I planned my day off to maximize my fun starting with a sunrise drive with Dick,we had fun rocking out to the Lobstermainia pool party 2013 song list – link is to fb invite 32 yes and 20 maybe, it is going to be a fun party. Toucan jam the band we hired are going to be great.  Next comes a boat ride what could be more fun than that.

Meeting Ange at her place at 8:15 to get flippers as my strap broke, then we head to the boat dock for 8:45am . Once on board we will sail to Hol Chan Marine Reserve, followed by Shark Ray Alley and hit Caye Caulker for lunch and a stroll.

Seaduced by Belize catamaran Caye Caulker day sail includes: Belikin beer, sodas, Seaduced signature rum punch and their famous homemade chips and salsa. $75 US per person $10 park fee for Hol Chan Marine Reserve.

Huge news to share The whole Police department and the fire department are now in the sponsor division of the for first Aid Training. We need to get them all sponsored continuously. It is the Police office that answers the 911 calls  here in San Pedro and they all want training so they can give us the best possible emergency service they can. To see a list of participating view the ‘May First Aid Training at Seascape Villas’ thread on Ambergriscaye.com message board- will be updated by the end of the week.

Seaduced by Belize Caye Caulker Day Trip

Diver at Shark Ray Alley

Shark Ray Alley

Snorkeling Hol Chan Marine Reserve

Our Belize City Taxi driver Jeff 630-5746 was waiting for us at when we arrived Municipal Airport. We headed off to Food and Beverage first, Jeff had to try a few routs as we ran into a roadwork  detour. Andy was going to get party size mayonnaise and barbecue sauce but we both quickly became excited by a 1 liter bottle of Balsamic Vinegar for $8 bzd.  After we headed a stones throw down the road to Smiling Meats where Matthew took good care of us. Andy bought 30 thick  cut pork chops for Sundays charity barbecue and the price was $2 a chop cheaper than in San Pedro. Of course as soon as Pedro found out we were in Smiling’s shop, Andy got a call straight away to pick him up a Ham Fully Loaded Jeff drove us  headed back to Maya Air and caught the 12:30 flight home.

I recently got n email from one of my readers asking if I would post her review of Mahogany Hall so here it is…..

In a matter of five minutes, I go from the noisy hustle that is the downtown San Ignacio market and step into an entirely different world. It is a three-story, colonial-style mansion beside the Mopan River in the rainforest in the West of Belize. Nothing here is a coincidence. All of the small details are intertwined at Mahogany Hall Resort to give definition to its luxury and elegance.

I am greeted at the bar with a Belizean rum concoction that brings a smile to my pink and sweaty face. On such a warm and sunny day in Belize, I cannot imagine a more fitting and satisfying treat. The bar is fully stocked and the bartender knowledgeable; this pleases a lady who lives in New Orleans and, like any good New Orleanian, I drink a bit.

I sip my drink by the pool and take in the intricate details of the furniture, the colorful local art pieces hanging on the walls, the beautiful wooden floors in the restaurant, the majestic wooden deck that stretches across the back of the property, and the breathtaking, panoramic views of the rainforest. Absolute paradise.

I walk up elegant mahogany steps as I am escorted like royalty to my room on the third floor. The interior of the room is even more impressive in its detail than the building’s exterior. Ceiling-to-floor windows are strategically placed to capture the beauty of the outdoors. The wooden ceiling is painted white; toucans are carved into the headboard and night stands; the towels are folded neatly; the aroma is that of fresh spring flowers; and the Jacuzzi calls. From wall to wall, ceiling to floor, the aesthetics pleasure the senses.

Almost too soon, it is time for dinner. The special tonight is a garden salad, garlic bread, and lasagne, all made from scratch by a local chef. It is all delightful! For dessert tonight is ice-cream, made with coconuts grown on the premises at Mahogany Hall. The cool, velvet goodness tastes like tropical nectar as it melts in my mouth. This meal guarantees a good night’s sleep aided by a king sized bed that feels like imagined clouds of heaven.

