Thursday, August 14, 2008

BELIZE

BELIZE 25-31 July

Belize, Caye Caulker
Belize is completely different to Guatemala although they are neighbours the contrast is stark. i hadn´t even planned on visiting Belize, but hey that´s the joy of travelling, each day is NEW. I was travelling up with some gringos (yanks), took the bus over the border and then a boat to Caye Caulker. A very chilled out, no car allowed, Caribbean island that has the Blue Hole (google it if you don't know it). I went snorkeling seeing as i didn´t have my PADI. That being said i did see a small Shark feeding, many manta rays, silky smooth with large wings and lots of little fish
among the coral.



Although Belize is an ex-British colony and everyone speaks English, there is a very strong US influence on popular culture such as music, clothes, food etc. Furthermore, there does seem to be a lot more infrastructure in place when compared to Guatemala. Such brick houses, electricity pylon's, efficiency and things generally working. It seems strange to me because the local Rastafarian belizian is quite chilled out and lazy, its the Chinese than run all the corner shops and supermarkets so i don't know how they got all their ducks in a row. Maybe the US helped.

I also spent a couple of days at Dangriga to visit Tobacco Key. Dangriga is nothing to speak of, somewhat down trodden. Sometimes the locals were friendly (if money is involved) and sometimes there don´t care to notice you are there. The reef was very similar to that at Caye Caulker.


Finally my last days were spent at Placencia waiting for the weekly boat to go to Honduras. It was a nice enough small town on a peninsular however i just couldn't believe the litter on the beach. i even took a photo of it and when i went to the tourist to buy my boat ticket, i told them what i thought. Later that day they started digging holes in the sand and burying the rubbish as opposed to using a bin bag to collect it. What can i say? I guess litter is only a worry for the West. It certainly doesn't seem to be a worry for the people here.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

gee, lukester you REALLY need a good shave + haircut. and what s THAT blue checked converse???? seems like the Big Lebovsky style :-)
anyway, great to see you!!! enjoy.
Mum saya hi. i am on rehab for a week while she stays here. great...NOT. helena

Anonymous said...

Maaaate!!
So good to see you :)
and regardless what Helena says i think the beard is cool (albeit a bit scraggy) but leave it a few months and you'll be looking like the world explorer you now are!
How about "the Big Lukovsky" for your new nick-name...
You look well and best of all, like you're having the time of your life - good on ya!
You're missed here, but don't worry about that, just keep sending the pics :)
Cheers, Matt.
Ps. Jess asked about you the other day, so i'll show her your pictures...

Abbie said...

OH MY GOD. ITS ALL BEARDED!!! the photos really bring it all to life. you are really doing this whole trecking across the world thing! amazing. stay safe my angel and make sure no animals nest in that furry thing. jejejejejejejejeje. just off to the beach for a few cheeky hours of sun. will think of you and wonder what scenery you are looking at. my god. with the pics its awesome. you really are a traveller. sounding more and more in your grove and confident and enjoying it every day! wow. the time is just going to fly by! i hope so cos i miss you. speak soon xx

Anonymous said...

oh and don't foget you met 3 really sext english girls....

Anonymous said...

Hi Luke, I'm looking with Annemie to your pics and we agreed two things; first: you 're a lucky bas... and second: my beard is nicer ;-)))) Really enjoying your story's over here! Cheers mate!