January 28, 2010
- 60% of Belize is pristine and untouched.
- English is the official language in Belize.
- The US dollar is officially accepted at a flat 2 Belizian Dollars equals 1 US dollar.
- Belizians consider themselves a Caribbean Nation in Central America.
- Our hosts (Belize Lodge & Excursions Ltd.) are directly responsible for setting aside 60,000 acres as a natural preserve.
- The country is the size of New Hampshire or Massachusetts and currently has a population of just over 300,000 people.
- 750,000 Mayans lived in Belize in approximately 700 AD. A prolonged drought created famine and political disunion and so the Mayan people headed back into the mountainous jungles of the Yucatan.
- In 1866 Steamship service ran every other week between New Orleans and Belize.
- In the US in 1865, Lee surrendered to Grant and some 7000 Confederate soldiers headed south to recreate. 1500 tried their plan in Belize and in 1872 the soldiers went to battle with the Mayan Icaiche Indians near the Belizean town of Orange Walk Town. The Confederates, with their modern weapons, held off the Mayans.
Hey, everyone. I spent last winter in Central America, while there I traveled to Costa, Guatemala, El salvador, and Belize. With out making this a long sappy “go to Belize message” I’ll simply say this… Pristine! Lots of Jungle, Lots of Coast and reef, Lots Mayan History, great people and its all is a small area. This place is beautiful! The ALA way of seeing it will help keep it that way.
Comment by Toby Grapner — January 28, 2010 @ 5:25 pm