Ramon’s Village Resort in San Pedro Rises From the Devastating Fire with Miraculous Speed

It was less than two months ago, August 27th to be exact at about 7pm, when half of San Pedro town huddled on docks, on the beach, around one of the oldest resorts on the island and saw this.

For more pictures of the fire:  See my from that night.

It was shocking.  Devastating.  Gas tanks exploded.  The fire soared.  I wondered how they would even attempt to put this out.  How there would be no casualties.

But no one was hurt.    And with the small fire department and mostly a bucket brigade of San Pedranos, the fire was extinguished destroying half of the mainly wood and palapa resort.

The morning after the fire was still smoldering.   Again, for lots of pictures check my next post on the next morning.  I stopped by at dawn and saw shocked Mr. Ramon, family and employees surveying the mess.

And now, less than 2 months later, the turn around is nothing short of miraculous.  Ramon’s Village brought in construction companies and a small village of almost 150 workers to rebuild at lightening speeds.  I took a look around yesterday and, after a month away from San Pedro, I really could not believe the progress.

Take a look.

 

 

A HUGE push to open for “the season”.

First pictures from the beach side where Pineapples Restaurant has been re-opened (in a MUCH smaller way since the kitchen totally burned to the ground) for over a month.

These signs are pretty cute.

The makeshift kitchen.

Now to the palapas that have been completely rebuilt.

And then up on the pool deck.

 

Most of the buildings that were one story are going up as two now.  This place is going to be much bigger.

 

If I was a serious pro (or really any kind of pro), I would have done more exact before and after angles.  But come on!  That’s hard!

Before picture of that area:

 

If I was REALLY a pro, I’d have aerial shots before and after.  Man would I be cool.

What was once this…

 

Is now this.

 

I love watching palapa being built.  Very cool process.  I asked how long it took from them to turn from this gorgeous green to tan…only 1-2 weeks.

Before picture of this…

Another before and after…

And before.  The fire was still burning at dawn.

This area before:

The transformation is amazing.  When flying from Cancun a few days ago, a couple sitting next to me at the airport (he owns a dive shop in Canada) asked me about the fire at Ramon’s Village.  He remarked that “it must be devastating for the island”.

I am no expert but the money that is coming in for this rebuilding process and the amount of jobs made are a mini-economic boom during the always tough slow season.  Ramon’s appears to be re-building bigger, certainly quickly and possibly better.

And here is the big flamboyant tree at the entrance that was always so pretty and…I was worried about her.

Sprouting!

Makes me happy.