the san pedro sun visitor guideel cocal condos (e16) – new condo project offering deluxe...

Visitor Guide August 21, 2008

August 21, 2008August 21, 2008August 21, 2008August 21, 2008August 21, 2008

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VISITOR GUIDETHE SAN PEDRO SUN

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Reservations: 501-226-2012Fax: 501-226-2338Email: [email protected]

The Airline of Belize www.tropicair.com

Ambergris Jade Museum

Belizean hardwood carvingsare in harmony alongside the

Jade display...Browse the Ambergris JadeMuseum, and you’ll noticeunique items in every nook.

A wonderful displayof Mayan Jade,jewelry, Belizeanartwork and history

The 41st

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Joaquinfiesta!

The 41st

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Joaquinfiesta!


The San PedrThe San PedrThe San PedrThe San PedrThe San Pedro Suno Suno Suno Suno Sunis mailed everywheris mailed everywheris mailed everywheris mailed everywheris mailed everywhere.e.e.e.e.

Publisher The San Pedro Sun Ltd.Editor Ron Sniffin [email protected] Tamara Sniffin [email protected] Editor Kainie Manuel [email protected] Writer/ Mary Gonzalez [email protected] DesignStaff Reporter Maria Novelo [email protected] Assistant Nathalie Manuel [email protected] The San Pedro Sun,

P.O. Box 35,San Pedro TownAmbergris Caye, Belize

Telephone 011-501-226-2070US Telephone (307) 460-4114Fax 011-501-226-2905E-Mail [email protected]/WEB www.sanpedrosun.netMain Office #63 Barrier Reef Drive, San Pedro

Receive Receive Receive Receive Receive The San PedrThe San PedrThe San PedrThe San PedrThe San Pedro Sun & Visitor Guideo Sun & Visitor Guideo Sun & Visitor Guideo Sun & Visitor Guideo Sun & Visitor Guide weekly in your weekly in your weekly in your weekly in your weekly in yourmailbox. mailbox. mailbox. mailbox. mailbox. 26 ISSUES (six months) US, Canada: $60 U.S. Domestic: $6026 ISSUES (six months) US, Canada: $60 U.S. Domestic: $6026 ISSUES (six months) US, Canada: $60 U.S. Domestic: $6026 ISSUES (six months) US, Canada: $60 U.S. Domestic: $6026 ISSUES (six months) US, Canada: $60 U.S. Domestic: $60

BZ. 52 ISSUES (one year) US, Canada: $1BZ. 52 ISSUES (one year) US, Canada: $1BZ. 52 ISSUES (one year) US, Canada: $1BZ. 52 ISSUES (one year) US, Canada: $1BZ. 52 ISSUES (one year) US, Canada: $1111110 U.S. Domestic: $1000 U.S. Domestic: $1000 U.S. Domestic: $1000 U.S. Domestic: $1000 U.S. Domestic: $100BZ.(OtherBZ.(OtherBZ.(OtherBZ.(OtherBZ.(Other locations vary.)

More foreign subscribers than any newspaper in Belize!

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SuDoku! Level: *Difficult Answers on Page 4

Photos taken in unique and unusual places arepreferred. Be sure to identify who is in the photoand where the photo was taken. Don’t forget toinclude your names and what you were doing.

Where did you read your San Pedro Sun?

Taking a break from the set of the movie, “TheMummy” at Universal studios in HollywoodCalifornia, this actress takes time to read hercopy of The San Pedro Sun.

Where did you take your San Pedro Sun & Visitor Guide?Take a photo of you and the paper and send it to us at:

[email protected]

Greetings to my visiting friends On behalf of the peopleof San Pedro Town, I ex-tend a warm welcome toall visitors arriving to ourshores. I assure you thatyour trip to “La Isla Bo-nita” will be no ordinaryvacation. Our island is fa-mous for its rich culturaldiversity, where Mestizos,Creole and Garinagublend to form a unique en-counter. While here, I en-courage you to explore theCaribbean Sea and findBelize’s abundant trea-sures. Hol Chan MarineReserve and Shark-Ray Al-ley are just two of themany spots where you canenjoy our coral reef for-mation and abundant and breath-taking sea life. San Pedro is alsohome to world-class fishing andscuba diving.

For the more adventurous, “LaIsla Bonita” offers a wide array ofwater sports and for those lookingto get a glimpse of the mystical worldof the Maya, these historical ruinsare just a short expedition away. Youwill also be able to discover Belize’svast cave systems and many naturalsanctuaries that are home to our

country’s unique flora and fauna.

Whether you are spending yourhoneymoon at an exclusive resortor looking for an adventurous, yetromantic escape, San Pedro is surelythe place to be. I invite you to ex-plore our home and see the manywonders it has to offer.

