New international airport in Belize

[Downing]

As promised above, I dug up a photo of the deserted Chichen Itza Airport. It's about halfway down this post. Since I've never posted photographs on SB before, I decided to go a little crazy and put up some other shots from that trip as well as a few from Belize City, just to keep the post somewhat on topic about Belize.

We're taking off from Playa del Carmen.

Having taken off heading east, we're now banking left to go west. Gotta love that water!

The pilot said that flying over CI is prohibited but it was early in the morning so what the heck, why not.

Pulling up to the CI Airport. Where is everybody?

My wife and the pilot.

Me and the Missus. Three hours later, the plaza was packed, but for a while we had the place pretty much to ourselves.

Right this way to the human sacrifices! Behind us, at the top of the stairs, dead center, is where the hearts came out.

Here's a couple of shots of Belize City, just to keep this post from going completely off topic:

Walking through Belize City at 5 am. The dog and I made a deal: I would stay on the ground, and he wouldn't jump off the roof and eat me.

No matter your budget, Belize has the perfect place for you!

Civic improvements. I'm hoping the sewer line's in by now.

Ft George area. Lots of homes in need of more than a little TLC. This house is in better shape than most.

 

[Gaz]

Nice looking Potlicker LOL

 

[hpbelize]

That's a classic shot of Albert Street. I had forgotten it looked that way. A lot different now. I like the dog though. An icon of the city.

We are also on Facebook and on the cover of this month's Dive Training Magazine.

 

[Ralph Capeling]

Downing, you are a very good photographer!

 

[DandyDon]

I suspect that the Mexican government thot that Chichen Itza being recognized at a Wonder would mean a need for a nice airport?

Need to get back to Belize this year. It's been too long, and I want to do it with a decent operator this time.

 

[Downing]

Ralph, thanks, but I have one of those point and shoot idiot proof cameras which I suspect I push to its very idiot-proofing limits.

Don, you're probably right. My guess is the thinking was "build it and they'll come." We were there in mid-summer, which is probably low season. Maybe the place rocks other times of the year.

 

[DandyDon]

Ralph, thanks, but I have one of those point and shoot idiot proof cameras which I suspect I push to its very idiot-proofing limits.

Don, you're probably right. My guess is the thinking was "build it and they'll come." We were there in mid-summer, which is probably low season. Maybe the place rocks other times of the year.

We're going in late August, staying at a hotel at the back entrance so we can beat the tour buses from Cancun, the coast, and the ships, then leaving for a nearby ruin the tours don't go to. Seems silly to build a significant airport just for it as I can't see enough people flying in like you did to support jetliners - but you did see one there? Maybe they do get more tours at times, enough to run the jets. The European travel agencies seem to promote the bus tours and we met people from all over Europe at Coba ruins. The tollroad from Cancun to there is so nice tho, I just don't see it.

Hope the new airport in Belize works out ok.

 

[jlevine]

...The issue with flying through the States is not the need for a visa as such, but the fact that the US doesn't operate "transit". ... but why on earth can't they copy European airports and have a secure transit lounge with no need to immigrate and then emigrate?

The events of 9/11 marked the end of transit through the US. Yep, 3000 deaths, the destruction of the World Trade Center, and damage to other buildings caused some changes. There are some efforts underway that may relax these restrictions at remote locations such as San Juan, Puerto Rico.

 

[darkstar]

... Initial flights will be charters from Toronto. ....

Direct flights from Toronto and Montreal would be huge incentive for Canadians to visit Belize. Right now, you pretty much have to transfer through Newark, Miami, Dallas or Atlanta, and it takes most of the day to get there and a full day to get back. Not to mention the $900 ticket price and the entertainment of passing through U.S. Customs in both directions.

 

[peterbj7]

The events of 9/11 marked the end of transit through the US. Yep, 3000 deaths, the destruction of the World Trade Center, and damage to other buildings caused some changes. There are some efforts underway that may relax these restrictions at remote locations such as San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Yes, this is what one immigration officer told me when I asked. But when I said I couldn't see the connection or the benefit to security in processing vast numbers of transit passengers rather than simply shunting them off to one side in a secure location, he became quite over-wrought and started shouting at me, and threatened to deny me admittance to the USA. He also said the USA was the greatest country the world had ever seen - "everyone wanted to come here". With some difficulty I kept a straight face and just said that on this occasion I actually didn't want to but was forced by their system. The poor guy actually epitomised much of what is wrong with the USA, though of course I couldn't say that.

You see, in Britain we have lived with active terrorism for decades (I might add, mostly funded from the USA), and have learned the hard way what is a correct measured level of response. I have always felt safer in a British airport with little visible security than in an American one with highly intrusive "security" measures constantly thrust in your face.