TRAVEL & TOURISM |
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TRAVEL & TOURISM |
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| Monday, June 30, 1997 Online Edition 60 |
Granada: don't miss this town on the banks of Lake Nicaragua
Horse drawn carriages are a good way to see Granada, a beautiful colonial city located 46 kilometers from Managua, Nicaragua. See story and pictures inside.
By SUYAPA CARIAS A visit to Nicaragua would be incomplete without touring the colonial city of Granada. Located 46 kilometers from Managua, this historic destination will surely satisfy your appetite for high quality tourism. The antique flavor of Granada's colonial buildings, the freshness of nearby Lake Nicaragua and the cultural richness that prevails in every corner make Grenada a fascinating place to visit. Looking at the elegant cleanliness of today's city, no one would ever imagine that Granada was once completely burned to the ground. For centuries it was the main commercial center of Nicaragua. French and English pirates attacked the city on three occasions and in 1856 it fell siege to U.S. filibuster William Walker, who was President of Nicaragua for a short time before he was exiled to Trujillo, Honduras and assassinated there. But despite their turbulent history, the people of Granada retain their strength of survival and are very proud of their home.
GETTING AROUND A good way to tour the city is to ride one of its many horse-and-carriages and take a leisurely walk back. Although many believe Calle Atravesada is the heart of the city because it is inhabited by wealthier locals and occupies a strategic location, the truth is the whole city is harmoniously decorated with one and two-story Spanish style homes painted in all of the colors of the rainbow. The influence of the conquistadors is obvious in the large number of Catholic churches still open to worshippers today. In front of Xalteva Church, a small park hosts the Muros de Xaltava, which are reportedly the oldest stone walls in Nicaragua. Also look for the Piedra Bocona, a "big mouth" stone located in front of a cozy antique shop with the same name. Spending some time in the Central Plaza on a summer Sunday afternoon will allow you to chat with residents and learn more about Granada in an open-air family atmosphere. The Cathedral, the Ayuntamiento and the Bank of Central America are just a few of the surrounding structures worth visiting. Nicaraguans say that if you leave Granada without trying a dish of vigoron (yucca and fried pork skins with fresh grated cabbage) and a cold glass of cacao, it's like you were never in Granada at all. Also try the chicha de maiz and the cebada. CULTURAL NICHE Near the main plaza you'll also find the Casa de los Tres Mundos. Formerly owned by the Cardenal family, this spacious old home was donated to the local government to serve as a cultural center. Art exhibits, music lessons and workshops take place regularly there. At the Antiguo Convento de San Francisco, Granadans have set up a four-room archaeological exhibit to show the way of life of their ancestors. Thirty statues from the pre-Colonial era are features. Granada has been a place of inspiration for more than one writer. Several decades ago, a group of Nicaraguan intellectuals founded a vanguard literary movement there.
