

Some come to Belize to fish. We like to watch others fish.

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Favorite outdoor shower yet

We have stayed at many nice places with outdoor baths and showers. Chris is now ranking the outdoor shower in the Ventanas over water villa as her favorite - and here's why. No millipedes, no lizards, no bugs at all; open and breezy yet just the right temp; sea below and sky above; lovely bath products; large enough to also double as a drying spot for towels, suits, and water shoes. Just be sure to keep the lights off at night or the shutters turned down for the occasional water taxi going past. Mike may have a different opinion - but I haven't heard any complaints from him like I did about cold water in the first class shower lounge in fiji!