Roatan Christmas 2010 with My Guys

Scott and Christopher going through Immigration at the Airport

They made it!

Saturday Scott and Christopher arrived on Roatan!  Christmas is here for me.  It was so exciting to see them after three months away and of course they looked wonderful.  The trip through the airport was uneventful if somewhat long as they waited for luggage.  The weather was great and we took a quick tour of the island from the airport to West End our first stop.

Michael and Christopher

Lighthouse Restaurant in West End

We wanted to feed them and get Christopher his snorkel gear....his Christmas present.  We ate at the Lighthouse Resturant in West End as it gives a lovely view of the town and water as well as serving a great lunch.  

After a relaxing a bit Christopher and I hopped into a water taxi as Michael and Scott took the truck back to West Bay Beach. We strolled along the beach enjoying the sunshine and people enjoying their day. The guys finally arrived here at Island Breeze, took  a little walk around the community, settled in and then back to the beach for sundown and dinner at Bananarama....a great start to their vacation.

West Bay Beach

Scott wears good sunscreen!

Sunday morning breakfast...pancakes of course...then down to West Bay Beach and our first snorkel trip. It was a little windy, the waves were up and the water lacked some clarity but it was still beautiful. Nobody sunburned and they were both glad to get out of the cold snap in Florida!

Carambola Botanical Garden

Anthony's Key Resort

On Monday we explored Anthony's Key Resort and the Carambola Botanical Garden.  We climbed a mountain and were rewarded with a beautiful view of the reef around Anthony's Key Resort. It was a great hike and we enjoyed the rich foliage in the garden

View from the top at Carambola Garden

The weather has been improving as rainy season winds down.  We made plans to visit Pigeon Keys again and this time I was going to get a chance to visit Anne Jennings Brown's homestead in Port Royal.. It was a beautiful morning and we made the trip with all four of us stuffed into the truck...We climbed the hill to Anne's homestead through the bush being instructed by Walter on what plants to avoid touching.

Anne Jennings Brown Old Home

 I was even able to find a few pieces of glass that had melted in the fire to remind me of our visit.  It is hard to imagine a woman alone in this spot totally isolated and on her own.  Fascinating.

Terry from Mangrove Creek Lodge

Our trip out to Pigeon Cay through the mangroves was interesting and we spotted two salt water crocodiles! A big storm blew up and we had to take shelter in Santa Elena in a little island bar over the water.  The lodge had packed us more lunch than we could possible eat so we shared it with two island guys manning the place.  I went to find a restroom only to find that the baño was a room with a hole over the water!  Needless to say, I decided to pass up the facilities.  I know this used to be common practice in all the islands and is still in use on the East End but I couldn't pollute such a beautiful place.

Venomous LionFish

We made our way to Pigeon key where we snorkeled. shelled, and helped pick up trash that washes ashore.  The weather looked threatening again so we made our way back to Mango Creek Lodge, then back to Oak Ridge.....another wonderful day on Roatan.

Pigeon Cay Dive

We visited Mahogany Bay today to show the guys the contrast between the Roatan we see and enjoy and what the cruise ship experience would be like if you didn't leave their controlled environment.  It was fun to see the shops all decorated for Christmas although the weather has been cloudy and rainy today.

We took the time to visit Sun Market (Eldon's) and stocked up on a few items....they still eat like they did when they were in their teens! Out to eat on the beach tonight and want to see the eels at Bite on the Beach.  Tomorrow is Christmas Eve and we hope the weather is better so we can get another day of snorkeling in at Half Moon Bay followed by dinner at Tong's.....as close as I can get to our tradition of Chinese food on Christmas Eve.

We've had a great time and tried to cram as much as possible in this week before Scott heads back to Florida  on Christmas Day.  It has been the best present I have ever had....to be able to share this beautiful island with my three guys.  Merry Christmas!!

Additional Pictures here: http://picasaweb.google.com/gallown/20101220Christimas?authkey=Gv1sRgCOe14vTLhKvGPg#slideshow/5554016583623186754

My Three Guys

Nancy's Adventures in Roatan: Christmas In Roatan

Nancy's Adventures in Roatan: Christmas In Roatan: "Merry Christmas from Roatan! Even though we are miles away, Christmas comes to Roatan too. It may not look like New York or Atlanta ..."

Christmas In Roatan

Merry Christmas from Roatan!

Even though we are miles away, Christmas comes to Roatan too.  It may not look like New York or Atlanta but it holds its own charm.

