Honduras in CNN's top 16 up-and-coming destinaions

"Its primary allures are the fine white-sand beaches of the Bay Islands, Mayan ruins and colorful colonial cities. Delve deeper still though and you'll uncover forested mountains, jungles, coral-clad dive sites and wildlife such as jaguars. The Western Caribbean Bay Islands Roatan, Utila and Guanaja get the press for waters graced by whale sharks, rays and turtles. [...] "Honduras has everything," says Thornton of Intrepid Travels. "It's certainly emerging as one of the hottest destinations in Central America.

- CNN Travel

this made me smile

Lindsey Graham suspends his campaign for U.S. president. The Internets can be so funny!

norwegians are awesome!

Norway launches campaign to give Finland a mountain. A group of Norwegians has launched a campaign to shift their country's border by 200 metres to bring the peak of the Halti mountain into Finnish territory as a gift to their mountain-deprived neighbour for the 100th anniversary of its independence. Moving the border between Norway and Finland just 490ft (150m) to the north and 650ft (200m) to the east would bring Finland a new highest peak while losing Norway just 0.015 square kilometres. At 4,479ft (1,365m), Halti does not even make the list of Norway’s highest 200 peaks. But one of its lower spurs, Hálditšohkka, marks the highest point in Finland, at 4340ft (1,324m).

- The Telegraph

an incredibly spectacular thing

The Internet is an incredibly spectacular thing and only now, after so many years, we are understanding its power. With the Internet the world is opened, the barriers fall, the separation ends, the togetherness starts, the collaboration explodes, the helping emerges. Some nations saw true revolutions that used the Internet as the primary catalyst, such as the Arab Spring. Here in Brazil we are just starting to make a better use out of this amazing tool. Internet is taking down mass control. The big media groups controlling news by how it suits best what they want the message to be and what they want us to read are no longer the sole owners of information. You go after what you want. You bond to whomever you want. You explore whatever you may want to. With the advent of the Internet, the small are no longer speechless. There is a voice. The anonymous become acknowledged. The world comes together. And then the system may fall.

- Gustavo Tanaka 

the fall in love series (2)

Fall in love with Paya Bay for the first time (or all over again)! All photos taken in 2015.

Paya Bay Resort, Roatan, Bay Islands of Honduras.

roatan international airport

I recently sought and received special permission to visit the control tower at Roatan International Airport (RTB). The tower sits on a hill just behind the airport facilities. Its location affords it a nearly complete view of the entire length of the seaside runway. According to Wikipedia, "the airport resides at an elevation of 12 m (39 ft) above mean sea level. It has one runway designated 07/25 with an asphalt surface measuring 2,395 by 45 meters (7,858 ft × 148 ft)." While still rather rare landings, the flight traffic controllers said that the airport's runway is capable of handling aircraft as large as the Boeing 767-200ER. Flights using these large aircraft have been dual-destination charter operations from Europe that offload the bulk of their passengers -- and cargo weight -- in Cancun, Mexico or La Havana, Cuba and then finalize their transatlantic hauls in Roatan.

Roatan, Bay Islands of Honduras.

air transat rocks into roatan

Air Transat commenced services between Toronto Pearson (YYZ) and Roatan (RTB) in Honduras on 23 November. The 3,115-kilometre sector will operate weekly on Mondays, with the carrier using its 737-800s on the airport pair. The route will face no direct competition. Operating as a seasonal service, it will run until 25 April. Air Transat also serves Roatan from Montreal.

- Anna Aero

the fall in love series

Fall in love with Paya Bay for the first time (or all over again)! All photos taken in 2015.

Paya Bay Resort, Roatan, Bay Islands of Honduras.

video: jimmy fallon, adele & the roots sing "hello" (w/classroom instruments)

Awesome. She is so talented!

full business

As I was walking down the main street in West End, Roatan last night, a local 'street entrepreneur' -- mistaking me for a foreign visitor -- handed me his card. The "FULL BUSINESS" headline on the card cracked me up. I didn't ask, but I assume it means he's up for arranging absolutely anything a tourist might desire. Clever and hilarious!

the flambo project

My attempt to help create some hope in a world gone mad. (Click on the image above to see the full flyer; if it loads in a size (too large or too small) that's difficult to read on your screen, click on the new image once or twice and it will resize to properly fit your screen). This project has been in the works for the last eight months. Tomorrow, 19 November (which happens to be my birthday), it will be launched.

The young, ready-to-transplant Flamboyant trees.

vive la France!

video: madonna's tribute to the victims of the paris attacks

The way we change the world is that we change the way we treat one another on a daily basis. We must start treating every human being with dignity and respect.

- Madonna

absolutely outraged

I am outraged -- ABSOLUTELY OUTRAGED -- by the unspeakably tragic news of the terrorist attacks in Paris.

I stand in full solidarity with the French people (and the Russian people) as they confront this horrific catastrophe that has befallen them.

May the leaders of the Free World leave no stone unturned to rid this planet of the vermin responsible.

thank you, thank you, thank you

Begin your day by feeling grateful. Be grateful for the bed you just slept in, the roof over your head, the carpet or floor under your feet, the running water, the soap, your shower, your toothbrush, your clothes, your shoes, the refrigerator that keeps your food cold, the car that you drive, your job, your friends. Be grateful for the stores that make it so easy to buy the things you need, the restaurants, the utilities, services, and electrical appliances that make your life effortless. Be grateful for the magazines and the books that you read. Be grateful for the chair that you sit on, and the pavement that you walk on. Be grateful for the weather, the sun, the sky, the birds, the trees, the grass, the rain, and the flowers.

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

- lessons from The Secret 

finding dory: there's a teaser trailer!

finding dory is coming in 2016!

Finding Nemo has been one of my all-time favorite feel good movies. Like Nemo, I grew up snorkeling on the reef, so I can totally relate to reef life (things, for example, like us kids being afraid of "The Big Blue.") I'm very excited about Finding Dory!

:-) Yay!

quote of the day

“Religion... it’s given people hope in a world torn apart by religion.”

- Jon Stewart

roatan in the press

Roatán offers an appealing expat lifestyle, diverse and healthy food, easy access to North America, and great infrastructure for such a small island (only about 50 square miles in size). You’ll find an international airport, two cruise line ports, paved main roads, two hospitals, a golf course, and several high-quality grocery stores that stock North American gourmet items. The lifestyle is also highly affordable for the Caribbean. I met one expat couple who own their own home and live comfortably on less than $1,200 a month.

- International Living