Just like I did last year in the cold months, I opted to leave the Fiat under covers and head for the warmth.  My best guy friend and buddy, Dave Stasko (grad of Bishop Ireton and UVA) had purchased a spot of property in Ambergris Caye some 23 years ago while the rest of us were becoming sailors, lawyers, starting publications and supporting the watering holes in Alexandria.  A little over a year ago Dave retired and built his little yellow house 85 feet from the Caribbean Sea in Ambergris Caye right off of the second largest barrier reef in the world.  When he invited me to visit with the caveat, “come and stay as long as you like,” well, I couldn’t pass it up.  So, booking airfare a month out to the tune of $374 round trip…I was set.  Road/Air trip!!!

 

 

 

 

Belize, formerly British Honduras, is a country located on the northeastern coast of Central America, south of Mexico, west and north of Guatemala, and bordered on the east by the Caribbean Sea.  This will set the westward boundary of our Caribbean Connection where the US Virgin Islands set the east boundary.  Belize is the only country in Central America where English is the official language.  Kriol and Spanish are more commonly spoken because of the local population.

 

 

Belize is culturally unique among its Central American neighbors as it is the only nation in the region with British colonial heritage. However, as part of the Western Caribbean Zone, it shares a common heritage with the Caribbean portions of other Central American countries.

 

But that is just history…let me tell you what you can find today.  I left here from Reagan National at 7am and was in Belize City at 1:30 (they are one hour behind us and do not recognize day light savings time).  Ambergris Caye (pronounced Key) is 31 miles north of Belize City so I booked a 17-minute flight on Tropic Air and was sitting on the beach at a bar with Dave by 2:30 that day.  Ambergris Caye is an island that is some 25 miles long and about 1 ½ mile wide.  The only town is San Pedro and is a throw back to a more laid back time.  There are few automobiles and all of them are old and most work as taxis.  The more popular mode of transportation is golf cart, bicycle or walking.  San Pedro is a bustling little town with grocery stores, hardware stores, pharmacies and tons of places to eat and drink, or as Dave says…to hydrate oneself.

 

 

 

We hopped on the water taxi to make the 3-mile trip to Dave’s house.  On the way north I got a great view of how the barrier reef protects the island from any impending storm surge.  Crystal clear teal blue waters give way to the deep blues on the other side of the crashing reef.  The east coast of Belize (reef side) is dotted with old and new houses as well as a number of resorts.  One of the most recognizable is Captain Morgan’s Resort, which is about 100 yards north of Dave’s house.  A few years ago an episode of Survivor was filmed there and more recently an episode of The Bachelor, which I think should air this month.

 

 

The food on Ambergris Caye is an endless choice ranging from local burritos sold on the beach, to local delicacies, to good old lobster tail and steak.  On the mainland in Orange Walk there is a long established Mennonite community that is the heart and soul of Belize when it comes to fresh vegetables, fruits and meats.  On my first night there we dined at the Capricorn Resort and Restaurant (100 yards from Dave’s house going south).  I had a freshly caught grouper in a delicate mushroom sauce and it was delicious.  We spent a good bit of time at this place. Well….it is close, and the owner and staff are great.  Speaking of the owner, Kit Kersten invited us to go fishing the next day…what a treat.  The first fish I caught was a Queen Trigger fish.  A quick note here…back in he 70’s I would scuba dive in the Florida Keys and I thought that tropical fish were not good to eat.  Boy was I wrong…Triggerfish is great.  We also caught grouper and yellow tail resulting in a grand total of 19 fish that day.  There is nothing like dining on fish that was caught just a few hours before it hits the sauté pan.

 

 

 

On another day we went out with Dave’s friend Vince who is a hired waterman and guide.  He treated us to a trip around the island and through the mangroves where Ambergris Caye is separated from Mexico.  Speeding through the crystal clear bay on the other side was exhilarating in the warm 84-degree weather.  We visited an unearthed Mayan ruin and then entered the cut that would take us back to the Caribbean Sea and the other side of the island.  What a great day.  If you go to Ambergris Caye, rent a boat and guide for the best in snorkeling, diving and just plain being on he water.

 

 

Even thought San Pedro is quaint and laid back, there are plenty of services available.  When I got there my laptop didn’t work for whatever reason and neither did Dave’s, so we took it to the shop.  Here we met Julian Rivero who fixed both computers, mine that day, and Dave’s the next.  His little store is known as CSM2000 and he was great.  As Buckaroo Bonzi once said,”No matter where you go, there you are.”  Take a trip to Belize and Ambergris Caye.  It is so laid back that I even read a book!

 

 

 

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