08.17 We have woken up at Chaleanor Hotel here in Dangriga, Belize. The temperature is 106 degrees in Dallas today. That temperature is in Fahrenheit and not Celsius. This information reached us via the TV in our cool, comfortable room. It is quite hot here in the Dangriga as well. We are about to head out in the warm weather.

08.42 We are about to have some brunch here at the Riverside Cafe. The waitress here didn’t have a sunny face. It does not matter. We have enough sun outdoors. Caribbean tones sound through the speakers. We saw some gentlemen outside the café. They were talking about tobacco and asked if we wanted some. We said thanks but no thanks.

09.35 This was a perfect start. We were served two slices of bread with cheese, ham and tomatoes in between and coffee, lime juice and mixed fresh fruit. We are about to cool down and pack it down before we unpacked.

10.02 I guess it is appropriate to tell some about the country we are in. Belize was former called British Honduras and the people here have more in common with the Caribbean than the rest of Central America. They speak both Spanish and English in the country. Along the coast live descendants of African slaves. Further inland you can find Maya people. It does not live more than 300 000 inhabitants in the country that is about as big as half of Denmark. The British got this area as they promised to build a railway from here and to Guatemala. The railroad was never built and the maps in Guatemala still consider Belize as a part of Guatemala.

A small church in Dangriga.

Saturday morning in Dangriga.

Here is the home of our hotel´s closest neighbours.

10.12 Christer has called home to Sweden to congratulate his sister on her birthday. Now it's about time for us to leave this beautiful place and expose us to the cruel tropical sun that fries from a clear blue sky.

10.36 At the checkout, we met the hotel's owner, Chad. He spoke about the hotel's name which is an amalgamation of his and his wife, Eleanor, name. Chad plus Eleanor equals Chaleanor. He thanked for our stay here. Now we will head for the bus terminal.

10.51 Murmurs from children and the sound of bird singing can be heard here at the bus station. Now one of the children started to cry. Outside the station building a taxi driver asked about Belize City and Christer replied, no. The next question, Placencia, was very vague and sounded like Spanish, Christer replied, Si. It feels a little strange but very nice that taxi drivers want to help and show us to the right bus, instead of asking about a taxi trip.

10.59 Today's transport has arrived. A light blue bus from the company's Richie has arrived and we have boarded it. There is a pressing heat in the bus and sweaty people with diverse foods as snacks have boarded. A pleasant event took place precisely. One of the bus station staff came into the bus with a stuffed animal that had been left inside in the waiting area.

11.56 The bus that we and the other occupants are traveling with is heading south through a dry, flat landscape. The soil is reddish. The vegetation consists of small trees/shrubs, narrow and long needle trees and sometimes banana plantations. If you do not want to ride anymore you just shout or pound on the bus roof. We will go to the final terminus so we sit quietly in our seats.

12.27 As usual in Belize, it is a good atmosphere on the bus. An elderly gentleman in a baseball cap and with graying hair has along with a few friends provided some entertainment. They have spoken, shouted and laughed out loud. They have also drunk from two bottles. One of the bottles contained a clear liquid. A pickup truck with beer commercial just drew passed us.

12.58 The party man got off a few stops before your destination. We have left the bus as well and we can see the ocean. We have for some time been running on a headland. Now we have come to Placencia. Here we plan to stay until Monday.

The Tatch Restaurant is located behind our hotel. Christer ordered the last portion of the dish mentioned here.

Seaspray Hotel, Placencia.

The trail through the sand and houses in Placencia village.

13.22 There was a brief and warm walk along a concrete path that took us along the sandy beach. Now we have checked in to room 4 at Seaspray Hotel (http://www.seasprayhotel.com). We stay near the sea and we are about to enjoy this to the fullest. Most of the houses here are built of wood and painted in various pastel colours.

14.24 We have bought postcards and stamps. Now we have sat ourselves dwon at the restaurant De Tatch (http://www.seasprayhotel.com/deTatch/index.html). The restaurant is located between our home and the beach it is actually on the beach. Christer has ordered the lunch special, Kingfish and I'll take a cheeseburger. My choice was because that Christer ordered the last portion and also due to my fish allergy.

14.54 A man on a bike arrived during the lunch. He said "Seafood" and went to the two ladies at a table further away. Just now the ladies, "Bye Perry" to a gentleman who left and Perry wished them a pleasant evening. The loudspeakers play "Hotel California". I wonder if they will play that beautiful guitar solo.

15.43 They did play it, just some was cut off. Now we have walked along the sidewalk, concrete path. We have sat down for black coffee and shade at Bosun's Chair.

Colourful signs point the way in Placencia.

Belize has its own way of speaking English.

Beautiful flowers enjoying the sun.

The fishing pier in Placencia.

We look out on the Caribbean Sea.

