Snapshots: A Day Trip to Belize City for Medical Tests and Cake

Yesterday I was up early. To catch the San Pedro Belize Express Water taxi to Belize City.  To get a check-up on my Thyroid.  Off-warranty 🙂

Last fall, after months of feeling like I had no energy and having 2 doctors point out that my thyroid should be “looked at” – I got diagnosed with Hashimoto’s Disease – an autoimmune issue affecting my thyroid gland.  It is relatively common and nothing critical at the moment – but something to keep an eye on.  And testing 3-4 times a year will be a new part of my life.  A pretty simple blood test and then a chat and check-up with my doctor in Belize City – who is a more general practitioner at Belize Health Care Partners, one of the private hospitals in Belize City.

Since there is no endocrinologist in Belize, he also suggests a check-up with an endocrinologist once a year – either in Cancun or Merida.  I’m going to head north sometime this summer…but that has yet to be planned.  (I did have a video consultation thru Belize Specialist Hospital with a Belizean born endocrinologist, Dr. Virgilio Melgar Manzanilla (great name, right?), working in Merida, a few months ago – and I plan to go up and meet him…he was great)

It’s been 8 years since I was in beautiful Merida – I can’t wait to go back.

So back to yesterday…I headed to town early to catch the 830am water taxi to Belize City.  (It was WINDY!)

Wonky one-handed picture going over the bridge.

Sitting up front as the captain backs us up…

Jumped in a taxi in Belize City and I arrived a few minutes late at Belize Health Care Partners.  No problem.  Everyone here is SOOO friendly.  I’m a fan.

Blood test processing – I took a very short walk over to a spot I’ve been eyeing on Instagram.  A Belizean pastry chef who studied in Mexico and worked in Cancun and Spain making beautiful cakes.

It’s called Bleu by Einer Marin.

It’s beautiful inside…

And my motto is prominently displayed.

I was mesmerized…

Each of these cakes glimmering like jewels…

Mousses and ganache and compotes…too many of my favorite words…

I froze but the lovely ladies at the shop steered me towards the “Textures of Chocolate”.  And GOOD LORD it was deliicious.  All made with San Pedro’s own Belize Chocolate Company‘s chocolates.

It was so good…you could taste each level separately and it was delicious…and together it was even better.

Obviously high on sugar (and convincing myself that these were small pieces), I ordered a second piece.  Cream cheese mouse and berry compote and…

And couldn’t quite finish it.  And then the chef sent me a piece of banana bread!  2 tastes and I had to get it to go…

But it had me questioning my recipe for:  THE WORLD’S BEST BANANA BREAD.  His bread is more tender, more cake like…finer.  So delicious.

I questioned the Chef later on Instagram – asking him to weigh in on my constant inner struggle.  Vegetable oil makes the cake moister…but butter gives me flavor.  WHICH WAS HE USING OR WAS HE USING BOTH?

Answer?  He is using EXACTLY the same ingredients as I am.  (Minus the cinnamon)  I need to get back to the drawing board.  My banana bread is delicious but I like this finer grain.

Must keep experimenting- on measurements.

The entire cake shop is lovely – and cool and inviting.  Stop in with friends and order coffee and a few cakes for tasting and passing around.  Or perhaps he can put some on the plane to San Pedro…

LOADED with sugar and carbs I went back to the hospital for a check-up, a chat and my results (low but okay)

Blood test:  $160bzd and consultation/check-up:  $60bzd

Again, an $8bzd taxi to the downtown area and one of the bigger supermarkets in Belize City, Brodies.  They have some foods that we use all the time but at lower prices than San Pedro.  So…I always get a big bagful of stuff before I jump on the water taxi.

Bob’s Red Mill – they have a huge selection and at much lower prices than San Pedro.

The quick-cooking steel-cut oats for $8.40bzd.  Tollhouse chips for $8.25bzd (here in San Pedro they generally run about $13 or 14)   Yes, I spent all those savings and more on cake.  But that was the PLAN!  Plus, the stop allows me to walk back to the water taxi for some of my favorite Belize City views.

The courthouse.

The fishing boats and…if you squint…two monstrous cruise ships behind them.

And I jumped on the 3pm water taxi back to San Pedro.  (We arrived at about 445pm)

Heading back over the bridge…heading home by 5pm.  A long day but it feels good to get out and about…to see my Belize City taxi driver buddies and to keep on top of my medical stuff.

Trying not to relapse on Expat Denial.

For those who don’t know the definition:  Move to a beautiful new country, life is exciting and different, the weather gorgeous, you are always wearing shorts and flip-flops, you feel younger so…some of that “real-world stuff” can just…slip your mind.

Have a great day!