Mayan Art

Thought you all would like to see the new art that is in the hall near our apartment. It is Mayan art. The man who made started on Thursday and was finished yesterday. There is another tall wall being done as well. I'll get photos once it gets started.

Should I tell the honeymooners that its the Mayan God of Fertility? ;-) tee hee heee...

We are off to the Tree House in the morning. It is Labor Day here in Belize on Monday.

Lots of love!

~V and P

Denise- This is for you!

This is a couple from MN that came into the Spa yesterday. They "sent" by Denise who is a former student of mine and excellent Massage Therapist! Thanks Denise!!

One Year!

It has been a full year since Phil and I said "I DO!" Wow! And what a year it has been!

We went out for breakfast at Hamanais, two resorts to our north. Its very beautiful and has some of the best dinners on the resort strip. So here are a few photos.

We leave on Sunday for 3 nights at Caves Branch. It is a tree house resort on the way to Belmopan. We hope to go to a Mayan rune sight i Guatemala while we are staying there. We will keep you all posted.

It is so hot right now as it is summer here. It is still, and no breeze the past 4 days which makes the bugs very bad! You look out over the sea and all you see is haze... Be outside for more than 10 minutes and you are wet with sweat.

The resort is filled with Honeymooners! The Spa is very busy as well! I am looking forward to getting "out of Dodge" on Sunday!

Much Love!

For the Drift Wood Lovers in our lives.....

OK.... so I guess you cant turn the camera when you are filming.... Sorry about that.

This blog is dedicated to the drift wood lovers we love.

Phil and I went down the beach yesterday and shot some photos of things we saw. Here is a great shot looking down the beach. Our beach is raked each morning. Seethe little piles of weeds. You all will love it when you come to visit us!

Doesn't Phil look Great!!

He met with our local nurse who will be getting his prescriptions...the appointment was $10 blz. ($5 us). We will let you know what the cost of his meds are when we get them....

I love the waves that roll up on the shore.... you can see the disappearing foot prints.

We thought this was coral, but is soft like a weed....

These guys (and see there is a Mama, Papa and a baby) are cane roots.

Time and a half

I thought this was interesting so I though I would pass it on.

In Belize there are holidays that pay time and a half and 3 holidays that pay double time.
Now in the US of A that means if you make $5 and hour you make $7.50 or $10 an hour...Right?

Well, in Belize time and a half and double time mean this:
You get your regular pay of the day (say $3 an hour for an 8 hour day= $24 a day) PLUS Time and a half for each hour worked. (Another $4.50 and hour for an 8 hour day= an additional $36 a day to equal $60 a day!!) So to us that would be double and a half time.

So double time is first your daily wage PLUS Double time for each hour worked....yep that is triple time to us!

Also, if you are schedule the day before and the day after a holiday, but are off on the holiday, you have to be paid a regular days pay for the holiday.

Keep in mind, a good paying desk job pays $30Blz a day. ($15 US)

That is today's tid-bit.

Happy Mothers Day!

Happy Mothers Day To

Mother Nancy

Mother Mary Jo

Grandma Betty

First time Mommy, Bridget

To our Sisters and the Mrs. Crosses

To our Nieces and Cousins

And all of or Dear Friends who make us "Aunt Trixie and Uncle Phil"

What is the Capital Of Belize?

Belmopan! (well, these are photos on the way to Belmopan this week)

On both Tuesday and today, Phil and I went to Belmopan. It is a beautiful 1.5 hour drive on the Hummingbird Highway. It goes threw the jungle covered mountains. The photos I have included shows how the rows of Orange trees sometimes are planted up along he hills. The crews are out with their machetes cutting the ditches back. There are fires everywhere...like controlled burns to control the jungle from yards and growing areas. Check out the one lane bridge! There are a few of them. I kinda hold my breath when we drive over them.

Today it was in the upper 90's with NO BREEZE inland where we were. I finished the process of getting my work permit. I have now seen the Social Security office, Immigration Office and Income Tax office of Belize. I will also have a new social security number for working in Belize. Its kinda neat. Phil has also just started the process.

We have a nice BIG hardware store in Belmopan. Its not Menard's, but its big! We have a Brodie's grocery store and it has even more than The Price Is Right in Dangriga.

We got a new comforter and curtains for our apartments. I am nesting! Its feeling more and more like home. We moved out little love seat to our office/living room in another room on the resort and are borrowing a table for the time being. Next week a cabinet and desk will go where the TV is and hide all the computer equipment. In a few weeks, we should be getting an island that is being replaced in another suite. Being how we love to cook it will be perfect for "doubling" the size of our kitchen and having room to spread out some more. Its still a work in progress, so excuse the mess!

Our other big comfort of home is The Twins! We have the FSN North on our Dish. We keep watching for Christian and Serena! (and "Mrs. Morneau")