San Pedro Town, golf cart tour

Today was explore San Pedro Town Day. We rented a golf cart (no auto rentals to anyone but BZE)


These are just random shots, in and about town.



The bakery near the "cut" in the North end. The "cut: is a small divide between two large land masses. for many years the only way other that swim or boat was a hand drawn ferry.



Self serve.



The locals feed the free range crocs.



Faint ocean rainbow




Ramon's resort pool. read: $$$$$$





Local fruit stand. I bought a gallon a squeezed while I waited orange juice. $7.50 us It is outstanding!

The first splurge (lobster) of my trip. This was from Waramunga's This and fish tacos, two sodas cost $24us

Local fish tacos

Looking north from the beach.

Fanta, Estel's, Belize... all I need is a GPS, and I'd be set!

Two years ago these were all sand roads. the cobblestones are a huge improvement. This is downtown San Pedro town.

Ok, I have tons of pictures, but this will give you a good overview of the town.

Code team room, err curtain one!

You can't really call this a room, and even calling it a curtain is pushing it.

Let me back up, and bring you up to speed.

Yesterday I went to meet with some of the island doctors, and a tour of the faculties at the clinic.

I pass maybe 50 most all with baby's in line waiting to be seen. This is worst than the triage counter at St Joe on a Sat Night!

Anyway, after getting past the line, my tour begins. Not many photos, as this is a medical clinic.

Just some general observations: A medical faculty without hot water?, Most all of the restrooms are posted "no service", no lead shielding around the x-ray machine that they just received a few weeks ago? A glass window on one side, an open hall of the other. Most all of the air conditioners are not working, and it is hot in here.

I ended up volunteering all of my day at the clinic. Trying to make some sense of the rooms, what little equipment they had, and what supplies they had.

I was directed to a area where they think they would like to be used for emergencies. It is also the only room that a cart / gurney could be used, if they ever get an ambulance.

Crash cart... where to begin on this.

The crash cart was locked and no one had keys... Lets just say that's not a problem anymore.

I dug up some old ancient equipment, managed to get a 3 lead ekg, and pulse ox and a automatic blood pressure cuff set up and installed on the cart.

Crash cart is set up best I could for the time I had. It now has a suction, no yankars, a few NG tubes, 4 bags of fluid... (no one can remember that the last time an IV was started) some occlusive dressings, two drip sets and 4 different IV caths.

Code drugs? None on the cart. They say they have Nitro and epi in the pharmacy.

Far from perfect, but as they sort out the stuff, hopefully they will add to it.

Kinda hard to get a rescue team moving forward, if they can't take the patient anywhere!

I'm sure I'll be sending more time here before I leave.

stories done by the TODAY Show (NBC) during their live broadcast from Belize on November 17 & 18th, 2008

Below is a summary of the stories done by the TODAY Show (NBC) during their live broadcast from Belize on November 17 & 18th, 2008.

All the aerial views and the stories with the helicopter where done using the services of Astrum Helicopters (http://www.astrumhelicopters.com/)

Discovering the Blue HoleNov. 17: The reef off the coast of Belize known as the Blue Hole may be in trouble because of rising ocean temperatures. TODAY’s Matt Lauer reports.http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/27766272#27766272

An aerial view of the Blue HoleNov. 17: TODAY’s Matt Lauer takes a helicopter tour above the Blue Hole and along the coastline of Belize.http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/27766231#27766231

Continuing Cousteau’s journeyNov. 17: TODAY’s Matt Lauer talks to Jacques Cousteau’s grandson Fabien about the secrets that lie under the sea and the global concerns about the state of our planet’s water.http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/27765080#27765080

Worries about ecotourismNov. 17: NBC’s Kerry Sanders looks into whether the ecotourism industry has become a problem. TODAY’s Matt Lauer talks to Blake Ross, director of Long Caye Belize, about the issue. (Today Show)http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/27767723#27767723

Lauer swims with the sharksNov. 18: Matt Lauer goes snorkeling with sting rays, sharks, and other fish off the coast of Belize. The TODAY co-host is in the Central American nation as part of the show’s “Ends of the Earth” series, which is focusing on the future of the world’s water.http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/27782284#27782284