We welcome you with open arms.Bienvenidos a San Pedro!

Elsa Paz, Mayor,San Pedro Town


Visiting a museum may not be on thetop of most people’s lists when theycome to vacation in Belize, but there isan interesting spot in Ambergris Cayethat should be of interest to culture vul-tures or visitors who care a bit abouttheir host country. The Ambergris JadeMuseum is a perfect place for historylovers; a place to learn about the his-tory of jade trading, the role of Amber-gris Caye in the trade route of the Mayasand to purchase beautiful Jade replicas,Jade jewelry and other Jade figurines totake home as memorabilia. Ambergris Jade Museum opened itsdoors to the public four years ago in 2004and is a joint venture between entrepre-neurs Pamela Killen and Pablo Ico.

Being that Ambergris Caye was one ofthe main channels the Maya empire usedfor trading, according to co-owner PabloIco, the name Ambergris Jade sticks withthe history and culture of the Mayas.And, a visit to museum is a sure way tobrush up on knowledge of the “stone ofkings”, the Jade, which is conferred asa symbol of wealth and high status onall who wear and own it. For mostpeople, the word “Jade” evokes exoticimages of richly laden Mayan emper-ors, and was known to be far more im-portant than gold in that era. Jade is theterm given to two similar gem materi-als, called jadeite and nephrite. Jadeiteis harder, denser and scarcer than neph-

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Ambergris Jade Museum


SuDoku Answers! Puzzle on Page 2

rite; it is found in a wider range of col-ors, from white through various greensto black, and takes a high polish. Fewpeople realize the rich jade history ofthe Americas. The name Jade is derivedfrom the Spanish “Piedra de Ijada,”loin-stone, with the jade having been rec-ognized by the Maya as a remedy forkidney ailments. Because of its benefi-cial effect on the kidneys, the stone wasalso known as “Lapis Nephriticus.”That, indeed, is where the term “Neph-rite” came from. To the Pre-Columbianpeople of Mesoamerica, especially theMaya, the “Ya’ax Chich” (or Jade)meant life, fertility, and power; it wasrevered above gold. Ambergris Jade Museum acquiresits jade solely from Guatemala whichis known to carry the “mother lode” ofjade that are found in the jungles of LaSierra de las Minas in eastern Guate-mala. This area is abundant in jadesince it sits over the subduction zone ofthe Cocos plate, with the North Ameri-can plate grinding along the Caribbeanplate at the Motagua fault. Spanish con-quest of the region in the 16th centuryresulted in the source of jadeite being

Continued on Page 5

Ambergris Jade Museum Continued from Page 3

Ico explains the different shades and grades of the stone and states that the impe-rial green stone is the highest grade in jade. He reproduces these fabulous neck-laces which is made out of different stones and jade.


lost. The jadeite quarries were abandoned and quickly coveredby the encroaching jungle. It was not until the 1950’s that evi-dence of Mayan workings was found in the jungle of the Sierrade las Minas in eastern Guatemala. Ico, who is well versed onthe history and variation of the different jade stones designs,also produces some of the replicated items in the museum. The

Ambergris Jade MuseumContinued from Page 4

pieces are well organized, with somemounted pieces backlit to show off thebeautiful translucent colors of the jade.But before any piece of jewelry makesit out the door, Ico takes the buyer backto the time and history of the stones.“We offer reproductions and a jewelrytour in which we provide the historybehind it. One can appreciate the truemeaning behind it if we let them knowthe formations of how the stone cameabout. One of the most important rea-

sons to sell it is that we realized that alot of treasures are being smuggled outof the country and we know a lot ofpeople who appreciate the history sowe reproduce these items and keepwhat is ours displayed properly so you

can take home a piece of pricelessitems,” Ico commented. On this tour,Ico explains the different shades andgrades of the stone and states that theimperial green stone is the highest grade

Continued on Page 6

Some necklaces come complete with its matching earrings, perfect for that exoticcollection. Jade figurines are also a visual feast within the museum, which also carriesa wide range of exotic wood carvings, and sculptures made out of Belizean woods.


We at Southwind Properties specialize in the listing & sale of fine island properties -Homes, Condos, Hotels, Commercial, Income-Producing Properties & Land for homesor large parcels for development. Be sure to meet with Marianne, Edwardo or Claudioto discuss your particular needs. Southwind Properties prides itself in being there full-time for full service and full disclosure for all your real estate needs. Call 226-2005/2060 or e-mail [email protected] for more information.

Serving San PServing San PServing San PServing San PServing San Pedredredredredrooooosince 1980!since 1980!since 1980!since 1980!since 1980!

