San Pedro to San Ignacio, Belize: Some Changes and GREAT Eats, Mr Greedy’s, Guava Limb Cafe & The Ice Cream Shoppe

Belize is a small country…and a trip across it by plane can be done in less than an hour.  But I’m on a budget and so the trip from San Pedro, Ambergris Caye to San Ignacio, Cayo was done the slow budget way.  One that I always enjoy.

90 miles as the crow flies.  Or 90 miles as Tropic Air flies.  They have a direct flight from San Pedro to San Ignacio.

But my first step was the water taxi from San Pedro to Belize City – with a stop in Caye Caulker for people to board and unload.  7:30am departure and we arrived at 9am.

I was ensconced in the water taxi seat that I call “the second floor throne”.  My favorite seat that is back to back with the captain and look out over the water.

A beautiful morning in Belize City – a cruise ship was anchored off shore and people were getting ferried back and forth.  And some fishermen were doing their thing.

I deboarded bags in hand and went to look for a water taxi.  If you have carry-able bags, I suggest carrying them on.  It can take the guys up to 15 minutes to unload and sort the bags on a busy day…and who likes waiting?

I took the $7bzd taxi to the bus station and waited for the next bus.  No express available at this time of day (don’t ask me why…it’s a mystery to everyone who works at the bus station), so I hopped on the regular bus.  $8bzd.  And 2.5 hours later and I was in San Ignacio.

I got out at the bus station, passing the tourist center and up the hill to Burns Ave – the pedestrian only street.   And right where the popular bar/pizzeria had been – Mr. Greedy’s – is now…a hole.  A vacant lot.  The place has been leveled.

And what used to be a very American style Jagermeister themed spot has moved a street back (West Street) and a few blocks down.  Formerly…

and now…in almost a barn.

I think they JUST reopened this week in this new locale.

I think one of their major issues was the closing down of Burns Avenue to traffic.  Great for pedestrians…but tough for those who want to drive buy and pick up a pizza.  This locale, just one street back, will work.

Just about a block away on the end of Burns Avenue is my FAVORITE restaurant in San Ignacio, Guava Limb Cafe.  Open for lunch and dinner, the hours are 11 to 7pm on Tuesday and Wed, and then open until 9 Thursday to Sunday.

Sitting underneath the building is beautiful…they are set right on a park.

A whole line up of infused liquor.  Very pretty…

The attention to detail is just spectacular.  It’s not a shot of rum with my iced tea – it’s sugar syrup so I can easily sweeten.

And my plate of pop overs – filo stuffed with chaya and cheese and sausage, onions and mushrooms…yum.

 

Could I POSSIBLY fit in an ice cream cone at San Ignacio’s newest ice cream shop?  An outpost of the wildly popular Belize City “The Ice Cream Shoppe”.

Oh yes I could.  And let me jump to the end:  FIND THIS PLACE.  The ice cream is heavenly.

You can trust that I am having a Campfire Sundae before I head into the jungle this weekend…

MY $4bzd scoop of cheese cake ice cream – on a sugar cone…perfect.

They even do “adult” ice cream.  Check out their facebook page.  Ice Cream Shoppe is contemplating Jagermeister.  Eeeeek.

I walked the 2 blocks back to Guava Limb and the Chaa Creek offices….

We were off.  Chaa Creek is about a 15 minute ride from downtown San Ignacio…a gorgeous one.

We passed the Maya Flats/San Ignacio “airport”…

And arrived at the resort to find that I was staying at THE LODGE rather than the camp with the kids.  I’d pretend I was disappointed but Chaa Creek is just the epitome of jungle perfection.

I was greeted with a mint scented icy towel and a sorrel tea.  Sigh…

And now I’m off to spend a day with the kids…I WILL report back 🙂