Home Cooking

One of the things we miss when we are on the road is having a kitchen to cook our own food. Granted, coming to Central America has given us an exotic taste of various delicious local fare like tamales, tacos, tortas, baleadas and much more. But once in a while it is nice to have a good kitchen to be able to prepare our own meals, rustle up a salad, fried rice, curry, or just cut some of the juicy delicious fruit available in this part of the world.

Here in Utila, having our own apartment, with a complete kitchen has been a luxury for us. Dining choices are pretty limited here, especially for us and our tight budget. Not only can we enjoy the cheap, easily available fresh fish (which would be out of our budget if we ate out at a restaurant), we can also try our hand at more elaborate stuff such as baking our own bread. We have also generated a little income from selling home-made onion bread and banana fritters in the streets.

The following are some photos of food we have rustled up in our kitchen. It helps that all of us enjoy cooking. Again, let me apologise for the quality of the pictures. My camera is nearing the end of its life…

Cook at work! Everyone’s favourite: fried rice!

A favourite Spanish tapas, Russian Salad.

Vegetarian lasagna, Delicious!

Pan fried barracuda with sweet potato mash and caramelized onions.

Caramelized bananas with rum and vanilla ice cream.

Home-baked onion bread.

A huge pineapple. It was really sweet too!

Fresh chilies growing along one of the pathways. These are really spicy.

Calle 13

We first heard Calle 13, a band from Puerto Rico while we were staying in San Pedro, Lake Atitlan. In fact we heard one of their albums about 4 times in a row as it looped while we were out one night. I do not know much about Latin music, but Rick and i both immediately liked this band. The messages, the melody.

This song is called “La Vuelta Al Mundo” (“Around the World”) and has been sort of a sound track for us on the road since we first heard the band that night in Guatemala. I was listening to it again this morning and wanted to share it with you since it is sort of a reflection point for me. I found the lyrics in Spanish so i’ll add them here too. I was surprised to find that i could understand almost the whole song, so my language must be getting better!

Enjoy!

“La Vuelta Al Mundo”

No me regalen mas libros por que no los leo
Lo que he aprendido es porque lo veo
Mientras mas pasan los años
Me contradigo cuando pienso
El tiempo no me mueve yo me muevo con el tiempo

Soy las ganas de vivir, las ganas de cruzar
Las ganas de conocer lo que hay después del mar
Yo espero que mi boca nunca se calle
También espero que las turbinas
De este avión nunca me fallen

No tengo todo calculado, ni mi vida resuelta
Solo tengo una sonrisa y espero una de vuelta
Yo confío en el destino y en la marejada
Yo no creo en la iglesia pero creo en tu mirada

Tu eres el sol en mi cara cuando me levanta
Yo soy la vida que ya tengo,
Tu eres la vida que me falta
Así que agarra tu maleta, el bulto, los motetes
El equipaje, tu valija,
la mochila con todos tus juguetes, y…

Dame la mano vamos a darle la vuelta al mundo
Dame la mano vamos a darle la vuelta al mundo

La renta, el sueldo, el trabajo en la oficina
Lo cambie por las estrellas y por huertos de harina
Me escape de la rutina, para pilotear mi viaje
Por que el cubo en el que vivía se convirtió en paisaje

Yo era un objeto esperando a ser ceniza
Un día decidí hacerle caso a la brisa
A irme resbalando detrás de tu camisa
No me convenció nadie, me convenció tu sonrisa

Y me fui tras de ti persiguiendo mi instinto
Si quieres cambio verdadero, pues camina distinto
Voy a escaparme hasta la constelación mas cercana
La suerte es mi oxigeno, tus ojos son mi ventana

Quiero correr por siete lagos en un mismo día
Sentir encima de mis muslos el clima de tus nalgas frías
Llegar al tope de la sierra, abrazarme con las nubes
Sumergirme bajo el agua y ver como las burbujas suben y

Dame la mano vamos a darle la vuelta al mundo
Dame la mano vamos a darle la vuelta al mundo

Natural Pumice

Did you know that ‘pumice’ is a type of volcanic rock? Those stones we use to shave off hard skin from our feet were actually ejected from a volcano at some point in the past!

I found out this interesting fact when Rick came back from the beach one day with a few pumice rocks that he had found at the water’s edge. Jesus told us that these rocks (that are highly porous), actually float on the surface of the water and he had seen lots of them in Lake Atitlan, Guatemala. It was my first time to see these rocks in their natural state, and they work just as good as my pharmacy-bought one!

The four stones that Rick and Jesus found at the water’s edge.

A closer look at these super-light, highly porous rocks.

Bando Beach

Bando beach is located on the south western most point of Utila island. It is a small private beach, costing 60 lempiras (about 10 ringgit or 2.50 euros) to enter and looks out to a small lighthouse, a few hundred meters offshore. There is also a view of the whole Eastern Harbour of Utila from here.

The entrance to Bando Beach.

