AmbergrisCaye.com Home Forums About Belize History San Pedro 1978 1988

To learn how Belize City and, in particular, San Pedro were from 1978-1988 and how I knew, visit So you've come to the tropics? .

An excerpt:
In those days, there was a narrow, low-roofed passageway up to the 2nd floor of the then decrepit Pazlow Building (main courthouse) in Belize City.

Half way up at a particularly low spot, there was a sign saying, "Mind Your Head" - not a bad piece of advice for anyone living in Belize in those days.

Good to see you posting Mervino! I love your website and stories of your time in Belize. GREAT STUFF.

mervino's in the house.....
:>

i'm lookin for a hole in the wall.....

Mervino
Your home page is a very interesting read for some of us that have been going to Belize off and on for several years.

I've been reading and reading....I need more time for savor the flavor

Thanks for sharing a delightful and truly interesting experience....thus far

Gobble Gobble

Mervino,
After reading your tales, I can't think of one good reason that you don't publish the whole enchilada in a book form!! It's an awesome tale and who but you to tell it the right way?!!

This is a work-productivity killer! I've been sitting here for the last hour & 15 reading your website & still going !

I'm hooked! Great writing.

Mervino,
Loved your website! Especially the photos cir. 1959. It must have been an even better place to visit back then? You must be overwhelmed with the progress & changes over the years? Did you ever think San Pedro would be a thriving, hustle & bustling tourist town? I love it as it is now, but would have loved to have seen it back then. Thanks a lot,
Kris

Mervino, I was there 22yes ago, and made the best of it then, so much is different, no turtle burgers tho..that's a great thing..

WOW, i hate the word envy, but i envy you. i am in houston just like you were. i need to be in san pedro!!!

Marty,

Love your web-site. Someone should have done this years ago, But I think people were trying to keep S.P. a secret. Well, now that the cats out of the bag, there are a few things I can tell you about how San Pedro was. At least from my perspective.
(More to come.)

SP-1978

I had splash-landed into SP in the summer of 77. I was a 16 YO much too big for San Pedro. I knew I would take a little getting used to.
Dad hadn't planned on us staying there. But he was looking for a place for us to settle after retiring from the State Dept of Corrections. Originally we were going to Costa Rica, but when we hit SP, well you know...

We put in at what at that time was the Paridise Hotel. It was on the north end of SP next to Milo Paz's spot. I stayed with the boat and Dad and my brother Ben went into town to get the keys to the house he had rented. As I was enjoing the nice cool ocean breeze and keeping the boat from bumping the dock, I saw this big Golden Lab bouncing up the pier my way. Behind him was John.

John was dark for a Sanpedreano, He told me he was the Maintance man for the hotel and asked me if this was my boat. I explaind to him Who we were and why we had docked there. He welcomed me and told me of a better place to tie up after we had some things unloaded. That's when I asked him about the dog. He said he was't really his dog, but Hefe' followed John pretty much wherever John went.

Hefe' also loved to wade in the shallows along the beach hunting crabs. I don't think he ever caught one but every once on a while he would come up with one pinching his lower lip. It was pure entertainment to watch Hefe' hunt crab and listen to the warm water lapp against the dock.

He was my first friend on Ambergris Caye.

Anyway, What does a transplanted Ca. boy DO in paradise???
I had about 3 months before school started, so I figured I would try to find a little work.
Milo Paz took pity on me and gave me a job tending his bar for a while, but when school started I had to quit. Milo was always cool with me. I think we had something in common..

keep it up bro. you tickle my heart.

Milo was a big man. More than just on the outside. What respected the most was that he was always trying to improve his s
spot. He was 6'5" and about 250 lbs. Build like a football player. I was about 6'6 so we did have something in common. We never had any problems. The real mind-blower was a Gringo running a local bar. The brits got a kick out of it. As did the locals. I't may also seem hard to believe, so I guess when you get down there just ask Milo for a referance. He'll remember me...

It wasn't unusual to see Fido sitting in his window just watching the world go by. "Stumbo, Why do you pack that guitar,
and I never here you play it" He asked. I told him I had to practice sometime, and do my home work. "But why do you call me "Stumbo". He went on to explain that Stumbo was a comic book character that all the children loved. I took it a a compliment and from then on every one forgot my name and just called me Stumbo the friendly giant.

Milo's was a local's hang-out for the most part. Alot of the brits stayed there, as at that time it was one of the only dinning room open. The food was good and the drinks were cheap. I liked the regulars and didn't have any problem opening bottles of Belikin and mixing Rum & Coke...What was the real mind-blower was a 16 (or was it 15 ?) yr.old tending bar. Well we're not in Kasas anymore Toto...

Was Belikin around then? When did it first appear?

Keep going Alan...intersting

I know it was around in"78" But I don't know when it first appered. Sorry.

Anyhow, to get back to the story...

