The months fly by....

Hey everyone. Sorry it’s been so long since I’ve updated my journal. After my last post I had some family and friends come down and I realized that I wasn’t separating the way I had planned. I was too connected to home and was unable to really focus on myself and take the time I needed to just… be. Thanks for everyone’s emails and posts and I promise to give you the whole story upon my return. In the meantime, a recap of the past two months….

We last left our hero finding his footing in Utilan society. A lot has happened over the past two months and at the same time nothing has changed. It’s the island way.

Diving – wow. I got my Open Water certification and will soon be getting my advanced before I head home. The reefs here are great, but I hear they were so much more amazing 10 years ago. Parrotfish, butterfish, barracuda, angel fish, scorpion fish, you name it – it’s there.
Here I am in my styling wet suit trying to be neutrally buoyant. Not as easy as you might think. I'll get it eventually. Swimming along all the reef walls you do see a lot of different fish depending on the day. This was a juvenile Parrtofish that didn't mind me chasing him around trying to get a close up shot.


The amazing part of these reefs are the little spots that open up. Places you can swim through and get to another sandy patch that isn't accessible from the surface. Very cool.


And it's there that you find schools of fish swimming around with no real regard for the divers. These fish aren't as skittish as most and what an amazing color. I know all the underwater photos are kinda bluish, but my photo editing software has crapped out on me so all the photos are the way they are. sorry.


Now diving really isn’t a locals activity, there are locals that dive, but the ratio is probably 200 to 1. So what do they do on the weekends when they’re not working if they don’t dive? This is a question that many tourists ask since the common thought is that if you’re not diving, Utila is a boring place. Ah, the uninformed and unexplored. So where do the informed and explored go you ask? To a baseball game of course!

Every Saturday and Sunday the four men’s teams on the island play each other. The little league starts at 11am and the men play at 2pm…ish. Island time. A couple friends of mine play for the Bulldogs and recently they have been getting kicked around like a football. Well, a rest of the world football, not an American football. A football that actually is kicked with the foot, not ours that is only kicked a couple times a game…. Odd name for a sport, maybe it should be called Yardball or Zoneball. I mean Baseball is named for the location you attempt to reach. Basketball is named for the destination that you attempt to reach with the ball. So a yard or the endzone would make more sense. But I digress….

Once in a while at the baseball games there is a hogfry. A what you ask? Knowing full well that anything with the words hog AND fry is a Lipitor salesman’s dream come true. The Hog fry is just that, no fancy name, chop up the hog and fry it. With a piping hot fire and a vat full of grease and wooden spoon from the kitchen isn't going to cut it - so what do you use instead? A paddle from your boat of course.Once the meat has been friend to a pork rind type crispiness they take three different kinds of bananas and fry them in the grease and fat of the hog. Mmmmmmm.


While this culinary heart attack is congealing coleslaw is made and the rest of the bananas are shucked. I say shucked because they aren’t ripe yet so you can’t just peel off the rind. You have to cut it off with a knife.
One the last batch of bananas go in the crowd gathers and right before the men’s game begins it’s hog fry for everyone. You better be quick though, it goes FAST.



Time to leave the game and head on down to the beach. Today is a Kite Surfing kinda day and sure enough, there they are. I’m been really wanting to try it, but alas schedules never seem to work out.

My dad though the kite surfers were very cool as well and took a massive amount of photos. That is the Honduran mountain range in the background.


I took Mom and Dad over to Water Cay (pronounced key, and water is pronounced water - just to clear that up). It is this great little island that you can walk around in 10 minutes. The snorkeling is great, the relaxing is great and the beach is soft silky sand. The boat ride on the way back was a bit rough, but it was still great to be out on the water. Mom's going to kill me for posting this photo, but it was a great day!

After my folks left, Theresa and Ian came to visit. After one hell of a travel day they finally made it to Utila. The ferry was crowded that day, but nothing compared to Semana Santa. They fit 113 people on that tiny thing... crazy.


We had a blast that week. Relaxed, ate, drank, ate some more, relaxed some more. I think relaxing was the most requested thing for the week. Back out to Water Cay. It was so good I had to bring them there as well. Definitely a hot spot.

