The fun is on with the lovely beauties of Costa Maya 2011. The eight delegates from Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua and Panama have been taking in the sights, enjoying the sun, sand and sea with specially planned activities that take advantage of everything that Ambergris Caye and its neighbor Caye Caulker has to offer.
After starting their week-long activities with dinner and welcome at Fido’s, the beauties awoke to a nice sunny day. Their schedule included a Sea Trek trip with Discovery Expeditions, whereby they got to enjoy the underwater world using the patented Sea Trek helmets that Discovery provides exclusively. After enjoying the fish and corals underwater, all eight ladies lounged, snacked and enjoyed the sunshine on board the Sea Symphony before heading back to town to prepare for their night’s activities.
Idolly, Crissia, Andrea, Ana Lucia, Linda, Valentina, Gissell and Mariaelena were officially presented at Noche Tropical, held at Ramon’s Village Resort. The resort has been a major contributor to the pageant, and festival as a whole, since the inception of the festival. It was fitting then, that Noche Tropical (Tropical Night) was celebrated at the grounds of the resort. The delegates presented themselves in barefoot elegance, modeling various types of clothing, and of course, mingling and enjoying the cool Caribbean Night.
Following the night of fun, the activities continued with a wonderfully relaxed sail on-board SEAduction with SEAduced captains Sylvin and Manuel. The girls got to delight at the Mayan-named Hol Chan Marine Reserve, after which they got up close and personal with a most friendly shark at Shark Ray Alley. The catamaran then pointed south-west to La Isla Cariñosa, Caye Caulker, where Village Chairman Alberto Villanueva Jr. awaited the arrival of the beauties at the dock at Rainbow Restaurant.
A delicious seafood meal had been prepared for the girls, and everyone dug in with gusto. Talk and laughter filled the air, and patrons delighted at the surprise drop-in. After yummy food and drinks, it was time to enjoy the island via Golf Cart with Rainbow Taxi Service. Champ and company drove the ladies around the village, stopping to get the girls ice-cream cones along the way, and in general, showcasing why Caye Caulker is known as La Isla Cariñosa.
The beauties will be preparing for their grand show scheduled for Friday, August 5th at the Old Football Field. Only one will be crowned Reina De La Costa Maya – who will the winner be?! Be sure to swing by the festival grounds and find out!
San Pedro Sun
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| Marisela will highlight Saturday night. |
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| Miss Belize Idolly Saldivar share a photo op with Costa Maya contestants. (Photos courtesy of San Pedro Sun) |
The island paradise of San Pedro, Ambergris Caye is once again hosting
the annual International Costa Maya Festival, which opened with a gala on
Thursday, August 4.This 18th festival is
featuring the Belize Dance Company, Mexico’s Kesekese Presurcion, a comedy
presentation by Nacasia and an after- party under the Belikin tent on the
festival grounds. On opening night the country delegates performed a flag dance which included the Grupo Crash
of El Salvador.
The eight beauties
competing for the Reina de la Costa Maya Pageant on Friday, August 5, began
arriving on the island last Thursday and will have time to enjoy this fabulous
island.
Miss Costa Maya Belize,
Idolly Louise Saldivar, will represent the jewel along with seven other
contestants from Central America and
Mexico.
Miss Ana Lucia Mazariegos
Florentina is representing Guatemala, Linda Beatrice Kennett - Honduras, Andre
Bazant Sol - El Salvador; Gisella de los Angeles Alvarez Ramirez - Nicaragua;
Crissia Maria Sanchez Calvo - Costa Rica; Marielena Gonzalez - Panama, and
Valentina Cervera Avila - Mexico. The 2010 Costa Maya Queen Gabriela Asturias
of Guatemala will crown the winner of this year’s pageant.
Sandra Hoyos of the Spanish
television network Telemundo of Miami and Eiden Salazar of Reef Radio will
be the co-hosts for the show, along with
co-announcers Marleni Cuellar and William Neal of Channel 5.
Also performing during the
cultural interludes will be the San
Pedro Dance Group and Shawn Saldano of Belize, the Belizean duet Instruments of
Love, Kesekese Presurcíon, Grupo Crash, and Belize’s own Gilharry Seven band.
A highlight of the Festival
will be Mexican-American singer Marisela in concert on Saturday night, August
6, at which she will sing many of her hits including La
Completamente Tuya, Amor Mío Carino Mío, Enamorada y Herida, Muriendo de Amor,
Sola con mi Soledad, Ya No, El Chico Aquel, Mi Problema and Pareja Ideal.
Sanpedranos extended a warm
welcome to the international delegates, who were whisked away into a whirlwind
of activity, beginning with a welcome dinner at Fido’s Restaurant and Bar last
Thursday evening.
The contestants got to
experience the amazing signature Mayan buffet of the famous Elvi’s Kitchen on
Friday night.
Preliminary judging began
as the pageant delegates showcased their cultural costumes at a Noche Tropical
at Ramon’s Village on Saturday night, August 30.
They were formally
introduced to the community as they modelled clothing by Moondancer, official
sponsor of the pageant, during a cultural presentation on the beach.
The Caye Caulker Village
Council proudly sponsored a day of fun in the sun for the contestants as they
toured that sister island on Sunday.
The contestants also got to
meet World Series of Poker finalist Badih Bou Narha at the Captain’s Casino as
Captain Morgan’s Resort hosted them for an evening of gambling and
entertainment in a fund-raiser for the Saga Humane Society on Monday night,
August 1.
The public also got to mingle with the ladies
as Captain Morgan’s provided free hourly boat rides on the coastal express
departing from Fido’s dock.
Reef Radio hosted the
delegates on their Morning Show from
Tuesday to Friday August 2-5, as they began their training for the pageant, but they also had
opportunities to visit the many gift shops and boutiques and to dine all around
the island at restaurants which sponsored the festival.
The festival concludes on
Sunday, August 7 with Costa Maya en la
Playa featuring a triathlon competition, games and a DJ concert.
The Reporter
Last edited by Marty; 08/09/11 07:59 AM.
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