San Pedro – Day 2: Secrets and Soca
SAN PEDRO
Day 2: Secrets & Soca
September 17, 2022
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, so we had to make it count. After the traditional fry jacks for breakfast, we rented a golf cart and made our way to the Marco Gonzales Archaeological Reserve ā the remains of a 2,000-year-old Maya city.
Located at the southern tip of the island, the site is eponymously named after a local who guided archaeologists to the ruins. The city was inhabited by the Maya from around 800 BC to 1500 AD, before it was abandoned due to rapid sea level rise caused by melting glaciers, which altered the island’s coastline. While this had previously protected the area from strong currents, it eventually allowed mangroves to grow and surround the site, making it completely inhospitable. Before this, the inhabitants thrived on fishing and, later, on salt production. The site’s strategic position at the tip of the island allowed the settlement to become an important maritime trading centre. Supporting this are numerous artefacts found on site ā including pots, jewellery, and tools ā made from materials not native to Ambergris Caye.
Secret Ruins
Getting to the site is easy enough ā if youāre accompanied by one of the few locals who actually knows about it, that is. The sign, much like the archaeological reserve itself, had become part of the jungle.Ā
After a long walk along a dilapidated bridge whose planks gave way under our weight on multiple occasions, we finally reached the ruins. And the word āruinsā is just right to describe the scene. All we could see were pieces of pottery and a few moss-covered rocks, with a handful of worn-out laminated infographic posters still hanging sadly from tree trunks. The rest was just dense, unkempt jungle. It took us only fifteen minutes of wandering before we gave up and headed back, not knowing how to go on. I felt so defeated ā so dejected!
Later on, whilst speaking to a British lady whoād been living in San Pedro for the past 27 years and was heavily involved in the townās infrastructure, I came to learn that the site was previously well maintained. That said, with ever-growing economic and financial constraints ā especially after the COVID-19 pandemic ā archaeologists and locals alike simply had to stop all their work there. Bleak though that might be, she seemed hopeful 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.Ā This was a reality I had grown only too used to, as I came across a number of sites that remain buried under mounds of rubble and earth ā with thousands of others still undiscovered.
I guess thatās the beauty of archaeology. And, when the time comes ā when proper care and further excavation become possible ā the ruins will still be there, waiting, as they have for millennia.Ā
Secret Beach
After the mess that was the trip to the reserve, we grabbed a couple of beers and started our journey to the north.
Being one of the most famous tourist destinations on Ambergris Caye, Secret Beach is anything but secret. Following the same logic, they might as well have named it Impressive Beach, as, to me, it didnāt seem worth all the fuss people made over it. Secret Beach boasts a long stretch of white sand and crystalline blue waters. It also boasts thousands of tourists at once. Not my jam.
That said, I canāt say I didnāt 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 outĀ with this cool Jamaican influencer chick who kinda stole the show.Ā
Carnival!
Neither the Mayan ruins nor Secret Beach explained the Bloodclaat’s presence on the island.Ā 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 aā¦Ā Soca concert.
Neither the Mayan ruins nor Secret Beach explained the Bloodclaatsā presence on the island. The highlight of our trip was something else. Something Roy and Oliver had been waiting for for a long time. Something Rebecca and I had been dreading ever since we found out about it. And that was a… Soca concert.
Yep, thatās right. Soca is a very energetic, very drum- and synth-heavy type of music thatās all the rage in the Caribbean, especially during festivals and carnivals. Itās closely related to Calypso music and 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 ā 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 Iād be spending hours on end listening to music that wasnāt particularly compelling to me ā mostly ācause I didnāt know any of the songs. Luckily, I could commiserate and despair with my partner in crime, Becca.
A Good Destra-ction
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 whose names I didnāt catch; one was 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 entertained us throughout ā Roy and Oliver more so.Ā I can now honestly say I enjoy quite a few songs, includingĀ PalanceĀ (my all-time favourite),Ā FamalayĀ (Becca’s favourite) andĀ What a MessĀ (you simplyĀ haveĀ to dance to this song in the middle of a tropical storm!).Ā
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 say 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 onlyā¦Ā DESTRA! Of course, prior to this, I had no idea who she was. Couldāve been my uncleās plumber for all I cared. But when she showed up on stage, the crowd was roaring. Iād been to plenty of concerts before, and when my favourite artists are on stage, I know how I feel. And thatās what most of them must have felt. Their awe and amazement seemed to rub off on both Becca and me 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, Iāll have you know, was successful!
Ā
Dead, but happy. Thatās how we got back to our hotel. Dead ā so, so dead. I donāt even know how we managed to walk back, really. But happy ā 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 Reserve, the site is beingĀ refurbished and access is now much easier. Hopefully, it will be up and running in the foreseeable future!