Belize is a small country, the smallest in Central America. It has a population of 400,000+ and you could drive south from Mexico to Guatamala in less than 9 hours. It is bounded on the east by Mexico, on the north and the west by Guatamala and on the south coast by the Caribbean Sea.

Dangriga Town on the Caribbean coast

What do you get in such a small package?

Hopkins Village on the Caribbean coast. Check out the signage and make your pick

You get a people with a diverse mix of ancestries and skin-colours ranging from black to shades of brown to yellow to white. English is the official language and the language of instruction in the schools, but Spanish is almost universal followed by Kriole, Mayan, Garifuna , Mestizo, Chinese and Old German. But not to worry, English will get you anywhere or anything.

Belize City, coming in for a landing

You get flat lands, rain forests, mountains, waterfalls and seashores.

You get two cities: Belize City, pop. 80,000, and Belmopan, the new capital of Belize where the Parliament was moved inland years ago away from the threat of another hurricane that would again blow down and wash away much of Belize City, the original capital.

Caye Caulker, a popular island in the Caribbean, 45 min.from Belize City

You get about 9 towns spread across 5 Districts (the same as a Province or a State) and hundreds of villages, most everyone dominated by one or more Christian church of one or more denominations.

The Town of San Ignacio, twinned with Santa Elena, in-land near the Mayan Mountains

And you get the Caribbean Sea lapping the southern coast of Belize, home to hundreds of cayes  (small islands) prime amongst them Caye Caulker and the much larger Ambergris Caye that boasts the town of San Pedro.

Two iguanas getting to know each other

Belize is diverse, yet magically manageable.

Check out the Menu at the Café Belize, the virtual café and restaurant created by briansbelize.com.  In the menu you will find every post presented as a food dish, some appetizers, some mains, and some desserts.

click on the link to take you there – http://wp.me/p2orau-uc

Whet your travel appetite and come back often for more.

Bon Appetite!  Brian and Shirley.

Hurricane Earl rushed across Belize the other day, leaving behind a swath of destruction, but for all its fury it paled by comparison with many of its more powerful predecessors.

In the 60s, Hurricane Hattie devastated parts of Belize City. It wasn’t the first hurricane to assault the then capital of Belize but it was enough to make it clear that the capital had to be moved inland to Belmopan where it now rests.

Hurricane Hattie also separated the island of Caye Caulker into two parts, the village of Caye Caulker  and the land to the north. That separation became known as “the split” and it is often referenced when talking about Caye Caulker.

In the early 2000s, Hurricane Iris flattened the village of Placencia in the south of Belize, leaving behind such devastation that the entire town had to be rebuilt.

From what I have read and heard from friends in Belize, Hurricane Earl was strong but not deadly. Hurricane-savvy Belizeans are already picking up the pieces and cleaning up the mess that Earl left behind.

Following is a photo montage with pictures from San Ignacio, Hopkins Village, Caye Caulker and San Pedro on Ambergris Caye.

Topsy turvey on Caye Caulker

Damage on the coast of the Caribbean

Oh my, that’s the main drag

Someone get a chain saw, quick

Somewhere in San Pedro on Ambergris Caye

Join us at Chez Belize where it’s always calm

Enjoy a treat at your leisure

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