Commercial/Condos/HomesMayan Princess – Located in the heart of San Pedro. Well maintained, goodmanagement.(S65) beachfront studio condo only $140,000.00US(D15) Unit 14- beachfront, second level condo. $140,000.00 US(M71) Unit #8: One bedroom, beach front, second level unit $175,000.00 USwith terms availableEl Cocal Condos (E16) – New condo project offering deluxe oceanfront livingwith magnificent views of the Caribbean Sea. Only 3 beach front units availablefor sale. Enjoy the great island life with easy access to all amenities, yet conve-nient, peaceful, and private. Prices starting at $192,500.00 US. Call or email ourAgents for complete details!San Pablo Rentals (G10) Prime rental property offering six fully equipped units.Beautiful, spacious first class owners quarters. A deal at $165,000.00 US.

Raw LandClub Caribbean (H42&43), two side by side road side lots with small woodencabin. 75,000 USD for all or purchase one lot for 39,000 USD.San Marcos (M70)- Two connecting lots each measuring 50’ x 75’ located in anice residential neighborhood south of town. Each lot selling for $65,000.00 US.Mata Grande Beachfront (B42)-Gorgeous beachfront on prime location withbeautiful foliage, high elevation & is within electricity, telephone & road access100’ x 200’, enough space for a large house, swimming pool & backyard.$465,000.00. NOW $445,000.00 USDSan Mateo Waterfront (R52) 3 side by side water front lots facing the San Pedrolagoon, selling separately or together. Each lot measures approx. 50’ x 100’.Price: $37,500.00 US each or buy all three! Make an offer!Ambergris Bay (P55) Gorgeous beach front parcel measuring approx. 75’ x 100.$100,000.00 US.Beach front lot at Palm Bay Club, 60’ x 130’. Price only $70,000.00 USBacalar Chico (E15)- Beautiful beachfront property located right next to the BacalarChico national park & marine reserve. Take pleasure in amazing snorkeling orscuba diving in the pristine coral reef located at your doorstep! Lot measuresapprox.100’ beachfront by 425’ depth. Great price at only $240,000.00 US.

in jade. “The imperial green jade is asclean as an emerald and was formedmillions of years ago. The value in Jadeis measured by tone, texture, but mostlyby rarity and translucency. Any unique,rare and unusual color or patterningincreases the value.” But Jade catchesthe eye because of its astonishing rangeof colors: white, red, blue, brown,blue-green, emerald green, dark greenand blackish. Individual rocks are of-ten mottled with colored specks andstreaks. Of the many Jade earrings, lavish

necklaces, fabulous bracelets in differ-ent quality of jade, the museum alsocarries a wide range of figurines, andBelizean wood ornamental pieces suchas zericote bowls, and wood carvingsthat can be purchased. As you are guided through the mu-seum you will have the opportunity tosee an artificial “DIG” or replica of aMayan tomb and see the beautiful art-work and artifacts that are on display.Working closely and diligently with theArcheology Department in Belize, theJade Museum is committed in preserv-

ing the brilliant culture, and history of the Mayan empire. Located on BarrierReef Drive, Ambergris Jade Museum opens Monday to Saturday from 8:00a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Ambergris Jade MuseumContinued from Page 5

As you are guided through the museum you will have the opportunity to see asimulated ‘DIG’ or replica of a Mayan tomb and see the beautiful artwork andartifacts that are on display.


The Lions Club of San Pedro relieson income from its Friday and Satur-day Night BBQ to support the needycommunity. Help a great cause -havedinner with us!Green Reef A non-profit organizationdedicated to the promotion of sustain-able use and conservation of Belize’smarine and coastal [email protected] /226-2833San Pedro AA - 226-4464, 600-9061Saga Society A non-profit “humane so-ciety” to address the stray cat and dogpopulation in San Pedro. Phone 226-3266.CARE BELIZE - Children’s Special-ist, San Pedro. 622-8200SP Town Library - 206-2028

SEASIDE REAL ESTATE – Many listings, from rawland to beautiful beachfront homes. We can help youown a piece of paradise. Call 226-4545 or [email protected]

SUNRISE REALTY - Land, homes, businesses, con-dos and investment properties. Call 226-3737, fax 226-3379 or E-mail: [email protected]

SOUTHWIND PROPERTIES - For all your Real Es-tate needs. Call 226-2005 or 226-2060 for informationor E-mail: [email protected] for current listings.

SUEÑO DEL MAR - Paradise has a new address!Located on Barrier Reef Drive (Front Street), acrossfrom Fido’s Restaurant. 8:30AM to 5PM,www.dreambelize.com, Phone: (US #) 719-302-5398,(Belize #) 011-501-226-4001.

