CARE's office closed at noon on December 20th and I went home and packed my rucksack ready for meeting Joe and setting off on our Christmas vacation the next day.
I took the bus up to Corozal in the the north of Belize, almost at the border with Mexico, while Joe made the much longer trip down from Cancun.
After his eleven hour flight from England, followed by a night in a fleapit hotel in Cancun and a bus journey to Corozal that took nine hours, Joe wasn't sure whether he was coming or going by the time we met up.
We squeaked in to Tropic Air's reception at the Corozal airstrip twenty minutes before our internal flight to San Pedro (Madonna's Isla Bonita - "last night I dreamed of San Pedro" - remember it?) on Ambergris Caye. The twenty minute flight on the tiny ten seater Cessna was brilliant; the plane never seemed as if it was more than 100 metres above the ground, so we had a bids-eye view of the pretty houses, the mangroves, the sea and finally the cayes and the reef. The turquoise sea was so clear we could see the bottom of the ocean from the plane. At San Pedro we transferred to an even smaller aircraft (really a Reliant Robin with wings) for the ten minute flight to Caye Caulker. At Caye Caulker we took a golf-cart taxi to our apartment and felt as if we'd arrived in Paradise at last.
We wasted no time finding a bar and celebrating happy hour before dining sumptuously on lobster at the Rainbow Restaurant.
Caye Caulker's twin philosophies "No shoes. no shirt, no problem" and "Go slow" suited us just fine and we had no problem adapting to the leisurely Cairbbean pace.
Our first activity next day was a snorkelling trip to three different sites near the reef. The snorkelling experience in the South Channel was wonderful, like swimming in all the tropical fish tanks you've ever seen. Unfortunately for me I managed to get stung viciously by fire coral and limped back to the boat with agonising burning pains on my leg, in particular my upper thigh. We moved on to Shark Ray Alley, where Joe loved swimming with the enormous sting rays that surrounded the boat. I stayed on board this time, licking my wounds and balancing ice from the drinks cool box on the angry looking red welts that had appeared on my skin. Our next stop was the Coral Gardens. Joe reported that the fish and coral here were even more amazing and brightly coloured than the ones we'd seen earlier. Not surprisingly, I found I'd developed an aversion to coral and didn't feel inclined to get within a mile of it ever again. I ditched the snorkel and contented myself with swimming in a leisurely fashion in the crystal clear turquoise water around the boat.
We spent the evening chilling in the bars of Caye Caulker. After looking a barracuda in the eye under water in the afternoon Joe couldn't resist eating one for dinner. Delish.
We were sorry to leave Caye Caulker and head up to San Ignacio for the jungle the following day, but our plans were made so off we went.
Again, happy hour featured strongly in our activities, and we enjoyed getting to know the local characters, even if most of them were rogues and vagabonds.
We learned about ancient alternative remedies on the Rain Forest Medicine Trail the next day (Christmas Eve), and spent a leisurely afternoon being paddled up the beautiful Macal River by our trusty guide Eddie. Dozens of big fat male iguanas, resplendent in their bright orange and black striped mating skins, basked in the trees on the river bank, and we spotted kingfishers, jays, bats and even a vulture as we idled along.
That evening we tried our luck downtown for a drink, and quickly fell into conversation with a local man who told Joe he always carried two weapons; his bible and his .38 revolver. A likely story we thought, and then tried not to look gobsmacked when he reached into his bag and pulled them both out on to the bar! We were even more astonished when he flicked a catch and emptied the live bullets out of the gun into his hand. Although he explained that he always used the bible as his first weapon, we decided it was time to make our excuses and leave.
If you've heard of "gaydar" you'll understand me when I say Joe has "weirdgar" - if not, just accept that he attracts weirdos like nobody you've ever met.
We chose Christmas Day to indulge in a spot of culture, and visited the Mayan sites of Xunantunich and Cahal Pech. El Castillo, the most impressive temple at Xunantunich, is 40 metres high. Joe climbed up it while I made the sacrifice of staying at the bottom to take his picture when he got to the top. Any mother would do the same.It was slightly disturbing to see members of the Belize Defence Force, armed to the teeth, patrolling these peaceful ruins ready to repel Guatemalan guerillas who seem to be making a habit of sneaking over the nearby border and robbing tourists at gunpoint.
