Let me start by saying the divers didn't see any whale sharks today either. So maybe they just aren't coming this month.
Today was an amazing day, one of those big moments. Jen had said we were going to these Mayan caves, for a hike and then river tubing. I assumed, quite reasonably I think, that those were two separate activities. Not so much.
It was an hour and a half drive to get there, but we made friends with this cute family from N Carolina and they were with us, so it didn't seem so bad. We had a discussion, quasi-serious, about buying a lot down here together. You can get a half acre on the ocean for $85k. Anyway. When we got there, the guide explained that the Mayans believed these caves were sacred and had used them since Christ was a kid for sacrifices and other religious ceremonies. He said they would sacrifice volunteers to the rain gods, and babies (who I assume didn't volunteer) to the fertility gods. He told us there was a big room he had seen, which we fortunately weren't going to, full of bones and skeletons and skulls. Yeah.
So basically, they gave us those little led headlamps and an innertube and off we went. From the entrance of the cave, we hiked about a half mile down through the caves. It is hard to even explain in words what that was like... Jen has some pictures, but they are stuck in her camera until we get home. There were stalactites hanging from the ceiling, and stalagmites coming up from the ground; the usual cave stuff. ;) And lots of bats. I should note that there was absolutely no light- if we turned our lights off, and we did, there was no difference between having your eyes open or closed. Totally black.
Then in the middle of this huge underground cavern, we came upon this little sand beach with a crystal clear little river. And that is where we jumped in and got on our innertubes. Side note - though the ocean is warm, and it's 90 degrees here on a cool day, the water was freezing. Like California cold.
So for about an hour and a half or so, we just drifted down this little river through the caves, using our headlamps for light. Totally surreal. Some areas were 20 or 30 feet wide, and some areas were just wide enough for the tube. It was incredible.
Then we reached the end and got out, and hiked about a half mile back to where we started. The guide had a little picnic lunch for us, surprisingly chicken and rice. (If I didn't mention it before, that has pretty much been every meal on the tours)
The guide then drove us a mile or so down to the "blue hole," but it wasn't exactly the Blue Hole that Belize is famous for. It was still kinda cool, it was this little lagoon that the cave river emptied into deep underground. So there was this pond, and in the center was literally a blue hole that went down 50 feet or so deep and led to the river. We all jumped in, mostly just to say we did, and it was cold and crystal clear. If I didn't watch 'naked and afraid' so much, I totally would have taken a big drink.
Then on the way back, we stopped at this ice cream stand that was on a Mennonite farm. Cones were about 50 cents US and incredibly good, and were probably still in the cow yesterday.
We got back, and I went for another 5 mile run. About half way, i ran into an expat we met at the bar last night, waiting out on the street. We talked for a minute, and then this girl pulled up on a scooter and handed him a bottle of dish soap. I guess if anyone is going to town, they pick up whatever anyone needs. Gotta love it here. I had coconut water after the run, like I usually do at home, only this time I drank it out of an actual coconut.
Then dinner, and now we are done for the night. Tonight there is what is called a 'blood moon', and it is a full moon that is literally red. I don't know why. So I am writing this looking out over the water at the blood moon, listening to the waves and having my second to last cigar....
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