In the morning, I make myself some coffee in the room and take it downstairs. I lie in a hammock by the river bank and am soothed by the free flowing river that meanders in rhythmic waves towards town. The freshness in the air invites deep, slow breaths, and, as I exhale, the worries of life are lost in the shuffle of leaves in the wind. I just drift – in body, mind and spirit.

In the distance, a howler monkey howls a song of contentment. All around me abundant birds chirp flirtatiously while leafcutter ants carry their burdens to the nest below ground. Above me, a bright yellow sun reveals a massive dome of blue sky and fleeting white clouds. I feel at peace with my tiny role in this immense universe.

Relaxed, refreshed and renewed, I coax myself out of the hammock; the end of my time here has come. I vow to return to that place of tranquil beauty, that mystical nirvana within the jungles of Belize, that luxurious grandeur that is Mahogany Hall.

review and  Pictures below by Ingrid Alvarado

For more information on the product go to CG Esthetic facebook page, CG Esthetic website and It Works website.

It Works Demonstration Monday 6:00pm at CG Esthetic

San Pedro Sailing Club Barbecue yesterday was super yummy, the pork chops from Smiling meats in Belize city were a hit. We were only planning to go for a short time but when we got there the kids were still racing, lots of our friends were there and we ended up hanging out enjoying the beach.  Everyone agrees the new clubhouse  at Banyan Bay is the perfect spot for the sailing club.

Don’t forget it is Sunday so head on down to the beach at Banyan Bay and support the San Pedro Sailing Club, sailing begins at 9:00am and Charity Beach Barbecue at 11:30. Check  out a pic from last week of the chops for their Sunday Barbecue on the Ambergris Caye message board. Remember one of the 4 easy ways you can support the San Pedro Sailing Club and have fun doing it -  Liking the San Pedro Sailing Club Facebook page. We are also organizing a group of us to fly to the first Placencia sailing regatta next weekend, anyone  interested just email me or leave comment and I will get you details. Watch for upcoming #traveltuesday post about my Belize City shopping adventures with Commodore Andy to find some deals for the sailing club barbecues. We totally scored at Food and Beverage and Smiling Meats and I have a new favorite Belize City Taxi guy whose info I will share. I will also be including a reader review on a well known luxury resort in Belize.

New part of detour. Notice the big dust cloud.

Back road was opened up and now leads directly to Saga Humane Society

4 friends traveling the back road

Private plane near Tropic Cargo and the hanger

Kids playing on the beach

And we set off like a herd of turtles on our way for our  Caye Chapel golf day. We were doing ok then all of a sudden the waves got worse and the people at the back of the boat started getting a salt water bath, so we turned around and back to San Pedro.

We all agreed to take a mulligan and that we would have an even better time going back then the pool was finished. In a golf game,  a mulligan happens when a player gets a second chance to perform a certain move or action. The practice is also sometimes referred to as a do-over. It was a rough ride back and even though we were a bit disappointed that our golfing party did not work out it turned out to be a great day.

This year the Zoo crew decided while we were doing the overnight tour that we would make it back to Caye Chapel as an extended part of Paul’s Birthday. We decided to take the Maya Island Air Caye Chapel Golf Tour instead of a boat, flight cost was cost $155 bzd.  We were all  excited for a plane ride and glad to be going to a new island for the day.

For those of you who might not know, Caye Chapel is a  par-72 golf course is the only full size golf course in Belize.  It’s location is  16 miles north-northeast of Belize City and 3 miles south of Caye Caulker. The island itself is is  265 acres,  or 2 miles long and  1/2 mile wide with the entire eastern shoreline being sandy beach and  the western side is the golf course.

Caye Chapel resort is officially closed but the golf course is open.  A full day of golf including rental clubs, cart and all the golf you can play on your own private island course, as well as coolers and ice $150 bzd and must be paid in cash. Advance notice is required to play there. If you want to know more about golfing in Belize,  want a Maya Island Air flight discount to the island or to connect with Evan, email me at tacogirl belize[at]gmail.com.

