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Tacogirl Belize blog Est. in 2007

You came to the right blog for Belize Resources and Information.

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A Rained out 34th Independence Day did not Stop the Party

by tacogirl 22/09/2015
written by tacogirl 22/09/2015
Belize Independence

Waterlogged San Pedro

Thankfully for party goers, it waited till after the fireworks and Independence eve celebration for Chac (the rain god of the Maya) to let loose. It down poured fairly heavy from about 1:30 am onward and kept right on going. As a result, there was some damage control yesterday morning.

First off, little did I know I could have used a kayak to go get a jar of coffee and some eggs this morning. I was expecting puddles but this one was deep enough to make me go back and get my camera so I could show you just how much rain we got overnight.

Belize rainfall

Last nights rainfall was large

Secondly, when I got home it was a full out whirlwind of boat issues. Unfortunately, the recently repaired automatic bilge pump option was not working and my neighbor’s boat was going down fast. Aimee called to say she and Martin’s son would be over in a minute to help me bail the boat. She is across the canal and literally from the time it took them to get one street over, the boat went from partially upright to a sinking ship. Theirs was not the only one. At least one other boat that we know of went down in our neighborhood.

Thankfully Kevin and Heather (who are out of the country) left me a contact number list with the boat captain’s number on it. As soon as I called, Daniel was there within 10 minutes but they could not get it upright without further help so he called the mechanic to come by and help. Unfortunately, because it is a 4 stroke engine it will have to be taken apart and cleaned. If it was a 2 stroke it could have been could be flushed which is less expensive.  In this case, the boat acronym Break Out Another Thousand holds true 🙁

Rain in Belize

Sinking ship

Rain in Belize

Man down in a matter of minutes from the last pic

Belize rainfall

Mechanic and helper assessing next steps

Rain in Belize

Boat upright now the process begins to drain and take care of the engine

Back to the Independence Parade

Loose plans were to have lunch then see who we found at the parade – that is if it was not rained out. Facebook was up and down on rain reports and right up to the time we were about to leave the word was rain or shine. At the very last minute, my friend Aimee messaged me saying that the parade was officially canceled due to rain but she was still planning to follow through on lunch plans and she and her daughter Tori would pick me up shortly.

On our way to town, we saw a few golf cart paraders that either did not get the memo that it was canceled or did not care – guessing the later was the case. Aimee’s first pick was El Patio but since they were closed Caprice at the Holiday Hotel it was. As soon as we walked in we saw smiling faces of Raquel and Kristen all decked out in their independence day finery. They are relatively new ex-pats. After 10 trips in 5 years, they finally made their move.

We went and got a table at the back and being as it was cold and wet, soup became the obvious choice for Aimee and me. She had black bean and I went for shrimp. Victoria opted for a sturdier meal of a sandwich and fries. Before long Tori’s boyfriend, Ryan and his family joined us.

All of a sudden we heard parade sounds and by the time we walked from the patio to the street, we saw a row of carts going by holding their own mini-parade through town. Not enough time to catch a picture though. Holiday Hotel still had their celebration tent outside and by the time we were done lunch quite a few people were enjoying cocktails under it.

Belize IndependenceBelize food-shrimp soupBelize food-blackbean soupBelize Independence Day

Since I was not trying to be everywhere and catch it all  because rain + holiday = quality TV time 🙂 Kendall offered to share more of the 34th annual festivities and even wrote a poem for you (and all his Facebook friends 🙂 )

If you have not signed up to get email notifications for meanderingfool.com (Kendall’s blog) it is totally worth doing. He provides a humorous and thoughtful take on the unexpected twists and turns of living in Belize.

Belize Independence Day and the impromptu Parade by Kendall Beymer

Rain, rain,
You can stay.
Here in Belize,
We parade ANYWAY!

To those around the park last night for the chalk shindig – you were treated to a parade! Many of us were a bit sad; almost as soon as the decision was made to delay the parade the skies parted the rain stopped (of course, it always works that way).

That, however, was a temporary set back as many people decided to parade anyway. It’s nearly impossible to determine how many in the lengthy parade actually meant to be in the parade. Many of the carts thought they had just stumbled into a heavy island traffic pattern. Though the music, dancing, and flying chalk likely clued them in rather quickly.

Of course, what do you do when you find yourself in an impromptu parade? Smile, stay with it, take some pics…remember you’re in Belize and this may never happen to you again. Enjoy the party! Birthiversary Belize!

I will leave you with a few pictures Kendall shared of the pre-party and the impromptu parade.

Belize Celebration

Friday night fireworks Barge

Belize Festival

Pre-party in town

Belize Party

Big turn out for the pre-party

Belize Independence

Who said the parade was canceled? It is just a little later than planned.

