Travel Diaries: Belize
Located on the eastern coast of Central America, Belize is a nation famed for the rich marine life of its Barrier Reef and an impressive cultural history which litters the landscape with Mayan temples. Join us for a virtual trip as we uncover some of the history that makes a holiday here unforgettable.
When you travel halfway across the globe to discover a new place, you have to give anything a go, right? So when I heard about the Lamanai Archaeological Reserve, I was eager to experience it in all its glory. This once major city within the Mayan civilisation resides deep within the Belize jungle, a haven for tropical birds and the elusive jaguar, so I was prepared for a little adventure.
However, little did I know quite how adventurous it would turn out to be! An hour long, hair-raising trip on a tiny speed boat, ploughing through hairpin bends of the river as I gripped the side whilst sliding down the bench to the back of the boat, getting bruises everywhere. It was ridiculous and exhilarating, one of the best experiences of my life!
As we meandered down the New River I was, however, concerned about the impact these boats had on the environment – after all, the river was a positive highway of tourists. This is, unfortunately, the ever-present balance between supporting the local economy and protecting the environment. Thankfully, the skippers were skilled to minimise wave-damage to the banks and the boats slowed or halted when wildlife was within sight.
This afforded me the occasional glimpse of some spectacular flora and fauna, including the jacana (a bird that can nimbly walk across lily pads), a crocodile (well, the tip of its nose poking out of the water – that still counts, right?) and this inspirational, dinosaur-shaped branch home to bats underneath (the geologist in me loved it).
Arriving at the Mayan ruins, a much-needed stroll through the towering jungle offered echoing calls of a menagerie of birds, alongside monkeys lazing in the trees high above. The guide described a civilisation dating back to 16th Century BC and famed for its mathematics, astronomy, art and architecture. The latter was clearly evidenced in the numerous temples built there for rituals and aligned for astronomical observations.
Mayan cities were ruled over by kings who represented an intermediary between humans and deities. The Maya were renowned for their human sacrifices, with a blood offering supposedly the most powerful offering to be made to the gods and supernatural entities that were central to the culture. Whilst a gruesome reality from a modern perspective, it was an important part of this civilisation and at times was, in fact, considered an honour.
Whilst these temples may now be long abandoned, the Mayan civilisation has not died out and pockets of Mayan populations can still be found across Central America. On venturing back to Belize City (to embark the cruise ship I was travelling on), I took a meander through the streets to get a real flavour of this amazing country.
Prior to visiting I had been warned that Belize City was not safe, yet my experience could not have been further from the truth. Locals sat outside their shops and houses, chatting animatedly to each other, laughter filling the air. Every person I passed wished me a lovely day or holiday – every single one! No matter if they were a shop owner or passer-by, the friendliness was astonishing. I even had a lovely chat with a man at the harbour about the fish we could see swimming around before he went on his way with a cheery goodbye.
I was somewhat disappointed in myself for my cynical view of assuming everyone wants something – perhaps that is a consequence of the European inability to relax in the same way that people do in the Caribbean – it’s certainly a different way of life and one that I could happily get used to. And so, with a huge smile on my face after an amazing day in Belize, I watched the sun set, awaiting my next adventure.
We hope you have enjoyed this snippet of Belize and the adventures it has to offer. Hopefully, you will step out of your comfort zone for some exploration in the future.
Bon voyage!
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Written by Charlotte Bird
