Dec 13
The first of my 2015 Top Fives, and an annual look back at the stuff that sticks out in my memory as something a bit special.
I’ve done this for many years now and always welcome your comments. Some Top Fives are regular features, some others I mix up a little bit, but one list I always compile is the Favourite Places I found myself in during the past year.
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The only English speaking nation in Central and South America, Belize was known as British Honduras from 1862 to 1973 but in anticipation of independence became Belize, named after the countries biggest city. Independence took until 1981 mostly due to neighbours Guatemala’s asserted claims to Belize.
Post 1981 Britain retained a military presence in Belize until only four years ago when the last of the British forces left the colony.
Archaeologists estimate that at their peak, 1 to 2 million Mayans lived within the borders of present day Belize. Christopher Columbus sailed along the coast of Central America in 1502, and named the area the Bay of Honduras but Columbus never stayed and the first settlers were English Puritans, setting up trading posts along the coast.
Ship-wrecked sailors, buccaneers, and pirates came and went and the Spanish continually attempted to expel the British buccaneers but finally signed treaties in 1763 and 1786 allowing the British to continue to harvest timber in exchange for protection against pirates preying on the Spanish galleons.
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Andy Hunt scored 35 goals for Charlton between 1998 and 2000, but was cut down by Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), a little known medical condition at that time. Hunt originally fell ill with glandular fever but after months of feeling exhausted after training and games during his last season with us, the ex-West Brom striker was finally diagnosed with CFS. After disappearing from the game in 2001, aged just 30, Hunt did make a return under Curbs in 2003, but after playing in a couple of reserve games decided to call it quits.
A year later Andy and his Dutch wife Simone Angel, who was a MTV presenter upped sticks and moved from Greenwich to Belize and bought a large house with a domed roof in the Belizian jungle close to the capital Belomopan.
Following Andy and Simone was quite easy in those early days as they both wrote personal blogs, Andy’s being followed by a host of Charlton fans and bloggers including me, and they also regularly updated their Belize Adventure blog as well.
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Belize internet is not being kind to me here, and it was my ever thoughtful Mum’s text last night that told me of yesterday’s result. 5 points from those first three games I would have happily taken when the fixtures came out, but what the reports I have belatedly read tell me is that we are maybe only a fit and Championship-ready Igor or another striker away from a play-off push.
15-18 goal strikers cost more money than Roly is prepared to pay, and fair enough when you see what Bristol City have offered for Andre Gray.
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After a couple of days in Miami we have moved our holiday onto the relatively undeveloped Belize jungle, which brings something of interest to no one but myself and my mobile phone provider, but means I will follow Charlton’s game in Nottingham on Tuesday night from another country, the 4th different one for each of the 4 games played so far…. The Valley SE7, Bermuda, Florida USA and Belize.
Anyway Miami as always was fun packed, an effervescent oasis marooned amongst the rest of Florida that Dave rediscovered recently.
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We leave for our summer holidays tomorrow beginning in one of our favourite weekend spots of Miami, before flying two hours to Belize on Monday morning for a week. We then return to Florida and will head to Orlando for our second week, but plan also to spend a bit of time out on the Gulf Coast while we are in the sunshine state.
Living in Bermuda allows pretty quick access to Central America via Miami and we have already had some great holidays in Mexico, Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Panama whilst living here. Belize has been on my list since when I was dying to drive down from Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula to see it’s incredible barrier reef, but scorching hot weather and a young baby made us the see the error of our ways.
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Chicago Addick 