INVEST IN BELIZE - Call for Appointments and pick-ups. 226-4000 or www.investinbelize.com

RE/MAX Isla Bonita, 1ocated at 10 Coconut Drive,San Pedro. 226-4400 e-mail: [email protected] visit our website at www.owninbelize.com

CORAL BEACH REALTY - Professionalism at itsbest. Visit our office “Unda da Palapa” on Barrier ReefDrive, 226-2681. www.CoralBeachRealty.net

CRISTAL GOLF CART RENTAL - Along with Island TourRentals, have combined to offer the best rates on the island!Special hourly, weekly & monthly rates. Daily rates are $85BZ. 4- & 6- Seater golf carts available. Security deposit re-quired. Cristal - 226-4949 or 626-5555. Island Tour - 226-2351or 226-2972.

CRYSTAL AUTO RENTAL – Largest fleet in Belize. Of-fices at International Airport and Belize City. 223-1600, 0-800-777-7777.

ULTIMATE GOLF CART RENTAL - Experience the ulti-mate ride! Yamaha carts for rent. 226-3326; Corner Tarpon &Pescador Drive. Belize Gold Cars Ltd: Yamaha carts & partsfor sale. 226-3993; Suite 12, Coldwell Building. E-mail:[email protected], [email protected] or visit ourwebsite at www.ultimaterentalsbelize.com.

MONCHO’S GOLF CART RENTALS - Four & Six seatergolf carts available. Open daily 8 a.m. - 8 p.m. We deliver toyour room. 226-3262 or 226-4490.

CARTS BELIZE - Conveniently located just one block north ofthe airstrip. Hourly, Daily & Weekly. Call 226-4084.

SAILSPORTS BELIZE – Windsurfing, kite sailing and sail-ing. The latest equipment and expert instruction makes it easyto learn. 226-4488 [email protected].

GRUMPY & HAPPY - Snorkeling - private snorkel tours -just you on the boat, no set schedule! Visitors with special needsand children are welcome. Call 226-3420 or 672-1234. Visitwww.grumpyandhappy.com, or Email:[email protected].

Water, Sports & Tours

CASTILLO’S HARDWARE - Storm supplies, electronics,household appliances, tools, home repair items and a wide va-riety of paints, stains and varnishes. Pescador Drive. Phone226-2302.

S.P. HARDWARE - Large variety of hardware and house-hold supplies. Will meet or beat any competitor’s price!Seagrape Drive; Open seven days a week. 226-4522

Real Estate...

Police 226-2022Fire 226-2372Medical Emergency (ACER) 226-3231Emergency 911Crimestoppers 800 922-TIPSLions Health Clinic - 226-4052; emer-gencies 600-9071 or Hours: Mon.-Fri.,8am to 8pm; Sat., 8am - noon.Los Pinos Clinic 602-6383 and 226-2686.Dr. Lerida Rodriguez: 226-2197 or cell620-1974.San Pedro Chiropractic Clinic 600-7119Hyperbaric Chamber - 226-2851, Dr.Otto Rodriguez - 604-7599 or 226-2854.Antonia Guerrero - 600-5475. EleazarPortillo - 610-4560 or 226-3195.San Pedro Polyclinic II - 226-2536. Dr.Zuniga: 670-8755 and Dr. OttoRodriguez: 604-7599.Ambergris Hopes Clinic - 226-2660,Emergencies: 606-2316US Embassy - 822-4011Labour Office - 226-2700 (Open 8am -5pm, Mon. - Fri.)Canadian Consulate - 223-1060Mexican Embassy - 223-0193Guatemalan Embassy - 223-3150Honduran Embassy - 224-5889San Carlos Medical (MD & DentistServices) - 7:30am - 9:00pm, 226-2918.

IMPORTANT #s

Miscellaneous

San Pedro Roman Catholic ChurchSunday Mass: (English) 8am & 10am &Baptism: 11am; Spanish: 7pm; Mass orCommunion Service every night at 7pm.Saturday evening: Anticipated SundayMass: 7p.m. Daily Masses 7am & 7pm.Living Word Church Service Sun.10:45 a.m, Youth Meetings on Sundaysat 7:30p.m., Women’s meetings onWednesday at 7:30 p.m., and Men’smeetings on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. Wedo Christian charity work. 226-2950.Assembly of God Church onAngel Coral St. T-W-St.-Sn. at 7:30 p.m.Lighthouse Christian Radio - 101.3FM. 226-4673, Cor. Buccaneer &Pescador Drive.The Church of Jesus Christ of Lat-ter Day Saints - Sunday Service: 9:30am, Wednesday Scripture Study 7:00pm. 17 Lagoon St. (between the bak-ery and the bridge).San Pedro Community Church -meets Sundays at 10a.m. at the Am-bergris Elementary School. All AreWelcome.

