A Novice Guide to Amergris Caye, Belize

I have an insatiable desire to live in a Spanish-speaking country. My daughter has been in Spanish immersion programs and school since she was 18 months old so her fluency in Spanish along with the fact I grew up on the gulf coast spending many weekends burning my skin in the south Texas sun and splashing in the Gulf of Mexico has led to my need to rejuvenate each summer somewhere that has a beach, sand and a whole lotta sun which makes traveling to Mexico or Central America a natural choice when looking for a summer vacation destination.  I'm also scoping out our next home, or at least, home away from home, when we travel south each summer.

Last year we began a new tradition with my sister and her family! We spend a week together on summer vacation visiting a country outside of the U.S. that has some form of water. Last year we chose Cabo San Lucas. This year we decided Belize would be an adventure, so we found a property through Expedia and booked it. This is my take on our week on the island of Ambergris Caye (pronounced Amber-gris key), Belize.

Things To Know

1.     If you're looking for a Spanish speaking country, do not look here!  Yep, that's right!  Belize is NOT a Spanish-speaking country. They are a former English colony (All Hail the Queen!), so the official language of Belize is English, not Spanish much to my dismay. Though I will say, you'll hear as much Creole in this beautiful Central American country as English.  And if you're lucky, poquito Espanol!  

 

2.     Looking for Uber and Lyft? Don't come here!  Want to know how you get around on the Island of Ambergris Caye? Look no further than a golf cart. I thought this was super cool when we first arrived but a week later, not so much. This is an emerging country, so the roads are full of dirt and holes (and not necessarily in that order). After seven days of bouncing all over the front and back seat of a golf cart, we were anxious to get back to Colorado.

 

3.     Don’t like bugs, keep on looking for your next vacation destination!  You’ll need as much sunscreen as you do bug spray!  The mosquitoes are out of control, at least in the rainy season which begins in June. Go ahead and pack double the amount of bug spray you think you'll need…and then be ready to buy more!  Yes, they are that bad!

 

4.     Don’t get sucked into the not so secretive “Secret Beach” north of San Pedro.  I had high hopes of white sand and crystal blue waters but what we found after our 20-minute golf cart ride through holes and swarms of mosquitoes was a tourist trap.  The water was green but there was not a true beach. There were shells that were beaten down to a substance that resembled sand and lounge chairs containing cushions that looked like they had not been cleaned in this century all on the waters edge, but it wasn’t a “beach” in the usual definition of the term.  It was a huge disappointment. OH, and the restroom situation in this area would give any porta john you’ll find at a music festival full of college kids in the U.S. a run for their money!  Hold it tell ya get home if you can…or there’s always that beautiful green water… 😊

 

5.     Do NOT rent golf carts from your resort, they literally are double the price of a rental agency out of San Pedro.  We used a company called Tropical Golf Cart Rental and were very pleased with not only their service but also the price they charged.  We rented a cart for 7 full days and paid $230 USD which included delivery and full insurance coverage in comparison to our hotel, which charges $388 for a week of golf cart rental. 

 

6.     If you do not have WhatsApp, get it before you go to Belize. We were able to communicate effectively with any and everyone we needed to while there through the app, including the front desk of our hotel and to order room service. It was impressive!

 

7.     Don’t forget to buy your Belizean Travel Health Insurance before you arrive in the country.  Effective February 15, 2022, the Belizean Tourism Board mandated insurance that helps protect travelers against incurred medical and non-medical expenses if they test positive for COVID-19 during their stay in Belize. The insurance is $18 USD/person and is good for 21-days.

Let’s talk about the good stuff now…

The Belizean people are very hospitable. The service we received at every restaurant, the hotel spa, the front desk of our hotel, the golf cart rental folks, etc. was second-to-none! We found everyone we met to be kind and helpful. San Pedro’s economy is built on tourism, but I have wondered if the town being overrun with Americans is annoying to locals. From what we experienced; they welcome the money flooding their economy.

