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Tacogirl Belize blog Est. in 2007

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Spring has Sprung at Marco Gonzalez Maya Site

by tacogirl 29/03/2019
written by tacogirl 29/03/2019
Marco Gonzalez Spring Equinox Blessing

With the coming of spring brings the annual celebration at our small but very cool Maya ruin site located in South Ambergris Caye. Being that I have not mastered my powers of magic enough to be in two places at once, I got lucky on this one. While my temporary roommate Heather and I were in San Ignacio, my friend Robbie volunteered to help cover the event for you.

Marco Gonzalez Spring Equinox Blessing By Robbie Zeskie

Nothing like a ritual of bringing in the new spring season to pull you out of the winter doldrums. And here on San Pedro we got to collect as a community and indulge fully in a refreshing ceremony filled with incense burning, dancing, anointing with water and prayers offered by an authentic Yucatan priest. The weather lately couldn’t have been more perfect leaving the grounds of the Marco Gonzalez Archaeological Reserve prime for the trekking of so many visitors at one time. The most rustic and beautiful raised walking trail was made from remains of an old nearby dock donated after the last hurricane blew through. Signage strategically placed along the trail to notify visitors of different flora, both dangerous and healing as well as some history of the dig site and of course artifacts and ancient building sites that are being excavated. For a history buff like me, well, I was in heaven!

Marco Gonzalez Spring Equinox Blessing

In conjunction with the ceremony of the blessing of the Spring Equinox, there were some educational guides on hand to discuss the artifacts and their use to interested visitors both local and tourists. There were Mayan spears to throw, raffles to enter and festive food and drink to purchase. Belize Chocolate Company was also set up at a table to explain how the Mayans would process and use the cacao bean.

Marco Gonzalez Spring Equinox Blessing

One of my favorite parts of the ceremony was the Mayan princess and warrior in costume. It was so easy to imagine yourself 1500 years back in time with these two in character. The costumes seemed authentic even though they were obviously modern day garnished with real animal skulls, teeth and embellished with the springtime Mayan symbol of the rabbit.
After the Spring Equinox Blessing Ceremony was complete tours of the excavation site were available for all visitors.

Marco Gonzalez Spring Equinox Blessing

The tour was so much more than I expected! Numerous shards of pottery, bones, stones, and mounds of seashells where homes made out of them once stood. Most fascinating to me was the idea that the land crabs actually did most of the uncovering of daily artifacts! Nature at it’s finest! The area can be swampy sometimes with tides creeping up making it a prime blue crab habitat. These crabs bury themselves down into the earth and disrupt the centuries-old artifacts from their ancient burials, kicking them right out their front door for the archeologists and volunteers to pick up. Toward the end of the tour, we were treated to an encounter with a nice sized boa constrictor and a beautiful blue-headed snake I often see on my bike rides up north.

Marco Gonzalez Spring Equinox Blessing

I needed to shake off the winter from my cold visit back to the states and jump into my spring cleaning. You should definitely fit it into your “To Do” list for next year! Or if you visit the island, be sure and look up Marco Gonzalez Maya Site on FaceBook and schedule a tour. Hats off to the many volunteers and board members who spent hours planning, cleaning and working so all of us could enjoy such a unique and authentic Mayan tradition.

Tips for Marco Gonzalez Maya Site Tour

  • Dress for the jungle.
  • Pack repellent.
  • No pets or kids under 5.
  • 1/4 mile hike into the site, single file on a rustic boardwalk.
  • Carry out what you carry in, no more no less.

To book a tour call Jan Brown at 672-2725 or email – janetbrownbz@gmail.com

Other News

Beat the Monday Blues in Belize

Finally, something to help you love work on Monday Mornings 😀 This Private Island Bungalow on Tobacco Caye is one of the best office space views ever.

Tourism Numbers

According to the Statistical Institute of Belize (SIB), the 4th quarter Gross Domestic Product (GDP) report, the total value of goods and services produced in Belize was $706.4 million. Growth for the first three quarters of 2018 was as follows: first quarter 1.8 percent, second quarter 5.4 percent, and third quarter 3.3 percent. Source Breaking Belize News.

Travel List

Yesterday I was contacted by James Dyde to say he had published an article about the best English-language websites and blogs covering life and travel in Central America. I was excited to be included on their list as a well-rounded source of information.

Here is what they had to say about my blog 🙂 Tacogirl: Are you traveling or moving to Belize? Or just interested in the place? This San Pedro-based info source is a one-stop shop, no matter what you’re looking for in Belize.

Related

tacogirl

Laurie Norton grew up dyslexic and was very challenged by the school. She never dreamed she would move to Belize and become a writer. A year after her move to Ambergris Caye, Laurie became an entrepreneur and professional writer starting tacogirl blog in 2007. Since then she has helped many people plan their vacations or move. She also has been published in Great Destinations Belize Guidebook, Moon Guide to Living in Belize, Insight Guides, Island Magazine several times and USA Today. Currently Laurie resides in downtown San Pedro and enjoys being a "city girl" on a tropical island.

