This is where I arrived from the US. It was a $20 taxi drive from the airport into town, but there aren't any public transportation alternatives, so you have to pay. I got to Belize City on a Sunday and most everything was closed. I checked into the Belcove Hotel which had good inexpensive rooms and a great location only a hundred meters away from the city center. I walked around a bit and got oriented to the city, hot temperatures, and third world conditions.
Belize City - the main business district and my hotel are near the mouth of the river
Belize City is the largest city in Belize, but it isn't the capital. The county's total population is around 300,000 and about 70,000 people live in Belize City. After a devastating hurricane in the 60's, the government decided to move the capital inland and build a new city for the capital - Belmopan.
On Monday morning I set off looking for the tourist information office, but it had relocated. Instead I found the national museum in the same location. The Museum of Belize was a large converted prison building and was excellent. I had a great museum experience looking at the ancient Maya pottery and other artifacts such as jade carvings. For about two hours I was the only visitor in the museum and it was very quiet.
Later, I did find the tourist information office, but they offered little assistance - only a couple of free brochures of the country. I left the office and immediately discovered a children's parade on the downtown's main street. Today was "Cultural Day" and the children were dressed up in traditional Belizian clothes. It was very fun to watch.
 |
 |
 |
 |
On the morning of November 17th, I went out to eat breakfast at 7:00 am and found another street parade starting. My breakfast restaurant was closed because it was a national holiday - Garifuna Settlement Day (to celebrate the day the Garifuna people arrived in 1823 to Belize). There was a group of several dozen people who were drinking, dancing and drumming on their way to a 7:30 am church service. After the service, the partying seemed to continue for the rest of the day and most stores were closed. I heard that there is a huge annual celebration in the south of Belize where most of the Garifuna people reside.
 |
 |
 |
 |
Altun Ha
I really wanted to visit these Mayan ruins which are located about 30 miles outside the city, but getting there was difficult. There were taxi drivers who volunteered to take me, but they wanted to charge me $90 US - way too much. There weren't any organized tours that I could just pay and join. Finally I arrived at a solution. When the cruise ships docked and the tourists arrived, there were lots of stores for them to shop in and also they offered short tours, so I went to the "cruise ship city", with its tourist shops and restricted access, and joined one of their tours to take me on a guided tour of Altun Ha. The tour I purchased only cost $40 US and was four hours in length. It was a good introduction to Maya ruins of this part of the world.
Largest Pyramid of Altun Ha
Central Plaza of Altun Ha
Altun Ha is important because it
was the site where one of the most significant Belize national treasures was found.
Inside the largest Mayan pyramid, archeologjsts found a nine-pound, solid jade
carved head depicting the face of one of the Mayan gods. This jade head
is so precious it is now kept inside a bank vault and is very rarely
exhibited in public.
Now its on to Tikal, Guatemala for more Mayan discoveries.......
Now its on to Tikal, Guatemala for more Mayan discoveries.......