We were starving when we got back to our hotel, and were almost the first in the restaurant when it opened at 6pm. We chose the Christmas Day special buffet - what else? - and thoroughly enjoyed our roast turkey, baked ham, stuffing, sweet potato medley with toasted marshmallows on top, freshly prepared vegetable salad, cranberry jelly, and sliced carrots.
Our taxi arrived at 8am the next day for Joe to begin his long journey home. I waited with him back in Belize City till his bus to Chetumal arrived, and waved him off before going back alone to my apartment on Racoon Street. I admit to shedding a tear on finding myself alone again after such a happy, hectic five days, and I felt quite forlorn for the rest of the day.
Thursday, 27 December 2007
A Country Wedding
I haven't told you yet about the lovely time I had as a guest at a Mestizo wedding at the beginning of December.
Almost as soon as I arrived in Belize I was invited by Maricruz to spend the weekend in San Estevan, in Orange Walk District, at the home of her parents. The occasion was the nuptials of her nephew Amir. Naturally I was pleased to be asked and looked forward to the visit, even though I didn't have any finery fit for such an event. I figured nobody would be looking at me, and I could just enjoy observing the celebrations.
We set off for San Estevan, about 60 miles to the north of Belize City, at 6.30pm on the Friday night. No sooner had we left the city than Evan pulled the truck over, explained how tired he was after his busy day, and asked if I'd mind driving the rest of the way.
There were no street lights, cats eyes, or white lines, I'm used to driving on the left, not the right, and it's five years since I've driven a vehicle with a manual gearbox. Oh well, I thought, if you're willing to risk the life of your daughter, your sister and yourself by trusting me at the wheel I'll give it a go.
Mercifully, we arrived without incident to find preparations for the wedding reception in full swing. Evan's wife Maricruz had travelled to San Estevan earlier in the day to start cooking for the 150 guests. After being shown to my lovely room in the big beautiful house I hurried down to the huge yard where marquees and a stage for the band were being erected, tables and chairs were being set out, and elaborate decorations were being garlanded and draped on every surface.
My interest was in the cooking and I followed Maricruz like a shadow as she directed the proceedings in the enormous outdoor kitchen area. Plump chickens reared by Maricruz's mother had already been necked and plucked. About eight of them were already simmering in a huge cauldron on a wood burning open fire while more batches were being prepared. This dish was called black chicken, a favourite delicacy in this part of Belize, and involved stuffing the birds before cooking them slowly in a liquid with ingredients that included burnt paper and crumbled tortillas.
Red chicken, another popular dish, was prepared by rubbing the birds inside and out with a mix of spices and chillies and stuffing them with a mixture of ground meat, spices, olives and big fat raisins before stitching up the carcase with needle and twine. These chickens would be roasted, again on the open fire. In the meantime, other members of the extended family; aunts, cousins, sisters; peeled vegetables for potato salad, chopped and liquidised cilantro, peppers, chillies and tomatoes for seafood ceviche and dips. This was a masterclass in traditional mestizo cooking and I was loving it.
Every now and then I looked up at the black sky filled with millions of stars that were so bright with no light pollution on this balmy December night in the countryside. Magical.
The next day all the cooks and helpers were transformed into sophisticated guests, dressed in their best for the wedding at the Catholic church in Orange Walk.
The party afterwards was a wonderful affair, where each family arrived and presented their gift to the happy couple before settling down to an evening of feasting, drinking and dancing. Many of them brought their own contributions for the table; huge bowls of rice and beans, piles of hot fluffy tortillas, crates of Belikin beer.
Long after I leave Belize I'll treasure my memories of being welcomed into this cosy home and treated as a special guest by kind lovely people who didn't even know me.
Almost as soon as I arrived in Belize I was invited by Maricruz to spend the weekend in San Estevan, in Orange Walk District, at the home of her parents. The occasion was the nuptials of her nephew Amir. Naturally I was pleased to be asked and looked forward to the visit, even though I didn't have any finery fit for such an event. I figured nobody would be looking at me, and I could just enjoy observing the celebrations.
We set off for San Estevan, about 60 miles to the north of Belize City, at 6.30pm on the Friday night. No sooner had we left the city than Evan pulled the truck over, explained how tired he was after his busy day, and asked if I'd mind driving the rest of the way.
