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“We recently traveled to Belize, a country rich in wildlife with a strong commitment towards conservation. Belize is also culturally vibrant and diverse, and the Belizeans are extremely warm and welcoming hosts. We first traveled to the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary, which is the world’s largest protected environment (200 sq. mi.) for jaguars. A fellow traveler spotted and photographed a gorgeous female jaguar!!! We did, however, view many species of birds with the assistance of our excellent guide, Golden, a native of the nearby town of Hopkins. Among our sightings was a wood stork and a violet saber-wing hummingbird. We also traveled to Monkey River and Monkey Bay, where we saw crocodiles, green iguanas, howler monkeys, and manatees!!! I was the only one who saw an elusive blue morpho butterfly which served as a reminder to conserve our wild environments. We were the guests of the Hamanasi Resort which is strongly committed to conservation. There they have reduced beach erosion by maintaining the coastal forest which is threatened by development. It was here among the coconut palms and sea grapes where I did my plein air paintings. We toured nearby villages and developed an deeper understanding of Belize. We also were enjoyed a dance and drumming performance given by a group from Dangriga. They were outstanding!!! I am currently researching Belizean folklore as subjects for studio painting. I will be posting my Belizean plein air paintings soon.” |
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