LOLison_SF

Belizeis much different than I envisioned it. Having originally been inhabited by pirates who brought (and left behind) thousands of Caribbean slaves, Belize reminded me of a tropical South Central LA. The people there spend their days doing a whole lot of nothing: riding around on bikes, braiding each other’s hair, listening to rasta music,laying on the beach, drinking, talking in a sing-songy it’s-not-English-it’s-not-Spanish-I-don’t-understand-a-thing, and falling asleep in wayward vehicles by the roadside. Somehow, Belize is simultaneously the poorest and most expensive third world country I’ve ever been. A prime example: in a town, devastated by hurricane Iris in October 2001, a town that is STILL trying to rebuild, a fish dinner costs $20US for two, which is HALF the price of what you pay in your hotel or resort. The draw to this small village in Southern Belize is two-fold: a chance to get off the main tourist track, and a chance to dive and OF COURSE some much needed R&R. Speaking of the main tourist track, on my way to the Tipsy Tuna/ Barefoot Bar, I discovered that Placencia is home to the World’s Narrowest Main Street - a sidewalk-wide strip of concrete that runs through the smaller hotels and restaurants of the town (pic to follow.)

When it comes to the people of Placencia, I must say all the men are friendly (surprise surprise) some a little TOO friendly.  The woman are not huge fans of tourists hanging out with “their men” and most of the time tried to run interference….sorry ladies, it didn’t work.  I spent the days at my resort working on an epic tan, and the nights out with a few great guys from my hotel.  I would say had I not met these guys I would have had a different night life experience for sure. I saw the sunrise more than I saw it set, I was out every night until the wee hours of the morning, and spent WAY too much time on planes and in airports.  Given the chance would I do it all over again? ABSOLUTLEY!! There is so much to do and there was so little time on this last trip, I was told that I was just “getting my feet wet.”