A Beautiful Week in Roatan

Since the Hurricane came through last weekend, the weather has cleared and been beautiful.  The wind was up at the first of the week blowing out of the southeast steady and strong.  It made the water off our house pretty rough.   We weren't able to get out around the island because our truck seized up.  I don't know why but the emergency break locked and we were unable to get it loose.  The truck owner finally got his mechanic out on Wednesday morning.  I was glad to see them because we needed to do a grocery store run.  You learn that manana doesn't mean tomorrow but sometime in the future.....no hurry. Anyway when we were able to get to the store we stocked up on things and found some surprises like Stoffer's pecan coffee cake.  The box was a bit battered, but the coffee cake was intact. Going to the grocery is like going on a scavenger hunt.  You keep  list and hope to find what you need.  It took us a month to discover the "crema" in a bag (they put everything in bags) was sour cream.  




Before the truck was fixed Michael and I walked down the steep hill to West Bay Beach, and took a water taxi into West End for the day. We stopped at little shops, ate at food stands and watched the cruise ship crowd at an open air restaurant, then took the water taxi back and walked up the hill (going down is a lot easier). 

Wherever you look there are little side roads and resorts. Asking other people about places is helpful because some of the best places are not visible from the road.  We stopped at the Blue Bahia for a snack because of groceries in the car.  We loved the food and friendly people.  They are serving Thanksgiving dinner so we will make our reservations for an afternoon seating. They are providing a traditional American Thanksgiving feast and some other folks we have met will probably be going there as well.

We have been snorkeling off the rock shelf and at West Bay Beach.  The reef can be reached from the beach and it is magnificent.  There are tons of cool tropical fish, coral and sea fans.  We will try to use our digital camera underwater tomorrow. I bought a special case for it to use under water.  Hopefully it will work.

As I mentioned we have met several interesting neighbors.  We all went to dinner in West End the other night.  That was the first time we have been out on the roads after dark.  The road (there is only one) is curvy and dark.   Our neighbor has lived here for 5 years and is used to it. I think we will probably be more confident as there wasn't much if any traffic.  You just need to go slow and watch for people walking in the road, taxis that stop suddenly, fallen trees, dogs, mud slides....no problem.

 

Hurricane Richard and Other Things

Haven't posted in a few days as we have been without power and internet.  Everything is back to normal and the weather has cleared out, sun is shining and the island returns to normal.  Richard came in after the Auburn game on Saturday thank goodness, so Michael had TV and electric.  The game was great....War Eagle. Around 11:30 Saturday the wind and rain hit with a vengeance. Richard blew through Roatan for about twelve hours.  The electric went out almost at once.  I think they turned it off on purpose to save damage at least that is what I heard later.By sunrise we were able to watch the waves hit the iron shore below us.  The waves crashed and blew up through the rocks. The rain came down sideways, poured for hours. By noon on Sunday, the storm moved far enough away from the island for the wind to slack and the rain to stop.  I have included some pictures we took of the waves after the storm already departed.  It is hard to capture the perspective of size but they were crashing twenty feet high. Amazing.  

We still didn't have power. By Sunday afternoon we contacted some neighbors with a generator to see if they could take some of our food, which they graciously did. Darkness comes early on Roatan.  By 5:30 it was pitch black and no sign of power coming back on.  Later that night we could see lights down the island so we know power was being restored to some parts. Monday morning we had the most beautiful sunrise.

 About 24 hours after the storm hit we had lights again.  Internet was another matter.  It took another whole day before we were able to get back online.  Richard left trees down and lots of foliage and debris tossed about.   The local islanders have been busy raking and cleaning the streets and beaches to prepare for the next round of cruise ships.  Today the sun was warm and bright, the cruise ships docked and everyone enjoyed the beauty of this tropical island. 

