Cold brings out the complaining in me

Yes, the U.S. of A. is screwed again just like it was in the 1890’s and the 1930’s, and just like before it was the filthy rich who caused it, and it’s the middle class (or what’s left of it) who are expected to fix it. While Wall Street hedge fund managers, bankers and corporate CEO's (making tens of millions of dollars a year) shop the world for cheap labor and lucrative investments, American workers are told they need to tighten their belts ‘cause the country can no longer afford to support their highfalutin middle class lifestyles.

And the winner is...

The winner of this month’s Bob's Guess Where I am Game™, and recipient of the prestigious honorary title "Sharpest Crayon in the Box" is Lightly for correctly guessing the Isle of "Jonesville Point" - Roatan, Honduras (on Feb 21^st.) Congratulations Lightly!

It’s too hot… I take that back!

Today it was well above 80° as I carried the luggage across the tarmac to the airplane and I was moaning that it was too hot. Tonight it was below 20° as I carried the luggage across the snow and into the house. Looks like I won’t be complaining about the heat for awhile.

My Favorites

After nearly two weeks of eating and drinking and thoroughly enjoying the Village of West End, Roatan I’m ready to announce the winners of this vacation’s coveted Moody Awards:

The envelopes please…

Best food: (a tie) The Rotisserie and The Noodle Shack

Best dessert: The Rotisserie

Best spot for a drink: Sundowner’s

Best spot for a cheap drink: Happy Hour

Best cheap breakfast: Coconut Café

Best iced mocha: The Wet Spot

Best street view deck dining: Cannibal Café

Best Ocean view deck dining: Half Moon Bay Restaurant

Best boat cruise destination: Hole in the Wall Restaurant

Best taxi destination: Coxen Hole waterfront

Best snorkeling: Half Moon Bay (along the left shore inside and outside the reef)

 

If you're looking for a laid back Caribbean destination West End, Roatan might be just what you're looking for. It's a little jewel among giants. I can only compare it to Cancun, The Bahamas, and Jamaica, but it stacks up well and I hope to return some day!

Cruzin' the City

We left the village of West End today to spend an afternoon in the big city of Coxen Hole. Coxen Hole (Roatan’s urban center) is where the cruise ships dock several times each week to offload thousands of tourists into the island economy. The city’s inhabitants open up their shops and restaurants for the duration of each ship’s visit, turning the waterfront into a giant flea market. The locals are eager to welcome you and ready to bargain, and while of course they want your money, they're also quite polite and quick to accept “no thank you” as your final answer. As pleasant as it is during the day however, I'm told that it isn’t the safest place to be at night… so if you ever take a cruise there, be sure to get back to your ship on time.

Hanging out with Squid

What a great snorkeling morning I had today. While swimming through a sunlit channel in the coral reef I came upon a squid. It was about a foot and a half long with big black eyes and multicolored lines running down its translucent body. When I swam over to take its picture it darted off (the coolest fish always seem to do that, while the drab ones just float there begging you to waste your film on them) so I chased it around for a bit. Soon I was circling it, or it was circling me… it was hard to tell. When I stopped, it stopped, and we just floated there looking at each other. I took several photos as it posed in all the classic squid poses; first stretched straight, then sort of hunched up ready to dart off again, then all flared out like you’d expect to see in the centerfold of Squid Magazine. Thinking I had a pretty good variety of squid photos I stopped taking pictures, but it kept on posing… looking at me with that big black eye. Then more posing, and again with the eye. I had to explain to it that I was almost out of film, and needed to save the last few exposures just in case something fantastic swam up. The squid was insulted. It was awkward, but we just floated there together for a few minutes watching the other fish.

Then a beautiful black fish with glowing neon blue dots and a bright yellow tail swam by, so I bid the squid adieu, and followed fishius fantasticus out into the open water. Remember what I said about the coolest fish? I may have a blurred picture of a yellow tail to show you later, but you’re probably gonna have to trust me on the neon blue dots. Later after snorkeling around the reef for awhile I decided it was time to return to shore, but before going back in I returned to the spot where I left the squid. It was still there, and this time it didn’t dart off. We hung out for as bit, communicating as best we could “eye to eye” and then I pointed the camera at it, and took my last photo. It seemed pleased, and so was I as I swam back to shore… hoping that some of the photos turn out.

Half Moon Bay

I hope to begin the next few mornings just like today… snorkeling Half Moon Bay. The varieties of corals, creatures, and fish are amazing. The slower you swim, and the closer you look, the more you see. I think I could drift around all day among these colorful inhabitants of the reef, and be as happy as a sea turtle.” After seeing this, I think the life of clam is way over rated.