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A Sunday in Oakridge, Roatan

 in Deb's Travels / Food

Sunday May 20, 2012, 6:09pm I am sitting on the front stoop of my friend’s home. Omar and 11 year old Richard went out fishing today, so 11 year old More is helping Omar clean the fish now: scaling, removing guts, cleaning. Actually, they were just doing the last two as I arrived. More’s grandmother makes sure that the plastic bag goes into the garbage and not in the sea. He sweeps the porch. Some of the fish will be dinner tonight. The rest will go into the freezer. And now it’s bath time for the fishing crew. The street lights went on as I was sitting and writing this. This house is the end of the line for the lights. I wish there were a few more as there are now homes up the road. Someday. However this particular road ends at the jungle a ways up so although […]

A slice of life among my Roatan friends

 in Central America / Deb in Honduras / Deb's Travels / Honduras

May 19 A slice of life among my Roatan friends. I am with my friend, a few sisters, brothers, husbands, and various children. We are at a home that is down the road a short walk from her mother’s over-the-ocean home, on the other side of the narrow road. As with the homes over the water, these homes are built on stilts. However, these homes are cut into the jungle. Several homes sit side by side. Yes, like in an American suburb. Each home has a good chunk of cleared land for the home, side and back yards. Yes, like in an American suburb. But behind the back yard clearing is jungle. Lots of jungle! No other backyards like in American suburbia. In fact, there is no other home, no other yard. Not a freeway either. If you were to manage to walk — to cut your way — through […]

Polly Creek — a must-do boat ride in Roatan!

 in Deb's Travels / Sight-seeing

Delia took me, Moorie and Sharia on a boat tour to show me some more of Roatan’s magic. We drove past Jonesville. I have passed the sign for the road down to Jonesville several times from the main road, but not known it from the ocean. Then we passed Bluerock. Then I learned the reason for this trip — Polly Creek (Pronounced Pole-y) — a long narrow waterway cut through the mangroves. I took video of it. On the way back we stopped at Lucy Point to sit, enjoy the view and have some snacks.

Another Roatan day

 in Central America / Deb in Honduras / Deb's Travels / Honduras

Thursday, May 17, 2012 A rainy day. I wanted to go to Delia’s mom’s house to visit some of the kids as this was to be my last day in this part of Roatan. Hopefully I would see Delia too. I needed to get some work done first. The internet signal wasn’t great. The hard rain seemed to block it, preventing me from communicating but at the same time it also prevented the dorries for, running so going up to socialize was nixed too. With perfect timing, one of Delia’s sisters stopped by and offered me a ride. I happily stepped out the front door and into the motorboat. Another woman was on board — a very nice American woman We talked as we rode. En route we stopped at a waterfront home. Our hostess/driver got out and returned with a clear bottle of liquid and a plastic funnel. Gasoline […]

Skype call on Honduran data card

 in Central America / Deb in Honduras / Deb's Travels / Honduras / Traveling with Technology

Tonight I did my segment for Computer Talk Radio (on the air, syndicated radio show) via Skype as usual, but used my new Claro data card on my unlocked iphone 4GS. The Skype Voice call for 24 minutes was about 10mb sent and 10mb received. I thought it would be much more data! Claro, in case you are interested, is the less expensive of the two Honduras cellular carriers. I paid 290 Limpera for a 15 day period providing me with 5 Gb of data. For 490 you can have 1month and 7gb. An additional week will be 140 for another 7 days, 3gb. My first card was TIGO. I paid 45 Limpera for the card. (There was no charge for the Claro card.) Then they get 500 Limpera for a month and it gives you 5gb. The exchange rate is 19 Limpera to a dollar but we all round […]

Lazy home day in Roatan

 in Central America / Deb in Honduras / Deb's Travels / Honduras

Yesterday was a lazy home day, at home at Yolanda’s with her little girls, Amy and Adrie. The plan was for Dalia to come and work with me on some writing but she got busy with other things and never made it. A couple of their other sisters came over, and a couple of cousins. My major activity of the day was scratching or trying not to scratch the various bites that cover my arms, back, and lower legs. In between I had some fun with the kids and digital camera.

