Belize..... and its Mayan ruins

From Tikal we were to cross the northern border into Belize. Covid requirement had changed since booking! Now crossing the land border (only in the north of Guatemala!) meant one had to have a negative covid test at the actual border in order to enter the country! No hotels around! SO we had a test first in Flores and then another 12 hours later at the border! Just to make sure we could enter!

After successfully crossing the border we first stopped at one of the oldest Mayan sites  Cahal Pech.......... this site was from 1200 BC!

a bedroom!!

Getting to see the inside was not exactly easy!

...vestiges of their ballcourt.....

 ....then we arrived to our hotel, the Fort George, in Belize City.........it hasn't changed too much in the older part  of the hotel since the Queen visited Belize in 1985..... although we had nice rooms in the newer addition with a great view!

Then next day on to another Mayan archeological site....one hour in a car to get to the New River where the tour boats start, one hour on a boat....searching for crocodiles! And birds!

.....on the way we passed a Mennonite colony.... in the middle of nowhere! 

Appropriately called Shipyard

The  Lamanai Mayan site was amazing and had virtually no tourists/visitors! Helped also by the fact it wasn't a cruise docking day!

This pyramid still had its ballcourt, albeit small... with the balls!

A meandering path led us to the most amazing one... the Mask Temple.....

We were almost alone going around....perhaps one of the benefits of its inaccessibility!

Apart from the pyramids there were amazing old trees..... both in the archeological site and along the river banks....

Going up the river  by boat has to be arranged ahead of time..... and its definitely off the beaten path!