UnBelizeable!

Belize, in Central America, borders Mexico to the North, the Caribbean to the East and Guatemala to the West and South. Thank you Wikipedia! Belize gained it's independance in 1981 from the Brits but still retains much of its history as a British colony. It is the only Central America country that doesn't have a Pacific coastline. Belize's Barrier Reef is the second largest in the world.

Belize wasn't really on my radar but it is for many North Americans. A dear friend of mine was going to visit a friend of hers that lives in San Pedro, Belize part time and I thought I would tag along. I don't spend enough time with Patty so I thought this would be a great opportunity to hang with her for a few weeks.

San Pedro is a one of the bigger islands off the mainland in Belize and the home to many expat retirees. The town itself is fairly nondescript with a plethora of bars/restaurants and congested with golf carts. Definitely not a pedestrian friendly town.

We stayed at a resort on the north side of town with three pools, a swim up bar in one, beautifully manicured grounds and some amazing sunrises. I was feeling very Boujee!

The coastline is overrun by sargassum seaweed and there are only a few places (unless you are out on a boat) that you can really swim in the ocean. In San Pedro, there is the Secret beach which is a great place to swim but not so much of a secret!

San Pedro wasn't really my cup of tea and there was only so much of laying around the pool that I could do. Though I enjoyed hanging with Patty and making some new friends.

Patty, Rosie and I ventured to a smaller island (Caye Caulker) for a change of pace. I loved this island!So much so, that I decided to stay a few extra days. It was definitely pedestrian friendly with more bikes than golf carts and a slower island pace. Rosie had been on this small island 40 years ago and it was like going back in time for her. It was really fun watching her relive her adventure there.

I know that I am repeating myself when I say, I am really not a coast person. My mother on the other hand, loved the beach. I remember as a kid living in Houston, she would drag us out of bed at the crack of dawn to drive to Galveston to spend the day at the beach. Hot, sticky, sandy and sunburned I was usually done by noon and the ride home was the worse! The other thing my mother loved to do on the coast was fish.

We would "camp" at the fishing pier and she would fish half the night. It's a wonder I even like to eat fish because for me, those memories were not good ones! Smelly fish, mosquitos that ate me alive and of course more sand.

I am always amazed about how dirty coastal towns are. Whether it's Greece or the Yucatan or Ecuador, the amount of trash that litters these places is sad. Resorts and gated communities shut themselves off, creating an almost sanitized environment compared to what lies beyond the gates and walls. I've been to some beautiful beaches but the towns are generally trashy. Don't get me started on sand fleas and other insects that love the tropical coastal places!

On a serious note, the amount of drinking that happens in coastal towns is also a big issue for me. I particularly notice this in the Caribbean. Why is that? You literally can get off the plane at any airport in the Caribbean and see people ordering their first drink no matter what time of day it is. What about the Caribbean makes people want to consume copious amounts of alcohol?! You can't go to a restaurant without the proprietor trying to push a shot of something on you or one of those beach cocktails that screams let's get drunk and screw, like the "Panty Ripper".

Seriously? Is it me? Have I just reached that age where I don't understand the fascination with needing to just get wasted for the sake of getting wasted? I am not opposed at drinking alcohol and I love to have a good time but I don't feel like I need the alcohol to be able to enjoy myself. Inhale three, two, one and exhale, OK I am finished with my ranting.

The majority of my travels this year are to countries who are know for their coasts. Don't ask me why it's worked out that way for me but I know one thing for sure, I either need to start drinking or change my perspective about the beach asap!