Another land crab sighting

 in Central America / Deb in Honduras / Deb's Travels / Honduras / Sight-seeing / Sight-Seeing in Honduras

Walking down from my room in the Mango Creek Lodge hillside lodge I was thinking of my recent crab sighting at closely watching the crab holes in the ground that I passed. This time I noticed one crab hiding within his hole. I wasn’t about to scare it. I walked past it and then stayed very still just to see if I could see it come out. That’s when I noticed another crab right there beside the other crab’s hole. And… I got a photo of it. After I took the photo he raced into his own hole. I resumed my walk so they could relax.

Looking into WOFF

 in Deb's Travels / Food

A few weeks ago, a man I trust told me about WWOOF – World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms: living, learning, sharing organic lifestyles. So I am looking into the groups of it that are WOFF in Latin America for now. No plans with this yet though.

Still at Mango Creek Lodge

 in Central America / Deb in Honduras / Deb's Travels / Food / Food in Honduras / Honduras / Sight-seeing / Sight-Seeing in Honduras

Although I LOVE it here, I cannot stay forever. I had planned to leave today, going to Dalia’s sister’s home (for a few days) when Dalia finished working. My clothes were clean, my backpack packed up nicely. But as it turns out, they felt water was too rough for me and my backpack to be comfortable and dry in Delia’s small boat, so I am back in my room up the hill, again enjoying the breeze from the fan above my head and the sounds of Roatan’s tropical jungle life and breezes outside my patio doors. Tonight’s dinner was a fabulous beef and shrimp kebab. It wasn’t quite Teriyaki. It is Dalia’s own concoction — a bit sweet and a bit spicy. Lucky for everyone who doesn’t get to eat Dalia’s cooking here, she is putting it in her recipe book.

Land crab surprise

 in Central America / Deb in Honduras / Honduras / Sight-seeing / Sight-Seeing in Honduras

As you walk around the Mango Creek Property, or at least the parts by the housing and docks that most people walk when here, you cannot help noticing the very many holes in the ground. These are the land crabs’ holes. But try as I did, I never saw a crab inside any of them. The other night I had a delightful treat. As I stepped off the back porch in the dark, I noticed a shape moving on the ground just a step away. It was a land crab! Noticing me or feeling my step, it scooted under the step for safety but I could still see it. Then I noticed another, and two more! I watched them for a while. It was fun to see them slowly slide sideways.

Saving the Conch In Honduras

 in Central America / Deb in Honduras / Deb's Travels / Honduras / Sight-seeing / Sight-Seeing in Honduras

Today I helped save the Conch again. The last couple of days here at Mango Creek Lodge, I have noticed Patrice pick up Conch and place them into deeper water. She’d explained that they like to climb up the shore to eat the sweet grass that grows there, but then on some hot days the tide goes out leaving them stranded. Patrice and Terry have created a safe zone for Conch because they’re being over fished. So I have taken to doing this when Patrice is focused on taking guests out snorkeling or such. Actually, last week I snorkeled for Conch too, carrying a mesh bag in which we collected the Conch and carried (swam) them into our safe area so they have a chance to live, grow, lay eggs, and help their population thrive. I must comfiest though, Conch were actually deeper than I like to go so Terry, […]

Port Royal, day 2: odd start, comfortable welcome

 in Boats / Central America / Deb's Travels / Honduras / Sailing / Sight-seeing / Sight-Seeing in Honduras

This morning Irene and Robert came over from their boat, Flilat I was thrilled that I would have a chance to speak with them! They came to ask Skipper-man to translate a label that is in German. I greeted them, called Skipper-man, and then tried to stick around so I could speak with them afterward. But Skipper-man literally pushed me aside and off the bench, so I was unable to maintain a conversation or set up another meeting. Later, I mentioned to Skipper-man that I was glad they were here and he asked why. I told him, “she has a Mac and she invited me on board to fix some of my problems.” Then Skipper-man announced we were move to a buoy closer to the land. My hopes of connecting with Irene were dashed but I was thrilled that although we’d still be anchored out, separated by water, it would […]