Our 6 minute flight from Ambergris Caye to Caye Chapel went very smoothy. We flew on the east of Caye Caulker which I have never done before, and it put me on the right side of the plane for taking island air shots

As the plane landed the first thing I noticed was now nice and wide the runway was. I was later told by a few people that is the best runway in Belize and I have to agree.  The plane kept going till the end of the runway then turned off to the right parking area where Evan was waiting  meet us with  golf carts.

After our rock star experience of pulling into the parking lot with the plane. we hopped on our carts and headed towards the club house which was stunning inside. While Evan went to go pick up Phil and Marie who were taking the Caye Caulker Water Taxi, we lounged, explored and enjoyed our magnificent surroundings. It was not long before they returned. Evan got the golfers briefed and we all signed in, for those of us not golfing it cost $50 to spend the day on the island and it was worth every penny.

Next it was time to see the golfers off and get a few pics. The boys had their coolers loaded with Belikin,  were all excited and ready to golf. Who wouldn’t be excited at the thought golfing in Belize on a private island  where several holes  run along side the the most amazing sea views

It was high time for doing nothing and relaxing by the pool. Imagine the luxury of having your own private umbrella to sit under while you soak on a large shallow platform in the pool.

After a good bit of relaxing I could not resist a walk on the beach and some exploring and checking out the 8 beachfront villas. I never made it to see the 11 marina view casitas , I got too busy rock-hounding and looking at sea life

When I got back  to the pool the boys were on lunch break. If you are planning a trip to Caye Chapel Island,  you will  need to bring your own food and drink. Of course that was not a problem for the zoo crew, we turned up with 2 cases of Belikin beer that we raided from Pedro’s Hotel a bottle of Crown Royal and packed enough food for a few days. It is like there is some unwritten rule between us that we must bring to much food on our road trips Definitely better than not enough. It was the same when we did the night tour of the Belize zoo and golfing at Roaring River golf course in Belmopan – blog post coming on that Par 64 executive golf course.

Sadly it was time to fly home. The boys were having so much fun on the course, Evan had to go on a search and rescue  as our plain had arrived. When they got back we could tell the ones who were drinking Crown as they had a sightly glazed look on their face and big  grins.

The Zoo crew had a super funtastic time and Evan was the host with the most I would go back there in a heartbeat and if I could have stayed longer I would have.

Maya Air made up for the heart ache of leaving though as they sent a private plane to get us and gave us one last ‘Rock Star moment’ before returning to our every day lives

Minor tech issue I am not sure why blog is adding all the extra space below each photo gallery. Will sort out soon. Light box is now fixed for slider option but tacoboy could not figure out why the next and back buttons will not show up. Clicking on an enlarged picture takes you to the next one.

Update due to BTL craziness light box is hit or miss and people in Belize have reported not being able to see pics unless they turn their VPN on [I have not turned mine off in a good 3 weeks or I would not be able to blog]. Working to try and find fix to all issues. I hope BTL gets it together and fixed what ever they did to screw up everyone’s internet.

Our goal is to make Ambergris Caye and Belize safe and bring awareness to both tourists and locals of all the business that trained staff onsite, in case of an emergence. Website buttons and window stickers will be coming soon for all participating businesses to make them easily identifiable in case of an emergency.

Thursday May 30th 2013
Course Location: Seascape Villas Hosted by Las Terrazas
Course: starts at 10:00am and will finish by 4:00pm
Cost: $50bz per participant with all funds raised going to the San Pedro Red Cross.
Lunch: to be determined cost is usually $13 or less

Advance payment and registry required to register your staff. If you have paid for staff and for what ever reason they could not make the course, that money goes to the sponsor program. Please contact Laurie at tacogirlbelize[at]gmail.com to register this course is open to anyone not just businesses.

We have sponsorship program in place and so far 2 of the 4 post office boys have been sponsored as well as 2 community Health Workers from San Mateo and One staff from the American Crocodile Education Sanctuary. we have also identified DFC and San Juan Community Health workers that need sponsorship. If you know someone worth sponsoring or you would like to sponsor a spot please let me know.

Course Details:

Topics are not limited to but will include: Heart Attacks, Asthma, Stroke, Diabetes, Seizures, Allergic Reactions, Water Emergencies

Attendees will all be able to recognize and treat the following injuries: Head and Spinal injuries, Chest and Abdominal injuries Extremity injuries and Soft Tissue injuries, Shock and Bleeding, Burns. They will also be trained in: Bandaging and splinting & New CPR Guidelines

This course is recognized by the Belize Red Cross and an official certificate valid for 1 year will be issued to participants who have successfully completed the course. The San Pedro Branch is refining our course material and will be adding more extensive water safety training and grief counseling.

San Pedro Belize Red Cross would like to thank all businesses who have hosted First Aid classes and those that signed up to hosting future classes. Fido’s, El Divino, Black Orchid Restaurant, Seascape Villas hosted by Las Terrazas and Exotic Caye.

Ambergris Caye Businesses who have joined the First Aid Program and are continuously sending staff for Training. {If I have missed your business by accident please let me know ans I will get you added to the list asap]

Banana Beach Resort
Black Orchid Restaurant & Lounge
Blue Tang Inn
Caribbean Villas Hotel
Coco Loco’s Beach Bar
Cowboys Pool Bar and Grill
El Divino Restaurant
Elvi’s Kitchen
Exotic Caye Beach Resort
Grand Caribe Resort
La Perla del Caribe
Pedro’s Hotel
Phoenix Resort
Playa Blanca Villas
Red Ginger Restaurant
Scotia Bank
South Ambergris Caye Neighborhood Watch
Tropic Air
Victoria House Resort

Stay updated on new Ambergris Caye businesses that have first aid trained staff onsite, go to can go to the First Aid Program page. You will also find more information on all participating businesses including links to their websites and Facebook pages.

Here are 4 easy ways you can support the San Pedro Sailing club and have fun doing it. Go Team

1.  Join San Pedro Sailing Club facebook page. super easy and totally free. You will get updates on how the kids are progressing, Sunday barbecues, the latest cool prizes they are raffeling off to raise money and where the next Regatta is.

2. Play Bingo,  super fun and very easy unless you have too many watermelon shots:) It costs a little more that the first option at $2 a card but well worth it. The third Wednesday of every month Feliz bar and Grill donates a good portion of the proceeds from Bingo to The San Pedro Sailing Club. Join Feliz Bar and Grill Facebook page to keep updated on that Kevin does a great job on promotion. Feliz also does bingo days for Saga Humane Society first week of every month and the San Pedro Belize Red Cross second week of every month. Feel free to bring Kevin dry erase markers when you go play, they can always use more for weekly bingo as they dry out fast.

3.  Eating delicious barbecue, reasonably priced, super easy, super fun. Why because you don’t have to cook, there are lots of regulars that enjoy hanging out at the beach, eating Walters barbecue and watching the kids sail. San Pedro Sailing Club does weekly lunch barbecues every Sunday at Banyan Bay.

4. Very high on the fun scale go to any of the San Pedro Sailing Club Regatta’s. What could be more fun than flying around Belize which is totally easy and cheering the San Pedro Sailing club kids on as they win races. The memories will be priceless.

I will leave you with their 2013 Regatta schedule. Who wants to fly to Placencia at the end of the May? We have already started planning our regatta adventure.

February 9th Buttonwood Bay, Belize City
March 10th Baron Bliss Harbour Regatta, Belize City
April 27th Honey Camp Lagoon Regatta, Corozal
May 26th Placencia
June 22nd San Pedro Regatta
September 1st BZSA Regatta, Belize City
October 13th Corozal Bay Regatta
December 14/15th National Championship Belize City

Late last night as I was finishing up yesterdays blog post, I got texting Dick to set our wake up time for today’s Sunrise drive. We both agreed 4:30 alarm, out the door at 4:45, park at Banana Beach and head to our favorite big dock to photograph the sunrise. Zac decided to join us for the first part of our morning adventure tour. The sunrise was well worth getting up for, lots of cloud interesting action and steaming rays.