There were no street lights, cats eyes, or white lines, I'm used to driving on the left, not the right, and it's five years since I've driven a vehicle with a manual gearbox. Oh well, I thought, if you're willing to risk the life of your daughter, your sister and yourself by trusting me at the wheel I'll give it a go.
Mercifully, we arrived without incident to find preparations for the wedding reception in full swing. Evan's wife Maricruz had travelled to San Estevan earlier in the day to start cooking for the 150 guests. After being shown to my lovely room in the big beautiful house I hurried down to the huge yard where marquees and a stage for the band were being erected, tables and chairs were being set out, and elaborate decorations were being garlanded and draped on every surface.
My interest was in the cooking and I followed Maricruz like a shadow as she directed the proceedings in the enormous outdoor kitchen area. Plump chickens reared by Maricruz's mother had already been necked and plucked. About eight of them were already simmering in a huge cauldron on a wood burning open fire while more batches were being prepared. This dish was called black chicken, a favourite delicacy in this part of Belize, and involved stuffing the birds before cooking them slowly in a liquid with ingredients that included burnt paper and crumbled tortillas.
Red chicken, another popular dish, was prepared by rubbing the birds inside and out with a mix of spices and chillies and stuffing them with a mixture of ground meat, spices, olives and big fat raisins before stitching up the carcase with needle and twine. These chickens would be roasted, again on the open fire. In the meantime, other members of the extended family; aunts, cousins, sisters; peeled vegetables for potato salad, chopped and liquidised cilantro, peppers, chillies and tomatoes for seafood ceviche and dips. This was a masterclass in traditional mestizo cooking and I was loving it.
Every now and then I looked up at the black sky filled with millions of stars that were so bright with no light pollution on this balmy December night in the countryside. Magical.
The next day all the cooks and helpers were transformed into sophisticated guests, dressed in their best for the wedding at the Catholic church in Orange Walk.
The party afterwards was a wonderful affair, where each family arrived and presented their gift to the happy couple before settling down to an evening of feasting, drinking and dancing. Many of them brought their own contributions for the table; huge bowls of rice and beans, piles of hot fluffy tortillas, crates of Belikin beer.
Long after I leave Belize I'll treasure my memories of being welcomed into this cosy home and treated as a special guest by kind lovely people who didn't even know me.
Wednesday, 19 December 2007
Christmas is Coming!
Yes, folks! The sun may be beating down, the sea may be warm as bath water, but we are deep in preparations for our Caribbean Christmas.
We see nothing strange in singing along to "Winter Wonderland" on the radio as we drive back from a trip to the beach in our shorts and vests, and our houses are all decked out with Santas and snowmen just like yours.
Most people are looking forward to a traditional Christmas feast of baked turkey and/or baked ham with all the trimmings, which here include stuffing, potato salad, and the inevitable beans and rice.
CARE-Belize gave a party for 40 clients and their care givers, assorted siblings, and family members on Saturday morning, and it was a great success. Local businesses and well-wishers donated food and party bags, and volunteers painted faces, made glove puppets, and provided Christmas music. I spent the whole time giving out food and drinks (a good way of meeting everyone) and thoroughly enjoyed myself.
Yesterday the CARE staff went out for a Christmas celebration, and I'm really starting to get that festive feeling now.
My eldest son Joe is flying out on Thursday 21st to spend Christmas with mum. We're heading to Caye Caulker for a couple of nights to check out the snorkelling on the Barrier Reef, then we're moving up to San Ignacio in the west to trek in the jungle and visit the Mayan caves Indiana Jones-style.
Can't wait!
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to everyone.
Love
Viv
We see nothing strange in singing along to "Winter Wonderland" on the radio as we drive back from a trip to the beach in our shorts and vests, and our houses are all decked out with Santas and snowmen just like yours.
Most people are looking forward to a traditional Christmas feast of baked turkey and/or baked ham with all the trimmings, which here include stuffing, potato salad, and the inevitable beans and rice.
CARE-Belize gave a party for 40 clients and their care givers, assorted siblings, and family members on Saturday morning, and it was a great success. Local businesses and well-wishers donated food and party bags, and volunteers painted faces, made glove puppets, and provided Christmas music. I spent the whole time giving out food and drinks (a good way of meeting everyone) and thoroughly enjoyed myself.