I really loved working for Milo. It wasn't for long. I guess the powers that be SPHS descided I needed to concentrate more on my studys. I probably would have worked for Milo for free, but don't tell him that.

It was about mid-spring 1977 and I had been attending school at S.P.H.S. for about three weeks at that point in time. I was having a little trouble adjusting from school in Riverside Ca. to a totaly different system. Much more disciplin, very strict.

We had to wear uniforms for one thing. It too my Dad a while to get them for my brother and I. Angel Nunez was the Principal and taught several classes. I remember the first encounter we had was over those stupid uniforms. I felt it wasn't me fault it was taking so long for the to be made. But apperantly Teacher Angel disagreed. Let's just say I can tell you folks about a little rope he used to carry in his pocket, as one of his disciplinary measures.

He had another. Actually the little rope was a joke. The first time he hit me with it, I just about laughed. I wasn't sure if I admired his nerve, or it was the stress created by my suppressing the urge to knock his teeth down his throut. Any way I also spent the weekend cutting back the brush with a machete, and If I didn,t have any respect for Mr. Nunez then, I did by monday morning.

There were a few more clashes with teacher Angel. I did my best to escape from what I called San Pedro Penitentary, But I keep coming back for more, I guess I was just a glutton for
punishment.

At Least I had plenty of Summer and Spring Breaks to break up the monotony. I'll get to those tales later...

Mario was a year my senior. After meeting him and seeing how he and his family lived, I felt lucky I was even able to attend thier prestigous acadamy. Mario's father was a fisherman as was his uncle who also lived in the household. Mario's grandmother also contributed what she could.

I can recall many ocasions see her carrying a gunny sack full of coconuts home. She would grate the coconut meat, squeeze the milk out through cheesecloth. In a large couldron over a smoldering pile of coconut husks, she would seperate the oil from the cream and the creaam from the milk. It all would be sold to the local resturants or stores, except for a small portion of the milk. That would be used to cook into the rice for the families dinner.

Mom would take in some laundry and do most of the cooking. As they couldn't afford fish, chicken would be about the best they would have. All the fish would have to be sold to the local Co-Operative so they could have enough money just to pay the rent.

They had absolutely nothing. A small AM Radio was the only luxery they could afford. They had no running water and had to use the outhouse in the embarcadero. Uncle would get drinking water from the rainwater vat next to our house.

Mario's little brother and sister went to the Elementary school in San Pedro, but no tuition was required. Mario told me that if it wasn't for his sponsor from the Christians Childrens fund, he probably wouldn't be able to go to High School. His uniforms and tuition were covered, but he had to come up with the money for his supplies. He worked at one of the lacal gift shops polishing jewlery for a few dollars.

What impressed me the most about Mario and his family was how happy they were. They had so little, but there was so much love, they had everything they needed..

Being a protectorate of the British, Belize is host to many military personel. In the late 70's the Brits used to do their survival training on A.C. They also had a house that was rented by the Army, and contract with Balis, a San Pedrano fisherman whose sailboat and expertise was at their disposal. Tony, a Senior Master Sergent was permanatly assigned to tend the house while the troops where out on their activities.

Tony was a kind gentelman who always had some candy for the children whenever they would come around begging for a treat.
After the children would disappear with their sweets, Tony would often split a chocolate bar with me and tell me how fortunate he felt getting an assignment like this. He was invited to dinner often in our house, where he would tell stories of his childhood and life in England.

On many occasions, Balis would invite me on trips out to differant spots along the reef and up the coastline to drop off the troops for their survival training. I would always give them a bad time when they come back with really bad sun-burns. I told them they where going to get court-martialed for damaging government property.

We always had a good time and I learned alot from Balis about the area, sailing, spearfishing, etc. He showed me where all the good spots were and about the habits of the marine life.

Well, there was that one occasion where the Brits ran his boat up onto the reef, but thats another story.....

Alan,

Thanks for some insight of the past. I had a chance to visit / dive Belize many years ago, but passed due to $$$, now I see I really lost out.

Please continue

Mervino - I thoroughly enjoyed your site. Someone said it could be a book - I agree! There are some branches you ventured into that still need fleshing out. I know it has been almost 2 years since you posted this but wanted to tell you that you really shouldn't ignore your site. From what I could see, you had not updated since 2004. I also wanted to "tip my hat" to you for your discretion regarding names however - what happened to Mike and what about Bob? Not knowing more than what you "sketched" - I must say your wife probably deserves sainthood!

Unfortunately Mervino passed away not too long ago.

Sorry to hear that. I deduced he was probably born in the '30s or early '40s. Too bad he never finished his 'book' - bet it would've been an interesting read even though he was only actually living in Belize - what 3 years?

i love this webpage.... 1959 aerial pic of downtown san pedro, with descriptions by allan forman and mervino...... been chatting with iguana jack today about the old days... this page came up in the discussion and i thought i'd reshare it...

//ambergriscaye.com/mervino/window/BB/1959sp-l.html

very cool, 1st look.