Belize: Day Four (Kathleen Aguado)

In the past four days of our stay in Belize City, today was the first morning we were granted to sleep in past 8 am. Despite the fact that our meeting time was set at 10 am, I felt the need to get out of bed earlier than planned because my internal alarm clock would not let me go back to sleep. To begin our day, we had the usual buffet styled breakfast prepared at the lobby that consisted of scrambled eggs, piggy in the blankets, fruit, sausage, beans, diced potatoes with sautéed onions and peppers and more! Even though the selection has been pretty much been the exact same since our first day, I still found it as delicious as when I first tasted it!

After breakfast, we all headed out to the lobby to load up in what I thought would be a bus for a large number of girls, but I was wrong. Waiting for us at the driveway of the hotel was a 13 seater van, which made me wonder how in the world would all 18 girls would fit in such a tight space. Never underestimate a van full of women because we got the job done by sitting on each other’s laps and sitting on the steps of the van with an empty seat to spare in the front! Unlike the previous adventures, our destination was merely less than 5 minutes away instead of the hour-long drives across town.

Once we arrived at the Museum of Belize, a 23-year-old man named Sylvian Wallace welcomed and helped us get settled for the tour.  With poor lighting and hallway like paths, the museum gave me an eerie feeling that made shivers go down my spine. The museum was divided into five sections with a designated area to describe the Belizean history and culture. The sections included the development of transportation in Belize, Mayan exhibit, insects of Belize, bottles and money, and the Belizean jades.

TRANSPORTATION

Prior to the established roadways, transportation in Belize was by water, such as riverboats and canoes. Interestingly, the use of riverboats was during the time when Belize was considered to be a part of  “British-Honduras” so the flags that were raised were called the “Union Jack”. On the other hand, railroads were developed as a mode of transportation for logwood and produce but were soon after replaced due to health and safety issues. There were four major railways found in Belize, which included the Vaca Falls, Stann Creek, Valley Railroad, and Gallon Jug Railway. Eventually, the railways became too dangerous and were not reasonable modes of transportation due to the high number of deaths on the job.

Going back to the museum itself, Mr. Wallace stated that the museum was not your ordinary museum. Developed in the 1850’s, it was actually what was left of a prison. Of the entire museum, there was only one preserved cell that we got the chance to look at. Let me just say, the prison cell was so small that my hands could reach each side of the wall when I spread them out. It was basically the size of a small bathroom but without the bath! There were also no toilets or air conditioning in the cells! Although they committed a crime, the living condition in a prison in Belize is quite depressing. Having to live with five to six other roommates crammed is unimaginable to me.  As compared to the US prisons, inmates are granted beds, and have their own cells and bathrooms. In addition, the prisons back then performed what they called “flogging” (which consists of being strapped down on your stomach on a “donkey bench” and whipped with brass or metal) if the inmate committed a crime such as rape or abuse on a female. Not to mention, executions were performed in the same building we were in, which inevitably gave me the chills. That is what makes the place so unique and kind of creepy! There were a total of 19 executions, 18 of which were male and one female.  

           

According to Mr. Wallace, horse carriages were often used in the “olden days” and were one of the main modes of transportation. Although it is modernized and still used today, it serves as a different purpose. Instead of transportation, it is a tourist attraction in not only Belize, but in several other countries, such as the Philippines.

COINS & BOTTLES

            As the tour guide directed us to the next room, an impressive display of the previously used coins and currency of Belize showed how influential the British were to the Belizeans. Before the dollar coin was used, the very first currency of Belize was from the British Honduras that equaled to two US dollars. The picture on the dollars back then and till this day is of Queen Elizabeth but there was a period in which the Belizeans decided to use an image of a stork on a coin to reflect Belize.

           

 We then came across a collection of bottles of Belize from the 1670’s. These bottles ranged from storing medicine, ink, poison such as cleaning agents, and even alcohol. Each of the bottles varied from color, shapes, and sizes. No wonder people often made the mistake of ingesting the liquid inside! A specific bottle shaped like a torpedo immediately caught my attention because I’ve never seen a bottle such as that.  The bottle not only had an oval shape but it also laid flat on its side in order to keep the cork moist to keep it swollen.

MAYAN EXHIBIT

             The real gems of the museum were located on the second floor, solely dedicated to the Mayan history and culture. There were beautiful jade stones that served multiple purposes such as weapons, carvings, pendants, and more. The Mayan exhibition also included a replica of the famous jade head that is currently stored in the Belize Central Bank in a vault, in another vault, and in another vault! Although the real jade head was not visible to the human eye, the artifacts of previous Mayan rulers were enjoyable and informative. It was amazing to see how delicate, artistic, and creative the Mayans became when it came to pottery as well. There were intricate pots that resembled animals such as otters and bats! In addition, we got to see numerous of artifacts from the Mayan temple ruins including the bones, earrings, necklaces, and anklets.

(Ear gauges)

            In the next corner, there was a room filled with various insects encased in glass frames. Although insects are not my cup of tea, I found it fascinating to see the various bugs that are found in Belize. This historical site itself was very well displayed, informative and enjoyable. The museum was full of interesting Belizean history, including an exhibit on the changing methods of transportation in Belize, a Mayan exhibit, and an exhibit of butterflies and insects of Belize. I was extremely impressed at the depth of information the exhibit and Mr. Wallace provided.

           

 After the tour was over, we got the chance to visit the gift shop where postcards, beaded jewelry, magnets, packages of Belizean sauces, wooden carvings etc. were available for purchase.

            Thereafter, we headed to a nearby restaurant that was walking distance from the museum called “Celebrity Restaurant and Bar”. Lunch consisted of steamed vegetables, grilled fish and chicken, and your traditional Belizean rice and plantain. And of course, dessert was on the menu which consisted of either cheesecake, chocolate cake, or lemon pie. ABSOLUTELY PHENOMENAL cheesecake and a must have here in Belize! Once lunch was over, we headed back to the Princess Hotel to work on our group presentations that is scheduled for Monday.

           

Approximately at 2:30 pm, students met with their designated partner to work on presentations for the teachers at the Stella Maris School. Since the hotel doesn’t have strong Wi-Fi connections, everyone had no other choice but to work on the assignment in the lobby. Everyone looked so concentrated and focused despite the numerous of distractions and noisy environment we were working in.  Well at least the snack stand was in our vicinity in case we were hungry, right? After dinner, the rest of the evening was dedicated to packing for our four day trip to Placencia and San Pedro where we will  further explore and learn about the culture of Belize. These past few days have given us a “taste” of what the Belizean culture is like and is only the beginning to a wonderful journey! Stay tuned for more!