Platinum International Real Estate and Investments

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Belize Hosted the 2011 Central American Beach Volleyball Championships

It was that time of year again when Central American countries sent their male and female beach volleyball teams to represent their pride and glory. The Belize Volleyball Association was host this past weekend to this years XI Central American Beach Volleyball Championships.

The venue for this years beach volleyball event was the Marion Jones Sporting Complex with 2 brand new beach volleyball courts. The sun was out the sand was ready as the beach volleyball fans were in attendance to support their teams.

The teams that were known as a dominant force going into this years volleyball competition in the female division was El Salvador and Guatemala and in the male division was Costa Rica and Nicaragua.

The beach volleyball teams were fully prepared to take on the task of representing their home countries which included Belize, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Honduras, Costa Rica and El Salvador.

Beach Volleyball excitement began on Friday the 22nd of July and continued through Sunday the 24th with teams battling for this years Gold, Silver and Bronze medals. The fans roared as the players concentrated on every service, reception, set, spike, block and dig. There were some real nailbiting games where teams rallied back and forth set after set.

In the end there could only be one one team victorious for the gold, silver and bronze in both the mens and womens beach volleyball divisions.

For more photos of the 2011 Central American Beach Volleyball Championships you may visit the facebook page of the photographer, Will Moreno.

Final Results of the Central American Beach Volleyball Championships!

Mens Division:
Costa Rica - Gold Medal, Gatemala - Silver Medal, Nicaragua 1 - Bronze Medal.

Female Division:
Costa Rica - Gold Medal, Guatemala 1 - Silver Medal, Guatemala 2 - Bronze Medal.

The Teams and Players for the 2011 Central American Beach Volleyball Championships

Male Division:
Belize 1 - Arvid Arnold and Ernest Broaster
Belize 2 - Tico Requena and Juan Marin

Guatemala - Andy Leonardo Blanco and Erick Garrido Ruiz

El Salvador 1 - Jeovanny Medrano Valle and David Vargas Correa
El Slavador 2 - Carlos Leiva Mata and Carlos Escobar Talavera

Nicaragua 1 - Gerald Lopez Umana and Danny Alvarado Lopez
Nicaragua 2 - Winston Calderon Urbina and Francisco Castro

Honduras - Walter Montoya Sanchez and Ruben Miller
Costa Rica - Esteban Escobar and Bryan Monge
Female Division:
Belize 1 - Barbara Cadle and Jasmine Anderson
Belize 2 - Emma Hoare and Rebecca Rath

Guatemala 1 - Susana Gomez Alvarado and Anna Lourdes Ramirez Sarti
Guatemala 2 - Maria Jose Arrelana Aragon and Ruth Guzman Gomez

El Salvador 1 - Diana Romero De Leiva and Marcela Avalos Pineda
El Salvador 2 - Kathya Vasquez Menjivar and Ma Fenanda Vargas Claros

Costa Rica - Ingrid Morales Munoz and Natalia Alfaro Paniagua

Sunday, July 17, 2011

Escabeche Recipe - Belizean Style

Escabeche is a delicious and very flavorful meal most commonly made in Belize on the weekends when families most often gather to have a communal meal.
Some refer to this delcious meal as onion soup because the flavorful broth is filled with onions that have been cooked therein.

Here is a popular escabeche recipe brought to you courtesy of:
Platinum International Real Estate

Escabeche

Ingredients:
3-4 pounds of chicken
2-3 tablespoons white vinegar or to taste
10 Spice seeds
2-3 Jalapenos
3 pounds white onion, sliced
10 dried oregano leaves or 1 Tbsp of crushed dried oregano leaves
1 head of roasted garlic
black pepper and salt to taste

Method:
Boil spices in water, upon boiling add chicken and cook until tender.
Remove chicken and keep the chicken broth.
You may bake the chicken at 400 degrees or you may fry the chicken to create a delicious and crisp brown outer layer.
Add white vinegar roasted garlic and jalapeno peppers to the chicken broth.
Add sliced onions and cook until tender (approximately 5 minutes)

Best served hot with fresh corn torillas.

Enjoy this tasty Belizean Escabeche Recipe!

Brought to you courtesy of:
Platinum International Real Estate
"The Strenght of Teamwork...The Reputaion for Results!"

Facts to know about BELIZE

Belize

Have you ever wondered what paradise looks like? Do you like to look at breathtaking views? Have you ever wondered what it feels like to walk in the past? Do you want to experience Caribbean culture and cuisines at its very best? Are you looking for adventure? Are you looking for your getaway location? You can find all this and more in Belize with the help from Platinum International Real Estate and Investments.

Belize is a small, unspoiled country located in Central America and is fast becoming a world-renowned destination for tourists and international investors alike. It is the only English speaking Central American country due to the historical influences of the British Buccaneers and Colonialists that settled in the country for over a century. It is home to a multi-cultural society made up of Creole, Mestizo, East Indian, Chinese, Arabs, Garifuna, Maya, and Mennonites just to name a few. It is a country rich in Culture and rooted in beliefs of working together for a strong economy. The Belizean people are very friendly and a simple hello is given everywhere you go no matter who you are or what you do.

People that visit Belize keep coming back to immerse themselves in the rich cultural diversity and the well preserved forests and barrier reef that we call paradise. People enjoy soaking in the cool azure Caribbean waters; taking day trips to the fishing, diving or snorkeling preservation sites or taking a hike in the lush protected rain forests that keep the country so serene. The preservation of such beautiful places in Belize is essential for generations to enjoy it even after we move on and leave our legacy behind.
Platinum International Real Estate and Investments, vows to stand firm, work with everyone to bring Belize to a recognizable International Real Estate Level unsurpassed by most in the industry. We look forward to bringing you to a place you can call Home in Belize.

