Thanksgiving Day in Belize
By Jane Goodwin | November 22, 2007
Mr. John Madeira, retired technology executive now living in Belize, tells us about Thanksgiving Day in his new country:
“We made arrangements to eat Thanksgiving Dinner at Caves Branch. They do not celebrate Thanksgiving
Day in Belize. However, Caves Branch has lots of guests from the US at this time of year, so Caves Branch has a Turkey Dinner on Thursday.
The dinner at Caves Branch on Thursday night was great. They served roast turkey, baked ham, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, vegetable soup, salad, rolls and butter, fresh fruit, cranberry sauce, and three or four different vegetables. As with every meal at Caves Branch, rice and beans are served.
I noticed that the US guests at this jungle camp had their plates loaded with turkey, ham, potatoes, etc. as Diane and I did. The guides, who are mostly Belizean, had their plates filled with rice and beans! Pumpkin pie with whipped topping was served for dessert. The meal was served buffet style and a person could eat at much as they wanted. The cost was $17 Belize per person or $8.50 US per person. We had a few beers (John 5 and Diane 1).
We returned home at a time considered very late for Belize; 9:00 PM! It is not only the meal that is worthwhile, but getting to talk with the people that run Caves Branch, Ian and David, as well as some of the guides and also some of the guests from the US is a reason in itself to travel the ten miles to the camp.”
“The evening following Thanksgiving Day was just like any other night. Around 8:30PM, I was in the bedroom when my wife called from the family room – kitchen area “there is a bat in here!”
Entering the area, I heard our black Labrador and my brother-in law’s dog, a large Doberman who we are watching, barking at a bat which was flying at a speed which seemed very fast for indoors. The bat was flying in circles being chased frantically by our Irish Red Field Setter, Casey. When I say chasing, I do mean chasing! Casey would leap at the bat.
One time as he cleared the sofa, he made an upward lunge at the terrified bat and nearly grabbed him with his jaws. I opened our door, hoping the bat would exit. It didn’t. Casey continued to chase the bat. The bat was circling and every now and then would make a swoop downward. I wondered how I could catch this critter. Diane had suggested one of the tennis racquets that were shipped down. I snatched the tennis racquet and started swinging.
With each swing, that missed the bat, the dogs barked louder and Casey intensified his chase. I knew if I hit the bat with a racquet, he was a goner. Wild swings were not going to do it! The light was dim from the lanterns but I picked up the motion of the bat. He would fly in the circle and as I swung he would either go over my racquet or beneath it. He kept the same radius. I decided to stay low. After missing the bat on two of his high passes, the bat dipped low. I swung and knocked the bat some 20 foot against the kitchen wall with a solid backhand. The bat was lying dead on the kitchen counter.
After slipping on my varmint gloves, I got rid of the bat. Diane and I got the dogs settled down and off to bed we went. No longer than 5 minutes after we were in bed, Casey began running back and forth in the pitch dark bedroom. He was chasing something! I turned on a flashlight as Casey had grabbed the bat in his mouth. They must taste horrible as Casey shook it a few times and it dropped to the floor. I ran for a weapon. Casey attacked again and picked up the bat and shook it. The bat was injured as I came back into the room with the tennis racquet in hand. I slipped on my varmint gloves again and removed the creature. I thought at last we could get some sleep.”
We get bats in our house once in a while. I can totally sympathize with Mr. Madeira’s bat trauma down in his Belizean home.
Thank you, Mr. Madeira, for once again sharing with our readers little bits and pieces of your new life in Belize!
Casey continued to pace. Diane and I thought he would stop. He didn’t. Diane and I tried to sleep. After about an hour of Casey passing and hunting, we heard him run. A chase was on again! Casey managed to corner another bat! I wondered where they were coming from. Casey finished the bat off with a bite or two. Racquet in hand, I got rid of this bat as well. At this point, Casey settled down, apparently knowing it was “all clear”. It was nearly midnight and I knew that in the morning I would have to solve the bat entry problem. I decided that Casey’s nick name would be “Batman”. In the morning we worked on the bat entry problem. In the evening about 9:00PM we decided to go to bed. However, Casey continued to pace back and forth in front of the spare bedroom. All of a sudden, a bat flew out of the room into the family room - kitchen area with Casey running behind him. The bat behaved the same way as the previous bat. He continued to fly in circles. I grabbed my trusty tennis racquet and prepared for the kill. This one seemed easy. No wild swinging and missing just controlled backswings at the arc of his flight path a little below his current altitude. The second controlled backswing stopped the bat. I disposed of the bat and came back in the house to find that Casey was sounding the all clear. He wasn’t pacing, just ready for bed. We haven’t encountered any bats since.
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