Last Friday Commodore Andy and I were on official San Pedro Sailing Club business in Belize City – hunting down deals for Sunday Charity beach barbecue. On the way over we got to land in Caye Chapel, both of us were ready to get off the plane and say hi to Evan and enjoy one of our new favorite islands. Good thing we were both in the mood to shop otherwise it would have been all to easy to abandon our mission.

Our Belize City Taxi driver Jeff 630-5746 was waiting for us at when we arrived Municipal Airport. We headed off to Food and Beverage first, Jeff had to try a few routs as we ran into a roadwork  detour. Andy was going to get party size mayonnaise and barbecue sauce but we both quickly became excited by a 1 liter bottle of Balsamic Vinegar for $8 bzd.  After we headed a stones throw down the road to Smiling Meats where Matthew took good care of us. Andy bought 30 thick  cut pork chops for Sundays charity barbecue and the price was $2 a chop cheaper than in San Pedro. Of course as soon as Pedro found out we were in Smiling’s shop, Andy got a call straight away to pick him up a Ham 🙂 Fully Loaded Jeff drove us  headed back to Maya Air and caught the 12:30 flight home.

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I recently got n email from one of my readers asking if I would post her review of Mahogany Hall so here it is…..

In a matter of five minutes, I go from the noisy hustle that is the downtown San Ignacio market and step into an entirely different world. It is a three-story, colonial-style mansion beside the Mopan River in the rainforest in the West of Belize. Nothing here is a coincidence. All of the small details are intertwined at Mahogany Hall Resort to give definition to its luxury and elegance.

I am greeted at the bar with a Belizean rum concoction that brings a smile to my pink and sweaty face. On such a warm and sunny day in Belize, I cannot imagine a more fitting and satisfying treat. The bar is fully stocked and the bartender knowledgeable; this pleases a lady who lives in New Orleans and, like any good New Orleanian, I drink a bit.

I sip my drink by the pool and take in the intricate details of the furniture, the colorful local art pieces hanging on the walls, the beautiful wooden floors in the restaurant, the majestic wooden deck that stretches across the back of the property, and the breathtaking, panoramic views of the rainforest. Absolute paradise.

I walk up elegant mahogany steps as I am escorted like royalty to my room on the third floor. The interior of the room is even more impressive in its detail than the building’s exterior. Ceiling-to-floor windows are strategically placed to capture the beauty of the outdoors. The wooden ceiling is painted white; toucans are carved into the headboard and night stands; the towels are folded neatly; the aroma is that of fresh spring flowers; and the Jacuzzi calls. From wall to wall, ceiling to floor, the aesthetics pleasure the senses.

Almost too soon, it is time for dinner. The special tonight is a garden salad, garlic bread, and lasagne, all made from scratch by a local chef. It is all delightful! For dessert tonight is ice-cream, made with coconuts grown on the premises at Mahogany Hall. The cool, velvet goodness tastes like tropical nectar as it melts in my mouth. This meal guarantees a good night’s sleep aided by a king sized bed that feels like imagined clouds of heaven.

In the morning, I make myself some coffee in the room and take it downstairs. I lie in a hammock by the river bank and am soothed by the free flowing river that meanders in rhythmic waves towards town. The freshness in the air invites deep, slow breaths, and, as I exhale, the worries of life are lost in the shuffle of leaves in the wind. I just drift – in body, mind and spirit.

In the distance, a howler monkey howls a song of contentment. All around me abundant birds chirp flirtatiously while leafcutter ants carry their burdens to the nest below ground. Above me, a bright yellow sun reveals a massive dome of blue sky and fleeting white clouds. I feel at peace with my tiny role in this immense universe.

Relaxed, refreshed and renewed, I coax myself out of the hammock; the end of my time here has come. I vow to return to that place of tranquil beauty, that mystical nirvana within the jungles of Belize, that luxurious grandeur that is Mahogany Hall.

Review and pictures below by Ingrid Alvarado