Saturday, December 22, 2007

Two unbelizable taxi rides


My trip to Belize was a wonderful week away week away from TV, Internet and various other media. Just a week of being on a boat, snorkeling, swimming and staring. Along with a few beers (of course) and a rum punch or two at sunset. My trip to this corrupt though beautiful Central American country was bookended by taxi rides from and too the airport. On arrival as we drove toward Belize City I noticed some fellows fishing along a river. I asked the driver what they were fishing for. He scowled they were probably Mexicans who came across the border looking for work. Then said that the river use to be full of fish before they came in and fished it out. It seems immigration from Mexico is an issue on both sides of the Mexican border.
On the way to the airport I also had another moment that also tied into immigration. Our cab was stopped at a Police checkpoint where a Belizian Police officer sternly but, politely asked our taxi driver for his license as check. As the driver opened his wallet I noticed that he also had a California drivers license. Though I doubt anyone would check to make sure he was in California legally before he got it. As the saying on the front of the bar in the photo says "It's a sunny place for shady people".

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