Branch Mouth

The Hammock Bridge at Branch Mouth
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Today we decided to go swimming in the river (my first time since I been here) We got a taxi to Branch Mouth, about a twenty minute walk from San Ignacio. Branch Mouth is where the Macal and the Mopan Rivers join up to form the Belize River. We sat right next to Hammock Bridge over the river to Santa Familia (the next village along the river)

Branch Mouth is located in the Green Iguana Park and we saw lots and lots of Iguanas, the locals here call them Bamboo Chicken, because they live on the bamboo and taste like chicken! I thought it was illegal, but apparently it isn't! What is frowned upon (but still not illegal) is eating just the eggs.  Some people kill the females just for the eggs and leave the meat.

t started to rain and so we sat on a log in the middle of the river, with the rain pouring,

The river was so cold, it was murky and green, you could feel the slimey mud underfoot and see the fish swimming around. I think I prefer the ocean, but it was nice to have a swim because it was so hot! It started to rain and so we sat on a log in the middle of the river, with the rain pouring, it was so cool. Then the sun came out and we got out from the river and lay out to dry whilst eating plantain chips

Recipe for Bamboo Chicken http://caribbean-colors.blogspot.com/2006/09/recipe-for-bamboo-chicken.html

Bushman: with yur hand you keychit. You got to be ready dough wid de machet in de rih han kaychim wid de lef han. You see mi machet? I shawp on de tip and on de bottom. Chop he hed offn wid the bottom ah de machet.

Me: Oooo Keeeyyy (he shows me his 30" machette is sharp at the tip and by the handle only)

Bushman: Den you stick de nife in he belly just like wan fish yew gut he and peel de skeen offa heen.

Me: Oooo Keeeyyy

Bushman: afta you skin he, mek I tell yu sonting, you mek suuur you gat wan greeeen guana, not like wat you hav pon de Caye, dems noh good eatin, wha big greeeen guana what we like.

Me: how do you take the skin off?

Busman: you do eet just like you do wan fish, just skin it. Den you gat to hang it by de tail from de tree to let all the slime come out.

Me: Slime?

Bushman: yes gial, you cyan eet de guana wid de slime.

Me: What does the slime look like?

Bushman: eet look like slime. Gial, yew see de slime yew noh wantta eet de guana, yew tew delikate like dem Merikan laydeez.

Me: What color is the slime?

Bushman: gial, slime IS slime me no noh wha kala is de slime.

Me: How long do you hang the iguana in the tree by its tail?

Bushman: kupla hours. Den you gat to lime it real good.

Me: how do you do that?

Bushman: You gat to squeeze de lime all over it and rub he wid de lime and let he soak for a coupla hours.

Me: O.K.

Bushman: den you ken bubbakew he.

Me: O.K. how do you cut the iguana up?

Bushman: whaaaaale, I brek he showda and chop off he feet and chop he on de elbow. Den I chop he belly in a couple peese, and chop he tayl.

Me: how do you barbeque him.

Bushman: Gial you just bubbakew he (I sense he's getting frustrated with having to explain everything to me.)

Me: what spices do you use when you barbeque?

Bushman: salt n peppa, gaaalik, tarrey yakki soy sawce, an peppa sawce.

Me: what does it taste like?

Bushman: chicken