The Flying Pig

ARRIVAL IN PLACENCIA


WARNING:  Stay on the road!  This is our taxi after missing the turn to Cozy Corner and thinking he could take a shortcut.  Fortunately, there were 3 Belizeans who hang out near this spot waiting for idiots to get stuck and then charge about $20 to get you out.

But Placencia is a little bit of paradise.  There are no, and I mean NO, signs of the modern world here except for cell phones, signs saying Visa/MasterCard accepted, and a weak, sporadic WiFi signal.  But not a Macdonald's to be seen, nor a Hilton, Radisson, or Westin.  The homes are small and simple, the restaurants are open to the sea breezes, and all the natives either sell food or crafts or boat tours.

At home we seldom just sit and relax, but here the chairs on the beach under the little thatched umbrellas are so conducive to reading, conversation, or just closing your eyes and letting your mind go blank, that you can't help relaxing.  Younger and more fit visitors can go fishing, diving or snorkeling when the weather permits.  I would have done another snorkeling day, but yesterday there was a pretty stiff wind which brought rain last night and this morning.  No good for snorkeling.  But my experience in Caye Caulker has made me promise myself that I will go to Mexico for snorkeling (or someplace like that).

Last night we went to dinner at The Flying Pig, a restaurant owned by the cousin of a friend I went to high school with.  It was "all you can eat" spaghetti night.  Patrick was a charming, enthusiastic host and told us how he came to be in Placencia. He was teaching school in California until the recession! and at that time his school combined with another school and! rather than teaching algebra to 7th, 8th, and 9th grade kids, he was expected to teach 7-12th graders.  Unfortunately his certificate only allowed him to teach up to 9th grade.  So, he went back to school and got a Master's degree in administration.  Now, he found his lack of experience made it impossible to find a job in school administration.  So, he gave California a one-finger salute, sold everything and moved to Belize.  He's happy and making a contribution to the community.

We have one more night here, and then tomorrow we are off to Crooked Tree, supposedly a bird-watcher's dream come true.  Two nights there, then back to Belize City for the last night before we fly home.

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