For
Immediate Release
*PHOTOS AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST*
Contact:
Tim Boys/Paul Kamon
(604) 452-3212
The
DARK SIDE OF BELIZE
Journey into the Underworld of the Ancient
Maya
We
enter the cave by swimming the surface of a deep pool from
an underground river, which opens up into a cathedral-like
chamber. Our light beams illuminate an astonishing scene:
towering columns, crystalline draperies and intricate flowstone
formations shimmer and dance in the light. Yet it is not the
myriad of geological formations that astonish the expedition,...it
is the sight of dozens upon dozens of ceramic pots, artifacts
and stone
tools strewn everywhere. Then the silence is broken by a gasp
as a light descends upon the calcified skeleton of a young
woman, an offering to the rain god, Chac.
Actun
Tunichil Muknal, the Cave of the Stone Sepulcher (burial vault),
is a unique and natural underground museum with an astonishing
array of preserved Mayan artifacts. To the ancient Maya, the
caves were the forbidden entrances to Xilbalba (shil-balba),
a place inhabited by demonic spirits and powerful gods, a
mysterious underworld of untold fears and dreams where the
shaman, in supposition to the gods, ventured into the darkness
to conduct their secretive rituals.
With
guides specially licensed by the Belize Department of Archaeology,
Island Expeditions offers this extraordinary caving experience
as part of their Coral Islands and Ultimate Adventure series
of trips.
Departures
in 2004/05:
Coral
Islands (7 days/8 nights $1388 USD*)
Dec 4, 11, 18, 25 Jan 1, 8, 15, 22, 29
Feb 5, 12, 19, 26 Mar 5, 12, 19, 26 Apr 2, 9, 16, 23
Ultimate
Adventure (9 days/10 nights $1988 USD*)
Dec 10, 17, 24, 31 Jan 7, 28 Feb 4, 11, 18, 25 Mar 4, 11,
18
*Call
1-800-667-1630 for Canadian dollar pricing.
Trips
begin in Belize City and are fully catered; meals, accommodation,
and transportation within the country are inclusive. Island
Expeditions Co. trips are guided by professional North American
and Belizean leaders. No previous experience is required to
participate. Sea kayak and snorkeling trips along the barrier
reef and atolls are also offered.
For
more information and a free copy of their full-color 32 page
Belize Adventure Guide, please call 1-800-667-1630 or visit
their website at www.islandexpeditions.com
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