worldoftravelling

More often than not, crossing borders can be a daunting and sometimes nerve racking experience. The excitement of receiving a new stamp in your passport is quite often compromised by the uncertainty of what to do, where to go, how much to pay, and whether you’re being ripped off.

On the day that I left the very comfortable and friendly ’embrace’ of Rainforest Haven Inn (San Ignacio) I was filled with many retrospective thoughts. I was leaving my favourite town in Belize and would soon be leaving the country itself.

Belize was not at all what I expected. It’s expensive, it’s dirty, it’s chaotic, it’s quirky, and it has the most uncomfortable chicken buses I’ve experienced in the whole of Latin America. However, I’m actually glad that I visited this unique country. My wallet may well have been breathing a sigh of relief as I was leaving but my heart was not. There was something about Belize that finally struck a chord in my inquisitive nature.

Yes, there’s very little left to remind of its former connection with Great Britain, yes, it’s struggling with its independence and yes, there’s a lot of poverty. However, the people of this relatively tiny country are so incredibly friendly and so very laid back.

The bus from San Ignacio, heading for Belize city, left at 07:30 and broke down not long into the journey. Thankfully another bus was not too far behind and there were enough spare seats to accommodate myself and my fellow travellers.

I arrived at the Belize city bus terminal just in time to catch the 11:00 am chicken bus travelling to Chetumal (Mexico). The bus was full but it was obvious who was heading into Mexico – the gringos stuck out like sore thumbs.

It took around 4-hours, including the border crossing, to get to Chetumal. Surprisingly, the bus driver and his female “clippy” held our hand every step of the way making our exit and entry completely stress free.

Next stage: Welcome to Mexico.

San Ignacio is renowned for its close proximity to Belize’s famous Maya ruins, as well as being a hub for outdoor activities including caving, hiking, kayaking, horseback riding, and more. It is also one of the last towns in Belize before entering Guatemala, where many visitors go to visit the Tikal Maya ruins.

San Ignacio itself is really quite small and therefore easy to explore on foot. There are some good accommodation options and some excellent restaurants. San Ignacio was my favourite place in all of Belize; the people are so helpful and friendly.

Many of San Ignacio’s archeological sights lie outside of town but are easy to access on foot or by local bus. The only activity I did not participate in was a visit to the ATM cave complex. At over $100 USD it was out of the realms of my budget.

Cahal Pech, right on the edge of town, was a city of some importance from around 900 BC to AD 800. There are 34 buildings spread over 6 acres (2.4 hectares) and grouped around seven plazas. Plaza B, about 500ft (150m) from the museum building and parking area, is the site’s largest plaza and also the most impressive.

Xunantunich (shoo-NAHN-too-nich), a short bus ride from San Ignacio, is an amazing Maya site. Its name means ‘Stone Woman’, which refers to the ghost of a woman claimed by several people to inhabit the site. Apparently she is dressed completely in white, and has fire-red glowing eyes. She generally appears in front of El Castillo; ascends the stone stairs and disappears into a stone wall.

Sitting atop el Castillo, the second tallest structure in Belize at some 130 feet (40 m) tall, watching the sun rise and the jungle unfold below me, was one of the most amazing things I have ever experienced.

Next stage: Crossing the border into Mexico, via Belize city.

“You might find Belize City menacing, but you certainly won’t find it dull”. Lonely Planet guide to Belize.

For some extraordinary reason, that I am really struggling to recall right now, I decided to spend a night in Belize city, en-route to San Ignacio (western Belize). As it turned out, Belize city ended up being a detour rather than an en-route!

Leaving the relative safety of the main bus station in Belize city felt like walking into the proverbial ‘lion’s den’. As a method of avoiding eye contact I donned sunglasses and broke into a head-down-power-walk in the general direction of my pre-booked accommodation. I managed to ignore the many shouts and heckles that accompanied my journey and safely made it to my destination in a little under 15-minutes;  mentally traumatised but physically unscathed. 

Sea Breeze Hotel is a budget traveler’s dream, though I have to admit that the razor wire, surrounding the property, was somewhat unnerving! My allocated room was super clean, for the price, and the owners, Mr and Mrs Kalam from Bangladesh, were friendly and very accommodating.

Belize City doesn’t exactly top the list of tourist destinations in Belize. In fact, many visitors choose to bypass the country’s only major urban area. This might be because the country’s main attractions are natural and nautical, rendering it superfluos to visit its only metropolis. Of course me thinks the more likely explanation is that the city has a bad reputation for poverty and crime!

On a positive note, the city’s s ramshackle streets are alive with colorful characters who represent every facet of Belize’s ethnic make up, especially the Creoles. The urban scenery encompasses not just fetid canals and grungy slums, but also handsome colonial houses, a great little museum, housed in a former prison, and a beautiful cathedral.

St. John’s Cathedral was built between 1812 and 1820 with bricks that had been used as ballast aboard ships from England, it was the first church to be built in the colony of British Honduras.

Belize city proved to be character building!

Next stage: Amazing San Ignacio.

I guess I should have realised what lay ahead when I had to pay £25.00 for the 1-hour boat journey from Livingston to Punta Gorda (PG). You don’t get much for your ‘buck’ here; Belize is expensive.

I don’t quite know what to say about Belize; now that I have been here a few days I have started to get my head round the country. However, to start with….. well let’s just say, it’s an unusual country compared to the rest of Central America.

The southern seafront town of Punta Gorda is so laid back that most people don’t even call it by its full name – all over Belize it’s known simply as PG. PG was founded for the Garífuna who emigrated from Honduras in 1832. Though it’s still predominantly Garífuna, it’s also home to the usual bewildering variety of Belizean citizenry: Creoles, Q’eqchi’ Maya, expat Americans, Brits, Canadians, Chinese and people from eastern India
In hindsight it was one of my favourite places in the whole of Belize. I met some really nice people here, ate in some super cool, and quite cheap restaurants, and stayed at a lovely B&B – Tate’s Guest House.

I also met a lovely lady from my birth county of Buckinghamshire. Jo and her husband run a travel agency and small guest house in PG. Check out their web site at: PG Tours.

Next stage: Placencia.