Yesterday the CARE staff went out for a Christmas celebration, and I'm really starting to get that festive feeling now.
My eldest son Joe is flying out on Thursday 21st to spend Christmas with mum. We're heading to Caye Caulker for a couple of nights to check out the snorkelling on the Barrier Reef, then we're moving up to San Ignacio in the west to trek in the jungle and visit the Mayan caves Indiana Jones-style.
Can't wait!
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to everyone.
Love
Viv
Saturday, 15 December 2007
Weekend Tourist Rides Again
Last Saturday I was in Orange Walk District as a guest at a country wedding. My hosts decided I should visit the ancient Mayan site of Lamanai before the celebrations began, and so it was that I found myself speeding up the New River Lagoon with four other tourists and a guide.
The boat trip was scenic enough; clean water, lovely clear light, the usual crocodiles, toucans, iguanas etc lurking in the mangroves, but best of all was the fresh breeze as we whizzed along in our boat.
Lamanai itself is an impressive site in an isolated setting in the jungle. The biggest structure is the High Temple, a sort of pyramid with an outside staircase leading to the top. The temple is about 35 metres high (or 11 storeys, to put it in perspective).
Climbing isn't my thing, in fact I dread walking up steep staircases without banisters, but I knew you'd expect to hear about the view from the top, so up I went.
The stairs were steep, about 18 inches high, so it was quite a strenuous climb in the heat. Yes, the view from the top was spectacular; I could see right across the jungle canopy and over the lagoon to the mountains of Guatemala. I was actually more concerned though with the view to the bottom of the temple, where our guide, who hadn't climbed up because he was afraid of heights, looked about as big as an ant.
I really didn't want to go down, but realising I didn't have a choice I just crawled down backwards and didn't look at anything except the step in front of me.
All in all, it was physically challenging going up, and psychologically terrifying coming down, but hey, I confronted my fear and lived to tell the tale!
The boat trip was scenic enough; clean water, lovely clear light, the usual crocodiles, toucans, iguanas etc lurking in the mangroves, but best of all was the fresh breeze as we whizzed along in our boat.
Lamanai itself is an impressive site in an isolated setting in the jungle. The biggest structure is the High Temple, a sort of pyramid with an outside staircase leading to the top. The temple is about 35 metres high (or 11 storeys, to put it in perspective).
Climbing isn't my thing, in fact I dread walking up steep staircases without banisters, but I knew you'd expect to hear about the view from the top, so up I went.
The stairs were steep, about 18 inches high, so it was quite a strenuous climb in the heat. Yes, the view from the top was spectacular; I could see right across the jungle canopy and over the lagoon to the mountains of Guatemala. I was actually more concerned though with the view to the bottom of the temple, where our guide, who hadn't climbed up because he was afraid of heights, looked about as big as an ant.
I really didn't want to go down, but realising I didn't have a choice I just crawled down backwards and didn't look at anything except the step in front of me.
All in all, it was physically challenging going up, and psychologically terrifying coming down, but hey, I confronted my fear and lived to tell the tale!
More from the Weekend Tourist
A couple of Saturdays ago I woke early to the sound of rain beating down. It seemed like it was set in for the day, but in your interest dear reader I decided to go ahead anyway with my plan to report for you from Belize Zoo.
The zoo is on the Western Highway about 30 miles outside Belize, and easily reached on the bus.
It's a triumph of conservation, as all the animals are native to Belize, and housed in spacious quarters which closely resemble their natural habitat. None of the animals there have been taken from the wild; the first creatures to live there were semi-tame animals that had been used to make a documentary film and couldn't return to the jungle, and their numbers have been increased by donated or confiscated pets, injured wild animals, or residents from birth.
My favourite was a spotted jaguar cub, who was desperately trying to find shelter from the still torrential rain under a cahoun palm tree (there was a black jaguar as well).
It's a small zoo, set out as "a walk through Belize". The trail takes you to the pine ridge, the forest edge, the rain forest, the lagoons, and the river forest. Hand-painted signs identify the animals in a few amusing Creole rhymes or sentences.
