Belize – Page 2 – Deidra Deandra

Capital of Belize – Belmopan City!

Welcome to Belmopan City – The Capital of Belize

Capital of Belize - Belmopan City

The Capital of Belize – Belmopan City, is a beautiful destination to visit on your next Belize trip. Belmopan is located in the Cayo District, Belize and is a short 1 hour dive from Belize City. The City is designed with a Ring Road being encompassing the central area and leading off into every other destination in Belmopan.

Belmopan became the Capital of Belize in 1962 after the former Capitial (Belize City) suffered a great destruction by Hurricane Hattie in 1961. The famous National Assembly Building (photographed above) is a beautiful structure in the main center of the City and was designed to resemble a Pre-Colombian Maya Temple.

The city is known to be a laid back and relaxing place to visit. It is also the safer of the two cities in Belize. Belmopan City is rapidly growing from a quiet destination to a thriving city in Belize as the population, businesses and activities in the city increase. Here are 3 fun activities to do while in the Capital of Belize:

Capital of Belize - Belmopan City Go Shopping at the Belmopan City Market Day (Every Tuesday & Friday)! Here you’ll find many Belizean made products, locally produced fruits and vegetables, clothing, and local dishes from a variety of cultures. You’ll see farmers, fishermen, artisans, mobile pet stores, tradesmen, furniture makers, and people of all cultures going about their daily activities.

Visit the Guanacaste National Park! Guanacaste is a 50 acre Protected Areas named after the big and beautiful Guanacaste Tree. Among the activities to do at the park are: bird watching, swimming, picnicking and nature trails. This national park is home to tree species such as the Mamey Sapote, Brazilian Firetree, and the Mahogany, Belize’s national tree. Many animals call Guanacaste National Park home, including the Nine-Banded Armadillo, Kinkajou, White-Tailed Deer, and Jaguarundi. It has also a great place for bird watching as over a hundred species of birds have been sighted at the park including the Black-Headed Trogon, Blue-Crowned Motmot, Belted Kingfisher, Black-Faced Antthrush and Red-Lored Amazon. The National Park operates from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm and has an Entrance Fee of BZ $5.00 (BZ $1.00 for Nationals).

Capital City of Belize - Belmopan City Go Horseback Riding at Banana Bank Lodge! They cater to different levels of experience. They also have a nice swimming pool for adults and children. It is a lovely place to stay as well if you’re wanting to stay in a destination surrounded by the jungle!

PS – If you’re looking for a great place to eat, a favorite of mine is Formosa (Nim Li Punit Street, Belmopan City). It has a nice atmosphere and they are consistent in serving great food!

ATM Cave Belize

Actun Tunichil Muknal, Belize (ATM Cave Belize)
#1 by National Geographic

Are you planning a trip to Central America? Then the ATM Cave Belize is your next stop! The ATM Cave Belize is a beautiful part of Belizean History that will be one of your most adventurous experiences!

Actun Tunichil Muknal (Cave of the Crystal Sepulchre) is a cave in Belize, near San Ignacio, Cayo District. I is notable as a Maya archaeological site that includes skeletons, ceramics, and stoneware. There are several areas of skeletal remains in the main chamber. The best known is “The Crystal Maiden.” This is the skeleton of a teenage girl, possibly a sacrifice victim, whose bones have been calcified to a sparkling, crystallized appearance.

Many of the Maya artifacts and remains are completely calcified to the cave floor. One artifact, named the “Monkey Pot”, is one of just four of its type found in Central America. The cave is extensively decorated with cave formations in the upper passages.

Animal life in the cave includes a large population of bats, large freshwater crabs, crayfish, catfish and other tropical fish. Agouti and otters may also use the cave. These and many other species are quite common in river caves of this size in Belize.

National Geographic names the ATM Cave Belize the #1 Sacred Cave in the world and says “After visiting the ATM Cave Belize you may feel that you have been through your own epic test. A tour to this site involves hiking, wading, and underwater swimming, but nearly a mile (1.6 kilometers) underground you will reach the resting place of the “crystal maiden,” a complete female skeleton that sparkles from eons of crystal calcification.”

Add the ATM Cave Belize to your Bucket List! It is an experience you will never forget!

Source: Wikipedia / “Actun Tunichil Muknal“. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons.

La Ruta Maya Belize River Challenge 2015

Add La Ruta Maya Belize to your Things To Do List!

