ISLAND GROCERY SHOPPING ADVENTURE ON FOOT

Most residents on Ambergris Caye know how difficult it is to find every item on their shopping list at one store. It is totally normal to visit two or three stores on grocery shopping day. When walking 1.5 miles to town in hot humid weather, you want to shop at the nearest stores available, believe me!

I am sharing my morning commute to town in a series of pictures. You may enjoy following along if your current weather situation is cold or if you like to admire palm trees and ocean scenery. So strap on your backpack and head south from the resort with me…

Akbol is the first establishment you come across and usually there are visitors eating at the bar or practicing yoga on the dock. Right now we are still in slow season, but a month from now there will be more people around.

Up until the road was paved two years ago, many bicyclists would ride along the beach. It became annoying at times, especially when construction workers ended their shift at several developments up north and the guys were headed home.

The abandoned house over the water has been vacant as long as I can remember. You could wade out to it at low tide and climb some steps for a great picture, but hurricane Earl wiped out the steps.

The next stretch of the beach has wooden cottage style homes along it until you reach the large concrete apartment/house with one of the few public bars allowed over the water.

When this concrete apartment/house last sold, the new owner kicked out the bar tenant on the dock. Everyone loved the Palapa Bar, so the new owner does not have many friends. Coincidentally, the Palapa Bar relocated into town and probably does more business now.

We are still trying to figure out what the heck are the green things on top. I haven’t seen hardly anyone at this new bar. Oh, but so many memories were made there….

Now we are walking down a row of homes with lots of private docks. Several boats are hoisted here year round. The reef takes the brunt of the ocean waves, so the water remains  calm near the shore.

The last house in the row is so cute! We call it the castle house.

Next up is the Dive Bar. They serve drinks and food, but also operate dive boats. On my way home, one of the owner’s German Shepherd dogs was off leash and barked at me. He followed me to the next vacant lot and kept barking. I was actually scared. I guess I will walk along the road in that area next time.

The Cloisters is one condo development that seems to have changed their name recently. It is common for resorts to change their name whenever they receive negative publicity….Like no one knows how to Google and find their skeletons in the closet! Come on, people!

Beyond Cloisters is a huge empty lot that was used by barges for years. Now there is a five story structure going up along the road on the west side of the parcel.

After the huge lot, along the beach, is Coco Locos, the “Cheers” kind of place for island dwellers north of the bridge. We have lots of friends who sit on those bar stools.

You can swim up to the bar from one of three pools in the development. It’s great on a hot day!

Of course, the bar is a short walk (or crawl) from the condo we first rented on the island. Enough reminiscing, back to my walk…

Across the street from the five story construction is a controversial community. The homeowners have been fighting the builder for ages. At this point, you have to take the road to get to town.

That builder who I will not name has many unfinished projects on the property and he keeps getting away with things because he has corrupt friends in the local government. That is what I am told anyway.

Here are some prime examples. These eyesores are in open sight because anyone going to town has to drive past them to cross the bridge. They leave a really bad impression on tourists, but some might think they are a work in progress.

On the opposite side of the street is another delapidated structure. Nice, huh? It adds some character to the island’s vibe.

It’s finally time to cross the bridge to reach the fruit stand. I’m so happy that this one carries a fairly large amount of produce.

When the local kids are out of school, you can find many of them swimming and playing in the channel.

First I buy my fruits and veggies and then go back across the bridge to the supermarket.

The VIllage grocery store is actually beside the five story construction project. The owner has expanded and he has a nice selection during high season. He also gives us a 10% discount since he knows we live here long term.

Now I’m ready for the 1.5 mile walk home with a loaded backpack.

You sure don’t get a lot for your money, but that’s the price you pay for living in paradise. Sorry for so many pictures, and I didn’t even include my wildlife photos. Naturally, I jumped into the swimming pool after putting away my groceries.