For such a small country Belize has an amazing selection of wid animals; as well as the fabulous sleek jaguars, there are ocelot, puma, tapir, crocodile, deer, monkeys, peccary, agouti, snakes and all sorts of birds including an impressive and very rare harpy eagle.
All in all, it was a lovely visit, and I didn't mind getting wet - the rain doesn't seem as bad when
the temperature is above 80 degrees.
In Belize they take conservation issues very seriously; if only they would give the same amount of attention to their needy children.
The zoo is on the Western Highway about 30 miles outside Belize, and easily reached on the bus.
It's a triumph of conservation, as all the animals are native to Belize, and housed in spacious quarters which closely resemble their natural habitat. None of the animals there have been taken from the wild; the first creatures to live there were semi-tame animals that had been used to make a documentary film and couldn't return to the jungle, and their numbers have been increased by donated or confiscated pets, injured wild animals, or residents from birth.
My favourite was a spotted jaguar cub, who was desperately trying to find shelter from the still torrential rain under a cahoun palm tree (there was a black jaguar as well).
It's a small zoo, set out as "a walk through Belize". The trail takes you to the pine ridge, the forest edge, the rain forest, the lagoons, and the river forest. Hand-painted signs identify the animals in a few amusing Creole rhymes or sentences.
For such a small country Belize has an amazing selection of wid animals; as well as the fabulous sleek jaguars, there are ocelot, puma, tapir, crocodile, deer, monkeys, peccary, agouti, snakes and all sorts of birds including an impressive and very rare harpy eagle.
All in all, it was a lovely visit, and I didn't mind getting wet - the rain doesn't seem as bad when
the temperature is above 80 degrees.
In Belize they take conservation issues very seriously; if only they would give the same amount of attention to their needy children.
Monday, 10 December 2007
Up in the morning, out on the job - - - - - - - -
Today sees the start of my fourth week here, and just in case you think I spend my days lazing in the sun I'm going to tell you a little bit about my work.
The details of developing a strategic plan will probably make your eyes glaze over rapidly, so I'll just say briefly that the purpose of the plan is to provide a framework to guide the activities of CARE-Belize in improving and expanding services to people with disabilities over the next three years.
I've set out the format of the plan, and the action programmes which will make the strategy happen, and now I'm gathering the views of the clients, the care givers, CARE's staff, and anyone else with an interest in CARE's work.
Currently CARE provides rehabilitation services in the community to children from age 0-6 years. The aim is simply to improve the quality of life and integrate people with disabilities fully into society.
Easier said than done in a country where children with disabilities are seemingly invisible to the healthcare system, and there isn't much in the way of health promotion, or education on risk factors for birth defects and genetic conditions. Lack of rubella immunization and vitamin B-folic acid deficiencies, not to mention smoking, taking street drugs and too much alcohol while pregnant all cause preventable disabilities.
Some of the conditions encountered by CARE's rehabilitation field officers (RFOs) are cerebral palsy, spina bifida, hydocephalus, Down's syndrome, cretinism, autism, club feet hip dysplasia and visual and hearing impairments. The RFOs do monthly home visits and manage many of the conditions through physiotherapy and referrals to other agencies. They also help to teach families how to make walkers, crutches, toys, and convert home furniture into rehabilitative aids. The RFOs will liaise with schools where appropriate to facilitate integration for a child with disabilities - in short, they are worth their weight in gold, as are the pysical therapy volunteers who provide training and support for the RFOs and advise on rehabilitation plans.
Visiting people in their homes has made all this real for me, instead of just a collection of principles and ideas on paper.
Before I rattled and bumped six miles down an unmade road in a four by four truck to reach a small village, I didn't realise how difficult it would be for someone living in that village to take a sick child to a clinic or a hospital with no means of transport except walking.
Before I picked my way across a swamp, swatting away mosquitoes and being bitten by ants, and seeing the one-room home of a woman and her four children, the youngest with suspected hydrocephalus, I never considered how hopeless life could be for someone with no income and no welfare state.
Before I climbed uphill through a muddy stream to a house where the chickens lived indoors and the family slept in hammocks I couldn't imagine how useless a wheelchair would be to a little girl living there with spina bifida.
My fervent hope is that I can help CARE produce a plan which will set out its priorities to improve and expand its services and make sure those services are sustainable.