The La Ruta Maya Belize River Challenge is a 4-Day Canoe Race traveling a river route across the country of Belize. The route runs West to East along the Macal and Belize Rivers and is a total of 170 Miles! At one point in Belize’s history, this was the only link between beautiful San Ignacio, in the foothills of the Maya Mountains, and the bustling port of Belize City.

This is a race for everyone, not just professional racers. There are 8 divisions to choose from: Male, Female, Mixed, Masters, Dory, Intramural, Pleasure Craft, and Family Adventure Race.

The race occurs each year in March, coinciding with Baron Bliss Day. The teams, which race for station prizes along the way, battle for the major cash prizes awarded at the end of the race.

Below are beautiful photos of the 2015 La Ruta Maya Belize River Challenge.

La Ruta Maya Belize - Things To Do Belize

See More La Ruta Maya Photos or Purchase from Danny Chung Photography.

The La Ruta Maya Belize River Challenge was founded by Cayo Tropical Fruits Ltd. with great support from many Belizean corporations and organizations such as The Belize Tourism Board , The Lodge at Chaa Creek resort, and the San Ignacio Resort Hotel.

If you are interested in obtaining more information about the race, or would like to field a team visit the La Ruta Maya Belize Website.

Belize Food: Garnaches!

Garnaches is a Quick & Tasty Belizean Recipe – Make it in 3 Easy Steps!

Belize-Food-Garnaches-Corn

I made some Garnaches this morning for breakfast and they were delicious! If you’re looking for an easy Belizean Recipe, plus something easy, this is a good option.

You’ll need:
– 1lb Fried Corn tortillas (Pre-fried bags or soft corn tortillas and fry at home – cooking oil needed)
– 3oz Cabbage (shredded)
– 2oz Onions (diced – place in hot water for 1 min)
– 1 Cup Cooked Red Kidney or Black Beans (mashed/blended/Re-fried canned beans)
– 1 Cup Grated Hard Cheese
– 1/2 Cup Vinegar
– Salt, Black Pepper + other favorite seasoning to taste

Belize-Food-Garnaches 1. Mash/Blend cooked beans, season and fry.
2. Remove the onion from hot water and place in bowl with cabbage and vinegar.
3. Put beans on fried tortillas, then cabbage, onions, and cheese.

There you go – Belizean Garnaches in 3 easy steps! Enjoy!

PS – I like to add a little Cilantro to Step 3 simply because I love the taste of it!

Queen of The Bay Belmopan

Queen of The Bay 1987 Desiree Smith

Twenty seven years ago this gorgeous woman won the title of Queen of The Bay! She’s my momma! She was absolutely stunning in this picture and she is still a gem today! Looking at this picture got me thinking though. There are times when you don’t feel your best or look your best. This was a happy moment for my mom. She felt her best and looked her best; she probably felt like she was on top of the world. But life was not always like that for her and surely is not always like that for any of us.

She didn’t let those “not her best” moments affect her though. She would say to me not to not to let my outer appearance reveal what’s going on inside. For me, that translated to “Be Selfless.” Sometimes (especially females, let’s be real) can get so caught up in petty things. She said it to me many times when I had a simple flu and was mad at the world. Then, I was reminded by someone in a situation 10 times worse that my flu was not a big deal. You never know what others are going through; we always hear it and it’s always true. So as my friend Lexy would say, “suck it up buttercup” (and I say that nicely), because there’s a whole world of people for you to love on.

Miss World Belize 2012 Chantae Guy

Queen of the Bay 1987 Runner Up Patricia Zelaya

Queen of The Bay 2014 Jasmine Rhamdas

Cool Fact: Apparently, there’s something about Bermuda Street in Belmopan, Belize. Four beautiful ladies, including my mom, have won Queen Titles. Miss World Belize 2012 was from Bermuda Street, so was the Runner Up for Queen of the Bay 1987, and today Jasmine Rhamdas, also of Bermuda Street was crowned our new Queen of the Bay! All these Queens have resided or currently reside on Bermuda Street. Will the legacy continue? Any takers? Happy TENTH Belize!

Welcome to Belmopan City – The Capital of Belize

Actun Tunichil Muknal, Belize (ATM Cave Belize) #1 by National Geographic

Add La Ruta Maya Belize to your Things To Do List!

Actun Tunichil Muknal, Belize (ATM Cave Belize)
#1 by National Geographic