The whirlwind continues I am taking the girls up north on a field trip today. We will go catch the boat at 10:am to Sueno del Mar meet up with Carole who is already there and then do the mile walk up the beach to Coleen and Ricks place. Neither Cathy or Heather have been that far north before. Aside from being a fun trip and getting to know the island more as repeat visitors – it is important for them to see how close the reef is and the Natural Beauty of Bacalar Chico Marine Reserve to get new perspective to get the full scope on how huge the San Mateo toilet project is. The girls are coming to get me at 9am and doing a quick shop for lunch supplies before heading to the boat. I know that Heather is very excited to tell Coleen about yesterdays meeting and I have been texting and emailing with Coleen and she is just as excited to hear the details. I have to admit it is always fun to take people to certain places first time and stun them with how beautiful Belize is. It was like that when we went to the sandbar for Erin’s Birthday boat ride party – Heather was wowed by the area and the beaches we went to. I am looking at pictures from the last time Dick Carole and I headed north and can’t wait till we get to Bacalar Chico it is where I need to be today – 14 miles North and in tropical paradise.
Got my bikini on and getting ready to go that includes – charging radio – phone – packing – blogging chatting with my cousin RLD and Heather – texting with Coleen and finishing my iced coffee. The girls will be here any minute so I have to close down now and pack up lap top so I can blog tonight. 9:22pm We had a fantastic day – just finished a yummy dinner at Sueno and finally made it back online but cannot get picture gallery to load up so will add it in the morning when I get home. 9:30
Saturday morning and finally getting my pictures up. Had a mini out pour when I got home to Paul when I got home and feeling better now. Between my camera getting sand troubles and not opening correctly to processing everything that has gone on since Heather and Cathy arrived till the time we were up at Coleen’s place yesterday. We saw a turtle nest – hermit crabs – all kinds of fish and lizards. They were both amazed by how close the reef was to their house. It was really good for them to do see how Rick and Coleen live and know first hand just how perfecta match Coleen is for Direct Abundance. Coleen and Rick are 2 people on the island who are very conscious about protecting the environment around them and leaving as small a footprint as possible.
Cathy and Heathers pics coming soon.
Staying overnight at Sueno Del Mar with Carole was great – we got invited to dinner with a large group that was staying there – Sueno definitely has a friendly family atmosphere to it. Love being that far north – always good to get to different parts of the island. One very cool thing I liked at Sueno which I could not get a pic of cause my camera troubles was they put the shower hardware on the opposite wall of the shower head. Not sure why more people do not do this it makes turning the water on and adjusting the temperature a much better experience. The other thing the was cool is they had a printed welcome paper for Heather Cathy and I in the room and wrote us [and other new comers] under arriving in Paradise on the blackboard in the dining room – nice touch.
I hope you have been enjoying the field trip to Bacalar Chico. For those of you who might not know the area is a is a UNESCO World Heritage site. For those of you knew that already I am sure you have been appreciating the efforts of Heather and Cathy on this important mission this past week. This is a huge undertaking and they cannot do it alone. We welcome peoples help in any way. One of the things Heather and Cathy have been requesting is for anyone that can please get involved in the road project. I can’t say enough about how thrilled we are that everyone has been working together -the road is looking so nice and is coming along so far. Well done and three cheers. There is still a lot of area that needs to be cleaned up – they can always use extra hands anything to make the job easier – funding for the road if you are following this from afar – what ever anyone can do to help please do this cause is so important.
I am also putting a call out to anyone who has good information to share in regards to going green for San Mateo. Coleen has been researching a community in Akumal (sp?) who has been doing waste water gardens and is going to try and meet up. Any readers out Mexico way know of people there who live in this type of community please hook us up thanks.
I just remembered that Cathy let me take a bunch of pictures with her Camera cause mine was in such sad shape – so I am just added those and then theirs will come next. No idea when I will get to title them all though off to a Saturday morning meeting at 11am. Pushing time it is 10:51 cab is almost here and I got my third photo galley up for today – minor edits needed one pic missing and no time to fix it. Fourth and last of Bacalar Chico series to come next week – portrait shots by Heather.
Great info Laura – the garbage in San Mateo really needs to be cleaned up big time. The new road is looking fantastic though.
The soil in rural areas in the Ms. Delta had been contaminated by farm chemicals. Since the clean up started on Sugar Ditch, these have gradually been cleared. With waste treatment and sanitation techniiques in place, as well as the stopping of the leaching of the stuff into the soil, the area has rebounded significantly. Mother Nature will heal itself if we quit dumping junk into the water.
Very cool Laura gives more hope that others have done it and it can be done here too. I will mention to Coleen and Heather about Littoral shelves in water areas. I know they have been thinking about plants that will specifically help detox the soil there and get the levels to a healthier place. Did they do soil testing before and after in Sugar Ditch area?
That is one of my dreams to have a cook for dinner only Mon – Fri.
The San Mateo story hits close to home,. We in the MId South have Sugar Ditch in Tunica Ms. With grass roots effort, that area has been in the transformation stage for years now. It used to be one of the poorest, most neglected areas in the Ms. Delta. It now has new roads, new waste treatment, all that stuff that San Mateo needs.
Littoral shelves in the water areas come to mind, Taco Girl. Plants that are native to the Belizean area that filter waste water can be planted along the shores, next to folks’ houses, etc. Here in the MId South, we have cattails and lotus.
and, by the way, I CAN cook…pretty well, as a matter of fact!
LBC
Director of F & B
Mirimichi.com
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Ron can you cook? If so I might just consider adoption – ha ha. More pics coming.
got to retire to Belize….. ABSOLUTELY LOVE the Pics. Always set my wallpaper from your pics. Keep em comin.. Will you adopt me??? I’m only 56. Ron from French Lick Indiana
Hand wash Hand Heather it is all so connected – roads – composting toilets – protecting environment – helping people.
Thanks Laurie for getting out the word on the San Mateo Empowerment Project. I wanted to mention they also have a FaceBook page that anyone could join and wants to watch how there project moves foreward. While you’re at it, join our group too! 🙂 Love two brds with one stone 😉