Lunch, Weather, Coconutz, The Everything Store and Summer Necessities on Ambergris Caye

I would call this a newsletter but the word “news” implies weight and importance…and this post has neither.  It’s just out and about in San Pedro.

• Lunch At Estel’s Dine By the Sea

The week has started out a bit hazy and a lot HOT.   Perfect weather for a meal with a breeze or just dunking yourself in the water.

I had ceviche and one delicious burger at Estel’s.  It’s not ALWAYS breakfast at Estels – but it is always an option.  They are open from 6am to 4pm.

The burger was delicious…and eaten too quickly for me to take a photo.  As were the beef brisket tacos…all great.  Take my word for it.

I took a quick photo of this man chopping coconuts for water while waiting for my food.

By mid-day, most of the haze burns off…and since Monday was a holiday, plenty of kids were in the water.

• “Coconutz” Exhibit at the San Pedro House of Culture

Yesterday I stopped into the House of Culture on Back Street, San Pedro to check out a new exhibit.  The history of Ambergris Caye is very much about coconuts.  The island spent many years as a coconut plantation.

Today, they are used for coconut water, oil (I just met someone yesterday who is cold pressing oil on the island – I’ll have to get you more info), art and souvenirs.

Here’s a bit of what is on display at the House of Culture.

Love this scarlet macaw wall hanging.

This little manatee is one of the cutest things I’ve seen in a while.  With its little coconut face…

Stop in…they have lots more art and some history of the island.  Two things I love.

I also LOVE new products and I received a pretty exciting one in the post that I am dying to try out.

A lovely card and a new coffee scrub with a super cute little spoon and bowl…

• 

There has not been an official launch of the brand…yet.  But you can find out more on their facebook page, Guilty Treasures.

• Bandanas

When walking around town in the heat of Belize’s summer, I find NOTHING more important that a cloth to clean my face.  Over the years, I’ve accumulated fancy ones and plain ones and lost almost all of them.  Easy come, easy go.

Since one…maybe two are needed a day, yesterday was a time to reload and the few remaining “plastic shops” in town are the places to do it.

Here is my favorite on Back Street – Mini Tienda Katherin.

Duck and walk in…it’s like a dark cave PACKED with merchandise…glasses, dishes, pots and pans, sewing needs (buttons, zippers, sequins, thread), underpants, knick-knacks, garden gnoes, flip flops…I mean, quite literally, everything.

Displayed on the outside, along with the mops, rakes and plastics, is the marley.  The vinyl floor covering – almost like a giant linoleum sticker sheet – called “marley” in Belize.  It’s an old Belizean tradition to get new curtains and new marley at Christmas.

But I wasn’t at my tienda for home renovation, I needed sweat rags.  And I found a huge assortment for $4bzd each.  Ones with marijuana leaves and skulls.  But I just chose some classic bandanas in some pretty colors.

Stiff like boards.  I dunked them in the sea before washing…and they softened up a bit.  They  are still a bit scratchy but should be perfect in a few weeks.

I took a few pictures on Back Street on the way home.