Services...

Transportation...

Belize Tourism Board - 223-1910.

Belize Tourism Industry Association (BTIA) - 227-5717.

San Pedro Tourist Guide Association 226-2391.

Tourist Information

Church Services


SAN PEDRO FITNESS CLUB – A/C Gym,Fully-equipped. Open to the public. TennisCourts, Lap and Family pools, Aqua Fitnessand Toning Classes.Open 7am Daily, 8am Sun-days. 226-2683.

CAYE COFFEE – Take a taste of our locallyroasted fresh coffee back home. A wonderfulcup of coffee makes such a great difference inyour day. Try it and ask for more. 226-3568.

THE GREENHOUSE - Fresh Produce & Sea-food. Belizean and imported speciality. Freshherbs, cold cuts, chilled goods plus an excit-ing selection of groceries. A/C local on Bar-rier Reef Dr. 226-2084.

CAYE INTERNATIONAL BANK - Offer-ing Demand Deposit Accounts, Loans, Sav-ings Accounts, etc. [email protected] or phone 226-2388.

PROVIDENT BANK & TRUST - Offering afull range of International Banking Services.phone 223-5698 services@prov identbank.bz

GRANIEL’S DREAMLAND - Locally madefurniture & accessories from all Belizean ex-otic hardwoods & Mahogany. On PescadorDrive, opposite Rock’s, Call 226-2632, ext.18 or 226-2938. Open Mon-Sat 8:30-12:00noon & 1:00 to 9:00 p.m. & Sun 10-12 noon.

BELIZEAN ARTS GALLERY - Local art!

PINGUINO WINE COMPANY - Fine Wine.

MATA CHICA - Mambo Cuisine - for foodlovers. Homemade pasta, shrimp paté,bruschetta, charbroiled seafood and muchmore! Call 220-5010/5011.

ELVI’S KITCHEN - serving the finest foodsince 1977. Daily Lunch and Dinner Specials.Caribbean Night on Thursday. Mayan Fiestaevery Friday - come try our Maya Buffet. OpenMonday – Saturday. Lunch: 11:00 a.m. – 2:00p.m. Dinner: 5:30 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. Call usfor group reservations. Ph 226-2404/2176“Where something good is always cooking!”

CELI’S RESTAURANT ON THE BEACHat the San Pedro Holiday Hotel, serves GreatFajitas, salads and local dishes for lunch. De-lectable Seafood Speciaties for dinner. OUT-

T H E S A N P E D R OT H E S A N P E D R OT H E S A N P E D R OT H E S A N P E D R OT H E S A N P E D R O S U NS U NS U NS U NS U N VVVVVI S I T O R ’ S G U I D EI S I T O R ’ S G U I D EI S I T O R ’ S G U I D EI S I T O R ’ S G U I D EI S I T O R ’ S G U I D EDining Out...

Gourmet Olives, stuffed olives and spreads.Exclusively in belize. Free Tasting! 226-2930.Website:pinguinobelize.com

LIQUOR BOX - Wholesale and Retail on localand imported liquors. Delivery available! Case ofBelikin Beer, Ice Cold - only $70Bz! On Bucca-neer Street, open 7 Days a week 9:00am to 9:30pm.226-2475 or 626-7331.

FOOTPRINTS - Crocs shoes, Reef shoes, andfun beach accessories. On Barrier Reef Drive, openMonday through Saturday from 9am - 6pm. 226-2689.

BAREFOOT BOOKS - Over 9,000 new , usedand well loved books available. All titles and au-thors and subjects. We buy your books. Locatedon Pescador Drive; call 226-3563.www.barefootbooks-belize.com.

THE GALLERY - Fine art for fine living - thestudio and gallery of Linda Mikulich. Original FineAmerican Style Caribbean Art. Commissions wel-comed. 610-0277.

SUNDANCER + MOONDANCER - Uniqueboutiques featuring beautiful, quality clothing, jew-elry and gorgeous gift items for both men(Sundancer) and women (Moondancer). Phone:226-3126.

SUNDANCE POOL COMPANY - Custom, com-mercial & residential pools. Chlorine free, efficient& environmentally conscious. Free quotes! 1-877-313-POOL [email protected]

DOOR & INDOOR DINING 11:00 a.m.-2:00p.m. 5:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Beach barbequeevery Wednesday night with live music.

RAMON’S VILLAGE - Enjoy breakfast, lunchand dinner in a Mayan atmosphere or on theveranda overlooking the Caribbean Sea. Co-conut Drive. Phone 226-2071.

