AmbergrisCaye.com Home Forums The Cayes Ambergris Caye Why? A question for tourists and ex pats

'bout time you shared that picture

It was time........

and prints up in the darkroom better than the neg scans and Photoshops. Loses something with progress. Hmmmmm

We met Obie and Becky at the Banana Beach and got to know them during our 10 day stay. What happened with them since then?

ExOkie - look up Kelly McGuire for your next island musical sensation.

My folks took me with them to Cayo back in the mid 80's. I absolutely hated it until we moved back to NY. I fell in love with a girl with a local girl and drove back to Belize as soon as I could in a dump truck out of Chicago.

I moved here, San Pedro, with $40 in my pocket looking for a way to make an income of more than $75 a week so we could build a house in Cayo for me, my girlfriend and our little girl. Jim Jam gave me a job and Malcolm gave me a room above Fido's (within two hours of stepping off the Caye Caulker Water Taxi. I really got to know Barefoot Skinny and Dennis Wolfe very well (including their lyrics, jokes and play list). Hanging out with Malcolm, Mary, Pablo, Cappo, Louie, Pedro (burro) and Shaggy was the best days of my life. The salary was better but we spent every dime on food and drink (drinks). I can still recall the horrible smell of this octopus we forgot we where boiling on the gas stove in the apartment where the offices are now located.

I am now married and have three more kids. Needless to say I am still working here as the house plans kept changing over the years. The income is better, I still miss the simpler life of Cayo very very much.

I've given a lot back to the community of San Pedro and Belize. I got burned out a few times and now stay more focused on family.

The house is almost done.

Personally, solely my viewpoint, I would like to see other areas of Belize dedicated to "large scale developments". Areas where you really could build a golf course and airport (not strip) and not be dependent upon the infrastructure of a small town until no longer needed. Areas that desperately need jobs and can offer an affordable and fulfilling lifestyle for it's employees and families. The coast of Belize and other areas of the mainland are ripe for development, especially if plane loads of charter people are just waiting to come to Belize from Europe. I would like to see Ambergris Caye's sunsets studded with golden palm tree silhouettes rather than humongous concrete boxes. I would like to see the island move forward with smaller, more intimate and more expensive products and services with less people spending more money amongst lower density of business owners and employees. I would like to see the children of this island offered the same types of schools and parks offered to them on the mainland.

I think whatever had been done as far as police work over the past 15 years is not working. I would like to see new ideas regarding crime prevention including public humiliation rather then merit badges for committing crimes.

It's all good.

Ding, ding...we have a winner!

One great reason I come to San Pedro!
http://aphidairdesigns.smugmug.com/gallery/3943592_XfxXC#229117337_ukMz3-A-LB

Amanda, Our first visit to SP came in Jan. 2005. We have been looking for a place to retire for some time now. We have returned each year since for a few weeks and have purchased our soon to be home. Raggirl and I have visited about every Island in the East and West Caribbean but never found quite what we wanted. From 1990-1995 we lived in the East Caribbean on our boat moving from Island to Island when the mood fit us. The early education of our two children was mostly on board but sometimes in the local schools on the Islands. We love the sea, reefs, Island people and their way of life.

On AC we found what the Eastern Caribbean was probably like years ago. Conveniences but not too many. A comfortable life in a way that time has passed on other Islands. The Island has it's warts but many advantages are found on AC. Actually the warts some how add to the mystique of AC. The people are great and certainly there are a lot of "characters". We enjoy being around these people. We agree with most of what was said in previous posts.

In addition, I agree with LA in her questions to you Amanda. I'm sure you and I will meet in person in the next few years and you're a great gal but your questions come across a little strange to people who have helped in the past and can be counted on in the future to be a positive influence. I myself have not contributed much but any place I've been I always end up active in the club or community and I doubt that will change when we move there in the future. Making suggestions and criticism is part of communicating our feelings and if done respectfully adds to the good of all. Thank you AC for what I expect you will give me and when the time comes it would be nice for a small recognition to all our indiviual efforts.

This post has garnered some very good responses and after our first trip there 3 weeks ago I see why many of you have returned multiple times.
We too have fallen in love with many aspects of AC and have already started looking into arrangements for our Spring trip there. My little sister and her husband are making the next trip with us after listneing to our stories and seeing some of the pic's.

One - the people. We felt welcome. Aruba is the same but way too far.

Two - The water and the reef.

Three - 2 hour drive to Dallas and we are there before the end of a good movie.

In regard to anyone having the opportunity to improve their lives, absolutely, but I did not see that. As with most of our trips to new places, I started researching and communicating in advance. We were prepared for the trash, the non-swimming beaches, and above normal cost.

I was shocked at how little regard the residents had for the island by trashing it up. Yes I realize many visitors contribute to this problem, but we got away from the main streets to see the real AC. It was worse there. The GOB must assume the responsibility of removing trash. I walked the beach nearly every a.m. early and as I promised in my post I picked up trash. Picking it up is not an issue, where to put it is. I saw the trash containers being built and most of them were overflowing and we were there during low season. I can not imagine what it must be like during high season.

We have traveled up and down the Eastern Carribean and love the smallness of AC. We do not like the high rises many islands have built or the crowds. AC still has a local feel and you do not have to travel far to get it.

But, let me add, we were on vacation. A time when we travel and spend our hard earned money. AC cannot expect visitors to fly in for a week and spend a day of their time volunteering or out on the streets stumping for improvements. The locals need to look at themselves for that. If ex-pats and relocated visitors want to invest in AC and/or open a business there they need to get involved. It is in their best interest to keep the visitors coming back.

As a traveler, if AC overdevelopes, we will probably continue to explore new places. Until then we'll come back. No I do not want American businesses there (imagine the golden arches on front street - ugh), I do not want big highrises, no golf courses. AC is not big enough to entertain both a local laid back crowd and the flash in the pants big spenders. The mega developements being discussed on this board ARE going to make an impact on AC. IMHO it will not be a positive impact, but as a visitor, all I can do is decide if I want to return or look elsewhere. Developement is going to happen. Prepare for it.

This board is a wonderful tool for gathering information and opinions from visitors that should be used for a positive approach to change. AC is a tourist destination and the economy depends on it. Big developement will NOT improve the lives of residents. It will make foreign investors wealthy, increase immigration for job seekers (thus more crowding in poor areas), and it will overwhelm the utility demands including waste collection. IMHO AC is not prepared for it.

Hey all. Thanks so much for you concise responses to the questions.

Yes, I might be a little odd and caustic and ask questions that appear strange - but I am receiving what I was aiming for - a deeper insight as to why people consistently visit the island, why they will continue or discontinue those visits, why some have settled here and why some have goals to retire here in the near future.

I am sure there are more comments out there.....

If a search is made on this board there are tons of notes of praise and thanks for the gifts, donations, and tireless efforts of board members. There are also acknowledgments of good deeds in the local newspapers. Even misguided & misfired efforts are praised.

As I dig through the mail, march of dimes, salvation army, red cross, rotary, lions, oxfam, ronald mcdonald house.... I realize that requesting charity is not an activity exclusive to Belize. If you would like to contribute that is fantastic, if you don't please don't berate others for doing so.