Monkey River, Belize

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" rowspan="2" width=210 BGCOLOR="#9999FF" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="03876ba3.gif"> <bR> <div> <B>Monkey River, Belize</B></div> <div> <IMG SRC="231bf870.jpg" border=0 width="191" height="135" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Copyright (c) <FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#FFFFCC" FACE="Brush Script MT" >EL Travel Bugs</FONT></div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="7eb675e0.gif" border=0 width="103" height="94" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> </td> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=90 BGCOLOR="#99CCFF" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="03976bc1egdyqn.gif"> <div> <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#CC0000" FACE="Brush Script MT" ><B>EL Travel Bugs ~ Travel Tales & Photos</B></FONT><B>   |   </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="EL Travel Bugs Travel Tales Photos"><U><B>HOME</B></U></A><B>    </B><A HREF="id6.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Contact Us"><U><IMG SRC="6b41e1e0.gif" border=0 width="30" height="30" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> <div> back to <B> </B><A HREF="id10.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Belize"><U><B>Belize</B></U></A><B>  </B><B> |   </B><A HREF="id3.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Travel Adventures"><U><B>Our Most Recent Travel Adventures</B></U></A></div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" height=390 colspan=2 BGCOLOR="#99CCFF" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="03976ba3.gif"> <div> <B>Monkey River, Belize</B></div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="475" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 167 WIDTH="285"><div> <B>During our stay in Placencia, we selected to take a jungle river boat tour.  At sunrise, my daughter and I delivered ourselves to the resort's whaler captain, Cagey.  We came armed with bug spray and bottles of water ready for a real jungle river experience.  Leaving civilization as we know it, our search was about to begin for the much-touted Black Howler Monkeys, or as the Belizean natives call them “Baboons”. </B></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <IMG SRC="1fdaf720.jpg" border=0 width="175" height="114" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <div> <B>Cagey raced his canoe-size whaler through mangrove avenues of a lagoon</B></div> <div> <B>and then southward along the Placencia coastline.  His mastering of the</B></div> <div> <B>outboard gave new meaning to free-range.  At full throttle, our boat</B></div> <div> <B>repetitively slammed against the surface of the water as I worried about</B></div> <div> <B>not arriving at our destination in one piece.</B></div> <bR> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="475" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 118 ><NOBR><div> <IMG SRC="1ffaf680.jpg" border=0 width="175" height="104" ALT="Monkey River, Belize" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="289"><div> <B>Through broken English, competing with the whine of a Vespa-like motor, Cagey tried to answer my questions about this region of Belize.  His inability to communicate exactly where he was taking us other than full-speed ahead concerned me only until the Monkey River Town came in view.</B></div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="458" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 151 WIDTH="270"><div> <B>The town appeared unattached to operating a conservation area; no ranger station, no official patrol boats, no checkpoint to collect fees.   We arrived to roosters scattered their flock along the riverbank, local fisherman sitting on a log sharing tales of yesterday's catch, and a lone dog perched on a stranded sandbar longing for the return of his owner from the sea.</B></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <IMG SRC="201af6d0.jpg" border=0 width="175" height="109" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="465" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 183 WIDTH="343"><div> <B>Our river guide approached us from his clapboard hut as if he just finished his breakfast of champions.  Like a choreographed dance, he pounced on our boat with binoculars and machete in hand.  We quickly learned his name was “Barrie” that sounded like “Bar-re”.  His appearance was stamped laid-back with Rastafarian hair and a smile as wide as the horizon.  He proved his </B><B>value immediately by guiding Cagey around and away from the other tour boats that belched enough smoke to choke out even the elusive toucan.</B></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <IMG SRC="11b69510.jpg" border=0 width="105" height="81" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> <IMG SRC="203875a0.jpg" border=0 width="135" height="90" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <div> <B>The boat cruised quietly along the red mangrove-lined riverbank like a</B></div> <div> <B>crocodile on the hunt while I kept my eyes sharp with the anticipation</B></div> <div> <B>of viewing their famous Keel-billed Toucan.  While a chorus of crickets</B></div> <div> <B>started harmonizing to the warmth of the day, a Basilisk lizard amused us</B></div> <div> <B>with his ability to walk on water.  