the obligatory tourism of amateur archaeologists

Been in Belize for 3 days and it is AMAZING.  Yesterday we went to the sites of Cahel Pech and Xunantunich (try saying that).  These both were so amazing and Cahel Pech is only a 2 minutes walk from our hotel.  Xunantunich was a little farther down the road and is really close to the Guatemala border and we could see it from the highest point at the site called the Castillo.  It was a very high hike up, but it was so worth it! We could see all the way back to our hotel and see a huge distance in every direction.  IT WAS BEAUTIFUL!  Then afterwards we had a free afternoon and me and a few other students went into town to explore.  We came across the Blue Angels Bar and heard music all the way down the in the street.  It was so loud in there that we couldn't hear ourselves think.  We all had a few drinks and one of the girls Brandy discovered a drink called the Panty Ripper...coconut rum and pineapple juice with some grenadine.  HELLO HEAVEN.  I got one too and it was delicious.  It was really nice to hang out with a few people from the group and relax.  Then today we visited the site of Caracol and saw the highest man-made structure in Belize called Caana.  It was quite the hike and yet again, totally worth it.  We had an awesome tour guide named Selmo who knew a lot about the Maya of Caracol.  Chancy and I walked down a path that was a little safer then the way we went up and Selmo found a termite nest on the tree...he then offered us some to eat.  Hey you only live once, so WE TRIED THEM.  Surprisingly they weren't awful, they had a minty taste which was a surprise.  Then everyone decided to try them after they heard we had.  After Caracol and our termite adventure we went to the Rio On Pools.  These are a series of little pools created by a river flowing over some rocks that then pool under each other.  It was stunning and I was so glad I was able to see it.  We swam for a while and it was really refreshing after a day filled with hiking and sweating.  Tonight a few of us are going into town again to hang out with Dr. Powis (head of field school) and a few of the Masters and PhD students.  Should be fun!  Tomorrow we're going to a few caves to explore and then to our site of Pacbitun to see where we'll be digging the rest of this month.  I am really excited to go caving and experience what it is like.  I'll probably post again on Sunday night!  LOVE Y'ALL