My Five Things: From San Pedro’s “Bourbon Street” To Canceling NYE (I’m ALL For it!)

This is my last post of 2020!  I hope you all are enjoying your mostly low-key holidays.  New Year’s Eve will be particularly low key around here. In fact, I’ll probably be sleeping, after watching a few episodes of our “new” show, Schitt’s Creek (via VPNed Netflix on my computer), and not notice at all.

Here are Five Things that I discovered/have been obsessing over this past week.  It’s interesting what you can come up when you scroll thru your IPhone snapshots!

Help me name San Pedro’s “Bourbon Street” 

Yesterday, as I was driving down the beach road on the north side of San Pedro town, I noticed another bar being built over the water.

And one had just relocated from south of town to this area as well – this one on land.  As of my count…on this 832 yard strip (thanks Google Maps)…there is one high school and 14 bars.

There are great ones along this route – I’m not trying to be down on the bars but they are just becoming so NUMEROUS…it can’t be easy business.

Starting from the south end – here’s the list – OW = Over the water

Palapa Bar OW, Sandbar, NuPalm Island Lounge, Playa Bar, Sandy Toes Beach Bar, Loser’s Bar OW, Duck Bar OW, NautiCrab Bar, Waves Bar (formerly Hurricanes) OW, THIS NEW ONE OW, LeChoza Bar – and then there are 2 more, I believe at Boca Del Rio Park

Ugly Duck bar

We are DEFINITELY going to need a new name for this strip.  The once residential area has become BUSY.  10 years ago, there was one over-the-water bar – Palapa Bar (at the time Wet WIlly’s Cantina) 

There has been talk, in the past, of making this beach road only a pedestrian walk but I’m not sure where all of this traffic would park?!

I don’t have any good suggestions but I think we, collectively, should work on one!  So we don’t get stuck with a name like “Secret Beach”.

Also…can we expect more businesses to follow?  Gift shops?  Galleries?  I…how can I say this tactfully.  Selling souvenirs to people who have had a few rum punches is like…shooting fish in a barrel?  I’ll work on the wording.

Traveller’s Palms

I think I mentioned that a few weeks ago, I purchased 2 beautiful young Traveler Palms from a fruit and veggie store on Back Street that had a very nice plant display before Christmas.  Both are about 4 feet tall.

I haven’t planted them yet – I want to make sure the conditions are IDEAL before doing so.  (I can kill a plant very quickly if left to my own devices)

Here is the most interesting thing that I have been considering.  Traveler’s Palms – which are not actually palms but giant flowers – are named so because water collects between the branches – and can quench a traveler’s thirst in case of emergency.  AND because they ALLEDGELY

grow East to West – so they can be used for directions if lost in the bush.  (This is assuming that the traveler can not see the sun/is travelling in the bush at night?)

This is something that I am just starting to check.  I do NOT want these perfectly fanned palms growing wonky.  The internet tells me this is a myth but…I dunno.  They DO seem to grow in a certain direction.

Let me know what you know.  And don’t be alarmed if you see my standing in front of one of your trees with my compass in hand.

Western Dairies Wholesaler

A few days ago, a friend of mine posted that she was stopping by the Western Dairies Wholesaler in San Pedro to buy cheese, ice cream and PIZZA.  Pizza?!

Western Dairies is one of the most well-known brands in Belize – and the first business to try Dairy farming on a large scale in Belize.  A Mennonite business, started in Spanish Lookout, Belize in the late 60s…they are now famous for ice cream, cheese and milk.  All things that are tough to produce and transport in a tropical country!

I stopped in yesterday.  Turn onto the street JUST north of the Fire Department – it’s a bumpy one!  Make your way to the first junction and you’ll see the sign.

It’s just a small house with a few freezers – much more of an office than a shop.  There is cheese, milk, lots of ice cream and one pizza left.  THE PIZZA COSTS JUST OVER $10BZD!  A 1/2 gallon of ice cream, $15bzd.  Both these prices, in San Pedro, are CHEAP!!!!

I bought a tub of vanilla ice cream (now I need to make an apple crumble!) and half a pound of “marble cheese” ($6bzd)…and I will report back.  I just wanted to let you know it is there!

Oh…and if you buy ice cream…bring a cooler.  Here was my makeshift one for the golf cart ride home.

Classy but it worked!

ADD TWO MORE BOOKS TO MY FAVORITES FOR 2020

One of my happy places is reading a GREAT book on my bed.  I think it’s something that many introverts understand.  (Introvert is my STRONGEST quality on the old Meyers-Briggs test)

Last week I posted about my 24 best.  I have two more to add – and I’ll make it quick but these were SO good…I read each in about a day.

Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid

His Only Wife by Peace Adzo Medie

SOOO good.

LET’S CANCEL NEW YEARS

I have never been a fan of NYE.  No matter WHAT you are doing…it feels like “not enough”.  It’s such a frenzied night…often feeling like fake fun.

I’d rather stay home…I’d rather act like it’s any other day…because it kinda is.  Nothing magical happens at midnight.  (See above re: my predominant quality:  INTROVERT)

In just one way, 2020 is my year! NO ONE is asking that annoying and judgemental question – “What are you doing for New Year’s??”  I say judgemental because when you are young, it seems impossible to answer “nothing” even if that is exactly what you are doing.  This year no one is asking.

I actually LIKE the offers this year in San Pedro – early and quiet and…seemingly WAY less frenzied.

This article in the New Yorker most CERTAINLY inspired this post and helped me put words to what I’ve been feeling for a while.  Cancel New Year’s Eve!

Remember that we have a curfew at 8pm – and alcohol sales stop at 6pm.  It may not be midnight in Belize but it’s MIDNIGHT SOMEWHERE!

Or at Matachica Resort at beautiful Mambo.

Mmmmm…that cake sounds DIVINE!

I hope you have a happy continued holiday week and I’m sending LOVE and NOT asking you what you are doing for NYE 🙂

Posted in: