To the coast
Feb. 19th, 2019 09:31 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
chickenfeetAfter ATM we decided it made sense to head for the beach. On balance I'm not sure that this was a smart move as I definitely prefer San Ignacio to the coast but the lure of swimming in the Caribbean was too strong. We had trouble finding available, affordable accommodation and ended up at the Palmento Cultural Centre. This was certainly interesting but not the most comfortable of choices. It's located at the north end of Hopkins just across the river. It's off grid. Electricity (generator) is only available a few hours a day and the well water is sulphur laden. Also the variable water pressure makes getting a shower pretty hit and miss. Still the cabin was comfortable and Mel, who owns the place, is lovely. It's a longish walk into the village but that's the least of it. getting across the river involves kayaking. We got the hang of this soon enough but not before the lemur had managed to capsize the boat in the dark dumping me in the river. Fortunately we didn't see any crocodiles.
Hopkins is a Garifuna village though it's now increasingly taken over by resorts and businesses catering to tourists. It has a lovely beach but facilities are basic. There are plenty of restaurants and bars including Tina's which is pretty good for local specialties. The Chinese run supermarkets are pretty basic. There's one ATM which has lovely air conditioning and fine mahogany panelling but doesn't actually seem to dispense cash. It's here that you realise there are no cheap options on the coast (which is where most tourists go). Accommodation and food is much more expensive than in San Ignacio and doing anything costs wads of cash. Still, ocean.
Breakfast at Tina's; fry jack with stew beans, salsa and fried fish. Totally delicious but, oddly, fish is the most expensive choice. It always is for some reason in Belize (ok specialties like lobster, conch and game meats are more expensive but fish costs more than chicken, pork or beef... even on the coast)
Hopkins is a Garifuna village though it's now increasingly taken over by resorts and businesses catering to tourists. It has a lovely beach but facilities are basic. There are plenty of restaurants and bars including Tina's which is pretty good for local specialties. The Chinese run supermarkets are pretty basic. There's one ATM which has lovely air conditioning and fine mahogany panelling but doesn't actually seem to dispense cash. It's here that you realise there are no cheap options on the coast (which is where most tourists go). Accommodation and food is much more expensive than in San Ignacio and doing anything costs wads of cash. Still, ocean.
Breakfast at Tina's; fry jack with stew beans, salsa and fried fish. Totally delicious but, oddly, fish is the most expensive choice. It always is for some reason in Belize (ok specialties like lobster, conch and game meats are more expensive but fish costs more than chicken, pork or beef... even on the coast)
no subject
Date: 2019-05-05 05:12 pm (UTC)The End Of The Line is a disturbing movie about the environmental depletion in the over-harvesting of fish. When you consider all these variables, it's not so odd that the fish is the most expensive option; after all, it's becoming scarcer and scarcer.
Most people aren't aware of that; sorry to be a Debbie Downer.