While on our mainland trip, I had a very small world/deja vu experience. For two nights we stayed between Belize City and Belmopan at Monkey Bay Wildlife Sanctuary. Monkey Bay is an environmental education center near the zoo with delicious food and voracious insects. It’s pretty remote, set back off the highway down a dirt road, the only things within walking distance are a bar called Amigos and a restaurant called Cheers. On our second night, we strolled down the dark and empty street under the impressive light of the moon to Cheers. The restaurant has an outdoor eating area decorated with hanging t-shirts from around the world, presumably left or sent by guests, most of them signed. As I strolled around looking at them I came across this one:
Loyola Wolfpack 2012!!!
It’s from my alma mater, Loyola New Orleans, and is signed by one of my favorite professors, Dr. Bob. He designed a tropical ecology trip to Belize that I went on with another awesome professor the summer after my freshmen year. By the time the trip was over I’d transitioned from an undecided leaning towards becoming an English major to a die hard environmental studies enthusiast determined to save coral reefs. I was glad to see that Loyola is still well represented in Belize and hopefully still producing idealistic environmentalists. It’s always nice to run into something that reminds you of where you’ve been and where you’re headed, even when you feel like you’re in the middle of nowhere.
