Platinum International Real Estate and Investments

Friday, June 7, 2013

Belize Primary School Examination's Top 26 Students

Photo Courtesy of Channel5Belize

The 2013 Primary School Examination also known as the PSE has been released to the media for the top 26 students in the country of Belize.

The 2013 PSE results reveal of the 26 Top Students, Siyun Ye from Bernice Yorke in Belize City has taken the top spot in this years PSE with an Overall Score of 391.

It also reveals that of the 26 top students 14 are from Belize City, 7 from Cayo, 2 from Corozal, 1 from Orange Walk, 1 from Stann Creek, and 1 from Toledo.

The results are as follows:

1. Siyun Ye - Bernice Yorke - Belize City - Overall Score 391

2. Vincent Hulse - Saint Andrews Anglican - Cayo - Overall Score 386

3. Nelson Esteban - Saint Andrews Anglican - Cayo - Overall Score 386

4. Jennessa Sierra - San Pedro Roman Catholic - San Pedro - Overall Score 386

5. Agatha Petkau - United Evergreen - Cayo - Overall Score 385

6. Iani Adolphus - Hummingbird Elementary - Belize City - Overall Score 385

7. Sherry Tan - Belize Elementary School - Belize City - Overall Score 385

8. Alanna Rosado - Belize Elementary School - Belize City - Overall Score 385

9. Miracle Mcbeahuruike - Solid Rock Christian Academy - Stann Creek - Overall Score 384

10. Alexandra Gibson - Hummingbird Elementary - Belize City - Overall Score 382

11. Marlina Eck - Belize Elementary School - Belize City - Overall Score 382

12. Gordon Knowles - St. Joseph Roman Catholic - Belize City - Overall Score 382

13.Zahara Zul - Saint Andrews Anglican - Cayo - Overall Score 381

14. Alain Morris - Saint Andrews Anglican - Cayo - Overall Score 381

15. Zaria Morris - Belize Elementary School - Belize City - Overall Score 381

16. Jose Torres - Succotz Roman Catholic - Cayo - Overall Score 380

17. Shelby Hamilton - Grace Primary School - Overall Score 380

18. Jazmine Ysaguirre - Bernice Yorke - Belize City - Overall Score 380

19. Amanda Graniel - St. Joseph Roman Catholic - Belize City - Overall Score 380

20. Dayne Guy - Saint Benedict Roman Catholic - Toledo - Overall Score 379

21. Kristen Medina - Corozal Methodist - Corozal - Overall Score - 379

22. Aliyaah Allen - Our Lady Of Guadalupe - Cayo - Overall Score 379

23. Cusion Wong - Belize Elementary School - Belize City - Overall Score 379

24. Astrid Lopez - Louisiana Government School - Orange Walk - Overall Score 378

25. Consuelo Leslie - Mary Hill Roman Catholic - Corozal - Overall Score 378

26. Halle Villanueva - Saint Ignatius Roman Catholic - Belize City - Overall Score 378

Monday, May 20, 2013

Cashew Festival in Crooked Tree is a Sweet Time in Belize

Cashews, Cashews and more Cashews is the reason for this two day festival held annually in Crooked Tree around the end of May which is held during the season for this awkward fruit. Awkward in the sense that its a fruit unlike many other fruits that has it seed growing on the outside and not on the inside. Crooked Tree is well known around the world for being a Bird Sanctuary but its a place also known for its Sweet Cashews and Cashew byproducts. Cashew by itself is a sweet and very succulent fruit that many love to eat, be very careful though cause the juice and sap can stain your clothes permanently.

Red cashew fruit with nut seed

Driving across the Causeway upon entering the village, although many residents say that there has been very little rain and the lagoon shows signs of drought you still see the magnificent views and the occasional bird including the Jabiru stork.

Crooked Tree Village Lagoon

The residents of the village are so friendly and are always willing to help any first time visitor with the directions to the venue or to tell the story about how Crooked Tree Village came about. Here you see a few men waiting to get their haircut in front of the barber shop before going to the Cashew Festival.

Crooked Tree Villagers

As you arrive at the Festival grounds you will know you have arrived with Belizean music filling the air making you want to sway your body to the rhythm. The festivities start at 10 in the morning on Saturday and goes until 6 in the evening only to be sparked up later that night with a concert by popular Belizean Artists creating vibrant music and people filling the dance floor. The Event picks up again at 10 am on Sunday and continues again until 6 in the evening.

cashew byproduct stalls and attendees

Whilst walking around you will find that there is more to cashew than just nuts that most people are accustomed to getting in a can. Here you can find fresh roasted cashew nuts as well as the sticky sweet stewed cashews, cashew fudge, cashew cake, cashew jam, cashew wine and much more.

Vendor selling Cashew Nuts and Cashew byproducts

Roasted Cashew Nuts

You will notice that there is something for everyone at the festival grounds. If you are looking for a souvenir and something handcrafted you will certainly find that with the artisans showcasing woodwork, beaded jewelry and many other crafts.

Wood Carvers Artisan Stall

For the children you can find many games as well as rides that will have them screaming in joy while the adults drink cold beverages of their choice to beat the sweltering heat.

children playing a game

When you get tired of walking around looking at the many things around the grounds you can go to the food stalls and eat to your hearts content. We found that they were offering rice and beans or white rice and stewed beans with many types of meats including chicken, fish, deer, gibnut and bocotora (turtle). We sat down at Ms. Tillets food stall who had lots of tables and chairs which offers her customers a place to get out of the heat and retreat to the shade.

Fyah Haat Food - Fried Tilapia

Before leaving the festival make sure to visit Mr. Charlie's Wines, who had some of the best wines at the festival to include the famed cashew wine. We made sure to sample quite a few that were on ice to find our favorites. We ended up purchasing quite a few bottles to take home which I am sure we will enjoy sometime soon.

Charlie's Wine Stall

Crooked Tree Village is still a great place to visit during the course of the year as a bird watchers paradise if you missed the festivities.

Yellow Cashew with external seed

If you were not fortunate enough to visit the Crooked Tree Cashew Festival this year, don't you worry you will just have to wait an entire year for next years Cashew Festival.

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

Friday, June 7, 2013

Belize Primary School Examination's Top 26 Students

Monday, May 20, 2013

Cashew Festival in Crooked Tree is a Sweet Time in Belize

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