|
| |
| |
|
SHOPPING |
Compared to its neighbours, Belize has less to offer in terms of
traditional crafts or neighbourhood markets . The latter are purely food
markets, but in several places you'll come across some impressive local
crafts. Wood and slate carvers are often to be found at the Maya sites,
and their work, especially the reproductions of glyphs and stelae on
slate, is high quality; ceramics are less good, but improving. In the
Maya villages in southern Belize you'll come across some attractive
embroidery , though it has to be said that the quality of both the cloth
and the work is better in Guatemala. Garífuna and Creole villages
produce good basketware and superb drums ; Dangriga, Hopkins and Gales
Point are the places to visit for these.
The excellent National Handicrafts Center in Belize City is the best
place to buy souvenirs if time is short, with a wide range of genuine
Belizean crafts, including paintings, prints and music recordings as
well as the items mentioned above. The craftspeople are paid fair prices
for their work and no longer have to hawk it on the streets. There are
often exhibitions by Belizean artists here too, but the best place for
contemporary Belizean art is The Image Factory in Belize City. For
superb videos of Belizean wildlife, culture or history, have a look at
the series produced by Great Belize Productions, which can be purchased
from gift shops. Those with a philatelic bent might appreciate a set of
wildly colourful Belize stamps ; relatively cheap, and certainly easy to
post home, they often feature the animals and plants of the country.
For everyday necessities you'll find some kind of shop in every village
in Belize, however small, and most of the things you'd find at home are
available in Belize, though you may have to hunt around for them. Luxury
items, such as electrical goods and cameras, tend to be very expensive,
as do other imported goods. Camera film is a little more expensive than
at home, but easy to get hold of.
One tasty souvenir everyone likes to take home is a bottle (or three) of
Marie Sharp's Pepper Sauce , made from Belizean habañeros in various
strengths, ranging from "mild" to "fiery hot". This spicy accompaniment
to rice and beans graces every restaurant table in the country - and
visits to the factory near Dangriga can be arranged.
Suspect souvenirs
Some souvenirs you'll see in Belize are the result of reef and wildlife
destruction, so think twice before you buy - they include black coral,
often made into jewellery, turtle shells, which look far better on their
rightful owners, and indeed marine...
Some souvenirs you'll see in Belize are the result of reef and wildlife
destruction, so think twice before you buy - they include black coral,
often made into jewellery, turtle shells, which look far better on their
rightful owners, and indeed marine curios of any kind. Many of the
animal and plant souvenirs you may be offered are illegal in Belize and
may also be listed in Appendix 1 to CITES (the Convention on
International Trade in Endangered Species; www.cites.org ), so you won't
be allowed to bring them into the US, Canada or Europe, and will face a
fine - or worse - for even trying. Even more illegal are archeological
artefacts or remains; all such items belong to Belize and theft or trade
in them is strictly prohibited; anyone attempting to smuggle such items
out of the country could end up in jail in Belize or at home. |
| |
| |
|
