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September 20-27, 2009 October 18-25, 2009 December 6-13, 2009 January 17-24, 2010 February 21-28, 2010 March 21-28, 2010 April 18-25, 2010 Prices Starting $390 per person Jeanne A. Connelly, RFP Cambium Group LLC 1869 Charter Lane, Suite 203 Lancaster PA 17601 717-299-9450 [email protected]
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you have to see it to “belize” itWRITTEN BY Maria VV. SSnyder
EVERY WWRITER TTRIES TTO AAVOID UUSING CCLICHÉS,
but “good things come in small packages” is the perfect
way to describe Belize.
Approximately the size of Massachusetts, this small
Central American country is chock full of adventure and
history, and contains a tropical paradise. The bonus with
Belize’s petite size is you can sample a wide variety of
activities in a short period of time.
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Belize’s biggest boast is its 185-mile
Barrier Reef, which is the second longest
continuous barrier reef in the world. The
reef runs along Belize’s entire coastline,
and protects hundreds of offshore islands
or cayes (pronounced “keys”) and atolls
that lie between the reef and the
mainland. The diverse selection of
underwater flora and fauna make this
area one of the best scuba-diving and
snorkeling sites in the world.
The cayes come in a variety of sizes,
from a tiny patch of sand to a size that
can support resorts and other vacation
destinations. The beauty lies in having the
choice to stay where you either get the
deserted-island vibe or need the night-life
resort town energy.
Caye Caulker and Ambergris Caye are
two islands that offer numerous hotels
and resorts. While you won’t find wide
white-sand beaches in Belize, you’ll still
find access to the warm crystal-clear
Caribbean waters and plenty of docks with
deck chairs for sunbathing.
And don’t forget to visit one of the
three open-ocean atolls. Turneffe Island
Atoll, Lighthouse Reef Atoll, and Glover’s
Reef are unique formations of rings of
limestone, mangrove, and coral cayes that
surround a protected saltwater lagoon.
To get to Belize’s cayes or anywhere
else in the country, first you must go
through Belize City, the transportation
center. With its cruise ship docks and the
only international airport in the country,
Belize City is a mid-sized port city located
at the mouth of the Belize River. Belize
City has an unfortunate reputation, but if
you stick to the most popular tourist areas
and use caution, you should be fine.
North of Belize City is Orange Walk
Town and Corozal Town. Primarily swamp
and mangrove, this is the area where you
will find the Mayan ruins of Altun Ha,
Lamanai, Cerros, and Santa Rita.
Altun Ha is accessible from Belize City
and is a well-preserved site that has
several mid-sized pyramids surrounding
two large central plazas. Retaining its
traditional name, Lamanai features three
large pyramids and is considered the most
picturesque ruin in Belize.
The Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary
is also located in northern Belize. The
sanctuary is home to more than 250
species of birds and is the primary nesting
Belize may be limited in size,
but the possibilities for adventure
are unlimited.“ ”
Left: El Castillo, the partially-excavated and largest pyramidfound at the Mayan ruin site ofXunantunich, rises 130 feet abovethe main plaza.Next page: A colorful resortsurrounded by many of theabundant plant life in Belize.
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44 (((b))) magazine | w i n t e r 2 0 0 8
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site of the endangered jabiru stork, which is the
largest bird in the Americas. Cruising the
network of lagoons in a dugout canoe is the
best way to explore this sanctuary.
The Maya Mountains in Western Belize
offer a vacationer a chance to explore
numerous caves, sinkholes, jagged peaks,
underground rivers, and waterfalls. These
limestone mountains rise to more than 3,000
feet and are the source of many rivers. One of
the most popular adventures in this area is to
take an inner tube ride on the slow-moving
Caves Branch River, which winds through a
network of limestone caves.
Western Belize is also home to the Cayo
District. Considered the heart of Belize’s
Mayan world, this area is a wonderful
ecotourism destination and home to the
impressive Mayan ruin of Caracol. Caracol is
the largest known ruin in Belize. A great city-
state that thrived during the classical era, it is
located within the Chiquibil Forest Reserve. Its
main pyramid, Caana (Sky Palace), reaches a
height of 136 feet and is the tallest manmade
structure in the entire country.