Life in Belize

For many years Belize has gone under the shadows of many other Central American countries. Belize has it unique features that famous celebrities have come to appreciate. You need to understand the geography, history, the people, the economy and the atmosphere to truly appreciate this inspiring place called Belize.

Geography

Belize is positioned in both the northern and western hemisphere. Located in North America on the northern edge of the Central America isthmus 16º 13' N, 88º 48' W - a somewhat narrow strip of land that connects North and South America - the country is bordered by Guatemala, Mexico, the Gulf of Honduras and the Caribbean Sea. Belize is the 23rd country on the list according to world atlas for the lowest density of people to land per square mile. With 240 miles of coastline, 8,805 square miles of land and 62 square miles of water rights it’s easy to see why people are flocking to Belize to call it home.

Belize's diverse landscapes include hundreds of islands, subtropical rainforests, fertile savannas and mountains. It is internationally recognized as a leader in environmental preservation and conservation.

Belize is divided into four main geographic regions, including the relatively low Maya Mountains of the south that dominate all but the narrow coastal plain; the northern lowlands and its many rivers and streams; the flat and swampy coastal plain, and the almost countless cayes, islands and lagoons that fringe its Caribbean coastline. More than 50% of Belize is covered by tropical rain forest that's dissected by a network of rivers, mostly small in length. The largest and most significant river is the navigable Belize River that stretches from the Guatemala border all the way to the Caribbean Sea. Second only in size to the Great Barrier Reef off the northeast coastline of Australia, a 175 mile long barrier reef fronts the Belize coastline, intermixed with literally hundreds of islands and cayes. This great site has been recognized as a World Heritage Site, the other site is located 58 miles direct east of Belize City in the Carribean Sea, the Blue Hole; more than 1,000 feet across and some 400 feet deep, it's the opening to a former Ice Age cave, and is today one of the world's most popular dive sites. Belize is divided into six districts; including Belize, Cayo, Corozal, Orange Walk, Stann Creek and Toledo.

History

Archaeological evidence in Belize indicates that the famed Maya culture began to emerge in this lowland area of the Yucatan Peninsula around 1000 BC. That Maya civilization flourished here for eons; great cities were formed, massive ceremonial buildings, palaces, temples and personal dwellings were constructed, and the people farmed the land with great proficiency. Remnants of this extraordinary people and a quite sizeable population of direct descendants still exist in Belize and all across the Yucatan today, despite hundreds of years of European colonization of the area.

Spain aggressively controlled most of the colonies on the fringes of this New World, when the first English settlers arrived in the early 1600s. For the next two centuries military conflicts (mostly naval) between the British and Spanish raged, as both countries desired this land. Regional power struggles continued in the area over the next 50 years, and then in 1862, the Settlement of Belize was officially declared a British colony, and named British Honduras. Similar to all European colonies in the Americas, British Honduras also craved independence, but Guatemala continued to claim the entire area, and the British were reluctant to release their firm grip. By the 1960s the British began to soften their position, and though they still controlled the entire defense and foreign affair of the settlement, its name was changed to Belize in anticipation of the independence, which finally did come in 1981.

The People

Today you can see the remnants of the original settlers in Belize namely the Maya, British and European people. Today Belize offers a multi-cultural society made up of Creole, Mestizo, East Indian, Chinese, Arabs, Garifuna, Maya, and Mennonites just to name a few. Belize is a country rich in Culture and rooted in beliefs of working together for a strong economy. The Belizean people are known for their cultural tolerance, diversity and friendliness and it’s not uncommon to see the Belizean people smiling and waving at anyone passing by.

Spirituality in Belize life is diverse in a way that it will suit many nationalities. Majority of the citizens are Catholics while a fourth of the population are Protestant (Pentecostal, Anglican, Seventh - day Adventist, Mennonite, Methodist, and Jehovah’s Witnesses). Other religions present are Taoism, Buddhism, Hinduism and Islam.

The Economy

Belize is a member of the British Commonwealth and is governed by parliamentary democracy. It then became an independent nation in 1981 and has a stable and progressive political history. Agriculture, manufacturing and tourism are key elements of its economy. Belize enjoys close ties with the U.S. and UK and steady economic growth.

The national currency of Belize is called Belizean Dollar (BZD) and is approximately worth a half of U.S. Dollar, depending on the inflation. It comes in denominations of 2 dollars, 5 dollars, 10 dollars, 20 dollars, 50 dollars, and 100 dollars. One Belizean dollar is a coins and a 25 cent coin is called a shilling.

Foreign investors enjoy a range of incentives in Belize, outlined in its Fiscal Incentives Act of 1990. Foreign-owned real estate privileges, offshore banking and a lack of capital gains tax attract international business to Belize. With Houston airport just over two hours flying time away and Miami airport an hour and a half, the country's proximity to the U.S. is another attractive feature for foreign investors.

The Atmosphere

The laid back atmosphere of Belize life actually comes from a unique blend of nationalities. Belize enjoys a nice tropical weather. It rains a lot during the months of May to November, while dry season is on February to May.

PLATINUM INTERNATIONAL REAL ESTATE AND INVESTMENTS would love to welcome you to share in our experiences. Selling real estate is what we do best and with our various departmentalized services we offer everyone looking to buy or sell real estate in Belize unmatched services amongst our competitors.

Please take the time to read, comment and share about your experiences.

Thank you,
Platinum International Real Estate
Management and Staff

Written by:
Will Moreno
Copyrighted 2009

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Belize Hosted the 2011 Central American Beach Volleyball Championships

Sunday, July 17, 2011

Escabeche Recipe - Belizean Style

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