Roatan, Port Royal, still on the boat

 in Boats / Central America / Deb in Honduras / Deb's Travels / Honduras / Sailing

Today we moved again. Again I expected to sail on to the next island but again we just motored a short way. We are in Port Royal, anchored out at a buoy kindly put out by the owners of Mango Creek Lodge here in Port Royal. It is their beautiful, colorful over-the-water cabanas we face. I knew about Mango Creek Lodge from Lori, who told me and said it is a nice courtesy to go on land as soon as we get there and say hello to the owners. I told this to the family as we pulled in and tired up to the buoy. And they did go in. While I was cleaning up below, they quietly dropped the dingy and headed ashore. I came up and looked at them, hands up to ask “what…” No reply. how long would they be ashore? Why wasn’t I allowed to come? […]

Calabash Cove Day 3, The Sailboat

 in Boats / Central America / Deb in Honduras / Deb's Travels / Honduras / Sailing

As the past 2 days, in the morning I went up to the cafe to check email and keep in touch with people to let them know I was safe. It has become difficult to explain to clients that my month of being out of touch has not begun yet, so I am quite uncomfortable. As I sat there, Nico came in to let me know “we are going out to visit the area for the day.” That was ok. They needed family time. But were they just going to motor away in the dingy and not tell me? Here is where bring “crew” can be uncomfortable: it turned out I, the woman of the boat felt I was acting like a guest and not working. I was crew and waiting to sail and in the meantime trying to be helpful with the kids and to help her cook. (And […]

Calabash Cove Day 2, The Sailboat

 in Boats / Central America / Deb in Honduras / Deb's Travels / Honduras / Sailing / Sight-seeing

Today was a terrific day. Mark, owner of Turtlegrass Marina here in Calabash Cove took us out on his motorboat for a tour of the area. Now I have seen some of Roatan’s unique life on the water. The island is mountainous so there is on,y one main road across it, with small offshoots leading to homes or neighborhoods. Many homes are right on the water, built on stilts, and boats are a major mode of transportation. Businesses are either a tad inland so you can still arrive by boat or they are right on the water. The island, or at least this area, has many small inlets or waterways called Bites. Some passages are narrow and lined with mangroves so one proceeds slowly through them. We went to a supermarket or general store that was pretty well stocked. I also bought some great tasting oranges from a fruit cart. […]

Calabash Cove Day 1, The Sailboat

 in Boats / Central America / Deb in Honduras / Deb's Travels / Honduras / Sailing

Today we finally moved out of the harbor to which I arrived. We are on our way to Panama. Well, not quite…. Turns out no one bothered to tell me that we were stopping at another location a few miles, if that, away. We are in Calabash Cove. But we didn’t raise a sail to get here, so still no sailing. Not that I mind seeing more of Roatan. I just wonder why I cannot get any straight answer about plans. “We’re cruisers. We have no plan.” That is what I am told by the skipper/owner. Except that the post inviting people did have a plan.

Toothpaste you can travel with

 in Central America / Deb in Honduras / Deb's Travels / Packing

EVERYTHING you pack matters when you’re packing to travel.

One of the hardest things to find in the US as I packed to travel was a tube of toothpaste. Sadly, flip tops have become the marketing rage, and they do not close well. Whether on the light weight, minimal space-using tube or on the horrid plastic-wasting heavy thick-sided toothpaste containers, those flip lids are far too likely to open as you travel.

The best toothpaste cap for any travel is the good old screw top that you fully remove in order to get to your toothpaste. But finding this is not always easy.

I can actually recommend brands for the USA and for Central America.

Second week on The Sailboat

 in Boats / Central America / Deb in Honduras / Deb's Travels / Honduras / Sailing

We remain anchored out here off Roatan having gone nowhere. So much for the promise of moving on in a few days. It is pretty here but I am not getting to meet local residents of Roatan and not learning Roatan culture. I was promised plenty of sailing but we have yet to raise a sail. I rushed here, passing by places and sights I very much wanted to see. I hope it was worth doing so but am now doubtful.