First Visitors!

Kim: The rainy season is really here folks! I know I said it was here before but that was just a little rain.....It started with a Big Bang during my family's visit over Thanksgiving week with a 4 day storm that locals say was the fiercest in quite a few years!

To start at the beginning of our tale, the flight that my mom, aunt Debi and uncle Jeff arrived on was the inaugural American Airlines flight to Roatan. To celebrate this there was a buffet at the airport, that we were able to enjoy while we waited, a cake at the departure in Dallas, and a traditional hosing down of the plane with fire hoses upon arrival. I was a little concerned at first when I spotted the fire trucks on the tarmac after their plane landed! So good to finally have visitors!! We have been on Roatan five months already and most of our visitors are coming in the last couple of months we are here, so it felt extra special to have family come to see our world and spend time with now.

At the start of the visit, we were able to have a couple of partly sunny days during which we visited the eastern end of Roatan and hung around our 'hood. It was during the national elections, so there were no alcohol sales for 2 days and many things were closed! What a strange start to the visit as everywhere we went we found ourselves saying things such as, "Wow, this is different than usual." and "It is never like this!" However, we were able to do a swim off our dock at Sundancer, host dinner at our cabana, and walk through West End, a little town near us.

Then we moved to West Bay, the quintessential Caribbean beach area where we had rented a house right on the beach for the remaining four nights. The day we arrived was classically sunny, the water turquoise and clear, and the area buzzing with cruise ship passengers. We knew rain was coming (just not how much!), so we dropped our bags in the house and headed to the ocean! My adventurous and incredible mother tried snorkeling for the first time EVER and saw fish underwater. Lucia was a patient and helpful teacher. The reef almost comes right to the shore at the end of the bay. We had plans to advance her snorkeling skills slowly as the week progressed.   

The rest of us had a lovely snorkel where we spotted an eagle ray, a lobster, and many colorful reef fish. Off to the pool for a drink and swim, a walk down the quieting beach, as the cruise passengers returned to the ship, and as the sun dipped into the water so did we.  

Dinner was a table on the beach with delicious food and the wonderful night air all around.

The next morning we awoke to a crashing and tumultuous sea with waves breaking on the shore. I stood at the window for a full five minutes repeating "wow" over and over! I had never seen anything but Caribbean blue in this bay. For the next four days we had a front row seat to the storm as it continued to rage and blow the palm trees first this way and then that. That day we ventured out wearing our bathing suits, but got so pelted by rain and buffeted by the wind we soon retreated! It felt like a hurricane!

 

By mid day the power was out and it stayed out until the next morning, Thanksgiving day. We were woefully prepared with a few candles, a lantern that stopped working and a couple of intermittent flashlights. Somehow dinner was made and games were played by candlelight. It felt cozy and dry in our beautiful house surrounded by family! 

We had Lucia's teacher and finance, Laura and Andy, over for games and a Thanksgiving dinner of mashed potatoes, local sweet potatoes, salad, and fish. Delish! Fun too. Hide and seek and spoons were two favorite games as the storm continued outside!

The next two days were filled with ventures out into the tempest in our stylish trash bag and duck tape rain gear (see photos to truly appreciate!),

 

early christmas, making rubber band bracelets and games! It was a close and fun family time and although we wish we could have enjoyed the sparkling crystal Caribbean one more day, it was not to be!

 

Debi, Jeff, Dan and I did go diving on the last morning on the other side of the island. All the diving companies were shuttling people to do dives from Flowers Bay since the other side was too stormy. What an adventure! Once below the surface of water it was incredible and fairly calm, even though there were swells and rain above, the coral, sponges and moray eel we saw made it worth it. We never would have gone diving on a day like that it had not been for family! 

My aunt and uncle are so adventurous!

The last morning I awoke early and sat with my mug of tea on the front porch and marveled at the power of the storm after so many days. Lucia soon joined me and noticed that the dock in front us seemed to be at angle. With minutes, the dock started breaking apart and within hours two huge sections of the dock had broken off and washed ashore! It was quite a show to usher us out. From our dry little house, we also watched as the house next to us became flooded and the sand street we were to leave on in a few hours became submerged in more than a foot of water! A very dramatic farewell! The quiet family time we shared that week was really appreciated by us all. It is a time we will not soon forget for so many reasons! My heart images are filled with laughter and silliness from our little yellow house by the sea.

