Still have sand in my shoes

Well, folks. I am back on the Ranch after a 6 day vacation in Tela, on the North Coast. I am tired, but brown and content. It was a perfect time with plenty of adventures, too many, in fact to tell here. But here´s a little, just to make you a bit jealous.

We (Hannah, Hilary, and I) arrived by bus Wednesday night around 8:30, checked into our hotel Cesar Mariscos, cleaned ourselves up a little (Hannah still had streaks of dirt on her neck from the travelling) and went out for pizza and a couple of beers. Well, our pizza was good and the beer was cold and we were enjoying the music blasting from the club, Iguanas, next door. Convinced that there was a live band, we went over to take a look. We had another beer, started dancing, another beer, and so forth. After the dancing, we took a swim in the Caribbean and watched the sun rise over the palm trees that mark the transition from town to beach.

Thursday, we spent on the beach and playing in the waves, trying to body surf and only resulting with sand-filled bikini tops. We passed the afternoon (and several others during our time in Tela) in our rooftop pool, ordering up margaritas, watching women walk by beneath balancing tubs of coconuts on their heads and carrying machetes, and filming ads for Port Royal (Honduran beer) on my digital camera.

Friday, we spent walking around town and in the pool again. I think. (I am getting a little confused about what happened and when. The result of relaxation.) We went out for a bit at night, to a bar called Max, owned by a Honduran with impeccable English (no accent--we thought he was from the States) and a taste for American hip hop (nice break from reggaeton!). We turned in early-ish with plans to go to Punta Sal, a national park known for its gorgeous beaches and wildlife, with Garífuna Tours.

Saturday morning, we awoke to grey skies and were caught in a downpour on our way to our tour. Needless to say, we got up early for nothing. No tour. We walked back to our hotel, had a big breakfast and 3 cups of coffee each to ward off the cold. We spent a lazy morning lounging around the hotel pool and catching up on Desperate Housewives and got our lazy butts off the pool chairs around noon to go to La Ensenada, a Garífuna village about 3 kilometers down the beach from Tela. We spent the afternoon on the nearly empty, thatched hut filled beach listening to traditional Garífuna music and reggae blasting from a little restaurant. When we needed a break from the sun, we had a late lunch of fried fish, and plantains and a good dose of Bob Marley. Too incredible to be real, right?

That night, I experienced my first foam party. Yes. Foam party. As in the stuff that floats on top of your bubble bath. Imagine that same foam on a dance floor, blown out of huge machines until you are knee deep in bubbles and everyone around you is sporting white mohawks and dripping in green apple scented soap.

Sunday, we made it to Punta Sal National Park. It is getting late and Punta Sal deserves an entry all of its own. Still, let me say this: clear emerald water, snorkeling, monkeys in the trees, typical Garífuna lunch, sand still in my shoes.

We left paradise today, somewhat reluctantly. Still, I am happy to be back, happy to have these memories. Happy to be here, in Honduras. This is the best year of my life, friends.