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Renewing our paperwork

On returning to Planencia it was time for us to “re-up” in other words apply for another months stay in Belize.

We all went together, Rainbows End – Pam and Don; Latitude – Carol and Derick; plus us. 1st step is getting the 7:30am Hokey Pokey to Mango Creek.

There we were lucky to get Pappy as our taxi driver, lucky because we have used him before and he is well versed with the process. Off we drove through Independence to the Immigration office. We had all of our usual necessary papers, but the officer at the window wanted to see our bank statement….yep, a bank statement, he said, to prove to him we could support ourselves while in Belize. Of course there is no understanding on his part that the demand is an imposition into our privacy….. So after some quick online sleuthing we manage to get something from an American account on John’s phone. Go back to the window and it’s a different officer, who doesn’t want to see our finances. Just the boat papers of ownership are proof of assets to him!

Anyway got the month at Immigration at a cost of $200 each, up from $50 last year.

The next stop customs, was easy, a couple of stamps on our papers and off to Port Authority. Again, friendly, easy going staff quickly fill out our forms and we pay for another month.

Off we went back to the Hokey Pokey, zooming back to Placencia and in plenty of time to all meet for fish and chip lunch at Pickled Parrot.

Pappy had chatted to me during the drive telling me about a few places that he could take us to for a day’s tour. It sounded interesting so as a group we decided to head out with Pappy that Monday.

Mango Creek, Independence and the surrounding town area.

Pappy picked us up from the Hockey Pockey stop at Mango Creek and proceeded to drive around the town area of Independence showing us the schools, council meeting area, shops and such. We stopped at what had been the cruise ship stopping/shopping area which is all now closed and abandoned. Pappy used to have a stall there, hopefully one day the area will be able to open again.

We headed along the Punta Gorda road stopping at a friend’s little cafe/bar/farm,

Coleman’s Place.

Here we had a cold drink, chatted and had a look around. It is a very unique place that the fellow has built. Decorated with old bottles, antelope horns and other pieces which have been found in or around the river on the property.

There was a tub of cashew fruit for us to try and take home.

Not many folks realize that the cashew nut develops not on the inside but on the outside of the fruit. The fruit tasted extremely sweet, but had a funny dry texture. It can be squeezed and used as juice or in smoothies. Everyone loved the flavour of the fruit.

Coconut farms, bananas and the runway

Traveling along we stopped at Pappy’s farm that he is developing. His main crop will be coconuts. Pappy explained that most farms have changed or started to change from citrus to coconuts. They are in demand for coconut oil, milk, meat and husk, the tree is easy to grow, produces bountiful fruit and need little care. Further along the road we saw hundreds of acres of coconuts being farmed on huge commercial farms.

We stopped outside a banana plantation processing plant. Bananas are also in huge demand but require more specialized care. This processing plant was unable to open for us at that time, but we could see much of it from outside the gates.

Still further along Pappy told us the name for that section of road was “the runway” as it had and still could be used for drug planes. They fly in land on the runway, quickly unload and leave, the police keep watch and have managed to intervene with one flight. The fires that were burning along the roadsides had been deliberately lit to clear the undergrowth. Apparently instead of cleaning the roadside the folks responsible now just light fires.

Akte’Ilha Cacoa Farm

Was our next stop. This is a family owned organic farm that mainly grows Cacoa. Here we met our guide Ray, whose Dad had started the whole operation. We followed a pathway leading uphill, stopping along the way to listen to information about Cacoa and other trees and plants.

They have 3 main types of Cacoa growing on the farm that are used for their chocolate.

Cacoa trees produce their flowers and fruits along any part of the trunk or branch of the tree.

The flowers are very small and quite delicate, relying on pollination in order to become fruit. They keep the trees shorter in order to be able to harvest the Cacoa pods. Our guide broke open a ripe pod and offered us the soft white pulpy fruit inside. The while pulp covers the Cacoa beans and it tastes wonderful! Almost like a sweet vanilla flavor. Everyone had several samples of the fruit.

As we continued along the path Ray showed us many other plants and fruits explaining their uses. One was Alspice, the dry seed being used for seasoning, but also the leaf used for numbing sore gums.

Coffee beans, most of which had been harvested, the Craboo tree with its orange blossoms, which I had seen growing along the lanes in Placencia, it’s fruit being edible berries called Nance.

The Achiote fruit whose dried berries are used to make Recado paste, a red food coloring.

We were shown the spring, the water source for the farm, which runs downhill to their catchment. Near the spring he pointed out a palmetto covered in long sharp thorns, telling us this was the Akte Palm which grows all over the property. And the name of the spring is Ilha, thus the name of the farm is: Akte’Ilha.

Nearing the top we were given some Jipi Japa shoots to try. I had seen Mayans in Guatemala selling these shoots but never knew what they were for, now I knew, they are essentially similar to Palm Hearts. The lower white part tastes wonderful, they are a popular food source.

