January 7 – Roatan, Honduras

Weather – 27º, sunny

Steps – 8,713

Humidity – 80%

Honduras…country #107!

the rainforest right down to the water

We tried visiting Honduras last year, but the sea and weather conditions kept us away. Today we made it. The weather was good – a bit of rain and overcast. Good thing we had a brewery tour booked…mostly indoors – it did rain at one point when we were at the brewery, but we were under cover. I guess this is what keeps this place so lush – everywhere we looked today was lush, thick vegetation.

I keep forgetting Honduras is in Central America. Roatan, where we are today, is an island, but the country is mainland Central America.

Mainland Honduras (pop. 9.6 million) is primarily an agricultural economy, but Roatan’s is 75% tourism.

so many options

Today we visited the Roatan Island Brewing Co. This is about a 15-minute drive from the port, which is nice, because we are on the tiny ‘island’ busses. The brewery is in the middle of the rainforest and is very charming. There are picnic benches and tables made from old wooden barrels, some under cover and some nestled into the forest. 

snacks and drinks

As soon as we arrived, we were given a run down of the 13 beers/drinks they make. Each person chose the 4 that we wanted to try - these are served with a few pieces of sausage, a couple of pretzel bites, mustard and sauerkraut. My favourite was the blackberry, jalapeno gose – not too spicy, more vegetal, and sour. The way you chose is by putting your name and selections on a slip of paper, the beer is delivered to the table, and the name on the slip is read. One taster of 4 is brought for ‘Chris’…my Chris wasn’t the only one to raise his hand…funny.

Mark the owner/guide

We sat with 4 other guys from the UK and talked beer, travel and Chris talked soccer…the universal language.

After about 45 minutes of drinking, eating, and chatting, the tour began. We’ve been to many a brewery tour, and this was for certain the best. Mark, the owner/tour guide was super informative, entertaining, and engaging. We mostly sat on benches and crates while he talked – this was nice. Eventually we followed his to where the tanks were for one last look.

ordering to-go

Then we did some shopping and got a ‘to-go’ bus beer. On the way back Alani, the guide who up to now was a great, told us a bit more about life on Roatan and then all about the noni fruit that can cure cancer, prolong life, and helped her get pregnant. 2 minutes on this topic could have been fine, but hearing about this for most of the way back was too much! Most people tuned her out.

Before we got back to the port we had a 5 minute shopping stop…we bought some Honduran chocolate.

Back at the port, we weren’t exactly looking for any more beer, good thing, because all there was here were shops – odd for a port.

drink delivery

Once we got back, we headed up to the Sanctuary pool to listen to the guitar player and for a snack.

This it was a visit to naptown before dinner.

We visited the Sanctuary lounge for our

chocolate factory

 predinner cocktail. Nibbles are available, but we tried to decline…our server misinterpreted our ‘no thank you’ for please bring us a huge cheese plate and an overflowing plate of chips!

We watched the predinner show “Viva, la Musica” – a Latin themed high-energy production. By now we have figured out the reserved situation and got a great seat.

Dinner was at the ship’s seafood place…good, but way too much food.

After dinner we listened to another guitar player in the ship’s Irish pub where we witnessed something we have NEVER seen EVER on a ship (or elsewhere for that matter)…2 women, drinking Guiness, in the corner, laughing and talking, and KNITTING! This was fantastic…although knitting and I aren’t friends, this inspired me to try again.

Viva la Musica!

Sunsational!

Then we hit the dance floor for one song enroute to the pool deck for the end of their Sunsational deck party. By this time it was after midnight so that was that.