Lets Cure “Cagalera” (Loose Bowels)
Twenty five years ago San Pedro might have lacked doctors and nurses, but that is not to say that people lived without any mercy of the ailments and diseases. Of course there were the home remedies and I can tell you that they were effective. Today a little toothache has people running to the doctor […]
The Flirty Girls of 25 Years Ago
TODAY you hear the older folks talking about the young generation being ruthless and irresponsible, more so than in the 1930’s and 40’s. Perhaps they are right. It is also said that the new generation does not hold matrimony as a serious act. The older generation believes that the young people today are […]
Pirates Fact & Myth
Pirates were interesting people and everything you hear about them is a combination of truth and facts and a whole lot is myth or legend. The skull on their back and all over the ship is fact for they were blood hungry people who would kill for valuables or booty. The captain carrying a […]
Those Tasty Pigeons
Hey Dorian and you guys at the office at Ambergris Today, what makes you say that the pigeon situation in San Pedro is a real nuisance and that those flocks of pigeons are now pests? I understand that these birds do cause a nuisance with nesting on the eaves of the houses, and the […]
No Women Drinking
Even before I start this article, I would like to mention that back in 1992 I first wrote this article and one particular woman was extremely offended by the article. She thought that I was anti-women. I tried to explain to her that my wife and mother are women and I was not against them. […]
Did You Inherit Land?
This past weekend I was having a very pleasant and interesting conversation with my very good friends Wil Escalante and Thomas Kirkpatrick. Among other interesting things, Wil asked me if I had any more land apart from those where my house is located. His real question was whether I had inherited any land from my […]
How Weddings Were So Different
Weddings are weddings and you would think that as long as there was a bride and a groom and a party, there you have a wedding. I will agree to that, but indeed there were many differences of weddings of the past to those of today. I know you will tell me they cost a […]
Collecting Bad Debts
Bad debts…there has always been bad debts. They say that prostitution is the oldest profession (if you want to call it a profession) but perhaps the oldest problem or sour relationship between two parties is “bad debts”. There has always been someone who is not willing to repay to the person that has done you […]
Tattoos For The Young And Old
Oh yes, tattoos go back to around the year 1965 as far as local tattoos go here in San Pedro. Before this time there were a few tattoos made on a few guys, but they were made in Belize City or Corozal Town. Actually it was difficult to get a tattoo back then, and […]
The Arrival of Outboard Motors
Back in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s, the arrival of the outboard motors in San Pedro was quite a revolution. It was such a revolutionary move and innovative event that everybody in San Pedro desired one. And to tell the truth practically everyone got one for different needs and different reasons. The very […]
Where There’s A Will There’s A Way
San Pedro High School is only 35 years old. In terms of schools it is a pretty young school with some over one hundred years old like SJC and St. Catherine’s Academy. But in terms of accomplishments, San Pedro High has got its share to show. As you can see in this photo taken […]
Fun in the Kraal
Most people in San Pedro today would not know what a kraal is, so we will have to draw a diagram of one to give you the full idea. Only the richer people in San Pedro had kraals, but the common children enjoyed it the most, so a kraal was very important to all of […]
Reminiscing the British Soldiers
They were here to guarantee the safety and protection of Belize even before our independence and a few years later on. Though they were not stationed here in San Pedro, they did form an important part of our society. British soldiers were called “limeys” and it is not clear whether they liked it or […]
And The Green Grass Grew Around
Do you recall some of the words of this nursery rhyme? “And the green grass grew all around, all around and the green grass grew all around…” You know, the wells that I spoke about last week were not only a source of water for bathing, washing, cleaning, cooking and even drinking. Not only […]
Shallow Wells a Blessing
I was driving around southern Mexico in Quintana Roo this past weekend and noticed a young man getting water out of a shallow well. He was pulling on a rope around a pulley which makes it easier to pull the pail up. No sooner had I seen this young man at the well than my […]
One Police Officer Did It All
How could one police officer do it all by himself twenty five years ago, let’s say in the 1950’s and 60’s? Well, the answer is fairly simple. There was very little crime on the island so there was no real big need for many officers. They would have gotten bored doing nothing just like […]
Days of Romanticism
I have recently downloaded some music from the internet and listened to it with interesting melancholy. This is music from the 1950’s and 60’s, and I could not help conclude that music of that epoch is indeed very romantic and that today’s composers or song writers are so far from this romantic feeling. Just […]
A Trip On Board The Elsa P
We have already read and enjoyed a trip on board the Elsa P but that was to tell you of its importance in the cargo transport industry. Now this time around we will live the actual trip on board this famous boat owned by Felipe Paz and which operated from the 1950’s and way into […]
A Trip To The Lobster Traps
Lobster traps formed the mainstay of the economy of San Pedro twenty five years ago. Every fisherman depended on lobster traps, and that was about 25 fishermen each owning an average of 300 lobster traps each. Lobster traps were constructed utilizing mahogany frames covered with pimento sticks. Bamboo strips were used only minimally because it […]
A Trip On Board A Fishing Boat
Back in the 1950’s and sixties, well 25 years ago, there were several types of sailing boats. There were “botes de carga” (cargo boats),” tanqueros” (boats with wells), “botes pesqueros” (fishing boats), and “lanchas” (boats for hauling sand). Today we will sail along on board a fishing boat on its way to Glover’s Reef or […]
A Trip On Board A Fish Tanker
Twenty five years ago, or rather in the 1950’s, every fisherman had a fish tanker, which was a boat equipped with a well or tank in which fish were kept alive. I always wondered how come the fishermen bored holes in the bottom of the boat and water came rushing in and the boat […]
Eating While at Sea, How Delicious
I am not talking about sailing from San Pedro to Caye Caulker on a pleasure trip. I am not talking about you on board a cruise ship sailing to Belize. I am not talking about you stranded at sea on board a wrecked ship or boat. No, I am talking about you actually being in […]
Counting Your Blessings
I might not be around the downtown area during Christmas night to wish you a Merry Christmas as I have done for more than 25 five years, but that does not mean that I won’t have you in my mind and heart and hoping that your life is full and your dreams fulfilled. I am […]
The Things I Miss About Christmas
Yes, I miss the hams, apples, pears, grapes, live green Christmas tree, and the house parties on December 25. But there are a few other things that we miss about Christmas 25 years ago. The “Posadas” was a big thing in the 1950’s and 60’s. The posadas commemorated Mary and Joseph looking for a room […]
Children’s Christmas Delights
The enthusiasm you get today of children as they enjoy the Christmas season is way above the enthusiasm of children 25 years ago. Today they talk about the huge Christmas tree, the millions of lights, the transformers and all the expensive electronic toys. But don’t you ever think that there was no enthusiasm back then. […]