On a lighter note, some of you have asked about the office and the people I work with. I'm happy to report that right from the start I was made welcome by all my colleagues at CARE, and they never mind my constant questions and requests for information or help with my IT challenges.
We have a lovely suite of offices with high ceilings, wide corridors and big windows. The doors are painted in primary colours, and there are photos of smiling clients on all the walls, making it a cheery place to be. Electric fans provide us with a cooling breeze, and there is a relaxed atmosphere that makes it a most pleasant place to work. I can either walk to work (nearly two miles) which is my preferred option unless it's raining, or get the bus.
Maybe transport can be the topic of a future post!
The details of developing a strategic plan will probably make your eyes glaze over rapidly, so I'll just say briefly that the purpose of the plan is to provide a framework to guide the activities of CARE-Belize in improving and expanding services to people with disabilities over the next three years.
I've set out the format of the plan, and the action programmes which will make the strategy happen, and now I'm gathering the views of the clients, the care givers, CARE's staff, and anyone else with an interest in CARE's work.
Currently CARE provides rehabilitation services in the community to children from age 0-6 years. The aim is simply to improve the quality of life and integrate people with disabilities fully into society.
Easier said than done in a country where children with disabilities are seemingly invisible to the healthcare system, and there isn't much in the way of health promotion, or education on risk factors for birth defects and genetic conditions. Lack of rubella immunization and vitamin B-folic acid deficiencies, not to mention smoking, taking street drugs and too much alcohol while pregnant all cause preventable disabilities.
Some of the conditions encountered by CARE's rehabilitation field officers (RFOs) are cerebral palsy, spina bifida, hydocephalus, Down's syndrome, cretinism, autism, club feet hip dysplasia and visual and hearing impairments. The RFOs do monthly home visits and manage many of the conditions through physiotherapy and referrals to other agencies. They also help to teach families how to make walkers, crutches, toys, and convert home furniture into rehabilitative aids. The RFOs will liaise with schools where appropriate to facilitate integration for a child with disabilities - in short, they are worth their weight in gold, as are the pysical therapy volunteers who provide training and support for the RFOs and advise on rehabilitation plans.
Visiting people in their homes has made all this real for me, instead of just a collection of principles and ideas on paper.
Before I rattled and bumped six miles down an unmade road in a four by four truck to reach a small village, I didn't realise how difficult it would be for someone living in that village to take a sick child to a clinic or a hospital with no means of transport except walking.
Before I picked my way across a swamp, swatting away mosquitoes and being bitten by ants, and seeing the one-room home of a woman and her four children, the youngest with suspected hydrocephalus, I never considered how hopeless life could be for someone with no income and no welfare state.
Before I climbed uphill through a muddy stream to a house where the chickens lived indoors and the family slept in hammocks I couldn't imagine how useless a wheelchair would be to a little girl living there with spina bifida.
My fervent hope is that I can help CARE produce a plan which will set out its priorities to improve and expand its services and make sure those services are sustainable.
On a lighter note, some of you have asked about the office and the people I work with. I'm happy to report that right from the start I was made welcome by all my colleagues at CARE, and they never mind my constant questions and requests for information or help with my IT challenges.
We have a lovely suite of offices with high ceilings, wide corridors and big windows. The doors are painted in primary colours, and there are photos of smiling clients on all the walls, making it a cheery place to be. Electric fans provide us with a cooling breeze, and there is a relaxed atmosphere that makes it a most pleasant place to work. I can either walk to work (nearly two miles) which is my preferred option unless it's raining, or get the bus.
Maybe transport can be the topic of a future post!
Thursday, 6 December 2007
A day in the life - - - -
Today's report is for everyone who is interested in the minutiae of life in Belize (judging by your emails, that seems to be most of you). Male readers might want to look away now. I'll try and include answers to all your questions so that you can decide whether to envy or pity me.
I've mentioned in earlier posts that I'm lucky enough to have a very comfortable apartment. Like most people in Belize City however, I don't have running hot water. Every morning I light a kettle of water on one ring of my stove for my Earl Grey, and on the other ring I light a big pan of water for my ablutions.
When my pan of water is hot I pour it into my big plastic bucket and place it inside my shower cubicle. I shampoo my hair, apply conditioner on top, then wash all over with the hot water. I then stand in my bucket like some hideous pot plant before bracing myself and turning on the cold shower to rinse away all my products. Brrr! When I come home hot and sticky (most days) I dispense with the hot water and go straight to the cold part.