Belize Independence Day

The rain did not stop the party

Belize Party

Of course, people always end up in Central Park after partying

Belize Independence Day

Chalk party fun

Related

tacogirl

Laure Norton grew up dyslexic and was very challenged by the school. She never dreamed she would move to Belize and become a writer. A year after her move to Ambergris Caye, Laurie became an entrepreneur and professional writer starting tacogirl blog in 2007. Since then she has helped many people plan their vacations or move. She also has been published in Great Destinations Belize Guidebook, Moon Guide to Living in Belize, Insight Guides, Island Magazine several times and USA Today. Currently Laurie resides in downtown San Pedro and enjoys being a "city girl" on a tropical island.

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Corey Holm
Corey Holm
04:38 25 Feb 20
I take the seniors from our academy to Belize every year for their senior trip. One of the first people I contact when... I start planning the trip is Laurie with TacoGirl Belize. She knows the island of San Pedro better than anyone else out there. Trust me, I have looked. If you are looking for the best restaurants, hang outs and shops then Laurie help plan your vacation.read more
Carol Taylor
Carol Taylor
15:53 24 Feb 20
Love Taco Girl Blog @LaurieNorton! I've been reading this blog since I started visiting Ambergris Caye in Belize almost... 10 years ago. It is filled with helpful up-to-date information and recommendations that I wouldn't necessarily find on my own. Laurie Norton's knowledge and extensive network on the island provides her with the ability to share perks/discounts/coupons with her readers, which come in handy year after year. Things on the island change daily - new businesses pop up constantly and LaurieNortonstays on top of these developments. Whenever I plan my return trip to the island, I always check her blog first - and I recommend you do the same. Trip Advisor ain't got nuttin' on Taco Girl!read more
Heidi
Heidi
20:01 20 Feb 20
Laurie's blog is my official “go to” source for tourist and local information on San Pedro. Of course, it’s... always nice to see her guides on “what to do” in San Pedro, but I also appreciate her “insider” advice and human interest stories on what it’s like living as a local on the island. There is so much information it's amazing! Thank you Laurie!!!read more
Nick Goodman
Nick Goodman
21:23 30 Nov 19
I am considering a move to Belize and I have serendipitously found tacogirl.....what a treasure! She is full of great... advice, helpful hints.....knows everybody on Ambergris Caye and has a thousand useful recommendations and suggestions. Whether you are planning a vacation or relocating, you should make use of the many services she has to offer…..read more
KellyDivePhotography
KellyDivePhotography
20:58 30 Nov 19
I’m so pleased to see tacogirl's blog on Google. Laurie's blog is my official “go to” source for tourist and... local information on San Pedro. Of course, it’s always nice to see her guides on “what to do” in San Pedro, but I also appreciate her “insider” advice and human interest stories on what it’s like living as a local on the island. I especially enjoy her guest articles, providing a different perspective of all things San Pedro. Her tipping quide is a classic, and don’t forget her Tropic Air flight code and on-island discounts. You’re not up-to-date with what’s going on in San Pedro if you’re not regularly reading tacogirl's blog.read more
Sandra Godfrey
Sandra Godfrey
15:58 23 Nov 19
I have known Laurie (Taco Girl) for several years. She has been a wealth of good information for me in all of my... pursuits in Belize. I highly recommend her for any services you may require.read more
William Jones
William Jones
13:39 06 May 19
Do yourself a favor. Read this BEFORE any trip to San Pedro - Ambergris Caye or Belize in general. Not saying “do... what everyone else says”, but Laurie has frank and honest info which will make your stay in country a little more fun, a little more informative, and often at a great cost savings. Best thing: it’s unbiased, honest, and factual. Personal note: thank you for your personal tailored help in answering mine (and my wife’s) questions.read more
Kimberly Robinson
Kimberly Robinson
18:28 03 May 19
Taco Girl (Laurie) is amazing. She has so much knowledge about Belize and has great connections with many of the... businesses in Belize. Because of her connections she is able to offer many perks and discounts that you wouldn't have been able to find otherwise. She is super responsive and I always go to her for all my travel needs. From golf cart rentals, to spas, to places to eat. She's got the inside scoop on all!read more
Michael Rieck
Michael Rieck
20:22 21 Apr 19
Since 2003, my wife and I have been to Ambergris at least once a year to experience the fantastic diving. About twelve... years ago we me Tacogirl on a blog giving us discounts on golf carts, local airfares, and restaurants. Over the years we have grown a friendship and I look forward to her weekly blogs about he changes on my favorite home away from home. The island changes every year, and she always shows you what to see, do, and eat.read more
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THE ORIGINAL BELIZE BLOG

THE ORIGINAL BELIZE BLOG

ABOUT ME

I took the plunge and moved to San Pedro Town on the Island of Ambergris Caye, off the coast of Belize, Central America. Originally from Canada, I made the life-changing move to escape winter for good (in 2006) after one three week vacation.

If you have any questions or want Belize discounts, Contact me.

SPARKING MY DESIRE

3 childhood memories that shaped my desire to move to Belize from a young age.Sailing in the Virgin Islands, seeing a rainbow out the window of an island hopper as we flew from Virgin Islands to Puerto Rico, Christmas in Hawaii and many trips to Florida.

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