All this for $225

You could purchase your decorated tree for L4500 which is about $225!  Oh, even the stores on the island started decorating in November for the holidays! 

I also noticed that the amount and types of merchandise in the stores started to change as Christmas approached.  You can find Christmas table decorations, napkins, and plates. It's even possible to buy walnuts, pecans and other Christmas goodies for making cookies....darn and I left all my recipes at home!

Grocery stores carry toys, small appliances, and other treasures for Christmas, things you would not normally see.  They depend on what comes in on the ships so they stock their shelves with new things as they arrive on the island. It's like a treasure hunt!

Henry Morgan Resort

They are Italian

As we traveled around, I did manage to take some  photos that show what the Christmas season is like on the island.

Now which light is it?

Christmas lights don't work any better here by the way. This guy finally just gave up and cut the lights off completely.

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A Most Elaborate Display

   One of the local schools near Coxen Hole has an elaborate outdoor display of lighted  Christmas scenes.  We haven't seen it at night but everyone says it is lovely but don't envy the electric bill they will receive!

4000 miles?

Town Center Coxen Hole

The Town Center decorated for cruise ships days and the pine sprays contrast with the bougainvillea flowers.

We did a little Christmas shopping in West End, but not much. Christmas does not hold the same frantic pace as it does at home, but for kids it is the same!  Many of the local restaurants and tourists places are having Christmas sales where merchants and artists can set up booths.  Many of the proceeds go to helping local charities and needy kids.

Thanks to Jenny and Steve we even have a little Christmas tree complete with lights, decorated with local ornaments made from recycled metal, homemade sea shells ornaments, and flowers. It even has an angel on top!  It's very festive!

Our Roatan Christmas Tree!!

Michael and I are eagerly awaiting Scott and Christopher's arrival this Saturday for their island visit.  That is the best Christmas present of all.  We are wishing everyone at home a blessed holiday season with family and friends. We will miss you all, but continue to enjoy our island adventure. Merry Christmas and Feliz Navidad!

Island Breeze at Turtle Crossing in West Bay Beach, Roatan

Island Breeze

The Front Deck

Jenny and Steve left Saturday morning and the weather turned yesterday afternoon..  Around noon the electricity went off and Michael was worried he would miss the  SEC championship game. I decided to have him drive me to West Bay Beach and Infinity Bay.  He could keep the truck in case the electric didn't come back on and he could join me there and watch the game.  It was another beautiful day but the storm clouds moved in so I decided to see if they were able to get the game on one of the flat screens at the Palapa Bar.  As it sometimes goes they had to jury rig a connection to the TV through one of the guy's laptops in order to watch the game! It worked really well and they finally even got the sound to work as well! The game started, the rain came and Michael didn't arrive.  I figured he must have gotten to watch from home. A little way into the second quarter, he tore himself away (since it hadn't stopped raining) and came to rescue me.  Good thing as he almost missed his share of the chicken quesadillas I was eating! Back up the hill and home to Island Breeze, we finished watching Cam and AU win! WAR EAGLE.  We knew everyone at home was enjoying it as well.  I can only hope Steve got to see some of it from the airport in Atlanta.

Living Room Area

Living Room and Kitchen Areas

The weather today has been overcast and very windy so we spent  today fixing the hummingbird feeder which is leaking and the birds do not seem to like the new one I bought and watching more football.  I am hopeful this will bring them back (fixing the feeder, not football) as they really are a delight to watch.

I realized I don't have any pictures of our house here on Roatan on this blog so I have included a few pictures.  You can see the house sits on the hill side overlooking the south shore of Roatan.  We have lovely views from several levels.  As you climb up the hill, you are at the Western tip of the island and you can see the Caribbean sea from all sides!.

Master  Suite

Island Breeze

View from the top deck at Island Breeze

View back toward the hill...taken this summer, it's green now.

View from the sundeck

Port Royal in Roatan and the Pigeon Keys

Just the other day we were able to take an excursion to the East end of the island to visit Port Royal and Pigeon Keys. Our wonderful property managers from Viva Properties for Island Breeze were able to arrange this exciting day.  We were concerned that the weather might not cooperate, but we decided to take a chance and forge ahead.  It took an hour to drive to Oak Ridge where we met our guide from Mango Creek Lodge in Port Royal. You can drive to Port Royal but it is a long drive on a dirt road, while the trip by boat is only fifteen minutes over beautiful clear water.