Wondering where to eat, stay and what to do while in Belize, here are our recommendations:

Breakfast:

Estel’s by the Sea – I’ll have the Mayan breakfast with bacon and fry jacks, please (that’s sopapillas for all you Texans or beignets for all you southerners)! 

D Family Café – Their almond milk latte with cinnamon was divine but the Belizean breakfast really tooted my flute!

Dinner:

Caroline’s Cookin’ – Oh my heavens to Belize! This place was by far the best food we ate on the island. They cook everything from scratch when it’s ordered.  The service was fabulous as was our meal. The entire menu is listed on a wall chalkboard but don’t let that scare you away.  The food is divine!

Blue Water Grill – This is a beautiful, upscale restaurant on the water. The open-air concept was perfect for our party of 11 with a myriad of choices for adults and children.  They also have incredible desserts (yes, my sister and our friend devoured the key lime pie in 1.3 seconds flat!).

Elvi’s Kitchen – This is the oldest restaurant on the island. Celebrating its 46^th anniversary this year, this is the restaurant that is the gift that keeps on giving. What I found especially interesting about this ole place is the sand floors. Yes, you read that correctly, the floors are sand. I can honestly say this is the first time I’ve eaten in a restaurant that’s inside a building with sand floors and servers that wear black dress pants and white dress shirt but scoot around on sand.

Where to Stay
I can only attest to our experience at the CoCo Beach Resort 20 minutes north of San Pedro (via golf cart, it’s much quicker in a taxi).  The hotel is small, about 50-something rooms that are condo-style. Our room was a two-bedroom, one bath with a full kitchen and was nicely appointed with wicker furniture and new appliances. The bed in the master bedroom was king-sized and very comfortable. The second bedroom was a twin daybed with trundle which was perfect for Elyse and my niece. The bathroom was teeny tiny, but the water was always hot in the shower and had great water pressure.  The room had incredible air conditioning, which we were thankful for since foreign countries can have a different definition of “air conditioning” than what we have in the States, especially if you live in the South where there are three seasons:  hot, hotter, and hot as hell.

The service at the front desk was impeccable. I would write asking a question via WhatsApp and would have an answer instantly. I’m not sure if the issues we experienced in the one restaurant on property are because we were in Belize during low season or if they have staffing issues like the rest of the world but when we ate at the pool restaurant two times, it took 45 minutes to an hour to get our food and when it came out, it was in shifts, not all at once.  We did get room service one night and the food was delicious, and it came in 30 minutes, which was what I would expect from room service. Since our hotel was far from town, it was very disappointing to have one dining choice on property.

If you look up the property on TripAdvisor, do not be fooled by the pictures of a beautiful beachfront property. There is no beach front. There is brown water and a water’s edge but no beach and a slew of seaweed. It was gross and no way to enjoy lying on a lounge chair enjoying a sea breeze.

I would not stay at this property again because of the proximity to town, limited dining options, only one medium-sized pool (there are three pools but only one is conducive to keeping kids occupied all day) and no beach.

Though I have not been in these properties, from the outside they look incredible:  Grand Caribe Belize, Mahogany Bay Resort & Beach Club, and Alaia Belize, Autograph Collection.

 

What To Do
We are not big excursion people when we travel but when we realized Belize is really a haven for snorkeling and scuba diving, we decided to partake in one of those activities (…When in Rome, right?…). We had an incredible day at sea with Tuff E Nuff Tours lead by our boat captain Pepper and his co-captain and lead swimmer, Raul. They took us to Hol Chan Marine Reserve where we snorkeled with schools of fish, a nurse shark, sea turtle and sting rays. We then had lunch and saw a sea horse farm on Caye Caulker, another island 30 minutes from Ambergris Caye, and walked along the main street and browsed through shops. Once back on the boat, Pepper took us out to a spot known for Manatee sightings. Lucky for us, we found one and were able to swim with it for an hour or so before the swells became dangerously large, and we headed back to shore. It was a great day though exhausting for all of us, especially the children. 