Theresa is loving the boat ride, but even though Ian looks bored, what's actually running through his head is, "Why do I live in the cold, rainy, snowy, miserable, really expensive, cold, rainy, workaholic Northeast again???". How do I know that's what he's thinking? I had that same look on my face every day of February.

So after everyone left and I was by myself again the skies opened up. It was incredible. It was nice and sunny for two weeks for guests and then BAM – torrential downpour for three hours straight. Getting to town that afternoon was a bit of a challenge, but I had to get to class, so it was cross the fjord or call my profesora and cancel. Wasn’t going to do that so I got on my water wings and braved the murky depths.

Ok, so maybe that was a bit exaggerated, but you get the idea. A little poetic license never hurt, right?

Fishing - I finally got to GO! And.... yes, I actually caught fish! I know what you're thinking, but no, I didn't buy fish at the store, put it on my hook and pretend that I just caught a frozen wahoo. I caught mostly baby butterfish and threw them all back. Here's Mary with the first fish of the day.

Besides that there hasn’t been a lot going on. Hanging out at night with friends, dinners, lunches, breakfast at Bundu (new favorite breakfast spot), relaxing on the porch. You know, tough days like this as the sun rises and the day begins anew.


Well, I have to get going to class. Spanish lessons are going great and I’m definitely going to continue when I get home. I promise to post one more before I return. Keep an eye out on Monday as I’ll hopefully have completed my advanced class and I’m also having a BBQ for my last Sunday on the island. Can’t believe it’s been three months. Take care, talk to you soon.

Time flies....

"The days drift by
They don't have names
And none of the streets here look the same
And there are so many quiet places
And smilin' eyes to match the smilin' faces." - Jimmy Buffett

So I can't believe it's already been a week since I last posted. Time is really flying by. Well, it was definitely a busy week, well busy from Island standards. Let's see I interviewed dive shops, fixed the wireless internet in the house, started exercising (real exercise, not the Dorito arm curls), inquired about Spanish lessons, wiped out on my moped, bought a cell phone, gave someone directions, vowed to never drink again, drank again, played some poker and enjoyed the weather. Chock a block full of activities!

The only thing I haven't done yet is dive! But, as most of the locals don't dive I feel that I have achieved the level to which I can now say....

I am a Utilatarian!





Thanks to my Dear Gorgeous Aunt Mimi for this fantastic shirt!












So this week was all about settling in. I've done a lot of discovery, but now it's time to get into a bit of a routine. So I started looking at dive shops. I've narrowed it down to two and in true Jason style I can't decide. They both are very good shops with large followings, but one has NAUI and the other PADI. It's been a raging debate over which is better and I've put the question to several people and there really isn't a clear cut winner. So now it's just up to me to decide. Too bad I can't put a poll on here. Then everyone could vote :) Alton's Dive Shop (NAUI) or Cross Creek (PADI) - I have learned that NAUI is accepted almost everywhere around the world (except France I think) so that concern is put to rest. Tune in next time for the exciting conclusion... I know you are all on the edge of your seats, I can tell, it's a gift.

So one of the most difficult things about life on Utila are the restaurants. Most of them have very good food, so deciding on which one to eat at that night you would think is the problem. Nope, it's remembering which one is open which nights! Some are closed Friday and Saturday, others Sunday and Monday, still others are only open Sunday, Wednesday and Friday. I need a matrix calendar to figure out who's serving each night. Maybe I'll make one and post it next to the ferry dock. Considering I told this couple I met that RJ's was open on Sunday and they were staying on the clear opposite end of town... felt kinda bad. Anyway, speaking of RJ's - this is the other very popular BBQ place on the island. They open at 6:30 and if you don't get there by 6:45 you will be waiting for a table or squeezing in on someone else's table. Sorry the shot's out of focus I was sitting at this really wobbly table.






The next night sunset was amazing. I have a favorite spot to watch them from so you'll see the same vantage point in all the shots. Not to bore you with sunsets, but they are one of the main exports of Utila - picture perfect postcards. Here are a couple....



