Thread: From the Observation Lounge – where are Debbie & Earl today?

Already notified Tim of this and he is looking into it. He could not see the problems I was reporting so I am glad someone else sees it. What browser are you guys using? Trying to isolate the problem.

I have IE-8

It took just 5 minutes for the pictures to come in this time.

Yesterday and earlier today I waited over 10 minutes and nothing came in.

Tim is reloading all the images this morning to see if that fixes things.

Debbie & Earl are in Belize today.

Debbie and Earl are in Belize today, earlier it eas raining, but looks nicer now.

Belize (formerly British Honduras) is a country located on the north eastern coast of Central America and it is the only country in the area where English is the official language, although Kriol and Spanish are more commonly spoken. Belize is bordered to the north by Mexico, south and west by Guatemala, and to the east by the Caribbean Sea. Its mainland is about 290 kilometres (180 mi) long and 110 kilometres (68 mi) wide.

With 22,960 square kilometres (8,860 sq mi) of land and a population of only 333,200 inhabitants (2010 est.), Belize possesses the lowest population density in Central America The country's population growth rate of 3.15% (2012 est.) is the second highest in the region and one of the highest in the western hemisphere. Belize's abundance of terrestrial and marine species, and its diversity of ecosystems give it a key place within the globally significant Mesoamerican Biological Corridor.

Belize has a diverse society, comprising many cultures and languages. It is the only nation in the region with a British colonial heritage, but as a part of the Western Caribbean Zone, it also shares a common heritage with the Caribbean portions of other Central American countries. In general, Belize is considered to be a Central American nation with strong ties to both the Caribbean and Latin America. Belize is a member of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), and Sistema de la Integración Centroamericana (SICA).

Current weather in Belize (Oct 23, 2012)

The report was made 53 minutes ago, at 15:00 UTC. The wind was blowing at a speed of 3,6 meters per second (8,1 miles per hour) from north/northwest (330°). The atmospheric pressure was 1011 hPa (29.85 inHg). The relative humidity was 88,8 %. There were broken clouds at a height of 457 meters (1500 feet). The overall visibility was greater than 10 kilometers (6.2 miles).

30 °C
86 °F

Website for Belize:

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/belize

Hoping Debbie and Earl enjoy their visit to Belize.


I have tried Firefox,IE9 and Opera.

Today Debbie & Earl are at Mahagony Bay.

We were scheduled to be there on one of our cruises. But thanks to Hurricane Paula, we took a different route.

Carnival Liberty has arrived at Mahogany Bay and hoping Debbie and Earl enjoy this fairly new port. I have gathered a little information below.

Mahogany Bay is the latest project for Carnival Cruise Lines. The port is located on the other side of the airport in an area previously known a Dixon Bay This area is not within any walking distance outside of the complex to tourist activities. You will need a taxi to venture out to Coxen Hole, West End, West Bay or French Harbour. Mahogany Bay Cruise Centre encompasses 20 acres of waterfront property and includes a two-berth cruise terminal that can accommodate up to 8000 passengers daily. There are two theme bars, a restaurant and several shops. At the transportation hub you will find taxis, rental cars tour buses, and shore excursion tours. Beware that the "Independent Tours" location in the terminal area may not be the independent tour you are looking for.

Many independent tour operators are prevented from entering the terminal area to pick up participants. You will need to exit at the security gate on the entry road and walk a short distance to the waiting independent tour operators. Most independent tour operators will send you instructions on where to meet. Unique to Mahogany Bay is the "Magical Flying Beach Chair" lift system that takes cruise ship guests from the welcome centre to Mahogany Beach, a 10-acre, private island featuring an 825-foot-long, white-sand beach with a beach volleyball court and water sports. Eight cabanas are also available for rent. The Magical Flying Beach Chair takes guests on a six-minute ride across nearly 1200 feet of suspended cables. All-day passes for the beach chair lift are $5 per person. An elevated path also is available for those who prefer to walk. Visit www.mahoganybaycc.com for more information.


If you are on the Roatan Port cruise ship and want to see the real island, you should venture away from the Mahogany Bay complex. There are tour operators and taxis available at the facility. Meeting independent tour operators is easy but you must follow these basic instructions. Exit at the gated cruise terminal area via the covered gangway, and once outside the security gate, you will find the operators with hand held signs collecting there guests. Once there, the guides will direct you to the waiting vehicles to take you to your activity. You can also hail taxis outside the security gate as you walk up the hill to the main road. It is recommended that you do not walk along the main road as there are no tourist activities within walking distance. Just hail a taxi, negotiate you fare, and then have fun.

If you decide to take a taxi from the ship terminal area or any location, YOU MUST confirm the price of the ride PER person or for the entire taxi before you go. Also, check to see if the price is for a roundtrip! Be sure to determine if the rate is in Lempiras or Dollars.....yes, if you don't confirm the rate, you will probably have a unpleasant surprise on your fare. If you find yourself being extorted by the taxi driver, find the nearest tourist police (green uniform) and ask for help.

Some Mahagony Bay pictures:

The dock area:







Continuing up the path from the dock area:




Shops area:

We saw Mahogany Bay from nearby but did not go in to the complex since we were on a Celebrity ship docked at the major port. Norman, Mahogany Bay is a lot like Falmouth, it is a closed area with a fake tropical atmosphere. Roatan is really very poor and most of the non tourist places are very depressing. With that said, the beaches and the forest are spectacular.

Debbie and Earl should have been visiting George Town on Great Cayman Island. The weather in George Town was very bad with large swells in the sea making tendering impossible.

Thinking Carnival Liberty was going to miss the island I planned accordingly. She suddenly turned towards the island and looks as she is tendering from a place some of the regular visitors might know.

Thanks for the pictures Yonnie, and Neal we have visited Roatan, not Mahogany Bay. We had a taxi ride and then we walked a little. The humility was very bad and we soon returned to the ship.