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Punta Gorda Belize
Toledo District

Monday 6th - Thursday 9th October - Punta Gorda Belize

Travelling along the Southern Highway we enter Cattle Landing and get onto a little coastal road to Punta Gorda Belize the capital of the Toledo District. This is Kekchi and Mopan Indian country and that`s a fact as there are over 30 Maya villages here and they count for more than half of the population. If you are a culture vulture, here in these Toledo villages is where you can get a chance interact with the people and how they have lived for centuries on the land. The Garifuna community also have a strong presence here, mixed with Kriol, Chinese and East Indians.

Here is where most of my distant family in Belize have congregated. I went to see some my oldest relatives, my father`s Aunties. Patricia, Toriba aged 95 and my late Aunt Anita who was 99. It must be all the good living here and the fresh air adding to their longevity. As I stepped into the house on stilts, I was transported back into the past into my childhood in Scotland where Dad`s culture was predominant in our household. It felt strange, like I was there. The way the dinner plates were washed up, and how the clothes hung above on pulleys to dry. I always wondered why other Scottish folks didn`t do things the way we did!

We talked some and I learned a little about my family tree from the old folks.

It`s great visiting the markets in Toledo Belize. On a Saturday morning at 6am, you can get a flavour of the peoples` culture and buy some fresh produce as well as gifts from stalls to take home. Joseph bought a hat which didn`t serve to protect him from his ordeal the next day.

If you are thinking to go fishing with one of the locals, make sure it is not with my cousin Henry. In fact, make sure you go on a fishing tour for tourists. Head for El Pescador in Punta Gorda.

Joe my son went with Cousin Henry out into the deep ocean in a little rowing boat and came back as if he had been stranded on a desert Island for a couple of months. He was suffering from sunstroke and dehydration. Henry, on the other hand looked as fresh as he did that morning when they rowed out.

While Joe was off doing his Robinson Crusoe act, I went into the "bush" to visit yet another family member. This was a very interesting place where they were growing rice, drying and threshing it. I also had a lesson on the herbs growing in that area and what they are used for. I will let you know what I learned when I put up a "Herbs of Belize" page.

As we drove past Toledo villages with thatched roof huts, many of the local women would come out to stop our car and show us their handiwork of embroidered cloths and other craft work. It can get a bit overwhelming! It did for us because we wanted to help as much as we could by buying from them but they were just too many.

As you tour this area it is a common scene to see families bathing in the river early in the morning or before nightfall. Here there is a more simplistic way of life where the people live in harmony with their land. Punta Gorda Belize is a stark contrast to how Belizeans live in the cities.

Maya Ruins near Punta Gorda Belize.

There are a few Maya ruins to see around the Toledo District. Three of the most popular are quite close to Punta Gorda. Nim Li Punit or "Big Hat" is located near the Southern Highway before the road veers left towards Cattle Landing. The other two are to the west near the Maya Mountains. One is called Lubaantun or "Place of the Fallen Stones". The brickwork at this temple is stunning, and the other is called Uxbenka or "the old place", and rightly so as it is one of the oldest Maya settlements in Belize. You will find it near Santa Cruz village, but we headed for the falls where we enjoyed a private picnic. This place is another piece of paradise.

What`s on the 2008 Calendar for Punta Gorda Belize?

There is quite a large bus depot here and and the only airstrip in Toledo making it quite a busy depot for tourists who want to reach the Belize attractions in the Toledo District.

If you are planning to visit Toledo Belize in spring the Toledo Cacao Festival 2008 will be celebrated from the 23rd to 25th May. As part of the festival, at the Lubaantun site you will get a presentation on Maya History by the director of the Department of Archaeology, Dr Jaime Awe. If you love Maya Gold Chocolate, join the Cacao Trail that will take you to cacao plantations. Here you will see a demonstration of how this particular chocolate is processed.

The next day Friday 10th we travelled back North to Belize City by another route. The Manatee or Coastal Road. We stayed in Belize City for 3 days after saying goodbye and returning our trusty metal steed, the 4X4.

Now we were ready for our visit Monday 13th to San Pedro, Ambergris Caye. See you there!

Gem


Useful Information

If you watched any of the video`s on this site you probably noticed a large crack across the windscreen of our Suzuki. That crack was only about 7-8 cms long but had doubled in length and become more noticeable by the time we finished our hire.

Getting our deposit wasn`t a problem though because we had that crack on film from inside the hire firms property.

If you are thinking of hiring a vehicle, check it over and make sure you note any damage BEFORE you take it out. If you see any notify the owners so that they can log it. That way you safeguard your deposit.

Now for our Visual Tour of Punta Gorda Belize. Enjoy!

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