Goin' down the mountain - 08/26/08

Today Melina and I went “down the mountain” again to shop and run errands. These days down the mountain tend to be quite brutal and taxing on the body. The drive from the farm/Pine Ridge to San Ignacio - down unpaved clay and gravely roads with large pot holes and ruts - takes about 45 minutes. Thank goodness Melina and George have good trucks! In town, the temperature has been in the high 80s to low 90s with 80% humidity! Let’s just say you don’t see a dry body anywhere.

In San Ignacio, we visited the outdoor market to buy fresh vegetables and fruit, the bakery, the butcher, the pharmacy, etc. The concept of one stop shopping hasn’t reached Belize yet. There are no Targets or Wal-Marts in Belize – but hey, I’m not complaining!

We also drove to Spanish Lookout, a Mennonite community, to run some other errands. Here the Mennonites are quite progressive, drive vehicles, speak their own dialect of German, and offer many unique products (chicken, dairy) and services that are not found elsewhere in the district. Here, I tried Craboo ice cream from Western Dairy which had an interesting flavor and texture! Craboos (I later found out on a hike with Peter) are trees that produce little, yellow, and somewhat sour berries. I still prefer the Chocolate Shoppe’s Fat Elvis ice cream. I am a true Wisconsin girl at heart after all.