A Walk Over Boca Del Rio Bridge: Barrier Reef Resort (nee Reef Village) & Lina Point

Optimistically, three to four mornings a week, I go to da Box – my Crossfit gym up in the Boca Del Rio area of San Pedro.  A spot where I’ve met some pretty great people…

Here is yesterday’s 9am class.

…learned a new language (WOD, Box, push jerks, etc.), sweat my ass off and gotten a bit healthier.

After our yesterday’s AMRAP (as many rounds – of hell-  as possible), I decided to take a little walk north.  Over the Boca Del Rio bridge to the former Reef Village – now called Barrier Reef Resort – to take a look around at their new construction AND the construction project behind it.

Here’s a map of the area.   I hope this works…

You can see the bridge/cut in the island at the bottom center and then the large “pond” with a little peninsula and an “island”.  There are houses wrapped around the pond.  All of that, I believe, is Reef Village.

Walking over the bridge.  It’s free!

Looking to my left towards San Mateo.

San Mateo is, basically, an area built on swamp.  And though conditions have been getting better, it is still some of the worst living conditions on the island…JUST getting proper lighting and still waiting for sewage and town water.

You can read lots about the area and some of the organizations that have visited Belize to help online.

First building along the road is the always-shocking-to-me Paradise Theater.

Behind the theater, construction.  I have heard a casino?  These buildings have been going up slowly.

And Barrier Reef Resort (nee Reef Village or “Grief Village”) along the brand new beautiful road.  This resort/village has been fraught with drama for quite some time and I don’t know enough to comment on any of it.  (Though I have added some notes at the end of this post…and please feel free to comment at the bottom if you know anything additional.)

I followed in the sand/gravel truck to find new construction.  Note: I can’t find a website for Barrier Reef Resort or the old “Reef Village”.  Are my google skills failing me or is there really none?
 I walked straight through and up to the island that holds the bar, restaurant and pool area.  I found this sign.

The boards seemed to hold me…and the monkeys were welcoming.

I found two ladies laying around a pool.

That is empty.  Bar and restaurant also closed.

I decided to get off the little island and circle around the pond/lagoon that you can see in the map above.  The road is lined with pastel houses…very Palm Springs…on water.

As I circled around…

Lots of lovely houses…

And then after the last home…Lina Point.  A plan I saw on-line and was…wowed.   A construction worker showed me a board with this depiction on it.  I copied this clearer version from their website.  The homepage of the site is not working well but click around.  There is lots of information.

Also a facebook page for updates.

The water is quite pretty.  I’m not sure about seeing a sea turtle back there…but very pretty nonetheless.

Here is the entrance.

Leads to a seriously sturdy dock and two concrete buildings over the water.

 

I asked one of the guys if he has seen any sea turtles (like in the mock-up above.)  He said no…but suggested, quite seriously, that maybe they will bring them in?The development is set far enough back so that San Mateo is just a smattering of buildings in the distance.

I am always shocked by how pretty it is back here.

I turned around and headed back to the road (about a 10-15 minute walk from there!)…

Back over…

And heading home.

NOTE:  About the drama at Reef Village.  There has been a struggle between developer Jeff Pierce and the home owners for…ever?  I have heard that just recently the home owners won a case, a suit, they had against him in Belize City courts.  A substantial amount of money (TBD) is owed by Mr. Pierce and hopefully can help fix up some of the older, crumbly buildings.