Better far off to leave half the ruins and nine-tenths of the churches unseen and to see well the rest; to see them not once, but again and often again; to watch them, to learn them, to live with them, to love them, till they have become a part of life and life’s recollections. – Augustus Hare

Awaking in my protective neon green sleep liner, I open my eyes and I am lying on a mattress that has more holes in the paper thin sheet underneath me than the socks on Milk Chocolate’s feet. I’m almost certain our hotel room is the birthplace of aids, and if not, some new virus will generate from within the walls of this negative star rated hotel that is unheard of on Expedia. Rested and excited to once again take in the splendor of the deep blue waters of the Caribbean and be out of the jungles of Guatemala, away from the bugs and insects that have feasted upon my skin with the small red battle scars to prove it, it is just after 6am and I am ready to attack the day. Leaving the glorious Hotel Christopher behind at the rate of $13 per night and refusing to return our single roll of toilet paper to the front desk to be recycled for the next auspicious guests, we step in to the sun already causing the temperature to rise with every minute of the morning. Turning right just outside the entrance of our glorious accommodations, we walk down five blocks to the bus depot in hopes of reaching the port for Utila. First of all, I will mention that directions in Central America thus far are the most ambiguous I have ever experienced. The woman at the front desk of the hotel told us just a block and you’re there. Not the case.


Oranges, blues, and purples are beautifully reflected in the mirrored waters of the Caribbean as the setting sun brings little relief to the hot tropic air, and this is a welcome change from the cool rainy weather of Peten, Guatemala. Sitting on the dock, gazing out over my newest place to call home, I feel a wonderful sense of peace and tranquility. Music from the island begins to be heard as the night sky reveals a blanket of stars in all directions, and, paradise has found me yet again.