Continuing with our time with our students in Belize, Arnie and I are always encouraging our participants to seek their own vision and bring their own aesthetics to their photographs.

Arnie and I, of course, also see differently, and our students find it instructive when they see how each of us approaches a subject. There is no one right way, and so, once again, we present another installment of Same Place — Different View.

Our next-to-last day involved a visit to another organic cacao farm. How can one resist that freshly-made chocolate? I can’t speak for others, of course, but I have always known dark chocolate is good for me. That love has finally been validated by medical science, and I no longer have to make excuses for loving this wonderful flavor.

After taking a tour of the farm, we returned to our hosts’ home where the family made us a delicious lunch, then roasted the freshly-gathered cacao beans over an open fire, stirring them on the comal — actually more like a wok here — by hand.

You’ll see that while Arnie showed the mother in the background, I made sure that the bare foot was shown as the cacao beans were quickly stirred by hand. Hmmm, I wonder why?

One cannot go to a foreign country and not go to Market Day. Each has its own flavor, but I have yet to participate in one and not find it a feast for the eyes.

In Punta Gorda, there are several markets. Arnie and I discussed it ahead of time and decided that to go on the most popular days would be a zoo for our participants, so we selected a slightly less frenetic day.

Everyone was attracted by the colors. The people in Belize love the bright colors of plastic containers. I wonder if it is in part because they don’t break down on the rocks by the river where so much of the washing is done and in part because the colors are just plain cheerful, much like their fabrics.

Arnie and I worked with our participants in different areas that interested them. We were separated, so I can’t offer a one-on-one comparison. However, we each found images that reflected the colors of the market, and both involved, strangely enough for two people who are into recycling and prefer natural fibers, PLASTICS! Mr. Robinson, where were you?

As some of you know who have been following this blog, we really enjoyed having lunch with Gomier who was such a wonderful cook, and we promised our workshop participants that they would meet Gomier and enjoy the same experience. They loved it, much to our delight.

We gathered around the picnic table, ordered our various lunches, some sharing, and because there was no more of the local beer, Gomier offered us some of his special brew. Don’t ask, but it was good … in very small sips!

With such a wonderful face, and always attired in one of his many Rasta hats, he was a compelling subject. Arnie and I both photographed him when we were scouting, and after our participants had a chance, we photographed him again, each with a different viewpoint.

This was our last full day in Belize, and we had not yet explored the remote villages in the Mayan Mountains with our group. So, after we returned from the market and had an always tasty lunch at the Lodge, we took off for the hills. The first order of business was to find some bottles of the wonderful habanero sauce that everyone loved. I think I was the only one who abstained, being able to enjoy all sorts of hot flavors from Indian curry to Chinese mustard to wasabi, but heading into the stratosphere with anything starting with j or h. Antonio, our trusty driver and guide told us that he thought that the store in the first village would have what we wanted.

Indeed they did, and everyone was pleased with their purchases, including Arnie. Both of us, however, were more intent on the subtle light in the store and the mother and young daughter tending it that day.

Arnie chose a dark, moody feel, showing more of the store, while I — surprise, surprise — homed in on our subjects, using the store as more of a backdrop.

We’ll show a few final examples of our Belize adventure from the few days we took for ourselves after the workshop in the next installment of Same Place — Different View.

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