Arm Lickers, Tag Alongs and Cat Cuddles - Belize

Freshly showered we wandered down the street to do a bit of souvenir shopping, snap some more photos and grab a drink. We passed a stall selling jewellery made from conch shells, so we stopped to admire the wares. We continued on our way and as we were walking a guy shouted out to me "Take my picture!" I laughed and told him I would when I came back. On our way back we took a different route and thus didn't pass him again. 

We settled for a drink near our hostel. The bartender told us they had a 2 for 1 drink special so we opted to try something from that menu. Not one to normally drink the fruity drinks, I told him to bring us whatever he thought was good. He disappeared, brought us back our drinks and we sipped them cautiously. 

It wasn't the drinks, however, that we should have been worried about. It was Richard. 

Richard, or Suitor #2 as he came to be called, was a regular around the bar. A laid back hippy type who had moved to Belize from California years ago, he was a self proclaimed polyamourist with a wife and a few girlfriends. 

Richard, sneakily taken with my ipod.

He wanted me to be one of his girlfriends.  

"You're the kind of girl who could drive me crazy!" he says to me. I laughed politely. 

"Is that a map of the world on your arm?" I confirmed that yes, I do have a tattoo of the world on my arm. "Is it real?!" he says to me. I assure him that it is, turning my arm slightly so he can get a better view. "Really?!" he says, reaching for my arm. I assume he's just wanting a better look. 

No, not a look. A taste. He licked my arm. As if that is a completely normal custom by which one determines the validity of a tattoo. 

I yanked my arm back. Wiped it on my side, made a mental note to disinfect it later. 

About 10 more minutes of awkward conversation with Richard and we left. 

We walked about 5 minutes down the street again and ran into the guy who had asked me to take his picture. "You keep walking by with that camera! When are you going to take my picture?" he asked. I laughed, said I would. He grabbed my hand and said he wanted a picture WITH me. So I obliged. Handed my camera over to Meg and asked her to take a picture of this strange guy. 

His name was Stephan, and he became Suitor #3. And, like Richard, thought I would be lovely to spend time with. A lot of time. Permanent time. He asked where we were heading after Belize and I told him Tulum. He said he would come with us. I told him that we were fine on our own, that he didn't have to do that, that he would be wasting his time. He wasn't convinced. 

I eventually pried myself away from his clutches and we made our way back towards the hostel. Along the way we found an adorable orange cat that reminded me of my mom's cat, Clyde. I picked him up and cuddled with him. From out of nowhere, a man said "You can take him home with you if you want".  

Of all my propositions of the day, this was the best option. Considering that I already have two cats, I declined. 

Back to the hostel we went, stopping for dinner and having an amazing bbq lobster feast, as well as picking up a can of cat food for Blackie. 

Once back in the hostel we curled up and read for a while. We gave Blackie her food and she rewarded us with more kitty cuddles.