One Year Anniversary

It is hard to imagine that Brian and I have been married for a year already!!! It feels like a lifetime and a day all at the same time. We were incredibly blessed to be able to escape for a little over a week down to Belize and Guatemala to celebrate. During our honeymoon we had both really wanted to go scuba diving, but the weather and currents wouldn't allow it. So, we decided to make this trip primarily about diving. Brian had done some research and found out that there is an amazing reef off the coast of Belize that is second in the diving world only to the Great Barrier Reef of Australia. In fact, Belize had been one of his top choices for our honeymoon before he decided on Jamaica. So, we took five scuba classes here in Missoula to take some tests and do all of the pool practice before heading down to Belize to finish our certification.
We spent almost five days in a town called San Pedro on an island off the coast of Belize. We made the most of our time and went on eight different dives. We were able to see turtles, rays, sharks, moray eels, and such a wide variety of tropical fish and coral that we were in a state of constant wonder the entire time we spent under water. One of our scuba trips took us out to The Blue Hole. This is considered one of the seven wonders of the diving world. It is an island that sank in on itself creating a deep hole of about 400 feet. What makes it so amazing is that the barrier reef still forms an almost perfect circle around the hole making it a paradise for a variety of marine life - including many different types of sharks. What was exciting for us was that we were able to dive down over 130 feet under water and then swim through the stalactites and stalagmites that hold up the reef. Words fail to describe how crazy it is to be that far under water seeing a completely new world. The waters of Belize are spectacular and we were more than able to enjoy the people and the beaches as well...

The next three days we spent going to some ruins in Guatemala. The Mayan ruins of Tikal are some of the most unique and amazing ruins I have seen mostly because of their placement. These ruins are still completely surrounded by the jungle. There has been virtually no disruption to the plant or animal life since it became a tourist site. The ruins themselves are gigantic spanning more than 5 square miles and including 6 towering pyramids or 'templos'. We spent hours wandering through the ancient temples and palaces and were even able to spot quite a bit of wildlife. Maybe it would be more accurate if I said that Brian found the animals and helped me see them (really need to get those eyes fixed:). Anyway we saw an anteater, tons of howler and spider monkeys, some tucans, a Central American turkey, a crocodile, and tons of other birds that we need to find names for:) The last night in Guatemala was spent in a little town called Flores which is on an island in Lake Peten. I personally LOVED Guatemala. It is a place that I would like to visit again and a place that I could definitely live if the opportunity ever presented itself.

Anyway, I could go on and on about the details of the trip, but I figured that a few pictures would go a long way to share some of our highlights...

We spent part of our layover in Seattle at a Wine Bar playing Pinnochle

Brian and I on the scuba boat

Spending the late afternoon on the beach in front of our hotel

The streets of San Pedro

Brian trying out the local brew at a Mexican Restaurant

Eating a breakfast out on the pier in front of our hotel before a day of scuba diving

Another view of our hotel - there is a pool and a bar behind the front gates

The scuba shop just in front of the hotel

Patojo's run by Patojo himself and his amazing crew - Saiid, David, Omar, Michael

Heading out for another day of scuba diving

The street from our hotel to the 'center' of town

Can you spot the turtle? - The camera doesn't do these scenes justice:)

So many beautiful tropical fish!

...and stingrays...

...and sharks...

...and coral....(and a lobster if you can find it:)

Almost an underwater smile:)

Getting suited up again!!

Showing off my backwards roll out of the boat

That first backwards dive into the ocean took a lot of courage for me:)

Enjoying a chocolate rum cake dessert on the beach

A restaurant over the waters where you can feed the fish from your table

Half Moon Caye on our final day of scuba diving

This island has a bird sanctuary for the Blue Footed Boobie

A piece of paradise

Glad Brian noticed this guy before I did:)

Brian going up to the bird observatory

Preparing our tanks - it took 3 tanks per person for this trip!

Some of the awesome formations we got to swim through

A Kennetta close-up!:)

Brian and I all suited up and ready for the Blue Hole Dive

This one isn't my picture -mine didn't look this good - but it is the Blue Hole from above

It was providential because we stayed in the Blue Hole Room at the Tides Resort:)

We spent our last night in San Pedro watching the World Famous Chicken Drop Bingo

Just look at how close we were to winning - we had number 25

In the ruins of Tikal, Guatemala about to climb the tallest of the six pyramids - The Great Jaguar temple

A view of the Great Jaguar from below

Brian on top of the Great Jaguar

The view of the rest of Tikal from the top of the Great Jaguar

Brian and I in front of the central plaza of Tikal

Brian on top of yet another pyramid at sunset

Our room at the Jaguar Inn - Top Floor

Kennetta standing by some ruins in 'The Lost World'

A Mayan palace

A crocodile with some babies outside Tikal -

Don't worry, this picture was taken with a major zoom :)

A Guatemalan wild turkey

Brian spotted some tucans for me!

The island city of Flores

The view from our hotel in Flores

Back in Belize City

Out to dinner in Missoula for our anniversary

Brian surprised me with a pearl necklace!! I am sooooooooo spoiled:)