Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
1
Belize City and District
Appearances can be deceptive - and that's somewhat the case with Belize
City. The narrow, congested streets can seem initially daunting and
unprepossessing, even to travellers familiar with blighted urban centres.
Dilapidated wooden structures stand right on road edges, offering
pedestrians little refuge from cars and trucks, while almost stagnant canals
are still used for some of the city's drainage. The overall impression is of a
place recovering from some great calamity - an explanation at least partly
true. Belize City has suffered several devastating hurricanes, most notably in
October 1961, when Hurricane Hattie tore it apart with winds of 150mph and
left behind a layer of thick black mud, and it was hard hit by Hurricane
Richard in 2010. But these hazards are often overstated by people who have
never set foot within the city limits. For those who spend some time here,
Belize City will reveal a distinguished history, several superb sights and
fascinating cultural spectacles.
The city's astonishing energy comes from its 76,000-plus inhabitants, who represent
every ethnic group in the country, with the
Creole
descendants of former slaves and
British Baymen forming the dominant element and generating an easy-going
Caribbean atmosphere. This relaxed attitude blends with an entrepreneurial flair, for
Belize City is the country's business capital; banks, o
ces and shops line the main
streets, while fruit and fast-food vendors jostle for pavement space with others selling
plastic bowls or cheap jewellery. The jubilant
September Celebrations
, which pack the
already full streets with music, dancing and parades, culminate in
Carnival
, with
gorgeously costumed dancers who shimmer and gyrate through the city to electrifying
Caribbean rhythms.
Richard Davies, a British traveller in the mid-nineteenth century, wrote of the city:
“There is much to be said for Belize, for in its way it was one of the prettiest ports at
which we touched.” Many of the features that elicited this praise have now gone,
though some of the distinctive
wooden colonial buildings
have been preserved as
heritage showpieces, or converted into hotels, restaurants and museums. Yet even in
cases where the decay is too advanced for the paintwork, carved railings and fretwork
to be restored, the old wooden structures remain more pleasing than the concrete
blocks that are replacing them. Fires, too, have altered city architecture, such as the
2004 blaze that destroyed the historic Paslow Building, which stood opposite the
Marine Terminal. That said, two of the very best colonial structures have been carefully
restored and are open to visitors; the former city jail, built in Victorian times, is now
the
Museum of Belize
, and the even earlier
Government House
is a museum and
cultural centre.
The city is divided neatly into north and south halves by
Haulover Creek
, a delta
branch of the Belize River. The pivotal point of the city centre is the
Swing Bridge
Baron Bliss
p.49
The Swing Bridge
p.50
Emory King
p.51
Safety on the streets
p.54
Yo ho ho and a barrel of rum
p.57
Indulging in the jungle
p.63
A toast to cashew wine
p.64