We also visited the following shops several times while on the island:  Belize Chocolate Company, French Croissant and for great souvenirs, Belizean Breezes Soap Company.

In conclusion, I’m an advocate of exploring the world and have zero regrets about spending a week in Belize.  With this said, since we were looking for a beach destination, this was not a good fit for our family in terms of returning (like we do with Mexican destinations).  If you are a fan of snorkeling or diving, this is definitely a place you should visit but if not, perhaps look for options in the Caribbean or on the Mexican Riviera.

How did this happen?

 Was it a sign from God I need to revisit blogging?  I have no idea but like those of you that subscribed to my blogpost back in 2012 while we were experiencing pregnancy trauma, you likely received a slew of blogs I created nearly ten years ago a few weeks ago in your inbox.  I thought my account had been hacked, and heck, maybe it was, but it also inspired me to keep writing.  

So, I'm going to do just that.  I feel uninspired to post on social media (my gosh, especially Facebook) but I feel equally annoyed with Instagram so maybe I can use my words to talk about what's on my mind and hopefully do it in a way that isn't offensive to anyone.  My hope is to ask questions that encourage civil conversation and allow me to see many sides of an issue.  I also want to share our travel experiences since that is something we do several times a year...

And with that, my next post will be about our trip to Belize...

Thanks for reading!

The Cover Of A Book

My reflection of 2014 continues as I look ahead to the possibilities 2015 holds for me.  I’m late with Christmas cards this year so while firmly pressing the last address labels onto the pearly white envelopes that carry photographs of our year to those that we love, I’m flooded with memories of people that have graced our lives and was brought back to an experience this year I’m embarrassed to admit.  In the spirit of bettering myself moving forward, here’s my story of one helluva good book!

Not long ago, while fighting my way through a mass of people trying to reach my Southwest Airlines gate at Baltimore International Airport, I was a minute late and almost $150 poorer in the pocketbook.  My “A 23” boarding spot ended-up-being a “C 44” due to my late arrival at the airport.  As I hastily made my way down the ramp and onto my flight, I found myself in the most dreaded place for a frequent flyer…the middle seat! 

It was summer, hot as hades outside, which meant by the time I found a seat, I was disheveled, sweating and a nervous wreck (but thankful I made the flight)!  Clumsily I fumbled my way past the woman sitting comfortably in the aisle seat, shoved my leather brief case with wheels under the seat in front of me and then proceeded to try and pull out my five pound computer and notes from the previous day’s meetings.

My years of flying have allowed me to meet all sorts of interesting people.  I usually arrive early enough at the airport that I’m able to scan my gate and view the vast quantity of people like a bibliophile does the public library.  So many different stories and chapters of each person’s book of life are represented and if I’m in the right mood, I’m anxious to see what "book" I land next to on my flight.

I hate to admit it but I judge every book by its cover.  It’s human nature I suppose but something I'm trying hard not to do as I would hate for someone to look at me and assume because I’m without make-up and perfectly coiffed hair, that I may be a bad Mom, undependable friend, lazy employee…the list goes on and on.

Alas, this day in question leads me to one of my biggest downfalls…judging the “book” next to me by the cover.  This book looked to be about 70 years old.  The cover had deep wrinkles but hints of perfection in between the chapters of the life it surely held together.  I assumed this book was well taken care of by a man as her pages were neatly manicured.  She was reading the “Economist” magazine so I assumed her story was one of wealth and advantage.  As I tried unsuccessfully to not bother either passenger seated next to me while shoving my huge case beneath the seat in front of me,  she said, “I don’t think your brief case is going to fit.”  For some reason, probably because I had already sized her up in about the first minute I was in the seat, her comment infuriated me.  I snapped back, “I fly all the time and never have had problems with my brief case under the seat.”  Admittedly, the brief case is large and the wheels inevitably cause problems with a proper fit underneath the seat on some older Southwest Airlines planes.  Though she was probably right, in that moment all I could think is how dare she saying something like that to me after the week I’d had away from my family, traveling non-stop!  “Why, a person of her age, her arrogance, and her privilege knows nothing about working,” I concluded to myself.

