The overall impression we got after one month in Belize is one of incredible diversity and friendliness. A melting pot of cultures and landscapes, deeply religious, Christian people. Most of the time we had great encounters with curious people full of amazement and joy. Every now and then there were strange pick-ups, unpleasant moments with drunks and places where we did not want to be on the road at night - but nothing that can overshadow the cordiality of most Belizeans!
In the north live many Spanish speaking Mestizos and some Garifuna. On the road, sunburned Mennonites in bib shorts and cowboy hats ride their melon-filled horse-drawn carts to market. The hills to the south are home mostly to Mopan and Kekchi Maya, and the coast is Garifuna homeland - our vernacular changes to English. Throughout the country, the stores are run almost exclusively by Chinese, one hears English, Creole, Spanish, now and then Plautdietsch and - probably - Mandarin on the street.
On our first day we think: “Like Finland in hot and with palm trees!” - Swamps alternate with sugar cane fields and forest, a lot of untouched nature accompanies us along the road. Maybe this is how environmental protection should look like in our country. Why don’t we see anything of all the “climate neutral” compensation projects in Switzerland? We could also reforest large areas and leave them to nature, instead of getting the last out of meager alpine pastures, if we continue to happily blow greenhouse gases into the world…. Here in Belize, it is definitely nice to see that a lot of importance is given to the forests - almost half of the country’s area is protected. Surely this also has to do with the low population density (500’000 inhabitants on about half the area of Switzerland) and the important role of tourism for the economy, nevertheless: here we can take an example.
Looking for a place to stay in the south of Orange Walk. The campground in Sand Hill was unfortunately no place to stay, on Warmshowers and Trustroots, but also Airbnb and Booking one finds comparatively few overnight accommodations outside the tourist centers. A woman beckons us over the garden fence, spontaneously we decide to ask if we can pitch our tent on her land - and are invited by Marie and Perry to a starry night in Hobbitshire. Two very nice older people, he originally from Canada, she after a long time in England back in her homeland, build up their quiet place here. Meditation area, forest garden in the making, maybe one day the first golf course full of meteor rocks and history… our second night in Belize, and once again unexpectedly on the roadside the confirmation: there are great, helpful and open people everywhere. Sometimes you just have to ask (:
The next day we already know where we will stay, with Allie, herself a passionate touring cyclist, in her little jungle paradise. It is really beautiful here, with its own creek flowing through the grounds, vegetable garden and ‘Edible Forest’. A paradise to grow up in for the little young man of the house, who can experience a childhood like his mother would have liked to have. We stay here for two nights and enjoy a day trip to Nohoch Chen National Park. Relaxed kayak trip with our guide Marco and his son. The two are just as into fun and discovery as we are, and it becomes an enjoyable extra long tour through magical caves and open jungle river, with frequent swim stops and a tandem trial to complete it.
Already on the - due to a lot of traffic and sometimes tight overtaking maneuvers on the road without shoulder - less enjoyable kilometers on the George Price Highway we were happy about the hills that slowly appeared on the horizon. Shortly after Belmopan it’s time: finally a third dimension again, steadily up the incline and swiftly down the other side, cruising around curves as free as a bird, diving into the jungle and then overlooking it again! This afternoon compensates us for the troubles in the morning - we had to fight with a painstakingly small hair hole in the hose of the trailer and then a lashing strap wrapped in the rear wheel :/ In the evening we find an insider tip for camping with the howler monkeys: on the Hummingbird Highway (worth driving anyway!) at St. Hermans Cave Blue Hole National Park we can pitch our tent for a cheap 10 Belize dollars. The atmosphere is pleasant, the park rangers are enthusiastic conservationists who are happy to explain to us which snake and what kind of “marten” (a skunk) we have seen there. (Cave) hikes, a small exhibition about the jungle animals that live here, and a cool cenote can be found right next door in the morning - what more could you want?
For the visit at Maya Mountain Cacao with insights into the cacao production there will be a separate article with picture gallery. Our further journey in this beautiful little country follows the same pattern: bathing in the waterfall at Billy Barquedier National Park, followed by a superb campground directly at North Stan Creek, colorful little houses, green country with many small rivers, colorful friendly people. On the way back to the north we are invited off the road several times:
In Hopkins at the sea by Toni and Marc from Texas - themselves just one week in Belize, they offer us a roof over our heads at the gas station. She is a retired English teacher, he organizes seminars for local pastors. The two have traveled far in their lives for God - 15 years in China, also some time in Senegal, Europe and the Middle East. Very interesting people, friendly and humble: “Life is too short to be grumpy and not open and friendly to everybody”.
During the lunch break at the “Old Northern Highway” - a super alternative to the new construction for us, without traffic and with well manageable bumpy road - we are invited by Jeff and his family twice to spend the night with them - presentation of their Christian education project “Move”, dinner with avocados in abundance and cozy family evening included.
Besides the everyday mosquitoes, doctorflies and sandflies - a more annoying side of the local animal diversity - we get two opportunities to get a deeper insight into the tropical flora and fauna.
At the Belize Zoo we can meet some of the native animals that remain invisible to our untrained eyes in the jungle. Founded by an animal trainer as a result of a documentary film, the zoo now serves as a sanctuary for orphans, abandoned “pet” animals and wild animals dangerously habituated to humans, as well as an education center. School children, in particular, are taught about native animals in order to develop pride in biodiversity and hopefully help protect endangered habitats. This focus on animal welfare is well felt everywhere - in the descriptions of the animals, which invite you to reflection with humorously rhymed sayings and call for the protection of our common habitat. In the diverse enclosures, as well as simply in the fact that only those animals are there that for one reason or another no longer have a home in the wild.
At the Belize Spice Farm we are allowed to taste all kinds of spices, flowers and fruits on a guided tour, which at home can only be found on the shelf. Native species like vanilla, cacao and lotus grow next to imported plants from other (sub-)tropical regions like pepper, nutmeg and coffee. Everywhere it grows and blossoms, inconspicuous plants like a ‘soap fruit’ reveal their secrets only to those in the know, and this orderly wonder world leaves us simply amazed. Once again we discover a completely different setting than the wild jungle, the open grasslands, the misty hills and treacherous swamps we have encountered so far.
