Tid bits

While we were on the mainland there were a lot of taxis that were luxury vehicles (Mercedes, Lexus, Acura) that had dealership stickers from along the east coast of the United States. Most were in need of new shocks, they weren’t very cushioned on the bumps and they had a lot of excess travel on the return. Some here tint all their windows including the front windshield.

The wind here is strong! It’s nice to have the breeze when you are out in the heat but it can take a toll on you.

It’s all hard pack sand / dirt roads here. Anywhere theres stores there’s a lot of bottle caps on the roads. While you see a lot of people here with no shoes, I recommend shoes or a tetanus shot, probably both.

Our apartment/ suite doesn’t have much of a view, on one side an open lot that could use some tending and we overlook the restaurant. The other side has no windows to look at the other resort across the ally way. It is very nice though, kinda up scale feeling. It’s not in the thick of things, which is probably nicer during the high season if you like it a little quieter.

Renting a golf cart is $125 BZ $62.50 USD a day! Some people are spending crazy money. Bikes are $10 BZ a day and $50 BZ for the week. the island / Caye isn’t that big.

The pool here is narrow and long, it’s nice if you want to do laps. We went down for a bit this afternoon, I didn’t take my phone so I will have to get a picture tomorrow. It’s partially shaded so that’s a plus as well.

Outside the smell is still strong from the seaweed but I don’t notice it inside. I’m not sure how long or if you get used to it outside too. I know people get used to some pretty strong odors. I have been in a lot of homes in my job and there are people out there do not seem to notice the smell of old urine Human or otherwise inside their home that I can smell outside the door.

We got a couple of bicycles today to facilitate our movements on the island. It’s nice that they decrease the time it takes to get places and is still a bit of exercise. This morning we rode around a little and then stopped off at the bakery and grocery store. While I recommend trying the local foods when you travel, being able to cook your own food helps cut costs and has a comfort factor. It’s also fun to shop places where they have different kinds of food. Sometimes it’s the same as back home, sometimes the brands are different and sometimes the food is not anything like what you see at the local grocery store. They do cow’s foot soup here, our driver yesterday said it was his favorite. I like to try the different types of sausages you find in different countries. They are usually pretty safe when it comes to food. Not much but the spices change, occasionally the meat, but if you don’t like them that much mustard and/ or BBQ sauce will make them edible. They’re usually good though. Kitchens are also a plus because you will have a fridge for cold drinks and a way to make hot water for tea and coffee. Emily and I don’t always get up at the same time so it’s nice to sit and drink coffee or tea quietly without having to leave the room. It slows things down in the morning.

The Rainbow Grill and Bar is hands down the fastest food we’ve gotten so far. It was good too. It’s right on the ocean, there wasn’t much of a seaweed smell, it seems to be in pockets that move around. It probably gets dispersed with the winds, today sustained winds of 22-24 mph. The forecast is showing a lot of chances for rain next week. We are getting close to the rainy/ hurricane season here. Starts in June. It’s also lobster season next month.

We rode our bikes down for dinner and we looked around a little, we made it down to the split area. It’s really not that far on bikes. When you ride east you get to feel the wind resistance. The island isn’t very wide so it’s usually only a couple blocks before you have to turn. I think there is only about five blocks wide maybe six. The roads here are not well marked and a lot of them dead end. Especially east west.

It’s on the noisy side here. Things bang a lot. The wind must be blowing things around, trees rustling strongly and scraping noises.