The Wanderings of busman7

It can’t be 6 months already?

 Darn it is!

One thing I forgot to include in a prior post is there no shortage of wealth in the Rio Dulce area, there are more vessels in that area, from all over the world, that are worth more than most people’s dream homes would cost. Most owned by grey haired couples but more than a few by a grey haired guy with a young Latino at his side & some of them with small children.

All in all a nice day here on Caye Caulker despite a short shower around noon & a bit overcast to lessen the noonday heat which was HOT, HOT yesterday, another place I liked & on return is still a favorite, different from Antigua & wouldn’t want to live here full time but a great getaway place. If money were no object then a place here & another in Antigua would fit the bill nicely. While all The Pacific coast is nice and especially in El Salvador there’s something about the Caribbean that’s lacking elsewhere.

Getting my last taste of Caribbean & Latin food, jerk chicken with rice 7 beans accompanied by potato salad at a small take-out with a couple outside tables that is frequented by locals & SPICEY we’re talking FIRE here baby LOL. Last night snapper in a coconut sauce, rice, coleslaw & free rum drink included. Then breaky of tortilla’s, eggs, ham, beans, salsa & fried plantain with fresh pineapple juice only problem after the great coffee in both Cuba & Guatemala it sucks big time here. Lunch at The Lazy Lizard at the split curry shrimp with congri & mashed potatoes (es Belize can’t figure out if they’re English or Central American LOL). Going to have a major problem adjusting to Blah Canadian  food as I know the days of good congri are done & no “frijoles negra”, what ever shall I do????

Another problem is that while there are a few native Spanish speakers from elsewhere here on the whole you get kind of strange looks when ordering in Spanish, darn people speak English here & it’s a culture shock!! This afternoon I replied no por favor one of the few street sellers & got a funny look, guess most old white dudes don’t answer in Spanish but just seemed natural to me, Yep English Canada  is going to be culture shock for sure!

Getting time to pack for the last time & head out for a last dinner, think will go back to “The Tropical Paradise” resort restaurant good food & Spanisn spoken, group of French speakers from Canada in there last night & one of the group ordered in Spanish as their English was negligible. Then one last tropical breakfast at the little place on the way to the dock that opens at 06:00

Edit, Rum Punch; Edit, Rum Punch; Edit edit: OK just back from cena at “The Tropical Paradise” where there was a free Rum Punch with the specials which tonight was BBQ chose the Shrimp-Ka-Bob which was to die for served with good ole rice & black beans with cole slaw followed by cherry-cheesecake helado whoops Belize now so that would be ice cream LOL & then a few more Rum Punche’s. so that’s the clincher, live in or near Antigua & holiday on Caye Caulker about $100 Us away, accommodation from $8 back-packer UP. Sorry Cuba but even Baracoa can’t hold a candle to the Caye + no body, nuca presona asked for (demanded) money!!

So trip is almost over except for the crying & some censored words &  it’s the 07:30 water taxi to the city in the morning, land taxi to the airport on to Miami & a 5 hr lay over until end up back at Pearson at 23:30. Going to be a loooong day!

Bueno busman go beddy-bye now, Buenos noches.

WOW what a day sure glad I decided to end my quest this way & ain’t NO way in hell you will catch me living in Crapanada again, only maybe short very short visits.

Trip down the river was great, Guatemala for such a small country has many different areas from the Pacific coast through the highlands & jungle around Tikal & Rio Dulce. On the collectivo lancha, basically a small bus on the water there were 12 if us 11 20 something travelers & myself going on to Punta Gorda so we were able to arrange with  the captain of the lancha we were on to take us on saving a wasted night in Livingston.

Now any one that is faint of heart should pass on the 1 1/2 hr trip across the open Caribbean in a river boat & if you do, do NOT sit on the windward side & for sure not in the back just in front of the driver, this I know as of course that’s where I sat & had a bath from the swells coming in even with the tarp on that side. Pero (but) if you have a sense of adventure & don’t mind a boat ride that’s rougher than an Antigua tuk-tuk, Go for it better than any water-park ride!!!

Taxi driver that took me to the hotel, hadn’t checked LP for hotels here & was ready for a non salt water shower so resorted to the time tested tell taxi driver what you want in hotel & price & you got it baby, is taking his daughter into Belize City in the morning so made a deal to take me to for a good price. Saves a 7-8 hr chicken bus ride & will guarantee I get there in time to catch water taxi to Caye Caulker so can spend last 2 nights there as first water taxi Wed morn will get me back in time to catch plane for Miami & won’t have to stay in Belize City.

From the looks of this area & talking to the bar tender here it’s OK so have to revise my NO on Belize to a good for the southern part which was kind of the reason for traveling this way any how. Not surprising really as Belize stole this part from Guatemala anyway!!

Onward to Caye Caulker & more boat rides but bigger ones LOL

ps When you next find yourself here stop in at the Burkut good people great atmosphere, food, Wi-Fi & prices just behind The St Charles Inn

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