Belize Navidad!

Ok, so it's not Christmas at all...but Cameron and Eddie gave me that title, and I felt it was too good not to use.

Last night we stayed at a cabana in the jungle; yes a jungle cabana. It was pretty amazing. When I am able to post pictures, you can see it. It was The Education Center for the Belize Zoo, right across the street from the zoo itself. They have a birdwatching spot, an educational building with books and animal skulls and bird feathers. And they give you a delicious breakfast and dinner included! The only drawback? The mosquito really enjoyed my visit. I counted 49 bites this morning, and I actually think I missed a few.

We sauntered around the zoo this morning and it was very impressive. It doesn't feel like a zoo as much as a walk through a tropical jungle with lots of animal sightings. Some zoos feel a lot more restrictive to the animals, and you kind of feel bad for them, sitting there behind bars, being watched by people. This zoo is lush, under a jungle canopy, and there are only thin wire fences between you and the animals. Some fences are electric, just to keep visitors safe, which is a bit of a relief.

They are also big on conservation and education. All of the animals there were either injured in the wild and taken care of at the zoo, or were already pets who are not accustomed to living in the wild. They have lots of great educational programs for kids and school groups, and some clever signage throughout the zoo.

Then we took a bus from the zoo to Belize City, and checked into the Seaside Guesthouse, a hostel-type place with a disheveled charm. It has a beautiful view of the ocean, even if the screen in our sea-view window is mostly missing. It has a porch with TWO hammocks!