This was my weekend off from all responsibilities, so I felt
like kicking back and taking it easy. All day on Saturday all I felt like doing
was hanging out by the pool, exploring town and looking for souvenirs. At about
5pm my TA came up to us and told us about a fiesta they were having in Benque,
a border-town about twenty minutes away. Granted it didn’t take long to
convince me to go, and what a blast we had! We only really stayed for the
daylight portion of the fiesta, which was set up like a carnival: there were
rides, carnival games, free beer (because we knew the locals), and dozens of
food stands that all smelled really good. It was fun to party with the locals,
and we all must have felt really adventurous that day since we tried some of
the sketchiest rides I’ve ever come across (Ferris wheels made from tractors
that change speed when switching gear, metal contraptions that spin in all
directions especially those that are upside-down, etc.). The fiesta was also a
great opportunity to try a new Belizean meal, although I must admit I am not a
fan of whatever it was we ate … but the beer sure was tasty :P.
Graffiti we saw on the way to the Fiesta... It says "Creativity costs less than Alcohol."
La Fiesta.
Sunday morning we all got up real early to go horseback
riding! The Mountain Equestrian Trail (or MET for short) was about a six-hour
trail ride, with a break at Big Rock Falls to go swimming. The view was
spectacular – we cantered passed the mountainside, through the woods, across
streams, and even galloped alongside a dirt road. I was really excited to go
galloping, especially since I never went that fast before… and trust me it’s
pretty fast! Stopping at the waterfall was the perfect way to cool down after
such a long ride. Swimming against the rapids may have been challenging, but
the reward was so worth it (how many people can say they have jumped into a
falling waterfall??) There were a bunch of rocks to climb too, some of which
were eighty feet above the water and were perfect places to jump from! The
guides even provided a hearty lunch filled with chicken, beans, and tortillas
for us to enjoy while watching the falls. All in all, the trip was amazing and
we had a lot of fun doing it. Anybody that travels to San Ignacio and decides
to skip out on this tour is really missing out.
Riding through the woods.
Look at those rolling hills....
I'm on a horse!
Amazing view of the sky.
In front of Big Rock Falls.
Since this blog is not all that long, I have decided to
include a couple more pictures for you all to enjoy:
Dragon fruit!
Shadow, one of the local stray dogs...she isn't all that nice to many of the other dogs.
Martina <3
Martina's boyfriend, "Fighter" - he gave us all fleas. :/ (but we loved him anyway)
These guys could be found EVERYWHERE.
According to local customs, graves were built aboveground it seems.
Can’t wait to start my Veterinary classes tomorrow!
~Bill
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