Home, sweet, home-away-from-home!

We're back!  We had a 10 am flight out of Miami, and landed in Belize City just two hours later.  We were scheduled on the little Tropic Air commuter plane to Caye Caulker an hour after we landed.  Andrew calls this plane a "puddle jumper".  I call it "almost certain death".   I did remember to have my camera in hand this time, however.  

Andrew in the "back" of the Tropic Air plane.   In total, the plane holds  15 people, plus the pilot.
You have to sit wherever there is room, and crawling over people to get to a seat
is not only acceptable, it's necessary.  The "isle" is only about 12-inches wide.
Notice that you have to hold your carry-on on your lap.  

The view from my seat behind the pilot.  I'm practically the co-pilot!  There was a little more
button pushing on his part than I would normally like to see (it was windy today), but we
made it safe and sound.  

We were met at the Caye Caulker airport by Peter, who drives one of the "taxis" on the island.  By now, you probably know that this means it's a golf cart.  It's only about 3 blocks from the airport to Alta Vista, so we rolled in to the yard about a minute later. 

As we pulled up, we saw Annette, the owner, and another woman in the yard with one of the men who sells produce from a bike/cart contraption.  We recognized him from our previous trips.  His wife runs the fruit stand up on Front Street and we buy fruit our from her every few days when we're here.  Good timing on our part!  Before the luggage was even off the cart, I'd purchased 8 bananas, a papaya, a pineapple and a pound of lovely, tiny plums.  Total cost - $7.50 US.  Pretty good, considering it was delivered!  

After we've finished with the fruit vendor, Annette welcomed us back and introduced us to her sister who is visiting from Oregon.  A few minutes after that, Kim (the property manager) pulled in to the yard on his dilapidated 10-speed.  He came upstairs with us to hand over keys, but forewent the usual speel - "You know the drill, you're regulars."  He told us that his wife had surgery, so asks us to come by the office tomorrow to pay him for the house, instead of settling up today, as we usually do when we arrive.   

Before leaving, Peter had generously carried our bags up the two flights of stairs (not unappreciated in the heat and humidity) so we're were able to unpack and settle in quickly.  Freaky was soon to say hello.  Risking another nasty "Do Not Feed Me" note, we came with two cans of Pounce treats.  Annette told us that the last renters were feeding her canned tuna every day, so we should be prepared for the fact that she's been spoiled.  It's a hard life for Freaky.  

About an hour after we landed, we were on bikes (ready & waiting for us at Alta Vista, courtesy of Victor!) and heading in to town.  We settled on Rose's for lunch and enjoy cold, limey ceviche & a plate of "assorted seafood fingers", consisting of shrimp, fish, octopus & conch.   With two beer for Andrew & a Pink Gin for me, the total (with tip) was $35 US.  

Andrew with a Belikin.  The Belize flag is the perfect backdrop. 

My now standard "first drink" photo with a Pink Gin - gin, bitters & grapefruit juice!

Ceviche - heaven!

"Fingers" - shrimp, fish, octopus & conch

After lunch, we cruised on back to the house.  The roads are rough this visit, with potholes that rival the Grand Canyon.  It makes for a very meandering bike ride, or a very sore bum!  Back at the house, Andrew quickly embarked upon in his favorite holiday activity - resting his eyes.   They must have needed a lot of resting as it took 2 hours!  

Eye resting.

Freaky uses the eye resting time to have a bath.

About 6 pm, we got back on the bikes to go back in to town.  We stopped at Scuba Bert's to see if he's going out at all this week.  Bert remembered us and greeted us like old friends.   Our hope is to do a night dive this visit, but it's been very windy here the past few days so no visibility for diving.   Bert told us that the winds are expected to die down in the next few days, so a dive on Tuesday or later, is possible.  He says he knows where to find us if they are able to go out.  

After Bert's we decides to go by "Auntie's" for take away.  Remember Auntie's from the November trip?  It's the hole in the plywood building that amazing food comes out of.  I ordered shrimp fried rice & Andrew had breaded shrimp with fries.  Total was $15 US, including tip.   We headed home to eat and were for the night.  Both the owner's and the next door neighbors are here this time, so it's nice to have some activity around.  It feels much safer than it did when we were here in November, though Annette tells us that someone (likely kids based on what they took) broke in to her unit on the main floor just before she arrived.  They took mostly electronics.  We're still hiding everything, and will take our passports to Kim's safe tomorrow, just in case.