November 2007
Nov. 25, 2007 – Dallas Morning News Columnist Scott Burns identifies Belize as a country he believes Americans will move to in increasing numbers. We found his observations on Medicare very interesting.
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Nov. 24, 2007 - Victor Block, writing for The Washington Times describes Belize as a “treasure trove of natural and manmade attractions”. We particularly agree with his description of the friendly nature of the people of Belize. He includes some interesting facts on the Maya in Belize.
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Nov. 15, 2007 – The San Pedro Times reports on a celebration of Garifuna Settlement Day. The Garifuna are just one of the many cultures coexisting peacefully in Belize. The article provides an interesting synopsis of Garifuna culture and history.
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Nov. 12, 2007 - According to Roger Highland reporting for the Telegraph in Great Britain recent analysis of pottery found in Belize indicated the earliest known chocolate drink was alcoholic. And you thought you discovered the chocolate martini!
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Nov. 7, 2007 - The discovery of oil in Belize has received a good bit of press in recent years, but did you know there is gold too?
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Nov. 28, 2007 – In this press release our friends at the Belize Tourism Board list the references to Belize included in a recent Rough Guides publication Make the Most of Your Time on Earth. You may want to add it to your holiday wish list!
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Nov. 11, 2007 – A British expat describes Belize and his life there to Telegraph readers in the United Kingdom. His entry includes interesting facts about Belize.
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October 2007
BELIZE FEATURED IN TOP U.S. NEWS PAPERS
On October 21, 2007 the New York Times choose to feature Belize on the front page of the Saturday Travel Section. The article can be found by clicking on the following link:
Earlier this summer Belize was featured in the Miami Herald Tribune's International paper.
September 2007
Happy Belize Independence Day!
You have to love a country whose national motto is "Sub Umbra Florero"! In case your Latin is as rusty as mine, that means: "Under the shade I flourish." The motto is a reference to the forestry industry that is significant part of Belize, past and present.
I’m flourishing under the shade today as I enjoy watching the Independence Day festivities and taking folks on tours of Orchid Bay. The parades started yesterday. Every city, town and village has activities planned throughout the weekend. This is an exciting time for Belize and for Orchid Bay!
Things have been busy around here since the Orchid Bay team was in Boston for the AARP Life @50+ Expo September 6-8. We met lots of new folks and had an exciting time telling people about the opportunities available at Orchid Bay.
Our friends Cerafina Ross and Angelica Luna of the Belize Tourism Board also hosted a booth at the expo. The BTB is a great resource for learning about Belize and the Retired Persons Incentive Program. During the expo, Cerafina and I were interviewed together on the worldwide web radio show Daytona & Friends.
We also saw our friends from International Living, Dan Prescher and Suzan Haskins, who were at the expo to give a presentation on retiring overseas. We look forward to seeing them again next month at International Living’s Ultimate Event in Panama.
This month we celebrate the beautiful, peaceful country of Belize and the community of Orchid Bay.
August 2007
ORCHID BAY BREEZES THROUGH HURRICANE DEAN
We’ve heard from our Site Manager Fernando Allamilla in Belize at approximately 3:00 pm EDT Tuesday. We are pleased to say the news is good. Everyone appears to be safe and sound. Fernando was able to call us using his telephone land line. Not everyone in the area has phone service, but the Orchid Bay office line is working.
At Orchid Bay, the four Mennonite cottages recently erected on the site weathered the storm well. The cottages provide housing for the site caretaker, Orchid Bay offices, Orchid Bay staff and guests. Other than a couple downed trees and broken branches, Orchid Bay is undamaged.
The area lost electricity at 1:00 am Tuesday morning. Hurricane Dean made landfall approximately 30 miles north of Chetumal at 3:30 am. The Corozal District received winds of approximately 150 mph. All electrical poles in Sarteneja are down. Piping and conduit for the underground utilities at Orchid Bay are in place and should prove to be safer and more reliable.
In Sarteneja, homes built to modern building standards remained intact, while a few homes of lesser construction lost their roofs. The Orchid Bay Architectural Standards ensure all homes are designed to withstand hurricane winds.
Orchid Bay is on the southern side of the Bay of Chetumal. According to Fernando, the bay receded from the coastline about 200-300 feet. The cyclonic winds of the hurricane actually pushed water from the bay. This is not the first time area residents have witnessed this phenomenon during a hurricane and it is one of the reasons the Orchid Bay location was selected.
Despite receiving 12-15 inches of rain, there was no flooding at Orchid Bay. The bay is a much more protected than properties on the ocean and barrier islands. As of 3:00 PM Tuesday, the winds were still blowing from the south at 20 knots and the bay was higher than normal, but not flooding. It has been a relatively dry rainy season and the rain water is being absorbed into the ground.
"We don't have to wonder, "what if" anymore", said Orchid Bay founder Phil Hahn. While Category 5 storms are rare, only 3 have hit the U.S. in recorded history, we know the location and community plan of Orchid Bay make it safe place to call home.
South of Orchid Bay in the Cayo District the news is even sunnier. Tuesday afternoon Orchid Bay Founder Phil Hahn spoke with Dan Silva, a friend and former Belize government official. According to Dan, electricity was only out of service for 15 minutes during the storm. Dan’s kids were swimming in the pool Tuesday afternoon.
July 2007
Ferry Inauguration Heralds a New Era for Northern Belize
On May 28, 2007, approximately 1,200 people attended the opening ceremonies for the Orchid Bay car ferry connecting Copper Bank and Orchid Bay. Once a two hour trip away, the Northern Highway can now be reached from Orchid Bay in an easy 10-mile drive. The Northern Highway extends south to the international airport and other Belizean destinations. To the north, the highway takes you to the Mexican Riviera.
"We’ve been looking forward to this day for more than three years." said Orchid Bay founder Dave Drummond. Dave and Phil have worked long and hard to ensure the Orchid Bay ferry made it to completion.
Helping to establish ferry service is part of our efforts to bring about improvements in the broader community. Easier access, increases property values at Orchid Bay and the quality of life for everyone in the area is improved. Orchid Bay sponsored the inauguration celebration, inviting residents of Sarteneja, Copper Bank and Chunox to enjoy local delicacies. Now that they have the ferry, they feel more like neighbors.
Numerous Belizean officials, including the ministers of Agriculture and Fisheries, National Development, Investment & Culture, and Market Development were in attendance. Representative for the Corozal District and the newly appointed Minister for the Environment, Florencio Marin made the official dedication. Orchid Bay’s own Fernando Alamilla acted as Master of Ceremonies for the event.
More than ever, Orchid Bay is secluded, and not isolated.