As a relative newcomer to AC, my pleasant surprises might be old hat to some of you, but I get a kick out of "didn't see that one coming" kind of things, stuff I didn't anticipate but find cool.

I'll start with number 2, as my number one isn't the best starter, but I'll get to it.

The way everyone seems to pitch in to keep the beach area clean of debris was a pleasant surprise. The ocean always brings stuff in yet the beaches are always pristine.

Anyone have pleasant surprises to share?

I like the way the local people are so open eye contact and return the smile....

I am pleasantly suprised that both in SP and Caye Caulker, in spite of the number of dogs running around, I never see any dog poop. People are good about picking it up.

...I thought Belize dogs were trained to use the toilet.

The sense of community and how welcoming everyone is...you become less of a tourist and more like a temporary member of their community.

One of my best pleasant surprises was that I could find iced coffee in a can (a china town thing for me) at Hariri after about 2.5 years of going without.

A lot of them really go out of their way for you, even when it seems like no big deal to them.

I'm so impressed by how people immediately band together to help people who are in desperate need. The blood drive for Annie, the fund to help off-set medical bills, the fund to place a head stone on a grave, etc.

Gela, I couldn't agree more with your "pleasant surprise". The sense of community in SP is amazing. Everyone pulls together when there is someone in need or a worthy cause(i.e. fish grow on trees parade).

I also love the different community festivals (though I have to partake via Tacogirl's blog). Again, I feel this adds to the sense of community and I get to be part of it in a very real way.

I am always amazed at how much information and skills are shared by the local captains and guides when I hire them for fishing or sailing. Every single one has gone way above and beyond what the job calls for.