Belize......

It was strange to be leaving Guatemala after such a long time, But I had no choice as had to leave the country to renew my visa. So on Sunday, at 6.30pm I left Antigua for Guatemala City. There I took an overnight bus to Flores, arriving there at 6.45am (we were later then expected because of a major accident on the highway!) then boarded another bus to cross the frontier before moving onto Belize City…finally arriving there at 12.30pm!!!! I had purposefully not read up on the place, apart from booking into a good and safe hotel, so I was surprised when at passport control I was asked questions in English..with an American accent…..and I was fully expecting to test out my Spanish!!!
First impression was that in many ways it was not unsimilar to a cross between Seychelles and the Cayman Islands. Very flat yet much of the flora very similar to Seychelles. Also the houses reminded me of the old wooden traditional houses in Seychelles, found especially on La Digue and Silhouette. Sadly I did find the countryside a little boring after Guatemala! It is very flat with lots of swamp land and small rivers.
Arriving in Belize I was taken aback by how American/Afro-Caribbean it all was. The majority of the population is from the Caribbean and all I could hear was English patois and Kreole with a smattering of an American accent. All the signs were in English and there were red letterboxes leftover from Colonial days!!!! I got a taxi and headed towards my hotel taking in the town and its sights and people.
The next two days were spent doing a bit if sightseeing……
First stop- Lamanai: An archaeological reserve on a river lagoon. Though most of the site is unexcavated and unrestored, the trip to it by motorboat was exciting… really fast, passing crocodiles and catching glimpses of birds in the trees. Wandering through the dense jungle, there were troupes of howler and spider monkeys above as well as amazing birds and spiders. The temples here are very different to those in Tikal and not as high or indeed breathtaking. Climbing the highest temple, over 34 meters above the jungle canopy, was quite something as it was up the narrow steps at the front of the temple with no support… well there was a rope but I decided to do it unaided. At the top the view was quite spectacular , lush green vegetation with the river meandering through it. And it was very very hot and humid!! The site has many temples as well as a museum which house artefacts found while excavating. This was followed by a quick trip to another mayan ruin, a small site called Altun Hun, not far from Belize City . Again the ritual of climbing to the top of the highest temple……so by the end of the day I was ready to head back to the hotel for a cool drink on the veranda…..
The next morning was a trip to the local zoo, home to a variety of indigenous Belizean cats and other birds and animals kept in natural surroundings. This was followed by a visit to a coastal town called Dangriga. The town again not unsimilar to those one would expect to find in the Caribbean. So had lunch, then a wander through the streets taking pictures of the place and a surprise find… The Kennedy Club… perfect for a local beer!!!
The final day was spent wandering around the shops buying a few bits and bobs to bring home and of course preparing for the long journey back………
Travelling to Belize was a good experience, but I was SOOO glad to get back into Guatemala which is just breathtaking and utterly welcoming and so special…… and in my heart now.
A good nights sleep and a shower and I was back at work.. To see the children and my beautiful Perla!
Enjoy
Adios amigos
Goodnight
Xxx