Friday, April 28, 2017

more Bay Islands history

Treaty Between Her Majesty And The Republic of Honduras Respecting The Bay Islands, The Mosquito Indians, And The Rights And Claims of British Subjects. This controversial* 1860 treaty ceded the Bay Islands to the recently independent (from Spain, 1821) Republic of Honduras. Queen Victoria was the British monarch at the time the agreement was negotiated and executed. Historians largely agree this surprisingly unconditional treaty resulted from formidable American pressure on Great Britain rooted in the United States' Monroe Doctrine and mainland Honduras' status -- at that time -- as a potential location for a trans-Central American isthmus railroad and/or shipping canal. The treaty is so shockingly unconditional that one wonders what quid pro quo arrangement the Americans made with the Brits for going through with it.



*Controversial because the British colonists of the Bay Islands were not consulted as to what arrangement they preferred. It is safe to assume -- had they been given voice in the matter -- English-speaking 19th Century Bay Islanders would have preferred to remain British subjects. To this day one can still find "older heads" of British ancestry who are still bitter about this unexpected turn of events that took place over 150 years ago. It is especially galling to some that the islands were turned over to the much disliked and distrusted "Spaniards" of mainland Honduras (recall that Spain had been Britain's archenemy on and off for centuries prior). Happily, younger generations of English-speaking Bay Islanders, for the most part, have had this historic bitterness diluted from their cultural DNA. 

Tuesday, April 25, 2017

video: drone over paya

Jacques -- a repeat client, Fan of Paya, and a friend -- brought his drone with him and made this awesome aerial video of Paya Bay Resort and the surrounding coastline. I suggest watching until the end. It's a bit lengthy (8 minutes), but worth it!



It's amazing how stable these drones are. Jacques said there was a strong, steady east wind when he recorded this video.

Jacques' current service project is to assist Hanford, a Roatanian from the local community of Diamond Rock, in setting up a stand up paddle boarding (SUP) tours business (see Hanford Tours). The SUP tours of the mangrove forests to the west of Paya will be bookable right from the resort, adding yet another exciting activity that can be enjoyed while visiting Roatan's East End.

fabulous bliss

"Brochure weather" on Bliss Beach. The Northern Hemisphere's spring and summer roughly correspond with our dry season here in the Western Caribbean. April through September is when we get some of our best weather here in the Bay Islands. The sea breezes keep things cool, making it a great time to visit Roatan!


bliss beach, best roatan weather, paya bay resort, chillout stations, beauty, the black iguana, beach bar, naturism,

bliss beach, best roatan weather, paya bay resort, chillout stations, beauty, the black iguana, beach bar, naturism,


bliss beach, best roatan weather, paya bay resort, chillout stations, beauty, the black iguana, beach bar, naturism,

bliss beach, best roatan weather, paya bay resort, chillout stations, beauty, the black iguana, beach bar, naturism,

bliss beach, best roatan weather, paya bay resort, chillout stations, beauty, the black iguana, beach bar, naturism,

bliss beach, best roatan weather, paya bay resort, chillout stations, beauty, the black iguana, beach bar, naturism,

bliss beach, best roatan weather, paya bay resort, chillout stations, beauty, the black iguana, beach bar, naturism,

Paya Bay Resort, Roatan, Bay Islands of Honduras.

Friday, April 21, 2017

garden update

All the energy we've put into the herb and vegetable garden lately is starting to pay off. We hope to soon harvest some locally-grown produce!





Paya Bay Resort, Roatan, Bay Islands of Honduras.

Wednesday, April 19, 2017

cayman airways flights to roatan


Cayman Airways Limited (CAL) will begin twice-weekly Boeing 737 nonstop flights between Grand Cayman and Roatan (RTB) beginning March 16, 2017. Cayman Airways currently operates year-round flights from Grand Cayman to La Ceiba, Honduras twice-weekly, and the airline’s Chairman of the Board of Directors, Mr. Phillip Rankin CPA, says the expansion into Roatan with twice-weekly service will build on the already-established synergies with the Honduras market. “It will definitely be a positive step for both countries so we’re looking forward to starting this service in March,” he said. “The new Roatan twice-weekly service will further enhance direct and connecting travel opportunities for both business and leisure travelers.” Cayman Airways President and CEO, Mr. Fabian Whorms, said: "The introduction of an in-transit processing facility at the Owen Roberts International Airport in 2015 facilitated our ability to develop Grand Cayman as a convenient hub, and more and more we see passengers to and from Honduras taking advantage of our easy connections to and from Miami and other gateways. Building on that growth, we are optimistic that the connections that will be available between Roatan and several gateways in our network, will ensure the success of this route.”
- caymanairways.com

Cayman Airways flies to/from the following major US cities: Miami and Tampa, Florida; Washington DC; New York, New York; and Chicago, Illinois.

Monday, April 10, 2017

Tuesday, April 4, 2017

secret cove, an amazing spot

We recently added new hammocks to the hammock station in Secret Cove. These photos attempt to capture the natural beauty this amazing chillout location.











Paya Bay Resort, Roatan, Bay Islands of Honduras.

Sunday, April 2, 2017

progressive vs conservative

Someone recently expressed discomfort with the progressive slant of the My Roatan blog. Specifically, this person wrote: "My wife and I were strongly considering coming back to your resort. But I would feel bad insulting your dignity and sense of superiority by asking you to accept any of our conservative Trump supporting money." In responding, I reminded this client that the blog specifically states "opinions expressed in this blog are solely my own," and that I have respectful and lively debates with conservative guests all the time. We agree to disagree. I live on the edge of the ocean. I can sense the sea level rising. My biggest gripe is with conservatives who claim global warming/climate change is a hoax. Donald Trump is one of those people. However, in an effort to be more "balanced," here are two men of arguably equal standing, one progressive and one conservative, having a respectful and lively debate about current issues in the political realm.

\

"a declaration of war"

We’re already past the point, probably, of reversing what climate change has done to this planet. Some say we’re on the precipice, some say we’re too late, some say we’re going to be too late very soon. For him to tear up every single regulation instituted by President Obama on climate change and for him to say that that will no longer be a concern when they make their decisions, is not just a fuck you to the rest of this world, but it’s a declaration of war against the actual planet.
- Michael Moore