A place
for star-gazing on a cool night, getting lost in the imminence of the cosmos.
Wishing on shooting stars- a few in one night.
Learning to properly eat mangoes.
Beaches that bare magic.
Reality of the struggles and challenges that island life – and third world countries – face.
Beautiful people of all shades.
Glimpsing greater depths of his soul
Learning to talk less and take in the world more.
Realizing that God granted us everything we need.
It’s the tinkling sounds of laughter shared between island kids and those from the states as innocent friendship is developed through one game of tag, without concern for skin color, background or economic stance/ranking.
A must-try: For my fam who likes to drink, there are plenty of bars and restaurants on all of the main beaches. But for truly authentic libation, ask a native about Sorrel. Made from hibiscus flowers (sorrel) that are grown locally, and can be picked and or purchased at the market and combined with ginger.
Sorrel Recipe, as supplied by a native islander:
Instructions:
- Crush 2.5 lbs of ginger root into a powder
- Place powdered ginger into a large pot water
- Bring to a boil
- Add hibiscus flowers (the sorrel can be fresh or dried out), and let it boil for 20 minutes.
- Turn the stove off and allow the tea to steep (overnight steeping recommended)
- Strain liquid and sweeten it with your preferred sweetener
You can refrigerate the tea, which makes for a delicious juice, or you can allow it to ferment in the sun– on one’s porch or in the kitchen– transforming into a potent and flavorful wine. The longer you allow it to sit, the less sweet and stronger it becomes. Before sipping, you’ll be able to determine how strong the batch is based on the intensity of the smell. ([insert name] has nothing on this.)
Honduras a History (Yes, this is a Harry Potter reference.)
Roatán, the largest of the Bay Islands of Honduras, is located around 65 kilometres off the northern coast of the mainland. Like many nations “settled” by colonists, the indigenous peoples, thought to be related to the Paya or Maya, were tragically enslaved and largely wiped out. Given the islands popularity in the past and present, the population of Roatán primarily consists of the Garifuna– Afro-Caribbeans– and their descendants and Spanish descendants, though even more diversity is found on the mainland.
Resting atop the largest barrier in the Caribbean Sea, second only to Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, Roatàn is a renowned destination for snorkeling, and eco-tourism in general.
In case it’s not evident, I thoroughly enjoyed my small piece of paradise on the island in the sun. Special thanks to E, Ms. Myra (go see her if you only want a BOMB tour guide), Belinda, and everyone else for making my first experience a memorable one!