We started the day by having breakfast at a local establishment before being picked up by Aide and Orlando. After that, we had the opportunity to hear from a professor who spoke to us about some of the history of Belize as well as the current social, political, and economic climate of the country. It was helpful to get that broader context before going out to see more of the country itself.
After the talk, we headed toward the Xunantunich Mayan ruins (pronounced Shoe-nan-two-nitch). To reach the site, we first had to cross the Mopan River using a small ferry that is guided across the water by a cable. Once we crossed, we continued up toward the ruins with our guide leading the way. As we explored the area, we learned more about the Mayan civilization and its social structure. There was a very clear separation between classes, and the lower classes were not even allowed to catch a glimpse of the royal structures.
Along the way we saw what used to be an altar as well as the remains of what had once been a kind of memorial depicting the face of a royal figure. Over time, nature had worn away much of the detail in the stone, so now only the weathered surface remained. Our guide also explained the Mayans’ strong interest in astrology and how it influenced the way their structures were arranged. You can see from the photo above of the view from the palace that there are three structures positioned on the right, next to one another in such a way that the sun rises in alignment with the center structure and then with the right and left structures during the summer and winter solstices. Since the weather in Belize is fairly similar throughout the year, there were not many other natural indicators to distinguish the seasons, so astronomical observations played an important role.
The highlight of the visit was definitely seeing and climbing the remains of the old palace. It definitely felt like a privilege since it is one of the only remaining Mayan structures that is open to the public to climb, since unfortunately many sites have been ruined by trash and graffiti. As we made our way up, we passed what our guide explained was the level where sacrifices once took place, as well as fiberglass replicas of the large stucco depictions of the gods that originally decorated the structure. We also passed the closed-off entrance that once led to the king’s room. At the very top we were rewarded with an incredible view. From that vantage point we were so close to Guatemala that we could actually see both Belize and Guatemala in the same view at once.
After climbing back down and taking the ferry across the river again, we had a chance to purchase some souvenirs from our tour guide’s mother, who runs a small stand close by. After lunch, we continued on to the Belize Botanic Gardens. Our guide there was of Mayan descent and was able to share a lot about the wide variety of medicinal and practical uses for different plants. Some plants were used to help with things like cancer, pain, navigation, flavoring food, hangovers, and many other purposes. It was really interesting to hear how much knowledge there is behind plants that might otherwise just look like regular vegetation.
While we were walking through the gardens, we also had the privilege of seeing four black howler monkey monkeys. They are usually quite shy and not always visible to visitors, so it felt special that we were able to see them.
After spending such a long day outside in the warm weather, we stopped by a supermarket to pick up some food for dinner. Once we got back, we had the rest of the evening to relax. Some of us swam in the rooftop pool, and we also had time to clean up, eat, and spend time together after a full and memorable day.