Will the real Belize please stand up?

A Creole soldier patrols a Mayan ruin...and invites us to a BBQ at his place. A Mennonite family in overalls and long dresses lunches at a Chinese restaurant.

. . . This is Belize.

Queen Elizabeth appears on coin and currency. The Food Network appears on cable TV.

. . . This is Belize.

The major highways are two-lane roads. Dirt roads have speed bumps. Bicycles aren't just for recreation.

. . . This is Belize, too.

Birds. Butterflies. Kinkajous. Iguanas. Boa constrictors. Jesus Christ lizards. Monkeys. Gibnuts. Jaguars.

. . . This is definitely Belize.

A small nation with a big heart, Belize is all of the above and much more. In late 2007, with Kay and Herb, we rented a four-wheel-drive Toyota and set off to explore this diverse land.

From low river country to mountainous jungle, from towns and villages to an island in the Caribbean, we experienced a good cross-section of Belize in two weeks. There are plenty of places to see, things to do, and we loved them all.

As is often the case, though, it's the people, more than places or things, that we'll remember the most. Because English is the official language (Belize was formerly British Honduras), it was easy to strike up conversations with friendly locals. Whether Creole, Garifuna, Mayan, Mestizo, Mennonite, Chinese or other immigrant, the people of Belize welcomed us with dignity, pride and charm.

Belize? Go.