From: Terry
Subject: Ambergris Caye, Belize (part 2)
Date: Sat, 18 Feb 2006 22:22:17 -0000

Hi, Everyone:

Besides seeing plenty of customers in businesses on Ambergris Caye
(AC), there were also a few people who were working at some
establishments whom I encountered. I know that someone in this group
posted a while back that he got hassled at a convenience store by an
employee who was barefoot herself, but I usually RELAX when I walk in
a place and a staff member is padding around as well because it's
usually a very safe situation.

Anyway, the five of us decided to go to dinner one night at this
place just up the road from our house, which was called Hamilton's.
The waitress was about 17 and was wearing a t-shirt and long jeans. I
noticed that she was barefoot when she seated us. When she
reappeared, I saw that she had slipped on a pair of slipper-like soft
clogs. I planned to tell her that I hoped that she didn't put shoes
on on our account (the only one with shoes was my brother-in-law,
Rick), but she came out again and was barefoot once more. I said,
pointing at her feet, "I'm glad you decided to be comfortable." She
replied that she had a cut on her foot and the shoes were killing
her. She remained barefoot for the rest of our dinner.

Another barefoot business person was the owner of Coco Loco's Reggae
Bar, a semi-open air watering hole on the southern edge of San Pedro.
Coco Loco (that was what he called himself) explained how he used to
have to work long hours, but that he finally saved up enough money to
buy his bar. He was quite proud of his accomplishment. As wonderful
old school reggae glided out of a boom box behind the bar, he talked
about uptight city life as opposed to his existence on AC. He then
put one of his bare feet up on the bar and said, "Here, I can dress
like this. I don't have to wear any shirt and tie!" He certainly had
a point.

The other person who was working barefoot in an establishment was
Josh, the son of Daniel, our guide at the Mayan ruins. We stopped by
Daniel's tour office to pick up some souvenir t-shirts and I noticed
that the floor of the place was good old San Pedro dirt--cool and dry
like baby powder on the soles. If I worked in a place with a floor
like that, I wouldn't miss the chance to keep my feet immersed in it
as well.

BTW, if anyone is interested, there are two sites to check out. AC's
page, www.ambergriscaye.com will give you plenty of info about the
island, which also bills itself as "La Isla Bonita" or the pretty
island (yes, Madonna wrote that song about AC). Also, check out
www.belizephotographs.com. The picture of the little barefoot guy
making a sand angel in today's pic of the day is of my son, Nick. The
look of contentment on his face speaks volumes!

That's it for this installment of my travelogue. I'll post more later.

Keep 'em bare,
Terry
NJ (maybe some day in San Pedro)