Best Friend Charlie

I proceed to take my luggage into Tina's house when my first visitor arrives. Thanks Peggy. Peggy, my good friend and I during the past year have spent countless hours in the BelizeCentral chatroom wishing to go home.

Well, here we both are. Its getting greater by the minute. Mario Guizar, owner of the Iguana Reef Inn and also my very close friend, came over to greet me too. It was very good to see Mario. He invited me over to see the expansion taking place at the Iguana Reef and told me how much the island misses me and the paper (the Village Voice). Mario and I chat for about half an hour and catch up on old times for a little bit. After he leaves, and before I get caught up in my next coversation, I figure I should take the walk along the beach to the fifth house down the road from were I am and say hi to my mom. And so I go. Just north of the Auxillou Property is the South Park. Construction is apparent at the park, the beginnings of a "coleseum"as Trevor so aptly put it.

Gil Chi and the Caye Caulker Gift Shop

Rumor has it that this will become a water-side stadium of sorts, with bleachers and sunshade. Rumor had it that many of the business persons attributed that kind of construction to an eyesore, hence the Business Meeting that was convened (that Trevor had referred in some postings earlier) to circulate a petition to stop the stadium. Some see it as beauty. Some as an eyesore. This is scarce prime waterfront property. You be the judge.

Spiffy new Police Station (sign out front says "No person or persons are allowed to communicate or hand food or anything from over the fence. CC Police."

The next building I have to pass on the way to my mom's is the Police Station. Well, the Police Station has received a complete makeover. The old building that originally housed the spare generator has been demolished. The station has been repainted. An addition has been made. Police presence has been increased to about 5 cops (instead of 3) on the island. There are new police golfcarts (just as Trevor described them, with flashing lights on top) which patrol the island. The police on duty are always smartly dressed and in uniform. And on a whole, I would rate the make over of this once decaying building on a scale of 1 - 10, with ten being best, an 11.

Tina's Backpacker's Hostel. (The island folk used to whisper in her ear that she spelled "hotel" incorrectly.) Since I am her landlady, I guess that makes this my house. :-)

Finally, I thought, someone has heard the cry of the people and steps are being taken to protect the island's tourism industry. I was impressed. Thanks Minister Jorge Espat. (By the way, in case I forget to mention it, there are now passport applications available at the local village council office, the library and the post office here in Caye Caulker.)

Yoo Hoo Deli (new)

The next building after the police station is my uncle's property. There is not much new in the way of construction on this building, but two new things are apparent. The old ther Side of the Moon restaurant has changed hands and is now La Sirenita restaurant. They have live music at night. And on the streetside of this property is now the Yoo Hoo deli, serving up coffes and scrumptions "to go" fare. At Hicaco Tours and Dive Shop (another Uncle's property and next to La Sirenita) my cousin Tage has completely enclosed the downstairs of the building where he lived. It is now a three bedroom home done in concrete. His dive and snorkel shop still adjoin the building. He is doing very well. I notice he has a computer in his dive shop. And he has e-mail and internet connection. e-mail: hicacotours@btl.net.

Double parking in front of Dolphin Bay Travel

The next property is my mom's. Mom's property houses Stephanie's Cafe and Dolphin Bay Travel, well also several (five to be exact) rental properties she owns. I notice that Dolphin Bay is open (owned by Diane) and I stop in. Marioli is there. How she made it home that quickly and in time to work after last night beats me. But she looks upbeat and cheery for the customers. That is good. Inside, there is a long desk with what looks to be like three or four computers. They too have e-mail and internet access.

Dolphin Bay Travel

Diane's e-mail is t-travels@btl.net for the travel agency called Treasured Travels she used to own in Dangriga. Tina's e-mail is dolphinbay@btl.net, and by the way, Dolphin Bay Travel also has a website, although I cannot remember the website address at this time. Both have internet access.

(Moral of this part of the story: - more Belizeans than Lan thinks have e-mail and internet access. The reason they don't join the listserve is because the live active and fulfilling lives and don't need to sit glued to a computer like me and you).
:-)

Busy at work in Dolphin Bay Travel (or so dem sey, anyway)

I stop to say hi to mom, who is glad to see me and offers me some garlic lobster. Hmmmmmmm. How can I refuse??? I will stop here for now as my crowd has now awoken and my fingers are getting tired from typing. However, I wish to say that I have observed in the year that I have been gone, probably several millions of dollars of new construction on Caye Caulker alone. This place is bustling and quickly becoming a town. Serious. And there are tourists, tourists everywhere.

Popeye's Beach Bar and Restaurant

In fact, in chatting with the locals, many of them have said that there has been a steady stream of people, even since Hurricane Mitch. Jamie Lee said that in fact, the island has had MORE visitors from right after Hurricane Mitch, as a lot of travelers came solely to see what the hurricane did.

Since then, there has not been a bad month. I don't know if this is due to the effects of the BTIA's campaign or what it is attributed to, but Caye Caulker people are not hurting at all.

Inside Popeye's

Nearly every property has something new done to it. There are new buildings going up everywhere, or new additions to houses, or new businesses opening. In fact, I noticed that there were at least eight places that offered e-mail and internet services to tourists. I cannot help but feel a part of me missing for wanting to be a part of this, especially knowing and hearing all the locals preparing for the next "season"which starts in December. I will be very, very sad when I have to take the plane to return.

View from Popeye's

Most of the trip was spent socializing. On my second day, I took great pains to take my camera with me wherever I went. I did not want to miss an opportunity for a great shot, but mostly, I wanted to catalogue for myself the faces of the people on Caye Caulker that are dear to me in order to be able to "recollect" once I get home.

Iguana Reef Inn

On one of my lunch outings to the Yoo Hoo Deli (my first time there) I was delighted to hear they had Cuban sandwiches to order. While waiting for my order of some scrumptious cake, Charlie and I sat outside to people watch. Sure enough, many of my friends passed by and stopped to chat - OJ (of Oceanside Bar) and his wife Patty, Cynthia (part owner of the Yoo Hoo Deli where I was at), Albert Pacheco, the PADI Divemaster at Frenchie's Diving who I had taken all my diving courses with. Even Jamie Lee, my friend's daughter who I had "adopted" for many months before I arrived in Miami, came to see me with tears in her eyes from happiness.

Iguana Reef Inn's new building under construction

I cannot help but be overwhelmed but the displays of emotion and friendship. This is home. No amount of material goodies in the world one can accumulate can ever pay for the feeling such love and friendship can give. This feeling is priceless. And, yet, it is free. Imagine.

Albert invited me to go diving on Wednesday with some students he was taking out. I was delighted. I would get to coast the underwater life like a native again, something I had longed to do even from day one. It's not often that I get to do that. I was pleased and thanked him. I KNOW that not many people in the world get the chances to experience the things that I have, and I thanked God for making my life special.

Wendy de la Fuente Phone: +501-226-0011 Fax: +501-226-0311 Email belizeanthings@yahoo.com