Next came a good drive around the island taking the beach road up to the bridge then driving down the lagoon side and through San Pedrito. After a short pit stop at Dicks place to refuel we headed south to the Port Authority to make sure everything went on with Georges boat that Dick was having decommissioned. It turned out to be a done deal and our joy ride was coming to an end, after touring Captain Sharks boatyard and a stop for coffee, milk and fresh chicken we headed for home.

FYI – Maya Island Air Golf Tour on Caye Chapel write up and pics coming on  #TravelTuesday, I am still editing pics and thinking about what I want to write on our awesome awesome experience there.

P.S. my tech guy has been working on fixing light box for photo galley thanks Gail and Erin for letting me know it was not working correctly.

All that running around made us hungry so I suggested we check out what the days lunch was at Denny’s Donuts and Truck stop. It turned out to be chicken fried Steak so I decided to treat Dick , Paul, and Cowboy Doug  to lunch. Dick and I grabbed a glazed doughnut and I paid for lunches and told the girls we would be back to eat ours at noon when they opened and that Cowboy and Paul would work out when they wanted to get theirs. It was delicious Dulce Wolfe is a great cook and at $10 a meal you cannot go wrong for a delicious home cooked lunch.

In addition to pics of our errand run and lunch, I added a couple of the new office space going up by San Pedro Hardware and the tropical HGTV makeover of the building in the side street across from Belize Bank.

New office building going up by SP Hardware

Looking at construction view from gas station

Hazardous power pole by Pedro’s Hotel and the Medical School

Building makeover on the side across from Belize Bank

Getting ready for Lobster Season

Driving down Middle Street

Detour still in effect where they are fixing the road from broken water main

Denny’s Truck Stop kitchen was busy for chicken fried Steak day

Fresh bread, chocolate, cinnamon sugar and glazed donuts

Chicken fired steak with a fried egg on top – YUM and a great value for $10 BZD

Last errand of the day picking up my Sol Farms Veggies at Tropic Air Cargo

Dick and the box of Veggies in Darth Vader aka Zac’s Cart

The next Certified First Aid Course is going to be hosted by Las Terrazas Resort and it will be held at Seascape Villa’s on May 3oth so far La Perla is sending Four people and Playa Blanca two. You can get full details on  AmbergrisCaye.Com Message Board and regular updates.  I am pretty sure The Phoenix and Victoria House will be sending staff as well, they both have 15 trained staff on hand at their resorts now and have been sending staff to every training. Both resorts also have staff trained to use their Lifepak 500 Defibrillators, so does SACNW  – Fantastic.   Thanks goes out to all the other Ambergris Caye businesses who have stepped up to join the program, host a course and get staff certified, please see First Aid Program page to get the list of all participating businesses. You will also find more information on all participating businesses including links to their websites and Facebook pages.

After TV and popping in snap a few pics of our potential new Office space and training center, I decided to stop by Caroline’s kitchen snap a few pictures for you and at her new place across from Tropic Air.  I am so glad that spot opened up for her it is the perfect place and I know she will do well there. Caroline was happy to show me around and tell  me all about the improvements they made to the space and how she is planning to help support local musicians and have live music twice a week.

In honor of World Red Cross day I hope you will join us for another fun night of Feliz Bingo in support of San Pedro Red Cross 4:00pm today. All funds raised will go directly to San Pedro Red Cross First Aid Program. Please go to Feliz facebook page to count yourself in on the official invite, even if you cannot attend or are not in the country we welcome the show of support by liking Feliz page and clicking yes you will attend and be there in spirit in support of San Pedro branch of the Belize Red Cross. If all goes well with internet I will do a live stream on taco cam so you can all  be there even if you can’t Watch for update on tacogirl.com facebook page around 4pm to see if I are able to go live