Once at the top of the hill we were able to look out across the whole area seeing all the way to the coast. Ray then pointed out how the trees and plants in the farm had been grown in layers affording shade to each other thereby growing in harmony.

On our way down he showed us one of the bigger shade trees and its fruit, the Jack Fruit. It is just enormous  and also grows right out of the trunk or branch of the tree.

Our guide, Ray told John how the farm extends right up into the Mayan mountains behind and that he and his brother had been up at 5am into the mountain harvesting corn they had growing. They then carried a load each in bags, which straps they had hung from their foreheads. On our return he showed us the bags, each were a good 100lbs!!

The next treat was seeing and helping to make chocolate. His wife had beans roasting on an small open oven inside one of the buildings.

Once the beans were roasted she showed us how the shells were shucked off.

She then took the pan outside and shook the pan so all the husks blew away.

Back inside the beans were smashed and next rolled into a paste. No water was added the paste simply formed from the dried beans themselves. Each of us could have a turn at this process.

From the paste, which is pure chocolate they add sugar to make the bars or use it to make nibs, small chocolate pieces, or their special chocolate drink.

This chocolate drink is like the Mayan champagne, reserved for special occasions, for example, an engagement. A jug of chocolate drink had been make for us to try, it was amazing!!

Just an excellent flavor and so refreshing. We all had several calabash cup fulls.

Off we drove to Nim Li Punit

This is an archaeological site that had been occupied by the Mayans from approximately AD400 till approximately AD800. We took ourselves around the site which was shaded by large trees. Pathways wound around the whole park area with informational boards telling a bit about each group of structures.

The ball court which was essential to most Mayan settlements was our 1st area.

E group which was where the Mayans provided a fixed location for observing the sun, moon and stars.

The Royal tombs where archeologists had found 5 bodies, sea shells, pottery, jade, sting ray spines and carved stone.

From the top of the site we had a lovely view across the area imagining ourselves standing where the ancient Mayans stood. The whole park area was very nice to walk around, being shaded and well maintained.

Belize Spice Farm and Biological Gardens

By this stage we were all starving …. And quite thirsty, so we were well pleased with the lovely resturant.

After our very nice lunch we had a quick look around the Spice shop and then loaded up into the wagon that was attached to a tractor for our Spice farm tour.

The tour starts off down the bougainvillea arches where we would stop intermittently to be informed about various plants growing along the way.

The most beautiful of flowers were growing in the lily ponds. These were Lotus flowers aka shower head water lilies. I had never seen them before and found the whole scene lovely.

Our guide picked one of the green shower heads seed pods and popped the white seeds out showing us they were also edible, quite tasty too.

There were the huge lily pads from China and other varieties of lovely waterlilies.

At another point along the archway there was the Blue Pigeon Pea flower (the Clitoral flower) from India which produces an edible pea.

The Red Passion Flower from Brazil, which is ornamental, the Sand Paper plant with a beautiful bunches of blue flowers, each pillar of the arch had a differing interesting plant/flower.

We then started along, and up, and down the many rows of specialized trees and plants all of which our guide gave us an enormous amount of info about each one.

The ornamental Golden shower, the very fragrant Ilang- Ilang (tree) used for perfumes both of which come from India, the Philippines south east Asia.

The teak trees which after harvest sprouts regrowth, to again grow another trunk.

The coconut trees, which produce a multitude of coconuts.

The nutmeg trees whose fruits hold the nutmeg which is a valuable crop.

Dragon Fruit from China, which blooms at night and are pollinated by bats.

Cardamom plants from India whose seeds produce the flavorful spice.

Turmeric roots and ginger roots both popular spices that are also very good for you. The differing bamboo where the iguanas were hiding.

The ornamental Silver Palmetto and Ponytail Palm, behind which stood a magnificent Mahogany tree, which are now quite rare.

There was a large area where vanilla was growing under the shade of teak trees. Vanilla is an orchid, this variety was the Flat Leaf Vanilla from Mexico.

The plant was attached and supported on a post, under teak trees for shade. It is very pampered crop as it is a very valuable crop. The reason for its value is that each blossom blooms only for 6 hours and in that time it has to be pollinated by the workers otherwise the vanilla bean does not develop.

Plus the bean must not be disturbed until it reaches maturity, at about 5 months later or else it stops growing. Our guide explained that he and other workers would be out and up and down the rows for hours every early morning for a few months during flowering season. 

The next area visited was again vines growing on posts under the shade of teak trees. This vine was the Black Pepper vine. I never realized that Black Pepper came from a vine. This crop is also a very labour intensive crop that is also valuable. John tasted the black pepper corns and found that they are extremely spicy.

We were back at the main building and restaurant area and it was time to head back to Independence. The day was wonderful, we were all very happy with the day Pappy had shown us. We drove back to the Hokey Pokey and were soon back in Placencia.

The flower is aware of the fact that it contains everything within it, the whole cosmos, and it does not try to become something else. – Thich Nhat Hanh