January 30, 2011 (San Ignacio Day 5)

Today -- Sunday, January 30, 2011, marked my fifth day in San Ignacio Town in the Cayo District. I had no great "adventures" planned for the day, so it was an opportunity to get in a good morning run and catch up on some things during the day (such as trying to get caught up on my blog entries!). Looking back at my five days in the Cayo, three of them had been dedicated to exploring Maya ruins sites which had become one of my absolute favorite new hobbies. One of the locals suggested that I run out to a gravel road a mile or so from my hotel where I would encounter a minimum of automobile traffic and feel like I was out in the country. He forgot to mention that this route also leads to an incredibly beautiful spot where the Mopan and Macal Rivers merge to form the Belize River. When you reach the river you can also run (if you are fearless) or walk across a (very) rickedy bridge and keep running as far as you like on the other side. Although I think this spot could be promoted and "prettied up" a great deal as a tourist attraction, it was also kind of nice to just experience it the way it was. After my five mile run I was famished, so I splurged on a big breakfast at Eve's and pumped Nettie about the other places in Belize she recommended I visit. Her two strongest recommendations were for Tobacco Caye and Hopkins -- both of which have starring roles later in this blog (so keep tuned).

Here Is Nettie: My Official Belize Consultant

Since I did not partake of any fabulous Belize outings today, I thought this might be a good time to summarize the list I have put together after spending almost a month in Belize. Several of my loyal readers have asked me what is so great about Belize. At this point, since I have not visited any of the other "contenders" yet for my top spot to perhaps settle in some day (being close to the USA, more affordable than the USA, with better weather and MORE FUN (for me anyway) than Minnesota), I do not have any other places to compare Belize to yet. But my hunch is that these other countries are going to have a tough time beating out the former British Honduras for the following ten reasons:

1.  BEER:  EVERYBODY in Belize drinks Belikin, and only Belikin. AND it is a great beer. As can be said for a great spouse or significant other, why in the world does anyone need more than one?

2. PROXIMITY: Belize is only a couple hours by air from the USA. It as easy to reach as Los Angeles is from New York. This is not a huge factor for everyone, but in my situation it is critical. I want it to be quick and relatively inexpensive to visit my children back in the USA-- and to invite them to my place on a regular basis as well.

3. PEOPLE: The people in Belize are- for the most part- incredibly friendly and awesome. I had always thought that America is a "melting pot"-- but for such a small country you will be AMAZED by the diversity of the native Belizeans. Each group that has ended up in Belize -- the largest of which are of mixed race or "Mestizos" (about 50% of the population), native Maya Indians (about 10%), Creole (about 25%), Mennonites (about 10%) and Garifuna (about 6%) has its own fascinating historical and cultural story, traditions and lifestyle.

Manny Will "Hook You Up" in San Ignacio Town!

4. LANGUAGE:  For Americans, Canadians and British visitors, it is a nice surprise to find out that English is the "official" language and almost everyone there speaks and understands English pretty well. It is still a great idea to keep taking the Spanish lessons, however, because Belize is literally surrounded by Spanish speaking countries and many locals prefer speaking their native language.

5. STABILITY:  In the 1840's, Great Britain claimed Belize as its colony and called it "British Honduras". By the early 1900's, the colony had grown in size to almost 40,000 inhabitants. In the 1930's, a horrific hurricane and a terrible economy led to a popular local movement pushing for independence. In 1973, the colony's name was changed to "Belize", and in 1981 the country received its independence from Britain. Since that time, although the economy in Belize has been virtually nonexistent, the politics have been stable-- a real unusual scenario for Central America!

6. WORLD ARCHAEOLOGICAL EPICENTER: Because Belize is located on the Yucatan peninsula-- what was the epicenter of the fabulous Maya civilization -- it is an absolute hotbed of archaeological magnificence. In addition to being home to many of the nearby sixty nine recognized Maya ruins sites, Belize is also close to the famous spot where one of the largest meteors in history struck the earth many years ago which some experts believe may have caused the demise of the dinosaurs.

Ronaldo Is the King of Tikal in This Photo!

7. AFFORDABLE:  Belize is ranked as one of the top destinations in the world for Americans looking for a place to retire that not only has a great climate and great natural attractions (as mentioned above and below) but also has a cost of living significantly lower that most cities in the U.S.

8. THE GREAT BARRIER REEF: Belize is blessed by having the world's second longest barrrier reef (only Australiia's is larger) to protect its entire coastline from the brute force of the Caribbean. UNESCO has awarded World Heritage Status to the entire reef system, and the marine attractions are as amazing and diverse as the natural coral and other formations that make up the 185 mile reef. In addition, over 400 islands (called "Cayes") and three of the Caribbean's four atoll formations are part of Belize. It is ridiculous-- and it is literally in our backyard.

9. AMAZING CLIMATE: It sounds hard to believe, but on several of the islands and spots  along the coast the annual temperature ranges from a LOW of about 70 degrees F. to a HIGH of about 80 degrees F. I have lived in Minnesota all my live and I still can't believe this!  In addition, Belize does not have a long "rainy" season like some its Central American neighbors. Summers get considerably hotter-- and winters cooler-- as you move inland from the coast. But you get the basic idea.

10. INCREDIBLE DIVERSITY OF ATTRACTIONS: Belize is not for everyone. There is presently only one crappy golf course. Only one or two movie theaters. No opera house, art museums or great theater. No Starbucks (yet). If you dream of Manhattan or Broadway, you probably wouldn't want to live in Belize permanently. But remember that Belize has everything from mountains to rain forests to white sand beaches. And if you fantasize about having weather like Hawaii at a fraction of the price and think you would enjoy some of the following things, you owe it to yourself to check it out-- 

a. Fishing (hundreds of different variations);
b. Snorkeling;
c. Scuba diving;
d. Cave tubing;
e. Zip lining;
f. Belize zoo;
g. Horseback riding;
h. Jungle adventures;
i. Hiking;
j. Climbing;
k. Sailing;
l. Kayaking;
m. African drumming;
n. Swimming;
o. Exploring archaeological sites;
p. Drinking Belikin beer.