I seem to have acquired a new trend to my travels β I head to a new country that I've heard good things about and seen some pretty photos of, but don't actually know that much about. I go in without expectations, having done little to no research, and simply open myself up to whatever happens.
So far, this has actually been a surprisingly good approach to traveling. It has left me pleasantly surprised in places like Romania and Bulgaria ; in Iceland and Slovenia. I've made some great memories, and learned a few things along the way.
Most recently, I approached a trip to Belize and Guatemala in this way. I had heard rave reviews of Belize, but didn't actually know much about the Central American nation at all. As it turns out, Belize is pretty darn interesting , despite being tiny. Here are some things I learned about the country:. Belize is the only nation in the region with a British colonial heritage. The Spanish conquistadors originally explored Belize and claimed it for Spain, but they decided not to settle it because of a lack of resources.
Today, it is still a Commonwealth country. Curiously to me, at least , they do NOT drive on the opposite side of the road in Belize. I had expected them to, since their ties to the UK are so strong and so recent. But they don't. Perhaps because of its ties to the British Empire, the official language in Belize is not Spanish, but English. Nearly everyone in the country speaks it, which is almost odd since it is completely the opposite if you cross the border into neighboring Guatemala or Mexico.
However, most Belizeans speak English as a second language, with Spanish and Kriol Belizean Creole being more prevalent. Even though Belize is situated firmly in Central America, the country has a distinctly Caribbean vibe to it. Perhaps it's because of the English influence, or the fact that Belize is on the Caribbean Sea.