For the next hour she sat thumbing through her magazine and I sat like a sardine in the damn middle seat stewing about the old-timer sitting next to me.  In my mind I called her every name I could think of, had concocted an Oscar winning story about who this woman was and where she came from and could hardly wait to get off of the plane to remove myself from the situation.  Usually I don’t do this, even in the midst of the madness going on in my head I kept saying to myself, “You don’t know her and these accusations are so unfair.”  Even typing it on this post makes me sick to my stomach.  It truly was a moment in time I'm ashamed of.

Half way through the flight, she turned my way and I to her.  Our eyes met and we both looked away.  In that moment, I was completely taken aback.  She was breathtakingly beautiful.  In an instance of insanity, before I could catch myself, out of my mouth came, “Oh my gosh you are beautiful”.  She turned to look at me and said, “Are you talking to me?”   “Yes ma’am,” I said, “You are gorgeous.”  And I meant every word!

Those words started a friendship between an old book and one that has lots to learn about judging covers that encompass us all.  In two hours remaining on our flight, I learned about a lifetime that made-up her book of life.  This was the first time she had flown since her husband of over fifty years had died of cancer.  Her daughter lives in Texas and her grandson attends college in Colorado so she was flying to meet them both to get his door room set-up for another year of schooling.  She was convinced her daughter was worrying about her being at home alone and therefore invited her to Denver for a long weekend.  As we continued to discuss our lives, my new friend told me she has two masters’ degrees and worked in academia her entire career.  You see, she was not a kept woman at all but a woman that broke through barriers in order to give some smart-ass younger person, like me, a fighting chance at success in the world as a woman.  She has a brilliant mind but one that, in that moment, was incredibly fragile as she had to learn how to navigate in this world alone for the first time in her adult life.  I learned her neighborhood is full of people that love her and the church she attends has been rock solid as she continued to find her footing.  She told me she was “blessed” but somehow I could not help but feel the true blessings were to those that came into contact with her.  This is the kind of book I love to read. 

The flight ended entirely too soon and I found myself overcome with guilt about the horrible things I thought of such a lovely person.  Mary Ann and I have stayed in touch since then.  I imagine this holiday will be incredibly difficult for her and her family.  As I plan for great things in 2015, my biggest hope is I’m able to view all of the “books” around me knowing they each tell a story that has impacted how their cover looks at the moment my eyes see them.  Regardless of what the outside looks like; worn, polished, pulled together perfectly or a complete disaster, when my book is completed, I hope others can read it before they make snap judgments about me based on how my cover looks.  Of all the learnings I've gathered this year, perhaps this is the greatest one of all.

“Judge tenderly, if you must. There is usually a side you have not heard, a story you know nothing about, and a battle waged that you are not having to fight.” – Traci Lea LaRussa

2014 Year In Rewind

I just returned from a walk down memory lane though this walk was not on my usual route.  The usual path starts at Failed Marriage Drive, heads north down Dating Douche Bag Street, turns left on Cancer Way, heads westward when I hit the fork in the road between Dream Chasing Avenue and Motherhood Street and usually ends at Emotional Breakdown Blvd.  This path is followed several times a year where I am always drawn to the same conclusion, it's a miracle I am where I am with the crazy life I've lived!


My walk this week began while looking at my sister-in-law's new company website and searching her competition to see how she matches up.  While searching, I ran across my blog page and began reading the blogs that consumed my life for a three-month stretch of time in 2012 and decided that I needed to write about our year.  So, in lieu of sending a neatly typed note in our yearly Christmas card, this year I'm saving trees and taking up my edge of cypher space with our year in rewind. 


2014 may go down as one of the most stressful years of our lives.  I read an article recently and took one of those fun online "quizzes" that asks the fool (i.e. me) to check the box next to all of the "major life events" that have taken place in the past 12 to 24 months.  At the end I was instructed to add up my score and voila, the 300+ points I racked-up made me highly susceptible to anxiety-induced illness!!  Well, Merry Christmas to you too online quiz!!  Now, give me a moment to go throwaway my snotty Kleenex!