Snorkeling off the Iron Coast

Today was beautiful.  Blue skies and warm sunshine started the day.  The seas were calm with little breeze.  I headed to the gazebo after breakfast to enjoy some sunshine early.  Our neighbor and his wife were down at the gazebo and out onto the steps getting ready to try out their new hookah rig for diving without air tanks. Ken is from Canada -hey. And he thinks I have an accent..lol.  Their adventure was good news for me as we have wanted to snorkel off the rock shelf but have been reluctant to try without some local knowledge. Ivanka  was too nervous to try the hookah rig as she has just recently certified scuba diving here in Roatan.  She decided to snorkel instead.  It was very cool to watch and they were able to show me how to get in and out of the water at the rock shelf.  Easy and I can't wait to get my gear and try it out myself. Check out some additional photos here .http://picasaweb.google.com/gallown/SnorkelingOffTheIronCoast?authkey=Gv1sRgCK-QybyUopDQ9QE#slideshow/5530648334792262434

It looks like Tropical Storm Richard will be paying us a visit this weekend.  They have issued a tropical storm watch for Northern Honduras and the Bay Islands.  Richard may be upgraded to a hurricane and is expected here Saturday and Sunday.  It's going to be a breezy rainy weekend for sure!

Exploring Roatan on a Rainy Saturday

The sun rises very early here and so do we. We were out of the house by 7:30 and on our way to explore the East End of Roatan. First stop Coffee!! There is a little coffee shop down the hill and we enjoyed cappuccinos and croissants.  Very delicious and so fortified we traveled through the countryside, along the mountain ridge and  to Jonesville. Jonesville was founded in 1812 and it still looks like it.  The road is down the mountain to the shore, unpaved and full of potholes and washouts.  The road through town is unpaved as well and most of the houses seem perched over the water. This is a community devoted to the fishing industry and there is no tourism at all.  The only attraction is a wonderful quirky restaurant we have yet to visit. You can only  go by boat which the restaurant sends over when you bang on a plank.

On Sunday they have an all you can eat special of lobster or shrimp,,BBQ filet mignon and sides like homemade coleslaw, mashed potatoes, and cold beer.

Our next stop after climbing back up the hill road (4x drive) we made our way off the main paved highway to the East end where all the roads are gravel and dirt.  

Punta Gorda was the next stop. Here are a couple of photos taken from the truck. This is a town whose main population are the Garifuna Indians who were abandoned here by the Spanish.

The water here is very clean.

Next stop Paya Bay which has lovely beaches, eco tourism,  a beautiful restaurant and a friendly owner who was born on the island. But before we arrived we picked up some hitchikers quite by accident! Two small boys were trying to thumb a ride, Michael and I shook our heads no and continued on down the bumpy dirt road.  Suddenly Michael started laughing and said "Look in the back of the truck!"

They hopped out as we turned down the drive to Paya Bay. Since it was so rainy and we were the only people at the resort the owner gave a tour of the rooms and visited with us giving me many useful tips on where to get fresh seafood on the island.  She also gave me her phone number and encouraged me to call her if I need any other tips or advise.  Such a darling woman. Follow this link to see more photos of this area and Tropical island Divers.    http://picasaweb.google.com/gallown/20101016EastEndRoatan?authkey=Gv1sRgCIWZzcLP6c2nbQ#slideshow/5529078023883580914

The farthest point you can travel to by car is called Camp Bay where there is a hostel and little beach, restaurant and bar.  We made our bumpy way out to this out of the way spot.  As we entered the property we were met by a young man of high school age who inquired about where we were from. Florida brought the response that he had moved to the island from Florida as well. I continued to ask him questions and found that he uses Florida Virtual School to attend High School but that it is sometimes lonely. He then introduced us to his father and informed him we, too, were from Florida.  And out in the middle of nowhere, we find  Mike and his family are from  Hudson, Florida!!! It is truly a small world! 

Here is a more detailed map of Roatan with many of the places we have mentioned.

