Thursday 2nd/3rd October As we left rather late for Belmopan, we stopped over in Belize City for the 2nd time, visited family and chilled by the seafront. We booked in at the Hotel Chateau Caribbean this time around, which had great food, clean and pleasant surroundings, and decor that was a bit long in the tooth, which is to be expected since the intention was to preserve the bygone colonial era when the building was a grand residence. Perhaps it has been refurbished, retaining it`s elegance. I hope so because the staff are fantastic and really go out of their way to make you feel welcome.
Leaving at 8am; 2 hours later we arrived in Belmopan. I know that sounds a long time, which it is for that short distance, but we got a bit lost in Belize City, driving around in circles on one-way streets before we eventually found the Western Highway. Along the route we noticed some oddly shaped hills, which we later discovered were un-excavated Mayan Temples. There seemed to be so many of them scattered along the horizon, emphasising what a great civilization it really was.
Although it always adds to our excitement to drive on rough and ready roads, this road was a welcome "painless free" ride.
We stayed at the Belmopan Hotel, which I did not like very much. The air-conditioning kept us awake all night and it was a bit dingy. It did not detract from our rewarding experience though. There was plenty to see and do and some of the best cost 0. My family did not know how to get to some of the Belize attractions I had in mind to visit, but we had prepared for that when we planned our trip in England. If you want to make your trip successful, I recommend doing that. You can read how I went about planning my trip to Belize.
Belmopan, named Bel after Belize and mopan after the Mopan river, became the capital after Hurricane Hattie devastated Belize City. I remember my dad telling us about this when we were small. He saw some horrific things during that hurricane. The city itself is only 38 years old! You would never guess that this place used to be pure jungle. As I mentioned above, some places are free. St. Herman`s Blue Hole National Park and caves are a must to look out for. Be careful though! This is not a shallow pond. It is 25 feet deep! The sapphire blue water, which looks very odd here in this emerald jungle, is supplied by underground springs. If you want to swim remember your swim gear.
The Belmopan area is a hub for Belize attractions. You can reach San Ignacio in no time to see two famous Mayan sites Cahal Pech and Xunantunich which is pronounced shoo-nan-too-nitch. Another Mayan site lies in this vicinity. Caracol! We did not get to see these ruins because it was a toss between here or the Hidden Valley Falls and the Five Sisters Falls. Well being a water baby I chose the latter. If you choose to visit Caracol, you will get first hand information, because it is the archaeologists themselves who will give you a tour.
The road winding up through the Mountain Pine Ridge is a reward in itself. You can`t help but stop, get out of the car and drink in this exotic countryside full of orange walks, mountains and jungle.
Belmopan is the place for Cavers. It is riddled with caves. At the time I was not attracted to them but now I would love to explore. Rafting through dark caves, dripping with glistening stalactites somehow appeals to me now. Maybe because I visited caves over in the Slovak paradise, where I saw ice, naturally carved into wonderful shapes and sizes. A beautiful display of nature.
I can imagine the caves to be somewhat cool too, so warm gear is a must. A word of caution! Only venture there with experienced guides who know the network of caves. Going it alone is too dangerous.
On our way home we stumbled upon a little restaurant/club off the beaten track, called The Oasis. The name was appropriate. Phew! We were so thirsty and hungry. We ordered Belkin beers, 7-ups and Chilli Mole a Mexican dish. If you would like the recipe, send your details using the contact page.
My Martha singing Belize style.
We ended the evening and our visit to Belmopan with a little Belize nostalgia. So before you jump in the jeep, here`s a little taste of it!
Leaving at 8am; 2 hours later we arrived in Belmopan. I know that sounds a long time, which it is for that short distance, but we got a bit lost in Belize City, driving around in circles on one-way streets before we eventually found the Western Highway. Along the route we noticed some oddly shaped hills, which we later discovered were un-excavated Mayan Temples. There seemed to be so many of them scattered along the horizon, emphasising what a great civilization it really was.
The Belmopan area is a hub for Belize attractions. You can reach San Ignacio in no time to see two famous Mayan sites Cahal Pech and Xunantunich which is pronounced shoo-nan-too-nitch. Another Mayan site lies in this vicinity. Caracol! We did not get to see these ruins because it was a toss between here or the 
The road winding up through the Mountain Pine Ridge is a reward in itself. You can`t help but stop, get out of the car and drink in this exotic countryside full of orange walks, mountains and jungle.
On our way home we stumbled upon a little restaurant/club off the beaten track, called The Oasis. The name was appropriate. Phew! We were so thirsty and hungry. We ordered Belkin beers, 7-ups and Chilli Mole a Mexican dish. If you would like the recipe, send your details using the contact page.
