A trip to the seaside

We had a day off, and thought: what shall we do on a day off in a country bordering the Caribbean Sea? And with a car to get us where we want to go?

We decided, after much thought, that the choice was between (a) sweeping and cleaning the house, removing rocks from the garden and generally being useful about the place, or (b) driving the 60 miles to the coast. The coast won.

We tootled along the Hummingbird Highway, which runs from Belmopan south and east towards the coast. It's lush and green, rising up into the hills. Mostly still covered with jungle, but also some citrus groves along the roadside. (We are told that the land is much more managed and agricultural in the north and south; most of the centre / more mountainous area is still protected national park.)



After 55 miles of paved road, across some very narrow bridges, we reached the turn off for Hopkins. This road isn't paved. It's just some hardcore laid on the cleared surface. And even in a 4wd, it's bumpy. Very bumpy. (Though there are some smoother bits where you can drive off the road on to the nice field for a bit, before you have to get back on to the road). Lots of dust, lots of questions about how the suspension would cope, and by racing along at 10mph we got down the road in only half an hour. (How's that for arithmetic! My primary school teacher would be proud.)

It was worth it.

Of course, we didn't just stand and look at the water. We had to check it to make sure that it could support the human body ... and we had to check it for temperature... and sparkly turquoise ness. We spoke to a couple of locals (we had to look hard to find anyone, but there were some. You can see them swimming in the picture above). And they assured us that it was safe to swim, and so, being trusting sorts, we did.

There are pictures of that too ... but because this is a public blog, I don't want to offend or distress anyone of a sensitive disposition. Needless to say, the water was 28 degrees, salty, and generally wet.

It will still be there when you come to visit ...

But we are now back at work. Ruth's had a Mother's Union meeting last night and a meeting with the pianist / choir leader; I've been preparing for teaching on Saturday and trying to sort out the chaos that is the offices at ATI. And we've been meeting lots of new people. This afternoon it's mainly admin. And yes, we did get to do all the household things too.