Happy GSD!!

November 19 was Garifuna Settlement Day.  We woke up at 3:30am and loaded into a van so we could drive the little over an hour to Dangriga.  We found out when we arrived that the party had been going on all night!  Garifuna Settlement Day is the day the Garifuna people first arrived in Belize in 1832.  Each year it is celebrated by basically a huge block party; people drinking and dancing in the streets to traditional Garifuna music.  They stay up partying all night long, and watch a reenactment at sunrise of the boats carrying Garifuna people arriving in Belize.

We first went to Riverside Cafe, where we enjoyed a breakfast of Johnny cakes and coffee.  Johnny cakes are similar to English muffins and had a slice of cheese between them.

The streets were dimly lit in the early morning light when we arrived at about 5am

It was beautiful watching the sun rise!

Johnny cakes and coffee

We walked down the street to the beach.  We were surprised at how many people were out at this early hour, although we eventually realized that they had just partied all night and never been to bed at all!

Watching the sunrise

Podge and Chrissy are just too cute

Melissa and me :)

Walking down the streets of Dangriga

Finally, after about two hours of waiting and another trip to the Riverside Cafe for more Johnny cakes, the reenactment boats began rolling in!

After the boats, which were filled with Garifuna people singing and drumming, sailed in, we walked, along with a huge crowd, to a nearby church to see the parade.  After the reenactment each year, there is a parade of TONS of people who walk/dance down to the church for a Garifuna mass.  I heard someone we passed on the road say that she was going to church to repent of her sins from the night before, which reminded me of Mardi Gras in the USA.  While we waited for the parade to arrive, we walked across a field to the beach.

 Walking to the beach

Cheryna: "Paige, you look like you should be selling muffins or cupcakes!"

Awkward family photos on the beach :)

Enjoying the beach!

Frolicking in the field ;)

Finally, the parade arrived!  There were SO MANY people!!  They were all dancing and singing, all the way into the church!

Sitting in the back of the van to watch the parade! :)

The beginning of the parade!

A chorus of girls singing....

The people just kept coming and coming!

The crowd trying to get into the church

Inside the church was loud, as everyone was still dancing and singing and drumming!

Melissa and I stood up by the altar and watched the exuberance!

Finally, everyone sat down.  We left before the mass began.

From the church, we walked out to the pier.  The view was so gorgeous!

                    Walking to the pier...

Beautiful Dangriga coast!

       

The pier was falling apart quite a bit, so of course I balanced on the 

beams to walk all the way out to the end! ;)  I have to admit, it was

pretty scary!  

 All the lovely ladies on the Dangriga Pier :)

Melissa and me enjoying the sea breeze on the pier

After we left Dangriga, Dr. John suggested we go to the Belize zoo (more about that later!).  First, we stopped by Cheers for lunch :)

Good food, fun environment :)

Pics from the zoo coming soon....we had a happy GSD (Garifuna Settlement Day)!!