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01 December, 2010

We're Awfully Glad We Came

Last Saturday, we followed Peggy's advice from Thursday's Turkey Day dinner at Scotties Bar and Grill (there's just so many social obligations here, y'know?), and headed out to Donna's Place, newly relocated to the Copper Bank Inn, in Copper Bank.

Sometimes you want to go
Where everybody knows your name,
and they're always glad you came.
You wanna be where you can see,
our troubles are all the same
You wanna be where everybody knows
Your name.
- Where Everybody Knows Your Name
(the Cheers theme song) 
by Gary Portnoy and Judy Hart Angel
Donna's Place At The Copper Bank Inn
 Wow! And what a change it is too. Donna's floor space has more than doubled, it has a nice, large bar, and in Donna's words, "A kitchen to die for".

Donna's Place is large, but comfortable. It's bright and airy. And just like in the song, it's a place where 'everybody knows your name'.

The food, as usual if you've ever eaten at Donna's Place, was very good. It was served promptly and all together. Dianna and I had Tandoori Chicken, Alan and Elsie shared a baked chicken plate.

Every Saturday, the crowd comes in to play darts and to have a good time. And, it really doesn't matter if you know how to play darts or not. Once you're introduced, you feel you're family - you laugh, drink and eat, and have a heck of a good time, in a most relaxing atmosphere. So much so, I felt like I had been coming there for a long time and they were genuinely 'glad we came'.

Here's Alan and Elsie, just shortly after we arrived. See how big the joint is? I was totally impressed.
Alan and Elsie
Shortly after we ordered, I snuck (is that a word?) into the kitchen and snapped a quick one of Donna hard at work in her kitchen preparing our meals.
Donna Hard At Work In Her Kitchen
Every now and then Donna was able to sneak out and join us. Oh, ok. She was able to not only join us, but she played some darts as well. It's not all work, work, work.
View From Behind the Bar
Here Donna's catching up on what Elsie and Alan have been up to and what they're going to be doing - like a couple of months in Costa Rica and Panama and probably some other places as well. She and Alan will be back here in February.
Donna - A Break From The Kitchen
Their biggest problem right now is trying to decide where they want to spend Christmas - Panama, Costa Rica, or some place entirely different. Such hard decisions to have to make. Sounds like a fun journey.

The dart players invited us to join in, but for this visit we were content to just sit and watch. They were right - it didn't matter whether players were good or not, everyone was playing for fun.
Peggy, You're Up!
Lined Up And Waiting Their Turn
How Do You Keep Score?
Fairly early on, Enrique, Donna's husband hollered to me that Dove, the Inn's owner was going to show some visitors the Inn's rooms and view from upstairs and that I should join them, so I did.
Enrique Working Behind the Bar
Dove Showing Visitors Around The Inn
Two of the room have air-conditioning, the rest have ceiling fans. The place is scrupulously clean. It's tailor-made for a nice, quiet and relaxing stay.
Nice, Clean Rooms
From upstairs at the Inn, you get a great view of their large kidney-shaped pool. If it's like ours over in Corozal, the temperature is steady at 84° (f) to 86° (f) at this time of year.
The Copper Bank Inn's Large Pool
It seemed our table always had a lively conversation going on. A couple of folks even came over, introduced themselves and said they were sorry they missed us the last time we had been over at Donna and Enrique's house just north of Copper Bank. Talk about a welcoming feeling.
It's Lively At Our Table
After leaving Donna's Place and the Copper Bank Inn and all the friendly folks, it was time for us to head back to Corozal. A nice interlude each way on the trip is the hand-cranked ferry. Dianna spelled one of the workers and took a turn on the crank. It's not hard work at all and the workers do appreciate the break.
Dianna Taking A Turn On The Ferry
 All in all, one of the most enjoyable afternoons we've had in a long time. We all really enjoyed the people, the food, the setting of Donna's Place and the Copper Bank Inn. It's really one of those feelings like you get when you put on a well broken in pair of jeans or shoes - they just feel comfortable and right. That was our visit - comfortable and right.

If you do come to Corozal, make sure to mark some time to at least make a day trip to Copper Bank to see Donna. If I were you, I'd mark out a couple days to stay and really relax at the Copper Bank Inn. You won't regret it. It won't be long till everybody knows your name.

5 comments:

JRinSC said...

I thought I knew where Copper Bank Village was until I went looking today on Google Earth. I could not find it. I know it is near Cerros but where??

Any clue would be great... the imagery was extant 2008 so the Copper Bank Inn should be visable, but I'm going to need directions, please. Say, from your house how do you go??

Just curious, but us retired guys have a whole bunch of time... already completed my two projects for the day...

Julian

Dave Rider said...

Hi Julian,

The Copper Bank Inn is the white building in the NW corner of the town. Actually it's at:
18 19 28.60 N
88.21.28.96 W.

The village's name is Copper Bank. For some reason Google Earth has it named San Fernando. I assume other than a complete fail on their part of naming the village correctly, that it perhaps was an old name for the village. I'll see if I can ferret out why the discrepancy.

Cheers,
Dave

I just finished my one project for the day - weekends only have one project a day, don't they?

JRinSC said...

Thanks Dave!

From their web page I had thought that "in walking distance of Cerros Hills" would have had to be San Fernando, but I haven't seen Google Earth screw up that well before. I thought I remembered passing through Copper Bank on the road to Sarteneja

I tried looking for their swimming pool but had no luck. I'll go straight there and see again! Whoops, just went there and I quess the dumbell shape in the SE corner would be the pool!

Thanks again!

Dave Rider said...

Hi Julian,

That would be the pool. Glad to be of help.

I've seen Google Earth miss the exact location with a marker before, but entirely blowing the name? I suppose they could if I was looking at somewhere that I wasn't familiar with in the first place.

Cheers,
Dave

pri said...

wow perfect explained