Port 3: ROATAN

roatan was our favorite stop on our cruise.  the island was rich with greenery and beautiful beaches.  we spent a fun filled day on the zip line at this stop.  the zip lines took you through the dense jungle forest and at the top there was a gorgeous view of the ocean. the zip line ended at a garden and zoo and i was surprised to be welcomed by a small monkey.  he jumped right on my lap and let me pet him.  it was pretty awesome!

beautiful views of the ocean from the top of the zip line

my little monkey friend

pretty foliage at the gardens and zoo where we zip lined

ned in the garden area

the garden canopy

beautiful ocean views from the top of the zip line.

coming to the end of the final zip line.

getting ready to take off, we were the first ones to go!

after going on the zip line we went to the beach for a few hours.  the snorkeling in roatan was the best.  we saw so many beautiful schools of fish and the coral was pretty.  it was really really fun and exciting.  i repeatedly tried to touch the fish, but they were too quick.  we followed some schools of fish around and it was fascinating to see them move as if  they were one large fish.  it reminded me of the movie nemo. some people shared their bread crumbs with us, so we could feed the fish.  it was awesome because the fish would eat right out of your hands. i really liked the beach in roatan, except that it was very touristy and crowded.  the locals were constantly bombarding you to buy trinkets and shells from them.  i would have preferred a non-excursion beach experience to get away from all tourists and vendors. 

this is the beach we snorkeled at.  gotta love the crystal clear waters.

after spending the day zip lining and at the beach, we headed back to the tourist town to do some shopping.  i liked mahogany bay better than mexico because there weren't any pushy mexican guys, hollering, "senorita, over here. what you like?" 

one thing i really like at this stop was the opportunity to see the "real" town.  when we were coming back from the beach, the driver of our taxi took us through the villages and towns where the people lived.  ned is very inquisitive and asked all kinds of questions, so we learned a lot about the little island of roatan. it reminded me again of  when i lived in

panama as we drove past the schools, homes and shops of the locals.