OK, it's been a bit of a blur but finally time to record a few experiences. Our Westjet flight to BZE on Wednesday morning was at 10 am and everyone was warning to allow extra time at the airport these days so we had booked a car for 6:30 to get us there by 7:00. Needn't have worried--check-in, security etc. were all very similar to pre-pandemic times (& nobody ever checked for vaccination or testing--you just had to make a declaration on-line). We killed the extra time at Terminal 3 sitting at the bar at Caplansky's Deli & having BBLT's & lots of coffee.
The flight was full (except for one seat beside me, YES!) but left on time and was pretty smooth and uneventful. We actually landed a few minutes early and they had us go back out and circle the runway. The reason: they were giving the flight a water-cannon salute and weren't quite ready for us when we landed! I think every airport employee was told to be out on the tarmac to greet our flight--the first one from Canada in 19 months. When we got into the terminal, they were handing out gifts to every passenger and there was a band playing in the luggage claim area. This flight was a big deal! It was a bit chaotic after that. The arrival Duty-Free was a zoo, with people who were coming for the winter stocking up on cases and cases of booze. Likewise the Customs line for all of these purchases. Then at the Tropic Air gate for our 10 minute flight to Caye Caulker, there were a bunch of groups for which they had put on extra flights and one of them was mistakenly sent on our plane, so we had to wait another 30 minutes. But, in the end, no big deal. We were on the island by 3:30 and were met by Michael, who drove us by golf cart (the only means of transportation on Caye Caulker other than walking and bicycles) to our accommodations at the Low Caye Cottages.
There had been torrential rains earlier in the day and it was still drizzling a bit when we arrived. Now, when it rains on CC, it gets interesting, as we had experienced in prior visits. The roads are all, for want of a better word "sand". Well, actually mostly potholes, but those are sandy too. The problem is that this particular type of sand, when it gets wet, is more like cement. It is extremely fine and slippery, and dries like cement on anything that it splashes on. Needless to say, navigating these streets, by any means, is a very messy business. Between downpours in the evening, we did manage to make our way the few blocks "into town" and landed at Hibisca for dinner, which happened to have live entertainment, so of course I played along on clavas and percussion egg between bites of my queso fundido. Made it home before any more torrential downpours, though there were several overnight.
Next morning, Thursday, was still raining pretty heavily early, but the weather kept getting better and better all day. We went out and did some grocery shopping in the morning and wandered around, getting our bearings and looking at excursions. Lots more apartment buildings since last time we were here in 2014, but overall pretty quiet here still, at least at the moment.
Went for lunch at La Cubana along the waterfront and then came home for a swim in the pool, as by this time the skies had cleared almost completely. There are 4 cottages in the complex around the pool, but we are the only one rented now, which is great! Just sitting having a Beliken by the pool now as I write this. I think a quiet night tonight, with dinner at home.
2025-02-10