UNBELIZEABLE VACATION DAY 6 :: CAYO DISTRICT, BELIZE :: The Maya believed that caves were very sacred places. They were the birthplace of gods and the human race, and were passageways to Xibalbá, the underworld realm of demons, disease and death. Mayas frequently worshipped in these underground cathedrals, performing elaborate rituals and human sacrifice ceremonies to appease the gods.
We visited a couple of these caves, where Mayan artifacts and human skeletons have remained undisturbed for more than 500 years. The first cave system we visited was at Barton Creek, a tunnel the extends at least seven miles into the earth. But our guide would only paddle us a mile into the cave, where the ceiling came down to the water and forced us to turn around.
We had a couple powerful spotlights hooked up to a car battery in the canoe. We used these to illuminate the strange formations within the large caverns. Sometimes the ceiling of the cave was several stories above us, and at other times, we had to crouch down to squeeze through. Along the ledges, we also spotted several ceremonial pots and a human skull, one of 20 that have been discovered in this cave. We turned off our lights a couple times to appreciate the total darkness. We only heard drops of water and the fluttering of an occasional bat, which Kristie wasn't too thrilled about.
We had the cave almost entirely to ourselves, only coming across another group just as we were exiting. Outside of the cave, we had time to hang out with Mango, a pet spider monkey.
Our guide, Herman, was arranged through
Chaa Creek. A former teacher, carpenter, and community leader, he was very knowledgable and kind. We learned a lot about Belize and its large Mennonite population. We drove through their communities and farms to reach the cave and saw several of them, men and women, appearing as if they were stuck in the 19th century. They all waved and smiled at us, and Herman said it would be okay if we stopped and "borrowed" a few of their oranges. Thanks to the Mennonites, Belize is a major exporter of agricultural commodities, including sugar, citrus and bananas.
Kristie and I planned on spending the evening shopping and dining in San Ignacio, and Herman helped us to find
our favorite restaurant in Belize.
This entry has been viewed times.