Dock at BJ's Restaurant in Oak Ridge

 We met at BJ's restaurant. BJ is a long time resident of Roatan and a wonderful source of information on how the island used to be. She is also an important figure in the book "Roatan Odyssey" by Anne Jennings Brown which we have recently read.  It was a real treat to meet her.

Terry from Mango Creek Lodge

Terry from Mango Creek Lodge soon arrived and started us on our trip further East.  He entertained us with information and historical perspective on Oak Ridge and Port Royal.

 After reading Anne Jennings Brown's book, we were eager to see the areas where she lived, where the privateers careened their ships and buried their treasure.  At one point around 5000 people lived in this area supporting the privateers. The evidence of their presence can still be found in old rum bottles, sunken ships, and pottery. We passed by an old fort which had been destroyed by an overenthusiastic treasure hunter who detonated explosives in his search for gold.  He was unsuccessful.

Old Fort Destroyed by Treasure Hunters

Lodging at Mango Creek Lodge

I was hoping to be able to visit the home of Anne Jennings Brown, but was disappointed to learn the path was overgrown with vegetation.  If I have a chance to visit again, I will wear jeans and bring my own machete!! We spent some time visiting Mango Creek Lodge which specializes in Eco-tourism and fly fishing for permit, tarpon and bone fish.

Walter Our Boat Driver

Soon we were ready to travel by boat to our snorkeling destination. Walter the boat guide for our trip loaded the boat with a picnic tent, coolers with drinks and lunch, and us.Walter speaks an island style of English that is very reminiscent of Elizabethan English, somewhat difficult to understand but enchanting.  He explained the names of the islands as we passed by: Morat, Santa Elena, Barbareta and Guanja in the distance. Morat is uninhabited. No islander will spend the night there because of evil spirits called duppies. One house is on the island ---owned but unoccupied.  They say the owners won't stay there overnight either.  In fact from Port Royal on, islanders claim to see the blue lights of  duppies at night-- said to be spirits of privateers guarding their pirate treasure!

Barbareta Island

After a magical boat ride through the canals and mangrove cuts and across pristine turquoise water,  we spied the Pigeon Keys in the distance.  There are two tiny little cays sticking up and out of the water. Walter informed us that the larger cay had suffered a large loss of sand because of Hurricane Richard  in October which hit this end of the islands hardest.

Pigeon Cay

 We landed on a sandy beach and were able to walk around Pigeon Key in less than 5 minutes! The guys set up the cover for shade and Walter set out the coolers.  We enjoyed a special island meal of pasta salad and chicken with corn.  After lunch in this idyllic setting, we donned our snorkel gear and headed off to explore the reef. It was truly amazing with beautiful stag horn corals, brightly colored tropical fish and clear, clean water. We found conch shells, sea glass, and intricate broken coral washed  in close to the beach.

Steve and Jenny

Finally we had to leave the cay (key) to head back to Mango Creek Resort and the end of our day. Walter made one last stop on Fort George Cay to allow Jenny and I to beachcomb one last time.

Immediately she found a perfect babies ear!! (known here as a mermaid's ear) In just a few minutes we were able to find an abundance of tiny seashells. As we pulled up to the dock at the resort, Patrice's head popped up from the water where she had been herding the conchs.  Their resort is a sanctuary for the conchs and they try to keep them from leaving the area to protect them. It is a daily chore! If the conchs escape the bay, they are fair game for the islanders who harvest them for their meat.

BJ

As it was getting later in the afternoon and darkness comes quickly here, we traveled  back to Oak Ridge and our awaiting truck.  We took a few minutes to talk to BJ, buy a couple of books and have her autograph her picture.  It was an awesome day out on the beautiful waters of Roatan.  I hope to return and spend another magical day exploring this less visited area of  Roatan.


Click Here for Additional Pictures of Our Trip

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone

Missing my friends and family on this Thanksgiving Day.  I'm not going to write a long blog today but just share some of the beautiful things we see here each day.  We did go snorkeling again yesterday but the batteries in the camera were exhausted so I didn't get to take pictures and we saw the most amazing fish, schools of them swimming around us, touching us, it was magical. Enjoy your day together with each other and know we are thinking of you. If you want to see some pictures of West Bay Beach on Sundays, the Meridian lighthouse beach down the lane from us, or interesting places in West End,  please just click the link below.  It will take you to a slide show.

http://picasaweb.google.com/gallown/RoatanThanksgiving?authkey=Gv1sRgCI-YkoOd-LOTcw#slideshow/5543501146044070578

Lempiras, Dollars, and Credit Cards

One of the first things we learned during our stay was the value of the local currency called the lempira. Lempira are always paper money; there are no coins to deal with. However, there are multiple denominations of Lempiras: one, two, five, ten, twenty, fifty, hundreds, five hundreds. You will find these bills accumulate very rapidly, but you never have the one bill you need.....I think it has something to do with Murphy and his laws.

