Day 1

Our first day in Belize! we started the day off with a delicious breakfast at the hotel then proceeded to the Mayan archaeological site of Xunantunich in the Cayo district in western Belize. Xunantunich is a modern name meaning stone woman. Our guide led us through the ruins and even introduced us to some of the local flora, including foods, medicines and poisons. The site itself is located on a hill overlooking surrounding lowlands, including Guatemala, which our tour guide told us was a 20 minute walk from where we were.the hill now was covered in trees, where at some point it would've been cleared, allowing the elite living at the site to survey the region. The temple itself was not just one structure, it was a series of structures placed methodically. We climbed two structures, including El Castillo, a pyramid some 130 ft high. the view from the top was stunning, we saw right across to Guatemala and the surrounding Cayo district. The pyramid itself was built in levels, some containing intricate carvings representing different Gods of the Mayan religion. The placement of the buildings themselves represented the different levels of worlds; the under world, the middle world, the upper world and the connections between them. as well. The Mayans believed in life after death and their construction reflected this belief.

El Castillo

After a full morning of touring in the hot sun we were all in need of a little rejuvenation; one bumpy ride later we were at the Belize Botanical Garden and all ready for lunch. It was Duplooy's quesadillas all around; apparently the best quesadillas in Belize, and I think I can say from the silence at the lunch table that we all agreed that they were very delicious.

Vanilla Bean Pod

With food in our bellies we were ready for our next tour of the stunning grounds of the Belize Botanical Garden. It was a private property given to the public in 19997, it now boasts an exceptional array of plants and supports many native animals.On our way in we sampled a starfruit and something called a tangelope, a large green citrus fruit that was absolutely delicious. I am a horticultural student and ass the tour went on I was surprised at all the plants I saw that I had learned in my Plant ID class, Steve Loewen would be proud. The expansive 45 acres was planted with both native and introduced species. They even had an orchid nursery which contained 175 of the 312 native orchids to Belize. Did you know that the second most valued spice is actually an orchid? We got to see and smell a vanilla pod up close. There were also other spices and herbs like allspice, cinnamon, oregano and cilantro. We walked into their rainforest and climbed to a lookout point were we saw the tops of many trees. A very nice vantage point. That marked the end of our tour and the end of our day, back to rest and relaxation. I can't wait to see what else is in store; a great start to an already great trip.

- Angelica Rigas