We've developed a bit of a routine in our day, walking and doing in and around our South end neighborhood. Here's a little tour... enjoy!
This is our adorable street, Marina Dr. is what it says on our BEL bill but I've never actually seen a posted sign anywhere. At the far end sits the Sausage Factory and Caye Coffee and this end leads to the beach, right at Xanadu.
On to the hustle & bustle of our main street. We typically pick up a quick bite at the bakery, Super Buy (South) or the little restaurant on the corner (help me out if you can think of the name) and then head over to Marina's store for some fresh bait ...and rum on the weekends.
Most of the local fellas who live on our street gather down on the beach to bbq and share a few laughs on Sunday afternoons. We were quickly made to feel very welcome and it has replaced our old family tradition of Sunday dinner at mom's. It gives the kids a real sense of belonging here and they absolutely love picking up fishing tips from the best!
If we happen to have errands to run or the kids want to go visit the dogs at Saga, we head a little farther into town. We usually walk along the beach as it is cooler and more enjoyable than talking the hot, dusty backroads.
Shady, breezy and cooler...
Hot and dusty...
Then it's off to fish, swim and explore for the remainder of the day.
We start out at the end of our lane, near Xanadu Resort. There is a small pier and some rocks where we sit, climb, contemplate life, fish, observe and chat with friends. (This is also where our Sunday knees-up happens.)
Fabulous view along the way...
Sometimes we stop to make new friends.
Our walkabout is never complete without a little fishing at Mata Rocks. This seems to be the best place to see Permit. (You can see the "big pier" in the background here. We have no clue if it has a real name but it's always on our list of places to stop.)
Below is the view from the "big pier". You can see why we make it a daily stop. You can see for miles and it's a good place to see stingrays and big fish from afar. It's quite a height but the local youth don't mind; they can be seen gathering here on sunny days, running and jumping into the waist deep water below, often with their dogs following.
Ours will have none of it; the nanny once pushed him off the pier and he had to swim back to shore through some deeper water... he is big-chested & front heavy and had a really hard time. Needless to say, I wasn't very please to hear about it but like so many other things, you have to keep in mind the cultural differences here.
A little more night fishing to catch some bait for the morning...
A quick stop at Marina's to pick up some dinner and eggs for the morning and then back home. We feel very safe in our neighborhood walking at night, more so on the streets than along the beach because there is a lot more action up on the streets at night with food vendors, bar patrons etc.
Almost home... our blood has fed an army of mosquitoes by this time.
So this is a typical day in our Belize life and hopefully paints a good picture of South AC for anyone considering a long term stay in this area.
This is our adorable street, Marina Dr. is what it says on our BEL bill but I've never actually seen a posted sign anywhere. At the far end sits the Sausage Factory and Caye Coffee and this end leads to the beach, right at Xanadu.
This is our neighbor's yard. It's rather rare to see so much grass around here, most of us have sand. It's a nice reminder of home and I love walking through it after a few hours of sandy beach and dirt roads; feels cool, soft and fresh under your feet!
Here is another neighbor's yard and Nemo, one of their three dogs. Multiple dogs are pretty common here where residents need to be conscious of home security.
On to the hustle & bustle of our main street. We typically pick up a quick bite at the bakery, Super Buy (South) or the little restaurant on the corner (help me out if you can think of the name) and then head over to Marina's store for some fresh bait ...and rum on the weekends.
Most of the local fellas who live on our street gather down on the beach to bbq and share a few laughs on Sunday afternoons. We were quickly made to feel very welcome and it has replaced our old family tradition of Sunday dinner at mom's. It gives the kids a real sense of belonging here and they absolutely love picking up fishing tips from the best!
Go Nature, one of my favorite shops...
If we happen to have errands to run or the kids want to go visit the dogs at Saga, we head a little farther into town. We usually walk along the beach as it is cooler and more enjoyable than talking the hot, dusty backroads.Shady, breezy and cooler...
Besides, if you take the beach you are almost guaranteed to see something cool.
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We start out at the end of our lane, near Xanadu Resort. There is a small pier and some rocks where we sit, climb, contemplate life, fish, observe and chat with friends. (This is also where our Sunday knees-up happens.)
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| Xanadu |
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| Xanadu |
Then we head down the beach to Banyan Bay where the kids love to swim, fish and climb the palms to pick coconuts and jump into the refreshing Caribbean Sea.
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| Banyan Bay |
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| Banyan Bay |
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| Banyan Bay |
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| Banyan Bay |
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| Banyan Bay |
Fabulous view along the way...
Sometimes we stop to make new friends.
Then it's over to Banana Beach to see our old friend Beauty.
Great place to stay by the way; I recommend it to all our friends who come visit, especially those with kids. They have 2 swimming pools, a restaurant and a beachside bar. It's cheap & cheerful and conveniently located. Security knows us and they watch diligently over the kids as they fish and play on the beach. We love it here!
Our walkabout is never complete without a little fishing at Mata Rocks. This seems to be the best place to see Permit. (You can see the "big pier" in the background here. We have no clue if it has a real name but it's always on our list of places to stop.)
Below is the view from the "big pier". You can see why we make it a daily stop. You can see for miles and it's a good place to see stingrays and big fish from afar. It's quite a height but the local youth don't mind; they can be seen gathering here on sunny days, running and jumping into the waist deep water below, often with their dogs following.
Ours will have none of it; the nanny once pushed him off the pier and he had to swim back to shore through some deeper water... he is big-chested & front heavy and had a really hard time. Needless to say, I wasn't very please to hear about it but like so many other things, you have to keep in mind the cultural differences here.
The wooden maze that supports the massive deck makes for a great jungle gym type climber. My monkeys find it very suitable, climbing up and down for hours.
Sometimes we go as far as Victoria House if it's early enough. Before 11 am you can usually catch a few barracuda hanging around.
After a full day we backtrack...
...and finish off our adventures back at Banyan Bay for a late afternoon dip as the sun begins to set.
A little more night fishing to catch some bait for the morning...
A quick stop at Marina's to pick up some dinner and eggs for the morning and then back home. We feel very safe in our neighborhood walking at night, more so on the streets than along the beach because there is a lot more action up on the streets at night with food vendors, bar patrons etc.
Almost home... our blood has fed an army of mosquitoes by this time.
Labels:
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beach,
Belize,
dogs,
family,
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South Ambergris Caye
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