Flashback – Sometimes I find myself walking through town, trying to see San Pedro through the eyes of a first-time visitor. I wonder what thoughts fill their minds, what grabs their attention, what makes them fall in love with our island. Their hometowns are so different from ours, places filled with high-rises, multi-lane roads, and a pace of life that feels worlds apart from what we know here.
Then I come across an old photo like this one, taken in 1993 on Middle Street (or as we now call it, Pescador Drive) and it stops me in my tracks. Even though I lived in San Pedro during this time, I still look at the picture with a sense of awe. In that moment, I see my old town the same way a tourist might: charming, simple, and frozen in time.
The photo shows what is now the site of the Social Security Board and Super Buy Supermarket. Back then, it was lined with small wooden homes, the kind that spoke of family and community. The scene feels almost surreal compared to what stands there now, tall concrete buildings, busy storefronts, and the hum of a growing town trying to keep up with the demands of modern life.
Flashback –> Fast Forward
What gets me most is the image of two young boys riding their bicycles down the street, carefree and unworried about traffic. There are no tangled utility wires overhead, no hustle of delivery trucks or golf carts weaving through the road. Just open space and simplicity.
So much has changed. And while we can’t turn back time, there’s something powerful about looking at these snapshots of the past. They remind us of where we came from, and maybe, just maybe, help us appreciate our island a little more, even as it continues to evolve.
Click Here for More Flashbacks of San Pedro on Ambergris Today
