Travels of Rick and Ruth: Belize Saturday, February 14, 2015

After breakfast by Patries, we left Affinity and our new friends for an adventure in Cayo - the district inland where Crystal Paradise is located.

Eric Tut picked us up at Robert's Grove Marina and we drove the three hours to Crystal Paradise. On the way Eric stopped to buy some pineapple from a roadside stand. He told us that they like to spread the money around, which was neat, I thought.

Eric at pineapple stand

We stopped for lunch in San Ignacio. Rick and I had pile, which is pork cooked underground. It was delicious. We were introduced to Marie Sharp's habanero sauce made with a carrot base. Eric also took us to the San Ignacio Saturday Market where Rick bought a wood bowl.

Lunch at Hoda's Place.

Rick's purchase!

They have a bit of everything.

A betting game at the market.

San Ignacio market day

Crystal Paradise used to be the family farm. Father Victor Tut decided to change the farm into a tourist destination. They pulled up the banana trees and other crops and began building thatch roofed cabanas. Now they have quite a complex on the Macal River. Victor and his wife have ten children. Jerony is the eldest and Eric is the second child. We have also met Julia and Carolita, their sisters. Carolita has a two year old son, Edward, who stays with her while she is working. We also met Andy, the youngest son. It is so admirable that this family works together on this vision of their father. Eric told is that his great great grandfather was a medicine man and he discovered Tikal. Eric called him Ambrosio. Another son told us that he went by the name of Thomas Green.

Victor Tut ~ the patriarch

Looking online I found out that Ambrosio Tut did, indeed, discover Tikal. In the late 1800’s Ambrosia, a Guatemalan gum sapper was searching the jungle for trees to take sap from for chewing gum. He stumbled across a group of “hills’ covered by vegetation. He found the hills to be the ruins of Maya temples, which he reported to his government. Also, there is a neat video online of Mr. Thomas Green, a Macal River dory maker. He was a Creole who was Theresa Tut’s father, Eric’s grandfather. Thomas Green died in 2002 at 95. He carved dories out of mahogany trees. It is so neat to be staying with a family with such deep and important roots in Belize and Guatemala.

Here is a You Tube video of Mr. Thomas Green rowing down his Macal River in his handmade dory.

Mr. Thomas Green: Life on the River

We paid for a package deal, so we receive all of our meals at Crystal Paradise, along with transport and three tours. It is a very relaxing spot. They have a pretty common area with porch swings and tables where we can play cards. There is an Honor Bar where you can get a beer, some wine or rum. You just record what you take and pay for it when you check out. Neat idea.

Common Area

Honor Bar

Common Area

Pretty flowers put out by Carolita

Rick on the porch swing

At the Honor Bar

Today we arrived, unpacked and relaxed. We are in Cottage #13. There is a neat little porch in front that has two hammocks and some chairs. We took a walk around the property and tried to find the Macal River, but took a wrong turn. We had a great walk anyway and will find the river another time.