Christmas Shopping by Golf Cart - Why Not

---

The village is starting to fill up with travellers. Every day there are more people here. The new arrivals are easy to spot with their white skin and fancy clothes. After a few days they will figure out that fancy is not needed in this laid back little fishing town. The weather has turned for the good so it's hot and sunny most days. The construction of the building next door to us has shut down until the new year - nice.

All in all there are not that many signs of Christmas in Placencia, no big public displays or excessive Christmas lights. A couple of restaurants have set out a few decorations but it is all very modest and not the type of Christmas splash we've become accustomed to over the years in North America. There are no large department stores here, gifts like small appliances, clothes and toys are sold from tables and under tarps on the side of the road.

Mostly we've been living here day to day, hand carrying what groceries we need, or using the baskets on our bikes, but the markets will be closed from mid day 24th until 27th, so we better stock up on a few things. We consider our options, taxi, rental car but in the end decide on a golf cart - $9 per hour, we think 2 hours will be sufficient. First we go for a little ride down the penninsula, it's fun driving around in a golf cart with the breeze blowing, although Ian is driving a little fast and when we hit one of many speed bumps on the road - I go flying a few inches up off the seat - slow down Honey!

After a fun little spin, we hit the biggest grocery store. It is already very busy with shoppers and the markets already starting to run low and out of inventory. With no list, I try to remember what we need including of course a case of Belikin beer (the beer of Belize) for Ian. Beer comes in glass bottles in plastic cases of 24, too heavy to carry by hand or on our bike.

We've already made reservations to go out for Italian food for Christmas dinner, but still there are other plenty of other meals needing to be cooked. We stop at a few other places, picking things up here and there. Then it's a bumpy ride down our non-paved road as I'm sitting on the back of the cart holding a carton of eggs in one hand and hanging onto a case of glass bottled beer with the other. Drive slow Honey so we can all make it in one piece!

---