back at cornelio’s house in rio dulce!…didn’t have time to make it to el estor. hopefully tomorrow a quick trip to finca el paraiso (alexis’ recommendation) and then honduras! below is my summary of belize.

note: this was all written before a kid snuck into my room in hopkins, belize at 3am, and stole my wallet (this event will not be posted, but if interested, you can contact me directly, beto@sentradiaries.com):
well, 2 quick days in belize and i’m out. belize is a tiny country, but it’s still hard to summrize it after such a short stay — and my comments may be off. i also missed the islands, which are the destination for belize.
driving in belize is for the most part good. the signs are clear, the roads are mostly good. some tourist spots (barton creek, hopkins) have rough dirt roads….but maybe that also adds to the charm? driving in the country seems very much like driving in rural america…only with a different environment (different trees, more humid, etc). overall, driving here is fine. nothing to write home about….although i guess i just did.
belize as a tourist destination is prob easier than other countries, because they speak english. but i dont enjoy it that much. naturally, most places i’ve seen are tourist destinations….but here they feel like businesses. well…it’s actually more of the expats that open businesses here, that ruin the vibe. the locals tend to be very friendly….and when you’re with them, money seems secondary. granted they need to make a living, but — as in guatemala — having a good time is more important. however, the expats here charge way too much for services and are much stricter. here’s an example: at the hotel i stayed at in san ignasio (run by a brit), i had to leave a $10 deposit for a towel. in hopkins (local run), i paid several hours after i got the key, i played with the kids and the neighbor showed me how to prepare a coconut. in a german-run place in hopkins, the owner was very….well, german. nice, but curt and with overpriced services (relative to belize).
as with many places, with increased tourism come foreigners and international investments….which alter the original feel (for both good and bad). for a young traveler looking for culture and adventure, belize is very ‘vanilla’. for older travelers who want an easy vacation in a tropical place, belize and hawaii are both nice.