MICKEY’S PLACE - Open daily 6:30 a.m. -10 a.m. for breakfast, 11:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.for lunch and 6 - 10 p.m. for dinner. Burritoson Wednesdays. Pescador Drive. Call 226-2223.

BLUE WATER GRILL – Island cuisine with atwist! Wood-fired Oven Pizzas, Sushi & more!Open daily. Happy Hour 4 to 6 p.m. 226-3347.

EL DIVINO RESTAURANT at BANANABEACH - Serving breakfast, lunch and dinnerfrom 6 a.m - 10 p.m. Book your party or ban-quet today! Phone 226-2444.

PORTOFINO RESTAURANT AND GREENPARROT BEACH BAR - Meet our boat at6:30 p.m. at Fido’s Dock for a complimentaryride to one of the best culinary experiencesyou will have while in paradise. For reserva-tions, call 220-5096.

SUNSET GRILL - Offering local and interna-tional cuisine. Open 7 days a week for lunchand dinner. Located on the lagoon side. 226-2600. Come by at sunset and help us feed thetarpons!

RENDEZVOUS RESTAURANT AND BAR- The most romantic spot in town featuringaward winning chefs. Thai and French cuisineblended to make paradise taste like heaven, orso our customers say. Free Rendezvous Winetasting from 11:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Fer-mented, blended and bottled here on theproperty. Open for lunch and dinner. Call 2263426 for reservations and transport options.

CASA PICASSO TAPAS + MARTINIS -Small plates, big pastas and fantastic desserts!“Hippest martini spot”-Frommer’s. Nightly5:30pm, closed Sundays. reservations 226-4507.

BEACH ‘N’ KITCHEN - Open Tuesday toSunday, from 7:30am - 3:00pm. Saturday andSunday Brunch - choose delicious EggsBenedict, stuffed French toast or continentalbreakfast! North of the bridge, near PalapaBar. Call 226-4456.

RICO’S SURFSIDE RESTAURANT – A trulyunique dining experience on the beach at Ban-yan Bay. Serving breakfast, lunch and dinnerdaily. Phone 226-3739 ext. 135.

BLUE LOTUS LUXURY DINING- Delightyourself with Indian cuisine at San Pedro’snewest water-top restaurant. Spectacular viewsof San Pedro at night! Complimentary watertaxi service. Call 501-610-BLUE (2583).

MOJITO BAR & TAPAS - Serving a widevariety of Mojitos, pitchers of Sangria,Margaritas and beer! Enjoy delicious home-made breakfasts and snacks. Located at theSunbreeze Suites, on the beach across fromBelize Bank. Open daily: 7 am - 10 pm.

FRENCH BAKERY - A taste of France. Allproducts are made in the traditional way withonly natural ingredients. Open from 6:30 a.m.to 6:00 p.m. Phone: (604) 0748 or (624) 5880.

HIDDEN TREASURE - Discover great foodin an enchanting setting! Featuring LatinAmerican and Caribbean Cuisine, and theIsland’s Best Martinis & Mojitos! Open forLunch and Dinner. For Reservations, pleasecall 226-4111.

...Unique Offerings...

Party...Party...Party...PartyHIDEAWAY BAR AT PINKY’S MOTEL -Everyday specials. $4 Belikins & local rumsand $6 Guinness. Saturday is fight night: comewatch televised boxing and UFC while youenjoy 2 for 1 tequila shots. Bar customersenjoy the swimming pool. Located in SanPablo; call 226-4655.

THE HOLIDAY HOTEL - Every Wednes-day, live music and a fabulous Beach

Barbeque 6:30 p.m.- 9:00 p.m. Barrier ReefDr. 226-2014.

PALAPA BAR AND GRILL - The CoolestPlace, North of Bridge. Drink & Dine outover the Caribbean waters with cool breezesand no mosquitoes. Specialty is a BBQ, SlowSmoked, Pork Sandwich and Fresh CaughtFish Tacos. Open 7 days, Happy Hour Drinksfrom 4:00pm - 6:00pm. Telephone: 226-3111.


Language canlink us with othercultures, no mat-ter how for-eign the tonguemay be. In aneffort to share thisform of communication with our au-dience, The San Pedro Sun proudlypresents – Words of the Week. Thisweek, we will present a couple ofwords in Creole, and translate it toEnglish, using the Creole/ English Dic-tionary released through the KriolCouncil. Special thanks to SylvanaWoods for our copy of the dictionary.

Disrespect Disrispek - Di manmi-di disprispek di polees soh dehnares ahn. (The man was disrespect-ing the police so they arrested him.)Frighten Fraitn - Loosi bredafraitn ahn wid wahn sheet mek ihtink dat da goas. (Lucy’s brotherfrightened her with a sheet to makeher think it was a ghost.)

