Boat to Livingston, Guatemala
Ian and Kate
Well, we didn’t hear any howler monkeys last night, possibly because we were dead tired after not sleeping much the night before. So we failed in our scientific mission for all mankind, but even so, Ian was kind enough to deliver tea and french-press coffee to our front porch this morning. After a bread and butter breakfast with coffee and juice, Ian drove us into town and dropped us off at the immigration office and dock. We said our goodbyes and set off on the tiny boat with a Canadian couple that had also stayed at Hickatee.
The boat had seats for 12 passengers, but because it was seemingly overloaded with cargo in the front (including huge sacks of frozen chickens), they crammed all seven of the passengers into the back two rows and took off. The ride took maybe an hour, and we disembarked in the city of Livingston. Clif sat on the far left side of the boat and as a result, his left arm is very sunburned right now.
Just before Belizean customs told us to put the camera away
The boat may have been overloaded with frozen chickens
Livingston is a small city of maybe 20,000 people, with a mixture of Garifuna and Mayan peoples. It is hilly with narrow streets and lots of shops and people walking around.
We are staying at Hotel Casa Rosada, which is an amazing value for the money. $20/night gets you a private thatched bungalow with bug nets over the beds, a fan and a bathroom shared with two other bungalows. Javier, the owner is very personable. He is of Mayan descent and was born and raised here in Livingston. His wife is Belgian, and they have owned and operated the hotel together for seven years.
Looking out from La Casa Rosada
The dock of La Casa Rosada with the lights of Puerto Barrios in the distance
In the morning we will take one last (shorter) boat ride to the city of Puerto Barrios and catch a bus to Honduras. There, assuming we can get in touch, we plan to link up with Ron and his family again. We should be able to post pictures from his computer.
