There was no "coup d'etat." Honduras enforced its own constituation and averted what could have been an even bigger problem. Roatan was almost completely unaffected by the political situation. Nevertheless, the dive shops on the island were nearly dead from the reduction in tourism caused by the travel warnings. The only difference I noticed on my arrival in Roatan were a few extra soldiers in the airport.
Hi JL,
Nice to see you here, and thanks for your words of wisdom. I just couldnt stand it any more and had to jump in here with you. Agreed; silly how these things so often seem to morph totally out of control. Sillier still is how some people on this board pretend to be such experts about things they really know nothing about.
Yet again here we are chatting about the "coup" that wasn't. I live for much of every year in Honduras, on the mainland for the most part, including from July 17 to December 15 last year. I was an official international observer of the November national elections. I worked as a volunteer for 22 hours that day with full access to every aspect of that election as it played out in my region and beyond. I have never seen a more well thought out, organized, transparent, fool-proof affair in my life. I can think of a whole host of major and lesser US corporations and political entities who could and SHOULD take lessons from that very successful effort. Representative democracy is very much alive and well in Honduras, thank you very much. At least it is for now. Who knows what will happen as the international power players wield their heavy handed policies on the little country that could. Hondurans are very proud of their new moniker and have now adjusted it to the little country that did.
In a military coup, isn't it so that the top general either takes over the government or at least takes a major role? Does anyone here know where the general who arrested Mel (by order of the Supreme Court) is now? Having never taken over the government for even a nanosecond and now retired from his military duties, he is working hard and is making great strides cleaning up the mess we all know as Hondutel, the national telecommunication service which has been a cesspool of corruption for ever.
Dandy Don
that duck dont waddle nor quack.
I use every kind of public transportation available in the country. I have a home/artists' studio in Copán Ruinas and a regular long-term rental on Roatan. I have flown many times directly into RTB and just as many into SAP. I am quite comfortable either way. I choose which airport depending on where I am going first or last and the rest of my schedule for each particular trip. I rarely use the "puddle jumpers" out of La Ceiba to the islands because my experiences have been that they are much less reliable than the ferries and the connections much more trouble. Try sitting in the Ceiba airport waiting hour after hour and knowing that if you had taken the ferry you would already be 100 feet down on the reef. Do that twice and at least for me its fool me once shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me. I dont like shame on me.
I have a Honduran business partner who always takes the little plane back to the island if his trip is in the afternoon because his inner ears make it difficult for him to tolerate the afternoon seas and currents. It's all about each individual traveler and their personal needs and comforts. Last time we parted ways for me to take the ferry and him the plane, sure nuf that bird didnt fly. But, being the resourceful business man he is, he hitched a ride on a private 4-seater with an empty seat
not something I would count on or recommend for the average traveler.
I am always willing to share about specifics when our SB members make specific requests for specific recommendations. I always answer SB private messages. I try hard to resist tirades like this one, but I really love my adopted country and once in a while, I get really tired of the general misinformation and propaganda being tossed about, especially that which has absolutely nothing to do with the diving.
As Dandy Don once wrote to me before our one week of diving from the same boat five years ago come August, "I can see this aint your first rodeo." During that week, I think he came to realize that he was right. We both know we will never dive from the same boat ever again. Not enough room in the same paddock for the both of us. We each need our own open ranges and Don, I wish you well on yours. And people wonder why we Texans need so much room.
As for your gear, if you love Honduras like I do, just do what I do and leave your kit on the island with your LDS there. Mine is CTD. I am a very lazy, old lady diver and terribly spoiled. I only want warm water, superb visibility, and gentle currents (well, with an occasion more challenging profile). I love my 60+ minute down times and only having to surface when we have to get back to the dock for those who are waiting for their turn on the boat. I dont have the time or the money or the desire to dive anywhere else anymore. I dont need things hanging off my BCD till I look like a Christmas tree. If I get a wild hair to go dive with my buds somewhere off the Gulf coast or the FL Keys or anywhere else, Ill just use their gear and buy a new seacure. Actually, my gear is so much loved and much used, all my buds think I need new anyway. If I somehow win a lottery or a trip to another hemisphere, it had better come with a new kit.
Forget your worries about the politics. Dont mess with them and they wont mess with you, but be sure to give full respect to the regulations and laws of the land. Its not a difficult concept. If you want to get off the islands and into the mainland, thats not about diving and a totally different conversation not appropriate for this board.
Do come and dive Las Islas de la Bahia before the expat developers make too many more improvements. Take it slow and easy; watch for beauty revealed in the very small and simple things as well as the most enormous and majestic. Find equal beauty in the very simple and huge as well as the most majestic and miniscule. You will find all of that here if you want to.
Hey JL, will we be in country at the same time this trip? For me it will probably be May, June, July, October, November and December. You?
goes back that far here on SCUBABoard.
