Well, I was lucky enough to enjoy a fantastic vacation in Belize a few weeks ago (which helps to explain the long period of time between my posts). It was much too short, but otherwise perfect. Of course, I can’t help but take pictures of plants, even amid the worthy distractions of snorkeling, swimming, eating, drinking lots of rum punch and lounging / napping (in between eating / drinking). This is just a small sampling of what I got to see — and taste — there.
There are so many Coconut Palms on the beach that you can actually just pick one up, knock it hard against the trunk of the tree, and start sipping the coconut water right out of it on the go (so much better than a Big Gulp). These are “custard” coconuts. Once you break it open, the delicious, soft meat is best eaten with a spoon. You do have to watch out for coconuts falling out of the trees; a guy in the hammock next to me had a very near miss and almost got beaned right on the noggin when one of them came crashing down out of the fronds.
Coconut Palm on the beach
Another Coconut Palm growing through a deck
Banana (or Plantain?) riverside
Red Mangrove along coast of Ambergris Caye
Banana Orchids growing on Red Mangrove along the river
Wild Orchids (blurry close-up)
Snake Cactus on Red Mangrove
Tillandsia (Air Plants) growing wild among the Mangrove
Russelia equisetiformis (Firecracker Plant) growing like crazy
Heliconia at Lamanai
A Strangler Fig at Lamanai
We got to see a few of the local critters, too.
Nymphaea (Water Lilies) with a "Jesus Bird"
Tiny Crocodile on a log
Spider Monkey watching us watch him
BIG Iguana
Echoes 