Other Mayan ruins can be visited while in
western Belize. The sites of Xunantunich and El
Pilar are close to the town of San Ignacio.
Xunantunich is easy to find and is well
excavated. It was a thriving Mayan city from
600 to 900 A.D. and has a tall pyramid that
offers a spectacular view of the countryside.
Spanning some 100 acres, El Pilar is a
huge site with more than 25 known plazas.
Located near the Guatemala border, the
excavation of the site is in the early stages but
shows promise of being considered one of the
major sites of the region.
Southern Belize can be broken into two
major districts, Toledo and Stann Creek. Toledo
is at the outer edge of Belize and is populated
with lesser-known Mayan sites. It’s a great
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belize
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location for ecotourism as it’s home to the
richest, wettest, and most undisturbed
rainforest in all of Belize.
Stann Creek’s claim to fame is the
Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary &
Forest Reserve. An immense protected area
that spans rugged forested mountains,
Cockscomb was created as the world’s only
jaguar preserve. Belize hosts the densest
concentration of jaguars in the entire world.
But you’ll be able to see Belize’s other four
wildcat species, which are the puma, ocelot,
margay, and jaguarondi, as well.
Cockscomb is also a birdwatcher’s
paradise and it is home to more than 300
species of resident and migratory birds.
Inside the sanctuary you can see Victoria’s
Peak, the country’s highest mountain.
Belize might be limited in size, but with
its Mayan ruins, clear Caribbean waters, cave
explorations, abundant wildlife, and plenty of
jaguars, the possibilities for adventure
are unlimited. ) )) )
Maria V. Snyder is a world traveler and
New York Times bestselling author of novels such
as Poison Study. Visit www.mariavsnyder.com.
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Some helpful websites:
>> www.travelbelize.org (Belize Tourism
Board)
>> www.belizenet.com
>> www.belizeforum.com
>> www.belizex.com
>> www.caracol.org (Caracol Mayan Ruins)
>> www1.lanic.utexas.edu/la/ca/belize
(Latin America Network Info Center –
hosted by the University of Texas)
Left: A jaguar walks along a trail inCockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary andForest Reserve, the world’s only jaguarpreserve.
1-800-800-1006 • 361-HOME
Lethea M. Myers, Associate BrokerYour SRES Expert!
Senior Real Estate Specialist
25+ Years
Experience
Serving Lancaster& Dauphin CountiesFree
TRUCK
Too!
155 East High StreetElizabethtown, PA 17022
46 (((b))) magazine | w i n t e r 2 0 0 8
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w i n t e r 2 0 0 8 | (((b))) magazine 47
Enriching the lives of people we touch.
Thinking about your financialstrategy can seem intimidating, andthe issues and strategies involvedcan be complex. Because of this,you need to feel comfortable withyour financial professional on manylevels. Are you?
My approach in assisting you inimplementing sound financialstrategies begins with a thoroughunderstanding of you, youraspirations, goals and risk tolerance.I recognize the many roles you play,both personally and professionallyand realize it’s a challenge to findtime in our busy lives.
At Cambium, we provideprofessional financial, business andpersonal strategies in a not-so-intimidating manner. Call me todayto schedule a “getting acquainted”meeting. I look forward to getting toknow you and helping you meetyour financial goals.
Jeanne A. Connelly, RFPCambium Group LLC
1869 Charter Lane, Suite 203Lancaster PA 17601
Jeanne A. Connelly, Registered Representative and FinancialAdvisor, Park Avenue Securities LLC (PAS). 1869 Charter Lane,Suite 201, Lancaster PA 17601. Securities products/services andadvisory services offered through PAS, a registered broker–dealerand investment advisor, (717) 393-4465. Cambium Group LLC isnot an affiliate or subsidiary of PAS.PAS is a member of FINRA, SIPC.
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