So far I've not experienced any power cuts, so my state of the art torch has not yet been brought into play. I've been told power cuts are more common on the cayes, so I'll be packing my torch when I visit in the Christmas holidays.
I got my hair cut and my roots dipped at a salon "Bellissima" just around the corner from where I work. No disasters occurred, and it was cheaper than getting it done in Ollerton.
My self-catering efforts are lazy and unremarkable; yogurt and cereal at breakfast, omelettes, pasta, rice for dinner. I did make a pan of pigtail split pea soup one evening, although I couldn't put my hands on a pig's tail so I substituted a chicken stock cube to give it flavour.
Every street in Belize City has vendors peeling and selling all manner of lovely tropical fruits, and every day I buy bags of pineapple, mango, papaya, water melon etc for25 -50p a bag. An unprepared papaya the size of a rugby ball costs 25p, four bananas 50p. Delish.
Eating out at lunchtime can be very cheap. I avoid the staple diet of rice and beans if possible, just because I find it fairly bland and boring. Sometimes I get a cheese quesadilla and a cholli (frozen espresso with ice cream), and sometimes I go to Ma Ma Chen's, a Taiwanese vegetarian restaurant where all the family from grandma down to new baby are eating as well.
At weekends I eat like a tourist, shamelessly descending on the restaurants of the best hotels in Belize City. I usually choose Creole lobster, jerk shrimp, red snapper or the like, as fish is fresh, cheap and plentiful. This sort of food costs less than a tenner for a main course.So far I haven't tried local delicacies such as armadillo, iguana and gibnut (a large rodent) and actually I don't intend to.
That's enough trivia for today, more soon!
Viv
The locally brewed beer, Belikin, is better than Fosters, though wine is very expensive.
I've mentioned in earlier posts that I'm lucky enough to have a very comfortable apartment. Like most people in Belize City however, I don't have running hot water. Every morning I light a kettle of water on one ring of my stove for my Earl Grey, and on the other ring I light a big pan of water for my ablutions.
When my pan of water is hot I pour it into my big plastic bucket and place it inside my shower cubicle. I shampoo my hair, apply conditioner on top, then wash all over with the hot water. I then stand in my bucket like some hideous pot plant before bracing myself and turning on the cold shower to rinse away all my products. Brrr! When I come home hot and sticky (most days) I dispense with the hot water and go straight to the cold part.
So far I've not experienced any power cuts, so my state of the art torch has not yet been brought into play. I've been told power cuts are more common on the cayes, so I'll be packing my torch when I visit in the Christmas holidays.
I got my hair cut and my roots dipped at a salon "Bellissima" just around the corner from where I work. No disasters occurred, and it was cheaper than getting it done in Ollerton.
My self-catering efforts are lazy and unremarkable; yogurt and cereal at breakfast, omelettes, pasta, rice for dinner. I did make a pan of pigtail split pea soup one evening, although I couldn't put my hands on a pig's tail so I substituted a chicken stock cube to give it flavour.
Every street in Belize City has vendors peeling and selling all manner of lovely tropical fruits, and every day I buy bags of pineapple, mango, papaya, water melon etc for25 -50p a bag. An unprepared papaya the size of a rugby ball costs 25p, four bananas 50p. Delish.
Eating out at lunchtime can be very cheap. I avoid the staple diet of rice and beans if possible, just because I find it fairly bland and boring. Sometimes I get a cheese quesadilla and a cholli (frozen espresso with ice cream), and sometimes I go to Ma Ma Chen's, a Taiwanese vegetarian restaurant where all the family from grandma down to new baby are eating as well.
At weekends I eat like a tourist, shamelessly descending on the restaurants of the best hotels in Belize City. I usually choose Creole lobster, jerk shrimp, red snapper or the like, as fish is fresh, cheap and plentiful. This sort of food costs less than a tenner for a main course.So far I haven't tried local delicacies such as armadillo, iguana and gibnut (a large rodent) and actually I don't intend to.
That's enough trivia for today, more soon!
Viv
The locally brewed beer, Belikin, is better than Fosters, though wine is very expensive.
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