Official dude

The tapir is the official animal of Belize. Unfortunately, I couldn't get any better shots of these fellows, you don't want to get too close because they spray. But I do find them cute in their own way. Photo taken in December 2011.

Monkey business

There's no aping around for these serious fellows. Photo taken in December 2011.

Just hanging out

This big kitty found the perfect spot for a cat nap. It doesn't look too comfortable to me, but I'm not a cat! Photo taken in December 2011.

White dude

I don't remember what the name of this critter was, but he's pretty cute! Photo taken at the Belize Zoo in December 2011. If you like animals, check out Camera Critters.

ETA: He is an albino coati, a relative of the aardvark. 

No pictures, please

Yesterday I showed you a male harpy eagle and here's a look at the female. Unfortunately, I couldn't get her to turn around and give me some face, but you can clearly see the size and stature of this beautiful bird. Just look at those talons! She was amazing. Photo taken in December 2011.

PS: Happy International Women's Day!

Proud man

This beautiful, proud man is a harpy eagle. In contrast to other species, female eagles are always bigger than the males. Unfortunately, I couldn't get a good shot of the lady. But this man looks pretty cool, I think. Photo taken in December 2011.

Open mouthed

Here's another American crocodile, this one was seen at the Belize Zoo rather than in the wild. Photo taken in December 2011.

Feathered friend

I don't recall now what type of bird this is, let's just call it pretty. Also seen at the Belize Zoo in December 2011.

ETA: This is a blue-crowned motmot. Certainly a fitting name!

Le charmeur

After lunch at the Tavern, we headed to the Belize Zoo. I typically am not too fond of zoos, but this one was really special. The philosophy is to keep the setting as natural as possible and all the animals are native to Belize. As soon as we walked in, we were greeted by this charming fellow and his friend, the zookeeper. A charming welcome, indeed! Photo taken in December 2011.

Ye olde tavern

Here's a look at the Old Town Tavern where we stopped for lunch after the river cruise. It was a bit rustic, but I liked the simple feel of it. And the colorful murals were a nice touch.

We were served up a portion of rice and beans, salad and mystery meat. They wouldn't say what it was, just that it "tastes like chicken". My husband tried it and he believes it was croc. I just stayed with the stuff I knew! Photo taken in December 2011.

Blue skies reflected

After the river cruise, we stopped at the Olde Belize Tavern for lunch. It was a rustic little place right on the water. I'll show you a bit of it tomorrow as well as the victuals they served. For now enjoy this sunny day on the river. Photo taken in December 2011. 

To see more reflections, head over to the Weekend Reflections blog.

Mama croc

Every baby has a mother and this one was keeping a close eye on our boat as we snapped our shots of her offspring. Our guide said theses two specimens are American crocodiles and there are plenty more living and breeding in the Old Belize River. It was quite a good place for a wildlife tour. Photo taken in December 2011.

Baby

He's got a face only a mother could love. Photo taken in December 2011.

Fancy man

Yesterday's post might have got you wondering how I can tell male and female iguanas apart. When it's mating season, it's no problem as the men are out and about in their best and brightest in order to attract the ladies. We saw quite a few of these dashing fellows during our river cruise. They weren't hard to find! Photo taken in December 2011.

She's a lady

 

You'll see a lovely lady iguana posing right there where the two branches of this tree meet. You might wonder how I know that she's a she. Check back tomorrow and I'll reveal my secrets! Photo taken in December 2011.

Chauve souris

I don't recall the exact name of these bats, but let's call them "little tree bats". I saw these during our cruise on the Old Belize river. Check back tomorrow for more interesting wildlife! Photo taken in December 2011.

Belize bridge

I hated to leave Roatan, but now we're on to Belize! This is a bridge over the Old Belize River. It empties right out into the ocean, so it was a convenient place to start our wildlife tour. We took a small boat up this river and saw lots of different animals: birds, iguanas, bats, monkeys and crocodiles. I'll show you more this week. Photo taken in December 2011. If you'd like to see more bridges from around the world, visit Sunday Bridges.

Good-bye Roatan

I really hope to see you again. This little island was my favorite stop on the cruise. Photo taken in December 2011.

Almost paradise

A beautiful sky greeted us as we sailed away from Roatan, Honudras. But don't worry, there's more paradise to come! Photo taken in December 2011. To see more beautiful skies, take a look at Skywatch.

Village life

I hope you're not getting tired of Roatan yet! This is one of the typical homes on the water. Although it could use some work, I rather like the looks of it. Photo taken in December 2011.

Welcome sign

You've probably gathered by now that I enjoyed my visit to Roatan. Both the people and the signs were very welcoming. Photo taken in December 2011. If you like signs, check out Signs, Signs.

Island time III

More great scenes from Roatan. Don't worry, there's still more to come... Photo taken in December 2011.

The Navigator

Here's a quick peek at our ship from the shores of Roatan. It's the Royal Caribbean, Navigator of the Seas. I really enjoyed the experience of being onboard for the holidays. Photo taken in December 2011.

Geometric

A look from above into one of the shopping plazas in Roatan, Honduras. I liked the way the light was shining on the supports, they create a nice geometric scene. If you'd like to see more black and white shots, check out the Weekend in Black and White.

Island time II

It seems I found beautiful shots at every turn in Roatan. Photo taken in December 2011.

Island time

I really liked Roatan. It's a small island off the coast of Honduras which hasn't been too tourist-ified yet. The people were friendly, the weather was warm and the sky was blue. What more could you ask for in late December? If you like skies like I do, head over to Skywatch.

Singing and dancing

These musicians and dancers were waiting on the pier to entertain us as we docked at Roatan, Honduras. They kept it up from 8am to 5pm, which is quite something since the dancing was quite physical. I enjoyed their chants and drums. I can almost hear them again now... Photo taken in December 2011.

Great blue

Our first stop was Roatan, Honduras. We did a little snorkeling on the reef, it was beautiful but we didn't see a lot of fish due to the strong currents that day. It was nice to be in the sun  and warm waters though. Photo taken in December 2011.

Oh what a beautiful morning!

I spent the holidays with my husband and mother-in-law on a Caribbean cruise. This beautiful sunrise greeted us in Galveston on the day of our departure. It was a good sign of the days to come! Photo taken in December 2011.

Wish balloon

Last year while celebrating New Year's in Davos we participated in a wish balloon release. Everyone had a chance to write a wish on the paper balloon and then it was let go at midnight. I wonder if any of them came true... Photo taken in January 2011.

Happy New Year!

These fireworks come to you from last year's celebration outside Davos, Switzerland. Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season and my best wishes to you for a happy and successful new year! Photo taken in January 2011.