After sleeping for about 11 hours on the world’s most comfortable mattress…

and then eating a seriously hearty breakfast at my hotel, Mahongany Hall in Bullet Tree Fall, I set out for Saturday market day in San Ignacio.

For those of you new to Belize, San Ignacio is the biggest town in the Cayo District…the largest and after the beaches, the most visited.  It is the gateway to Guatemala and the beautiful ruins at Tikal but you are crazy if you skip over Cayo…CRAZY.  Jungles, caves (the ATM CAVE!), gorgeous rivers, birds, animals, impressive Mayan ruins…

Here’s a map.

The ride from Bullet Tree to San Ignacio is only about 3 miles.  And if you look for the Bullet Tree Taxi Association (in town, they are right next to Belize Bank), the ride is CHEAP!  They do it bus style and your fare is only $2-$4bzd.

I walked for a little bit to wait for my bus.  Leaving Mahogany Hall…

These chickens wanted nothing to do with me.  But I so love a baby chick.

But not enough to buy one for 50 cents in town later in the morning.

I passed a very pretty drug & alcohol drug rehabilitation center.  I’ll need to know more about this place but when I visited the office no one was around.  Beautifully maintained and called Remar.

A few signs that advertised organic plants and farming…

A prehistoric looking giant…the telephone poles look like sticks…

To the main junction in the village.  A good spot to wait for the $2 dollar taxi.

I was picked up quickly and deposited by the Bowen & Bowen Tree in the center of town by the new tourist welcome center.

Here is the brand new center.

And inside the center, a BTB employee was decorating this very cute tree.

 

The new park.

I headed to the market.  San Ignacio is alive on Market Days…it seems like every surrounding village is there.  And the buses prove it…

Stalls for food, pedicures, vegetables, spices, used clothing, breakfast, snacks, sunglasses, carvings, medicine…everything.

Fresh fish from the South at Mango Creek.

 

Sorrel!  I’ve been wondering what this flavor comes from.  Sorrel juice is served in lots of restaurants here and you’ve all heard of the holiday drink, Belikin Stout.

Lots of BBQ.

Coconut oil and honey.

 

I stopped for a piece of pie at Hannah’s.

And just did a bit more wandering about town…

Pretty pretty San Ignacio.  If you can check it out on Saturday, do it.  But my trip was brief…at about 11am, it started pouring rain.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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