16.44 We have seen more of our little hometown by the sea. We have been at the food store Ming's and purchased drinks. We are thirsty but not as desperate for fluids as we were yesterday. It is as usual in this part of the world a store run by Chinese.

17.36 After we have cooled us down both inside and out, we are back outside. We have sat down in separate mint green beach chairs. We have brought with us something to read. The sea rolls in just a few meters away.

18.46 Now we have given up the beach reading. An irregular, pulsating light appears from a cloud from in the distance. The waves roll more rhythmic now.

19.26 Today, the evening meal was served by someone here at the restaurant Wendy's (http://www.wendyscuisine.com). We have sat down at the patio.

21.03 The meal ended and a short rain briefly passed. Usually a rain clear the air but this was too short. It was more like water on a heater bringing more humidity. Now we are at home and calm down.

Peter writes down his observations before darkness descends over Placencia.

22.12 Yet another rain has passed. We listen to the radio a bit and remember events from our own schooldays. Tomorrow there will be no wake up call. This is what they call holiday!

22.43 We kept on listening Christer's radio. The channel calls itself the new Radio Ya. We're trying to figure out where it is based. However, it is a bit difficult to find out. There is some disturbance and they are not so keen to promote themselves. Outside the thunder rumbles on.

AFTERWORDS: The radio station Nuevo Radio Ya broadcasts from Managua, Nicaragua.

Sunday 7th of August

09.00 It's nice to have a sleep in. It is cloudy outside and the night's thunderstorms have moved on. The night was warm and it probably would have been worse had it not been for the floor-based fan.

10.01 It is windy here at De Tatch. We have ordered breakfast. There will be pancakes, a "gallon" of coffee each and a large fruit platter. One gallon of coffee is simply a large mug of coffee.

10.49 There is no wind in the room. The breakfast was delicious, coffee, pancakes, butter, honey and, above all, a hollowed-out pineapple with portions of watermelon, banana and pineapple, topped with shredded coconut, a perfect start on the day! Now we are going to the beach.

Peter is enjoying an excellent breakfast.

Beach life in Placencia.

11.49 I have 30 pages left in the book Mass by Jack Fuller. Next I'll do what Christer just have done. I'm going to take me for a swim in the ocean, the warm sand heats up the soles of the feet. Christer just resumed the reading of The Complaints by Ian Rankin.

12.47 It was a necessary move. We have retreated from the sand and the beach. The white skin had started to get a pink touch. How had it been like if we had not added sun lotion first? Now sand and salt is about to get washed away.

13.56 It's nice and cool at Wendy's. They offer lunch. We have returned to yesterday's dinner place. The truth was that we had great difficulty finding a place for lunch this Sunday. I have ordered a rum and Coke. It stands in front of me with; ice, a slice of lime and two straws in it.

A sign with a special message.

Barefoot Bar, Placencia.

15.28 The food, burrito and fajitas were tasty. Our internet surfing at Boson's Chair went well. The owner had great spirits and sang out loud during our stay there. Now we have ordered juice in the Barefoot Bar. Christer is having pineapple juice and I'll take orange. It is made of not fully ripened oranges and has a nice tangy flavor. We wonder if it's a sign that we are getting old when we go to a bar and order juice.

16.18 We finished our juices and went shopping at Ming's. Christer has taken the opportunity to buy Marie Sharp's famous super strength pepper sauce as a souvenir from Belize. Now we're back in the room for a short stop. We asked at the front desk about what we do with the early check-out at tomorrow morning. It's just for us to leave the key inside the room. Now we are about to take one last dip in the sea.

16.30 So we were back in the chairs on the beach. We have been joined by two happy dogs. It's never happened that the dogs have visited us, or?

17.06 The two dogs watched anxiously at the bathing Christer. The black dog barked and the beige tried to swim out. Perhaps it was because they were playful or just wanted to life guards.

The beach in front of Seaspray Hotel.

Happy dogs are barking and monitor Christer's stay in the sea.

19.12 The dogs found new playmates and we read further in our books. Now we have cleaned ourselves of salt. As for dinner time and place is specified. Now we just have to wait.

20.11 We have come to a full circle. It is, after lunch and breakfast, time for dinner at De Tatch. The wind blows and the journal pages flutter. Christer tests the evening's special and I take it easier, safer, and have ordered the chicken breast.

21.14 Christer's shrimp curry and my chicken was good but we got plenty of food. The bill said 54 Belize dollars. We paid 70 and said make it 60. The result of the whole thing was that we got 16 back. Now it is time for a malaria tablet.

22.06 You get tired even though you have not done that much. Ahead of us is some sleep. Tomorrow there will be an early start.

Monday 8th of August

05.16 It was really hot in the room during the night, the rain has swept past and Christer woke in the middle of the night by a huge cockroach which ran across his chest. He shook it off and disappeared into our bathroom and it is now completely gone. Now we will get ready for another day of travel. Someone called Christer's phone last night, unclear who.

