This Ain’t No Chucky Cheese – A Kids Party at the Beach Bar

Another aspect of expat life that is different in Belize – it is perfectly acceptable to throw a last minute birthday party for your 5-year-old child and her 6-year-old friend at a bar. Since Tink and her friend, Eva were both having birthdays, their parents (Cindy, Andy, Sandra and Florent) decided to team up and make it a double. It was a perfect day and there was endless space for the kids to run wild at Crazy Canucks Beach Bar and a giant puddle that kept them occupied for hours while the adults sat around sipping a cocktail and chatting. 

The benefit to throwing a kids party at a beach bar is you know you can easily net a few friends who do not have kids but would gladly come for a drink and say hello. For me, it was fresh cut fries and chicken wings I was after. Plus I knew it would be a good opportunity to chat with Tink’s Grandma, Cherie. I also caught up with my friends Diana, Shirlee and Michael. 

Canucks has a reasonably priced “bar food” menu. Had I not been doing a gluten and dairy free food challenge I would have opted for my favorite garlic parmesan wings, but I was happy to try something new; honey lime. Our waitress was happy to accommodate my request for unbreaded.

It was fun and very relaxing watching the kids running around playing while chatting with the various adult partygoers at the bar. 

Tink took the lead in the egg spoon race but it was not long before she capsized. They also did 3 legged races but I was busy doing adult chat time at the bar when that took place and did not get pictures. 

Tinker’s dad Andy, contributed to the fun treating the kids to Hobie cat rides. He loaded them on 4 at a time and took them for a fast ride in front of the party. Note to parents; if your child is invited to a party at a beach bar it is a wise idea to make sure they have swimwear available or an outfit that is okay to get wet. 

Last game was the crab races and of course, they were a big hit with the kids. Getting the munchkins to choose a crab and then move along was like herding cats. Then there was the one boy who did exactly as he was told by Tinker’s mum Cindy, “pick a number and move along” He breezed up to the crowd around the crab bin called out 61 and dashed off just as fast, leaving us to hunt for crab # 61. 

The one reason I did not want to go to the party was my nemesis – sweet treats. Being that two of the parents own the very popular French bakery, Delices de France in town, that meant trouble. I was almost dying as there was a rainbow cake with thick icing, yummy looking mini cupcakes and total kryptonite – cream puffs.

The kids ignored the present and loot bag table in favor of playing on the seawall and in the big puddle in front of it. 

For those of you who might not know, Crazy Canucks is at Exotic Caye Resort just south of downtown. There are some major changes about to happen there. Soon the Exotic Caye will be no longer, to make way for the new Grand Baymen, which has just now started the first phase of construction (see pic at the bottom right). The inside will be a modern facility with the outside to look old world, with British colonial style. If you are interested in learning more about condo ownership click through; Grand Baymen Condos Belize. The first two pics are kids enjoying the puddle and full moon on my walk home.