Since that time, I have been filled with a longing and missing of my friends, family, community, and mostly my mother that was lurking before but now it has assumed residence in my heart.  I am still enjoying my ocean swims, the island pace, and my SLP work, but something is missing. As I grow older, my desire and longing to spend time with my mom has increased and this time it felt like a heavy blanket that had been draped over me for the a week following her departure. I would be moved to tears whenever anyone simply asked about her and the visit. The parent-child relationship is so fluid and ever changing and unlike any other relationship we experience. I am filled with gratitude for it.   

Crazy last dinner! Too many captive days!!

 

The Day after our First Big Storm

Dan: What an amazing transformation this place is after the storm! Today was the first sunny day after one full week of storms that featured strong winds and heavy rains. It’s like the day after a huge snowstorm in Santa Fe. The air is clear and calm. The ocean is still and gentle. It truly looks, as well as feels, like two totally different places. It is as if a beautiful, sensual woman changed to an aggressive, protective mother, then back again.

During the storm the ocean was big and violent. It showed it’s strength and power with crashing white cap waves. The sea was swollen with rage and it brought ashore anything that was in it’s path.

The sea has now returned to it’s gentle, docile ways. The only way that we had known it before the storm. There is hardly a wave big enough to break over the outer-reef. Ones that do seem to break with caution and reserve. This tranquility of the sea can be overwhelming and it is the tone that usually sets the mood for this tropical island.

Winter on Roatan

Some gorgeous sunsets as the weather changes with increased rain, more swells, and actual waves on the outer reef. Winter on the island.....an all pictures post! 

Oh yes and a kitty, we named Chiste (joke in Spanish), after she showed up on our doorstep just days after we were wishing we had a cat! 

 Be careful what you wish for, right? 

On a friend's boat.....

Taken on my walk from speech therapy along the beach yesterday....

 
 


later at the dock.....

 see the moon?

Marino and friends last week on the water taxi to West Bay

The Rainy Season

How to read outside in the rain

It is hard to capture just how hard it can rain here!

The rainy season has arrived! A month late and not in full swing, but still it is here and it is lovely. It typically rains all night and then two to three times a day with sunshine in between. It has cooled off to the high 70's at night which means we need a blanket! The wind, weather, and water currents have changed direction and now come from the west and not the east. Unfortunately this has brought an abundance of plastic trash to our beaches and ocean. It is not only unslightly but is dangerous for the sea life. The jellyfish are gone however since the water is slightly cooler.

Frogs and tadpoles are in puddles and their croaking can be unbelievably loud at times. Mosquitos are also breeding and should be expected to arrive en masse about the time my mom and aunt arrive for American Thanksgiving! Dengue fever is on the rise and various cold and flu bugs are going around. I have had an usual number of client cancellations in the last couple of weeks. Herons and egrets are now commonly found at the water's edge and hunting for fish. There are many more birds in general along the shore and they can often be spotted with a recently caught fish.

The ocean, which had been silent for the first four months, can now be heard from our house as waves crash onto the outer barrier reef.  The water is more churned up than usual and the last dive we did had very poor visibility. We still snorkel whenever we can and last weekend Lucia joined us for a swim to the "underwater museum" which is an attraction which has been set up with "artifacts" that have been placed in a sandy area a swim from our dock. She rode a rubber boat home, but it was so awesome she swam out there by herself! Marino continues to swim to the reef with us. Just the other night, he and I swam to the inner reef right before and during sunset with our friend Rawane. It will be one of those times I always remember. The light was gorgeous, the ocean active, and the water felt divine. We spotted a green sea turtle, 2 lobsters, a school of blue tangs, and much more.

This is the first season we have had since arriving in Roatan and the change is welcome. An umbrella and ziplock bags are always in my backpack now as the rain can start suddenly and be a ferocious downpour in moments! I love the sound of the rain as I fall asleep every might and the feel of a light  blanket on me. It feels cozy in our wooden house.

Green Iguana Mural Project

Dan-Last week my 7/8th grade class (total of 6 students) put together a mural for a competition held by a conservation group to bring awareness about saving Green Iguanas. The Green Iguanas are almost extinct on the island because of being killed to eat and loosing their habitat.

