Location: Xunantunich - an adventure in Belize
Few might know that Belize was known as British Honduras... in Central
America. It's the only country in C.A. where English is spoken. Belize
is known for its luscious tropical jungle, spectacular coral reef
(second only to Australia's) and old Mayan civilization. One of the most
amazing Mayan cities discovered within the jungle is Xunantunich, which
is located about 2 hours by bus from the port of Belize City. The drive
is almost boring with no interesting landscapes, except for the far away
glance at a mountain range called the Mayan Mountains, which
resembles a sleeping giant. The rest of the way is cut across the
outskirts of Belmopan, the capital, and other smaller villages, where
you can see the underdeveloped infrastructure of the small country.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkyK-rvtTpyV9vpaefQ842au8i7gbGqadzEZD9X6fvtlcQdPNtLXJeb3m47rMSgxFs2gyaR5ig_HjYM3aR333sywve93mb_pYZS9_axKUXhrsdhc77InwXF4wstYHtZfzeia00Y5Uve3M/s320/Kodak+camera+all+1030.JPG) |
The Mayan Mountains resemble a sleeping giant |
To get into Xunantunich Mayan city, we need to cross the Mopan river,
near the border with Guatemala, by a hand cranked ferryboat- this
crossing is no longer than 5 minutes. Once on the other side of the
river, it takes about a mile uphill to the site (yes, you can hike, but
you can also go by horse back or van...). There are still many temples
and edifices buried within the jungle. The main structure is El
Castillo, the main temple, a spectacular pyramid that rises 130 feet
above the ground and it's one of the very few pyramids that you can
climb if you dare. The climb is steep and challenging; descent is
worse... so be careful when adventuring yourself on these steps.
However, the view from the top is significantly worth it. You can just
imagine the powerful priest addressing the population down below and
performing sacrifices to their gods. It's a bewildering image and not
to be forgotten - a magnificent jungle all the way down the horizon and the
remnants of the Mayan city down below... bringing us a sensation of the
peace and beauty our world has to offer, which we all should
embrace.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXp-KOPI6mInptQplZxGD9qckCFcEnttA4cRIcrw54vIffsJ7hZ172H6TFnnEJWvtjrk6OpcA68XUZa6ILkSEbrcEdFfi9JRx9dGZWDW15ljjFnyY6VIZX5LwjtHWo5bZhnSY4mwscRBI/s320/Kodak+camera+all+1032.JPG) |
Beautiful Mopan river |
Note on local cuisine: On our way out of Xunantunich, we stopped at a
local restaurant (Benny's) to savor the delicious Caribbean cuisine,
consisting of rice and red beans cooked in coconut milk, fried
plantains, and a coleslaw type salad. (For non vegetarians, there was
also chicken!). The restaurant was clean and well kept and it's owned by
a local family, and it seems to be a favorite tourist stop for most
tours coming in and out of Xunantunich, in the town of San Ignacio.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVkhiGHNvvF4TvoQLb3VdKTITjtleSW1H3YPX9L1FUf2eQ7LElWt7cVz2DompDLI1szyzjJ0oja5uHOlrgw1-RABcmDDYfXrdCoPehP6WAG1NnrmT7GlSTV4EKTdHnnl4MMbfvSsLN3Fw/s320/Kodak+camera+all+1048.JPG) |
El Castillo - you can climb to the top |
http://mayanruins.info/belize/xunantunich-belize/
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