Back in Belize, The First Night
10. Nov, 2009 
6 Comments
This week I’m writing from Belize while on a Travel Blogger Fam trip hosted (and paid for– the trip, not the post) by the Belize Tourism Board. I am posting with a 24 hour lag. We arrived on Monday 11/9.
I stepped off the plane in Belize and it hit me. That sweet smell of over-humid air, so thick that you breathe deeply just to taste it. You forget the wetness of it, even after a few months of being away. I had been gone eight. Last time, I had taken a bus from Flores, Guatemala to Belize City, stopping just long enough to buy my water taxi ticket to the backpacker island Caye Caulker. Now I flew into that same city, instead connecting on another flight to Placencia, this time escorted by the Belize Tourism Board. They ushered me and four other bloggers all the way to Robert’s Grove Inn.
The Inn is what you might expect of Belize but on the higher end of quality. The rooms are eclectically decorated; mine has a shark fin painting in red, a piece of framed Indian art and a woven throw over the crisp white sheets. There’s air conditioning, tiled floors, a full bath with an ample shower and even a mini-fridge. From my seven months in Central America last year, this is as posh as it gets.
For me, the best part of the inn is the outdoor areas. I love being able to eat al fresco, and they have a long veranda with seating for their restaurant as well as a boat house at the end of the pier. There’s also swimming pools and hot tubs, but who needs that when you’re sitting at the edge of the Caribbean?
We’re here on business, the business of being impressed. As guests, the hope is that we’ll like Belize enough to write about it, and so far… here I am. I kept waiting for some hint of pressure, some sudden overture that would signal their expectations. Instead it’s been like a package deal paid for by a mysterious stranger–perhaps not the mode of travel I’d design, but surprisingly fun anyway.
We arrived in the late afternoon, settled into our rooms and then gathered for dinner at the inn. I had the conch fritters (made with a bit of jalapeño for some kick) and the seafood special: lobster tail and drawn butter, curried shrimp and grilled fresh fish. For dessert it was the banana gelato, which is one of those unexpected joys: a simple dessert so well executed it transcends the form.
So yes, I liked the food, and even if I was paying for it, I’d come here again, ordering the same exact thing.
Which brings me to my fear: what if I love everything they show me? How can I write about a fam trip and be considered objective if I rave about every detail? Even if it’s true? I wonder if the expectation of influence makes journalists harder on resorts and restaurants than if they paid for it themselves? Does the pressure to write kindly, make you more likely to be harsh, if even to save face?
I consider this as they tell me the inn has private islands that you can rent, and my first reaction is to think, “Oh god, I want that!”
Tomorrow, I’m off to the jaguar reserve.
I know exactly that feeling, of humidity slaping you on the face, it always happens when I fly to my hometown Salvador (Brazil) after being away for a while…
Adriana´s last blog ..Cyprus? What are you doing there?
Jealous – I am SO jealous. Especially about the Jaguar preserve. I want to know every detail!
Barbara @Hole In The Donut Travels´s last blog ..Southwest Introduces New Green Plane to Fleet
I am so jealous , Roberts Grove has always been a favorite . The chef Frank, will consistently amaze you . Have fun , let the staff know ;Tim and Tina say hello from San Pedro .Jaguar preserve , (you lucky, duck) keep us posted .
Tim
“Island Life”
http://www.investinbelize.com/blog1/
Tim Callanan´s last blog ..Belize is no longer a secret
Oh wow I hate humidity and “over humid air” just kills me! I prefer dry heat like Arizona, but I still am dying to go to Belize.
This sounds so cool! I’ve been interested in Belize for some time now. I read about these ruins that you can only access via canoe trips through the jungle- sounds amazing!
Keep up the good job!
Blake / TBD
blakesjourney´s last blog ..Introducing Claire Gibson!