A Day of Shopping: The Macy’s, Staples and Philippine Embassy of Belize City

I like a day in Belize City.

There.  I said it.

No, it is not Paris or New York.  No, I would not recommend it to first time visitors to Belize.  No, I don’t recommend taking a solo midnight stroll.  (I REALLY don’t recommend that one.)

But it has it charms.  You don’t have to look too closely to feel like it’s 50 or 100 years ago.

Yesterday I took the water taxi over (1.5 hour ride) for a day of shopping.  Rain clouds were hovering over but I didn’t see rain all day like San Pedro did.

The San Pedro Belize Express’s dock is still being re-built after Hurricane Earl.  It now leaves just a few docks north in Central Park.  The 10am boat was blissfully roomy.

I had a list of items for stocking up “the camp” – Cayo Frances Farm & Fly – which hosts her first official guests this week.

My first stop?  The Macy’s of Belize – Mirab’s.  It is just steps away from the water taxi, just outside the Tourist Village Cruise Ship Dock.

Inside, I found much of what I needed – light blankets, baking pans, towels and more.  Things that I couldn’t find in San Pedro or ones that were much cheaper in Belize City.

I also found Mirab’s setting up for…CHRISTMAS.  Holy moly.

They are still working but just below…

…there will be a huge HUGE faux tree all aglitter.

Next I hit Hofius and Augusto Quan hardware stores (less than 10 minutes away and over the bridge).

Passing this cool looking drug store.

And this over the water bar.

The first, Hofius, has LOTS of cheap home good – from plates to lamps to pots and pans.

Time to stop for a delicious lunch across the street in the shadow of the old courthouse.

Mmmm…the Ice Cream Shoppe.

Next stop…the Staples of Belize City – Angellus Press.

You can even get the official English to Kriol dictionary.

I bought a few things here and continued on down the road.  I was planning on visiting Food & Beverage (the Price Club of Belize) and then a framing store about 10 minutes walk down the way.  It was a straight shot in a well traveled area.

The wires overhead…wowzer.  I saw pieces of metals hangers stuck in this one.

Lots of small shops – selling groceries – are in some cool looking buildings.  Like this one…

Or this one.

I wonder who Charlie Yon was.

On New Road, I passed this beautiful rehabilitated home.  Lawyers below and the Philippines consulate above.  Granted, I have not met everyone in the country – but is there a sizeable Philippino group here that I don’t know about?

After googling the list, I am confused by quite a few of them.  Estonia?  Can anyone help me out here?

I found my framing shop, rightfully named “The Framing Shop” on Cleghorn Road and got a few estimates.

It was time to walk back and head to the water taxi.  I actually had 45 minutes and stopped for a pedicure.  It’s been WAY too long.  The ladies asked me if I wanted a cup of Boone’s during the treatment 🙂

I had already dropped off most of my loot.  I passed this sign which, again, got me thinking.

Why are many of the signs in Belize in this exact handwriting?  Is there one sign painter who travels all over?  Or is this a special Belize font?

The 3pm water taxi was JAM PACKED.  Oy.  I got back to San Pedro just after 4:30, did some quick errands and head home.  For a day that ended cloudy, it was a gorgeous sunset over the lagoon.

And MAN…was I tired.