My Mid-May Five: Things on My Radar Right Now

 

Things are feeling great around Ambergris Caye – tourism numbers seem to be climbing…the last remaining businesses that were closed are either opening or announcing opening dates – and COVID numbers, thankfully, remain very low.

It’s tricky when much of the news we get is from the US (TV, internet…everywhere) – where over 70% of elderly people are vaccinated, mask mandates are being lowered and restrictions are ending.

It makes it too easy to forgot that we are nowhere near those percentages here in Belize and masking and social distancing – they are the law.  And it doesn’t take much googling to find countries that are getting crushed by COVID and its variants – India…Brazil.  We are not there yet.  So I’ll start my 5 with that because we need to be careful.

1. Mask up.  Masking in public is still the law in Belize – I understand that it may seem silly to wear one of your golf cart or when you are walking in town alone with no one near but…just wear a mask.  Because it is the law, sure.  That’s important.  But because if that piece of cloth prevents just one case in a country that doesn’t have the vaccine supply the US does…or the medical system…and is hurting so badly economically, isn’t it worth it?  Lightweight, easy to wash, we all know the ones we like best by now, so let’s do it!

 

2. 50% Off GORGEOUS Tuto Belize.  Tuto Offers an AMAZING Discount for Those Working in the Healthcare/Medical World

If you follow me on Facebook or Instagram (particularly the stories), you’ll see that almost every day we bring our dogs out to “run for biscuits” at our neighbor’s beach.  It’s one of the most beautiful properties on the entire island – a few thousand feet of relatively untouched beach with a home and a handful of cabanas.

The Tiny Home at Tuto – Off the Grid on North Ambergris Caye

My neighbor George emailed me a few days ago to say this:

“It has been a difficult year for those in the healthcare industry and they deserve a much-needed break to just blow some steam or to reconnect with their significant others…We are offering a 50% to all healthcare professionals with a copy of their ID, if you have any friends in the medical field please pass it along.  I also offer free stays to those voluntary medical/religious teams that come to Belize to treat and help the needy.”

My look at the beautiful Cabanas

Check out their website and email George for all the details.  I LOVE THIS OFFER!

3. Miss Universe Belize has the whole country BURSTING with pride

The Miss Universe pageant is taking place in Florida as I type.  And the whole country is following Iris Salguero – our hometown girl.  She was our Miss San Pedro in 2015 and now at age 24, she is competing on the world stage against 73 contestants from around the world.

I am from NJ – not a “pageant country” like Texas, parts of the Southern US and Central Ameriica are – so I never really paid much attention to these events when I lived in NJ and NY.  But here in Belize, pageants are more than just beauty competitions – it a chance for young ladies to practice public speaking, working with the community, and confidence and can often be a step to many future opportunities.  And to have beautiful Iris, someone the whole island knows, up on that stage…it’s just an amazing sense of pride for everyone.  And the best part?  If you follow her Instagram stories (she is SO savvy at social media!) – you can see how much FUN she is having.  It’s pretty awesome.

(I particularly loved when she was SO amazed that it was still light outside after dinner – 7:15pm- in Florida.  In Belize it is PITCH black at 7pm no matter what time of year!)

Here she is at the 2015 September celebrations parade in San Pedro – it was a GREAT parade that year.

SO yes…I spent a good part of my Friday night glued to my laptop watching the preliminary competition.  And crying when Iris came on stage.  She is doing SOOO well.   They will choose the top 21 and it will be announced at the beginning of the main event on Sunday evening.  I may be biased but if they don’t choose Iris, I know this thing is rigged.  (I’m going with the Trump-method on this one)

Look at her go!

GO IRIS!!!!!!!!!!!  Here is the Miss Universe website so you can figure out how to view it on Sunday – when they announce Miss Universe Belize, try not to cry.  I dare you!

Ok…I’ll stop gushing.

4. My Brief description of Rainy Season for Ambergris Caye

I’ve been getting a ton of emails about the rainy season.  An example.  “If you were me, would you book in mid-October or mid-November?”

Yesterday I got caught in my first rain shower in MONTHS.  And 10 minutes later, the sun was shining.  We might have another brief shower tomorrow…or we might not see rain for a few weeks.

Let me just give some bullet points of MY experience…

• Windfinder is BY FAR the most accurate weather forecaster that I know.  But it is far from SPOT ON – especially when you go a few days out.  This is the tropics!  What you need to know is that it is going to be SUNNY most of the time.
• May to July – perhaps some brief showers during the day, more likely at night.  MOSTLY sun.

Photo from yesterday.  It was SUNNY from morning until about 12:30…we had a few minutes of rain and it was sunny again by 1:30 pm.  See?  The parasailing tour is just starting.

• August, September, and October:  We are getting into the part of Hurricane Season where there is the highest likelihood of storms forming in the west Caribbean.  I’d say that we have one or two watches-potential warnings a season.  Most pass with no issue.  The last storm that really affected the island was Hurricane Earl in 2016, a Cat One.  It caused damage to most docks but not much other damage.  And before that, perhaps Dean in 2007 – which also missed us but caused a mess along the shoreline and downed branches/trees.  It’s a time to be aware that there might be a storm in the area or a rainy morning or a few rainy nights, but the weather, for the most part, is good.  Warm and humid but good.
• November and December:  Fall, in my mind, is really the “rainy season”.  We can see maybe a rainy day or two or maybe three – but the HEAVY rains are at night, for the most part.  And if you are here for a week, odds are that you will get PLENTY of sun.

I hope that helps.  There is no real way to predict the weather but these are the patterns I’ve seen.

And…maybe these posts will help.

Things to Do in San Pedro when it Is Rainy

Packing List for the “Rainy Season”

5. TV/Streaming Shows I’m Loving

I’m not sure what you guys are watching but I’ve seen some great shows recently – HOORAY OUR NEW FIRETV AND EXPRESS VPN!   Please please please let me know if you’ve seen anything great….I’m slogging thru the 5th season of Outlander right now and…this. is. not. my. show.

Mare of Easttown:  Kate Winslet is so great…and to hear her and Guy Pierce (Australian) do Philadelphia accents (hers is way better than his!) is good but I am HOOOOOKED.  Murder, opiate addiction, tough mental health issues…this juicy.  And they are releasing it slooowly…one a week.  I’m dying here.

I really enjoyed HBO’s last murder/thriller with Hugo Grant and Nicole Kidman too – The Undoing.  Sidenote:  it’s fascinating how Hugh has aged and yet Nicole stays exactly the same.

I really enjoyed The Wilds on Amazon Prime.  Lord of the flies meets “Lost”.  The plot is a bit ridiculous but so was the first season of “Lost”.  (And the first season of “Lost” was the most gripping season of any show I’ve ever seen – maybe second to the first season of “Twin Peaks” back in the day)

Teenaged girls with serious teenage girl problems trying not to kill each other AND figure out what the hell is going on.  I really liked it and I’m excited for a second season.

I also watched Georgia and Ginny and just didn’t like or care much about any of the characters.  Meh.    And Succession on HBO which I LOVE.  Love, love love.  The most sinister family ever!

That’s it for now!  I hope you all have a great weekend.  I’m staying at what looks like a GORGEOUS rental home next week.  It’s work!  🙂