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Roatan, Honduras is a small island in the Caribbean, about 35 miles off the mainland. It is known for its beaches, diving, and snorkeling. We were here four years ago, and we ended up renting a car and driving the one road to its end point. Roatan is only 28 miles long and 3 miles wide, so it normally would not have taken very long. HOWEVER, the road had the most potholes we have ever encountered in our lifetimes. Our ride was a wild zigzag all over the road to try to avoid damaging the car. In colder cities, potholes usually develop over the winter as cars maneuver through snow and ice. But this is a tropical island, warm every day of the year. And, as we have already said – the entire island has only one road! Fixing it for the tourist trade would be logical. But logic doesn’t exist in the Caribbean.
Just as yesterday in Cozumel, the area immediately off the ship was a manufactured tourist shopping village. There were bars and lots of retail shops. We walked along a pretty path to leave the port, where everyone wanted to sell us a tour, an excursion, a taxi ride, an adventure. We just walked along the road for 30 minutes or so and then turned back. There are photos of some of the homes and businesses we saw along the main road. Apparently, Roatan’s sloths and monkeys are a big draw here. We declined a tour to see them, as the monkeys are given sunflower seeds by their trainers to sit on your shoulder, jump on your head, and steal any loose items you are carrying. You must surrender your suntan lotion before entering the park, as one monkey mama took it, sprayed it all over her newborn, and killed it. They love Velcro, and if your hat has a strip on the back for sizing, they will open and close it a hundred times, just to hear the sound it makes.
All in all, Roatan didn’t do much for us as a destination. We left the ship, we took photos, and we returned within an hour to write this blog for your enjoyment. It was very humid and hot, and we were glad to return to air conditioning, cold drinks, and lunch!
A pineapple and watermelon greeting, welcoming us to Honduras!Yes, we would love one Monkey Lala and one Hama Mama!…whatever they are.The bar outside the ship was busy, with international flags adorning the ceiling.The Welcome Sign to the Island of Roatan, with a cannon and life preservers. (We don’t know if that is significant or meaningful in any way.)Fresh Coconut Water, yes, but as you can see, you can “enhance” it with rum…vodka…tequila…or gin!The Crazy Pineapple Bar had swings to sit on!Mother and son having the dead skin on their feet eaten by fish……but no fish teeth to worry about.When we looked back at our cruise ship, we were amazed at how much it completely dominated and overwhelmed the port.A pretty path inside the port, leading to the Outside World.The water just sparkled today.The clouds were quite dramatic, too.The building on the left is a hotel, but the building on the right is…a college. The sign advertises a Bachelor’s degree in Science and the Humanities.One of two barber shops within two blocks or so, both with logos unrelated to the profession.Here is the other.One of the biggest tourist draws on Roatan is visiting the park with sloths and Capuchin monkeys.We think this is just a floating party “boat,” as it has benches and advertises Free Wi-Fi, a Charging Station, a Restroom (WHERE???), a Bluetooth Speaker, and 5 Local Beers or Drinks.It seems small for all of that, but what do we know?A typical home, once we got outside of the busy port.Adjacent to the residence was a store, and apparently it is where ALL the electrical wires for the neighborhood meet in a giant knot.The Three Pyramids of Roatan. Apparently, these dirt piles have been in front of this home forever, as various plants and weeds were growing from them.Why this photo, you ask? So you can see some of the only road’s potholes! Those are tiny compared to some we saw last time farther into the island. The others had us wishing we had rented a tall 4WD truck.Either they have big plans for the barren piece of land inside, or it used to be a big something that has now faded. The sign boasts, Gastronomy – Culture – Flora – Fauna – History.A small inlet we passed on the main road.This is interesting, once we converted Honduran Limpiras to US dollars. The first is bananas, 5 for 41 cents. A carton of eggs is $3.68. Third, a pound of chicken is $1.02. For the fourth item, we saw pollo and menudo and said, wow – chicken and soup for $1.02! Then we looked up Pata de Pollo and discovered it was a Chicken Foot with Menudo Soup! We skipped trying that one this time…maybe on our next visit. The last item is a pound of cooking oil for $1.23.
