Day 11—Headed Home

Heading to the airport.

Crowding onto two gas-powered, ATV-wheeled “carts,” six of us headed to the San Pedro airport with our luggage in tow.  Once there, we took Maya air to the mainland’s international airport in Belize City.  Discovering that Dr. Parker was interested in photography, the airport staff gave her the privilege of riding in the co-pilot seat up front to take photos.  The puddle jumper flight was low to the ocean, and I could see the waves and even stingrays beneath the clear blue water. 

Dr. Parker as co-pilot.

Leaving Ambergris Caye.


After going through security at BZE airport, I discovered a whole waiting room of wooden slat seating and shops that I had not seen when we had landed their initially.  A woman was doing a paper and pencil survey in the airport which included tourism-specific questions about one’s trip.  Belize really takes tourism seriously.  There was even an article and an ad in the in-flight magazine specifically about Belize. 

 

 

 

The U.S. customs form, which 10 days earlier would have seemed ordinary, seemed colorful and professionally laid-out.  The Delta peanuts’ packaging, too, seemed so suddenly colorful and branded as opposed to the clear wrap of Belizean vendors’ home-made goodies.

Landing in Atlanta, the buildings near the airport seemed larger and more well-laid-out than from where we had come.  The trees looked different, and there was suddenly an expansion of cars in huge surface parking lots.

Just as there was music when we arrived at BZE the first day, ATL had a pianist playing a grand piano in the food court.  The crepe I ordered came in a lot of colorful and branded packaging and the crepe round itself had been pre-prepared.  Then it was back on the plane for the last leg of the trip.

Returning home, it was odd to see carpet after having seen tiles covering so many floors.  Also, it was somehow strange to flush the toilet paper again and wash my hands with hot water again in the washroom.

I think everyone in our group that had not been to Belize before did not know that much about the area, people, history, economy, schools, and so forth.  I think we are all leaving with a great love of the Belizean people, culture, food, and natural beauty of the plant and animal life found there on the ground, in the air, and in the water. 

Mainland Belize.

 

One feels more connected to the environment in Belize as many activities are outdoors, such as walking or riding bikes or open carts.  There are many open-air markets, restaurants with just a rooftop, and classrooms with shuttered openings to the outdoors.

 

Mainland Belize.

I can truly say that Belize is unbelizeable!