If there is to be any peace it will come through being, not having.
— Henry Miller
There’s the Bush Doctor, back from San Pedro where he sold some herbs, spices and bitters, jewelry, CD/s of his music (he played with Marley and the boys a hundred years ago back in Jamaica where he grew up) and his “Veggie Recipes” book. “CAUTION: This book will make you hungry,” says the doc, whose Ras name is Ras Far I. His birth name was Boysie Miller, born March 27, 1945, St. James Jamaica. Moved to Belize in ’83. Knows everything you ever wanted to know about every plant, bush, tree, herb, tropical fruit or vegetable in the rainforest, savannas and coastal areas of Belize. And oh, yellow snakes and wildlife. A kind and gentle man and a good one to know if you’re going to live here and tramp around the bush at all.
Anybody up for a game of Fussball?
The Mennonites’ melons are a big seller this time of year.
Dinner, adult beverages and solving all the world’s problems with American expat friends Joell, her new husband Alex (left), Sheri and Father David the excellent young priest assigned to St. Andrews Anglican.
Two generations of American expats, my friends Sheri (left), who’s lived all over the world her whole life and dug into Belize years ago, with young Joelle.
It’s always crowded here because they have the best street snacks–salbutes, garnaches and panadas, and ice-cold lime and watermelon and orange juices, in San Ignacio–or some of the best. Lots of great foods of all kinds around here and San Ignacio/Santa Elena have excellent restaurants with first-class chefs as well as great “street” food. And no, I’ve never gotten sick eating anything in Belize in almost a year living and eating here.
STORM CHASER: That is, the storm chasing him with 40 pounds on his back and him hauling ass up a hill to shelter. Happy to report the storm decided to go the other way.
Somebody chopped down a poison wood tree. That little black around the cut is the sort of sap, which sometimes verily gushes from poison wood trees, is like acid and will feel like acid to the skin. It’s like a Belizean yellow snake–you don’t want nothing to do with it.
Off of Hummingbird Highway.
Life is really challenging in a developing country sometimes. A real beach in fact.
Yoli’s new pizza place at the Welcome Center in San Ignacio. The old Yoli’s Pizza is a local pizza institution. Excellent pizza, even though I like Mr. Greedy’s Pizzeria better because they have a fully stocked bar with the coldest Belikin in town and the wimmen who work there are kind to old goats like me. There’s also a large screen HD tv and speedy internet. And dirt floors. And tables outside that catch the evening breeze just right. I think I just talked myself into moseying over there.
Mr. Greedy’s, the best Pizzaria and best Happy Hour hangout in town. It’s like Abilene–wimmin there don’t treat you mean.” But they do have mean pizza, maybe the best in the West of Belize.
Great photos and stories. I find the bush doctor very interesting. Thanks for sharing.
BE ENCOURAGED! BE BLESSED!
Every time you post photos I am ready to move!
How did you do it? You are too young to be living off your SS
I would be interested in your decision process to move to Eden
thanks
keith
WEll I did a lot of researching and planning and money managing for almost three years so it wasn’t on any whim, Keith, although a lot of friends were surprised and thought it was a whim it seems. There’s cheap cost of living (MOST places here), and my simple and frugal living and a modest pension from Hearst Corp. newspaper days helps, a little bit of freelance writing and a healthy IRA Roth I can draw from without any tax or penalty for emergencies–also helps in my case.And no debt, no transportation but a motorcycle (for now, still holding out) and nobody in the world to support but myself. But you can live really well for little $ here, just depending on how much you want or need to spend. Food and housing is usually ridiculously cheap most places. I’m only a year and half away from SS age, btw. Maybe not as young as you might think. I could go ahead and pull the trigger on SS early and live like a king, but won’t, unless I just have to.
The bush doc – interesting fellow but do not know if I would trust him to trim my bushes!