I.II.II.II – San Pedro: Day Two
SAN PEDRO
I.II.II.II – DAY TWO
17/09/22
The next day, when the Bloodclaat Gang arrived in San Pedro, I was fully refreshed and actually rejoiced at the sight of them. We had just one day left here and so, we had to make it count. After the traditional fry jacks for breakfast, we rented a golfcart and made way to the Marco Gonzales Archaeological Reserve; the remains of a 2000 year-old Mayan city.
Found at the southern tip of the island, the site eponymously named after a local who guided the archaeologists to the ruins. The city used to be inhabited by the Mayans from about 800BC to 1500AD before it was abandoned when rapid rises in sea levels due to melting glaciers led to a shift in the coastline geography. Whilst this had previously protected the area from strong currents, it then allowed the mangroves to grow and surround the site, making it completely inhospitable. Before this, its people thrived on fishing, and, later on, on salt production. The site’s strategic position at the tip of the island allowed the settlement to become a famous maritime trading centre at the time. Evidence that seems to support this seems to stem from the many artefacts found here; including pots, jewellery and tools that are made of materials which cannot be found on Ambergris Caye.
And that, I can attest to. Getting to the site is easy enough, if you’re accompanied by one of the few locals who seems to know about it, that is. The sign, much like the archaeological reserve itself, was now part of the jungle. After a long walk on a dilapidated bridge whose planks gave way under our weights on multiple occasions, we finally got to the ruins. And the word ‘ruins’ is just right to describe this scene. All we could see were pieces of pottery and a few rocks covered in moss, with a few worn out laminated infographic posters still hanging sadly off tree trunks. The rest was just dense, unkempt jungle. It took us only fifteen minutes of walking before we finally gave up and headed back, not knowing how to go on. I felt so defeated, so dejected!
Later on, whilst speaking to a British lady who’d been living in San Pedro for the past 27 years and is heavily involved in the town infrastructure, I came to learn that the site was previously well maintained. That said, with ever growing economic and financial constraints – especially after the COVID-19 pandemic, archaeologists and locals alike simply had to stop all their work there. Bleak though that might be, she seemed hopeful in that conservation efforts might resume in the near future, with the eco-tourism sector of San Pedro now booming.
Although admittedly disappointed, I did find solace in knowing that in the same way that the ruins have been preserved for hundreds of years within that same jungle, now too, they are being protected by the foliage, roots and vines that cover everything in sight. This was a reality I had grown only too used to as I came across a number of sites which remain buried under mounds of rubble and earth – with thousands others being undiscovered as of yet.
I guess that’s the beauty of archaeology. And, when the time comes, when proper care and further excavation will be possible, the ruins will still be there, waiting, as they have for millennia.
Carnival
After the mess that was the trip to the reserve, we grabbed a couple of beers and started our trip to the north.
Being one of the most famous tourist destinations in Ambergris Caye, Secret Beach is anything but that. Following the same logic, they might as well have named it Impressive Beach, as, to me, it seemed like it wasn’t at all worth the fuss people made over it. Secret Beach boasts of a long stretch of white sand with crystalline blue waters. It also boasts of thousands of tourists at one go. Not my kinda jam. That said, I can’t say I didn’t enjoy my time there. After the epic fail (do people still use this expression?) at the reserve that morning, some time for respite and sun tanning was much needed. Plus, we got to hang out with this cool Jamaican influencer chick who kinda stole the show.
Neither the Mayan ruins nor Secret Beach explained the Bloodclaat’s presence on the island. The highlight of our trip was something else. Something Roy and Oliver had been waiting for a long time. Something Rebecca and I had been dreading ever since we got to know about it. And that was a… Soca concert.
Yep, that’s right. Soca is a very energetic, very drum and synth-heavy type of music that is all the rage in the Caribbean, especially during festivals and carnivals. It’s closely related to Calypso music and it originated in Trinidad and Tobago, with its inventor being a guy called Lord Shorty. Prior to my trip to Belize, I had no idea that this music was its own genre. I had heard a couple of songs here and there and its energy was somewhat familiar, but that was it. Whilst partying in Caye Caulker it had grown on me, but then, the more we partied, the less enthusiastic I became about shaking my butt to it. And attending a Soca concert meant I’d be spending hours on end listening to music which wasn’t particularly compelling to me – mostly cause I didn’t know any of the songs. Luckily, I could commiserate and despair with my partner in crime, Becca.
After pre-drinks at The Truck Stop; a popular food park on the north side, we made a fashionably late entrance to the concert. It had already been a long day and I felt exhausted, but the second we stepped into the party area… Hot diggity! I joined Roy and Co. and the crowd as we jumped and danced without a care in the world. It was just like being at Sports Bar after all.
When we first got there, there were these two guys who’s names I did not catch; one a singer, the other on the synth. What I do know, however, is that they lit the crowd on fire and hyped us up for the main event of the night. They were shortly followed by TR Shine and a couple of other well-known Soca artists, who, again, proved my expectations wrong as they had us entertained throughout – Roy and Olivermore so. I can now honestly say I enjoy quite a few songs, including Palance (my all-time favourite), Famalay (Becca’s favourite) and What a Mess (you simply have to dance to this song in the middle of a tropical storm!). In between shows, the MC requested a couple of volunteers for a dance off. I gladly offered Becca as a tribute, who (may god bless her soul), had to perform in front of an audience of around five thousand people. Competing against three locals, she came in second place, which, if I may so myself, is not too shabby!
Then it was time for the highlight of the night. One of the most popular Soca singers in the world. A musician from Trinidad. The one and only… DESTRA! Of course, prior to this, I had no idea who she was. Could’ve been my uncle’s plumber for all I cared. But when she showed up on staged, the crowd was roaring. I’d been to plenty of concerts before, and when my favourite artists are on stage, I know how I feel. And that’s what most of them must have felt. Their awe and amazement seemed to rub off on both Becca and I as we cheered with the crowd. And I get why we did so. She was truly great! I liked most of her songs and when she left, I was the one who actually got the crowd to yell for an encore, which, I’ll have you know, was successful!
Dead, but happy. That’ how we got back to our hotel. Dead – so, so dead. I don’t even know how we managed to walk back really. But happy – so, so happy. I would have never expected to have so much fun at a concert I was dreading to attend. And hey, finally I had one great memory of San Pedro after all!
Stay wild,
Marius
Post-Scriptum
Since my visit to the Marco Gonzales Archaelogical Site, it has been refurbished and access is now much easier.