Man, I’ve been slacking on my posts lately but my excuse is… I’ve been busy! I mean, sorta kinda. Perhaps not busy by your standards but “busy” by my beach-bumming, expat-slumming, under-achieving perspective. Here’s what we’ve been up to recently.
Lobsterfest Planning
Oh my gosh! It’s almost time: Placencia Lobsterfest is coming up this weekend, July 15-17. I’m super excited for the return of normalcy after Belize’s long and hard pandemic restrictions. I was perhaps too eager to just thrust myself upon whatever planning committees would have me and though I didn’t really contribute anything of world-shattering value to the Lobsterfest Planning Committee, I did gain insight on just how much work and planning goes in to a fantastic and fun event like this. Sheesh! Organizing vendors and entertainment, securing sponsors and volunteers, the infrastructure of tents and staging and electricity and toilets… oh my word! It is so much but the new Village Council and the BTIA have been working full out to pull it all together and it’s looking like it’ll be great. I made one contribution to the line-up; we’ll be pardoning a lobster during the opening ceremony, kinda like how the President in the US pardons a turkey on Thanksgiving each year. Our Minister of Tourism and our area rep will spare one lone lobster from the grills and yeet it back in to the sea; how cute will that be?! I predict it will become a festival tradition and maybe one future year when Mitch holds some powerful political position he will be invited to pardon Placencia’s lobster and he’ll recount how that was his mom’s idea the first Lobsterfest after the pandemic. Prolly not tho bruh, prolly not.
I also got over excited about participating in Lobsterfest as a vendor… I’m not a chef! What was I thinking?! But luckily I’m sharing a booth with legitimate cooks so I don’t have to sweat it too much. I took a one-day course in Dangriga to earn my food handler’s license (easy and only $20) and I’ve been testing recipes for the weekend. I have it pretty much sorted; I’ll be doing frozen chocolate-covered key lime pie on a stick and BLT snack packs. That’s Bacon, Lobster and sun-dried Tomato dip cups with corn chips. Easy enough, right? I hope people don’t hate it, it’s worth a try.
NEMO wraps up their Community Emergency Responds Team training
The National Emergency Management Organization began CERT training in Stann Creek back in October of last year (online theoretical) and has finally wrapped up the in-person, practical portions of the training these past weeks. We finished with Light Search and Rescue training given by the Belize Disaster & Rescue Response Team then a culmination day of all the trainings (from preparedness to shelter management, first aid and communications) with a Final Drill. I volunteered for the CERT training because I was curious about what emergency response services were even available in Belize and now I know- it’s us! It’s taking responsibility for yourself and your family (number 1- prepare!) and taking care of your neighbors and community as we’ve now been trained to do because Belize doesn’t have the resources or man-power to respond to widespread disasters. The answer to being overstretched is to train up the individual communities to help themselves. I hope we don’t have a need to respond because we continue being fortunately spared from disaster but if Placencia needs me, I’ll be ready!
Spur-of-the-moment Wedding
Our friends, Carlos and Karen, just got married! They weren’t going to have a ceremony/ reception though because they didn’t think they had time to do anything properly (Karen is returning to England to birth their baby) but if there’s one thing our friend group won’t pass up, it’s an opportunity to party! We sort of forced them in to a celebration but, wow, what great fun it ended up being. Everyone pitched in to play a small part and cheer these two on- Lee Nyhus (Secret Garden Massage and per-diem wedding planner) put together the vows and officiated the ceremony, Dwayne and Jack (Flower’s Property Management) arranged the beachside venue, Nina played coordinator and photographer, Amanda crafted this cool bridal bouquet, others manned the grill and provided the sound system, and I made the cake. Look at this beautiful couple! We had such a great time together and look forward to many more celebrations soon, when they’re a family of 3.
This and That
We ‘modeled’ for a Sirenian Bay/ Inky’s commercial and got to play some mini golf and pickleball, drive a golf cart, and get a quick massage in the spa (I asked if they need more footage of that because I didn’t want it to end!). Mitch had his birthday party at the bowling alley and the piñata I picked up from a party supply store in Belize City was a hit. I started writing for the brand new, inclusive, luxury, adventure resort: Blue Reef Island. ::sigh:: This place is awesome, and I’m learning about fishing! (Their premier activity is angling) https://www.bluereefisland.com/blog/expected-catch-fishing-in-belize/
So, yeah- I’ve been busy! Not in an every-day-all-day way but in this loafer-lifestyle sense.
Hello, I stayed at your place a few years ago and loved it of course. I’ve been reading your blog ever since.
I recently joined several Belize Facebook groups. I’ve been noticing they are always asking questions about Placencia and things to do around there. Have you ever thought of joining those and sharing your vast knowledge and giving those people opportunity to sign up for your blog? Who knows it could also generate more visitors to your place. Thought I’d pass it on.
Oh thanks for reading! and I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed your stay! Yes, I’m always ‘spamming’ facebook groups with link answers haha sometimes I think people get sick of hearing from me but it totally does gain me new readers as well. Are you planning a trip back to Belize? Loads of cool places to check out across the country and lots of new things to see here in Placencia!