The Cape Cod of Belize

12/14/16

Punta Gorda, Bel. to Placencia, Bel.

198.8 kilometers ridden.

We started the day by eating breakfast from what we had in our bags so we could get moving faster. We loaded the bikes quickly but it still seemed to take a long time to get moving. The day was sticky-hot and it wasn't even noon yet.

As we rode out of Punta Gorda we stopped several times for photos at signs and on piers. Aaron had some prior history with his father's military service at Cattle Landing so we stopped there as well to take photos. 



Leaving town we stopped and filled up with fuel and each had a cold drink and some ice cream. It was funny to have the staff at the gas station hear Aaron had ridden from England and not say anything but here I came from Alaska and get very excited. 

We headed out to the Farm Inn for Ed's soap dish he had gotten from Alaska. The ride was worth the whole trip south. The roads twisted among rolling hills and beside rivers lacing the rain forest. The pavement was smooth and near immaculate save for the topes and speed humps in and around each of the small villages along the route. The owner, Kevin?, was a really nice South African fellow who offered us coffee and tea while we sat and chatted with him. We stayed a bit petting the four dogs, the cat, and talking. 

The roads leaving were a pretty good run of asphalt so we made good time, despite some interruptions for rain, to Placencia. The town was on what would be a small island save for the isthmus reaching out to it from the mainland which created a long narrow lagoon between the two pieces of land. It was a small but bustling little tourist place bordered by large estates and I immediately thought of it as the Cape Cod of Belize. 

We rode the length of town before beginning to ask around and search for housing. We did a full loop of the main town that took long enough that we were both agitated. One local tried to "help us" far too eagerly to the point that it made us both angry and wary of where he wanted us to go. We ended up going back to the Sail Fish Inn where we had to leave bikes on one side of the small river and get shuttled across by the small power boat they used to go back and forth with guests. Though the sign said $20 US, that didn't include the taxes so once we were already across and tired we just said fuck it and signed in anyway. 

We dropped our kit in the bunk house and Aaron took a dip in the pool to cool off from the ride. We both got changed out and chose to go into town for dinner. We ended up at a place called The Galley where we were served by a very pretty and friendly local young woman. We both thought she was young, but when asked she said she was 20. I am still not sure I believe her but she was still sweet. The food was pretty good. I had conch and Aaron had amazing hand made chicken strips in an incredible fresh made pineapple sweet and sour sauce. My conch wasn't great but the mango smoothie I had it with was perfect on the hot night. 

After dinner we walked a bit and went to the pier where we chatted with an American who was fishing from the dock with a fly rod and wet flies. The view was spectacular and we got to see some enormous silver scaled fish nearly three feet long swimming near the docks. 

We went for a beer at a bar down the concrete "boardwalk" and I grabbed a few chicken wings that were spectacular. We watched as an enormous silver-moon shone over the Caribbean. The clouds passing by would block the light, then slowly expose it's majesty to cast a spreading silver pool across the water the water  slowly crept to the shore. 

All night we were approached and offered weed by many random people. It was funny to see it all happen over and over again. Following the bar we walked a bit more and sat at the pier talking and viewing the sea stretch to the dark horizon. After walking back to the bunk house I took my first hot shower in a week and called it a night.