One of the best things about sailing is sitting in the harbor watching the sun set over the island. The harbor slowy getting darker, quieter, more peaceful.



Part of the town shuts down and the other half just gets started. It is a true cycle in the life of the island. Here is the Utila Princess (my ferry from the mainland) heading from the dock to it's overnight dock in preparation to do it all over again tomorrow.


And the local pubs turning on their lights and getting ready for the evening's festivities.



And the next day we all get up and do it all over again. But first, a stop at the bakery. Nothing gets a morning going like a cup of coffee, a cinnamon roll and a walnut raisin roll. Granted, the view isn't much, but it's a great way to start the day.


I do cook at home on occassion, but it's just so darn cheap to eat out that cooking for one doesn't make a whole lotta sense. Anyway, moving on... This is a new restaurant that opened up in the old Babalu space. They haven't gotten the new sign yet, but it will be called The Wooden Spoons.



The sign is relatively accurate, there is kool music, beer, pizza and a sunset deck. The natural aquarium.... hmmm, well, this sounds good. Wow, a natural aquarium - sounds exotic. Turns out they just didn't finish the dock and decided to put seats around it. There ya go folks, your Island Natural Aquarium.

Speaking of new places to check out I found this really great bar at the other end of town. Keep in mind, when I say bar, most of the bars are restaurants, but restaurants is not only long to type it isn't always the main attraction of the establishment. Establishment sounds too stuffy for Utila and is also really long to type, so we'll stick with bar. You know I mean bar/restaurant/establishment/kitchen/bbq joint/pizza place/etc... when I say bar. Ok? Cool. Moving on, so I found this great "bar" near Chepes Beach. It has a great dock that sits out and has sweeping views of the harbor and town. Very nice. I felt a little odd being there since I was reading my Jimmy Buffett book, "A Pirate Looks at Forty" and the bar is named, well what else would it be named...



The Driftwood Cafe at the Margaritaville Beach Hotel. So there I am sitting outside on the dock, enjoying the afternoon reading Jimmy Buffett at the Driftwood Cafe. This is kind of like the time Krissy and I went to Taco Bell, not really thinking much of it and when we got to the drive through window Gordy (our chihuahua) jumped onto her lap and poked his head out the window to the cashier. Not sure what the cashier was thinking at the time, but I'm sure it was, "Man, these folks are really big Taco Bell fans". Kind of like you don't wear the band's t-shirt to the band's concert. I never really got that. Why wouldn't you show your support for a band that you like by wearing their shirt to the concert? I mean, I wear my Red Sox shirt to the game to show my support... Who made up that rule? It makes zero sense to me. Anyway, I digress.

There is another spot that is just a must see and I photographed it today, but left the good camera at home so I'll go back and post more shots next time. The Jade Seahorse. This place is amazing. Rumor has it that this hotel/restaurant/bar was three years in the making. Decorated with bottles, flea market purchases, you name it, it's there. Here are two shots and I promise to get more. Even then the photo's can't do it justice. Walking around it felt like I was in an outdoor museum, the noise from the road dissapeared, the surrounding air got cooler and it just seemed sureal. Looking at this picture again, it looks more like the flea market where he purchased everything rather than the great creation that is the Jade Seahorse.



Hey, we know that guy!



That's it for this week everyone. I hope you're all doing well and having a great winter! One last photo before I go. On my way to town yesterday this little guy was sunning himself on some abandoned concrete.



He looks comfy - wait, is he doing Upward Dog??

Until next time!

I have arrived...

