the sky trail

A view of the footbridge on the new Sky Trail (currently under construction). Paya Bay Resort, Roatan, Honduras.

quote of the day

Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.

- unknown

'bout time, dude

"I am very blessed to be who I am."

Barbara Walters can sleep easier now.

photo of the day (2)

A view from the Paya Trail where it leads into Secret Cove. Paya Bay Resort, Roatan, Honduras.

photo of the day

A view from The Heart, a plaza within the Tropical Garden Reserve. Paya Bay Resort, Roatan, Honduras.

washing off the clay

After a volcanic clay bath, guests rinse the clay off in the warm waters of Buccaneer Landing in the late afternoon.

A blissful scene.

little details that matter

A shout-out to Ms. Marcey for these beautiful arrangements she made for the dining room this week.  It's a uniquely Paya Bay selection of a palm frond, bromeliads, and a baby pineapple.

beach fire

Guests gather around the beach fire at last night's Tribal Beach Party.

Another angle.

quote of the day

The greatest thing in this world is not so much where we are, but in what direction we are moving.

- O.W. Holmes

sunset couples massage

Special guests Cindy and Yves of Quebec enjoy the masseuses' trained hands as the sun sets.

tropical garden

A view of a section of the Tropical Garden Reserve. Paya Bay Resort, Roatan, Honduras.

on golden sea

 Lucky goes for a late afternoon swim in the lagoon.
Lucky understands Feel Good, Be Happy.

photos of the day

A new trails leads to Lagoon Aqua, the swimming area located between Buccaneer and Secret Cove. Paya Bay Resort, Roatan, Honduras.

"fight the real enemy"

Sinéad O'Connor - WAR - SNL

Looking back, Sinead O'Connor's words and actions in 1992 seem very prescient given today's news stories.

be a ray of sunshine

Write down all the great things about everyone you know. Make a huge list of all the wonderful things about you. Compliment people wherever you go. Praise every single thing you see. Be a ray of sunshine to everyone you meet, and make their day better for having seen you. Say "Thank you" at every turn. Walk, talk, think, and breathe appreciation and gratitude.

When you do this, your outer life will change to reflect your inner state of being.

- lessons from the secret

moonlit bay

The "Alligator Head" rock formation appears to float in the moonlit sea.

Photo: Alejo Campos

serenity

Special guest, Alejo of Argentina, appears to have succumbed to the warm embrace and serenity of Secret Cove.

quote of the day

To live is so startling it leaves little time for anything else.

- Emily Dickinson

photo of the day

Special guests Yves and Cindy of Quebec enjoy a beautiful sunset at Buccaneer Landing. Paya Bay Resort, Roatan, Honduras.

Photo: Alejo Campos.

photo of the day

Lucky on the new Sky Trail footbridge.

it's that time of year again

Twice a year, the sea palms that are found abundantly at Paya Bay go on a flowering spree for about six weeks, putting out multiple plumes of fragrant flowers. The sweet fragrance from the flowers drifts about the grounds on the sea breeze, giving walkers (and the bees) a heightened sensory experience.

my buddy, Peace

White-crowned pigeons (Columba leucocephala) are notoriously skittish birds and usually take flight as soon as a person appears nearby. This one, however, is not shy at all and seems to love to hang in a sea grape tree near my apartment's balcony. Whenever I appear, he (or she) always eyes me intently for about ten seconds and then resumes his (her) grooming, stopping every so often to stare intently some more and assess the situation. Eventually he (she) completely relaxes and focuses nearly completely on the preening, which is an activity performed with closed eyes. The trust is flattering and makes me feel all "Tarzan." I've named him (her) Peace.

the earth energy center

This morning the access stairs into Paya's Earth Energy Center were completed. Earth energy centers are places where there is a greater abundance of life force energy.

The entrance to the inner chamber of the Earth Energy Center.

The view looking up from the floor of the the inner chamber.

Another view from inside the inner chamber.

Foxy observes all the energy flow intently from the footbridge.

photo of the day

Special guests enjoy the serenity of Buccaneer Landing. Paya Bay Resort, Roatan, Honduras.

photo series: the paya trail at dusk

our natural state is joy

Our natural state of being is joy, and it takes so much energy to think negative thoughts, to speak negative words, and to feel miserable. The easy path is good thoughts, good words, and good deeds.

Take the easy path.

- lessons from The Secret

quote of the day

All glory comes from daring to begin.

- Eugene F. Ware, American lawyer/poet

somethings sometimes

Today, Paya Bay Resort is starting a trial of our new Somethings Sometimes service. Basically we will provide guests who want to participate with a mobile phone. If that person happens to be in a remote area of our sprawling 22-acre property and finds that he or she needs something (water, cocktails, cervezas, food, insect repellent, etc.) they can just call in the request to the front desk and whatever they need (within reason) will be taken to them.  A small service fee ($2) will be charged, which goes directly to the staff member making the run. I'm hoping this innovative use of technology will be a win-win for everyone involved.

photo of the day

A plethora of happy little creatures!

quote of the day

To dream anything that you want to dream. That is the beauty of the human mind. To do anything you want to do. That is the strength of the human will. To trust yourself to test your limits. That is the courage to succeed.

- Bernard Edmonds, American writer

quote of the day

Some people dream of worthy accomplishments, while others stay awake and do them.

- unknown

wine and cheese

Wrapping up another week of sun, fun, good energy, and friendship, Paya Bay held a farewell wine and cheese party last night for our wonderful guests.

USA Today: Roatan helps put Honduras back on the travel map

They've never heard of Roatan, and they're blown away by what they find: a mountainous, tropical island with an 'old Caribbean' feel. It's a Jimmy Buffett place, even though he's never been here.

Read the full article here. [Gracias por el tip Mariella!]

tribal beach party

The Garífunas performed brilliantly at last night's Tribal Beach Party.

quote of the day

Do not wish to be anything but what you are, and try to be that perfectly.

- St. Francis de Sales

bridge + handrails

Voila! The completed Sky Trail bridge! Note the magnificent nature that surrounds it.

evenings at paya

People feeling good and being happy.

the sky trail bridge

Beautiful! Next step: the handrails. The crevasse this bridge crosses is more than 20 feet deep. The trees on either side of it are growing from the floor of the ravine.

Lucky and Foxy seem to think it's the perfect place to relax and take in the scenery.

picacho hike

Today my friend, Susie, and her daughter, Sara, joined me for a hike to the summit of Picacho, eastern Roatan's tallest peak.

Susie shows the rocky trail who is boss.

Sara takes in the view from the top.

quote of the day

Putting [OAS Secretary General Jose Miguel] Insulza in charge of safeguarding democracy in the Americas is like asking a fox to safeguard a henhouse.

-  Thor Halvorssen, president of the Human Rights Foundation

photo of the day

The stairs between Bliss Beach and Buccaneer Landing. Paya Bay Resort, Roatan, Honduras.