Well surprise, surprise! Be careful what you wish for, cause it just may come true!
We have met a very nice couple named Jack and Karen who own a home in Punta Blanca, north side of Roatan, between Oakridge and Punta Gorda and they have invited us to housesit for them! After all, it is hurricane season now and since we have just came back from the states a few weeks ago, why not???
Jack picked us up in Oakridge a few days ago so that we could see their home and casita (bungalow). OMG! It is just beautiful! Wait till I show you! They have a lovely, cottagey home and casita (bungalow), which they do rent, amidst lush gardens and with access to a beach and inground pool. There is a lot across the street that is for sale ?????
Jack and Karen didn't build the home, but obviously have made a lot of improvements during the time they have been here. They came to Roatan on a cruise, went home and began looking online for property, and as they tell it, three months later they had sold their property in the states and were settled here; that was a little more than six years ago. Seeing their property could make you an "ex-pat" too!
Settling in was real easy! It was decided that we would stay in the casita which provides easy access and safety. During the season the casita is rented out discreetly to vacationers. If you're intertested, you can check out the property at www.roatan.com Karen and Jack have done a great job in providing a very comfortable home for their guests (Mermaid Hideaway as they call it)! We have a beautiful flat screen TV, dvd, stereo, stove, frig, microwave, a well equipped kitchen, washer and dryer, comfy bed, spacious shower, and a screened porch! I could get used to this!! This is luxury after having lived on a 40' sailboat for most of the last two years! We have a gecko or two, and perhaps a tree frog, they sort of coo coo, ( I thought at first it was some sort of Coo Coo clock, David laughed at me) and they leave a trail. The no see ums are a bit bothersome; you just have to use repellent. Hey's it's the caribbean! I'm going to try the no see um soap, hopefully it will help. They are dastardly little buggers!
Yesterday they invited many of their friends from the Punta Blanca community for a BBQ. They are all "ex-pats" who now call Punta Blanca their home! Some have sailed around the world, others as Jack and Karen came upon Roatan on vacation and basically never left! For my own memory, we met Ralph and Jerry (she brought a very interesting appetizer), Julie (she's from China) and Michael, (a former sailor), Betty and Joe (he sings and plays "spoons", Jamie and Ed, Kathy and Joe, Cynthia and Tim, sailed around the world (unfortunately we didn't get a chance to hear their story yet), and Kathryn and Jack, also sailors. All very nice people, we enjoyed the conversation very much. We are new to the area so it's good to get to know your neighbors!
Punta Blanca is actually, if you will, a private community, a homeowners association. They pay dues, and there are some restrictions, but not quite like the US. It's quite a hilly, remote area. You need a 4-wheel drive truck to get in and out. The road accessing their property is quite steep, a car would have great difficulty, good brakes are a necessity! The community has their own well and they drink the water from the tap, just like home, but better, no chlorine.
A little history of Roatan; the island is 1-2 miles wide and spans 28 miles with hills up to 800 feet. The Bay Islands and Roatan are island peaks of 3,000 meters of the submerged Bonacca mountain ridge. Right off the fringing reef, depths of 2,000 meters are common.
The Paya Indians, the original inhabitants, were first seen by Christopher Columbus in 1502. The Paya were decimated during the Spanish slave expeditions to Hispaniola and Cuba in the 15th century. The Garifuna, rebels of Afro-Caribbean descent, fought the English for nearly a century. After the British quelled the rebellion, the Garifuna were shipped to Roatan. Many pirates also transitted the Bay Islands, Blackbeard, Van Horn, Henry Morgan, John Coxen and Ashton. Between the 1560's and 1740s Roatan was used as a supply base for buccaneers raiding the Spanish mainland. The British military took full control of Roatan between 1742-49 and 1779-1982.
The Roatan Marine Park, Port Royal Wildlife Refuge and the Sandy Bay Forrest Reserve are areas of environmental protection. There are four species of fruit and insect eating bats, six types of tree frogs, agouti, the opossum, white tailed deer; four types of lizards, and the coral snake is indigenous to Roatan. Dolphin are plentiful, the manatee and monk seals have all but vanished. There are fresh water crocodile, turtles and the green iguana (still hunted) and nearly 40 species of birds. Coconuts, corozo palm fruits, cohoons (grow like grapes-makes palm oil), cashews, mangos, noni, bananas and papayas grow here. There are some here that make cashew wine. . .different. . . haven't tried it yet.
The coconut is by far the most important nut in the world commercially becaused it is prized for its meat and milk within the shell which is rich in food and fat. The nut is valued for the charcoal derived from the shells, for the coir fibre that comes from the husk to make brushes, clothe, rope, and a thousand other products. The oil from coconut is very important in soaps, face creams, food oils, and many food applications. I'm told that cooking with coconut oil is very good and good for you. The lumber helps build homes, and the large fronds leaves supply thatched roofs. Millions of people in the tropics rely on the coconut palm tree. Tourists have been arrested for taking cocounts from the beach. (1), The Bay Island Voice book.
Just like Guatemala, you can expect excellent and affordable health care here. Most "ex-pats" visit the island dentists and doctors for regular checkups and procedures. Although, you would have to go to mainland Honduras for an MRI and CAT scan or surgery.
I'm not sure a lot of the natives like our presence here, but we definitely impact their economy. David got mugged the other day, luckily he wasn't hurt and it only cost us $40 lemps, like $2 US. Many are friendly, others not so much. There are areas that gringos should not be. There is much poverty, but most do have modern conveniences, such as cell phones, TV's, satellite dishes, washers, and cars.
The population (Honduras, 2009 - 7,833,696) is comprised of 90% Mestizo, Amerindian 7%, Black 2% and white 1%. The literacy is 76.2%. Mostly 90% are Roman Catholic, Protestant 3%, Evangelical Christian 5% and other 2%. Labor force, agriculture 14.2%,. industry 27.9%, services 57.9% (2009 estimate).
There aren't many palapas here, mostly wooden homes on sticks with tin roofs, and a few stucco homes, (probably gringo's). It's unfortunate that some use the water as their trash can. Most don't seem to think that littering is wrong; this is becoming a real problem. Recycling is something they must accept soon.
We'll be sitting for about 7 weeks, pictures to follow! Stay tuned!