We decided to make a day out of our visit to this private beach, so we packed a picnic and our snorkel gear to bring with us. As we entered the beach compound, we were greeted by a couple of colourful birds. There were only a few people on the small beach, mainly single women, who were either sleeping in the shade, sun bathing or sitting in the clear shallow water. We picked out a spot with a few chairs and immediately went for a dip to cool off.

this bird looks like he’s getting told off!

What a beauty!

The beach is a slight slope, with mangroves on either side and patches of sea grass near the shore. Although the water is shallow, you can still see many fish beneath the clear water. Towards the lighthouse are a series of dive sites and a huge coral reef. Rick and Jesus swam all the way out to do some serious snorkeling around the lighthouse, while Begonia and i relaxed on land, taking turns to float around for a while in the sea.

Tranquility.

Clear, warm, shallow water.

Looking out towards Eastern Harbour.

The day passed quickly and before we knew it, the sun was setting and it was time to head home. We all enjoyed our day at Bando beach in our own way.

Sunset.

Dona Rosa’s Baleadas

Since we arrived in Utila, Honduras, we have spent most days eating home-cooked food. Those few times when we have decided to eat out, we have headed to our local ‘baleada’ shop, run by Dona Rosa.

Baleadas are a common Honduran snack that originate from La Ceiba. A baleada consists of a large flour tortilla filled with refried red beans, crumbled cheese and a choice of other ingredients such as vegetables (typically an onion, tomato and green bell pepper mix called ‘chismol’), egg, meat, prawns, fish, avocado and other goodies. They are delicious, fast to make, and probably one of the most affordable food choices on the island (prices range from 20 – 55 lempiras each, depending on the filling).

Now this post sounds a bit like  a paid advertisement, but on an island, where budget food options are limited, it’s nice to know where to find a good meal.

My half-eaten beef baleada.

Dona Rosa herself and her team of cooks.

Caribbean Architecture in Utila

When we first came to Utila and started walking its streets and pathways, i was immediately captivated with my first real encounter with Caribbean architecture. The houses look so similar to ‘kampung’ (literally translated as ‘village’) houses back home in my native Sarawak. Seeing how similar these structures were made me feel strangely at home… well that, and the island’s landscape. Here is a selection of some of the houses that we have seen dotted around this beautiful island. The locals here are clearly house-proud and maintain their abodes in immaculate condition.

As you will see, wood features in all structures here on the island, in one way or another. Some houses, like Shane and Kristina’s, are in places with no running water or electricity, so they simply generate their own with solar panels, wind turbines and wells. Most of the older houses have huge compounds and neatly-trimmed gardens, which give an open, spacious feel to this island. So enjoy this little collection of photos of Caribbean ‘kampung’ architecture.

A multilevel wooden house at the foot of Pumpkin Hill with a wind turbine.

Typical Caribbean architecture.

Some houses are close together.

While others have massive compounds.

This is one of a row of identical white houses.

One of my favourites. A bad photo of it obscured by that horrible fence.

The similarity to ‘kampung’ or ‘village’ houses in Malaysia is uncanny.

I liked this one. Compact and cute.

This beautiful round house is right on the beach.

Many of the houses such as this one, had pretty gardens.

One of the bigger houses.

Stairs all the way to the top of this house.

Work in progress.

My favourite house so far. This one was built around a massive tree and has a platform right on top.

Utila

Since we arrived in Utila, i have written about our various experiences but have yet to give you a sort of overview of the island. After a little research, here’s some more information about Utila for those of you who are thinking of visiting anytime in the future.

Utila is a small Caribbean island measuring 11 kms in length by 4 kms at its widest point. It is the 3rd largest of the Honduran Bay Islands and sits at the tail end of the second largest reef in the world, the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System. In fact, the whole island is surrounded by coral. It is a world-famous diving destination due to its location and the variety of sea life that can be seen here such as the whale shark.

Some of the coral around the island. Calm, clear waters are perfect for snorkeling.

The island is volcanic with its highest point, Pumpkin Hill (at 74m), actually being a kind of volcanic vent. Evidence of this is everywhere in the volcanic rock we saw. We have yet to take a walk to Pumpkin Hill but have caught a glimpse of the whole island from a small hill behind the place where we live.

Pumpkin Hill.

Looking towards the Eastern Harbor of Utila. Most of the town and houses are obscured by the many trees on the island.

Looking west past Chepes Beach. You can see the swampland and the lagoon.

The main activity center of Utila is in its Eastern Harbor, which is where all the businesses, dive shops,  accommodation and ferry terminal are located. Its local population of around 2,500 mainly run all business on the island and they speak a local language of English interspersed with unfamiliar words, in a heavy Caribbean accent. On both sides of the Eastern Harbor are two beaches. Bando beach, a private beach on the eastern end and Chepes beach, a public one on the west side. It takes roughly 30 minutes to walk from one to the other. There is a lagoon just  beyond Chepes Beach and a huge area of swampland on the western side of the island.

Looking out to Utila’s Eastern Harbour from Bando beach.

The main street in Utila.

Munchies, a popular restaurant situated on the main street in a restored building.

A petrol station in town.