February 1 was a milestone for our family, Elyse celebrated her first birthday which meant we made it through one whole year with a kid that is still a living and breathing being.  I have no idea how we managed to keep her alive but we did and I thank God daily for it.

Gayland started the year with a new lease on life or at least work.  In December of 2013, Dell offered a global buy-out to all employees, which Gayland jumped on like Will Rogers jumped on Soapsuds' back to ride off into the Oklahoma sunset.  We loaded up our wagons and headed north until we found a spot that seemed like a good place to set down roots which, to these city-slickers, is two miles due east of downtown Denver, CO.  We bought a house, set-up shop and have loved our time in the Mile High city surrounded by beautiful scenery, seasons and a whole slew of fabulous people!


When you take a buy-out from a company, you are effectively, jobless, which means…no... job, no income, and a wife that's living on pins and needles.  Luckily for our daughter, she was able to spend hour-upon-hour of quality time with her Dad!  This is the best gift they could have given each other.  Gayland began his short stint as stay-at home-Dad and perhaps God’s biggest small blessing was all of the time Elyse and he had to bond.  No amount of money can buy that kind of time back and I'm thankful!


With what seemed like constant change, the one thing we could rely on was the consistency of my job, which I've had for over four years, right?  R-i-g-h-t….that is until two days after we arrived in Denver my boss called to let me know the "great news"!  The sales team had restructured and the whole scope of my job had changed.  I was now on a new team with a new manager focusing on our strategic partnerships, which essentially meant all new customers (with the exception of a few) and non-traditional restaurant companies (hotels, grocery stores, convenience stores, cruise lines, entertainment, etc.).  My territory went from six states to fifty and everything I thought I knew about the world of restaurants changed in the matter of seconds.  It's been exhilarating and scary and rewarding and fulfilling and maddening and nauseating!  If you've ever had new job you get what I'm saying!

The worst thing we endured this year was what felt like the very sudden passing of Gayland's Mom, Mary, in May.  Looking back, her health began to decline after her 70th birthday party, which was in August of 2009.  She was in incredible pain every moment of every day for the past few years and when we finally received a diagnosis of her illness, all of the years of suffering made complete sense.  Multiple Myeloma is a complete Bitch!  If it were a woman I would take her out back and give her an old fashioned ass whoopin'!  Cancer has no discrimination, fear or care of the lives it wrecks.  I hate it!


A week prior to Mary's death, Gayland landed a "hunter" sales job which put him outside again but still in technology with a company called Zones.  He actively pursues new partnerships and resale’s products such as HP and Dell hardware and software for companies like Oracle.  He loves the challenge of establishing a brand virtually unknown in the Denver technology world and new work relationships!


My summer was spent traveling non-stop, experiencing people and places I never thought in my wildest dreams I get to meet and see.  Though being on the road is draining, visiting the Pentagon twice in a few months time made it all worth it.


In November, our New York City experience came full circle when we took Elyse back to our adopted home to visit the nurse, doctors and sonographer as well as restaurants and friends that have left an indelible impact on our lives forever.  I plan to write a separate blog post about this experience but suffice it to say, it has made my heart whole again.  OH, and while in Manhattan, I was lucky enough to finally complete the NYC marathon…pretty awesome!


So, this leads me to December 9 and two days before we leave for Tennessee to visit Gayland's family for the first time without Mary.  You know, Mary was Jesus' mother and for Christians, the mother of our faith.  I can't imagine how she must have felt when her son gave his life on the cross.  It must have been horrific to lose someone you loved with all of your heart and soul.  As I think about the upcoming holidays, Mary and Mary come to my mind.  To my mother-in-law, I'm forever grateful she gave me her son to love until the end of time and for the other Mary, I'm so thankful I get to celebrate the birth of her son, Jesus, who gave his life for mine.  CHRISTmas always reminds me of the full circle of life.  

