by MARIAH THOMPSON Staff Writer
The warm weather, crystal-clear water, and endless excursions of Belize are sure to please anyone. Over the spring break of 2014, I visited the country with my family.
Belize is located in Central America, bordered by Mexico and Guatemala. The main language spoken there is English, followed by Spanish and Creole. Belize is made of one, big mainland and other islands to the east of it.
My family and I arrived in Belize after a five-hour plane ride to San Salvador, and then another hour plane ride to Belize City.
We took a taxi to our hotel, the Radisson, 25 minutes away. The hotel included one restaurant, two bars, a cafe with delicious pastries, two pools, and a jacuzzi.
The cafe, Le Petit, served many delectable snacks and drinks. I always made sure to eat my daily, warm cinnamon roll, and a fluffy and fresh croissant. The pastry shop also served jam rolls, doughnuts, beef and chicken patties, cookies, and much more. Unfortunately for my stomach, I tried everything; however, my taste buds enjoyed every bite.
The satisfying drinks they stirred up included beverages such as coffee, which was fresh and made right on the spot with steamed milk. The vanilla milkshakes were homemade, and could easily cool you off from the hot weather.
The hotel room was spacious with comfortable beds, a nice television, and a beautiful view.
The day after we arrived, we took an hour ride to the Belize Zoo. We saw all different types of tropical animals, including different species of birds, snakes, monkeys, and a lot more. My brother and dad were able to pet a humongous, yet beautiful black jaguar. We watched another spotted jaguar, as well as a puma and fox.
Some animals, like birds and some sort of giant rat, were allowed to roam freely. Everywhere I turned, there were animals of all different species, creating an experience similar to an open jungle.
The day after, we drove to see the Altun Ha ruins. These were huge pyramids made thousands of years ago. My family and I were able to climb them and take pictures of the disintegrating ruins.
Next, our family wanted to do something adventurous, so we did the “Zip, Whip, and Dip” excursion. We repelled down a cave about 130 feet above in the middle of the jungle.
We then went tubing in a gorgeous cave. We saw bats sleeping upside down in their holes, and saw different figurines shaped naturally from the rock.
Afterward, we went zip lining on five different lines. The wind in my hair was exhilarating, and zipping past all of the high trees made me feel like I was flying.
An anonymous student said, “I zip lined in Belize a year ago. I remember it clearly because it was fun, and was my first time. I was actually really scared at first since it was pretty high, but I enjoyed it a lot and would do it again.”
After that adrenaline-rush of a day, we went for a relaxer on the island of Caye Caulker. We were welcomed by friendly Belizeans telling us a little about the island. It was a laid-back day filled with tanning, eating and stand-up paddle boarding.
When our stay at Belize City was over, we traveled on a cramped water taxi to San Pedro, Belize. It was the inspiration for Madonna’s hit song “La Isla Bonita”, which is what many people call the island.
We did not enjoy our hotel at San Pedro as much as we did in Belize City, but we were able to make the best of it. We spent most of our days on the beach next to the close-to-perfect ocean.
Freshman Alex Rasky said, “I would really like to travel to Belize. I’ve heard that it’s a pretty country with some of the most beautiful beaches in the world there.”
The food at San Pedro was even more delicious, and I feasted on foods like filet mignon, crab, and all sorts of other seafood.
For two days, my brother, dad, and I rode jet skis, speeding all across the top of the water. It was my first time, which explains why I almost crashed into a ship.
At San Pedro, there were many more water excursions, including scuba diving, snorkeling, and taking day trips to the featured attraction – The Great Blue Hole.
One night, my brother, dad, and I went on a snorkeling excursion. Around seven o’clock, when it was dark, our tour guide drove us out on a boat near the MesoAmerican, the second largest barrier reef in the world. We jumped out after getting geared up with fins, a snorkel, a mask, and a flashlight to see underwater.
While snorkeling in the middle of the ocean in the dark, we were able to see stingrays, sharks, lobster, crabs, different variations of fish, a barracuda, and much more. It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that was too irresistible to pass up.
Our stay at Belize had unfortunately come to an end, but I would like to return to do other excursions there, and possibly learn how to scuba dive.
Why would you want to go to Belize?
The beach and water excursions (0%, 0 Votes)
Zip lining, repelling, and cave tubing (0%, 0 Votes)
Seeing the Altun Ha ruins and Belize Zoo (0%, 0 Votes)
Total Voters: 0
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