You Better Belize There's a Hurricane Coming

• Gbendeck's Profile
• About this blog
• Entry from Orange Walk

Trip Start Aug 07, 2007 Previous
Entry Trip End Ongoing Next
Entry

  Orange Walk, Belize
Saturday, August 18, 2007

You better Belize there's a hurricane coming!
 
Well clearly my sense of timing is impeccable. I have finally left Mexico after 11 glorious days. Yesterday Cameron and I headed down first to Chetumel on the Mexican/Belizean border and then took a chicken-less chicken bus across the border to Orange Walk. We actually missed our first bus after a slight translation problem, oops.
 
  As for the hurricane, it looks headed for the Yucatan peninsula. Hopefully it won't be very strong when it hits land. Belize should be spared everything except possibly a little rain. We are watching the storm here and will head down to Belize City if it looks like it will hit land closer to where we are. The good thing about Hurricanes is you have plenty of time to get out of the way. We will leave Sunday if the storm doesn't turn farther north.
 
Thoughts on Belize so far:
 
The people here are really great. There is an extraordinary Caribbean feel here. Things have mellowed here even more than in Mexico. Our bus ride was relaxed and there was no stress. We even met a Belizean Student named Bobby, who we are going to meet up with tonight at his Uncle's restaurant/disco. Everyone speaks rhythmically with a toned down Jamaican accent. The people are a mix of Black and Mestizo. Last night we got in and decided to find a place to sleep. We saw signs for a swimming pool and 20bz(10 usd a night) and decided to check out Lucia's Guest House. After walking about a km down the road we reached the place and took a room. The picture on the boardwalk must have been a few years old, as the pool looked more like a pond, fish and all. But like all bad things, there are the good. The room had about 100 channels of American TV. It more than made up for the bug filled bathroom and lack of screened windows.
 
Today we had a day of discovery in Orange Walk. The place is the agricultural hub of Belize. It's a town of 8,000. And what do you think about in Belize when talking about agriculture? Mennonites! They are everywhere in their overalls, cowboy hats, bonnets, and 1800's era dresses. They are a bizarre sight. Talking to some locals, there is a great deal of respect for them because of what they do for Belize's agricultural economy. (They are good farmers). The other funny thing about Belize is the great amount of Chinese restaurants. They are everywhere. A Taiwanese couple runs even our hotel, the Akihito Hotel, although sadly the sushi restaurant is closed.
 
Favorite new game to play: Dominoes
 
Belize's Beer of Choice: Belikin
 
First roadside meal: Tamale (Chicken, wrapped in banana leaves)
 
Tomorrow we are taking a jungle boat to Lamanai that has amazing Mayan ruins and monkeys!
 
Arrrright man,
Geoff

Print this entry Share

Previous Entry Next Entry