In three crazy days the students came up with an idea, gathered materials, then painted, glued, and taped a mural together. I do not feel that I am much of a visual artist so this was way out of my comfort zone. There was as much pushing and pulling to get this done as there was to do any other type of school work, which was challenging for me because I thought there would have been more enthusiasm over "being out of the classroom". In the end the kids took a lot of pride over there work and out of 5 schools that entered we took 2nd place! Very exciting for the students, myself, and the school. The 2nd place prize was 3,000 limperes, about $150. Below is a note that I sent to the parents to describe the project and a short exert from what the kids wrote about the project.

The 7/8th grade class has been furiously busy making a beautiful mural for the Conservacion de la Iguana Verde project, which is sponsored by the Bay Island Conservation Association. This is a competition that many schools around the island are participating in. There is a L5,000 first place price!

We can save the Iguanas by leaving them alone! Let them live free in the wild so they can re-produce more Iguanas. Iguanas are a vital part of our Island’s fragile Ecosystem. They eat fruits such as bananas and plants like trumpet leaves and Hibiscus. They help spread the seeds for many native plants.

Talk to your friends about not eating Iguanas and explain why they are important to the Island. Help save the fragile environment of our Island. Pick-up trash, recycle and re-use materials like plastic bags and bottles. Report to the BICA if you see someone killing or trying to catch Iguanas.

Our mural is made out of all recycled materials. We used every part of plastic water bottles to show that are many ways to re-use materials. Plastic bottles litter the beaches and forest of our Island and contribute to taking away the environment of the Iguanas.

Life is Goood in .... Panama

Old and new in Casco Viejo

Musings on our time in Panama….a vacation to the city and mountains for us beach dwellers! We spent 3 days in big Panama City. We spent a whole day at the Panama Canal watching big ships come through and seeing the museum that included information not only about the building of the canal but also about the expansion that is taking place. Fascinating! To avoid rush hour, which is horrible here, we spent a couple hours at a huge American style mall eating in the food court and window shopping. Very surreal after our quiet life on Roatan! We visited the old section of PC, Casco Viejo, that is undergoing a gentrification. It is very dramatic with ramshackle buildings right next to boutique hotels. The area has an incredible view back to the skyscrapers of the city. Lucia’s favorite part of the PC was renting a 4 seater bike and riding out the Amador Causeway with the city on one side and ships exiting the canal on the other. Beautiful and a workout for the parents since we did most of the pedaling!

Off on a bus blaring Spanish language music videos for 4 hours and then a smaller bus packed to the gills, all so we could spend 3 nights in Santa Fe, Panama. We first checked in out because of the name and then realized it was the kind of place we wanted to visit. A quiet mountain town of 3000 people nestled in greenery and low clouds. We stayed at a lovely place with a friendly owners that took us on a hike to a waterfall and the National Forest. Our favorite activity in Santa Fe, other than our rainy afternoons having siestas, was floating with tubes on a beautiful river that we walked to from our hotel. We spent a glorious sunny morning floating down, hauling back up, and swimming. The water was clear and not too cold. Something we will remember for a long time. We also had a memorable meal at the local diner at the bus station where the power went out and the meal was served with a pause. A rainy walk to the hotel to play charades by flashlight.

Our trip home to Roatan was memorable for the wrong reasons! It took us 25 hours to travel 700 air miles. The airport was full of angry Central Americans all with rapid fire Spanish, free potato chips and soda, huge lines for everything even the bathroom, and 4 hours sleeping in a hotel! The upside (there is always at least one!) – we were all REALLY happy to come home to our sweet little wooden house in Sandy Bay and to miss a day of school.

our small plane leaving Roatan

Marino loved the canal

family in the city

Buildings in Casco Viejo

Lucia's first time with skyscrapers

happy girl on the 4 seater

The view from our room

cold water!

a beautiful waterfall

Maiden voyage

I can do it!

we both fit

rowing the tube

Mr and Mrs. Poppins

Lychees are our favorites.

At the PC fish market! Huge shrimp.

I think this one is still alive!

waiting and waiting at the airport...

bananas in Spanish

Marino ran out with money in hand when he heard the fruit and vegetable truck this evening. His first solo shopping in Spanish! She asked "Quieres cinco?". He said, "Si". He came home with 5 pounds of bananas, a smile, and no money left. Lots of licuados are in our future! All that fun for 40 lempiras ($2).