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I am a software engineer who also owns a lodge in southern Belize. I am passionate about both things. If you're interested in travel to Belize, or hearing more about my journey from engineer to hotelier, subscribe and follow along. Also feel free to let me know if there is anything in particular you're interested in learning more about!
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Discover Toledo, Belize: Where the Crowds Haven't Found Paradise…Yet!
Celebrating 12 Months of Progress at Creekside Oasis
Introduction Tourists usually think of white sand beaches and all-inclusive resorts when they think of Belize. While there’s certainly nothing wrong with sipping cocktails while you watch the waves roll in, if you’re open to a different flavor of rel...
Find out why it's worth traveling south to Belize's Unforgettable District.
September marks the start of annual independence celebrations around Belize. While September 21st is the official Independence Day, the majority of the month is marked by parades, parties and other events. How did this tiny Caribbean country come to ...
Mayan civilization flourished from about 2000 BC to the 16th century AD. The civilization peaked between 200 AD and 900 AD, which is known as the Classic Period. Geographically the Maya covered parts of Mexico, Guatemala, Belize and other countries in northern Central America. They had sophisticated agricultural and architectural techniques, had a fully developed writing system of hieroglyphics and were known to have had a sophisticated understanding of mathematics.
In the post-classic period, many city-states declined due to various factors including warfare and environmental degradation. Of course later, the arrival of the Spanish in the 16th century led to significant cultural disruption, but the Maya persisted and even integrated some aspects of European culture into their own, while maintaining their core traditions.
Today, millions of Maya descendants continue to live in the same regions, including near our location in the Toledo district of southern Belize. Their culture is very much alive and can be found both in their villages, and in the broader community where you will encounter influences from their cuisine, music, language and many other aspects of Belizean culture, including architecture.
Mayan homes were built traditionally from resources found in the jungle. Those materials usually included hardwood poles to form the structural framework, lashed together with vines or other plant fibers. The steep-pitched roofs would be thatch made of fronds from one of a few different palms, depending on the region. The floors were typically made either from compacted earth, or sometimes elevated, in which case a platform was built that would sit on wooden stilts or stone.
You can find homes built in a similar style, using many of the same materials, dotting villages all across southern Belize.
At Creekside Oasis you'll find modern day reflections of the Mayan culture in our thatched-roof casitas. While they do not necessarily exactly resemble a traditional Mayan home, many aspects are similar. Our casitas most closely resemble an elevated Mayan home, complete with a thatched roof, but with a few modern conveniences for the comfort of our guests. Most notably, there is electricity for lights, ceiling fans and wall outlets, and in the bathrooms you will find modern plumbing. Also, where you would typically find open air windows, we've added screens to cut down on the aggravation of dealing with our biting and stinging friends.
While staying in one of our casitas is not exactly the same as growing up in a pre-Columbian Mayan village, you will get to safely, and comfortably, experience falling asleep to the sounds of the jungle and waking up to the beautiful sound of bird songs. As you lie in bed, you'll stare up at the thatched ceiling above you and marvel at the ingenuity of a culture that's persisted for thousands of years and continues to thrive in such a beautiful and wild place as southern Belize.
