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Beloved Belize writing contest Winners

by tacogirl 20/10/2009
written by tacogirl 20/10/2009
San Pedro Belize beach pictures

Thanks to all who entered Beloved Belize writing contest. Miss Lydia won first place hands down and after sleeping on it the judge chose second and third place. In addition to the prizes below all winners will be printed in San Pedro Sun and Ambergris Daily.

First place Winner – Lydia Langston – 6 months subscription to San Pedro Sun

My Beautiful Belize

My eighth time to Belize in a period of two years and still I never tire of its beauty. Flying into Belize City I take note of the Ying/Yang of the land and sea. The dark green of the forest melting into the blue/green sea is separated only by a thin sliver of sand. After landing and making my way through customs, I am greeted by several familiar faces that are always welcoming and warm, like the country they inhabit. A customs agent asks me if this is my first time to Belize, I tell him no, this is my eighth time. “Welcome back” he says with genuine enthusiasm. I smile, say thank you and think, it’s more like welcome home.

Rounding the corner to the departure lounge, I am greeted by a landmark that is only slightly-lesser known than the Mayan ruins. “Rum punch, the best in Belize” he chatters. An institution in the Belize City airport, Jet has only missed one day of work since he took over Jets Bar somewhere in the early ’60’s, due to a heart attack. A man of slight stature at just over four foot something he more than makes up for it with charisma and charm. He hawks his rum punch and hot dogs like a vendor at a Sox game, working the crowd and getting his “hugs” from all the ladies. (who said four foot something was a bad thing?)So the next time that you are in the Belize City airport, when you hear a voice that neither booms nor shouts, look through the crowd for a diminutive man with a lot of charm, wearing his trademark guayabera shirt hawking “Rum punch, best in Belize” and tell him I sent you.

Although there are many sights to admire and mesmerize, the one sight that I carry in my memory is the one in which we take the puddle jumper from Belize City to San Pedro. Flying low over the reef, I catch a glimpse of several rays, dark shadows gliding over an emerald green reef. Waters turning from emerald green to turquoise to a dark shade of indigo, only divided by the waves that break over the reef looking like a strand of pearls that had been laid out by Neptune himself. The hum of the plane’s engines drown out any thought except for the one of me landing soon in San Pedro, my second home.

Although I own no condo, nor parcel of land, I feel that Isla Bonita has come to own me. I fell in love with its charm and its magic from the first day I set foot upon its sandy beaches. Sitting in a well worn hammock, as I take in the view of the reef, I begin to take note of one reason San Pedro has such an allure for me. It is the warmth of the people and the friendliness in which they greet you. It is even reflected in the children that you see on their way to school or later in the evening playing on the beaches. Their smiles, grins and laughter are pure joy that hold some of San Pedro’s magic. But there are other things entwined within this island that draw me back to it time and time again. From the sights of the reef, to the smell of the vendors cooking their ware, to the music that resonates throughout the island, they all form a tapestry of joy and magic that can only be San Pedro.

I find it funny how one sight can render such joy and also such heartache. Flying over the reef can bring such elation when flying into San Pedro, but bring a heavy heart when heading home to the states.

As I dream and plan my next flight to San Pedro, I will keep the reef’s view in my memory. However, I will still be waiting to hear those words “Welcome Back.”

You mean, “Welcome Home.”

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Second Place Winner – Colin Gage – Large Pedro’s Pizza

THE WHITE DOG

“What a beautiful dog!”

I reluctantly looked up from my Belikin, newly delivered by Ernie, and saw what Laura was referring to. The dog, which appeared to be a shepherd/husky mix, was snow-white, with a blue bandanna around her neck. In the bright San Pedro afternoon sun, she seemed to glow. She strolled up the steps from the beach and sat down at the base of our stools and gazed up as if to say “I haven’t seen you two around here before.” And she hadn’t . .

We were down for our second trip; it was November of 2007. We had decided to visit again just to make sure that our previous trip the year before had not been a dream. This was our first full day back on the island and we had spent it rediscovering and grinning a lot. We had already reconnected with friends: drummers and pirates, bartenders and beachdogs. But we had certainly not met this dog. We would have remembered.

This was not her first visit to BC’ apparently. I heard folks saying “Hey, Charlie!!” about three times before I realized they were greeting the dog. I like joints where people know your name. With all those friends about, we were honored that she seemed to want to spend some time with us. When we got up to leave as the sun was setting, she followed us onto the beach. We stopped and tried to tell her not to follow. She responded by rolling in the sand a couple of times and then looking at us as if to say “So, where we going now?” So off we went, down the beach toward Coral Bay.

