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that, in these parts, travellers on the road are nothing more than mobile ATMs for the police.
We escaped from the city to visit the Lamanai site, not by navigating the lagoon, but by travelling along the fifty-eight kilometres of dirt road that allowed us to cross the Mennonite community of Shipyard, experiencing a timeless experience.
The jungle surrounding the New River lagoon hid the wonders of the archaeological site right up to the reception where they welcomed us like Martians, telling us that we are the first visitors to arrive by road in a long time. We walked, moving the branches on small paths until we reached the square which showed us the Temple of the Masks in all its splendour. Astonished by the beauty of the place we remained in silence amazed at what we had before us.
Nature is the great wealth of this small state and we wanted to try to experience it without filters. We avoided the expensive coastal lodges and went to the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary nature reserve. Although it is one of the largest and most famous protected areas in the country, it does not offer any accommodation for visitors other than the spartan rustic cabins, small rooms equipped with a bed with a shared bathroom and kitchen.
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