Monday Roatan Island

We spent the day on Roatan Island, a small island off the coast of Honduras. We are docked at a fancy newish cruise port; the main attarction here is the Mahogany Bay Beach Resort, specifically designed for cruisers on a day stay. While we were the only ship there today, we understood they could handle as many as three. While the facility is really nice, is not "real". Not "real" Honduras.

Our excursion today took us around the island; the "real" Roatan. Its only 56 miles long, and 5 miles wide. Impoverished, littered, the usual messy place. Totally dependent on tourism/cruise ships. First stop was a Butterfly Conservatory and "zoo" where we interacted with white faced monkeys and Toucans. The birds were actually tame and would eat nuts out of your hand, or on top your head!

Then our small coach drove about 20 minutes to a Botanical Garden, Carembola Gardens. We took a walk through a rain forest where a yound lady identified all the myriad tropical plants, including the only Chocolate  (cacao) Tree on the walk. We were treated to samples of papaya, banana and coconut.

We then stopped at "West End" and spent a few minutes in the Chocolate Shop. Beautiful beach there, but not much else. The Celebrity Apex was docked here (2900 passengers).

On return to Mahogany Bay, we shared a plate of Nachos at an outdoor, shady bar, complete with friendly cats. Sam then returned to the ship while I ventured forth to find the chair lift which takes one to the Mahogany Bay Beach.

The beach is beautiful! Its not really a resort - there's no hotel, because everybody is living on their ship. There are hundreds of beach chairs and a bunch of outdoor restaurants. A sun worshipper could spend the day there quite happily! I put my toes in the water only to find that it was warm, but since I wasn't equipped, I didn't go for a swim, as inviting as it was.

For dinner tonight we returned to the Pinnacle Grill and had yet another outstanding steak dinner. We returned to the room in time to watch the second half of the Michigan- Washington football game. (The Wolverines won).

Tomorrow we're in Belize to visit Mayan ruins.

(The ship is rocking a little tonight - first time we've noticed that!)

(Darn - pictures are in reverse order!)

Ain't she pretty!