Belmopan & Big Barracuda

Whilst I bumped along in the chicken bus, rattling my way to Belmopan in what felt like 400 degrees centigrade with at least 120 other people on the old bus, I sat pondering if Paul was having a nice day and what he was up to. I went to Immigration, had my residency interview, did the filling-loosening bus ride back to Belize City, jumped in a speedy cab and just made the last flight home to San Pedro. It was so nice to be back on the island. The following photos were taken by Carole, and this is what Paul got up to whilst I was charging around the country!
Captain Dick

Paul caught a Snapper

So did Dick

Here comes Paul's Barracuda


Paul reeling in his big fish

A job well done

Oh dear, broken rod!

How pleased is this man???

Very pleased by the looks of it!

Once Paul had caught his Barracuda, they all realised they didn't have a gaff - so Dick hit it over the head with an umbrella!
It's always nice if someone else does the hard work!


Thank you for the fillets

Belize Time - Long may it live

Laurie, aka Tacogirl has just sent me a link to a forum on Facebook.
This is a copy, I just find it so true! Here is the link, if you would like to check it out http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2371442817

Group Info / Name: It doesn't matter where in the world I am, I still operate on Belize Time!
Type: Common Interest - Beliefs & Causes
Description: To all non-Belizeans:

I will be late. Accept that...try to accommodate your schedule around my tardiness. If something really begins at 5, tell me it begins at 3:30, so possibly we could reach on time.

I will start getting ready for something at 12:45, even though it begins at 1. Accept that... help the process along.

And don't rush me when I'm late....it's gonna lead to a fight, and we're only gonna be later.

Belizean weddings start at least an hour late....but everyone will be on time for the reception.

Graduations? They'll be late too.

Mass? Yes, even Belizean priests are late.

Dead Belizeans are late too. Your funeral will not start on time.

Boobies!

I have been flooded with messages about the mystery bird.
Thank you Colette for sending me a link - It's a Brown Boobie. I have found out that there are different kinds of boobies out there too, blue footed ones, etc.
Brown Booby
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Brown Booby (Sula leucogaster) is a large seabird of the gannet family, Sulidae. The adult brown booby reaches about 76 cm. (30 in.) in length. Its head and upper body are covered in dark brown, with the remainder being a contrasting white. The juvenile form is gray-brown with darkening on the head, wings and tail. While these birds are typically silent, bird watchers have reported occasional sounds similar to grunting or quacking.
This species breeds on islands and coasts in the pantropical areas of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. They frequent the breeding grounds of the islands in the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea. This bird nests in large colonies, laying two chalky blue eggs on the ground in a mound of broken shells and vegetation. It winters at sea over a wider area.
Brown Booby pairs may remain together over several seasons. They perform elaborate greeting rituals.
Brown Boobies are spectacular divers, plunging into the ocean at high speed. They mainly eat small fish or squid which gather in groups near the surface and may catch leaping fish while skimming the surface. Although they are powerful and agile fliers, they are particularly clumsy in takeoffs and landings; they use strong winds and high perches to assist their takeoffs.
So now we know!

Flee - rainy season is upon us

I have nothing really to say (for once!), I've just been on a lovely walk south to Mosquito Coast with Maya - just another early morning playdate for Molly and Midas. The morning's weather has given the most beautiful skies over the sea that I went a bit snap happy. Molly and I made it home just in time before the deluge! So, it's a lazy day inside for us now, well, until we have to brave the elements and swim to the Stuff Swap at Pedro's Inn this evening!
Cormorants

More cormorants

And some more

I told you I went snap happy

Heron

Midas and Molly

We have no idea what type of bird this is

Any ideas? We would love to know

This was bigger than my foot - Molly was very interested in rolling on it, eurk!

Ominous looking sky

Brave snorkelers on their way out to the reef

Molly


On the way home we made a pitstop at Fido's Sandbar - Hi Dave!




Midas & Molly

Midas


Scary scaffolding


View from my balcony - it's raining so hard I can't even see across the lagoon to Brahma Blue

A radical change of plans

So, it's Thursday morning and I'm supposed to go diving. However, I finished my "beer fairy" duties around 3 a.m. and am too tired to go. So I decide to do my town errands. Being lazy and living about a 20 minute cycle ride from town, I try to group everything together, and today is the day! I have a long list of things to buy, things to pay, lab tests, things to pick up and people to see. I decide to quickly check my emails whilst Paul is finishing up in the shower. Laurie is online and pings me about going snorkeling on the "Miss Carole" (Dick and Carole's new boat) for the afternoon. Me, being a very serious person and knowing all about responsibility, tell Laurie that I can't as I have errands to run and very very important things to do in town. When Paul comes out of the shower, I tell him about the invitation and he agrees that we have a lot to do, and very very important things to do in town. So, 10 minutes later we are on the phone to Dick and asking him to pick us up at Banyan Bay dock. We have grabbed fins and masks, fishing rod, very tired looking sardines from the freezer, sunscreen and we're off!
We buy some water and a couple of beers from Los Caminantes and wait on the dock. Of course, we cycled there and Paul looked like some manic jouster with his fishing rod.
Paul and Laurie were already on the boat and off we went. The water was lovely and clear, it's been superb the past few days.
We snorkeled, fished, swam, ate and drank. No fun whatsoever. Whilst we were out there, Diane called to invite us to a party on Sunday. All this socialising is exhausting! We need a holiday!
Once back on land, we go back to Dick and Carole's house and decide to have a barbecue at our place. The 6 of us pile onto the golf cart to the Belikin Depot to buy a box of shrimp. Herb and Zac also joined us for the evening - guitars and drums ablaze. Paul now thinks he's John Lennon.....
Paul and the gear on the dock at Banyan Bay

Banyan Bay

Avast me hearties!

Aqua taco

Our Crew - Paul, Paul and Dick

Three swimming beauties

Me!

Blogging bums

Three snorkeling beauties

Dick and Carole

Premium view

Muppets!

Dick - action shot - check out his new ladder!

Dick - more action shot!

Carole enjoying the new swim up bar

Beer, with Paul

Exotic Taco


All of us

Look at those clouds


Fishing for dinner (that's why we went to buy shrimp....)

Raiding the stores in town

Dick and Carole