"Florida thrusts like a guiding thumb
To the southern islands of rumba and rum
To the mystery-cities and haunted seas
Of the Spanish Main and the Caribbees" - Don Blanding

I know I didn't just arrive, but I feel like I have now arrived. It has taken me a week to get settled into this island for several reasons. One, and the reason I have not updated in a week, power issues. The power here goes off quite frequently. It is what makes Utila a non-resort destination, which I like, but also makes it difficult to have the life to which I have become accustomed. The internet goes out randomly also making updating a difficult task to say the least. These two luxuries that we have taken for granted for so long on the mainland have me feeling like an addict going through detox. It was so strange to not have the internet at my fingertips. I'm so used to just knowing... If there is something I don't know, Google. Some actor I see on TV and know I've seen him before, IMDB. Weather tomorrow, etc, etc.. 48 hours without internet access may seem like a welcome respite from the hustle of our lives, but to me it was mind blowing. So I have decided to update when I can but at least once a week. It may be short, it may be long, but at least you'll know I am still here! And guess what, did you know that there are other things to do besides email and TV? I must have missed the memo, because I plum forgot that there is an entire world out there to explore and savor. I may not be able to see it all from here, but let me take you through my little piece of the Caribbees.

Quick note: The formatting was really tough, so I made the pics smaller. You can click on them to see full size if you want.

The day I arrived it was absolutely gorgeous. The sun was out, a light breeze and I thought this is perfect. Turns out it was the only nice day in four days and the last nice day for the rest of the week! The rainy season seems to have lasted a tad longer than it's supposed to, but this too shall pass.


Big storm came through last week and all the boats double checked their anchors and headed into town for drier and safer accommodations. I didn't get my sunset shot, but it did make for a very cool evening pic.























Of course there is always one.... Here is the storm from my balcony early in the morning. If you look closely to the left you'll see Capt. Vin (I think that's his name) doing his daily sail from Utila to Roatan. Normally any kind of weather seems to ground everything in or out of the island (including power) so seeing him out there was a bit of a surprise.





Here is a zoomed in photo of the brave/insane Capt. Vin


And yes the storm did pass shortly after the sun was coming up and it gave way to my first sunrise on the island! Really amazing - even had a rainbow behind the house




This house is called the Round House and is situated just across the road from me. Turns out the Google Earth images are just a tad out of date. According to Google my house is the only one on the cove. Not anymore, there are now seven and two more being built.

I just thought this was the coolest shot around. Now, most of you may know I'm not a morning person, but working at Signature changed that, well kinda. I really did enjoy waking up and seeing the world come to life. My house faces East so this is what I see every morning. Especially since I don't have blinds on the bedroom windows. That has been a challenge, but they are going to be installed today... supposedly. Island time.... might be tomorrow. No worries though, it's all good. I am getting used to things happening late, or perhaps not at all and am not going nuts about it.

Once the rain cleared it was time for me to explore. It wasn't the best weather still, but over the week I got some good shots, had some great food, met a bunch of people and have tried to adapt to the Islan' way of living. Yesterday was the first day of actual sun! An entire day! Maybe the rainy season is finally ending. So I took the opportunity to give you a quick tour of Utila. There are two main roads. One goes from just past my house to the other side of town and the other runs from the ferry dock to the airport. Anything else requires your feet, a bike or a really good ATV. I'm no Lance Armstrong so my choices of transportation were limited. From my house to the center of town is about 1.5 miles - walking is out. ATV and golf cart are too expensive to rent.

So here it is, my Utilian Chariot. Nice little scooter to get me around town. Now it's nothing flashy, nothing souped up, but it only takes me about 5 minutes to get to the center of town and I can carry groceries and supplies back easily enough. It's just what I need.

Ok, all ready to go? It's technically a two seater so I'll make room. Ok, here we go - once we pass this really nicely groomed dirt road, we then need to get through the not so nicely groomed dirt road, the road filled with rocks, the road with dead coral and finally the billabong. Now, it's not technically a billabong, but I've been here for a week now and that thing hasn't dried out YET! It's basically a small pond. Ok, maybe not for people, but to an ant it would look like Lake Eerie.



We have gotten to the "concrete jungle" of Utila. From here on out were are on paved roads with speed bumps every 100 yards. Now here is where things change a bit from what I had read. I was under the impression there were three cars that were just for deliveries. Well, that's sort of true. There are cars for deliveries, but more like fifteen cars. I thought it was more like thirty but people tell me I just keep seeing the same ones over and over....

This bridge connects the eastern part of the Island to town.



