resurfacing the trails

After what has been a record-breaking rainy season this winter, many of our trails have been subject to significant erosion. Cesar, Gerson and Josue have been adding a layer of pulverized blue limestone rock to smoothen the trails and make them more enjoyable to walk on.

Paya Bay Resort, Roatan, Bay Islands of Honduras.

husking coconuts for organic coconut oil

This morning I spotted Gerson, a member of Team Paya, husking coconuts that will be used to make organic coconut oil for use in the resort's restaurant. Learn more about the traditional method of making coconut oil.

Paya Bay Resort, Roatan, Bay Islands of Honduras.

This video explains why the coconut palm is considered the Tree of Life.

it's starting!

12 PM local time. A view of the bay here at Paya. Rain is pretty steady now and there is a noticeable increase in the storm surge and wave action.

Josue, Erick, Gerson, and Christian of Paya's Grounds Team stayed on duty to assist me if needed. Here they play a game of dominoes to pass the time.

island horsemen

Late this afternoon I spotted Omar and his buddy riding their horses on the Big Beach.

Paya Bay Resort, Roatan, Bay Islands of Honduras.

october spring cleaning

In preparation for re-opening the resort on November 1st for a new season, Paya Bay's team members are giving all the facilities a general scrubbing and cleaning.

Paya Bay Resort, Roatan, Bay Islands of Honduras.

repairing buccaneer: the final push

I'm very happy to inform that the repair of Buccaneer Landing is once again in full swing. As many of you know, this awesome section of the resort's grounds was severely damaged by the "polar vortex" storm phenomenon this past winter.  The repair project had to be put on hold several times as team members were needed to assist with other major maintenance projects we had on the agenda for 2014 (re-roofing key buildings, for example). Completing the Landing's repair will be the full focus of Paya's Grounds Team during the present month of September. Cesar, Arnold, and Josue restarted the project yesterday and they have already made good progress. It's hot, arduous work. As can be appreciated in the photos, it's all manual labor. That said, I suspect Buccaneer will be even better than before when these hard-working guys are finished with it!

Paya Bay Resort, Roatan, Bay Islands of Honduras.

new paya generation

During the recent Labor Day festivities held on Bliss Beach, a special guest posed with our two youngest team members. With their sweetness, good manners, and great attitudes, Erick (l) and Omar (r) bring much good energy to Team Paya. A server in the resort's restaurant, Erick has mastered the English language in only an amazing five months! Still of school age, Omar works part time as an assistant in the food service department during the week and attends school on weekends. Monies he earns help him cover his school expenses. These two exceptional young men had just returned from sea kayaking when this photo was taken. Paya Bay Resort, Roatan, Bay Islands of Honduras.

fernando and brooke

Fernando and Brooke recently joined the team here at Paya Bay. Brooke is our new yoga instructor and resident masseuse. She hails from Minnesota. Fernando, from Costa Rica, will be Paya's concierge/activities coordinator, assisting guests with planning and enjoying their activities, tours, and excursions. Welcome on board, guys!

welcome to paya!

Yesterday, at the Ananda Pavilion, we held our always-popular wine and cheese welcome reception for our holiday guests ...

... team members Lorena, Zulema (a.k.a. Myrna), Evelyn, and Sharlett did setup ...

... Adam, the first guest to arrive for the event, had an opportunity to privately experience the Ananda space in all its magnificent, ethereal, energetic splendor ...

... he was soon followed by the rest of the gang!

Beautiful, good, happy energy. Paya Bay Resort, Roatan, Bay Islands of Honduras.

happy holidays!

In an expression of our sincere gratitude for all their hard work this past year, Paya Bay held a holiday dinner at an off-site venue for our team members. It was awesome to bring a majority of Team Paya together for this joyous, celebratory occasion.

This same attitude of gratitude goes out to our wonderful guests, many of whom visit us year after year. Your much appreciated support helps us help so many people. Thank you and a hearfelt Happy Holidays from Paya Bay Resort!

the grotto

In one of my previous posts I mentioned a "secret" project Paya's Grounds Team was working on. Time to reveal the full 411. While working on one of the new hamaca stations, the team discovered this cool grotto at the bottom of one of the cliffs. While it only goes about nine feet into the cliffside, once past the narrow entrance, two adults can comfortably sit inside (with much space to spare). It's a great spot for a photo, to meditate, commune with the sea, have a deep conversation, and/or enjoy a medicinal spliff. The guys built a rustic access to it. In the photos that follow, Sharlett, Paya's sweet, engaging bartender, checks out the cavern for the first time.

Paya Bay Resort, Roatan, Honduras.

what are these boys up to now?

Today I captured Paya Bay's Grounds Team as they worked on a new seaside project. These three guys have been doing amazing work together the last few weeks. Hard work. It's obvious to me that despite the level of difficulty they put lots of heart into their efforts. It shows in the quality of the results.

Glayson, Cesar (Team Leader), and Eric.

Glayson, one of the most honorable, well-intentioned young men on the island.

Eric. This kid's politeness and can-do attitude warm the heart.

What are they up to at the foot of the cliff? It has to do with the new hamaca stations, but the details are a secret (for now).

a beautiful tale of two friends

Team members Evelyn (on the left) and Zulema are servers in Paya's restaurant and have become close friends. About six weeks ago Zulema had a terrible accident on her way to work. She was taking a shortcut down a cliff side in the early morning and somehow tripped and fell. She hit a rock with her head and was knocked unconscious, suffering a severe laceration and concussion. What awakened her was bloody sea water lapping on her. Miraculously, Zulema was able to reach deep inside and summon the strength to climb back up the cliff and seek help. She was rushed to hospital and has been slowly recovering ever since. This last week she felt well enough to return to work. At the hospital they removed her hair in the area of the wound and she now wears a band over the area to cover the still-healing lesion.

This weekend I noticed that Evelyn was wearing a band on her head, and I commented on what I thought was a new look. Evelyn then explained to me that she was wearing the head band in solidarity with her friend, as she didn't want Zulema to feel embarrassed by having to wear a band to cover her injury. I was left speechless by the beauty of this gesture! What an amazing friend! Que hermosa persona eres Evelyn!