Birds of Placencia!

We get a fair number of requests for information from the "bird watchers." Recently I wrote about some resources available on the birds of Belize. I have just recently been made aware of another source of information specifically about the birds of the Placencia Peninsula... Ron Spilman's fantastic photos.  Here are a couple... of the fifty plus pics he has taken on the Peninsula or in a couple of cases nearby in Monkey River. Couldn't be too hard for the confirmed "birders" to add a lot to their "life list" or whatever it's called... you can tell I'm not exactly an expert!  Don't miss having a look at the rest of the photos.  Thanks Ron.

Barefoot Beach Bar

Check out all the news and information on The Barefoot Beach Bar... which will be reopened in a new location.  Great news for us all!  Congratulations Bryce and Cassie!

Airports of Belize... Placencia

Continuing on the theme of "airports" it's clear to me that most folks have not had the delightful experience of arriving at a destination in a third world country aboard a Cessna Caravan 12 seat plane. Very quickly you realize that you are in the hands of an experienced "bush pilot" and the runway isn't quite as short and narrow as you thought! These pilots are good.

The stories abound. None of the airstrips in Belize (that I know of) are lighted for after dark landings... even PGIA (Philip Goldson International Airport in Belize City)... although I suspect some remote locations have had "after dark landings."

One late afternoon, Karen and I went to our airport just a couple of miles from us (PLZ - Placencia) to pick up our arriving family (my sister and husband) and it became obvious that the last flight of the day was later than usual. Pretty soon we heard the plane... doing a "touch and go" approach. It was darker than usual... and this was confirmed by the airline employees rushing out to light the runway with handheld flashlights... after it had kissed the runway and lifted off to come around again. Although we could see the plane clearly, it was a bit tense as we watched it circle the Peninsula. Coming in for the next try, we watched as the plane made a "picture perfect" landing in the dim twilight... without incident or difficulty.

The picture of the departing plane and sign at the Placencia Airport (PLZ) was taken just a few days ago by Ron Spilman... an extremely talented photographer of Belize and the Placencia Peninsula. Some of his work is on display in this Picasa album. You need to view the photo larger (click it) to read the sign.

A Study In Contrasts...

The amenities are different, but the planes and pilots aren't

Belize... the International Airport Experience

When I first landed in Belize in the early 1980s, the airport, in the (then) capital of Belize City, was little more than a single small building and airstrip lined with a bunch of British Harrier jump jets. One of those jets remains as a reminder in front of the terminal building of (BZE) Philip S.W. Goldson International Airport (PGIA). Thanks to Darren's Page - KG Imagery LLC for the great photo. Does anyone have any older photos of the airport terminal and the jump jets?

Daily flight arrivals and departures for BZE can be tracked here. Wikipedia article on BZE here.  The Philip S.W. Goldson International Airport (PGIA) was originally constructed in 1943, when a 5,000 feet asphalt runway, a taxiway and small apron were constructed.  In 1944, a terminal building was constructed and inaugurated on January 15, 1945.  Today, the PGIA boasts a 7,100 feet runway and 615,800 sq. ft. of parking apron... Expansion of the runway and apron to accommodate wide body, longer haul aircraft is in progress.

Barely two years after airport construction in 1945, this ad appeared in a major US newspaper (? NY Times)... still British Honduras and the capital is called Belize... not Belize City. Formerly known as British Honduras, until the name was changed in 1973.  Belize gained its independence September 1st, 1981 and was then admitted to the United Nations. The capitol city of Belize is now Belmopan... fifty miles inland.

TACA Airways System’s Central America – "Now, Taca offers daily, scheduled flights to Central America" (1947)


Those of us who fly in and out of PGIA with any regularity, get to know "Jet" at his famous Jet's Bar and hot dog stand... for a humorous bit of "flavor" of the departure waiting area at PGIA, have a look at this. Thanks to nachounderpants.com for the great blog. There must be a ton of other stories out there... send them in! And then there's this blog from the "Travel Boomer."

Haiti...

