Family Time: San Padro

I saw my family last week and we got spoiled rotten.  I got a cold a few days before and was worried about going because I didn't want to get my mom sick.  The night before, I only slept a few hours and I probably looked a little like death.  I had planned on picking up my parents, and sleeping in the hotel for a few hours.  Nope. I picked them up, and we took the water taxi to the hotel where we were greeted on the doc with cool wash cloths that smelled like Eucalyptus.  We then got a tour of the hotel and our hotel room. They gave us rum punch (without rum) while my dad checked in.  It was nice.  We then took out the kayaks and went to the edge of the reef to do some snorkeling.  It was so fun to be able to do it with mom.  I kept thinking, "I'm getting spoiled rotten! I don't deserve this!" then I thought about the last few years and decide that I may not deserve it, but mom does, and she needs someone to do it with her, right?  Anyway, I then went back to the hotel room for a HOT shower (I forgot how nice hot showers are) in an air-conditioned apartment, and we went to dinner where I ordered a salad.  Four months of burritos and the salad was wonderful!  My mom thought that I was crazy for not getting the traditional Belizean food, but understood after a week of tortillas.

The next day, we went out to the Ho Chen reserve and did some more snorkeling. It was fun because I got to see a sea turtle, some sharks, and a sting ray.  Several actually.  That night,  I was still feeling sick, so I sat on the couch and watched the Olympics. I hung out with Cadie and Vince while my parents went out to dinner.  We got Pizza and a pina colada.  (best of my life) We went to church the next morning and it brought me back to Mistretta: a tiny apartment with views of the sea, and only a hand full of members.  After church, we took out a golf cart to explore the island.  It was quite a fun adventure.  I really just enjoyed the time that I was able to s pend with my family.  I kept thinking: Family + Paradise= Paradise Squared. 

We had to leave Monday, but mom wanted to go birding first.  We had a guide pick us up at the dock and he took us out to a random island with lots of birds on it.  We then got out and got to wonder around the island. It was so much fun!  Mom thought I was bored because I know absolutely nothing about birds, but I enjoyed just going for a boat ride in the Caribbean.  We also went to another island to find sea shells.  Mom and I both fell into quick sand.  Life tile! 

We had to get a water taxi back.  We went to a restaurant for lunch, but mom was too nervous to eat there, since she is HIGHLY allergic to shell fish and it is lobster season, and just the smell affects her.  She went and found somewhere to eat, and then ended up giving it to a woman who didn't have food.  When we got there, mom brought us to go find her, but she was already gone.  I ran to the grocery store to get something for her to eat and then went to get ice cream for the family.  I looked pretty silly with five cones, and got quite a few comments.  Even though it was only a two minute walk back, the ice cream had melted a lot in that short walk, and it was all over my arm. 

We got on the water taxi, and it was the last water taxi to leave the island before the storm hit. Right after we got on, there was an 'incident.'  A man sat next to a woman, and she quickly put her hand down 'saving it for her boyfriend.' (even though there was another open seat on the other side of her)  She threw a fit and claimed that he was hurting her.  She could have easily pulled her arm out to stop the 'pain,' but she was calling for the coast guard to come arrest him.  Her boyfriend then threatened him, and he picked up a screw driver to protect himself.  I couldn't help but think about how sad it is that they were escalating each other.  She was playing the victim, but was also an antagonist.  I was impressed by my parents for their attempts at restoring peace to the boat. 

About half an hour away from the shore, the boat broke down.  They had to have another boat come out and tow us into town.  With the approaching hurricane, we were just a bit nervous to be on the last boat back to the mainland before the storm was supposed to hit.