Saturday, Day of Leisure

The next morning before breakfast Sayed told me that we could get the group rate again for snorkeling. That was kind of them. We spent some time on the pier [at the dive center] and rode in to the Holy Cross School with Roger and Mike E., who needed to run an errand. [The Holy Cross men needed help unloading something, so] Tanisha and I took a last walk through San Mateo and saw Britney, Lionel’s sister.

When we came back, Tanisha and I decided to take a swim in the sun in the shallow water at the end of the looong pier. I fell and bounced my butt down the slimy algae-slick stairs and we laughed so hard. We talked to a diver, to Rafael, and to a young boy who caught two fish, and to a girl from Holy Cross who came to swim with her baby brother.

Walt came and offered to take us to lunch, so we walked all through town. I got my sunburn that afternoon! [And, I insisted on not wearing shoes all day like a Belizean—although I realized I lot more Belizeans wear shoes into town than not.] We picked up some souvenirs and settled on Celie’s for lunch, a place with a sand floor and screened porch. I had a good view outside at the strip of beach.

We had eaten most of our lunch when two girls walked by [outside]. “Is that Meredith?” I gasped. “Go see!” urged Walt and Tanisha. They knew how sad I was for not finding her to say goodbye at the school yesterday. I ran outside and she turned around when I called her name, and with a big smile she rushed into my arms. I picked her up and swung her around. Thank God Tanisha was right on my heels with my camera. She took my favorite picture of the whole trip: me, holding Meredith.

Meredith left her friend and joined us in Celie’s to have a quesadilla, but then we had to go or be late for snorkeling.

The snorkeling was amazing. Rafael and Mario took us to Mexico Rocks—me, Tanisha, Diann, and Mike N.—and from there to a place where we swam 3 miles and Mario picked us up down the reef in the Sabrina. It was easier swimming with the current.

Rafael’s eye for sealife was incredible. We saw a lionfish, [he] herded an eagle ray toward us (it looked like a leopard), and he also scooped up 2 breeds of tiny, translucent shrimp for us to hold. He found a “sea egg” and showed me how to hold it upside down. He had Tanisha snorkeling like a pro! The coral and the colors were unbelievable. We were out there for 3 hours!

I was exhausted on our return, but God blessed us with a day that stretched out forever so I could enjoy Belize, no rush. A full moon rose as we had our hour of praise and reflection, and then Tanisha [and I] sat at the bar for a long time, talking to the people who came and went. Alone with Omar, the bartender, for a while, we had a deep talk about past and present relationships.

By and by, Adolfo from the Patojos’ Dive Center, “the Treasurer,” came by with [Eden] and sat with us, as well as Argennes (Ar-HEN-ess). He was buying hot sauce and a lime to mix with peanuts which makes “botana,” an appetizer for a house party he was going to. We hadn’t been introduced before, so we talked and he said that he cleans at The Tides and he and Adolfo were friends. He ended up staying and having some drinks.

Tanisha [and I got this crazy idea] to go out to a local club. [We at first had decided to go to the club Omar was going to, Club Latino, but Argennes said that was a karaoke club and we had second thoughts.] As we were discussing clubs, she [Tanisha] says Omar told Adolfo and Argennes to go watch out for us. However, it was much too early to go yet. The Jaguar wasn’t getting a crowd until 11 pm! First, we went to a bar filled with locals and Adolfo played a short guy in pool. I said I was better than them both so they let me play, but I missed as many as I sank. There were no hard feelings, and Adolfo still won $5. The Jaguar was STILL empty, so we went to The Tacklebox bar. It as also empty, but open, and had an “official” flip cup table. Only I had ever played flip cup!! So I taught them. Adolfo was on my team, and innocent Argennes was on the other side with Tanisha. I thought with Adolfo I’d win for sure, but they surprised me and won both times! Surely, we thought, the Jaguar is hopping now! It was. We danced to Lady Gaga, Black-eyed Peas, and a lot of songs I knew as well as some Reggaeton. I saw Kenroy there (from the chicken drop) and just talking to him made his girl companion very jealous! I teased Tanisha by asking her what if we saw G-Funny there. That was a riot.