News From Home

It's always great to hear from Scott and Christopher although the news today was comical at best and a minor disaster at worst.  Seems since my Honda Element has been sitting for the past two weeks, our local endangered palm rats decided it was too cold for their comfort and the Element would make a fine winter spot.  Christopher, Scott and Grandpa discovered the mess as they were going out for a nice lunch together.  Scott had come to visit his brother and Grandpa and they were going to treat him to a lunch out. That's when the rodents were discovered.  They had invaded and perhaps died in the AC.  They made a mess.  So another international call was needed to decide what to do next.  Scott got out of town....(smart move) leaving Grandpa and Christopher to access the damages and salvage my car.  It looks like a trip to an exterminating auto repair shop is in order!  Christopher swears we plan these misadventures to test him.....you couldn't invent this stuff.

We finally have fresh red snapper to have for dinner.  Had to buy the whole fish but they fillet it and package it for the trip home in the car. The weather is rainy today, but yesterday was the best beach day yet.

  I went swimming and the water was perfect.  Since all the cruise ships were canceled this week because of Hurricane Paula, it was very quiet at West Bay Beach.  We had a great visit.

Our hummingbirds are everywhere, even flying into our faces. They are wonderful.  We even have two little kitties who have decided we're cool for a free meal now and again.  Michael won't let them in the house so they lounge on the deck waiting for a handout.  We call them Double & Trouble. 

No need for AC here at all right now.  Very comfortable during the day and sleeping under the fan at night is great. Today it is cloudy but the dampness isn't too bad...nothing molding yet...not even me.

Some Days are Golden....But Some Are Not!

We started the day with an email that said our Credit Card had been hacked (not from Honduras because we aren't using  it here ), found out there was a Hurricane brewing and our beach day was a wash.  Never daunted we changed plans (after a call to Christopher to help with the Credit card) and decided to explore more of the island.  After leaving the house and traveling up the hill, Michael was stopped at a road block by Honduran "policia" - now we have heard horror stories about this.  So according to other foreigners you play stupid....not hard for us.....claim no spanish....don't understand....give wrong paper work  etc.  They have been known to take your drivers license and require a "payment" to get it back.....Well all went fine and stupid worked. Michael got his license back.
Next we traveled to Coxen Hole and found a hardware store where they could not understand us, handed us a phone and I talked to someone who sort of understood my spanglish. Well that didn't work. We left empty handed and traveled on. Several uneventful miles passed; we found a hardware store that at first blush might seem like a home depot.....you would be wrong.  However, we found several things we needed like duck tape....don't leave home without it....and my hummingbird feeder.....Hurray.  Some rugs, wd40, work gloves....the essentials of life.
Next we stopped at several industrial type areas that were supposed to have fishing gear, and several very helpful semi english-speaking people helped me finally find a building that had HUGH hooks and gear....I'm talking catching sailfish here.   Trying again I finally found a very unlikely place that had some gear.  After pantomiming  what I wanted I found enough stuff to start fishing off the rocks here.
We found a distributing point for beverages on the island....think shipping dock with stacks of drinks in cases.  We heard locals buy here instead of grocery stores so we stocked up on some soft drinks and beer.  Taking off I  in the truck I realized....wallet in hand....I had left my purse on a crate YIKES....Michael managed a u- turn and we made it back in several minutes.   The guys at the dock hadn't even noticed it thanks goodness as.it had my ipod, camera, and copy of my passport.... heart-attack.
Okay off again to buy some fresh fish....a simple idea on an island right?   Think again.  We made it back to Coxen Hole, going on noon so the traffic was picking up and school was letting out for lunch...they do not provide a lunch for the kids. So streets are crowded, kids walking everywhere, bicycles, taxis....and so on... We miss our turn and wind our way through the back streets (think barrio) and make it back to a main road with all the cars, taxis, trucks, coming at us from both directions honking horns....It seems we missed the sign that said one way.....Michael is part Latin I am convinced because his machismim came to the forefront and  he backed down the taxis who finally let us out....all the while I am saying "lo siento" (I'm sorry).  We made several passes through town always managing to miss the Flying Fish  fish market but finding the local open air market. We will come back another day, find a place to park and do a walking tour of this area.  It looked really different. We finally decided after the last wrong turn that we weren't that hungry for fish after all and headed back to West Bay beach for lunch and a cool beverage on the beach.Noon was not a good time to be in town....cruise ship day or not and won't be doing that again.
The good news is we set up the Hummingbird feeder this morning and within 2 hours hummingbirds are everywhere.  I am thrilled.
The cruise ships passed so close to the island this morning I thought they were on the porch. Hurricane Paula is changing the cruise ship itineraries but the weather here is gorgeous.

