CAPTIVATING
MYSTIQUE Taking the Unique Journey that is Belize WRITTEN BY: JEANELLE MENCIAS
PHOTOS: LEONARDO MELENDEZ
There’s an old Garifuna song that says: “guillarati bidi pero mosu baguribudun” meaning “you can go but you must come back” and this is true for Belize. No matter where you go, how far you go, or for how long you go, there’s an undeniable charm about Belize that keeps you coming back. Perhaps it’s the fact that Belize is undeniably travel inspiring. Cracking the code of the country’s unique character is a scintillating challenge. A country with a history that dates back to the time of the ancient Maya, time and space seem to move to a unique rhythm here. Where there were once flourishing metropolises in the jungle, there are now majestic ruins. Where there was once a thriving society of logwood cutters and chicleros, there is now a booming tourism industry. No matter how many times you visit, there is an intangible feeling of mystery that is unwavering.
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So where will your Belize expedition take you? Will it be to the west where the highway is abuzz with life; children running around in school yards, families enjoying conversations on their verandas or villagers gathered to cheer on their team at the local game. Where you’ll experience the street side vendors at the road bumps waving delicious coconut meat at you trying to make a sale. Maybe you’ll get lost in the south where banana plantations and orange orchards emerge majestically from the shadows of lush green mountains and valleys, or where the rhythmic sounds of the Garifuna segunda and primero drums hypnotize your hips in the "Kulcha Kapital." As the Hummingbird Highway merges into the Southern Highway, you’ll be welcomed by pine trees anchored by red soil and mountains standing tall in the distance. Go deeper south and the dirt roads lead to Mayan communities where women wash clothes bare breasted by the riverside, and colorful dresses add life to villages. On the menu? The traditional Mayan Caldo and Poch, or the East Indian Tacari.
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