Paget's Belize Journal
The Preliminary Trip-
It Begins The Actual Stay-
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Oct 7, 1999 Day-to-Day Life - Part 2: Infrastructure (and Meat)My report that the infrastructure here is reasonably reliable was accurate, but I don't wish to mislead, so here's some further detail. The electricity goes off on a fairly regular basis, especially during thunderstorms. So every computer in the office has an UPS (uninterruptible power supply), which makes a horrible keening noise when it's called upon to perform. But it's really only there to provide a controlled shut-down anyway. Since you can't tell how long the electricity will be off, you shut everything down and wait and then you power everything back up again. Major facilities, like the resort and some grocery stores, have a back-up generator, which powers a big outdoor arc light and the freezer. This is to preserve the meat and discourage pilfering. An aside on meat. There is no fresh meat to be had here, although up-country is cattle country and there is a meat-packing plant. The cattle are a sort of long-horn, Brahman mix. They also have water buffalo. All beef and pork is frozen. This makes sense given the climate, the small population and the fact that beef is not really a traditional food here. I have been told that the traditional meat, gibnut--a porky little jungle rodent that roots around for nuts and is also called a paca--is available but I haven't found it yet. (You can see a picture at http://www.belizezoo.org/zoo/zoo/mammals/gib/gib1.html. And while you're there, check out the other animals and the live-action videos, an example of the quality work done here at the office.) Here's a story that's in all the guide books, but just in case you haven't heard it. Once when Queen Elizabeth II was visiting (when still a colony pre-1964 probably), she was fed this local delicacy, roasted gibnut, and the Fleet Street boys reported it as "Queen Eats Rat." Probably not the worst thing the Queen has eaten. And graciously. All fish, shellfish and poultry that are available were just dispatched that morning so they don't figure in this conversation. Back to the infrastructure. The water is drinkable and I have not been told that it is less safe some times of the year than others. But the water pressure is not very good and not very reliable. Had an interesting talk with the local dentist about this problem the other day. He's from Liverpool and his name is Pete (seems wrong to me somehow). I don't know the rest of his name. He is called Dr. Pete. I am called Miss Paget. The local town council person who is very active in women's training programs and many other worthy causes is called Mrs. Nunez. They are both younger than I am. And more valuable. Maybe that's not it. I haven't quite got it yet, but I'll keep you posted. Anyway Pete is not practicing dentistry right now because
he is administrator of the new hospital. When I was here in June,
the hospital was finished but not occupied because they couldn't
find anyone to run it. The solution was Dr. Pete and everyone
now goes to Belize City for dental work (except for emergencies
of course, which Dr. Pete still handles). Maintaining reasonable
water pressure at the hospital is necessary for a variety of
reasons and requires a complicated monitoring, switching and
pumping system, which Pete has learned more about than he wanted
to. Tony and Therese are also trying to figure out how to get
a pump to kick in only when the pressure drops below a certain
point in their new house. My biggest interest in this issue is
whether or not there's enough water to wash the shampoo out of
my hair. It's nice to have very few responsibilities. In fact
it's every bit as good as I had hoped. |
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