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Darrell Moore
Darrell Moore
13:15 18 Apr 22
Laurie was super helpful in providing places to eat, things to do and best yet had ongoing blogs that allowed us to... look back on other places that she pointed out. A fantastic resource for both first time and return visitors of Ambergris Caye!read more
B W
B W
18:01 08 Feb 22
Fantastic service .I needed to find a place where I could buy a local sim card as my UK sim doesnt work in belize and... Tacogirl put me on the right path .Decided to walk across town and discovered so much more in beautiful San Pedro.Many thanks.BWread more
Kristi Palm
Kristi Palm
20:40 12 Oct 21
We have been using TacoGirl for what feels like decades when planning our trips to Belize! It has only been a few... years but she is the first place we stop to see what is happening in our favorite vacation spot. She knows all the best spots to get away and do so many fun things - whether it is relaxing or exploring! We are planning our next trip with our twins and she was the first person I reached out to. Knowing we have a resource like her, makes trip planning a breeze!read more
D Zep
D Zep
12:39 01 Oct 21
Found tacogirl while doing some research on an upcoming trip to Belize. This is the place for all the information you... need to plan your vacation. Incredibly helpful and responsive. I sent an email with lots of questions and received a very quick and detailed response that helped us finalize our plans.read more
Kelley Adams
Kelley Adams
20:19 21 Sep 21
We have been following TacoGirl for years now and before booking any trip to San Pedro we check to see what is... currently happening. We love the emails to let us know when a new blog has been posted. Keep up the great work Laurie, we feel like we know you.read more
Pamela Nixon
Pamela Nixon
18:36 20 Sep 21
I first got my Passport in 2012 and Taco Girl was my first connection back then Great then and Marvelous Now! She's... blossomed and developed into a wonderful contact for any and all information Belize. She goes above & beyond to respond with information that you need whether visiting Belize or relocating! I wasn't able to fund the move then but now that I have much more equity I am doing it.This time she was the 1st person I reached out to! Now I am selling and moving to Belize. She responds immediately! Like I do in my Pet Sitting Business! I was so impressed I followed her all this time. And was not disappointed!Pamela Nixonread more
Chris S
Chris S
17:12 17 Sep 21
Wanted to give a shout-out to tacogirl belize for helping us! She is a plethora of knowledge and was super helpful and... responsive in helping us find longer term stay on the island. Thank you so much for your help!read more
Ty Willingham
Ty Willingham
01:47 20 Aug 21
I've spent the last month exploring Belize. I'm retired & seriously considering moving down to Belize permanently from... the US. I contacted the local San Pedro expert "Taco Girl" to help me get started in finding an apartment to rent. With her help, I've located several places that meet my needs & budget requirements. Thank you Laurie!read more
Greg Cox
Greg Cox
18:58 04 Aug 21
I am very glad I found you and asked you a question about a spice in Belize. You helped me figure out the name of it... and where i could buy it. You went above and beyond to help. Thanks again.read more
Katherine Jones
Katherine Jones
18:41 02 Aug 21
I am so grateful for the time and energy Laurie has taken to share about her experiences traveling to and living in... Belize as well as provide thorough recommendations for planning a trip there. I was so thankful (and honestly surprised) that Laurie took the time to respond to several of my questions via email. I highly recommend reading Laurie's blogs and helping to support her business. Thank you Laurie!!read more
Greg R
Greg R
02:12 29 Jun 21
tacogirl was very nice to share her knowledge with us and assisted with planning our trip to Belize; thank you for the... help and info, it was helpful and allowed us to plan utilize our time accordingly while both on the mainland and islands of this great country.read more
Katherine Carlson
Katherine Carlson
18:46 02 Jun 21
As a Canadian—tired of long winters—I cannot wait to spend some time in Belize. I haven't set foot yet, but I am... yearning for lots of Caribbean adventure. Thanks so much to tacogirl for her endless enthusiasm and generosity of spirit. She is a constant stream of up-to-date information. Her knowledge and love of the area is priceless, and I will need her expertise for future endeavours!read more
Kathleen Ward
Kathleen Ward
18:29 02 Jun 21
We started coming to Ambergis Caye in 2014 and stumble on to Tacogirls blog, so glad we did! We used her 15% discount... at The Premier Duty-Free shop in the airport! It worked great all we did was let them know we read it on her blog . She has great information awesome pictures, we have tried several places she has recommended, all were amazing. Highly recommend reading her blog. Kathleenread more
ksniegoc1
ksniegoc1
17:45 02 Jun 21
It was my first time visiting Belize and San Pedro so naturally I had a ton of questions when it came time to planning... the travel. Taco Gril's blog was an invaluable source of information for all the travel questions in Ambergris Caye. I was able to learn a lot of basic information, as well as many tips and tricks. In addition when I reached out to Taco Girl for advice on finding a local photographer and a restaurant recommendation, she was very quick to respond and gave me many helpful suggestions. She also provided a lot more information from a local's point of view, which was much for valuable than than a typical guidebook. Thanks to her helpful suggestions we were able to celebrate my daughter's birthday at a nice restaurant, and had a great photo family session with a local photographer. I'm very thankful for all her resources and knowledge.read more