I suspect that lots of folks our age have made comparisons between last night's "Hope For Haiti Now" telethon musical extravaganza and "We Are The World" from many years ago.  I have to admit... Justin Timberlake's name didn't come rolling out of my brain easily. Soap Opera star maybe? If you haven't listened to "Hallelujah" then set yourself up for a treat.  If that doesn't get you set up for a donation... then listen to Bruce Springsteen. And if that doesn't get you... listen to this.

Airfares to Belize...

For those of you thinking about or already planning a trip to Belize... here is a web site that shows fares from many US cities. It's automatically updated after doing searches for you. Pretty slick...

Check for better airfares --- Flights to Belize from selected US cities.

Belize... early morning

Early morning shots at the very east end of the Placencia Airstrip.

saltydogtales

Be sure to have a look at Carl's saltydogtales today... it's a great re-telling, with photos, of some of the history of Belize, the Garifuna and the New Year's celebration.

Christmas Dinner with Eldon and Mary Ann

Our wonderful friends from Arkansas, Eldon and Mary Ann Mead came for Christmas Dinner. Eldon is a great cook!

Great Fishing in Belize...

Our friends, Kristen, Alison and Tater went fishing with Kevin Modera on New Year's Eve... have a look at these photos in Kristen's Facebook album.

The Belize Zoo...

      Mrs. Barbara Thummalapally, the wife of the USA Ambassador to Belize, Mr. Vinai Thummalapally, feeding "Panama," the Harpy Eagle. This wonderful story and other details of the "best little zoo in the world" can be found on The Belize Zoo website.
      The zoo is at mile 29 when you are traveling from Belize City to Belmopan... about a 30 minute drive.    Although not big... it has some of the most interesting animals you will find in any zoo in the world.  If you get the chance... don't miss it!

Birds of Belize... 101 and more

I just became aware of a book that I suspect will appeal very much to the birders coming to Belize for the huge diversity of species to add to their list of sightings.    
Read the great review and order it here from the Belize Audubon Society.
From the product description on Amazon (referring to an earlier edition)...
"This is a first-class book that will enable users to identify any bird they encounter in Belize." --Victor Emanuel, President, Victor Emanuel Nature Tours. 

...With nearly six hundred identified species of birds--and an average of five "new" species discovered annually--Belize is becoming a birding hotspot for amateur and professional birders from around the globe. Thousands of birders visit the country each year to enjoy Belize's amazing abundance and variety of both temperate and tropical birds in natural habitats that remain largely unspoiled. But until now, despite the growing need for an authoritative identification guide, birders have had to rely on regional field guides that offer only limited information on Belizean birds. Birds of Belize provides the first complete guide to the identification of all currently known species--574 in all. The birds are grouped by families, with an introduction to each family that highlights its uniquely identifying characteristics and behaviors. The species accounts include all the details necessary for field identification: scientific and common names, size, plumage features, thorough voice descriptions, habitat, distribution, and status in Belize. Full color, expertly drawn illustrations by noted bird artist Dana Gardner present male and female, juvenile and adult, and basic and alternate plumages to aid visual identification throughout the year, while 234 range maps show the birds' distribution and seasonality in Belize. A comprehensive bibliography completes the volume.

Sunrise at The Maine Stay - Belize

As many of these as I take... they never get boring!

See this and other photos on The Maine Stay Facebook page.

Belize Big Cats and Great Blogs...

Lisa has spent time in Belize several times. Read some excellent posts on her current visit to Belize in her "Left Coast Cowboys" blog.  Good Stuff!

Photo: Marcus Obal, Wikipedia.

Belize - new pier lights at dusk at The Maine Stay

The Maine Stay - new pier lights at dusk... more photos.

Belize Hibiscus

With blossoms more than six inches across... this particular Hibiscus (hybrid) bush is gorgeous when it blooms.

Belize in Top Ten...

BERKELEY, Calif., Dec. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- Are you the kind of traveler who wants to have a great time AND feel good about where your travel budget is going?
"There's no doubt that worldwide interest in mindful, responsible travel is growing - not only among travelers, but within the countries that host us," says Jeff Greenwald, executive director of Ethical Traveler and co-author of the report. "Now is the perfect time for savvy travelers and well-intentioned governments to evolve together, each encouraging the other. This is especially true in the developing world, where travel and tourism can be developed as lucrative, low-impact alternatives to forestry, mining, and the destruction of ocean habitats." 

