There is nothing wrong with experiencing things from another point of view.
Everywhere you go, it's only right that you try something new. With that being said going to Belize definitely opens the doors for a new way of thinking and experiencing life. Belize was nothing short of amazing, especially when it comes to looking for a new adventure.
Much like the other islands, we decided to do an island tour, which was absolutely amazing! Our tour guide was so much fun, she spoke to us in creole patois and even gave the entire tour bus some words/phrases to say, which definitely created a lot of laughs amongst everyone on the bus. Their official language in Belize is English, however, majority of the population also speaks in creole patois, and most of the population is also multilingual.
One of the biggest things we learned from our tour guide, is something I hate to regret to inform the Pepsi drinkers out there..... you will get crazy looks and/or laughed at if you go to Belize asking for a Pepsi! They only serve Coca-Cola and Coca-Cola products on the entire island which is in part because coke products are bottled by a company called Bowen and Bowen Ltd. which is founded in Belize. So I am so sorry to be the bearer of bad news but Belize is a Coca-Cola only type of place.
Another fun fact we learned: Central America is home to some of the most poisonous fruits that hang from a Cashew Nut Tree, which to the naked eye look perfectly normal to eat and look much like peppers. While the fruit themselves contain pulp inside of the red, yellow, or green parts [pictured above] that is edible, harvesting these fruits can be harmful; anything from the leaves, the sap from the bark, to the nutshell can all be painful to the skin causing skin irritation that may resemble second-degree burns. It's safe to say, just leave these fruits alone!
One of the stops we made during the tour was to the Belize zoo! It was so much fun, we were given a tour guide for the zoo, who walked us around and was very proficient in the background of each and every animal. Our tour guide also showed and talked to us about the many plants that they use for medicinal purposes versus actually using medication which was the highlight of the trip for me. Majority of the population of Belize prefer to use natural herbal medication as opposed to going to a hospital and receiving medication, even though most of the plant extracts used in medication come from Belize. One of the herbal remedies we learned about was China Root, which by boiling the root and having the extract placed in a cream or capsule, can be useful for pains including, but not limited to, menstrual cramps, labor pains, and bloating.
As we continued the tour, one animal that was interesting to see in the Belize zoo was the jaguar, where we learned that Belize was as much home for the people that resided there as it was the jaguars that roamed around there. Our bus tour guide informed us that when the jaguars are roaming for food, you could sometimes look outside in your yard and see a jaguar, especially the further we got away from town. YES, your yard..... let that sink in....
We ended the zoo tour by going to get some food from the café that was located towards the front of the zoo that offered hot foods, snacks, drinks, and seating. Once back on the bus, our tour guide answered any questions the tourist may have had while still pointing out small details we may have missed on the ride out. We returned back to the tourist area to do some shopping before returning to the cruise ship.
Overall, I highly recommend to visit Belize and get an amazing learning experience. Also, remember, don't ask for a Pepsi....!!!!!
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