History on the fair During the month of August, peoplein the north of Belize look forward tothe annual three day San Joaquin Fi-esta. Hundreds of people wait in an-ticipation for the event, which is alwayscelebrated on the weekend of the 16th

of August. It’s an event that RomanCatholics take very seriously, since itserves as a way of honouring theVillage’s patron Saint, San Joaquin. Achurch service is held while the sec-ond part of the festivities includes a fairthat features music, dance, food,

A Look at the 41st Annual San Joaquin Fiesta 1967-2008

drinks, mechanical games and all sortsof stalls. The first time the fair wascelebrated was in 1967 and this year’sfestivity makes it 41 years since the fairwas commemorated. This year’s religious celebrationstarted on Wednesday, August 13. Ithas been an established tradition thatupon the culmination of the San Joaquinfair in Bacalar, a team of Belizeanyouth, along with a Mexican delega-tion, runs with the Saint and a lightedtorch from Bacalar, Mexico to San

Continued on Page 11

The fiesta serves as a way of honoring its patron saint, San Joaquin.


Joaquin village. With it being a twenty mile stretch, the procession runs for anentire day. Once the Saint is received in San Joaquin Village, the religioussection of the celebration starts and includes prayers, as well as offerings. There is always a lot to see and do at the fair. Traditionally, the first thing onewould do is to take a visit to church. At the church, which sits next to where thefair is being held, candles are sold to the pilgrims who wish to make an offeringto Saint Joaquin. Hundreds of pilgrims stop in to say a prayer and bring offer-ings. Roman Catholics in the Corozal and Orange Walk Districts make it “amust do” activity to visit San Joaquin, the saint that Catholics in the southernstates of Mexico and northern Belize believe brought some relief during theperiod of the Caste War.

Games and Activities While there are those that made a stop at the church, there are also thosewho visit the venue for the festive side of the religious celebrations. Music fills

San Joaquin Continued from Page 10


The Ferris Wheel isalways a hit!

Game stalls drewa crowd


the air from all corners. Visitors alsomake it their business to ride most ifnot all the mechanical games. Thisyear, there were two Ferris wheels,and the Rocket and Orbit wereamongst the main attractions. Forfirst time riders, once the wheel be-gins to spins, it is certainly a once ina life time experience, one that youwould either want to try again or oneyou will make a promise not to. Forfrequent riders, it’s just another ridethey indulge in.

Perhaps one of the most fearedrides is the Orbit. Just by the looksof it, a weak minded person wouldrefuse to jump on. Riders coming offthe Orbit make all sorts of gestures,and once asked if they would takeanother ride, their first answer is“No”. The Rocket ride is perhaps a coolride. Once the rocket takes flight, ascreen inside the rocket comes on andwith a vivid imagination, one can fly


San Joaquin Continued from Page 11

Pibil usually encompasses a whole pig dressed in delicious and fragrant spices,then wrapped with banana leaves and slow cooked overnight underground.

At the end of the night, no food was left at the stalls. All the delicious snacks,including the delicious salbutes were gone.


through space. Other available rides such as theCrazy-chair, trampoline, Wheel ofFortune, train, planes, are inter-twined with the horse rides which arealso very much enjoyed. But that was not all to do, therewere all kinds of marble games, fish-ing games, balloon games as well andarea for gambling games such ascards, chalupa, dominoes and bingo.

Food There were over 100 food stallsall over the grounds. Food rangedfrom the traditional pibil (pork bakedin huge pots under ground with variousspices), relleno with corn tortillas andescabeche (onion soup with local grownchicken and corn tortillas) to theBelizean rice and beans, potato saladand stew chicken, to Bar-B Quechicken, beef or pork. Various stallsalso had tamales, salbutes, panades andgarnaches. For those who just wantedfast food rather than sitting under a tent,there were the hotdog stalls and by theend of the night, everything was gone. To compliment the food stalls therewere drink booths strategically placedin different areas on the fair grounds.Drinks included the national Belikin,Light House and Stout to the mixeddrinks such as rum punch, One-Barreland coke, Caribbean and coke andPanty-ripper.

Music and Dance There was the traditional danceof the Mayan-Mestizo, El baile de labotella; that is a dance that depicts aMayan-Mestizo woman dancing witha bottle filled of water on top of herhead. A Mayan-Mestizo man wouldthen dance around the woman. Butbeside the traditional dance, there

was music by Techno-Band on Fri-day night. On Saturday and Sundaythe pride of the north, Gilharry 7 Bandrock the crowd with their brukdown,punta and cumbia music. Proceeds from the fair goes into achurch-run fund which is used for dif-ferent projects in the village as wellas the church.