Cousteau on our troubled watersNov. 18: TODAY’s Matt Lauer talks to Jacques Cousteau’s grandson Fabien about the state of our oceans and the effects that rising temperatures have on sea life.http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/27782319#27782319

Preserving marine wildlifeNov. 18: TODAY’s Matt Lauer finds out what conservationists are doing to try to preserve marine wildlife off the coast of Belize.http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/27782889#27782889

Wildlife in peril in BelizeNov. 18: NBC’s Kerry Sanders meets some of the endangered species in Belize. TODAY’s Matt Lauer talks to Losita Lee of the Audubon Society about the state of the wildlife.http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/27783851#27783851

Preserving the coral reefsNov. 18: TODAY’s Matt Lauer talks to Melanie McField about the Healthy Reefs for Healthy People Initiative.http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/27785285#27785285

Weds - Photo Op,long walks on the beach, Night Snorkeling

Today was a day away from town. Walks / ride the bike both north and south of the villa.

Yes, that boat has Kansas registration! I would like to know what stories it could tell, some 1500 miles away.

The tackle box bar at Tranquillity Bay resort has all natural, local mahogany!

Four-plex!

Dr. Greg Smith, marine biologist, aka The Turtleman, and his new daughter.

Farm raised shrimp from the beer distributor. At the time of this writing, $40bz for 2kg (4.4lbs). Add some butter, some fresh garlic, a little heat, garnish with lime, and this is what you get!

First time I have ever seen conch fencing!

Shipwrecked Jayhawker?

Are you an eel or a fish?

Not sure what species this is...

View from the beech

ACER Business Meeting, Geocaching, Sunsets

Tuesday

I had a meeting with the principals of Ambergris Caye Emergency Rescue Team.

The meeting went well, we identified a number of action items and are working on that list.

My original geocache location was rejected, as it was deemed to be commercial in nature. (Had to ask a shopkeeper for the cache) I have since moved it and hopefully will get it approved today!

Since I was in town, I took a walk to Banyon Bay resort. Nice dive shop, and a geocache!

I then made a few stops for shrimp, chicken and the local island favorite, fresh coconut ice cream.

You know the shrimp will be good, it came from the beer distributor!

Walking total for the day 3.04 miles. It would have been more, but I had to catch the 5:30 boat.

The boat ride home had a beautiful sunset, the colors down here are amazing.

Late news: I have a meeting with some of the island Drs. Thursday at 830 to discuss ACER.

Fire Ants!

I did a little research on these:

http://fireant.tamu.edu/materials/factsheets_pubs/pdf/FAPFS023_2002rev_Medical.pdf

Monday - The big crash!

I took off on a bike ride... now I used to ride a bike a lot, but that was many years ago and a few pounds lighter, plus this was on mostly paved roads.

Can you see where I am going with this? No paved roads, a few extra pounds and old gringo on a regular bike. (no 10 speed bikes here because of all the corrosion)

Anyway, I was getting along fine, yea those bike seats aren't padded enough, but I was having a good time. It was all fun and games until I tried to turn to quick.

The landing wasn't that bad, but I was on the ground for a few seconds before I got up. No big deal, right?


WRONG, especially in the jungle!


I noticed something biting me.. I looked down and had small black ants that apparently hadn't had any fresh meat for a while, and they decided to feast on me!

I was swatting them off for 5 minutes, only to find out they were all over my back also! Finally had to take my shirt off to get rid of them.



I am glad that this happened in the jungle, where no one was around, because a picture of a shirtless overweight gringo in the jungle swatting ant wouldn't be a pretty site.



The former nova shrimp company building. Security guards had a small cooking fire going. No power all the way down here, and the generators stopped long ago.




This was part of the filtration system.



Came back to the villa, and had some prophylactic guacamole. This was with some of the fruit that we picked up when we were at the farmers market ion the mainland in Belmopan.




Yum!! (ohh, the belikin beer is not an optional beverage with this stuff, it is required!

(Yes, those are real avocados)