It took approx 5 hours of bus to get from San Pedro (Isla Bonita) through Belize City to Hopkins on the mainland. The Belizean local buses are not too bad to travel by. Of course there is no AC but all the windows are opened and you can take advantage of the strong current. The problem is if there is a rain then the windows are closed and you can die of the suffocation. It was almost the case of this trip, eventually the rain didn't last for too long and I've managed to survive...;) Hopkins is such a pretty back laid sea village with as much of peace and quietness one can imaging. We found a great spot for free camping at least we thought until the next morning when we've got wakes up by a local lady who was ridding up the beach. She didn't seem to be very happy when she saw me coming out of the tent. I went for a swim therefore there was no conversation. After I was attacked by the fish which sacks your skin to be able to get attached to you and be carried on by you, I've got back to the tent and have been told by a lady that we need to pay 5$ per night if we want to stay on the local beach next to her property. That was in her opinion a local law, she didn't have any propriety by the beach, she explained that it belonged to her sister. A. even helped her to clean the beach up and then we had to pay as well. Such a strange people but what to expect if this people are so poor, they live in a very bad conditions. I don't mind supporting the local comunity even if I think they could have a little bit more dignity and don't ask for money. I come from Poland where some people are very poor as well but I think they've got a little bit more dignity and education. At the end that lady was like a mama who comes by sunrise to wake you up and have a chat. It wasn't a problem for me as I get up before sun rise and go for a swim with the sea's piranhas. After 3 days spent in Hopkins I had got a quality relaxing time by swimming, practicing yoga, sunbathing and eating in a local restaurants. The mosquitos weren't that bad however they have still been bothering me. Sand flies seem to be all over Belize. I think I've got used to it and can handle it somehow, most of the time just by swimming or wearing long clothes to cover up the whole body.
After picking up the local bus to Placencia, we've got off near by Laguna and took a boat across it. It was just great to do so. The beach more or less is similar, but definitely more touristic. It's much longer and the see looks like a Laguna. It's more closed (repaired) than the other one in Hopkins. We found a right spot on the beach without the local fees;) The water first thing in the morning (5.30am) is like a lake. I jump in the water do my 1 hour morning swim while the sun is raising, I swim with the speed of the sun rise. Having it in front of me like in Bacalar it feels me up with incredible energy and gives me a power for the rest of the day. The sucking skin fish likely appeared at the end of my swim so I could have a quality one. The beach in not exactly white Caribbean style, is yellow and had got lots of coconuts and broken palms like in Baracoa (Cuba). But it doesn't really matter as long as there is a wonderful silence and peace. It's an mediative experience to live by the sea and listen to the nature. Interesting was that I couldn't hear the waves as there weren't such for most of the day with the evening exception. The birds and parrots were my symphony. This music is a part of most of the trip except from the towns which are madly busy and loud. I went along the beach partly swimming and partly walking because of the sea's piranha which was on regular bases kicking me out of the water by biting me. I really was fed up with this experience. Whenever I wanted to go for a long swim I would have to interrupt it, it was disturbing. Anyway the coast was never ending and there were nice interesting buildings along it. Cabañas were all over. The coast is not that developed and there is still some space to invest in. Unfortunately proprieties in Belize are so expensive. One double bed apartment in a resort costs 500 000$. The sea wasn't that great in some parts fill of grass and some corals. Over all the beaches in Belize weren't that great and the bottom of the sea neither. But the corals and fish were amazing.