San JoaquinContinued from Page 12

From rice and beans, to panades, escabeche, relleno,tamales and more, everyone’s tummy had somethinggood to eat.


For most of us who live in the tropics the anticipation of rainy season is bittersweet. After months of scorching heat that sucks every ounce of moisturefrom the earth, leaving the air thick with dust and parched plants wilted in dehydrated anticipation, we often exclaim to each other, “Man, I am ready forsome rain!” Of course the age old adage “be careful of what you wish for” could not be more true, as once the heavens have granted our request andshowered us with inch after inch after inch of pouring rain we are then slogging through mud, soaked to the bone while trying to get about our lives andmainland rivers swell to lethal levels. Such is the natural cycle of our tropical habitat, and although Mother Nature enjoys the challenge of testing mankind,the flora that falls under her dominion could not be happier. With the rain come flowers, and the glorious flourish of blossoms hand-painted in natures finestkaleidoscope of colors can persuade us to forgive the tri-als and tribulations that come with the rain and accept theblooming gift as a peace offering of sorts. From towering trees to the smallest shrub, the flowerdecorates the plant in fine fashion with tempting morselsno bee or pollinator can resist. But what types of plantsare these flowering floras? Chances are you may not havegiven them a second look until their colored show cap-tured your eye! Let The San Pedro Sun share with you some of thesespectacular plants, and perhaps the next time you stop to“smell the roses” you may be a little more forgiving tothe rain that inspires their bloom.

With rain come the flowers!

The Coco-plum, also known as icaco, icaque ponne, pork-fat-apple, zicate, and many other common names, is a me-dium-sized coastal shrub or, rarely, a small tree. It gener-ally has multiple brown or gray stems that are smooth to scaly.Its flower clusters (cymes) are shorterthan the leaves and borne at the basesof the leaves near the ends of thebranches. Several greenish-white flow-ers less than one centimeters in diam-eter compose the clusters, and theyhave a heady fragrance that is citrusyand fresh. The Coco-plum blooms andbears fruit nearly throughout the year.The white to purple fruits are drupesthat resemble plums. Their thin flesh isspongy, whitish, and slightly sweet toalmost tasteless when ripe.

The Coco Plum Flower


byDennis Wolfe

Wolfe’s Woofers

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Trivia Tidbits... *The women of the Tiwi tribe in the South Pacific are married at birth. *When Albert Einstein died, his final words died with him. The nurse athis side didn’t understand German. *St Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, was not Irish. *St. John was the only one of the 12 Apostles to die a natural death. *Many sailors used to wear gold earrings so that they could afford a properburial when they died. *Because they had no proper rubbish disposal system, the streets of an-cient Mesopotamia became literally knee-deep in rubbish. *Coffee is the second largest item of international commerce in the world.The largest is petrol. *The magic word “Abracadabra” was originally intended for the specificpurpose of curing hay fever. *It is illegal to be a prostitute in Siena, Italy, if your name is Mary. *Sir Isaac Newton was obsessed with the occult and the supernatural. *George Washington grew marijuana in his garden.

“Do you want post wiffle eggs?” Dulce asked me.

“Post wiffle eggs? What in the world are post wiffle eggs?”

“I asked if you want toast with your eggs. Either you don’t listen to any-thing I say or you are getting as deaf as a stone. Since you’ve never listenedto anything I say, then you must be getting deaf.”

“What?”

The next day, I had to go to Belize City so I found a shop where a little oldman sells hearing aids.

“I guarantee that we have something in this shop to make your beer bet-ter,” he said.

“I don’t drink beer,” I told him. “My wife sent me here because shethinks I’m getting hard of hearing.”

“I said that we have something tomake you hear better,” the old mansaid.

“Oh.”

“We have this model here,” hesaid. “The little earpiece is hiddenso no one can see it. It works great.”

“How much is it?”

“Six hundred and twenty-nine dollars.”

“Six hundred and twenty-nine dol-lars!? For that price I can hire aninterpreter.”

“Well, we have this one for peoplelike you who are concerned aboutprice,” he said.

“That thing is big and ugly,” I said.“It will cover my ear like a head-phone.”

“Yes,” he said, “But it only coststwo dollars. Here, try it on.”

I put on the hearing aid, which con-sisted of the earpiece and a long pieceof wire.

“Now, what?” I asked. “What doI connect the wire to?”

“You run the wire down into yourpocket,” the salesman said. “Itdoesn’t connect to anything.”

“How does it work?” I asked.

“For two dollars it doesn’t workat all,” he told me. “But when peoplesee it on you, they’ll talk louder.”

HearingAid

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