And here is town! The two shops on the left are Utila Dive Center (UDC) and Underwater Vision - my current top two candidates for my diving certification. I've gotten a lot of advice on shops and when to start. I'm going to wait until the storms stop and give the seas a couple days to calm down, that will allow for better visibility.






As you can see the streets are a little narrow for this much traffic, but everyone seems to get by just fine. There are motorcylces, trucks, cars, mopeds, golf carts, bikes, bikes that have been converted into delivery vehicles, you name it - it's here.



At the main dock in town when the Ferry isn't arriving the supply ships, rather ship, comes in. Everyone goes down to the docks if they are delivering, expecting something or, like me, just to watch the organized mayhem.

Depending on when the boat arrives depends on when the goods arrive at the stores. This ship came in around mid morning so that afternoon...


Fresh produce and veggies. I haven't figured out how they determine who gets what, but it seems that the smaller shops have more fruit and veggies than the supermarket. I bought onions, tomatoes, garlic and avocados. Some places post prices, others don't, but the one thing I have noticed here is that there does not seem to be a local price and a tourist price. That is fantastic!

Let's keep moving I have dinner plans and need get a shower in - it's HOT today. Let's get a nice breeze and head to the public beach. Chepes beach is on the complete opposite end of town from me and is free. The other beach is Bando Beach, just down the street from me, and there is a $3USD charge to use it. I went to both and if they were reversed I'd be at the public beach all the time, but alas, it is on the other side of town and not just the hop, skip and a jump in I was looking for. Now before you tilt your head to the side like the RCA dog and ask, "Isn't your place waterfront?" Yes it is, but the winds have been so severe that it is extremely choppy in my little cove. Not the safest place to be relaxing. So I opted for the pay beach which is protected from the wind and has a very nice place to relax.

On the way to Chepes is a smaller town dock, presumably the Old Town Dock and the current place that kids like to play and jump into the water.





Chepes Beach is really quite nice. If it wasn't for its proximity to me it would definitely be a regular hangout. I have been there twice and seen people I have met earlier in the week. It seems to be a really nice place to have a drink and enjoy the quietness of the harbor.

You can't see the sunset from here as the beach faces easterly, but it is a really nice spot and people bike/atv/moped there and just pull up to the sand, hop off, grab a beer and enjoy the end of the day.



To compare it to Bando beach is tough. Bando is nicer, but someone paid a lot of money to make it nicer and keep it private. They have chairs, palapas, a bar and it gets raked every day. Not a bad way to spend $3, but that's a once in a while place. Not a Utilan hangout, just tourists.

Ok, a quick shower then it's off to town again to meet my neighbors for dinner. We're going to Dave's Restaurant, also known as the Island Cafe. Seems like every place has two names. Not sure if it was called something else before and changed owners or the owners wanted to get in with the tourists and started using those beach bar names like Outrigger, Beachcomber or the Island Cafe.Anyway... This couldn't be beat. It was herladed as the second best BBQ on the island. The first is JR's and was really good, but I really haven't had a bad meal yet! Here is the BBQ at Dave's. I had the pork chops and my choice of sauce - Curry, Peach BBQ, a couple others and a Rum and Garlic in cream sauce. Can you guess what I went for? If you said the Peach BBQ stop reading, slap yourself on the wrist and try again. Of course the Rum. I mean, Rum AND Garlic. It never occurred to me to combine them, but there it was, staring at me. Pork, rum, garlic. Throw in some mashed potatoes and I'm never leaving! Turns out that is just what they had in mind. I had one and half huge pieces of pork on the bone, mashed potatoes, salad, rice and beans. Note: Rice and beans come with just about everything here. The plate was overflowing with food. All for 110Lps (roughly $5.83 USD). Tack on 2 rum and cokes at 25lps each and I had a great meal including tip for just over 9 bucks! Can't go wrong with food that good and prices that low. Well, it is time to call it a night. I head on back to the homestead and look at the night sky. The first time it has been real clear all week. I bring out my telescope to look at the moon and get an idea that's so crazy it just might work! I put the camera to the eyepiece and well.... look for yourself - amazing!

Until next time everyone!