07.01 It is time to ride a bus again. We will first go back to Dangriga. The blue bus from Richie's came to a morning tired Placencia and we boarded. There is something wrong with my bus window, it will not open. In the bus, loud music is being played. Many old favorites from the past can be enjoyed.

08.31 The bus arrived in Dangriga ahead of schedule/plans. In the bus station was a better bus going Belize City but it was unfortunately full. Instead it was a quick change to the next bus. This one is full of people and is running out of space. The backpacks have been placed in the back of the bus.

10.11 There has been a new bus station stop. We are back in the capital, Belmopan.

11.51 The voyage continued and eventually took a stop in Belize City, the country's largest city. I went in the back of the bus to pick up my backpack, but it was not there. I asked the bus host and he informed me that my backpack had already been unloaded. I went out and we took our belongings and left. A taxi took us smoothly to Seaside Guesthouse (http://www.seasideguesthouse.org). We also got the taxi driver's number and will probably go with him to the airport on departure day. Here at the accommodation we are currently accommodated in a minimal dormitory with two beds and a water damaged ceiling. There is a hole in the room door to the room we booked. We rest here until the room door is repaired. A craftsman is supposed to be on the way. I am tenacious in my head today. Is it a sun overdose?

The view from our first temporary room.

Seaside Guesthouse, Belize City.

13.07 We set out on the town to find a lunch spot. On our way we met Frank. He told us that we should not continue on this street that we followed. He claimed that it was dangerous there. He brought us to Dit's Restaurant. Frank is 62, it is his birthday today, he has worked as a police officer for 20 years and has 25 grandchildren. He also paid tribute to Swedish tourists and talked bad about Americans.

13.49 We got a lot of tasty food here at Dit's. We said goodbye to Frank and he got 10 Belize dollars from both of us as a thanks and a birthday present. He said he would use the money to buy a big cake. Now we're back at the accommodation and are waiting for our door to be repaired. It should be done at 14.00.

14.29 We are still in the lobby and wait. I wonder which day the door is finished at 14.00. Ok, we just got the news that it will take another 5 minutes. I was about to mess things up earlier today. On the way into town earlier today I said, indistinct, that it said "Welcome to Belize City" on a sign. Did you say Belize Zoo said Christer? I did not hear this and just said yes. This led to Christer to assume that the zoo was there and could be reached by local bus. Now everything is set straight, thanks to Christer things will go smoothly as we go to the zoo tomorrow. It's always good to know where to go with and where to get off.

14.46 We were told that we could move into our room and we walked up the outside stairs. Then one man in the staff told us that Frank was there. It was true. Outside the accommodation was in fact, the ex-police, guide, and birthday boy Frank. We do not know what he wanted us this time. The door is repaired or rather replaced. The room is however untidy. We will go out and sit on the porch/balcony until further notice.

Happy girls on the street, Belize City.

Christer and the mysterious Frank.

15.14 This is the day of strange things. We left the porch/balcony and went down in order to pay for the room and buy drinks. Christer took two Fanta and was asked, do you should really want to have two? The payment went well. When we back to the room we discovered that Christer's watch was gone. He looked on the porch and lobby without any luck. We entered the room again and found the watch. It lay in his small backpack. Someone else who showed up again was Frank. He stood on the lawn below the balcony, waving and wanted to help us. He also wanted more money for the cake he should buy. Now he is no longer that charming guy. Is anything of what he said really true?

16.47 We had some lazy time reading on the balcony. The balcony is leaning. This applies to the entire house. Has it crashed with a hurricane? We feel tired. Is it due to the early morning, the sun from yesterday or travelling today? We have had a Frank free time. I want some coffee.

17.11 We have gone out for a small tour. It started with a religious touch. First a church and right now a Hindu temple.

Supreme Court, Belize City.

Wesley School is also a hurricane shelter.

The hindus have a temple on Albert Street in Belize City.

17.32 We are walking around in Belize City. We have seen a little girl who was out walking with her father. Suddenly she fell headlong to the ground and lost her candy. She rose without shedding tears. Christer has bought a football national team jersey and we bought a new clean T-shirts to wear on the trip home. Now, Christer is shopping at Brodie's while I guard the backpacks.

18.18 I also provisioned someting before we returned to the accommodation. In the lobby there was a lady on a bar stool at the reception-/bar counter. Behind that counter was a young man in white. I asked him if I could get a cup of coffee and the bar stool woman said yes you can. I talked to some persons while the water boiled. It was Billy with green clothing and lightly tipsy, John, he in white, who had been fishing for barracuda and Mike who brought lobster meat from the freezer. Mike also asked Christer who sat on the balcony if he had dinner plans. The coffee was just as I want it; hot, strong and free.

