We just finished watching our final sunset for the trip and are getting ready to fly back to Portland tomorrow. We spent yesterday on the dock in the sun, with periodic swims when it got hot. It seemed a little hotter the past few days but tough to tell, and when you have A/C in the room and are always within a few steps of the pool or the Caribbean it doesn't much matter. A couple nights ago we were worried that we hadn't seen a really good sunset, so we went down to the dock and swam as the sun dropped below the horizon. It was nice, but sharing it with two adolescent boys jumping from the top level into the water next to us kind of killed the moment. One of them either had ... read more

We've passed the halfway point of our trip. Yesterday we finished our scuba dive certification and did our second open water dive. Beautiful swimming along the reef. There were so many fish next to us, then if we looked up there would be a school or two passing above us also. Our favorite may have been a large teal-colored fish with a yellow argyle pattern on its tail (actually a couple colors, not unlike a blue, teal, yellow and red crayon getting left in the sun and blending together with bits and pieces staying the original color). It chased a smaller fish all around a piece of coral next to us for 10 seconds or so (very cool!), before losing the smaller fish and pooping next to us as it swam away (not so cool). We ... read more

We have arrived and settled into the Blue Bahia on Roatan. We are staying in Sandy Bay on the North side of the island, about a 20 ride from the airport. The beach has docks going out into the water and you can see small waves lightly breaking over the reef a hundred yards or so out. Sandy Bay has some sea grass but the clear spots are a pretty light blue. Flying in on the plane we could see some really pretty water on the island. The weather is warm, around 90 each day so far, and very humid. There is generally a breeze coming through off the water but it sure gets hot when the breeze stops for a few minutes. Our room at the Blue Bahia is very large (the "Starry Nights") and ... read more

As season ticket holders for the Portland Trailblazers, one of the perks they offer is an evening of games, food, and meeting players. Ticket holders are invited for one of two evenings, with half of the players coming each night. There was a hamburger/hot dog buffet, free video games and bowling, and players there to meet and get a photo with. Pretty neat perk for ticket holders that just about makes it worth the four times we have to see Minnesota every year. Whether you were bowling with Steve Blake and Joel Przybilla, pop-a-shot with Rudy and Sergio Rodriguez, air hockey with Nic Batum, or rock band with Channing Frye, it was very cool to see players outside the normal context. Where else will I run into Michael Ruffin and welcome he and his kids to ... read more

Caye Caulker We have arrived at the final destination on our trip, Caye Caulker. We got up Thursday morning, early, and caught the water taxi from Placencia to the mainland and then the 730am bus from Independance north to Belize City ($11us each). It took about four hours and we passed through dry pine forests, some swamps, over hills and ridges, through flat lowlands, areas surrounded by jungle and others with pastures and farms as far as you could see. It was kind of nice to do our last significant trek over this stretch because it included elements of all the landscapes that we've seen throughout the region the past three+ weeks. The last stop before Belize City was in Belmopan, and it was strange to think that only three and a half weeks ago we ... read more