Pretty road signs.

Looking out to Chepes Beach from La Champa, the bar where Jesus and Begonia work.

To the south-west of Utila are the Cays, a series of tiny tropical islands, most of which are uninhabited. We have yet to visit but we have seen pictures of Kristina and Shane at Water Cay and it looks absolutely stunning. Another thing on our to-do list.

Pirate lore is said to be rich here on Utila, and this is one of the various islands in the Caribbean that must have inspired the movie. Its neighbouring island, Roatan, is said to have been inhabited by over 5,000 of Captain Henry Morgan’s pirates back in the day. There is a sign in town that says Robinson Crusoe was shipwrecked right here on Utila, presumably before it was inhabited.

They say this is the island where Robinson Crusoe was shipwrecked.

View from a jetty in Eastern Harbor.

Walking westward. This path runs between the lagoon and the sea.

Horses grazing alongside one of the pretty pathways on the island.

Beautiful and rich in history, Utila is yet another one of those very interesting places. We have seen the reef from above and its waters are rich in life. In fact i just saw my first eagle ray playing on the surface of the water this morning! We have seen most of the island by walking its shaded tranquil paths and we have also made friends with the warm locals who have made Utila their home. We are truly privileged to have the opportunity to spend time here.

Sunset over the lagoon.

Life on the Road.

Since we have been on the road in Central America for 4 months now and traveling the world for over 2 years, we have had to make lots of little changes to how we live our everyday lives. Of course sometimes, like now, we get to enjoy the luxury of having a place of our own for a month or more. Normal activities become more ‘manual’ in a way; hand-washing clothes, walking as a form of transportation, cooking or preparing own food whenever possible, mending clothes with a bit of sewing.. well, you get the picture.

I tried cutting Rick’s hair for the first time in Spain, just before we came to Central America. Rick’s mother (who cuts her own hair) supervised, and i managed to pass that initial nerve-inducing test! Since then i have been hairdresser a few times and below is a photo of me with my latest ‘client’, Jesus. It was not a professional cut by any means but you know what they say… practice makes perfect!

Serious work in progress!

The Mysterious Ring Incident!

Rick lost his wedding ring in Spain last November. It was one of those moments when he suddenly realised that the ring was missing and had probably fallen off somewhere. We scoured the house where we were staying to the point of sifting through the dustbin but came up empty. After keeping our eyes scanned until we left Spain, we finally resigned ourselves to the fact that the ring was really lost. We were both a little disappointed but a ring is a ring, just a symbol.

Secretly, we both kept a little hope that it would turn up again somewhere, somehow. And over the past 4 months, we have brought up the subject of the ‘lost ring’ several times, still wondering where it could be.

Today, coming back to our apartment in Utila, Jesus found a ring on the ground. And guess what? Upon closer inspection, we realised that it was Rick’s missing wedding ring! Yes, here in Honduras! How strange! It must have been with us all this while without us knowing it.

All we know is that it found its way back to us, where it belongs 🙂

Rick´s wedding ring. Back where it belongs.

Lazy Island Days

Our days in Utila so far have been a mixture of outdoor garden work and lazy days hanging around. The closest beach to our apartment happens to be Chepes Beach. This public beach is small but its a pretty white sand stretch that is stunning when empty.

Chepes Beach.

The white sand at the far side of Chepes Beach.

Beyond Chepes beach is a platform built across the road from Coral View Hotel. It is not a long walk. The pathway just winds through some really pretty wooden kampung-style houses next to the sea and usually this platform is empty. It is built just meters away from an underwater garden filled with healthy coral and lots of bright, colourful fish going about their business. The sunset from here was pretty spectacular, even though it set on the island and not the sea.

On the way to snorkel.

A pretty circular wooden house right on the beach.

Lovely kampung-style house.

The platform near the reef was almost always empty when we went there.

Rick and Jesus snorkeling over the reef opposite Coral View Hotel.

Sunset over Utila.

Some mornings we head to the Paradise Divers jetty to wait for the fishermen to come in with their catches. So far we haven’t been able to catch Begonia and Jesus’ regular guy, Zorro, but the other day, we bought half a huge barracuda for 250 lempiras (equivalent to 40 ringgit or 10 euros), and it really was massive. Its in our freezer now, fileted and ready for cooking!

Zorro, fileting barracuda the morning we arrived on Utila.

… and the sign on the jetty says…

If you can get past the oily patches on the surface of some parts, and a fishy odor sometimes, you can also snorkel from the jetty. You will be surprised at just how many fish live in that small area of water. It is close enough to home for us to be able to run home for a cool shower if the sun starts to get a bit too much.

The clear water near the Paradise Divers jetty are perfect for snorkeling. Lots of fish feed on the fishermen’s leftovers.

Me and Begonia making big splash!

Rick the acrobat!

So that’s a snapshot of some of the activities that we have been indulging in over the past couple of weeks. We have still yet to make it to Pumpkin Hill, which has been on the agenda since our first week here on Utila. The days are passing by incredibly fast as we indulge ourselves in lazy island days.