What Fun Is ONE Stop Shopping? Errands in San Pedro

Living on an island in the Caribbean Sea for 11 years…one would think that my most frequent blog topic would be snorkeling or sunning.  But my #1 is running errands.

Not AT ALL what I thought of when I moved down to Belize to find a different way to live, to dial it back a bit, to “live the dream”.

Despite the connotations, running errands is not a bad thing.  In fact, on a good day, I LOVE it.  Checking out what’s new at different shops (who got in a fresh shipment from the US or new fruit from the mainland), chatting with some of my favorite people – like Evalia and Adam at the Greenhouse or Samir and Mahmoud at Caye Mart or Maite at Harmouch Hardware and getting lunch.

A Guide To Grocery Shopping In San Pedro

On a red hot dusty day, I can get very cranky, very quickly.

Here are some photos I took while provisioning for a week at the camp – Cayo Frances Farm & Fly.  To give you a taste of shopping in San Pedro.  If you were used to Whole Foods (like I was) or Target or Walmart in the states, it’s a HUGE adjustment.  It just is.

And is a serious part of my 24 Small Things I Love About Living In Belize: A New Way to Look at “Real Life”

It all starts with a list.

And fruit and veggie stands – we usually stop by 2.Always a stop at The Greenhouse on Middle Street.  For…well…the things we always get at the Greenhouse.  This includes, but is not limited to, feta cheese, bagged greens, giant slices of homemade carrot cake in the freezer section, steak/arracherra, a loaf of GORGEOUS sour dough bread (that is heaven with cream cheese or used for swiss grill cheese sandwiches!) and brussel sprouts.

Down south to Sausage Factory for sliced pastrami, roast beef and ham – and bacon in bulk.  Oh…and don’t forget the chicken apple chardonnay sausage.  Heaven on a BBQ.We stop in Lino’s Meat in town for chicken and pork chops.

We passed this new coffee shop going up on the road side in front of Caribbean Villas.

They have a sign for Krispy Kreme donuts.  Please remind me to go back and see what that is about!

To the gas station for gas and diesel.

We stopped in Harmouch Hardware to talk about and get pricing on aluminum hurricane shutters.

Bottom line:  EXPENSIVE!

Weather looking questionable and getting worse.

We stop into the small store on Back Street for all sorts of stuff – from rice to watermelon.  RAIN!

I pick up some pigtail.  Yes, tails in a bucket NOT refrigerated.  They are SO heavily salted.  I’m going to cook them with lentils (after a heavy 20 minute boil in fresh water – and then multiple cold water rinses)…and they will make everything porky delicious.

Think Ham Hock Heaven.

We head next door to some of the best food in town.  I’m craving comfort food and the ULTIMATE is soup – today’s special is COWFOOT.

I’m on a strange animal part ROLL!

I LOVE the broth – dark leaves of local oregano, all spice berries but the foot?  It’s like rings of meat jello.  (The “cowfoot” is actually the ankle -rings of gelatinous grizzle and dense bone)

Delicious with rice and fresh corn tortilla.

The sun is back!

We head back to the boat to load up.  It’s Tuesday, veggie day in town, and the Mennonite farmers from the mainland are here with their goods.

Sitting in the sun!  In dark jeans!  Talking in a mix of German and Spanish and cleaning onions.

It’s life in Belize.