19.37 Damn I'm tired. The day has probably worn more on me than I want to admit. Previously, the lady who ordered coffee knocked on our door and asked if we want to have dinner. We said thanks but no thanks. We are still satisfied after the meal with Frank. Then she mentioned that breakfast is offered tomorrow. It could have better if she had said that before we went and bought breakfast. We accepted the breakfast offer. We store the purchased breakfast for later.

20.47 The fatigue is still around. But the fact is that we were up very early. Furthermore, it has been hot. We can two dogs out in the darkness.

Tuesday 9th of August

08.20 I have slept for a long time. It feels as if it was needed. The door to our bathroom is funny. It can not be locked from the inside and swings up if you don’t lock it. I had to be locked from the outside.

08.47 There was not much speed in the shower and not on us either for that matter. I wonder what will happen today, not counting the heat and a visit to the zoo.

09.13 The promised of breakfast was not even a crust of bread. We went down and asked and were told that the breakfast manager has gone out for a walk. In the end we had to eat what we bought yesterday.

10.02 Now we take the opportunity to make a "last" visit the internet. We shall send e-mails to those at home and check about the accommodation in Nyköping. We want to know which door codes are applicable. We also checked the news on the net and found out that there had been rioting in London and that football matches have been canceled. We also talked a while with our friendly hostess who like us love to travel but could not make it that much because she is the mother.

10.32 The net missions are complete and we have walked to the bus station. We walked along the streets, Frank warned us about, and everything is peaceful. We also met some other tourists who were walking in the opposite direction. It's like we imagined, hot today. So which bus goes to the zoo? Damn it, it falls drops of sweat in to the journal.

We saw this sign and immediately left the bus.

A dirt road leads to the entrance.

11.53 We took the first bus west and have been traveling for about 45 minutes. The bus stopped and we got off the middle of nothing. There were a sign that pointed to Belize Zoo (http://www.belizezoo.org). Now we are heading on foot towards the entrance. We are somewhere between Belize City and Belmopan.

12.32 Before we went into the field, we went to a toilet facility at the parking lot and freshened up. We move around quiet here at the zoo. We have seen vultures, deer, tapirs and spider monkeys. We think it is hot and the animals seem to agree. One of the deer lay and gasped. Now we heard the same kind of sound that made us astonished at Tikal.

13.17 It did not happen much around the ocelot. It was at most a little tail wagging. Then it was more speed in the peccaries. It was both more speed and scent. The howler monkeys however seemed to have a siesta. We wanted to hear how they sounded but the silence was total.

A sweaty but interesting day trip to the Belize Zoo.

A turtle goes rafting.

A cougar resting in the grass.

13.49 We have seen alligators or was it crocodiles? Now we hope to see big cats.

14.11 We saw a few cats. The cougar was resting in the grass and it was easy to take pictures of the jaguar, but it was impossible to get a good photo of the jaguarondi. This was just like the one we saw at the zoo in Trinidad four years ago. It wandered around all the time.

Everyone needs a rest in the heat.

A beautiful jaguar at Belize Zoo.

Memory text after a beloved animal.

14.30 After seeing some harpies, we are back at the entry. Here we bought ice cream. They melted almost faster than we could eat them. Now we need more liquid. Parts of this area were suspended due to that the Hurricane Richard caused damages in October 2010. The hurricane made landfall on his journey westward right of Belize City.

15.01 We purchased a t-shirt each before we went out to the main road to wait for the bus back to Belize City. I wonder just how hot it is. The purchased t-shirts had just come to the souvenir shop from the factory so we are somewhat unique as owners of these garments.

15.12 No sooner had I finished writing and a bus appeared. Now we travel east towards Belize City.

Christer waiting for a bus by the road outside Belize Zoo.

16.10 After we got off the bus, Christer bought bananas from a salesman and then we went to Dit's Restaurant. The waitress came with three menus. She wondered if we were just two. She was not here yesterday, or. Do they think we always have Frank with us or are we just manic? Anyway, we have ordered. Remember that we are going home tomorrow.

17.28 There was a lot of food this last dinner. Now we have bought the last things we need. The final packing is not done yet. The brains feel too worn. Pack then and all will just go wrong.

17.55 While I showered came the shocking news. We have just paid for one night. They want another 90 Belize dollar, $46. It's really expensive for a small cramped room with a floor fan.

20.01 We did have to pay. They were ever so sorry that everything hadn’t been done right yesterday. After that we have been reading and lashed out on the porch.

21.26 We have been smart during the packing. The changes of clothes are hand luggage so they are easy to access. Now I hope that no serious things have been missed to be packed away. But what do I really need? I want passport, money, camera, and the travel journals. Clothes, towels and other things can be bought. I have this evening thrown away yet another pair of shorts. Now they have finished travelling with me.

Our small room at Seaside Guesthouse.