Terrorism - Belize style

After nearly a year in Belize, this weekend we ran into our first, first-hand experience with terrorism. To be fair the terrorists were not Belizean. They were definitely latin - likely Guatemalan. They detained us against our will and tortured us for over 1/2 an hour! Here's the story:

The Agiculture Show is in Belmopan this weekend. For a year, people have been telling us we should go. It's so fun. We are somewhat curious but not sure we really want to hang out at an agriculture show, until we hear there should be a rodeo. Very cool! We will definitely go to the rodeo. So at 9 am we head out from Hopkins to hang at the show and do a little shopping in Belmopan. (for those of you that know Belmopan and are confused by the shopping reference, think Angelus Press) We finish our shopping and arrive at the ag grounds. OK, now we know, agriculture show = Taber corn fest. Only hotter ... and without the corn ... but you get the idea. There are rides and games and food and animals and all kinds of stuff. And there is no one in the parking lot. Now we are really excited. Why is no one here? Doesn't matter. Lets go have fun! The first thing we notice is that the parking lot lied! This is when we remember that most Belizeans don't drive.

So here we are in a mass of humanity unlike any I've been in before. We keep running into people we know which is truly testament to how small the country is. So we wander for awhile, get hungry, stop and eat some gibnut. (yes, gibnut; aka the royal rat - a large ratlike rodent served as a delicacy in Belize. They even served it to the queen when she visited. Google it for a picture) Finally the girls say they would like to go on a few rides. Good plan! Adrianne and I aren't overly anxious to go on a ride but are willing to be good sports. How about the ferris wheel? We could do that. Easy ride. Good for romantic interludes and families with small kids. Not when it's being run by sadistic Guatamalan's but we were still oblivious to their fiendishness at this point. So we head for the ride. The sign says $5 for each. OK we can do that. We pay our cash and get on. They lock the bar across the seat. No seatbelts or anything but that's OK it's just a ferris wheel. We start to move. Here's where the mom in me kicks in. The seats are old wood and I begin to wonder if there has ever been anything like a safety inspection done on this thing. Better not to think about it. Too late now. Brynn and I are in one seat and Adrianne and Kori are a few seats down. Up we go. As we round the top I let out a little squeal. Just for fun. It's pretty high. For the next few minutes (like 15ish) we go up and down and back and forth as they fill the ride. I think we're about finished and this has been fun. That would be when the fun really started. The Guatemalans let it rip. We are flying over the top - literally as we are having trouble keeping our seats. And the cars are rocking no matter how hard we try not to. And my hands are now permanently welded into the bar in front of us. OK, I admit it, a little more than a squeal escapes my lips but it is lost in the frantic screaming around me. Backwards and forwards we go and just when I think it can't go on any longer, we start over. The little boy in the car below us is in hysterics and has a death grip on his mom. I am yelling at the operators each time we go by and they are totally ignoring us all. A little girl runs onto the platform and is in danger of being beheaded in front of our eyes but the ride only slows to a stop after the frightened and irate father throws a soda at the operator. We hang there, suspended as the fight plays out and then we are off again. During the lull, however, one brave couple has decided to make a run for it and has opened their bar. Before they can escape, the ride starts again. They can't get their door closed. The operator sees this and, I guess decides out right murder is going to far. So he jumps onto the outside of their car (while the 'ride' is in progress)and rehooks the bar. Then he leaps from the car onto a ladder on the side and climbs down. Brynn and I are considering the viability of this plan when I come to my senses and decide to try the 'mom' face. I gather my composure and as we stream past the guy, I give him the look and say OFF!! He nods. Next time we go around he lets Brynn and I off. My hands are permanently frozen in 'claw' position and we are both shaking and dehydrated from living a nightmare for over 1/2 an hour in +36 degree heat without water. Adrianne and Kori are lulled into a false sense of security. They didn't see the 'mom' look and think they are next off. It takes another 10 minutes or more before we can communicate to Adrianne that she needs to tell them she wants off. As we all collapse in the shade and guzzle water we decide we have had enough. The rodeo will have to go on without us. All we want is the 2 hour ride home in the air conditioned vehicle. They didn't break us but it came close. We are done!