Oh dear!  Here we are in April and I am way behind in posting to this again.  We only have a week left before we leave Caye Caulker and start our sightseeing travels on the way home.  WE will be going home through Guatemala and Honduras, leaving from Guatemala City for Sacramento on April 30.

But for now a report on the activities here at our second-home base.  Les is getting ready to pull Gypsy Wind  up out of the water for this year's absence.  He has some work he wants to do, one of which is painting the bottom when we come back. In preparation for this he has been building a cradle for her to rest in and the other day we rode our bicycles out to inspect the site and make final arrangements with the manager of the marina.  On the way out we stopped to see Gilbert  (the resident crocodile)at the pool where he hangs out.  Well, Lester saw him.  I never have seen him as my eyesight is so bad.  But, according to Lester he was on the other side, resting in the shade.  I am scheduled to have my cataracts removed this summer so expect I too will be seeing Gilbert next year.  Or, I will find out someone has been pulling my leg and that dark form over there in the shade is a log.  (Gilbert seems to have the same level of activity as a log.)

On the way back we stopped to visit with Carlos (of Carlos Snorkeling Tours) and that made my day as Carlos is cute and charming and a bit of a swashbuckler (obviously descended from pirates).  Then we went over to have breakfast at Amor Y Cafe and that made Lester's day as the owner, Micah (Dutch lady) is very attractive and also possessed of her share of charm.  A further bonus - they serve the best breakfast on Caye Caulker.

Today we went over to San Pedro on the water taxi to renew our visas.  They run out on the 6th and we won't be leaving until the 11th.  You are supposed to get 30 days whenever you renew but they only give you 29 days so at the end you are always short and have to pay another $25 for a few more days.  Some people refer to that as being "Belized". We came right back on the return water taxi as we are not great fans of San Pedro.  Too busy for us!

The other day we had a perfect sail.  The water was so beautiful, the breeze just right.  It was a good way to end the season. One more thing about the boat.  Because of maintenance problems (like the motor mount breaking and the motor falling in the salt water, etc.) we have not been able to sail as much as we wanted and while waiting for parts to arrive Lester has concentrated on installing and renewing the woodwork in the cabin with really awesome results.  I am proud of the amount and quality of work he has put into the boat. Now we have to just keep our fingers crossed that no hgurricanes pass over Caye Caulker this year!

Last night we went to Habaneros for dinner and I swear that  is the best place to eat in the entire world.  Granted, I don't really have the expertise nor even the experience  to claim that honor for them but instinct tells me it is so.  I have a new favorite there.  My old favorite was the Brazilian Pork (and those who have tried it will back me up as to how good that is!)  However, hard as it is to believe, there is another dish there that edges it out for first place.  It is a seafood stuffed pasta with a sweet coconut sauce.  Oh my, to die for!!

And then there is my story about the fish I caught.  I like to go riding on the bicycle early in the morning when there is hardly anyone out yet.  Rules of the road here seem to be based on whim and you never know when you will round a corner and find someone smack dab in your face on your side of the street,  To make matters worse, people here often carry their babies  in the bicycle basket and I have nightmares about running into someone and knocking their baby flying.  But anyway, I rode down to the split and watched a fellow fishing there with just a hand line, a hook and sinker, and a piece of sardine for bait.  It looked like so much fun I went and bought the same equipment and the next morning tried it myself.  Guess what!  I caught a nice yellow tail snapper!  I brought it home (stopping to show off my catch to some of my friends on the way, and, okay, I admit it, even to a few people I'd  never met before)  I took the fish out back, scraped off the scales, cleaned it, and brought it in and wrapped it in foil with veggies and seasoning, cooked it in my mini nu-wave oven,  and we had it for lunch!  It was delicious!

So that's some of what has been happening here with us.  We are torn between wanting to stay on forever and wanting to get home and see everyone there.  But it is time! So goodbye Caye Caulker.  See you in November!