In closing, my hope is this holiday season fills your heart with peace, tranquility and thankfulness.  Merry Christmas to you all and a Happy 2015!

A year, not just a day of giving Thanks!

374 days ago, Gayland and I were sitting in a shoebox-sized Manhattan high rise apartment relishing in the fact that in one day we would celebrate two things:  Having made it to our first milestone in the pregnancy post hospitalization, 28 weeks gestation, and Thanksgiving!  Though we were without family or friends to share the season with, it still was the best Thanksgiving of our lives as we had overcome what seemed impossible and unachievable a mere five weeks before, staying pregnant!  It was a miracle then and remains a miracle now that Elyse is so perfect! 

Jump ahead a year and we find ourselves again giving thanks for the bountiful blessings for which we have been bestowed.  Needless to say, we are thankful we're in this life stage and not that one but we wouldn't trade that experience, the city or the fantastic people that forever touched our lives for the world!  

In preparing my "list of thanksgiving" this year, I thought it appropriate to look-up how the word Thanksgiving is actually defined.  Ole Mr. Webster says Thanksgiving is “the act of giving thanks; grateful acknowledgement of benefits or favors, especially to God.” Well eat a whole pie for Thanksgiving dessert and don't county your Weight Watchers points, he might as well have said Thanksgiving is defined as “Leslie Paffe’s life” because the two are one in the same!!

As I bethink on the year behind, I want to give thanks to God for my biggest blessings of 2013:

1.     Elyse Harlan Paffe – there are no words…if you’re a parent; you get it…I can’t explain beyond that.  She’s our world.

2.     Ignorance – I’m thankful I didn’t know, regardless how many times I was warned, how hard the first six weeks of parenthood is.  There is no preparation for sleeping in two hour increments, post-partum hormones (I still take drugs to remind me of those damn hormones), inconsolable crying, weird baby noises OH and balancing all of that with the fact you still have a marriage to keep in tact.  Yea, I’m thankful I didn’t know all of that!

3.    Turning 37 (in a month) - I’ve finally come into my own and this person, thankfully, looks different than the person I thought I would and should be.  I’m honored to say I’m a wife, mother, daughter, sister, aunt, niece, career-woman, part-time dream chaser, athlete, pie and cooking-maker, wine drinker, fantastic food enjoying friend.

4.     Family – It’s dysfunctional and crazy and maddening and beautiful and unique.  I wouldn’t trade any of them for the world.  

5.     Friends –I have been incredibly blessed to have a few that date back nearly thirty years, one that goes back to 2000 a few from my days in Nashville and newer friendships I cherish as much as the old ones.  Regardless where they fall on the timeline of my life, I’m so thankful for them all.

6.     Opportunity – We live in a free country full of opportunity if we only allow our minds to see beyond the limitations we set for ourselves.  For this, I’m thankful.

7.     Faith – It has kept me warm in the coldest days of my life and allows me to exhale deeply knowing God is in control and will lead us where we are supposed to go.  

8.     An amazing job – Working for companies life Spurs Sports & Entertainment and GSD&M Advertising look good on a resume.  Though they both provided memorable experiences and lasting friendships, not until I worked for the National Restaurant Association did I realize having a job could be fun!  I love my company, my bosses, co-workers and customers.  My wish is everyone could enjoy his or her work as much as I enjoy mine.

9.     Breastfeeding – It has been one of the biggest joys in my life.  With all the complications from the pregnancy, birth and post-partum issues, it still remains the only thing I planned to do that actually worked.  My goal was six months and I’m almost at ten.  With a strenuous travel schedule, I thought it impossible to continue, so this was, and will remain one of my biggest blessings of the year.

10.  Forgiveness – Generally speaking, nothing specific.  In the past year it has granted me the freedom to move on while still loving those that intentionally or unintentionally caused pain.  This is the biggest blessing we can give others and our selves.

As we all gather around the table, my hope is your day is filled with family, friends, memories, hope for the future and thankfulness for those things in life we take for granted.  Thanks to each of you for the goodness you have brought to ours.