Two flights, two countries, and a two-hour drive after departing San Jose, our two kiddos raced out of the car and straight into their grandparents' waiting arms. After several prior visits to Costa Rica, S's parents suggested we rendezvous in a different country this holiday season. So, in lieu of planning another multi-week tour around our host country, we flew to meet S's parents and aunt in Belize, adding a new country to our travel list in the process.
Last weekend, as kids the world over unwrapped their Christmas presents, we were sweating our socks off at Macaw Lodge, where it was unseasonably sweltering even by our tropical standards. Arriving in Belize last night, we were greeted by enveloping mist and cold drizzle. The first stop on our visit is in the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest, where we hoped to do a lot of hiking and birding. Until this cold front passes, those plans largely will be put on ice.
Despite the persistent rains last night, D optimistically rose at first light and spent a couple of hours wandering around in the mist. It was far from ideal birding weather, to say the least. After half an hour of walking along muddy trails, he had seen only one bird — not one species, but literally one bird — and that bird spotted him first and flew off, so D couldn't even identify it. He did eventually find some birds to justify his outing. The rest of the fam went for a short nature walk after breakfast, accompanied by the owners' six-year-old daughter, whom our kiddos quickly befriended.
With the inclement weather persisting, our first day in Belize appears to be destined to be short on exploration. Instead, we're making excellent use of our room's fireplace while the kids get some quality grandparent time, which also feels like a nice way to close out a rather hectic year. Happy early 2024!
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