Cayo Scoop! The Ecology of Cayo Culture

Lower Dover Jungle Lodge got an excellent write up by Elaine Wilson, world famous travel blog writer, who just traveled all around Belize.  Xunanunich, one of the better local Maya sites, is recommended, as is Lower Dover's Swirly Head Wine.  

"Lower Dover is a very special place to stay as it situated right on top of the ruins of a once great ancient Mayan city.  The site is extensive and only very partially excavated.  Students come every summer to continue the excavation, but there is so much still to be uncovered and so many stories still untold.  What happened to this once large and thriving city, which was probably a centre of trade and commerce, and what happened to the people who lived there?"

The BAAS is in full swing, with scores of presentations that have special meaning here in Belize.  Rafael Guerra talks a little about the significance of Lower Dover in this short video.

"Meet Rafael Guerra, Belizean archaeologist!  He presented results from a recent excavation (working with Belizean Dr. Jaime Awe) at the Lower Dover Maya site at Unitedville here at Institute of Archaeology (NICH) Belize "

Lower Dover Jungle Lodge has a toucan nest in a Bullet Tree with a baby toucan in it.  How awesome is that?  That cute little bird is going to be world famous.  Hope it doesn't go to his beak.

"We were never able to confirm baby birds in the nest, until today, one year later, in the exact same Bullet tree!  There is a saying around here on the most copied blog in Belize…  'No bird pic no bird proof.'  These are the pictures of the baby bird sticking its head out of the nest taken this morning.  This was easily one of the most memorable bird sightings and all around nature experiences ever witnessed at Lower Dover."

Swirly Head wine has the best sorrel wine around, and it's made here in Cayo.  Lower Dover Lodge is where it's made, and they do it right.  It's pleasantly dry, and goes good with just about everything.  Cool label too.  They've been producing for over 2 years now, and have got the technique down to a science.  

Video of the day.  Time-lapse photography of a Cayo sunset, taken at Lower Dover.

http://ldfieldjournal.wordpress.com/2014/02/23/jungle-sunset-in-belize/

The Cayo Event Calendar for June is up.  If there are any events that aren't on there, just let us know.  It's a big month: June 5th is the Maya Full Moon Ceremony at Lower Dover with Don Beto Cocom, June 20th is the Caracol overnight trip with NICH, and from June 26th through the 29th, the Institute of Archaeology is doing their Symposium at the San Ignacio Resort Hotel.

Don Beto Cocom will be donig a Maya Full Moon Ceremony next Tuesday, June 5th, at Lower Dover Field Station. Preperation will start at 2:00pm, and the ceremony will be from 4:00 until 6:00pm. Don Beto Cocom is a renowned healer from Bullet Tree Falls, and takes care of the Masewal Medicinal Trail. The Cornerstone Foundation and the Natural Healers Program are also cosponsors of the event.

Lower Dover's FB page: https://www.facebook.com/LowerDover

Those are some beautiful shots that they've gotten at Lower Dover.