We were amused by the Oropendolas as</B></div> <div> <B>they entertained us with their strange gargled calls while throwing their</B></div> <div> <B>body forward over a branch mimicking a broken cuckoo clock.</B></div> <bR> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="479" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 167 ><NOBR><div> <IMG SRC="2c7966b0.jpg" border=0 width="150" height="107" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">   </div> <bR> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="306"><div> <B>The white noise of insects magnified as the strength of the sun's lamp grew brighter and warmer.  Peering through Barrie's binoculars, an unexpected roar startled me as it bellowed out from the dense growth near our boat.  I looked at my daughter with excitement, could this be a Jaguar thirsty enough to come out of hiding?  When another intense burst of thunder bellowed out from the trees above, we finally saw what produced this cacophony heard for over a mile.</B></div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="466" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 134 WIDTH="303"><div> <B>A troop of Baboons, each weighing no more than 15 to 25 pounds, moved their slender catlike bodies from one limb to another as if playing tag.  A bone in their throat acts as an amplifier to give them their “King Kong”-like clamor.   Munching a mango in one hand, an adolescent Baboon used his invisible microphone to produce a ferocious rendition of “Hit the Road, Jack”.</B></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <IMG SRC="2c596690.jpg" border=0 width="150" height="105" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="461" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 143 ><NOBR><div> <IMG SRC="20fa9790.jpg" border=0 width="169" height="121" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#6633CC" FACE="Comic Sans MS" ><B> </B></FONT><B>"Fire ants, you say!"</B><B> </B></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="278"><div> <B>Taking heed of their suggestion, our guides suspended the river cruise for a jungle experience on foot.   At the start, we were warned to protect ourselves from fire ants and mosquitoes.  Faster than the Basilisk lizard, we donned sneakers and drenched our bodies with bug spray while noting that our hearty guide did neither. </B></div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="460" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 151 WIDTH="321"><div> <B>We intrepidly followed Barrie and his machete along an unmarked path lined with Travelers palm, thorny vines and Banyan trees.  The breath of the forest washed over us as the buzz of insects quieted to our presence.  It did not take long for Barrie to discover a boisterous family of Baboons in a set of palm trees.  It was likely they found us as the troop wasted no time in sending a “get lost” message by lobbing branches down like grenades on the enemy. </B></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <IMG SRC="2328d860.jpg" border=0 width="141" height="134" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="471" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 134 ><NOBR><div> <IMG SRC="21196650.jpg" border=0 width="150" height="101" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="309"><div> <B>Further down the river, the boat beached at our next stop on a secluded sandbar.  A buffet setup displayed grilled spicy chicken with a sweet mango salsa, veggie pasta salad, a mixture of tropical fruit and tart lemon bars for dessert.  To help us avoid becoming lunch for a hungry crocodile, our faithful guides offered a watchful eye as river centurions while we sought relief from the heat.</B></div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="461" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 107 WIDTH="296"><div> <B>While sun-bathing like the iguana on a neighboring tree, my eyes became heavy from the humidity and buzz that flavor the tropics.  This tour had offered much reward, especially for those who seek to find the infamous howler monkey, or the Belizean Baboon.</B></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <IMG SRC="23399650.jpg" border=0 width="153" height="101" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <div> <B>Lying on this isolated beach, I could almost imagine that I was part of a</B></div> <div> <B>Tarzan movie, being swept away into the romance of the jungle.</B></div> <div> <B>Then a growl of distance Baboons would once again remind me</B></div> <div> <B>that we were only guests in their home.</B></div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#6633CC" FACE="Comic Sans MS" ><A HREF="id6.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Contact Us"><U><IMG SRC="04e23230.gif" border=0 width="35" height="35" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></FONT><B>Authored by </B><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Brush Script MT" ><B>EL Travel Bugs</B></FONT><B>, </B><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Comic Sans MS" >Copyright (c)</FONT></div> <div> <A HREF="id56.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="South Pacific"><U><B><IMG SRC="3ba64500.jpg" border=0 width="100" height="80" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A><B>       </B><A HREF="id3.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Travel Adventures"><U><B><IMG SRC="6d95d350.gif" border=0 width="93" height="53" 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