In alphabetical order, the best ethical travel destinations for 2010 are:
Argentina

Belize

Chile

Ghana

Lithuania

Namibia

Poland

Seychelles

South Africa

Suriname
"In drafting our report, we use scores of information sources -- including publicly available data -- to rate each country's genuine commitment to environmental protection, social welfare and human rights," says Christy Hoover, co-author of the report. "Data sources include the United Nations Development Program, Human Rights Watch, Columbia University, Reporters Without Borders, the Millennium Challenge Corporation, and many others. Private interviews with NGO leaders are part of the process, as well."

The full report can be viewed at http://www.ethicaltraveler.org/destinations. Ethical Traveler is an international alliance of travelers who believe that travel is a powerful tool for international goodwill and cultural understanding. The group seeks to harness the political and economic clout of tourism to support human rights and the environment. Ethical Traveler is a project of the Earth Island Institute. More information: http://www.ethicaltraveler.org.  SOURCE Ethical Traveler © 2009 PR Newswire. All Rights Reserved.

Belize Rescue Dogs!

Our latest addition to the pack, Taco, seems to be getting along quite nicely with Bowdoin! Taco is about 10 months old and he is a black and white male Chiuaua mix.

Bowdoin is a very local rescue... as a tiny scrawny puppy (look here for the story and photo) she wandered down the main Peninsula Road and in to our yard and said "can I stay here?"

Bare Back Yard - NOT!

Our back yard was bare 4 years ago! See top photo. There was one small ficus tree and a few plants. Well, we got busy and planted like crazy. Along the back fence we planted a bunch more ficus and also scattered citrus trees. We even planted a breadfruit tree. When the road got paved we had to remove some grass from the front yard, so we used that sod to make pathways in the back yard. Now we are removing some things... it's getting so overgrown! The ficus trees are 25 or 30 feet tall, and the citrus trees are too close. The breadfruit had to go! One thing you don't have to worry about in Belize, is landscaping... it's easy and quick.

Beach morning in Belize...

Plumeria in Belize

These are both the same flower! Commonly known as Frangipani, it's botanical name is Plumeria. It has a very strong frangrance, and is used to make leis in Hawaii. We have several varieties of these growing at Kokomo and The Maine Stay. More information here and here.

Belize "Clock Vine"

Karen absolutely loves Clock Vine (Thunbergia grandiflora) and has managed to completely disguise the corner of our house with it! It blossoms all the time here... and will grow on anything. More information here.

Big Boy Belize Iguana... "El Garrobo"

This afternoon, at a friend's place, we saw this quite large Iguana. The tip of his nose is 18 inches off the ground and from nose to tip of tail is 5 feet.
Apparently, in Spanish... "El Garrobo"

Belize "Mountain Cow"

This is the national animal of Belize.

"Reaching a weight of over 800 pounds the Baird's Tapir is the second largest of all tapir. The Malayan Tapir is the largest of all tapir species. A Baird's Tapir can grow as tall as 4 feet and as long as 6.5 feet."

See more information here and here.

Cabana Updating... Yay!

Although the original cabanas we built for our vacation trips to Belize were delightful, it was clearly time for some updating. In addition to brand new windows, insulation, and tile floors, we updated and enlarged the kitchen and sleeping spaces in the south (kitchen/dining) cabana. The bedroom cabana has new tile and windows also. More pictures here.

Fresh Fruits and Veggies in Belize

Our guests often ask us about the availability of fresh fruits and veggies. Well, not only are they readily available, but you get them delivered! Greg and Carmita have a great grocery truck loaded with fresh produce and other items... including milk, yogurt, OJ, chicken, beef, pork and more. They come by the Cabanas twice a week (Thursday and Sunday) and their truck is in Placencia Village across from the Tourism Center almost every day.

Critters in Belize

Praying Mantis

It's fun to see these guys "up close and personal" and here are two very different examples of nature's best.
Both photos were taken on the same day right in our garden palapa.


Blue Crab