The opportunity to camp on David's ancestral land was something I could not pass up. After shopping at the market, two other women and I piled into the truck with Dave at the wheel. Shortly out of town, we stopped in a modern residential neighborhood to buy fresh bread from the baker herself. On our way again, David showed us another area of his family's land that still bears the name Negroman Farm and the sprawling hacienda of the "toilet paper king." We turned onto his "driveway," a path through an orange grove, as the sweet smell of orange blossoms filled the air. To reach the campground, you must first cross the river. My shoes would have slipped me into the river, so Dave lent me his. As he crossed with all our belongings in the canoe, I slowly made my way in the swift-moving, shin-deep water. Next, you must climb over 200 steps lined with bright flowers and plants. I was pleasantly surprised to see sturdy palapas, built by Dave, instead of tents. As we caught our breath, David and his worker started preparing dinner. The girls and I enjoyed the view of the distant green mountains and listened to the birds overhead. Creeping around with my binoculars trained in the palms, I was finally rewarded with a brilliant view of parrots.
As dusk settled, we gathered around the table David had set, complete with candles. We filled our plates with rice and a tasty fish stew, fresh veggies, and bread. Probing David with questions until he fell into a comfortable story telling mode, he told us of Mayan Gods and the ancient ways. Through his stories of the land and sharing artifacts, the lives of the people that walked the same ground came alive. Coming back into the present, we took off on a short night hike to hunt for tarantulas. Off the path to the latrine, David spotted several of the hairy spiders with the flashlight. It was a little creepy, but what an awesome experience! Finally forcing myself to get into my comfy bed, I fell asleep listening to the sounds from the jungle.
Dawn brought a chorus, as the trees came alive with birds once again. With Dave standing by to catch, I knocked a mango down. I just had to eat the fruit right then while he prepared another delicious meal. Our plates came piled high with eggs scrambled with vegetables and chillies, bacon, fruit, and freshly made tortillas. After breakfast, we hiked around as Dave imparted more knowledge and pointed out pottery shards still on the ground after all these years. The telltale mounds of dirt hide secret treasures of the past, some of which only David has explored. My time here was a true highlight of my trip that I feel so lucky to have experienced. If you visit Cayo, you must meet David!