It was a beautiful night on our veranda . . . .quiet and relaxing, the only sound the wind rustling the palms. And Charlie seemed content to just lay on the cool tile and chill with us. When we went in to bed, we both figured that she would head home to whoever was lucky enough to own her. But a beautiful morning dawned to find Charlie curled up where we had left her, apparently awaiting breakfast. Which she got, after I made a quick trip to Marina’s. The last we saw of Charlie that trip was when she walked with us to the end of the pier as we boarded El Gato for a snorkeling sail. As we motored away, she sat and watched until she decided to go see what other new mysteries that day held for her.

In our subsequent visits (three more since), we have been adopted by other potlickers and an exceptionally loud cat named Jane. We consider it an honor to be welcomed to Ambergris Caye by all the resident life-forms, including the loud, Arsenal-loving publican who we subsequently discovered owned the white dog (if such a dog can truly be owned). I have spent more than a few chaotic hours in his establishment now, where Charlie works the door and works the crowd for pizza crusts. I reserve judgment on whether this man (they call him Pedro, among other things) deserves such a fine dog . . . I do know that nice things seem to happen a lot in Belize. And so we return . . . . .

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Third Place Winner Sandy Azancot – Medium Pirates Pizza

Beloved Belize

I did not come to Belize, Belize first came to me in a dream.

That sounds far-fetched, but I awoke one morning several years ago with the word “Belize” emblazoned in my mind. I had no idea about Belize, no one had ever talked to me about it, so I do not know where the word was subconsciously introduced to me. I immediately had to research Belize! I didn’t even know where it was or what kind of people lived there. After lots of internet prowling and bookstore sleuthing, the decision was made to go to Belize.

To use an old cliché, it was “love at first sight”. I had no pre-conceived notion formed by brochures and commercials; my mind was completely open to what Belize could be. I stepped off the plane and took in my first breath of Belizean air: moist, planty, salt air. Being born near the sea and having always loved the ocean this air was comforting to me.

However, the sapphire and turquoise sea is just one beautiful facet in the Jewel that is Belize. The first time I drove down the Hummingbird Highway, the beauty was so consuming it made my throat catch; I still get that feeling each time I drive it to this day. I am inspired by the emerald majesty of the Mayan Mountains and feel serenity when I am in the jungle. When in the presence of the Mayan ruins, I feel the low hum of the thousands of souls that inhabited those ancient cities and feel a special aura when I am in the caves that were host to their religious rites. The people of Belize make it special with their easy smiles and engaging attitudes. The cadence of Kriol and the staccato of Spanish are easy-going rhythms that are music to my ears.

I knew that I wanted to be part of Belize, and Belize to be a part of me; I felt it was meant to be. So it is now, my house by the sea, in view of my beloved Maya Mountains, where the air sometimes blows a heady tropical scent down from their emerald slopes.

Belize will always be Beloved to me.

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Photos by Sandy Azancot

 

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tacogirl

Laurie 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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4 comments

carbunkle Trumpet 20/10/2009 - 10:28 pm

Wow, I am honored to have shared a glass of ale with your first and second place recipients as I love them both (in a different kind of way for Mr Second Place) and have enjoyed their contributions.

Reply
tacogirl 21/10/2009 - 11:24 am

ha ha – I am sure you will share more ale with them in future CT. All great contributions.

Reply
harold 20/10/2009 - 11:58 am

hi there tg the stores are beautiful and i can’t wait for my day in the sun . there is still a problem with the pics ,when you click on them the screen goes black thank you

Reply
tacogirl 20/10/2009 - 2:10 pm

Thanks Harold. If you right mouse click on picture and open in a new tab you will be able to see them larger size without trouble. The black screen you are seeing is a loading page when you click on the pic and I am not sure why it shows up sometimes but not all the time.

