14-Day Caribbean East/West Adventurer

Belize City is both the geographic and commercial center of the Country of Belize. All major highways lead into and out of this colonial city and provide access to the Rainforests, Mayan archaeological sites, and the other natural inland and offshore attractions. Belize City is an excellent starting point for excursions to the Barrier Islands, for scuba diving and for a wide variety of tours.

Do you like fish? Not necessarily to eat. Just to look at. Because if you do, you’re going to love Cozumel, Mexico,where sheltered coral reefs make this one of the best snorkeling areas in the world. Abundant and colorful marine life turn the sea into a visual fantasy.

Of course, you might even love it if all you like are beautiful secluded beaches, great shopping, and authentic Mexican cuisine. That’s the deal with Cozumel; there’s a lot to like.

Fort Lauderdale, (lô´der-dâl´) city (1990 pop. 148,377), seat of Broward Co., SE Fla., on the Atlantic coast; settled around a fort built (c.1837) in the Seminole War, inc. 1911. The city has more than 270 mi (435 km) of natural and artificial waterways and one of the largest marinas in the world. A major beach resort, it has a performing arts center and art and science museums. Products include electronic devices, boats and yachts, and various light manufactures.

Its beauty is deep. Not skin deep; we’re talking underwater. For however gorgeous the land-based sites are on this largest of the Cayman Islands, it is snorkeling, diving and glass-bottom boat and submarine rides that provide the most breathtaking natural attractions.

Grand Cayman is one of a group of three islands named “Las Tortugas” by Columbus, because he found them populated by turtles, or “tortugas.” Today, the national symbol is a peg-legged pirate turtle.

A friendly people, Caymanians have traditionally counted on the sea for their livelihood. Since the islanders’ identity was gleaned from the sea rather than from the land, the Caymans’ human history took a different turn from that in other Caribbean islands. Most of the early citizens were seafarers from England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Blacks later migrated to the island from Jamaica in search of better paying jobs and a higher standard of living. The Caymans never suffered from the indignities of plantation slavery, so racial tolerance developed more easily, further reinforced by interracial marriage. This mixing process plus the continuing immigration of British and American people result in a culture that is Caribbean yet recognizably Western.

Columbus called them Virgins. What he saw in the troika of St. Thomas, St. Croix and St. John that gave him this impression is not known for sure, but a visitor to any of the three would probably guess it was their natural, unspoiled beauty that inspired him.

But looks aren’t everything–there’s history too. In the 17th century, ownership of St. Thomas was hotly contested by many of the major European powers. Later, swashbucklers like Blackbeard and Drake made the island a base for their operations. And in 1917, St. Thomas and the other Virgins were acquired by the U.S. from Denmark.

Today, St. Thomas has many draws that make it one of the Caribbean’s most popular vacation spots–not the least of which is the fabulous duty free shopping. Some would contend that with sufficient purchases, one may actually cover the cost of the trip in savings alone. There’s only one way to find out–you gotta be there.