In January of 2009, my son and I traveled to Belize to spend a week in San Pablo in the Ambergris Caye. It was an enjoyable week of relaxing in the sun and snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef and the Great Blue Hole. We also visited the Mayan ruins near Belize City and went ziplining in the jungle
Belize is a beautiful and friendly country where they speak English. It offers a blend of beauty, warm weather, delicious sea food, cultural history of the Mayan civilization, and the soft Caribbean sea to nourish the body and soul.
GOOD MORNING FROM BELIZE
waking up at 3:00 AM
in the middle of the night,
driving to the Los Angeles airport and
looking forward to our flight
landing in Belize
watching the sunset,
riding the water taxi towards San Pedro
feeling full of excitement
putting on our swimsuits
to go swimming in the Caribbean Sea,
floating on my back
in the middle of the night mystery
looking up at the stars
feeling so happy and free,
secretly taking off my swimsuit
to feel the freedom of the sea
hearing the sound of the waves
breaking on the shore,
cool topic breezes
blowing in my face
we saw where the Maya empire
built their advanced civilization.
with agricultural farmlands and trading centers
for well over 2000 years
enjoying dinner with my son
while eating red snapper and shrimp,
planning the snorkeling
we would like to attempt
we went on a zipline for the first time
flying thru the jungle holding on tight
until we reached the platform
waiting at the other end
the next morning
watching the sunrise under a palm tree,
enjoying the warm breezes
as they nourished me
SNORKELING AT THE GREAT BLUE AND THE BELIZE BARRIER REEF
”The Great Blue Hole” is located just 100 kilometers (60 miles) off the coast of Belize. It is an underwater sinkhole that researchers believe is the largest of its kind.
THE MAYAN RUINS OF ALTUN HA
An hour northward out of Belize City rises the majestic beauty of the Maya ceremonial center called Altun Ha (rock stone water). Royal priests ruled this site for many centuries, and traded with other Mayan centers.
Known as the epicenter of the ancient Maya world, Belize once was home to more than 2 million Mayas. Sacred temples, pyramids, advanced science, agriculture, mathematics, palaces, and awesome structures are their legacy.
The arrival of the Spanish conquistadors in the 16th century spelled the beginning of the end of the Maya civilization that had already began a decline with many of its great cities and monuments.
The largest of Altun Ha’s temple-pyramids is the “Temple of the Masonry Altars,” which is 16 meters or 52 feet high
This advanced civilization – supported by vast agricultural farmlands and
trading centers for well over 2,000 years. The Maya Empire evolved around 350 B.C. in the tropical lowlands Belize and northern Guatemala and reached its highest point of development from 250 A.D. to 900 A.D.