People swimming at "the Split" at sunset
For such a small country, both geographically, and population wise, it is SO jam-packed full of goodies, it's "unBelizable"!
Belize had never really been on my radar, but then I fell into some air tickets at a price I couldn't refuse: Free-ninety-free! Just one of those prices you can't exactly say no to. So not a few months later, and I was off on my way to Central America for the first time. Now of course, this isn't your typical Central American getaway, in the sense that it's the only English speaking country in the region, completely surrounded between all Spanish speaking countries. This was fine by me, as even my Spanglish is below par.
Belize had never really been on my radar, but then I fell into some air tickets at a price I couldn't refuse: Free-ninety-free! Just one of those prices you can't exactly say no to. So not a few months later, and I was off on my way to Central America for the first time. Now of course, this isn't your typical Central American getaway, in the sense that it's the only English speaking country in the region, completely surrounded between all Spanish speaking countries. This was fine by me, as even my Spanglish is below par.
I started my journey taking a short boat ride out to the island of Caye Caulker, which is an island roughly 2km long and 500m wide. You can walk end to end in less than half an hour, though if you're doing it that quickly, you probably missed the street signs telling you to "Slow down". With some incredible blue waters, some quirky and very friendly locals, and a very slowed down pace, this is an excellent place to relax and unwind. Of course, this was only the beginning of my journey here, so this was a perfect way to start and shake off the hectic lifestyles of back home, but only for a short time before trotting around the rest of the country.
After some beach action, it was time to see some of the inland treasures that await. I cruised in and upon checking my travel guide, I found that almost every city I could visit was not only at most a 5 hour drive away, but each had their own set of Mayan Ruins to accompany them. I ended up spending the next 2 weeks hopping on Canadian-donated yellow school buses, the main source of transport (and cheapest transport) in Belize.
One of the things I found, which really stood out in my mind in Belize, was the interesting melting-pot of different cultures there. There was of course the Mayans, some of the first to inhabit the area. There was some Spanish influence, from earlier settlements, and also from surrounding countries. Then of course the English background, giving the country it's official language (which has evolved to sound quite similar to the creole English found in some of the Caribbean islands). I think the one that surprised me the most, however, was the large presence of German Mennonites which inhabit the mainland. The most interesting element of this too, was not just their mere presence, but the fact that they're some of the richest folk on the land, as they're also some of the most industrious. They make much of the lumber and are often hired to aid in the construction of homes, etc, in addition to the farming.
The food itself had an interesting flare, as it took elements from each of the cultures surrounding, and made it their own. You could get everything from jerk seasoned meats, fried plantain, churros, street vendor tacos, heaps of fried chicken and of course the staple rice and bean accompaniment to every dish.
In terms of things to do, in just 2 short weeks I managed to squeeze in beach relaxing, jungle hikes, spelunking (cave exploring), snorkeling (though now PADI certified, I MUST go back as it has some of the best SCUBA sites in the world), exploring a slew of Mayan ruins and some city wanderings!
As the name says, in such a small country, Belize truly is UnBelizeable and has the makings of a perfect vacation getaway, both short or long term!
One of the things I found, which really stood out in my mind in Belize, was the interesting melting-pot of different cultures there. There was of course the Mayans, some of the first to inhabit the area. There was some Spanish influence, from earlier settlements, and also from surrounding countries. Then of course the English background, giving the country it's official language (which has evolved to sound quite similar to the creole English found in some of the Caribbean islands). I think the one that surprised me the most, however, was the large presence of German Mennonites which inhabit the mainland. The most interesting element of this too, was not just their mere presence, but the fact that they're some of the richest folk on the land, as they're also some of the most industrious. They make much of the lumber and are often hired to aid in the construction of homes, etc, in addition to the farming.
The food itself had an interesting flare, as it took elements from each of the cultures surrounding, and made it their own. You could get everything from jerk seasoned meats, fried plantain, churros, street vendor tacos, heaps of fried chicken and of course the staple rice and bean accompaniment to every dish.
In terms of things to do, in just 2 short weeks I managed to squeeze in beach relaxing, jungle hikes, spelunking (cave exploring), snorkeling (though now PADI certified, I MUST go back as it has some of the best SCUBA sites in the world), exploring a slew of Mayan ruins and some city wanderings!
As the name says, in such a small country, Belize truly is UnBelizeable and has the makings of a perfect vacation getaway, both short or long term!
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