So after a busy and interesting stint in Guatemala the time has come to head off into Belize, the fifth and final country on this whistle stop tour. It's strange how at the end of a trip in a specific country you are able to look back with a different point of view as to the one you started with. When I arrived in Guatemala I thought that it would surpass Honduras in terms of how much I would enjoy the country. Looking back I can safely say that Honduras just pipped Guatemala in terms of overall friendliness. While Guatemala has incredible scenery, I think that the people in Honduras are simply the best of the bunch! They definitely make the place great.
Heading into the border between Guatemala and Belize you get to see a large sign right next to passport control - "Welcome Prince Harry". Clearly we are now entering back into the realm. The queen is on the Belize bank notes, signs are mostly in English even though people here drive on the right hand side of the road. Heading towards Belize city from the Guatemalan border you get less and less in Spanish and more in English.
Belize city is a strange place. Calling it a city in the first place is a bit generous. I think that there are only about 70,000 inhabitants and in the center there are no office blocks or high-rise buildings that I can see. There are streets called "Regent Street" and "Marine Parade" but they are very shabby and broken roads even with their fancy names. A dirty river splits the city and is used by local boats for a transport route. People here speak a very strange dialect with an insane Carribean accent, almost impossible to understand. Drinking seems very important here and many people seem smashed most of the time. The restaurant next to my hotel had a large table of very jolly toothless wonders hammering back the local beer and having the loudest conversation ever! At one point they loved each other, next one dude wanted to bash the other dude with his walking stick over some inane argument and then they all loved each other again! Crazy place.
Walking down the street this dude on a bicycle, smartly dressed rides up to me, stops and says "Good afternoon sir. I have the very best marijuana for sale, would you like some?". Wow, a dealer with panache! Further down the same street a middle aged woman stumbles over to me, "Excuse me sir, I love your hair!". What the heck, this is getting crazy. Of course I thanked her and then ran away. A little further on in a different street, a cab driver who had parked at the side of the road pipes up, " Hey buddy, I have some really hot girls for you. You wanna come along and see them?". Needless to say I ran away even faster from that proposition!! What happened to the good old days of being offered t-shirts and key rings?
Caye Caulker is a tiny island off the coast of Belize where we are staying for 8 days. It's claim to fame is it's proximity to the famous Blue Hole dive site as well as super chilled island vibe and decent sunsets.
It's a really cool island as many of the restaurants still have sand floors. Rastas rule here and walking down the main sand street you see loads of them swaying to the reggae beat inside their heads, amply assisted by the special brand of home rolled cigarettes they all smoke. You hear music almost everywhere and people seem really happy, even if most of them are smashed on the local rum. There is a brand called a Travellers which seems to be big here. Locals as well as visitors alike make ample use of the myriad bars and restaurants on offer. Another huge bonus is that it is lobster season here now. It's as if i've died and gone to crustacean gourmet heaven! The lobsters are huge and stupidly cheap, not like London where you need to sell a kidney to buy even a small malnourished specimen. Here the lobsters leap onto your plate, begging to be eaten, for a nominal fee. Needless to say, I will be doing my best to ensure that no lobster is left feeling unwanted!
There is still some damage from the recent hurricane and even on the dives today we could see some damage to the corals and the reef. People are working hard in true Carribean fashion to repair things and get the island back on track, 1 person works, 5 watch and shout instructions. The person working gets tired, drinks rum, eats rice and beans, work ends for the day! At this rate it may take a while for things to return to normal. Gotta love life in the Carribean.....
Dodging the restaurant touts here is great fun too. Telling them you have already eaten just prompts them to say, "Read this menu so you are prepared for tomorrow. Better to be prepared mon!". One other dude just shouts at you, "Follow the arrow mon, follow the arrow!". I guess I best follow the arrow then, shall I?
Diving the Blue Hole on Friday. Should be a fitting end to the trip, closing out with a big adventure. Hopefully there will be loads of sharks, probably not too many lobsters as I would have eaten most of them. Anyway, best I go and find this arrow to follow....
Hasta Luego
Andrew
Heading into the border between Guatemala and Belize you get to see a large sign right next to passport control - "Welcome Prince Harry". Clearly we are now entering back into the realm. The queen is on the Belize bank notes, signs are mostly in English even though people here drive on the right hand side of the road. Heading towards Belize city from the Guatemalan border you get less and less in Spanish and more in English.
Belize city is a strange place. Calling it a city in the first place is a bit generous. I think that there are only about 70,000 inhabitants and in the center there are no office blocks or high-rise buildings that I can see. There are streets called "Regent Street" and "Marine Parade" but they are very shabby and broken roads even with their fancy names. A dirty river splits the city and is used by local boats for a transport route. People here speak a very strange dialect with an insane Carribean accent, almost impossible to understand. Drinking seems very important here and many people seem smashed most of the time. The restaurant next to my hotel had a large table of very jolly toothless wonders hammering back the local beer and having the loudest conversation ever! At one point they loved each other, next one dude wanted to bash the other dude with his walking stick over some inane argument and then they all loved each other again! Crazy place.
Walking down the street this dude on a bicycle, smartly dressed rides up to me, stops and says "Good afternoon sir. I have the very best marijuana for sale, would you like some?". Wow, a dealer with panache! Further down the same street a middle aged woman stumbles over to me, "Excuse me sir, I love your hair!". What the heck, this is getting crazy. Of course I thanked her and then ran away. A little further on in a different street, a cab driver who had parked at the side of the road pipes up, " Hey buddy, I have some really hot girls for you. You wanna come along and see them?". Needless to say I ran away even faster from that proposition!! What happened to the good old days of being offered t-shirts and key rings?
Caye Caulker is a tiny island off the coast of Belize where we are staying for 8 days. It's claim to fame is it's proximity to the famous Blue Hole dive site as well as super chilled island vibe and decent sunsets.
Good place for cheap beer
Pleasant sunset
It's a really cool island as many of the restaurants still have sand floors. Rastas rule here and walking down the main sand street you see loads of them swaying to the reggae beat inside their heads, amply assisted by the special brand of home rolled cigarettes they all smoke. You hear music almost everywhere and people seem really happy, even if most of them are smashed on the local rum. There is a brand called a Travellers which seems to be big here. Locals as well as visitors alike make ample use of the myriad bars and restaurants on offer. Another huge bonus is that it is lobster season here now. It's as if i've died and gone to crustacean gourmet heaven! The lobsters are huge and stupidly cheap, not like London where you need to sell a kidney to buy even a small malnourished specimen. Here the lobsters leap onto your plate, begging to be eaten, for a nominal fee. Needless to say, I will be doing my best to ensure that no lobster is left feeling unwanted!
Beach side lobster shack
The main drag
Am bushman souvenir shack(see his sign)
Dodging the restaurant touts here is great fun too. Telling them you have already eaten just prompts them to say, "Read this menu so you are prepared for tomorrow. Better to be prepared mon!". One other dude just shouts at you, "Follow the arrow mon, follow the arrow!". I guess I best follow the arrow then, shall I?
Diving the Blue Hole on Friday. Should be a fitting end to the trip, closing out with a big adventure. Hopefully there will be loads of sharks, probably not too many lobsters as I would have eaten most of them. Anyway, best I go and find this arrow to follow....
Hasta Luego
Andrew
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