Do not get involved with Harry, the less you have to do with him the safer you are, better still have nothing to do with him. This 41 year old will cheat, steal from you,is totally dishonest and he lies, lies is all he knows and everything he does is for his own selfish greed and gambling. Harry has a huge problem and the image he portrays as the happy fun loving guy, is definitely not what you get.To the girls out there, don't fall for his nice kind loving words and his sweet ways, he doesn't care, nor has he any feelings or respect for you, he is only after free food, drink, money, sex and anything else he can get from you. It is not only tourist he scams but locals too, many people here have given him enough chances but he just abuses it all. Those girls out there who have slept with him, I hope you have had yourself tested for HIV, Hepatitis B & C and all the STDs(probably the only thing you will get from him). So many people have been good to him and all he does is abuses their trust and takes advantage of them and when something better comes along he moves on. What he does is very very wrong,but he doesn't care, he has no shame and no respect for himself or anyone. Yes, he may be a good tour guide and is a hard worker when he has to,but that doesn't make up for all the wrong he does. I know this board doesn¡¯t like negative posts and slanderous one, but this is another warning to the unsuspecting person, people beware!!!!

Jools, sorry to hear about your misfortune on CayeCaulker.
Unfortunately, many male Belizeans view foreigners in that light. They see you $$ when they see a tourist. I hung with a few locals(males) quite a few times on the Island and it's amazing how they view Foreign Women. For example, they would classify you as a *hit* or a *bust*. Once they saw a blond chick walking down main street, they want to be the first to approach you. All intentions is to find out what kind of money you're working with. Once they clean you out, or find out you're broke, then you are of no use to them.
Although many won't admit, this is true. Especially the Rastas, they are fake and are the worst.

My apologies to jools, I didn't mean to slam anyone, I was just opining that whether it;'s here or Hawaii, or any tourist place, the players are numerous. I never said anything about the woman who fell in love with Harry. I happen to have a good friend who spent 11 month's here with Harry ,probably at the same time as jools. But it's not just Harry, there are many. We all agree. I suggested a reason why the men play and their mentality and justification. But anyways, as usual it never pays to get in other peoples business.
Too bad one of those Harry's don't give us their slant on why they behave this way.

After reading the comments with their warning to others,I decided to write about a few things I observed in my years on CC. There are different sides to every story &all previous posts make sense,it all depends on each&everyones opinion.I have come across many tourists who have been cheated by Harry&people like Jools who thought they found love&happiness&end up being hurt&left short of money in which they kindly gave,thinking they will be giving the guy a chance for a better life,but he only waste it,usually on his own problems.I heard of a group of tourist giving Harry money with his promise that he will cook for them a big BBQ dinner to celebrate their last night on the island,but they end up going hungry as he never showed up.But Harry isn’t the only one,there are many on the island.These guys like Harry,may say they love&care for you&that you are the first white girl they have fallen in love with&slept with,but it is all lies,you are just one of many many girls.Most of these guys are NOT single,they do have a partner &kids living on the island.I have seen the look of humiliation,embarrassment& hurt on the face of these guys partner (wives/girlfriends),when they walk down the street or into a bar only to see some girl and their guy all over each other. These partner having to work in their job&provide good polite customer service,knowing the customer they are serving is the girl who slept with their guy the night before.These partners love their guy&they have a good relationship with them,but when some tourist girl offers meals,sex&maybe some money, these guys just can’t resist,because if they do,they know some other guy will benefit,so it might as well be them.CC is a small place and what these guys partners don’t see,they will be told by someone who does see.It is not just the tourist girls who comes looking for a fun time,just so they can write home telling about their romantic&sexual experience with a 'local guy',there are some local woman who want their share&some group tour leaders who pass through every few months with their groups, knowing they will get their sexual fix with their ‘CCguy’.Some of these woman are fully aware these guys have a partner&even know who they are,but that doesn’t stop any of them.These guys don’t care about anyones feelings,as long as they can get what they want in the short time they have with the girl&they know there will always be the next girl.While they can get what they want from you they will always say they love you.The girls like Jools who fall for these guys charms&end up disappointed,hopefully will be wiser from the experience,but because of their naivety doesn't give them an excuse for their actions either.There is the occassional tourist who finds a single guy&moves to the island to live with him,life is good at first until he can't resist the tourist girls,&then she is the one to experience the other side.Harry&the other guys will always do what they do,because they can,while there is someone willing to give,they will always be willing to take as much as they can get.I have known many good relationships&families destroyed by the acts of these woman&guys,it is so sad.Jools,I am sorry that you were a victim of Harry but you were not the only victim,his partner is a victim as well,&so are all the partners&kids to all the other guys who are just like Harry.It is easy for a visitor to leave CC not even realizing or aware of the damage they have inflicted on those who remain,as this is their home, their life&who try&accept it all as part of life with their man.These situations happen all around the world, everywhere &is unfortunate.Maybe,if people have a bit more self espect &consideration for others&less self indulgence there be fewer victims out there.The cheating and scamming done by these guys is inexcusable&is absolutely wrong&I also would like to hear their side of the story&their definition of the word love.For those girls visiting, whether you come for a good time or ones like Jools, before you start having your bit of romance and fun with Harry or others like him on the island,spare a thought for their partners &kids & think how you would feel if you were them.

