BELIZE IT OR NOT THE AMISH ARE HERE!
Trip Start
Jul 12, 2009
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Trip End
Aug 18, 2010
San Ignacio, Cayo, Belize
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Today we were being taken to a ranch and from there on ride to Barton Creek. We were met by the owner of the Ranch, who was brilliant and very friendly. He went through the "do's and do nots" of riding the horses in the area and then we were off.
Quite honestly we were expecting a more challenging ride especially after the presentation but we remained on a road and trekked through all the little villages which were very neat, with houses with plants in the front. Our guide explained that some of the local dogs were being taken by a Jaguar and that the Belize Zoo were trying to find him.
After an hour and a half we arrived at Barton Creek. We had some lunch and then petted a Spider Monkey that was tied to a stake in the area which was sad to see. He kept trying to bite Edie’s cowboy boots which was amusing to watch but disturbing for poor Edie.
We then took two canoes and some powerful spotlights and ventured into Barton Creek Cave. This is the longest subterranean archaeological sites in Belize. It has some amazing stalagmites and stalactites and crystal formations but what we were interested in seeing were the cultural remains left within the cave by the ancient Mayas. There were jugs and human remains left on ledges above the river as long as 1,800 years ago. It was a beautiful cave but because the water level was high due to the rainy season, we were limited to how far we could go down.
On our way home we stopped by the Amish community. There were about 300 Amish in this village and we watched them use the wood saw powered by eight horses tethered to a wheel. A young girl walked past us in traditional Amish clothing looking like an extra out of 'Little House on the Praire’. It was fascinating to see them here and not in Pennsylvania and as we drove back to Chaa Creek we saw many of them coming back from the market in their buggies or selling water melon by the side of the street. We wondered how they got to Belize, whether they came by horse and cart or flew?
Comments
A friend of mine knows some Amish who are living down in Belize. He told me that they came on a big bus.