Regardless of what is reflecting back at you in the mirror (and what the parade was about), I hardly think yours was the best advice for newcomers to the process.

The guys you dealt with were renegades and extremely foolish. It is simply not worth the risk of non-compliance (and we are not talking tongue lashing -deportation would not be a fun introductory experience to Belize).

I am very happy for you that you had a positive experience, but as an "Ugly American" (ok, SPD, that one got me!), being a badly dressed, good tipper is not helping me.