Your Language Connection:

Belikin, Béninoise, and Ginger are types of beer from countries that begin with the letter B. Read the clues to see how many of these countries you can identify. Can you guess the country that produces these beers? Do you know what typical foods you should try in each of these countries?

1. This country embraces a mix of Caribbean and Latin cultures, infused with a colonial history brought to its shores by British settlers. English-speaking, Creole-dominated and with a thoroughly coup-free history, this tiny country has an atmosphere that couldn’t be more laid back. Mayan ruins, diving the Blue hole and Marie Sharp’s famous hot sauce are some trademarks.

2. Take boat rides through villages built entirely on stilts, see hippos eyeballing you from murky rivers, stop off at deserted beaches where slave ships once sailed and see stunning indigenous architecture. On Voodoo day (January 10) people meet on Ouidah’s beaches to pray for good health. Elephants and hippos, smiling faces, poachers and multiple coups are some trademarks.

3. Laze in the sun on the dazzling pink-sand beaches and splash about in the turquoise waters of the bay. They are well known for cricket matches and afternoon teas. Colorful shorts, tidy pastel cottages and Gosling’s Black Seal Rum are some trademarks.

4. This country teeters between contemporary and medieval as monks transcribe ancient Buddhist texts into laptop computers and traditionally dressed archers use alloy-steel bows and arrows. They have the only capital in the world without traffic lights and just opened their doors to visitors in 1974. The last Himalayan Buddhist kingdom, colorful textiles, a place for inspiration and solitude, and prayer flags are some of the trademarks.

5. This country is known as the Tibet of the Americas. Stroll cobblestone streets, visit spectacular ice caves and turquoise lakes, see spurting geysers and eerie lagoons or take a jungle trip to the rainforest. Bowler hats, colorful hand-woven shawls, llamas and chewing coca are some trademarks. (Legendary Outlaws Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid supposedly met their demise in this country.)

6. As the host of the 1984 Winter Olympics, this country offers a vast variety of activities for its small size. Visit medieval castles, take a tram ride, raft the rapids, drink Turkish coffee, or buy homemade wines. Old cobbled streets, medieval forts and castles, mountain villages, and excellent Turkish food are some trademarks.

1. Belize – rice and beans or beans and rice (Belikin Beer)
2. Benin – Paté de maiz (mashed maize) with either meat, cheese or gombo (okra) sauce (Béninoise Beer)
3. Bermuda – fish chowder and the traditional Sunday codfish breakfast (Ginger Beer)
4. Bhutan – Tibetan style momos (filled steamed dumplings), yak meat or ema datse (chillies and cheese)
5. Bolivia – salteña (a pastie filled with meat and vegetables) and surubí (catfish)
6. Bosnia & Hercegovina – sirnica (cheese pie) or tufahije (apple cake topped with cream and walnuts)