The trip begins

After a honeymoon registry and a wedding we went to Belize for our honeymoon. We took a tour of the Lamanai Ruins in the tropical jungle just off the coast of Belize. This was the first time either of us had done something this exciting in a long time, so the anticipation was great. All we knew about the trip was just that it was long and that we would see some ancient Mayan ruins. The trip started off with a long boat ride. We started to go through the mangroves.

The mangroves were a type of swamp with a bush that was super thick and harvested all types of wildlife. There were crocodiles, huge termite nests, all types of birds and flying things. The ride was served with a can of pineapple juice that quite honestly had probably 80% pulp in it. It was like a slimy snack, kind of gross. They also had sandwiches. There was around 8-10 of us. We all were strapped like tourists, backpacks and cameras hanging around the necks. Either way, we were really excited to see what was ahead.

A magical jungle

We finally made it!

Getting to this place was an adventure in itself. It took a one hour boat ride through the mangroves, then a one hour bus ride on the bumpiest road that I’ve ever seen, then ANOTHER one hour boat ride through some small third world countries. Then, finally we made it!

What to do, what to do…. We were greeted by a stray dog when we got off of the dock. There are stray dogs all over Central America apparently. Our tour guide led us to a picnic table where we had a lunch made for us. It was some spicy fish meal, not quite sure how they made it. Either way I was dying for some of that pulpy juice just to cool my lips off!

After that the tour began. We started to walk around the reserve down some windy paths when it became very apparent, the plants and trees around here are incredibly bigger than anything I had ever seen. Even the leaves were big! It really made me feel like I was a small kid in a Disney jungle movie where everything is huge. Even the leaves on the plants that grow in the ground were gigantic! Let’s just hope the bugs aren’t as big.

The heat had climbed to a pretty high temperature at this point. I ended up being really sun burned after this excursion, but it was worth it. Too bad my Gilligan hat didn’t save my neck.

The Ruins

Interesting Temples

To think that these ruins have been here for thousands of years is truly mind boggling. You see it on TV or the movies and think, “That’s pretty impressive”. But then when you see it in real life, you think, “How did they do that? It would be a huge project currently even with our technology. They had nothing!”

The Jaguar Temple

One that stood out to me was the Jaguar temple. It stood out because of how much respect they had for the jaguar. The jaguar was like a God to the Mayans, largely due to its ability to kill and be the top of the food chain in the jungle. The structure is twelve feet shorter in exposed height than the High Temple (highest temple there), however a significant amount of this temple is under the ground, having been covered by dirt on its front side, and jungle roughage on its left side (when facing the front of the temple). Stones were made to form angular (blocky) jaguar heads that adorn the front. Seeing it in person truly shows how dedicated these people were to the jaguar.

There was also a grassy court. It was kept in immaculate condition. The tour guide started out by saying that “games” were played there. The game actually was a very primitive… field hockey if you will. Sounds like fun and games right? You wouldn’t want to be the loser. The loser was usually killed right there on the spot. Talk about tough consequences. Survival of the fittest must have been the motto there, and I’m sure there is no doubt that the Mayan warriors were very capable warriors. I just wonder if the field looked this pristine back then.

The views were astonishing from atop the high temple. They have you walk all the way up the temple with no rail, just a rope that drags on the ground. After the decent sized workout of climbing to the top, you are treated with views that are simple amazing!

There was much more than you see here on this tour. You got to see howler monkeys in the trees; you would not believe how loud those animals can get! All in all, if you are in or near Belize, I recommend taking a tour. It is an experience to be had, and it really lets you look back into history.

What is it? It is a service, usually on the web,that helps engaged couples in paying for special portions of their honeymoons.

History

They began around 20 years ago as an option provided by travel agencies. There are some agencies that still offer this. Today’s honeymoon registry has evolved from just the booking and planning of the overall honeymoon. With the wonderful power of the internet, they can go online and sign up with a company that offers this as a service. Usually they will receive their own customizable page that they can share with their friends for signing up.

The average Honeymoon Registry

These specialty websites allow each couple to customize and create a web page with details and photos of their upcoming honeymoon. Each couple that gets this service will get to ask anybody they desire to help out, usually via email. The people that are asked are then usually redirected to the registry site so they can help with either a portion of the overall cost of the honeymoon or even pay for specific purchases or activities help make the honeymoon more memorable.

Other Features

• Some sites offer assistance with thank you cards.
• Customized honeymoon registry invites.
• Custom landing page for the couple’s registry with photos of the couple.

Is it proper etiquette to do this? Will people be offended?

In 2008, the Wall Street Journal reviewed popular Honeymoon Registry services. They came up with this conclusion.

“A honeymoon is a perfectly appropriate gift to request.”

“There’s no objection to it from an etiquette point of view.”

Good Points

• The couple may not have been able to afford certain activities or services before using.
• Couples can register for things that can mean more than just items from a store.
• Sometimes this can go seamlessly with a wedding registry, creating a smooth and sophisticated approach to invitees.
• Items received are more likely to create lifelong memories.
• Sometimes, the thank you card can be almost completely customized and automated, alleviating any stress on the newlyweds.

Bad Points

• There are not many bad points. There may be some bad service providers. Make sure the company specializes in honeymoon registries and has been in business for a while before using.