“So Long It’s Been Good to Know Yuh” in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Belize.

As I sat on the veranda yesterday mornng , the western, lagoon facing one, with a mug of black coffee (and boy did I need it ) things weren’t as they normally are.

Well for a start I didn’t get up until 07.25 hours and I wasn’t my normal ebullient self.

He must have been sick, you’re thinking. Well I suppose that could be one way of describing my condition at the time. Another might be that I just had too heavy a day the day before. I’ll leave you to make your own mind up on this question!

Saturday had started much the same as every day starts for me. I woke up, made a mug of coffee and … well regular readers know what follows.

After enjoying my ‘me time’ I set off for ‘Town to pick up Nick. Nick, you might recall from previous editions, is a member of the BATSUB team and his tour of duty in Belize finishes in just over a week and he was here on Ambergris Caye for his farewell party. And the party was going to be held at our house.

Nick had arrived the previous evening and we had arranged to have breakfast (yes, you’ve guessed where –Estel’s Dine By the Sea. Where else!) together before we set off together to get the provisions (for provisions read BOOZE).

First stop was

the wine and then it was on to the Crystal Water to pick up – no not water – the beer.

With the purchases made it was time to get in front of a TV to watch England play Slovenia in a European Championship but it was perilously close to 11.00 hours (kick-off time) and we were ‘forced’ to pull in to Carlo & Ernie’s Runway Bar & Grill. Bad luck or immaculate planning? I’ll leave you to judge.

Four or five beers later (I wasn’t really counting) and a three to one win for England under the belt it was time to get the purchases chilling

whilst I showered and dressed for the party.

Party ‘boy’ Nick and his guests started to arrive shortly after 18.00 hours

The ‘party boy’.

And Nanda, chef for the night, headed straight to the kitchen where Rose put him through his paces!

Nanda very quickly set about making the meal

assisted on occasions

but bothered on others.

Left alone though long enough to ‘work’ the magic.

The rest of us? We enjoyed ourselves!

Bart, a member of the US Air Force, trying to work out how to use the TV remote. Worrying isn’t it!

Not to sure what Justin (another member of the US Air Force) was doing!

And business magnet Peter (aka Pedro)

showing that he can smile as well as scowl!

And then it was time to eat.

First on the menu was a shrimp appetiser. Tantalisingly tasty because of the garlic, pepper and Soya flavouring. Followed by bite sized, crispy pieces of pork rib. Finished off exquisitely with a chicken curry with dal.

Looks good enough to eat, doesn’t it!

So they did!

And then it was time to party and for the pretty boys to pose.

“Great meal Nanda”. Geordie (BATSUB) and ‘party boy’ Nick.

Nanda, me and Justin (US Air Force).

Don’t ask. I haven’t got a clue.

Nanda enjoying some well earned ‘chill time’.

Nick showing that he’s not just a pretty face! Sally in the background enjoying the spectacle.

Nick (unsuccessfully) trying to pull Rose, my wife!

All too soon (well 7 + hours after it started) the party came to an end but not before the British Army and US Air Force guys washed up all of the dishes, pots and pans and put all of the empty bottles in the crates.

You wouldn’t have known we had a party.

Rose and I? Well we retired to bed. The guys? They headed off to a club.

What else at their age!

Here’s the combined crew of BATSUB and the US Air Force before it all began.

And here’s some ‘during’ and ‘after’ photos of Ziggy.

‘During’

and

‘After’

Not much difference really!

After a few hours sleep (maybe a bit less for some) most of us met up at Estel’s for breakfast

And then off for ‘the hair of the dog’.

It had to come to an end though and it was time to say ” So long it’s been good to know yuh“. “Thanks for the good times Nick”.

Now it’s not always party time here on Ambergris Caye but it is always a fun time. And don’t forget if you want a piece of this dream – you want to know about land for sale in Belize, what Belize real estate is for sale, or houses for sale in Belize- then your first step is to make contact with Pelican Properties Limited/Belize Real Estate Limited. Trust me it will be a wise step.

The headline for today’s edition is based on the song released in 1935 by Woody Guthrie. It didn’t achieve commercial success but all that changed when it was released in 1951 by The Weavers and it reached number four on the US Billboard Hot 100.