Our First Week

This week was fun as we learned how to get around, where to buy things and how to work in limperas (the currency here).

Our house in Roatan sits high on the Iron coast. The photo was taken from the pool area right above us.  We have really nice views of the water and the coast of Honduras from the balconies and gazebo. The house is well equipped and it is easy to cook.  Even when the electric went off for a while again yesterday we were fine as  the stove is gas and you can still get a meal together.

This picture was taken in Sandy Bay.  It has been windy and stormy here lately and you can see the debris washed ashore.  Not the prettiest beach, lots of run off from the mountain streams leave the shallows looking muddy.  The reef is further out and you cans see the docks extend out to deeper water.

Lots of waterfront restaurants in West End.  We went for lunch here.  It's so pretty to sit over the water. Cruise ship days are crowded and busy in West End so we will probably avoid that in the future. Tourists on horses, tourist vans and pedestrians share the dirt road through town.  It reminds me of what Key West must have been like years ago.

Although it has been a rainy week, we did manage some sun time at the pool. 

West Bay Beach ends in these old coral rocks. The reef is right off shore and you can easily swim out to snorkel but not when the waves are up as the coral is very close to the surface.

Weeks End

We went to watch the sunset Friday night at the Infinity Bay Resort right on the beach at West Bay Beach. This is the closest beach to us and it is beautiful. 

Out and About

We were going to walk the West End from West Bay Beach, about a 40 minute walk, but the winds were up and waves pounding the shore.  Part of the way you have to be in the water, so we decided to wait for a prettier day and took the truck.  Today was a cruise ship day so there were many taxis and tour vans on the roads and in the town.  We met and chatted with folks visiting from North Carolina and Idaho who were enjoying their first trip to Roatan.  Not a good beach day but no rain until later in the day.  Ate lunch at a Thai restaurant and early dinner at the Lighthouse Restaurant.  Michael enjoyed his birthday.

We watched the cruise ships leave at 6:30; they pass right by the house and are lit up like  Christmas trees.  A Boat Parade every day or so.

Saturday is Canadian Thanksgiving and restaurants are advertising turkey and dressing dinners so I guess I won't have to worry about having a turkey dinner for our Thanksgiving in November.

Sun is out this morning, wind is down so it's off to the pool and gazebo by the water for a little sun time.

WE MADE IT

It was a long day on Saturday but we arrived on time around 2 Florida time. We were met by our taxi driver who took us to the supermarket first where we stocked up on a few things to get us through the weekend. Claudio and his wife met us at the house and showed us around again. Emiliana had decorated the house with flowers and flower petals everywhere.  It was very welcoming and pleasant.  Saturday was sunny and warm but we were so late getting settled in that we didn't make it to the beach.  Sunday was stormy all day but we managed to take the truck we rented out for a drive to make yet another grocery store stop!!! We spent Sunday relaxing and putting our things away.  Today it is partly cloudy but we are going into West Bay Beach to walk around and explore.
For those of you who look for me on Facebook, I am having technical difficulties with them.  They think my logging in from a different location is some type of spam and have locked me out of my account.  I am trying to rectify the problem but am finding the process frustratingly slow if not impossible.

Well we are off to the beach.......will take the camera and get some photos.
Nancy

Down to the Wire!!!

Okay...I can't get one more thing in my luggage or it will be overweight!  Just can't think of anything else we've forgotten...even got my absentee ballot!!  We  have to get up around 4:00 AM to make our 7:20 flight out of Tampa. Fly to Atlanta...wrong direction.....to fly south again to Roatan on a connecting flight.  We are so excited and ready to go. Even the house is clean. Six months seems like a long time but it will probably pass very quickly so I plan enjoying every minute.  Next post .....Roatan!