Independence Day Parade

Belize celebrated 30 years of independence on September 21.  Every Independence Day parade is good, but this year it was spectacular.  And...it didn't rain! 

This is the theme of the parade.

And of course, we can't have a parade without Miss San Pedro.

Dress up that golf cart and you have a float.  Palmetto fronds are perfect!

There were oodles of dance groups who kept up the pace throughout the parade which was hours long and HOT.  The dancers ranged from very young to some rather long in the tooth.  Some had very elaborate costumes and others matching T-shirts.  Size was not a consideration, only enthusiasm.

This was the best float in the parade.  It depicts the cultures of Belize and many of the agriculture products.  Very young and cute children were dressed in the costumes typical of the cultures.



I aplogize for the picture quality.  We were seeking shade for ourselves and forgot about proper lighting.  We'll do better next year...I hope.  Meanwhile, Happy Independence Day!



Calm waters

Someone has taken the reef!  It has been almost dead calm which means MOSQUITOES!  We're also getting nice light shows in the evenings from lightning.  There are lots of quick squalls, but we've had no major downpours.



August sunrise

We had a very pretty sunrise this morning. 



Flowers

As many of you know, we have been less than successful with our gardening.  We have learned the hard way that very few plants will put up with our salty winds, especially in the front of the house.  When we first moved here five years ago, we promptly bought all kinds of plants.  We then removed all kinds of dead plants.  We now carry scissors when visiting our favorite resorts where they are wonderful about sharing cuttings.  We do have two lovely specimens we'd like to share, however. 

This is a big lily that we see around town.  Our neighbor, Tammy, gave us this a number of years ago.  It bloomed for the first time in December.  The blossoms are huge, about a foot across.  This one is right in front of our house on the windy side and seems to be doing well.

Our neighbor, Lesle, gave us this orchid four or five years ago.  It is growing on a coconut palm in the back of the house.  It has never bloomed until this summer when we noticed a long stem emerging from the plant.  It has very intricate and delicate blossoms that are lasting a long time. 



It's difficult to see, but the flower stem is about 40 inches long.  That's the mother plant farther down on the trunk of the tree.  Thank you Lesle and Tammy.  You've made our lives a little more colorful!

Rain at Last

This may not be a welcome sight to our tourists, but after 2 1/2 months with no rain at all, we are still happy to see this sky.  It began to rain on June 4 and we've now managed over 5 inches of rain.  The plants immediately perked up and turned green and the cisterns are filling. 



Congratulations Tanya!

Palmero Point is very proud of our own Tanya.  She transferred to San Pedro High School last fall after school had started.  Getting to school is not an easy task when one lives nine miles north of town.  Most days, Tanya and her sister, Tiffany, caught the 6:00 a.m. Coastal Xpress boat for San Pedro and didn't arrive home until well after 5:00 p.m.  Homework then took them well into the night.  Tanya was told that she would have to make up some classes in order to graduate this year.  Through a heavy class load plus class on Saturday, Tanya not only graduated but she did so with honors.  She placed fourth in her class of seventy.  Thanks to parents, David and Sandra, we've all shared in her success.  Good work Tanya and we wish you the very best in the future.

 But, before graduation took place, there was a prom to attend.  This caused a bit of panic when the dress she had ordered didn't arrive but an emergency trip to Belize City found the perfect dress.  I'm sure you will agree that Tanya looked beautiful.

A Trip to Town

Once in a while we like to drive to town instead of

taking the boat.  There are times when it is too wet

and muddy, but it's been quite dry lately so we gave it

a try.  We must say that the road is greatly improved

over the past few years, but it is still an adventure at times.

Here we are leaving Palmero Point on the beach.

We'll stay on the beach as far as Blue Reef Resort.

Some of the road is very good...

and some not so good!

You never know what you might encounter.

There was a slight detour through the bush here.

Just in case we get lost!

A definite stop on the way home for take-out.

This is Lazy Croc's dining room overlooking a lagoon

 with (of course) crocs.  Dangling one's feet is not recommended.

Think it will rain?

We're almost there.  This is the toll bridge.

And our reward is breakfast at Estel's!