Hey guys!

So I’ve been trying to finish this blog post since last week! In my last blog, I promised to post it the day after, but life happened! I spent two days helping Adrian create study guides for his Spanish class and then my right hand got injured and I’ve been going on slow for the past couple days. Kinda challenging typing with just one hand. =(

But today, I get to share with you our overnight stay in the rainforest at Leslies’ Private Paradise another gifted stay from my brother and sister-in-law. *insert cheesey grin here* lol We wanted to spend as much time with my brother and his family as we could, so we suggested spending the night in Belmopan (where they live) at a hotel closer to them before we headed down to Punta Gorda the next day. They said they had the perfect spot to stay in mind, all we needed to do was drive up and not worry about anything else. (Alright, we weren’t gonna ask any questions! haha!) When my sister-in-law said it was the perfect “laid back nature experience” she knew what she was talking about.  Leslies’ Private Paradise is just that – PRIVATE! It’s like escaping urban reality and walking into a chapter of the Jungle Book…LITERALLY because we had to walk a little ways from the road up to the cabin.

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“This exclusive private estate offers its guests the choice of a thatched Bush House (for family), a log cottage in a romantic setting, and two well-appointed hardwood cabins. There is also a family-sized swimming pool with waterfalls and jacuzzi with a large relaxing deck. A thatched ‘polleton’ with a fire-hearth is available for an old-fashioned cooking experience. A meditation hut on top of a hill provides a scenic getaway, as well as a quiet place for reading or meditation.” –  I borrowed all of that from their website. lol

It really did feel like we were smack in the middle of the rainforest. We were so far in from the road that all we could hear were the sounds of the forest and the bugs. It was really quite serene. The cabin was super cozy and fully furnished. Isn’t this a beautiful sight?

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I love that the cabin came with a little night light,  that was a very thoughtful touch! (sidenote: I’ll admit, we were all a little scared to sleep in the pitch darkness in the pouring rain that night. The night light made it a whole lot easier! lol)

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The kids were excited about the pool…so off we went.

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To get to the pool we had to go through  the thatched polleton complete with pots, cooking utensils and a eating table; it was pretty cool to see a fire-hearth right there in the middle – had we spent more than a day, I would have made it a point to use it!

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The steps behind the pool lead up to the meditation hut; somehow we forgot to go see what up there looked like. I’m certain we were distracted by the awesomeness of the pool. lol

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Later that evening my brother and sister-in-law brought us over some homemade dinner. My sister-in-law made chicken enchiladas and homemade banana cream pie! They were both so so delicious! I told her, I’ll never eat chicken enchiladas again, unless it’s from her – it was really that good! Ask Shaun, he had 4 servings! haha!

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Shaun says, if he had to pick his most favorite part of the trip, it would be this night  – and I have to agree! We spent some quality time with our siblings, ate some homemade – made with love- food (our most favorite kind), watched our kids make more lasting memories with each other and us, and had a good amount of belly laughs. It was really one of our best nights.

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Aunty Isela took the kids exploring.
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Two little monkey’s jumping on the bed…lol

We left bright and early the next morning to head to Punta Gorda,…but that’s for another post! haha!

Thanks for stopping by today guys, my good hand is getting tired from typing so I’ll talk to you soon! Hope you’re having a fruitful week! xoxo

love-candice

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2 thoughts on “Belize 2015 – Part 5 – Our Rainforest Stay at Leslies’ Private Paradise

  1. Oh, Can! This post makes my heart feel so light and joyful! Goodness! These pictures really capture the dreamy quality of this place. Your narrative makes me think of something straight out of one of Isaiah’s books: Scrubby bedraggled patches to Peter Rabbit places, where perhaps pumpkins wind their fairy-tale Cinderella tendrils through the grass or inviting pods of peas prod and pop into eager mouths! I love it!
    I wish, with total selfishness, that we could spend every free pocket of time together. With you all, everything seems to be more vibrant, more colourful, and more cheerful. Even boring gatherings get exciting and equally engrossing. You remind me – life’s very best moments, flavours and delights are often not those that cost us dear. They are found amongst good company, in sharing fresh wholesome food, in good conversation – and in watching ‘two little monkeys jumping on the bed’.
    In the interim, I have your blog to which to turn. For me, it is a welcome reprieve, a source of calm and beauty to punctuate my busy days. Like the very best flavours, it’s something for me to enjoy to keep stashed away, to savour…

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