Reply

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Laurie was super helpful in providing places to eat, things to do and best yet had ongoing blogs that allowed us to... look back on other places that she pointed out. A fantastic resource for both first time and return visitors of Ambergris Caye!read more
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Fantastic service .I needed to find a place where I could buy a local sim card as my UK sim doesnt work in belize and... Tacogirl put me on the right path .Decided to walk across town and discovered so much more in beautiful San Pedro.Many thanks.BWread more
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Kristi Palm
20:40 12 Oct 21
We have been using TacoGirl for what feels like decades when planning our trips to Belize! It has only been a few... years but she is the first place we stop to see what is happening in our favorite vacation spot. She knows all the best spots to get away and do so many fun things - whether it is relaxing or exploring! We are planning our next trip with our twins and she was the first person I reached out to. Knowing we have a resource like her, makes trip planning a breeze!read more
D Zep
D Zep
12:39 01 Oct 21
Found tacogirl while doing some research on an upcoming trip to Belize. This is the place for all the information you... need to plan your vacation. Incredibly helpful and responsive. I sent an email with lots of questions and received a very quick and detailed response that helped us finalize our plans.read more
Kelley Adams
Kelley Adams
20:19 21 Sep 21
We have been following TacoGirl for years now and before booking any trip to San Pedro we check to see what is... currently happening. We love the emails to let us know when a new blog has been posted. Keep up the great work Laurie, we feel like we know you.read more
Pamela Nixon
Pamela Nixon
18:36 20 Sep 21
I first got my Passport in 2012 and Taco Girl was my first connection back then Great then and Marvelous Now! She's... blossomed and developed into a wonderful contact for any and all information Belize. She goes above & beyond to respond with information that you need whether visiting Belize or relocating! I wasn't able to fund the move then but now that I have much more equity I am doing it.This time she was the 1st person I reached out to! Now I am selling and moving to Belize. She responds immediately! Like I do in my Pet Sitting Business! I was so impressed I followed her all this time. And was not disappointed!Pamela Nixonread more
Chris S
Chris S
17:12 17 Sep 21
Wanted to give a shout-out to tacogirl belize for helping us! She is a plethora of knowledge and was super helpful and... responsive in helping us find longer term stay on the island. Thank you so much for your help!read more
Ty Willingham
Ty Willingham
01:47 20 Aug 21
I've spent the last month exploring Belize. I'm retired & seriously considering moving down to Belize permanently from... the US. I contacted the local San Pedro expert "Taco Girl" to help me get started in finding an apartment to rent. With her help, I've located several places that meet my needs & budget requirements. Thank you Laurie!read more
Greg Cox
Greg Cox
18:58 04 Aug 21
I am very glad I found you and asked you a question about a spice in Belize. You helped me figure out the name of it... and where i could buy it. You went above and beyond to help. Thanks again.read more
Katherine Jones
Katherine Jones
18:41 02 Aug 21
I am so grateful for the time and energy Laurie has taken to share about her experiences traveling to and living in... Belize as well as provide thorough recommendations for planning a trip there. I was so thankful (and honestly surprised) that Laurie took the time to respond to several of my questions via email. I highly recommend reading Laurie's blogs and helping to support her business. Thank you Laurie!!read more
Greg R
Greg R
02:12 29 Jun 21
tacogirl was very nice to share her knowledge with us and assisted with planning our trip to Belize; thank you for the... help and info, it was helpful and allowed us to plan utilize our time accordingly while both on the mainland and islands of this great country.read more
Katherine Carlson
Katherine Carlson
18:46 02 Jun 21
As a Canadian—tired of long winters—I cannot wait to spend some time in Belize. I haven't set foot yet, but I am... yearning for lots of Caribbean adventure. Thanks so much to tacogirl for her endless enthusiasm and generosity of spirit. She is a constant stream of up-to-date information. Her knowledge and love of the area is priceless, and I will need her expertise for future endeavours!read more
Kathleen Ward
Kathleen Ward
18:29 02 Jun 21
We started coming to Ambergis Caye in 2014 and stumble on to Tacogirls blog, so glad we did! We used her 15% discount... at The Premier Duty-Free shop in the airport! It worked great all we did was let them know we read it on her blog . She has great information awesome pictures, we have tried several places she has recommended, all were amazing. Highly recommend reading her blog. Kathleenread more
ksniegoc1
ksniegoc1
17:45 02 Jun 21
It was my first time visiting Belize and San Pedro so naturally I had a ton of questions when it came time to planning... the travel. Taco Gril's blog was an invaluable source of information for all the travel questions in Ambergris Caye. I was able to learn a lot of basic information, as well as many tips and tricks. In addition when I reached out to Taco Girl for advice on finding a local photographer and a restaurant recommendation, she was very quick to respond and gave me many helpful suggestions. She also provided a lot more information from a local's point of view, which was much for valuable than than a typical guidebook. Thanks to her helpful suggestions we were able to celebrate my daughter's birthday at a nice restaurant, and had a great photo family session with a local photographer. I'm very thankful for all her resources and knowledge.read more
Myra F
Myra F
01:30 25 Mar 21
I started coming to San Pedro Belize in 2007 and that is when I met the online presence of Taco Girl. Her blogs on the... island and area are very personable and informative. She gives out promo codes from time to time so watch out for those. You cannot go wrong with someone who was a tourist and now lives here for quality info. Thanks Taco Girl for helping make my trips memorable!read more
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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Belize Blog Est. 2007

belize travel specialist

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 help planning and booking, please feel free to contact me.

SPARKING MY DESIRE

A few 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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