Trip Diary - Photo Diary - Start the trip in the UK - USA - Mexico - Belize - Continue on to Guatemala
Farewell Mexico, Hello Belize!
British Pirates, who had at one time been pillaging the Spanish fleets offshore of Belize, were at some point in time persuaded to give up the good life and turn their hands towards logging this backwater of the Spanish American empire. About a hundred years later in 1798, when the British defeated the Spanish armada off the coast of Belize, the country was formally transferred to British rule which completed it’s already traditionally and politically sympathetic ties. In 1981, the colony of British Honduras became the independent nation of Belize which it is to this day. So, with nearly 200 years of direct British influence, we were expecting at least a good cup of Tea from the place. Thankfully, we were not disappointed. Crossing the border, we were met with pleasant, friendly officials, wishing us welcome to their country and hoping we had a good stay. One official that was arranging my temporary visa, heard I was a Brit, and started speaking in his most over the top Queens English he could muster. I countered with a heavy Jamaican accent and before we knew it, the papers had been signed, both of us were smiling and Daisy and I were in the country.
We rode South towards Belize City (Pop. 70,000) through flat coast lands, scattered with low scrub and Palm trees, which was occasionally interrupted by small villages. Despite the basic nature of some housing, almost all were surrounded by freshly cut lawns and brightly coloured flower beds - something we hadn’t seen since the US and the UK. At a Police checkpoint, the Officer asked us what we were doing, laughed when we told him, then proceeded to shiver and complain about the cold front that was coming down from Mexico. These things, coupled with red post boxes, proper speed bumps and crappy shops like Courts, made us feel as if we were back at home.
Over the week we stayed in Belize, we sang Karaoke with local crooners. We rode past places called “Never Delay”, “Trinidad”, “Honey Camp”, “Good Living Camp”, “Go to Hell”, “Kendal”, “Hampshire” and “Gallon Jug”. We exchanged thumbs up with the drivers of British Army Landrovers. We drank Guinness, freshly brewed in the country and fine teas imported from Sri Lanka. We ate Chicken Curries with rice and beans and best of all, over the entity of the week, we didn‘t see a single maize or flour Tortilla. We also met up with the English lads from PV, who in turn were joined by three of their mates from back in Bristol. Our little band drank the night away, whilst slightly more gentle customers gave us a wide berth and retired to safe distances.
After a trip to the second biggest coral reef in the world and a spot of snorkeling with sharks and sting rays, we headed west away from Belize City towards the Guatemala border. With a meeting with an old friend in Guatemala planned and getting ever closer, we were sad to be leaving Belize, but also just a little anxious about crossing into Guatemala - the land of highway Bandit.
From: Daisy Bell It was with a sad yet potentially Bean-free heart that we bid a fond farewell to the delights of Mexico and passed with surprising ease across the border and into Belize. Once claimed by the British, it was a delight to be able to communicate in our own language, listen to Bing Crosby Christmas hits blaring across the country and even eat a pastry or two.
The immediate thing I noticed was the incredibly manicured lawns (obviously a British thing). This was rapidly followed by the lack of fascist police or bored military (they«re all decidedly older than the standard Mexican 15 years of age). And how could I fail to notice the crack head Rasta«s shouting "Welcome to Belize!!!"; "Thank you - I think!". The place is so relaxed it«s practically falling down backwards, maybe due to the Carribean influence - «Irie« and all that. Checked ourselves into The Sewage Works Guest House which had the added bonus of Canadian International Playboy Steve and his disturbing penchent for Googling an array of pre-teen websites. He was useful enough to recommend some decent eateries that didn't serve tripe soup (Cow Foot soup instead, yum). Although I spend a week suffering multiple bites from yet more invisible beasties, I know Old Lizzy is protecting me as her (surprisingly young & foxy) head is on all the notes (obviously had some doctoring mid-Atlantic). Top 5 Belizian Place Names After a night of Spaghetti Westerns, we headed out to the zoo to point and coo at a strange array of 'things', including Jaguars pacing up and down and Tayra's (What? Exactly.) walking round in circles - never did figure out whether they were like this to start with or the captivity had driven them to this behaviour, but I have my suspicions. The Toucanettes (no, not a 50's girl band) took a dislike to me and attacked my finger. I don't know why I thought it a good idea to put my fingers through the cage in the first place, except I WAS DECEIVED! They looked cute!
That evening, Pop Idol Husband insisted we go to the karaoke again. Strangely enough, the Belizians like a bit of Croonage, and we had to slot our Abba and Black Sabbath inbetween Old Blue Eyes and that-other-one-who-thinks-he's-Old Blue-Eyes-with-the-syrup. I'm sure they were desperately impressed with us as they supplied us with a plate of Creole Chicken. Hindsight tells me this was actually more to do with finding an alternative use for our mouths for 10 minutes. Visited one of the Caye's (islands) after a sketchy and wet 45 minute boat ride. Gorgeous haven for backpackers, Art's and Craft's folk and those mental enough to snorkel with Norse Sharks and Sting Rays on the world's 2nd biggest Barrier Reef. I know what you're thinking, we thought it too, but apparently these Sting Ray were friendly and didn't have an issue with Aussie's. Initially had trouble getting from the boat into the water as my bikini bottoms very elegantly got impaled to a hook on the side of the boat, not only suspending me in mid air and ripping them in two, but also exposing my nethers to anyone requiring a cheap thrill, though I don't think gay Johnny and Benji from Delaware could give a fuck. So once finally unhooked, had an amazing time swimming with the sea beasts, the wonderful slimey, flappy wings of the rays and the multitude of fishies, every colour under the sun, plus a few more I'd guess. It was disappointing to have to get back into the boat ( a disappointment only quenched by the possibility of a Blue Peter Badge - alas no).
Luckily there was Julian Cope, 'Nam Veteran and Pagan Extraordinaire to cheer us up. His new life mission (now that he could no longer get away with slaughtering innocent Vietnamese children) was to save the Mayan people from their own fate. He would do this by infiltrating their 3,000+ year old culture and educating them into the belief of women as a Deity that should be fed grapes, fanned with a palm leaf and adored at all times. Now I haven't got an issue with this personally, neither did I have an issue when he bowed to me as a goodbye, but I think the Mayan's may have a beef with a long-haired asshole in stars and stripes bandana deciding that half the populations can go into retirement while there's Maize in the fields to be harvested. After the 3 day Holiday in Belize, we finally found an eatery that was actually open and ready to serve us the weirdest looking bacon in the history of the pig. It was this or 'Gibnut', but as this was an endangered species we saw in the zoo a few days previously, we felt this an inappropriate foodstuff to slam between 2 chunks of bread. Afterwards we had nothing to do but get drunk, which we did with our favourite drinking buddies, The Boys From Back Home who had arrived in Belize City with their Friends From Back Home (one being named The C**t - says it all, eh?!), geared up for a night of photographing genitals and squirting lime in the eyes in the plushest hotel in town. Wonderful people, wonderful night, wonderful hangover.
Took the wonderful hangover across Belize to the last town before Guatemala, ready for Country 4. This was a beautiful, twee town that housed Amish people (quite bizarre) and pasties in the shape of Aligators (clearly not bizarre at all). Of all things, we stumble upon a Sri Lankan restaurant where yes, WE HAD CURRY! Our blessed National dish, safe and sound in the wilds of Belize! The night was fairly melancholy, as we hadn't been in Belize nearly long enough, but we had a mission to complete so it had to be Goodbye Belize... Many thanks... Continue on to Guatemala |
||||||||||||||
From: Mark.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
| ©2006 Mark Bell |