A Serious Walk Around Caye Caulker, Belize: Part One

Recently, I took the short trip over to Caye Caulker (only 20 minutes by water taxi) and, about 5 minutes into the trip, was thinking “why don’t I do this more often?”  That always happens.  Caye Caulker is so pretty, so laid back, so different from San Pedro, such a nice change of pace…one day is like a mini-vacation.  And it’s been a while since I did a serious “walk about”…here is what I saw. I stopped in to see if my favorite conch carver still had the shell breasts that I had spotted a few years ago.  Who can pull off one of these pendants?  What sort of outfit do you wear them with? These are definitely different ones…I would have remembered that…well…wonky pair. The shop is right on the main street. And the owner was busy grinding down some more jewelry.  Check out his stuff…he’s got great earrings and pendants.  He’s making rings below… A huge new (well…new to me) Cuban place, La Cubana, has opened it’s doors…lots of doors.  They have two restaurants right across the street from each other.  This one on the beachside. Ice cream buffet?  All You Can Eat?  Generally not words I like to see at a restaurant.  Seems to me that you can take even the most delicious food and put it under a heating lamp or over a sterno flame and it instantly turns bad.  No matter what.  Must be some sort of chemical reaction. And don’t even get me started on the idea of an ice cream buffet…tubs of candy and toppings sitting out in the heat waiting for grimy flies and even grimier kids’ hands? But the pig they were roasting over an open flame at their huge restaurant across the street.  Now this looks legit. I’ll have to go back from dinner. Despite the fact that it was Fried Chicken Friday at Syd’s Restaurant (home of the best friend chicken in the cayes), we decided to try something new.  The Happy Lobster. A big airy spot on the front street with a menu of Belizean classics.  The fresh fish choices were snapper and grouper.  Prepared lots of ways. And they’ve got great Wi-Fi.  Bonus.My garlic butter grouper was good.  And super garlicky. After lunch we headed back to the new “hot spot” (particularly for Sunday Brunch) in Caye Caulker, 88 West.  The name sounds oh so Manhattan to me.  It didn’t even occur to me that they are talking longitude.  Duh. On the short walk back to the front street, I passed the Caye Caulker football field. I must cut this post a bit short.  I am off to Lamanai on the mainland for the day and my pick-up is 7am.  Until later…