Everyone is talking about it. The weather. More specifically - the unending snowstorms and cold weather that has hit Vancouver Island and the Pacific Northwest.
When we moved to the Island, I signed up and prepared for rain. For the first two winters I smugly wore my raincoat while friends and family wore parkas in Alberta. The joke was on me when the first huge snowfall hit in early December, and it took me five days to find a store that even had a shovel!
Whether it was a premonition of things to come or simply the desire to return to Belize and reconnect with old friends while soaking up the sun, we booked a winter holiday months before the first snowflake fell.
It has been 6 years since we were in San Pedro on Ambergris Caye, and we saw how some things were just as we left it, but in other ways we saw that time did not stand still.
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| Flying into San Pedro with the reef in the distance |
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| Roger walking along "The Cut" and looking at the toll bridge that connects the south part of the island with the newly developed north part of the island. |
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| In 2003, there was a hand pulled ferry to take people across The Cut. |
The north side of the island has seen the most development with large condos (but still no big chains and the highest building is 4 stories). One of the newest places to grab a beer and bite to eat is the "Truck Stop". With our rental golf cart, we stopped there a couple of times for delicious lunches.
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| We had 6 weeks of beautiful blue skies |
Belize was hit by Hurricane Earl on August 4, 2016. Every dock on the east side of the island where all the resorts are located were destroyed. The majority of docks were rebuilt by the Christmas high season as a testament to the importance of tourism on the island.
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| Damaged dock |
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| Another damaged dock |
The best thing about Belize is the people we've met over the years. Many we met in 2003 continue to be dear friends, and we reconnected this year like we had just seen each other. They come from a wide range of backgrounds, interests and experiences. They are like a mosaic, or a patchwork quilt and knowing them enriches our lives.
In 2003 we stayed at the Corona del Mar for about 5 months. There, we met Frank, the hotel's handyman and all around great guy. To say his life has not been easy would be an understatement, but he is one of the most positive people we've ever met. He may not be able to read or write, but he can do anything that needs to be done. If you check out the hotel on Trip Advisor - you will read how much the guests appreciate him.
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| Frank and Roger have always had a great bond and enjoy sharing a beer and playing horseshoes |
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| Roger and Frank in 2006 |
On our first trip to Belize, we met Sara and Bob Morris from Chrisman, Illinois. They had come 30 years before with their 3 kids when they took a mystery trip with a travel club. On the island they are known as Sarita and Dr. Bob (he is a retired vet) and both have made a huge impact.
The first time we saw them, they were 70 years old and walked by us in their wet suits as they jumped on a boat to go scuba diving. Sara and Bob became role models to us. They were the first people we met who had an adventurous spirit and it gave us the confidence to find our own path as we looked for adventure. They are revered...they are respected....and they are loved.
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| We spent many hours chatting while we were in Belize this year |
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Sara and Bob love to dance - especially to the music of the island's popular duo, Will and Dale who play at Ramon's.
Roger gave in and agreed to do his "one dance a year" quota. Guess that's it for 2017. |
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| Bob and Sara dancing in 2006 |
Bob and Sara used to own a charming cottage on the beach. They sold it in 2007 but before that, their porch was "the" place to be.
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Christmas Day 2003
Some of Sara and Bob's family were visiting, and Anette and Brad were there too |
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| Sadly, their cottage has been bought and sold a couple of times, but has not been cared for. |
We were invited to Ken and Jenny Osterman's house one Sunday where we were joined with David and MaryAnn Wine. There, we learned how to make shrimp fried rice from the daughter of the woman who used to own and cook at the Jade Garden restaurant. I doubt if I can replicate it, but it was absolutely delicious and a lot of fun.
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| Left to right: Ken, Jenny, Roger, David and MaryAnn |
Sara and Bob hosted a wonderful cocktail party so their friends could meet their son, Bobby, his two kids Matt and Jennifer, and Matt's girlfriend, Ally who were visiting for a few days.
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Sara and MaryAnn sharing a laugh with Lucky the one eyed cat
Sadly, Lucky was hit by a vehicle just a couple of weeks after the party, and had to be euthanized. |
Roger kept active working out at a gym several times a week, and I participated in aquasize classes at the same club. When the pool turned a nasty green, a few of us decided to run our own class in the Yacht Club's pool.
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| Left to right: Heather, MaryAnn, Sara and Vonni |
Roger loves to fish, and went out a couple of times -- catching everything from an abundance of snapper to a shark!
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| Jenny and Burrell Wolsey from DeWinton, Alberta are long time friends |
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| Burrell and Roger caught a huge number of snapper that the captain filleted for us. Delicioso! |
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| On another fishing expedition, Roger caught a 3-4 foot shark, and the first mate caught a 5 foot one. The larger one was donated to the high school for their lunch program, and the captain and first mate shared the one Roger caught. Catching a shark was definitely a first for Roger! |
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| The first mate throwing out a net to catch bait |
Snorkeling and scuba diving are the two main activities on Ambergris Caye. This year we bought new full face snorkeling masks and loved how comfortable they are despite making us look like we are aliens.
In addition to snorkeling at the end of the Yacht Club's dock, we went to the popular Shark Ray Alley and Hol Chan Marine Park. There was a great variety of fish and we saw: moray eels, stingrays, parrot fish, lion fish, groupers, sharks, hard sided jacks, angel fish....and so much more.
It's always an adrenaline rush being close to sharks - even if they are relatively harmless nurse sharks. The guide chummed the water, and while I was in the water they went into a feeding frenzy. They were much larger than the last time I snorkeled there --- some were 10 ft long. It was exciting and it felt good not to be scared.
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Sharks in a feeding frenzy.
I had to try not to bump into them as the guide warned getting close to their mouths might get us bitten. |
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| Hanging out on the dock. Life is good. |
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| We tried to eat healthy meals so BBQ'd often. This feast of lobster tails and grilled vegetables was a favorite. |
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| My favorite time of the day was having a cup of coffee on our patio watching the sun rise. |
It was a glorious six weeks of not wondering if it was going to snow and if the roads were treacherous. We reconnected with old friends and made a few new ones. We experienced good and not so good changes in a place that served as our launch pad to adventure and it was like re-reading a favorite book to go back as we plan where to explore next.
As it turns out, we don't have long to wait for our next trip and our mantra,"Seize the Day" is repeated. Brad and Anette asked if we'd like to join them and Magnus on Valve's annual employee trip to Hawaii in late March. Hell yes, we'd love to go! We are staying at the Fairmont Orchid on the Big Island and plan on taking a helicopter ride to see an active volcano, snorkel with turtles and have fun as a family.
Just try to wipe the smile off my face.
"A good life is a series of happy moments."
Denis Waitley
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