Caye Cualker

Caye Caulker is about 45 minutes south of Ambergris Caye. The town was originally a fisherman's settlement back in the 17th century. Fishing is still very important here, but now tourism is overtaking the economy, starting with hippies that found their way out here in the 60's and 70's. The vibe is still very laid back, and it is more of a destination for budget travelers than the more developed San Pedro.
I took a water taxi here, I think about a week ago? I'm not quiet sure how long I have been here :)... Anyhow, it's been great, I have gone on a few snorkeling trips, and just met a lot of interesting people, and not much else! I have been staying at a fantastic hostel called Yuma's House. It is run by an incredibly efficient and organized woman named Susanne and named after her son. The hostel is right on the beach (so there is a constant, wonderful ocean breeze), clean, crowded, but low-key, with plenty of hammocks. There is even a private dock!

Some of my favorite things in Caye Cualker:
The incredible people at the hostel
Swimming at the Split (the public beach)
Marie Sharp's hot sauce
Local dishes
Banana shakes
Banana bread
Mayan artisan crafts
Ice Cream
Funny signs
Lady, our guard dog
Walking barefoot through town
Stop! Hammock Time
Manatees
Flash rain storms

Some of my least favorite things:
Slow Tornado song
Slow Tornado dance
Bot Fly stories (they lay eggs under human skin)

Hostel life






There were hammocks on the private dock



Lizzie who hails from London, and Kenny from Arizona (and an expert on gecko calls) try them out.



Kenny made fantastic breakfast burritos for dinner one night.



You have to be careful where you walk at night.



Many of the restaurants and bars had swings for chairs.



Elvira, from Switzerland, tries the best banana shake on the island! We ended up going back two mornings in a row for it. We tried one at another place and then came back the next day :)















Elvira and Lizzie at the Split




Homemade banana bread. Mmmmmm



The water was perfect!






Can't wait to see the pictures!



I have gone out on about four snorkeling trips thus far.




Elvira and I, on the lookout for Manatees!



Sunset at the Split.



One day, some of the constants of the Miss Costa Mesa, a Central American beauty pageant, visited Caye Cualker.






Amanda, who sells all sorts of beautiful hand embroidered purses, wallets, bags, table cloths. I never seemed to be able to just walk by.



Marie Sharp's hot sauce.




Lady actually came with the hostel: she belonged to the previous owners and refused to leave when it was sold to Susanne, so she stayed on.



Although she must see loads of new travelers everyday, she only barked at people who weren't staying in Yuma's. We couldn't figure out how she could differentiate between a guest and a stranger.



Kenny, with the unofficial guard dog of Yuma's dock.



"The Budget Man": for ten Belizian dollars, you get a plate full of chicken, beans, coconut rice, coleslaw, and fried sweet plantain.



About 8 of us had come from the hostel to order food and he continued to prepare our plates even as a storm suddenly blew in. We let him know he didn't have to, but he instructed us to wait under cover nearby while he finished up. That's dedication! And his hat never came off.



Another funny sign, from a favorite ice cream spot.



Heather does her best impression.



They also sell cake! Darin gives it a try.



Local dishes, delicious!!!



What it looks like: 2 Panades and 1 Salbute with a spicy onion sauce.



Heather is a marine biologist and lives in Alaska. A very knowledgable lady.




Belizians preferred liqueur is rum.



Darin and Elvira's last night. Darin works as a PA for an events planning company in LA, but lucky for us, also works as a bartender. He has everything he needs: cheap local rum, coke, limes....... and Cup of Noodles?



A bit later at a popular local reggae dance club called the I and I.



Elvira makes a friend on the way back!



The Lazy Lizard, and at the Split again. I loved that they played rap and reggae from the early 90's. And some funny selections, imagine Gloria Estefan's "Anything for You" reggae-fied.



Rowanne, a student from Amsterdam, who was traveling with her cousin Jasper.



People also snorkel at the Split.



Posted after a minor robbery at the hostel, you can guess what happened:



Lady will be ready next time.



One night, some of the people at the hostel decided to get together and cook dinner because many of them were leaving the next day. Heather made some killer garlic bread! Rowanne, veggie kabobs.



Jasper and Victor man the grill. I believe Victor caught some of the fish we had that night over the previous two days.



Almost ready...this is Gladimar, from Puerto Rico.



Veggies, fish, lobster, pasta, salad, garlic bread! It was great, and Susanne also joined in.



I will miss Lady, such a sweetie.



I am definitely going to visit one last time before I fly out of Belize City!



After talking to some of the people in the hostel, I have decided to take a short trip to the pueblo of Tulum, Mexico. From there, I can visit a couple of archeological sites, Tulum and Coba, and Akumal beach, where sea turtles are known to nest. I may continue on to Isla Mujeres or Cozumel. We will see :)

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