Corozal town!

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Mirador Hotel sits right next to Corozal Bay, with a great rooftop veranda, complete with hammocks! Perfect! Mike, John and I ended up there after our long haul from Isla Mujeres the previous night. Great spot to enjoy my first Belikin beer (and work them off as it is 67 steps up to the veranda - yes, I counted!!!!) The Mirador appears to be the highest building in this garbage-clad town, and provides a great vantage point to watch the goings-on of the fisherman across the street. My room was very sweet, and I had slept like a baby the next before.

Not much to this town I soon discovered. Spent my early morning (that darn rooster followed me here from Mexico) taking pics of run-down houses, Church, Clock Tower, etc, as well as watching the fisherman sell the catch-of-the-day, and the pelicans who hang out patiently waiting for the fisherman to clean their fish, and subsequently feed them their lunch. I ran into Mike later and went for my first taco, which was delicious (the previous evening's chinese dinner was a far memory and I was starving!) John joined us later and we talked him into getting a haircut. What a good sport he is!! I tried to talk him into letting me dye it as well, but that didn't work! A late lunch of the typical Belizean "Rice & Beans & Fish" followed as our intent to buy fresh fish and have a restaurant cook it up for us fell thru. The guys were heading to the island of San Pedro on the afternoon water taxi and I bade them goodbye at the dock. I have to admit I was a little sad seeing them go as I had such a great time with them, and lots & lots of laughs. Who knows, our paths may cross once again. Stranger things have been known to happen!

Within minutes of saying goodbye, I met Anita & Jim, now empty nesters, in the Mirador lobby. They are from Calgary, but both born & raised in Edmonton. Again, such a small world!

Anita & Jim are down here overseeing the work they do with some local woman, and there have been some recent problems with the pastor overseeing the micro-funding that A & J have set up. Out of respect for them, and not wanting to get any facts wrong, I invite you to read their blog: (www.jimandanita.blogspot.com) which speaks volumes about the calibre of people they are and how they are helping the women of the neighbouring town of San Antonio.

After a long chat with Anita I headed to the Internet Cafe and couldn't believe the hundreds of Blackbirks singing outside. What an orchestra!

I then found my way to Paddy's Restaurant, and my first freshly squeezed watermelon juice. I might just become addicted! I wrapped up my evening by having a girl's night with Anita on the rooftop, while Jim was downstairs working on their blog. We shared many stories and laughs, along with a couple of drinks. Alcoholic beverages can be purchased by standing outside a wicket (with metal bars) at the side of the restaurant downstairs from the hotel. We ended up buying them one at a time, which of course meant those dreaded 67 steps back up! Oh well, maybe I will look better in my Lulus!!

Mike and John are also both humanitarians, and it was all very bizarre how I met Anita & Jim within minutes of M & J's departure. Mike's grandmother is Erma Fennell & her foundation has been helping the needy in Baja Mexico for almost 20 years. From what Mike told me about Erma, I know I would like her. Anita is the same age as I, and has the same travelling purse as I have. Mike is reading "The Shack", which I also have with me for my next read. All very bizarre!..or should I say: "Like attracts like?"....hmmm

This pc is so dreadfully slow that I have given up trying to download pics. I guess there is sometimes a trade-off for having free internet.

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