Walk San Pedro Town, It’s the Way to Go: Plus A Map & Gorgeous Panadas

I’m not sure I’ve ever used a map to navigate San Pedro town – Ambergris Caye’s only “urban center”.  But despite the basic lay-out – there are only three main streets – it can be complex to give directions to a newcomer.

Sentences start with things like “Do you know where the Lions’ Den is?”  Ummm….no.   “Okay, okay…forget that.  Start at the Five-Aside Court…”

Blank stare.

This is the wall around the 5-A-Side Court for those who don’t know it.

There are a few other issues…all the streets have actual names but NO ONE uses them.  If you had to quiz San Pedranos on the street names…I’m not sure how many people would get it correct.

Front Street.  Middle Street.  Back Street.   So easy.  Barrier Reef Drive.  Pescador Drive and…I have no idea what Back Street is called.  Not so much.

Here are some photos about town.  And where they are located.  Thanks Boaz GolfCarts for the groovy map.  It’s a good one.  I apologize for messing it up.

Here is what I saw yesterday…and some markers so you can play along.

Yellow Circle:  Is going to place you at the south end of Front Street and one of my favorite spots, the Belize Chocolate Factory.  Beautiful view yesterday.  But forget that.  They have a new special this week:  Rocky Road.  A huge chunk of chocolate, marshmallows, crunch, almonds, raisins…

$4bzd.  You are going to want one of these.

I walked turned back around, walked up the easement/alley and took a photo of the RC Primary School.  (Red Dot)

I walked down Front Street and peeked into the lobby of the Holiday Hotel (Green circle)…

And then down the alley between the building.  Beautiful BEAUTIFUL views of the sea.

I walked all the way down Front Street, went to Belize Bank (I just circled that one) and then over to Lola’s Pub (orange circle) for a soda water with lime and a little Wi-Fi.  Very comfortable spot…best sports bar in town for sure.

The serve the island’s only microbrew.

Here’s my drink of choice.

And the bar was just opening.

I passed Izzy’s new Smoothie Spot on the Middle Street.  It has lots of fans already.  (Grey Spot)

I made my way down to the Back Street (pink circle) where the Hol Chan Office is…

And just a few buildings down is one of my favorite fruit stands to get cut up fruit.  The building also houses a church and someone’s home.

A close up off the fruit.

I was on my way to Briana’s Deli for the meatball special – I LOVE meatballs and rice and everything that I eat at Briana’s is cheap and tasty.  But I stopped to chat with this gentleman about his brand new business.  Making fresh panadas.  A San Pedro FAVORITE.

White dot =  Obando’s Hot Panades.  He is making them fresh.  Filling and frying for you.  Fish, chicken, beef, cheese, potato…I chose the last and was given a bag of spicy cabbage slaw with my yummy crispy warm panada.

The dough is masa and reddish with recado (I had to ask).

On to Briana’s for the meatballs as planned.  Get there early for the specials…1pm might creep up on you and…you’ll find the special board empty.

Not a great picture but it is a cultural mash-up made in heaven.  Sorry Italians…but Belize has it correct when it comes to this dish.

I had meatballs, fried rice and potato salad.  DELICIOUS.  Briana’s is signified with a brown (meatball) circle.

What have I learned from this exercise? 1.  I am total crap at graphics and 2. I think walking around San Pedro town is the way to go.   You get to see (and eat) all the good stuff.

Like a pretty rainbow of laundry.

Or this super cute pre-school’s fence.

Or just a purple and pink house that commands me to EAT CAKE.