I found Belize City to be ugly and depressing

[FloridazedFamily]

A very well written post. Great food for thought. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/images/smilies/smile.gif

[nodumblond]

Cruising is a good thing if it leads to a reassessment of one's own life and one's approach to the rest of the world; perhaps even a reassessment of the President's approach to the world, whether "patriotic," "political," or simply "criminal." Some of us will always be fearful and will have to approach new experiences from beneath as much shelter as can be afforded us. Others of us are more comfortable reaching out, if only in small ways. My wife and I both worked as social workers in an American city for a number of years--together over half a century--yet when we began to cruise the Caribbean, we discovered poverty that had been unimaginable to us in our own environment.

 

There are things of value in every environment. In the poorest environment the things of most value are usually the services provided to the traveler. These include driving and guide services and food and shelter. Consider when you use these services not only what you are charged for them, but what they are worth to your safety and comfort and education in an alien environment. I have found that by tipping accordingly, I am able to help those who have helped me, and to acknowledge the sacrifices the people who have fed me or sheltered me or learned a great deal in order to educate me or learned to drive carefully and safely to make my journey safe, have made--not just for us as a couple of American tourists, but for any neighbor from abroad who wanted to visit--perhaps thousands of people with similar needs or desires.

 

Do I "overtip?" Perhaps. But as one great man observed, "If not now, when? If not me, who?" Relationships are built one person at a time, but as each one is important, try to see the person before you as in a mirror you see yourself, and do your best to encourage him. I hope all of you know what encouragement means to you. A little goes a long, long way.

 

After a few cruises we found that we felt we needed more time on the ground, to meet people, to share their food, their environment, their culture--to "get to know them." So we have taken to making stays in places we had only touched on in cruises. Belize is next. Our means are not so great that we can travel all the time, although we are both retired now and have more time available. But by carefully husbanding our resources, we feel we can--if only for a few weeks a year--make a difference in the lives of others, and perhaps in how they feel about themselves while they go about their daily work. What an opportunity it is! And how rewarding it has been for us!

 

When we get off the ship, we are entering the home of another: it is home to him: he will remain when the anchor is weighed and the ship pulls out to sea once more. How will he feel in his home after you have left?

 

Oh, very nicely put! What a wonderful take on it! Thank you!:)

[Astron]

Driftwood, I agree with the ideas you express. I have yet to take our first cruise, but have traveled many places. I see what you describe as a voyage of discovery as opposed to the canned trip associated with overly packaged excursions. If they are packaged to insulate you from the true local situations then you might as well gone to Disney World. There is a difference from going to Paris at Epcot and going to Paris in France. All to many are only seeking the illusion of travel and others seek to travel for experience. I choose the latter. We will visit Belize on our first cruise in September. I will look at the nation with your thought in mind. Thanks.

[bbaileyfamily]

....But for a vacation destination, Belize City was the pits.

 

QUOTE]

 

Strictly my opinion, but, I'd say you chose poorly on how you spent your time in Belize. The LAST thing I'm going to do there on my first and only day ever in Belize is hang around Belize City. You should have gone to the mountains, jungle, river or one of the cays by the barrier reef. I'm actually having problems deciding what to do since there are so many cool options.

[driftwood]

Astron, thank you--and of course FloridazedFamily and nodumblond--for your kind words. I do not mean in any way to suggest that the illusion conjured up by a cruise experience is a bad thing; we did not take our first cruise until 2000, for our twenty-fifth wedding anniversary, and it was as good a second honeymoon I think as anyone could have wished for. We have been on five more cruises since then. But I do believe that an intelligent person can always get more than "his money's worth" from any experience, and even a very few hours anywhere can teach us a number of things--whether a guide draws them to our attention or not. Most guides WANT to tell you more than they are required to, just as we all tend to want to talk of our own country. Every piece of "culture shock" should be valuable to an American in particular, as we get so little of it at home! Hope you all have a wonderful time--I feel pretty certain that you will, no matter what you choose to do!

[Eliot Ness]

.......Strictly my opinion, but, I'd say you chose poorly on how you spent your time in Belize. The LAST thing I'm going to do there on my first and only day ever in Belize is hang around Belize City. You should have gone to the mountains, jungle, river or one of the cays by the barrier reef. I'm actually having problems deciding what to do since there are so many cool options.

It all depends on what someone likes to do..... that's the great thing about having choices. Last year in Belize we went cave tubing with Yhony and had a great time, but didn't have time to explore the city. Last Thursday we went to Goff's Caye in the morning to snorkel and then in the afternoon I went in to explore Belize City.

 

While I would agree that an excursion is a great thing to do in Belize, especially for a first time visit, I had a pretty good time in the city. Yes, the people are poor, but they were very friendly and readily accepted a "no thank you" if I wasn't interested in looking at their wares. I appreciated the different culture I was exposed to for a short time and even learned a little by chatting with the locals while drinking a Belikin beer :D.

 

By all means one should do an excursion or tour to see some of the beauty the country and the reef have to offer. But if one has the time, and enjoys seeing a different culture and chatting with the locals, then venture out of the port area for a little while. Be aware of your surroundings, use some common sense and don't wander down a deserted alley, treat the people with respect, and you might gain some understanding and appreciation of their life in Belize.

 

John

[MDSue]

I don't agree that Belize is the pits- I enjoyed my visit there. Outside the gates of the port area is a bit intimidating, I wouldn't go alone. We took a tour and most of what we saw was beautiful. I didn't see any beaches or check out the great snorkeling they are supposed to have so I'll have to save that for another trip. Everyone we met was really nice and I loved interacting with some of the locals. I guess there is good and bad to every country, I chose to enjoy the good. I think you might have had a better time if you had researched the country better ahead of time so you could have chosen to go to a better area. I personally would go back again and see more of what the country has to offer and just avoid the less desirable areas.:)

[Warrior1]

Interesting discussion--we went to Belize off of our ship a few days before Christmas in 2004. We did an independent excursion(city tour & Belize Zoo). We very much enjoyed our tour and the sights around Belize City. It was very poor and very crowded in town, but very interesting culturally(Christmas only a few days away). When we got back, we walked around the cruise dock area. We actually were going to walk into the city until we approached the gate. It was in the upper 80's that day(very hot). People from the city were reaching through the fence around the security guard to try to pull us through to sell us stuff. My parents were with us and our kids(11 and 7 at the time). When I looked at their faces and saw that they were alittle intimidated, I suggested we just walk around the port area. I guess I saw both sides of the comments first hand. If the van driver would have dropped us off two blocks outside of the gate(instead of taking us back in), no one would have ever bothered us. If I based my opinion of Belize on how the people were at the gate, it would be much different than it is. Have you ever come back to the U.S. through Detroit? If a Canadian based his/her opinion of the USA from the bottom of the bridge coming into Detroit, it wouldn't be very good!

[Las Vegas Non Rev]

http://travel.webshots.com/album/558507037qrubzs?vhost=travel&start=0

[OttoCal]

http://travel.webshots.com/album/558507037qrubzs?vhost=travel&start=0

 

Oh, I can tell what a horrible time you had;) !

LOVED the turtle picture- what a lucky duck you were to see that beautiful creature! :)