 One  US dollar is about a twenty lempira bill.  The ones less than twenty would by like our coins. So 10 Limperas is about 50 cents and so on.  That's why they accumulate so rapidly and they do not like to take large lempiras for a small purchase.  100 Lempiras is just 5 dollars....it was a hard concept for me...math you know.

Generally in the tourist areas on the island, your bill (la cuenta) comes to you in US dollars and if you have dollars they will take them.  However, you will receive any change in "lemps" as they are called.
Now credit cards can be used on the island as well.  Not every business takes them and even if they do, you may or may not hit a day when the credit card machines are working.  For example if the internet is down, or the power is out, or it's raining or windy or.........so the best advice is be prepared with cash either Lempiras or dollars.

Now the question becomes...how do you get more cash?  Well there are ATM's and Banks.  The ATM's generally work but they give you cash in Lempiras.  There is a charge just like in the states, it may be a little higher because of the transfer in currency. You can only get about 5000 Lempiras at a time  which is about $250 US.  We always ask if the machine is working before we insert our card because we have heard of cards getting stuck and the like.  I would advise having a duplicate card available in case that happens.  It is also advisable to inform you banks and credit card companies that you will be traveling in Honduras.  The fraud alerts may be triggered the first time you try using your credit card if you haven't given them advanced warning.

Banks are another story. There are armed guards at the doors and they generally do not speak English and they have BIG guns.  They require you to turn off and/or turn in your cell phone which you then deposit in an outdoor locker.  No worries...they do have those big guns.... Usually there is a line inside the bank and since everything goes more slowly here, you just have to be patient.

After waiting and finally getting a teller who may or may not speak any English, you can try to change your American dollars for Lempiras....but you need identification in the form of your passport....or maybe not, sometimes they will take just your drivers license. Oh and forget about Travelers checks...I don't think I've ever seen one here are generally held for thirty days.

Taxes on the island are high...as much as 16 %.  Tipping may or may not be "incluida"...not as widely practiced on the island as in the states but most servers are very friendly and work multiple jobs to support themselves and their families.  They are grateful for whatever you want to give them.  You generally should give them the money rather than try to add it to your check. Many times you can't even do that. I have read that US $2 bills are  considered lucky and make good tips. Apparently lt is important to use only the newer printed US bills and ones with no tears. Go figure.
We have been able to do much of our banking and regular bill paying online...the internet is indeed a wonderful thing!

Critters We Live With

For quite a while now, early in the evening and again as the sun rises, Michael and I heard this very loud chirping sound.  We guessed it was some type of bird but were unable to spy it.  The other evening we were sitting in the living room watching TV when the loud chirping sound came again.  It seemed very close.  I looked over to the wall and there was some type of reptile singing his song! We have since discovered they are called House Geckos and are a brownish color and they often chirrup their disapproval or whatever!

The next critter on my list is a strange little rodent.  These little guys are pretty shy but when you are out and about early in the morning you find them grazing on the lawn or hopping down the road.  They are definitely  a rodent but about the size of a rabbit, and the likeness increased when we saw them hop off, we were intrigued.  After a little investigation we found  they are called Roatan Rabbits.

Then there are the leaf cutter ants....huge trails of ants each with a little leaf on their back...we step over them.

I'll skip tarantulas....haven't seen one but my neighbor has....yikes!  There are also boa constrictors but we haven't encountered any, thank you very much!

On the porch, there are anoles which are pretty green lizards with blue heads, larger then the green chameleons we see in Florida.  They are cool, and puff out their throats to show off.

My favorite critters are the hummingbirds.  They are always out and about, and have gotten so used to us they  fly right up to your head.  We can get inches away from them.  They come in the rain, when the wind is blowing, its the most amazing show.

But at twilight if you forget to bring in the hummingbird feeder, we are visited by fruit bats which can drain the sugar water in one night! We have to remember to close the front door...it doesn't have a screen and we don't  want any strange visitors!

There are iguanas but we have only seen them as road kill...sorry!
.....and then there are the monkey lala's

........got to order that drink soon!