Island is abuzz with a Bowen Family wedding and a special brew

Set-up for a Thursday night Bowen-Tully pre-wedding party? These tables were on the waterfront of Ramon’s Village Resort, a local landmark institution,  and a conch shell-toss from the Bowen island home and Island Academy.

Just so you know, we have a royal wedding planned this Saturday on Ambergris Caye, Belize.

And when I say “we” I mean the grand, island-wide “we.” I  don’t mean to imply that either I or Rose are in any way a part of it.

Nope. Not even an invite to the post-wedding party on the grounds of the Island Academy which, gosh, it looks like it is going to be fun. I mean, we’re one rung above tourist here. Wouldn’t expect an invite. Nope …

The wedding joins Belizean and Georgetown/Boston U-educated Courtney Bowen with Bostonian Peter Tully. It is a second marriage for both — by which I mean they were married to each other on April 4 in London. I hear there may be a third wedding planned.

If that is a trend, we started it! Yes, Rose and I were married in a small ceremony in St. Lucia, followed several months later by a large destination wedding with family and friends in the small fishing village of Los Barriles, Baja California, Mexico. No third wedding is planned, although Rose has a standing offer from me for the rest of her life.

Courtney Bowen is the youngest daughter of the late-Sir Barry Bowen and Lady Dixie Bowen. (Belize was once a colony, British Honduras, as you may recall.)

The name Bowen is ubiquitous on the island and in Belize. In the morning I pour water from a Bowen-distilled and distributed Crystal 5-gallon container  into a pot to brew my Gallon Jug Estate (owned by the Bowen family) 100% Arabica coffee.

The country’s most-imbibed beverage, Belikin beer, is also brewed and distributed under the Bowen name. So is Cocoa Cola and most of the popular fruit drink beverages. This doesn’t even begin to scratch the depth and breadth of the Bowen holdings.

Unlike most dynasties, the Bowens seem to be much beloved. Probably because they give back a lot to the community of which they are very much a part.

From what I understand, the island-elegant academy has been a personal project of Lady Bowen from its inception. The island’s only bridge, which we cross every day, is named for the late-Sir Barry who died in a tragic small plane crash.

In honor of the wedding of Courtney Walker Bowen, the Belize Brewing Company has created a special beer using Sir Barry’s favorite hops, an Australian strain called Galaxy, also the name of the new brew.

As a “give back” to the town, I suppose, the brewer will be holding a Galaxy label release party for the hoi polloi  on Saturday evening, 6-8 p.m. at the Louis Sylvestre Football Field on the lagoon side of town.

The special beverage will be going for the incredible price of two brews for $5 BZD. That’s $2.50 US. “As long as the supply lasts.” Now that’s a party.

To that I say “Cheers!” Courtney and Peter. Long life, lots of love.

 

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