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Outside
the Belize Tourist Village tour guides await those cruise
ship passengers that are interested in touring the nearby
sites individually. |
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With
all the controversy swirling about in the local media regarding
the recent contracts signed between the Government of Belize and
the major players in the cruise ship industry to include Royal
Caribbean and Carnival Cruise Lines, BELIZEmagazine.com decided
to pay a visit to the new Tourism Village in Belize City.
From
our hotel which was located just around the corner from the
multi million dollar tourist village complex, we immediately
noticed that there were more street vendors and tour hawkers
than we had experienced during any of our numerous prior visits
to Belize City. We at first thought that this was a trend in
the right direction, for anyone who has ever traveled around
Belize City will tell you, it's jobs and a steady income that
most Belizeans need the most.
As
we approached the entrance gates to the cruise ship tourist
village, we were told by more than just a few of the local vendors
that entrance to the facility requires "proper photographic
identification". In order to determine that admission is
open to any and all we decided to conduct a simple non scientific
test. We therefore asked a local man that we approached on the
street to assist us in order to ascertain that entrance into
the tourist village was fair and balanced.
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Indside
the Tourist Village in Belize City shops offer anything from postcards
to belizean drums to cuban cigars to silver jewelry. |
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At
the security checkpoint, our local assistant approached the window
where all visitors are asked to produce their "proper photographic
identification". However, before our test subject was asked
to produce his ID, one of the guards posted near the gate questioned
him to see just what business he planned to conduct within the
perimeter of the tourist village. As our tester began to answer,
he was told in no uncertain terms that he should depart the area
sooner than later.
With
our non scientific study in full swing, we then sent a 'gringo'
towards the security screener/security guard who was posted near
to the entrance checkpoint. This time we discovered that the gringo
not only was unimpeded as he approached, he was waived over in
the direction of the checkpoint window with a welcoming smile
by the guard who had only moments earlier stopped the local Belizean
dead in his tracks. |
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Very
friendly salesman work at the many small shops inside
the tourist village. |
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At
the checkpoint window where that "proper photographic identification"
was to be presented, the gringo was asked not a single question.
All that was required to enter, despite the fact that the gringo
was not a passenger on any of the cruise ships anchored offshore
this particular day, was that he provide a "proper photographic
identification". Once the photo ID was provided, the admissions
attendant explained as she handed over an admissions pass that
the driver's license ID that the gringo provided from the state
of North Carolina USA would be returned upon the return of the
pass.
Now
that the gringo was allowed to enter, no one stopped to ask
what his business was. He was allowed to walk freely about the
entire tourist village, in and out of the Diamonds International
store and to mingle openly with the predominantly white Caucasian
cruise ship passengers. And despite the fact that our gringo
did not spend a single schilling, he was welcomed into each
and every business in the tourist village without the slightest
concern as to where he came from nor where he was going.
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Cruise
ship passengers in line inside the Belize Tourist Village to board
the small boats that will take them on a tour to the cayes and
back to the cruise ship.
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| Also
available in the Tourist Village in Belize City - Temporary
Tattoos. |
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What should be noted is that when the gringo questioned the cruise
ship passengers that were standing in line to re-board the small
skiffs that were there to ferry them back to their respective
ships, was that each had been given a flyer from the ships explaining
to them where they should shop and where they should not. Further,
each person queried as to what their impressions had been regarding
their first visit to Belize was that they really couldn't say
since the majority had not bordered the buses for the inland tours.
They had not done so because they had for the most part gotten
the general impression from the cruise ship crew that, "it's
just not safe to go into town". |
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BELIZEmagazine.com
will follow up this visit to the Belize City Tourist Village with
a journey up the Yucatan Pennisula to the long time cruise ship
destinations on island of Cozumel, in Playa Del Carmen, as well
as to the new village in Majahual Mexico. |
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