Belize Day 1

The ADO bus left Playa del Carmen at 9.20 and after a quick stop at Tulum an hour down the road, arrived in Chetumal at 1.50. We passed a large shopping centre not far from the bus station, but apart from that there didn’t seem to be much happening in Chetumal on a Thursday. A taxi dropped me at the dock where I was given my boat tickets and Belize customs and immigration forms, Mexican immigration was at the embarkation point to relieve me of my almost-expired visa and we set off at 3.30. It was a very bone-jolting ride of about 90 minutes, during which they showed a video and gave us a bag (!) of water and a miniscule packet of peanuts.
Customs and immigration at the wharf took no time and off I set for Ruby’s. Well at least I thought so, having read that the boat comes in at the end of Black Coral Street I worked out I’d just turn left at the road and Ruby’s would be a short shuffle along. When it didn’t appear I took another look and realised that the boat had come in on the lagoon side not the reef side, and so I was actually on Back Street, not Front Street. San Pedro having only 3 main streets, it wasn’t hard to find my destination once I compared my location with the map.
Tiffany who looked about 10 months pregnant, was waiting to check me in. She gave me my key, told me I could pay when I check out, then showed me to my room. It’s a small room but fortunately has a large single bed not a narrow one and I have my own bathroom and a very effective fan. The paint is peeling off the walls in large rubbery strips but it’s clean and for $15 a night I wasn’t expecting the Hilton!
5 minutes to unpack, take a nice cool shower and then I headed off to check out front street, now renamed Barrier Reef Drive. I found the tourist office and picked up plenty of brochures, then came across a Pub where I heard they did great Thai food. Unfortunately when I went in to ask about it, the owner told me that the kitchen had closed for the season 2 days ago and the cook had gone off sailing. I decided I’d better at least shout myself a welcome drink, and she mixed up a delicious concoction with lime and pineapple juice, coconut rum and dark rum and some peach liqueur. I was almost on my last slurp when the Pie Man arrived, carrying an esky with hot pies and pasties. The smell when he opened the lid was incredible and I remembered that I hadn’t had anything to eat that day except the chicken wrap I’d packed for the bus trip. 4 meat pies, each about 7cm across, cost me $5 Belize ($US2.50), and my drink cost the same. A quick trip to a supermarket yielded fruit juice and some Pringles as a side dish, then I found a seat in a park in front of the sea to devour my feast! The pies had a delicious gravy reminiscent of coriander and tomato and all 4 disappeared quickly! I was reminded that you don’t need silver service or even a nice restaurant for a 5star meal!
Stomach satisfied I resumed my exploration of San Pedro. At a largish shop near the airstrip, selling everything from undies to washing machines, I found a nice cap for $B5. I was surprised to find that perfumes were very cheap, and after a helpful salesgirl had sprayed various scents on every bit of exposed arm (both mine and hers), I left with a 100ml bottle of Lancome Benghal which she reduced from $B30 to 20 because it was the tester with no box and maybe 5ml missing. I was more than pleased with that, it‘s always nice to get a new perfume; I’ve been using the same one since I left Australia so it will be a nice change.
By the time I got back to Ruby’s I had bought myself a long halter dress for $B16.25, a card for Dad’s birthday and some postcards. I spiked the banana and pineapple juice drink with some vodka and finished off the Pringles. Feeling relaxed and mellow, it’s been a good day, and my adventure has just begun!