We weren’t sure if we would go out, as the skies were dark. It had rained torrents last night. But the weather broke, and we piled into The Jungle Bus to head for Blue Creek.

There was a cultural center there and what we would call a boarding school. High school students from all over Toledo, and some beyond, come to learn traditional Mayan ways, both Kekchi and Mopan who speak different languages. We were told that Kekchi usually cannot understand Mopan, but Mopan can sometimes understand Kekchi.

The students also learn entrepreneurial skills, computer programs, and other elements of our so-called modern life.

Alas, the students were on break, but two from Blue Creek came in traditional Mopan dress to

It is hard not to come to Belize and not see some Mayan ruins. Some have been restored to the point that they don’t look real. Lubaantun, where we went, is an excellent example of ruins. No, there aren’t any tidy pyramids, but there are superb examples of stone work.

Antonio, our guide for those of you new to the blog, related the history of this amazing site to our group. They were fascinated,

As Arnie and I worked with people, some asked where we had done this or that shot last year, but we always encourage them to make their own photographs

I did another image for our exhibition next summer, Tropical Impressions from Belize. I can’t wait to see it printed!

We had a leisurely morning, some people sleeping in, others getting up early to do a bird walk with Antonio. Some wanted help with Lightroom, and others just chilled out on their hammocks at their cabanas.

After lunch, we headed off to Barranco, a Garifuna (ga-RI-fue-NAH) village down the coast a mere 12 miles from the Guatemalan border. We could look across at that country’s mountain layers, but it was the village we came to see, its culture, and the drummers who won the drumming competition in Belize three times in a row.

Alvin greeted us at his house. He was our host last year in the village, and we were glad to see him again. He is so interesting and has so many stories to tell about his people.

The Garinagu (plural of Garifuna and pronounced in a similar manner) trace their ancestry to African slaves and Amerindians,