Belize Trip 2013

My birthday is December 23rd. This year is one of those big birthdays; I’m turning 25. In honor of this quarter mark, I decided to go away, clear my head, and do some self-reflecting. Belize was my sacred place for this birthday. I truly couldn’t have visited a more serene place during this special time of my life. I flew into Belize Dec. 11 and embarked on what has now become one of the most exciting weeks in my life.

Accompanying me on my trip was my best friend and favorite traveler Rahsean. As soon as we stepped foot on Belizean land, I smelled the sweet air. Belize smells like coconut, fresh grass, and rain. I love capturing a new scent from a new place. It makes for perfect new memories.

We drove for two hours through the green country en route to our jungle stay at Sleeping Giant Rainforest Lodge. When we finally arrived, we were greeted with a glass of rum punch and amazing Belizean hospitality. The people of Belize are so kind. There’s so much love deep rooted into the country. This tiny place with a population of only 334,297 is full of enormous culture, with bloodlines that range from Caribbean, African, and Latin decent. No matter the shade, race, or face Belizeans are one people. It’s totally different from what I’m used to seeing. Yeah, I live in New York City — the world’s “melting pot,” but there’s always a clear divide between people here. The unity in Belize is unmatched.

SLEEPING GIANT – BELMOPAN, BELIZE
We stayed at Sleeping Giant for the first 3 nights of our trip. The plan was to kick off this birthday vacation with some outdoor adventure before ending it with a luxurious beach stay at Almond Beach resort.  I’m a city girl to the core so I’ll admit that I’m probably the furthest thing from a nature lover but this trip changed it all for me. We stayed in a sweet and cozy yet spacious casita in the heart of the rainforest. Being so remote from the hustle and bustle of mainland was incredibly relaxing. The sound of silence has never been so pleasant; I definitely had my most peaceful slumbers here.

My morning view

From exploring the mysterious Mayan Ruins in Cahal Pech to visiting the Belizean animal rehabilitation zoo feeding tapirs, each day was a grand adventure. We really wanted to go zip-lining but due to the nonstop rain season, a lot of the tours were canceled. Belizean rain is something serious. It literally feels like buckets of water pouring all over you. My most extreme encounter with the rain was when I hiked up the Sleeping Giant mountain. Crazy! The rainforest side of Belize was absolutely beautiful. Sleeping Giant was so magical. I woke up to a breathtaking view of palms and green every morning. I miss it already! I especially miss the friendly staff who have become faraway friends — Jovani, the wonderful manager and our host, Berta (the sweetest person ever!), who served us the tasty meals every day and night, and Orlean, our amazing hiking guide.

ALMOND BEACH – HOPKINS, BELIZE
Paradise! After “roughing” it in the jungle, we made our way to Hopkins for Almond Beach. This time we were on the mainland so we really got a chance to hang with the locals. Almond Beach resort is a little more commercial than Sleeping Giant; we definitely missed that intimacy factor we had with the staff and other vacationers back at Belmopan. But we loved that this place was right in town. We hardly stayed at the resort. We were either walking the dirt road searching for local shops, snorkeling in the Barrier Reef (ok I attempted to snorkel. Rahsean actually snorkeled), or hanging out with our new friend (and favorite restaurant owner) Maureen Oosthuizen at her spot Iris Sunnyside Up.  Rahsean and I are both Carribean, with me descending from Jamaica and him from Grenada, so the Hopkins village of dirt roads and palm trees were not unfamiliar to us. It felt like home. Reggae music playing through the streets, smiles from friendly strangers, chill vibes throughout  – it was awesome.

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Ok if you know me, you know I can’t talk travel without mentioning the food. As stated before, Belize is super multicultural, so the food is incredibly twisted with influences of Mexican and Caribbean cuisines. I’d have huevos rancheros for breakfast then have jerk chicken for dinner. My favorite dishes are below:

My first Belizean dish: Mango shrimp with coconut rice and curried vegetables.

All the breakfast at Sleeping Giant. This is the best food I’ve ever had at a hotel.  Everything was so fresh.

Hudutu, a signature Garifuna dish, is red snapper in a coconut milk stew served with mashed plantains. So delicious!! The fish was so fresh, the coconut milk broth was so sweet and savory and the mashed plantains were very starchy (similar to African fufu).

Last but not least, Maureen’s addictive burritos. My gosh, my friend and I simply stopped here for a quick dinner and fell instantly in love with the food, the place, and our lovely hostess Maureen. If you are making a trip to Belize, make sure you visit Iris Sunnyside Up! The menu is amazing and Maureen is such great company. Everything is made to order and the cook will even whip you up something special if you crave anything beyond the menu. Stop by for lunch or dinner and before you know it, you’ll be sitting there for hours dining and making new friends!

Rahsean, Maureen and I on our last day!

Bye Bye Belize 🙁

Sad times. This place really had a hold on me, which probably explains the ridiculous 7 hour delayed flight home. I had a wonderful time away and can’t wait for my next destination!

Check out my Youtube for some video footage of my stay!