Growing Up in a Resort? I didn't know!!

I just got through reading a review in last Sunday's Dallas Morning News (yes, it takes me a whole week to read that paper.. it's huge and I'm busy) of Francis Ford Coppola's newest venture: Resorts in Central America. He has 3, Blancaneaux Lodge in Belize; La Lancha in Guatemala and Turtle Inn, also in Belize.

While reading the review, I was startled to find that must've grown up in a resort!! No, I didn't spend my childhood in Central America, it was spent in rural North Florida, USA; but the similarities are striking.

"guest quarters are free of telephones and TVs and DVD players (although Internet access is available at the front desk). Cell phones don't work and you have to stand in line to use the house phone"

Well, in my childhood, we had one phone in the house, and you certainly had to stand in line to use it. There was one TV in the house and it was in the Living Room and we received one channel (sometimes we could pull in a second channel, if the weather was just right). Who ever heard of cellphones, DVD's or the Internet in the 60's.. if they were in the conceptual stage, I was too busy being a child to know about them. :)

Water for Blancaneaux is supplied by a river "so pure you can drink while you swim"

HUH? It never occured to me as a child that any river wasn't pure enough to drink while swimming. How sad that our "progress" has ruined this for some parts of the country.

"In place of air-conditioning, there are wooden ceiling fans and louvered windows"

I grew up with God's air-conditioning.. whatever breezes he chose to send. Along with room fans and cold cold water from an underground stream. And when at home and in private, the bare minimum of clothing that still allowed for decency.

"Gardens of rows of eggplant and cherry tomatoes"

Yep, and we also had corn and beans and peas.. I spent many an hour in the summer shucking corn and shelling peas. I enjoyed listening to the adults talk while I worked.

"Guided hikes..to small mayan ruins"

Well, while I can't verify the age of the ruins, we could walk a ways into the woods near our house and find the remains of an old house, old bricks and bits of pottery.

The reviewer goes on to talk about falling asleep outside on a hammock and being awakened by howler monkeys.. He was lucky it wasn't palmetto bugs and mosquitoes!!!

I wish I could make this funny, as I am amused that the things I took for granted as a child, people are now paying exorbitant fees to experience. Coppola's resorts run from $95 to $180 a night...and to think, I got all he offers, plus more (Coppola's resorts don't seem to offer the experiences of feeding chickens, horses, goats; collecting eggs; hanging out laundry; planting the garden with your dad; climbing trees; etc.) for free. What a wonderful childhood I had. Thanks Momma and Daddy.