Dinner with the Frogman: The Story Behind Roaring Creek’s Most Colorful Legend
Sometimes the best travel discoveries don't happen on the road; they happen around a dinner table.
On a recent trip to Roaring Creek, Anne and I were invited to dinner with friends. The host was a charismatic man dressed in a sharp purple shirt named Alvin Martin along with his wife Mariam. He had a warmth that filled the room and a laugh that made you feel like you’d known him for years. Naturally, we got to talking, and Alvin began to share the story of his legacy in the community.
On a recent trip to Roaring Creek, Anne and I were invited to dinner with friends. The host was a charismatic man dressed in a sharp purple shirt named Alvin Martin along with his wife Mariam. He had a warmth that filled the room and a laugh that made you feel like you’d known him for years. Naturally, we got to talking, and Alvin began to share the story of his legacy in the community.
Meeting the legend himself, Alvin Martin, at dinner in Roaring Creek.
Alvin told us how he earned his unique local nickname. When he first moved to the area, he was known for eating frog legs, which led neighbors to call him "Frog Legs." But the name evolved into something far more iconic.
Alvin told us how he earned his unique local nickname. When he first moved to the area, he was known for eating frog legs, which led neighbors to call him "Frog Legs." But the name evolved into something far more iconic.
He recounted a day when a young local boy walked up to him and asked, "Are you the Frogman?"
Alvin thought about it for a second. It sounded authoritative. It sounded good. When he said yes, the boy turned to his friends and shouted, "I told you so!" From that day on, the name stuck.
But Alvin isn't just a local character; he is a powerhouse importer. He told us about his relentless schedule—heading to the United States almost every week to scour auctions within a 600-mile radius of the border. He buys everything from tools to household goods and ships them down to his massive store, Frogman's Resale.
He told us the shop was just a few blocks from his home and chuckled, saying, "You can't miss it." As he described the bright colors and the hand-painted signs, we realized we had seen it before while driving through town on previous trips, but we never knew the story behind the facade.
On our way back to Belmopan that afternoon, we knew we had to look for it. True to his word, it was impossible to miss.
Alvin thought about it for a second. It sounded authoritative. It sounded good. When he said yes, the boy turned to his friends and shouted, "I told you so!" From that day on, the name stuck.
But Alvin isn't just a local character; he is a powerhouse importer. He told us about his relentless schedule—heading to the United States almost every week to scour auctions within a 600-mile radius of the border. He buys everything from tools to household goods and ships them down to his massive store, Frogman's Resale.
He told us the shop was just a few blocks from his home and chuckled, saying, "You can't miss it." As he described the bright colors and the hand-painted signs, we realized we had seen it before while driving through town on previous trips, but we never knew the story behind the facade.
On our way back to Belmopan that afternoon, we knew we had to look for it. True to his word, it was impossible to miss.
We snapped this shot from the road on our way back to Belmopan—the impossible-to-miss Frogman's Resale.
I snapped a photo from the car window as we passed. It wasn't just a colorful building anymore; it was a testament to Alvin's hard work and humor. It’s a great reminder that behind every quirky roadside landmark, there’s usually a fascinating person just down the road, waiting to tell you their story.
I snapped a photo from the car window as we passed. It wasn't just a colorful building anymore; it was a testament to Alvin's hard work and humor. It’s a great reminder that behind every quirky roadside landmark, there’s usually a fascinating person just down the road, waiting to tell you their story.
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