San Ignacio & Santa Elena, Cayo District

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Entrance to the San Ignacio market as you come from Santa Elena
  The twin towns of San Ignacio and Santa Elena have played their share in the development of Spanish Lookout, and vice versa. Located about 12 miles to the southwest of Spanish Lookout and Lower Barton Creek (which is an ultra conservative traditional Mennonite community), it has served as the business center of the western Cayo District. Traditional Mennonites from Lower Barton Creek frequently travel there in their buggies to sell watermelons and vegetables. Mennonites from Spanish Lookout also head there to do government paperwork, banking, for medical assistance, police documents, grocery shopping at Chinese supermarkets, date nights, etc.

Lin's Supermarket right at the entrance to Santa Elena as you come from Spanish Lookout. It is a popular spot for evening shopping for both Mennonites and other residents

The low wooden bridge across the Macal River
  San Ignacio and Santa Elena are joined by 3 bridges, a low, old wooden one, an even older but much stronger and higher suspension one, and a newer column one completed about 2 years ago on the eastern end. San Ignacio is the busiest and is the business and shopping center. It also has an outdoor market located on the side of the river. Some Spanish Lookout businesses have branches there such as Western Dairies and Reimer's Feed Mill. Another Mennonite-owned business is Supermart.

Traditional Mennonites from Lower Barton Creek enjoy an ice cream at Western Dairies branch
  However, Spanish Lookout and Barton Creek Mennonites are not the only ones who carry out business in the twin towns. There are Mennonites from other groups actually living in or around San Ignacio and Santa Elena.

A Beachy Mennonite church in Red Creek, next to  Santa Elena
  In San Ignacio, close to the Octavia Waight Center which is a home for senior citizens, is a Holdeman Mennonite mission. In Santa Elena is United Mennonite Church which is made up of a branch of Conservative Mennonites. Red Creek village which is right next to Santa Elena has a Beachy Mennonite church. Also in Santa Elena is/was a non-traditional, Mennonite-affiliated church called Iglesia Evangelica Menonita.

The police station in San Ignacio 
  La Loma Luz is a private Adventist hospital located on a hill overlooking Santa Elena town and is a popular medical center for some Mennonites from Spanish Lookout and surrounding areas, especially for expectant mothers. Also in Santa Elena is the NOT popular (ha ha) Social Security branch which is the headquarters for all SSB transactions in western Cayo. In San Ignacio is the Octavia Waight Centor, a home for seniors. Mennonites from several different churches routinely come here to sing, witness, and pray with the elderly. Sometimes they go as a church group, sometimes only the youth, and sometimes teachers take the students.

Two of the 4 major banks in the country
  San Ignacio and Santa Elena have undergone some major transformation in the last 5 years. Come on and pay it a visit. It'll be worth your time.

A Catholic church facing the river valley

Most of the streets in San Ignacio are one-way

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