Greg and Mandy's Travels

It’s all Christopher Columbus’ fault.

In the 1400s, there were two major naval powers. The Portuguese and the Spanish. They were in competition for a concerted land grab of every coastal area they could find. Long before either the Panama canal or the Suez canal was opened, a country who controlled the major ports along the African and South American coast controlled the trade routes and therefore could control the levees and taxes raised from passing ships as well as profiteering from all the supplying of the various expeditions. Because Spain and Portugal went to war over every country they found, they eventually appealed to the Pope to settle who should have dominion over which countries, and so the Pope divided the world down an imaginary line. Everything to the west of the line was given to Spain. Think Mexico, Honduras, Ecuador, Chile. Everything east of the line was given to Portugal. Think Brazil, India, Malacca, Timor.

Christopher Columbus was Portuguese. He was obsessed with the idea that there would be a direct passage through to India westward without going around the tip of Africa. However, he wasn’t an experienced seaman, and so when he pitched the idea to the Portuguese king, he was laughed out of court. So he went to the Spanish rulers – Ferdinand and Isabella and pitched the idea to them instead.  They thought it would be a delicious irony if a Portuguese sailor found a direct way to India for the Spanish, so they sponsored his voyage. 

Columbus found America, though he thought it was India.  But when he returned it created a problem as America was claimed by Portugal as part of the agreed split. In the end, the Pope made another ruling, and the Spanish kept America, using it as a base for returning riches plundered from all the countries of South America, thwarted only by pirates hiding along the way.

But both the British and the French were also trying to assert and grow their empires. Spain planted colonies in what is now Central America, but England wasn’t going to be left out, and send some boats to create a British presence in Central America. They created a tiny British colony, in what was once known as British Honduras, but is now known as Belize. It’s a British outpost in the middle of a Spanish area.

So, whilst speaking Spanish is necessary everywhere else you go in Central America, here in Belize they speak English and have a picture of the queen on the bank notes, although they do drive on the right, and use the US plugs and 110v.

It’s in Belize that we started our trip.

Easy shuttle to the Houston airport after a light breakfast. Got through quickly and headed to newly renovated terminal C. 

One thing we’ve noticed in American airports is that they are now providing lots of facilities for dog toilets.

Completely full 737 which arrived on time, and we took a taxi into Belize City. Found our guest house, checked in, and just relaxed for the afternoon, trying to recover from our 4 long flights. Seems we are the only people in our guest house and we were the only people inside our restaurant at dinner time, so it must be past the tourist peak. Most of the tourists on the plane were going to the islands, but we will get there shortly.

Chicken wings for tea.

Bella Sombra Guesthouse, Belize City.