Prices in San Pedro

This island is much more expensive than I'd planned on. The first day, I was shocked at the prices. Even though the Belize dollar is pegged to the U.S. dollar 2 to 1, prices seem to be inflated so they are roughly the same as what you'd pay in the U.S. for things.

Examples:
- t-shirt: $22 Belize dollars
- lobster: $54 Belize dollars
- coffee: $4 Belize dollars
- internet: $5 Belize dollars for 20 minutes

Thus, I've been eating very cheaply for breakfast and lunch and then eating a real dinner. Breakfast: a baked good at the bakery for $2BD and a cup of crappy coffee for $1.25BD. Lunch: rice and beans with stewed chicken (THE meal of Belize) for $7 or $8BD.

I've had some great dinners. Grouper, fish burritos, garlic shrimp potato, snapper, lobster fritters. And last night, my diving friends Susan and Brock who are from Denver and are aeronautical engineers for Lockheed Martin treated me to dinner. Very nice.

So, here's hopin' that once I hit the mainland and go into the jungle, prices drop. :) Hee hee.