Belize, Please!

The third day of our cruise, the port was Belize City. Of all the ports our cruise hit, Belize City was the one I was most curious about. Cruise ships have only recently started coming to Belize.

One day is never enough time to explore a country and do it justice. However, it was just enough time to whet my appetite to come back and spend more time in this vibrant Central American country.

By far the most memorable time was our time spent at The Community Baboon Sanctuary, just a short drive outside of Belize City. This grassroots sanctuary to save the black howler monkey is amazing and was a welcome example after hearing so much about destruction of the rain forest.

Belize City itself is a bit uninteresting. Its population is only 49,000. This small population seems tiny in world standards, but in Belize standards it's a major metropolis! Even with so few people, it does have some of the problems that any major city has, there is some street crime and harassment.

Most people who come to Belize, don't spend a lot of time here in the city. However the Internation Airport is here, as well as the cruise ship port. So if you fly in or sail in, you will at least transit Belize City.

Quick Tips:

The Belize Tourist Office is located in The Central Bank Building on Gabourel Lane in downtown Belize City. This is a good place to start your visit to Belize. The employees here have a real pride in their country and have numerous suggestions to fit any taste or budget. Their phone number is 2-31910.

Quick Fact: Belize is the only country in Central America that speaks English. It was once called British Honduras. However, the English here is spoken with a strong Creole accent and is a bit hard to understand. Once you are around it awhile, your ear will adjust. But when you first hear it, you will be sure you are hearing a foreign langauge!

Best Way To Get Around:

When you fly to Belize, you will fly into the International Airport here in Belize City. It's located 9 miles northwest of the city.

We found that the buses in Belize are incredibly efficient and inexpensive. We took the bus to The Baboon Sanctuary and had no problems. The cost was less than round-trip, and the bus station was easy to find. We found the driver very friendly and helpful. The highway we took was an excellent condition and very scenic.

Even though Belize was once a British colony, drivers drive on the right side of the road here.

The Smoky Mermaid is located in a wonderful 1927 colonial home just a few feet away from the tourist dock, where the tenders from the cruise ships arrive and depart from. It's directly across the street from the Radisson Hotel, which seems to be a central and well-known landmark here. The restaurant is on the base floor of an inn called The Great House.

The moment we walked into the lush garden patio, we felt a sense of island calm. It reminded me a bit of some of my favorite courtyards in New Orleans. There were tropical plants everywhere and the sound of water moving in the mermaid fountain at the center of the patio.

We sat down and listened to the reggae band playing onstage. The reggae here is very similar to the Caribbean reggae, but Belize reggae has a distinct sound and feel to it. The band was full of energy and great. We all enjoyed the band, but the kids sat in front of them and were glued to their every song. They loved them!

We didn't have one waitperson. It seemed whomever was walking by the table would stop, serve, and check on us. The service was friendly and very relaxed. We ordered rum cocktails. They hit the spot! We looked over the menu, and it was hard to pick from it. The menu offered a lot of local fish, and it all looked like it was worth trying.

In the end, we somehow all ordered the shrimp lunch. When it arrived, we were happy we did. It was not fancy. It was served on paper, and at first glance, looked like ordinary fried shrimp. However, on tasting it, we could tell it was fresh. It was firm and not overcooked or greasy. It was very tasty.

We sat back and just relaxed. We sipped our cocktails and were enjoying the band. Suddenly, a few more guests arrived, then a few more, then a few more, and so on. Suddenly, the patio was packed and it was hard to even move. There were tourists everywhere. We quickly learned the Smoky Mermaid floods the cruise ships with free drink coupons on the shore-excursion buses. The buses had all just arrived, and here were tired tourists all demanding their free cocktails and the whereabouts to the bathrooms.

The magic of our quiet and serene garden was quickly broken, and we felt more like we were on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. We quickly asked for our check and went on our way.

The Smoky Mermaid is a place I would recommend for lunch or dinner to anyone coming to Belize City. However, I would strongly suggest you do NOT do it on a cruise-ship day, as those pesky free-drink chits ruin the peaceful and tranquil nature of this place.

Most visitors to Belize spend their time on the beach or reefs. But let me encourage you that, if you want to spend one day away from the water, The Community Baboon Sanctuary is the place to come.

First, let me state that you won't find any baboons here. The primates that live here are Black Howler Monkeys. The locals call them baboons and the name has stuck.

The sanctuary is located 26 miles west of Belize City. It's easy to come here by bus from the city, and the cost is less than $5. The route is scenic and the highway is in top shape.

The sanctuary was set up by zoologist Robert Horwich, who convinced local Creole farmers to give up a small piece of their farmland to protect the endangered howler monkeys. To date, 160 landowners have given up a piece of their land, and there now is a 20-square-mile buffer zone for the monkeys to roam free, breed, and not be threatened by the every growing farmland around them. It's a story that gives hope, and you wonder why it's not done in more places.

When you arrive, you will come to a small hut. You can buy your tickets here for $5. You can buy a cool drink or local crafts from the villagers. The fly swatters made from palm fronds are a popular purchase.

You are given a short talk on the monkeys and the sanctuary, and then you are turned over to a guide. We were lucky, as our guide was one of the local landowners and the manager of the sanctuary. He had a thick Creole accent and at first was hard to understand, but your ears quickly adapt.

We took a short walk in the forest and in no time met a troop of curious monkeys. The monkeys (with several babies) slowly climbed down from the tree tops. They were curious about us and reached out their small hands for a touch. It was amazing! This is not a zoo, and you truly felt like you were the honored guest in their world.

Next, we met a troop leader, a dominate male. Our guide called to him in monkey speak and he HOWLED back, telling us this was his domain. We soon understood where the name Howler Monkey came from!

We continued our hike and met a few more playful troops. Our guide showed us a lot of plants along the trail and knew remedies for everything, from warts to poison ivy to contraception! He was a true homeopath, with the jungle as his pharmacy.

Our hike ended much too soon. We had a few minutes more in the tiny gift shop and tried some wonderful lemon cake made by local ladies. We took our bus back to Belize City and were chattering in disbelief at all the howler monkeys we had met on our walk through the Belize rainforest! This side trip is not to be missed!