Kilometers Traveled – 10 by golf cart
Hours on Beach with Children – 1
Spontaneous Bar Breaks – 1
Belikins Consumed – 7
Current Location – Paradise Villas, Unit 16B – San Pedro, BZ
Wireless Internet – All good.


It is probably pretty obvious by now that we love the food in Belize. I don’t think we’ve missed a meal yet! This day would certainly be no exception. I let Rob sleep in a bit and took the kids to “My Favorite Deli” this morning for breakfast. This is a great little two table kitchen we were turned on to by one of the timeshare guys the last time we were on the island. Great basic breakfast for next to nothing. Oscar, the owner, has added to his repertoire a taco table out front where locals pass by and pick up a quick bite or pack up a lunch to take away.


My Secret Deli.


Oscar and the girls.


A real home cooked breakfast.


A fresh pineapple smoothie - yum!

We went back to the villa to check on Rob, who, having missed breakfast, was hungry and ready for lunch. We had heard great things about a little place by the airstrip called "El Fogon". As we are big fans of the Playa version of "El Fogon", we thought we would give it a try.


Looks good so far.


Dirt floor, picnic tables, palapa roof.....


...and el fogon itself, used everyday.


A coconut grater developed by the Menonites.


We arrived rather late for lunch and most of the menu items (which change daily) were all gone. We had our choice of conch fritters and BBQ chicken which were both delicious. The advantage to coming after the rush made itself apparent when one of the owners, Miss Suzanna, came out and sat to chat with us. The told us of her family's history on the island, her childhood and the wonderful cooking techniques she was raised with. She still grates her own coconut and cooks on the outside hearth everyday. This restaurant and her wonderful food are keeping history alive in the heart of busy San Pedro. Do not miss this place if you have a chance to be on Ambergris.


Fabulous BBQ chicken with all the fixin's.


The best conch fritters to date!!


Miss Suzanna and the kiddos.


Now that we have the golf cart, we decided to explore the island a bit and drove south around Cindy and Paul's neighborhood. Passing one of the lagoons, we saw a small crowd gathered, watching some young local boys fishing...or so we thought. In case you were wondering if there are crocs living admidst all the development on the island, the answer is apparently "yes".


The big fella earned this chicken dinner and the boys earned their tip from us. It may not be the safest thing, chicken baiting alligators in a residential area, but it sure was fun to watch.



When the sun is setting on a Wednesday night, there is only one place to go: the Pier Lounge at the Spindrift Hotel for the world famous chicken drop. This weekly event has been well documented on all the travel shows and in all the guide books so we were really looking forward to the whole thing.


The crowd gathers.


Dennis Wolfe and the Usual Suspects entertain the crowd and whip them into a betting frenzy.


Everyone jockeys for the best viewing position.


The chicken arrives.


The chicken is "dropped".


The chicken craps.

OK, got it. Next.


Having been set up with a sitter for the evening, we dressed and set out on our golf cart to a "grown up" dinner at Casa Picasso with our "not so very grown up" friends Cindy and Paul and Cindy's mum who is visting from across the pond. The restaurant, located in an out of the way, residential neighborhood, is an unusual gem on the island. Serving up a well thought out menu of tasty tapas and pasta dishes, Casa Picasso gave us a nice break from our daily menu of chicken, rice and beans. The dishes we chose were all delicious and the wine flowed freely well into the late evening. The owners, Chris and Jennifer, have done a wonderful job creating a stylish, upscale yet unpretentious atmosphere. Well done!!


Casa Picasso


Very civilized surroundings.


Well chilled martinis.


Pretty Cindy.


Picasso inspired artwork done by local artists.


A happy group, well fed and feeling no pain.

 

Go to Road Trip Belize - The Cayes Part 3