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We crossed into Guatemala and soon were riding in a minivan with 18 others.  The luggage was strapped on top.  We stopped often and a young boy would climb up the ladder built on to the side of the van and pass down some luggage...or we would pick up new passengers & the boy would strap on more luggage and we´´d move over a little more....if possible.  We were pleasantly surprised by how much cleaner the landscape is here...homes are mostly built with cement blocks with yards neatly grazed by a horse and sometimes sheep or pigs.  There are also large areas nearby grazed by cows.  We only hear Spanish now and the locals have lighter complexions and straight black hair...no more multi-braided hairdos.  Our first stop is Flores...an old city on an island...the same one we visited with our kids 12 years ago.  We walked to the center square where we had spent New Years Eve.  This quaint town is full of hotels and restaurants.  The hot sun made the lake very inviting and many were enjoying a cool dip.  Tuk tuks and motorcycles buzzed up and down the narrow stone streets.  Around 4 p.m.several ladies with their home prepared foods set up underneath a tent  by the lake right in front of our hotel window.  People swarmed about that area like bees around their hive until late at night.  Rog kept looking out the window wishing he was hungry again!  Our second day in Flores, we went to Park Ixpanpajul about 10 km away.  We hiked a 3 km trail which took us through the jungle and over several suspension bridges that were about 100 ft high and about 100 M long.  We didn´t see much wildlife but saw lots of flora & two beautiful orchids.  Later we climbed into a boat for a one hour tour (think Gilligan´´s Island....again)   of the lake and just like 12 years ago...a storm rolled in & there were no life jackets anywhere.  It started pouring down rain so our driver docked the boat at his own house which was on the other side of the lake.  We waited for the storm to pass and under a thatched roof where an altar had been built with hundreds of shells and used for setting up their Nativity scene at Christmas.  We practiced our Spanish as our driver practiced his English.  We learned the lake is 2M higher than usual due to all the rain during their dry season and that there is an unexcavated ruin a short distance from his home.  We played with some kids who had made a boat out of a coconut shell and were trying to get it to float down a small stream created by the downpour....another unexpected and unusual treat!  After about an hour, we climbed back into the boat and finished our tour.  

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We came ¨home¨to the Tropicool Hotel in San Ignacio and soon met up with Paula & Emmanuel.  Paula has Dengue fever but insisted on us joining them for dinner.  She had arranged to have three of her women{s sewing group there and bring us the purses they had embroidered over the last two weeks while we were gone so that we can take them home to sell them.  I expected 4 or 5...but was utterly amazed as they had finished about 20 of them....and one more just as we were leaving.  I sure hope I can reward them with a large payment.  Paula´s younger sister mentioned that she made bracelets so I offered to sell them also.  She didn´t have any to sell and no money to make a lot.  I explained to her what a microloan was and loaned her $20 which I told her she should loan on to someone else once she has earned $20.  She was excited!  Paula & I took her hands clutching the $20 and said a prayer asking for the money to multiply and bring income to many in need in the future.  During our final hugs, Paula again whispered, "You bring us much hope."  Tomorrow we leave Belize.  Did we find lots to enjoy here?  You Better Belize It!   (that´t their motto)