After these wonderful days on the beach not having to squeeze in 10 m2 we were heading for the next phase of our adventure. Having gone from the US to Mexico had filled us already with some apprehension. Now after 6 weeks in Mexico we actually had
learned to enjoy this
country very much. It has
a lot of the amenities of a
developed country (like
the same supermarkets)
but still has people that
feel quite different. They
are very warm and open
and fun to talk to. Most of
them are quite interested
in our countries and us as
well when you get to talk
to them (like the army
guys who had helped us
out of the sand and
wanted to know more
about Hitler).
So now leaving Mexico and entering the real third world we felt the same apprehension as we had when entering Mexico. We drove down the Caribean coast and had a last stop at a wonderful campsite in Chetumal just North of the border to Belize.
learned to enjoy this
country very much. It has
a lot of the amenities of a
developed country (like
the same supermarkets)
but still has people that
feel quite different. They
are very warm and open
and fun to talk to. Most of
them are quite interested
in our countries and us as
well when you get to talk
to them (like the army
guys who had helped us
out of the sand and
wanted to know more
about Hitler).
So now leaving Mexico and entering the real third world we felt the same apprehension as we had when entering Mexico. We drove down the Caribean coast and had a last stop at a wonderful campsite in Chetumal just North of the border to Belize.
The following day we tackled the border formalities (emmigration, immigration, customs, registering the car, insurance, funghus spraying of the tires, etc.) and around noon we entered Belize. To my (not Kate’s) surprise we found ourselves in a country where English is the main language, even though Creol and Spanish are the other important languages. The country clearly had an English feeling to it (we were very impressed by the English type lawns that could be seen in front of most houses along the road).
Kate had figured out a place where we could camp and go for a boat tour to some Mayan tempels the following day. Unfortunately we managed to park again in a mosquito swamp and left the back ventilator flap open. The moquitos didn’t miss the opportunity and by the next morning we decided to move on rather than staying for the boat trip and risk another night on this site.
The guide book praised the Belize zoo that was on our route to Guatemala as one of the best in world, even for people who hate zoos (like Kate). And indeed, it was wonderfully integrated into the forest and featured only animals that either had been found sick or raised by somebody as a pet. We spent a few wonderful hours watching jaguars, monkeys, crocodiles and eagles before we went on towards the border.
Kate had figured out a place where we could camp and go for a boat tour to some Mayan tempels the following day. Unfortunately we managed to park again in a mosquito swamp and left the back ventilator flap open. The moquitos didn’t miss the opportunity and by the next morning we decided to move on rather than staying for the boat trip and risk another night on this site.
The guide book praised the Belize zoo that was on our route to Guatemala as one of the best in world, even for people who hate zoos (like Kate). And indeed, it was wonderfully integrated into the forest and featured only animals that either had been found sick or raised by somebody as a pet. We spent a few wonderful hours watching jaguars, monkeys, crocodiles and eagles before we went on towards the border.
We decided not to try to make the border this day but to benefit from a very nice country hotel with adjacent lawn to be used for camping. The following day we crossed the border (with the usual formalities) and drove all the way to Tikal, one of the greatest ancient Maya sites in Central America.
Being used to extortion attempts by the Mexican police when stopped I was quite wary of the police stop in Belize. The first one was just 2 km after the border. I opened the window and got a huge smile by a big black police officer with lots of rings on his fingers, gold teeth and dark shades. So I got ready for a good discussion. To my surprise he was very interested in my sunglasses (a pair of Oakleys that I had purchased in Phoenix) and congratulated me for the good taste, showing his which looked quite similar. He then warned us of driving by night and sent us off with another big smile. The interaction felt more like being in a suburb of Birmingham or London than in Belize.
Funily enough, the following two encounters with policemen in Belize were quite similar, all of them making flattering remarks about the glasses. They seemed to be quite a status symbol and I obviously had bought the right ones.
Funily enough, the following two encounters with policemen in Belize were quite similar, all of them making flattering remarks about the glasses. They seemed to be quite a status symbol and I obviously had bought the right ones.