Myra F
Myra F
01:30 25 Mar 21
I started coming to San Pedro Belize in 2007 and that is when I met the online presence of Taco Girl. Her blogs on the... island and area are very personable and informative. She gives out promo codes from time to time so watch out for those. You cannot go wrong with someone who was a tourist and now lives here for quality info. Thanks Taco Girl for helping make my trips memorable!read more
Corey Holm
Corey Holm
04:38 25 Feb 20
I take the seniors from our academy to Belize every year for their senior trip. One of the first people I contact when... I start planning the trip is Laurie with TacoGirl Belize. She knows the island of San Pedro better than anyone else out there. Trust me, I have looked. If you are looking for the best restaurants, hang outs and shops then Laurie help plan your vacation.read more
Carol Taylor
Carol Taylor
15:53 24 Feb 20
Love Taco Girl Blog @LaurieNorton!I've been reading this blog since I started visiting Ambergris Caye in Belize almost... 10 years ago. It is filled with helpful up-to-date information and recommendations that I wouldn't necessarily find on my own. Laurie Norton's knowledge and extensive network on the island provides her with the ability to share perks/discounts/coupons with her readers, which come in handy year after year. Things on the island change daily - new businesses pop up constantly and LaurieNortonstays on top of these developments. Whenever I plan my return trip to the island, I always check her blog first - and I recommend you do the same. Trip Advisor ain't got nuttin' on Taco Girl!read more
Heidi
Heidi
20:01 20 Feb 20
Laurie's blog is my official “go to” source for tourist and local information on San Pedro. Of course, it’s always nice... to see her guides on “what to do” in San Pedro, but I also appreciate her “insider” advice and human interest stories on what it’s like living as a local on the island. There is so much information it's amazing! Thank you Laurie!!!read more
Nick Goodman
Nick Goodman
21:23 30 Nov 19
I am considering a move to Belize and I have serendipitously found tacogirl.....what a treasure! She is full of great... advice, helpful hints.....knows everybody on Ambergris Caye and has a thousand useful recommendations and suggestions. Whether you are planning a vacation or relocating, you should make use of the many services she has to offer…..read more
KellyDivePhotography
KellyDivePhotography
20:58 30 Nov 19
I’m so pleased to see tacogirl's blog on Google. Laurie's blog is my official “go to” source for tourist and local... information on San Pedro. Of course, it’s always nice to see her guides on “what to do” in San Pedro, but I also appreciate her “insider” advice and human interest stories on what it’s like living as a local on the island. I especially enjoy her guest articles, providing a different perspective of all things San Pedro. Her tipping quide is a classic, and don’t forget her Tropic Air flight code and on-island discounts. You’re not up-to-date with what’s going on in San Pedro if you’re not regularly reading tacogirl's blog.read more
Sandra Godfrey
Sandra Godfrey
15:58 23 Nov 19
I have known Laurie (Taco Girl) for several years. She has been a wealth of good information for me in all of my... pursuits in Belize. I highly recommend her for any services you may require.read more
William Jones
William Jones
13:39 06 May 19
Do yourself a favor. Read this BEFORE any trip to San Pedro - Ambergris Caye or Belize in general. Not saying “do what... everyone else says”, but Laurie has frank and honest info which will make your stay in country a little more fun, a little more informative, and often at a great cost savings. Best thing: it’s unbiased, honest, and factual. Personal note: thank you for your personal tailored help in answering mine (and my wife’s) questions.read more
Kimberly Robinson
Kimberly Robinson
18:28 03 May 19
Taco Girl (Laurie) is amazing. She has so much knowledge about Belize and has great connections with many of the... businesses in Belize. Because of her connections she is able to offer many perks and discounts that you wouldn't have been able to find otherwise. She is super responsive and I always go to her for all my travel needs. From golf cart rentals, to spas, to places to eat. She's got the inside scoop on all!read more
Michael Rieck
Michael Rieck
20:22 21 Apr 19
Since 2003, my wife and I have been to Ambergris at least once a year to experience the fantastic diving. About twelve... years ago we me Tacogirl on a blog giving us discounts on golf carts, local airfares, and restaurants. Over the years we have grown a friendship and I look forward to her weekly blogs about he changes on my favorite home away from home. The island changes every year, and she always shows you what to see, do, and eat.read more
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Belize Blog Est. 2007

belize travel specialist

ABOUT ME

I took the plunge and moved to San Pedro Town on the Island of Ambergris Caye, off the coast of Belize, Central America. Originally from Canada, I made the life-changing move to escape winter for good (in 2006) after one three week vacation. If you have any questions or want Belize help planning and booking, please feel free to contact me.

SPARKING MY DESIRE

A few childhood memories that shaped my desire to move to Belize from a young age. Sailing in the Virgin Islands, seeing a rainbow out the window of an island hopper as we flew from Virgin Islands to Puerto Rico, Christmas in Hawaii and many trips to Florida.

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