Path of Beauty Tour 2015

It has been a hard year. I went back to work and school this year after 15 years of being a Stay-at-Home Mom. Now I am a Work-from-Home Mom. I love, love, love my job, but the transition has been difficult as we all learn new roles in our family. After a busy, wonderful, stressful, exhilarating year, I need rest, inspiration, and beauty. Therefore, I knew our next adventure needed to be really special!

My husband always likes to tell the story of Grandpa Dishman taking him and his friend to Banff when they were teenagers. As he described the beauty of the scenery to me, I knew that is where I wanted to go. So after a couple of months of brainstorming and planning, we have finally nailed down the "Path of Beauty Tour 2015." This summer, we will intentionally place ourselves in the path of beauty for the benefit of inspiration and peace. We will be made to lie in green pastures and lead beside still waters in order to restore our souls.

I am really looking forward to our time together as a family. I cannot wait until I am surrounded by my little tribe and I have their complete undivided attention. I can't wait to play together and drive together and swim together and hike together and experience all the beauty that God has created, together.

Path of Beauty 2015

Cacao Farm

9 May 2013

The tour I was most excited about taking in Belize was the Cacao Trail. I love chocolate and I've been very interested in the bean to bar process, so the idea of visiting a cacao farm was even more interesting. Some of you have checked out already, but bear with me as this farmer is probably the most interesting man you'll ever meet!
Meet Eladio Pop. He's a Mayan Cacao Farmer who is passionate about his 30 acre subsistence farm in southern Belize. He has farmed this particular spot for the past 40 years (he's 54!). For about 2 hours we trekked over the hills and through the woods looking at eating everything he grows. Every time we crested a hill or turned a corner there was something new to try!

Maroon bananas

Hub holding some of the many things we were snacking on: Cacao & Jippi Joppa

Eladio demonstrating how to harvest and eat Jippi Joppa

Following Eladio up the hill

 Eladio spoke to us quite a bit about his farming philosophy. He shuns traditional slash and burn farming techniques in favor of a more natural farm. He has learned to grow in harmony with the nature that surrounds him. Indeed, I had expected a more American style farm with rows of plants and such so I was surprised to see how the cacao tress are actually planted and sheltered (and thrive) beneath the canopy of the forest. It is easy to see how Eladio works in coordination with nature to get the most from his little farm. He understands the needs of each plant and animal that inhabits his farm and works hard to meet each need....even the rodents. At one point he cuts down a coconut with his machete and opens it up for us. After we inhale the delicious interior, he leaves behind the other half for the animals. There is enough for everyone he tells us, and he is right! He has raised 15 children off this farm.

Eladio separated out the Cacao seeds from the pulp. The pulp is used to make wine and the seeds chocolate.

Traditional Belizean Rice and Beans lunch prepared by Eladio's wife & daughters.

How to Make a Crappy Room Bearable in 10 Easy Steps

May 2013
San Ignacio, Belize

We arrived in San Ignacio via the Benque bus from Belmopan, had some delicious Belizean Stew Chicken at Lydia's across the street from the bus stop, then took a taxi up the hill to our hotel, Cahal Pech.
Now, this seems like an appropriate time to mention that I wanted to stay at Trek Stop. A popular backpacker spot, TS will only set you back around 15 bucks (pp) a night and is only a short ride into town. However, Hub wanted a pool. After imagining a sweltering all day trek up and down Mayan Ruins, it didn't take me long to give in to this request. Appear: Cahal Pech Village Resort. "Look, they have these budget huts on the hill and still have a pool!" Too bad that budget hut would set us back about $90 a night after taxes! But....it had a beautiful pool. Besides, it has the word resort in the name, I'm sure it will be nice.

Wrong.

We arrived at the hut to find hostel like conditions. Mind you, I am not opposed to hostels, I have stayed in several in South America and I feel comfortable using them. However, I am opposed to staying in a hostel and paying the price of a resort. Which is exactly what we did at Cahal Pech.
So, if you ever find yourself stuck in a bad room, I am sharing the measures we took to help us make our room less crappy. You never know, these may work for you someday as well!

#1: Do some laundry

It may seem like a chore, but clean clothes make everyone feel better. Besides, that hammock was too small to hold anyone that's not Mayan anyhow. It was crying out to be repurposed!










#2: Redecorate

When we discovered the full size mattress was resting on a twin size box spring, we were only slightly disappointed. However, when we saw a small a/c unit in a room that has no glass in the windows, we decided to take matters into our own hands. We moved the bed over and arranged some extra blankets with the curtains to create a unique "air distribution system" that blew the cold air directly onto our faces. BTW-when your mom used to say that cold air on your face will make you sick...she was wrong. Fact.



#3. Steal Borrow from others

Our porch was empty, and with a dysfunctional hammock and weird bed situation, we needed a place to relax! Enter: the hut next door. They had some great looking patio furniture over there so under cover of darkness we stole it and set up house in our patio.








#4. Take a tour

Nothing can change your perspective better than natural beauty! We took a kayak 10 miles down the Macal River and spotted a few bat hangouts and several iguanas chilling by the water.









#5. Make some friends

 The key to understanding a place is understanding the people who call it home. This man is a staple in town gathering restaurant leftovers for his farm. He spotted us from across a park and rode his horse across the entire park to come talk to us.








#6. Use Deet

Bugs in the jungle are okay. Bugs in town are okay. Bugs in the patio are okay. Bugs in the bed are NOT okay. After finding this centipede in the bed one morning, I sprayed the entire box spring, mattress, and my body with Deet each night. Hub wasn't real excited about going to bed with a greasy, smelly lady, but hey, a girl's gotta survive, am I right?












#7.Take a swim

Although our hut was bad, the pool was pretty awesome. We definitely made use of these two pools after our days of exploring.











#8. Go Shopping

San Ignacio is known for their beautiful market and it did not disappoint. We were able to pick up some fruit and snacks to keep in our room to help us avoid the "resort food" they were serving up in the dining area.









#9. Save Cash                            

 Fruits and snacks weren't the only things we picked up in town. For the same price as one drink at the hotel bar, we were able to purchase our own drinks at a local market. We also bought a gallon of water after the restaurant staff sweated us a little for filling up our bottles.








#10. Enjoy the view.

Sometimes we get stuck in a place we're not happy with, but when traveling, it's important to find the silver lining. Here it was all about the view. The hotel overlooked the city of San Ignacio and beyond, and if we ignored all of the dry season fire smoke for a few minutes, we could sit and take in the beauty of the valley in front of us. And that is what it's all about.