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You are here: Home / BELIZE / March Musings 2023 – Our New Shop, Big Kenny & a Visit to the Chocolate Farm

April 30, 2023

March Musings 2023 – Our New Shop, Big Kenny & a Visit to the Chocolate Farm

March was such a busy month I almost didn’t have much time to blog. Here’s what happened.

A year ago, we moved to Gran Canaria to start a business. Unfortunately our visa was denied and so we moved to Placencia in Belize. We decided to open a smoothie business in Maya Beach and plans to do that began. Last month we rented a small shop

2023 02 18 14.38.12
2023 02 19 12.11.23

and work began on the counter and workspace. Michael was still in Canada at this time so a carpenter friend of ours very kindly offered to build it for us (I love where I live!).

2023 03 31 12.36.02
2023 03 31 12.36.14
2023 03 31 12.36.24

In the meantime, we sorted out all the boring legal stuff (incorporating etc.) and made and tasted smoothies like crazy.

2023 03 11 10.30.59
2023 03 12 12.22.13

And we also hired our first employee – a lovely lady who I’m hoping will grow with our shop.

Also in March, Big Kenny from the country duo Big & Rich visited Placencia for a holiday and we spent a lovely Sunday afternoon at The Other Side – Inn Place & Poolside Bar, hanging out with him and listening to him sing a few songs accompanied by our own local duo, Island Vibes. He also donated a signed guitar for one our charity organizations here in Placencia.

2023 03 19 14.52.23
big kenny

Mid March saw my ladies’ group and I at Ixcacao Chocolate Maya Belizean Chocolate

chocolate sign

where we learned all about how Mayan chocolate is made from the cacao plant to the finished product.

chocolate lifecycle drawing

This is where it all starts – with the cacao plant.

chocolate cacao on tree

We started off in the cool dining area where our guide handed us various pieces of chocolate to try from 100% cocoa (not sweet at all) to the chocolate that we buy in the stores and everything in between.

chocolate dining table
chocolate samples 2

and then we took a break for a very delicious lunch

chocolate lunch

Before moving onto the second half of the tour, we admired the beautiful view

chocolate view

and then our guide told the story about how his family came to own the farm and get into the chocolate business. He was a very good story-teller and kept us entertained the entire time.

chocolate guide 3

He then demonstrated exactly how the chocolate is made

chocolate guide2
chocolate grinding
chocolate grinding cream
chocolate making


It was fascinating and not at all what I expected. Afterwards, we had an opportunity to buy their products in the shop. I bought some ceremonial cacao and a few bars of delicious chocolate – orange is my favourite.

chocolate fridge2
chocolate fridge3
chocolate fridge


We continued on to the Belizean Spice Farm and Botanicals gardens. Michael and I have been there on a previous occasion, so I won’t repeat myself here. To read about our tour there, click here.

On the way out, I noticed that the houses are so very different to what we see in Placencia. These are true Mayan houses.

chocolate mayan house

We also came across this church along the way.

2023 03 17 16.01.04

There’s always something different to see at the Belizean Spice Farm and Botanical Gardens. The beautiful Bougainvillea wasn’t in bloom the last time we were here.

2023 03 16 15.04.58

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