This is an interesting story told me by a local whos family goes back generations here.
He said; It used to be everyone here had fruit trees in their yards. Banana, papaya, breadfruit and the like. He knows nothing of the Caye Caulker Message board. He continued ,people would fish everyone would share. Their were not many restraunts, just 2 small stores. People were poor but their was no crime and everyone had plenty to eat. Then over time as newcomers moved here and then the newcomers turned into Gringo newcomers. More restaurants opened more grocery stores. More businesses opened, and now their is crime, their is more food on the island but now it cost money, people dont have money. Then he asked me to look around the island, he says he dosnt know what happened to all the fruit trees!!!!!

True story, Cooper.

Sadly missed are the abundance of sea grape, guava, mami and cocoplum trees. The fruits are the most delicious on all of Earth.

Since there were no refrigerators back then (no electricity) the fruits were made into a sweet jelly like stew. People would happily eat for days.

Excess fish catch was usually salted to preserve it for later. Salt fish is excellent too.

Actually, an excellent lunch meal would be made from chaya (local spinach type plant) and masa (corn mix) called "tamalitos de chaya". Covered with a tomato sauce, it was hmmmm mmmmmmm good!

Wow...all this talk about fruit and food is making me hungry. Tamalitos de chaya sounds amazing, as well as all those trees bearing the fruit you named. YUM!

Yup...those were the days, Coop. And that local's story is very true. I remember the day when I could walk through neighbor's yards to get from one street to the next without having to go the long way around. There were no fences - now there is hardly space because everyone is cramming all they can into their lots.

I remember when we had to run to Mr. Wayo's house to make telephone calls to the city cuz he had the island's only phone. I remember those good ole' days. Now, all the commotion or hype is about Skype and Vonage and whatever else.

I also remember going to one neighbor and asking if I could pull some craboo from their tree, then go the another and do the same for some "golden plum". My favorite time of year was when the sea grapes were "in season", and having to bear the mosquito feeding frenzy to fill up a bread bag with grape.

I remember the anona (aka custard apple), the hamanz (almonds), and all the grucea (gruh-say-a).

But you see Coop, that was when Caye Caulker was truly the small community that could justify the name "Isla Carinosa". Now, the darn place has become a dog-eat-dog society where every man (and woman) is for himself. Community? Ha...there is no longer even a shadow or vapor of what real community life really was in MY Caye Caulker. And the sad truth is......it never will come back again.

[This message has been edited by BuckWah (edited 07-12-2006).]

[This message has been edited by BuckWah (edited 07-12-2006).]

Yeah I too would love to see California as it was before overpopulation and growth. Even to go back to the 1950's before all the technology that is supposed to be advancement. I lived on St. Martin for three years in the early 1980's and cried when I saw what happened to that island when I revisited in the late 90's.

Such is "progress".

Life goes on.

Hey, Cookie.
Cali has changed! I was born and raised here and even finding a native is rare these days. People flock here from all over the US chasing the weather or the tech industry.

Since it's more populated travelling anywhere can get hectic, even around rush hour. The cost of living is high, traffic is murder, buying a house mad bank. In my neighborhood the median is like $ 550,00.00!
And that's for a small modest two bedroom! Yipes.

Cali is beautiful and there is a lovely and radiant diversity of people here. But I'm thinking myself time to bounce soon. Get out the US for awhile and give it a go somewhere else. You can always come home again; perhaps changed, but roots don't wither.