GREAT LAKE On the southern side of the city is the majestic Gran Lago de Nicaragua, also known as Cocilbolca. Covering more than 8,000 square kilometers, it's the largest lake in Central America and a tourist destination in and of itself. Access to the lake is easy for a refreshing boat ride, a look at the local bird species or a chat with the local fishermen. You won't have the patience to count Las Isletas, all the small islands formed by the ancient eruptions of Mombacho Volcano. For those looking for real adventure, head to Ometepe, the largest island in the world located within a lake. A different world, Ometepe is actually made of two volcanoes, Concepcion and Madera. Also, just a one hour boat ride from Las Isletas is Zapatera Island, a national park famous for its lush vegetation and archaeological remains. Granada also offers excellent facilities for guests who wish to stay overnight and see the sun rise over this beautiful part of Central America. |
Park offers a maximum of sights for a minimum of tourists By RAYMOND GUTT Long known as Punta Sal National Park, the name of this beautiful preserve was changed last year to Jeanette Kawas National Park in memory of the environmental activist who was murdered in February 1995. At the time of her death, Kawas was working for the PROLANSATE environmental foundation, which is responsible for the protection of the Lancetilla Botanical Gardens, Texiguat and Punta Sal, all located near the North Coast city of Tela. The park occupies 782 square kilometers of tropical rainforest, sandy beaches, mangroves and lagoons. The seven percent of the park that lies underwater provides habitat for a large variety of fish, while some 1,500 people live in seven different Garifuna Indian villages protected within the park's boundaries. Living in thatched huts along the white sandy shores, these men, women and children make their living through subsistence fishing. Protecting the park means protecting their livelihood. Some 20,000 additional people live in areas surrounding the park. Most of these also earn their living through small-scale fishing, mostly using poles, small nets and spears. There is no large scale fishing in the park. Commercial fishing would soon destroy its resources. One of the most common fish in Jeanette Kawas National Park is the barracuda. Although most of them are tasty and healthy, a few are poisonous. Local fishermen have two tests to find out whether or not a barracuda is safe. The first is the scale test. If the fish begins to lose its scales after being laid on the beach, it is poisonous. Another way to test the meat is to cut off a small piece of the fish and lay it on the ground near some ants. If the ants avoid eating the fish, you should, too. Some of the park's lagoons have been considerably damaged by human activity. A nearby palm-oil extraction factory used to pump its waste into the San Alejo River, which flows directly into the park. Although a full study of the ecological impact of this practice has yet to be completed, the company is now using settling tanks to help clean up the area. The same lagoons that were contaminated by the industrial waste also suffered a new setback: tilapia. This tasty white fish is cultivated commercially nearby for export. When a tilapia holding tank broke, releasing tilapia into one of the protected lagoons, it caused problems for the native species of fish, guapote, catfish, bass and crab, which are not compatible with tilapia. Because you can only get there by boat, tourist traffic is limited. But from a tourist's point of view, Punta Sal has a lot to offer: unspoiled beaches, coral reefs, beautiful scenery and lots of birds. The park, in fact, is a haven for bird lovers with 345 different species. Ecosystems are complex and diverse and Jeanette Kawas National Park is no exception. Other human-provoked influences like deforestation, erosion and the destruction of habitat can destroy many elements in a complicated ecosystem. By helping to protect the environment today we can guarantee that future generations will have the same beautiful natural wonders that we enjoy today. |
| Monday, June 24, 1997 Online Edition 59 |
A memoir: from SPS to Teguz before the Northern Highway was built By PAUL J. HOLSEN II PERSONAL REPORT Today one can drive from San Pedro to Tegucigalpa in less than four hours, but when I was a kid, the average trip took two days, sometimes three. Tegucigalpa to Choluteca was two days! Those of you who were not fortunate to make that trip, well, I would like for you to come along, so pack your bags, we leave at 0630. First thing was to prepare the car for the trip. Don't forget Saltine crackers, Spam, and an ice chest full of Coca Cola, Tropical and Salva Vida. At the time my Dad was vice president and general manager of Compania Industrial Ceibena, then referred to as CIC. Today it is known as the Cerveceria Hondurena, S.A. Home base was La Ceiba, but for this trip we would have to fly to San Pedro Sula on a TACA trimotor Ford via Tela and Puerto Cortes, then on to San Pedro Sula. There were no roads out of La Ceiba: it was either the train or airplane. Dad was president of Cerveceria Tegucigalpa, S.A., so every summer we would make the trip so he could visit his customers along the way. Besides, I think he loved it -- I did. The brewery mechanics would inspect the car, throw in an extra tire, a few extra cans of gasoline, new plugs, filters. We would also have a few side arms, shot guns, a 22, and a fishing pole. Once away from the city, you were on your own, so everything had to be in tip top shape. On our first trips, a brewery mechanic would also accompany us, should our car break down. ON TO PORTRERILLOS We would leave early from the Colombia Hotel, for the San Pedro Sula railroad station. The motor car would be waiting for us with a very low flat car behind it, which would pull our car to Portrerillos. The motor car was neat, usually the front end of an old Ford. It had two reverse gears, slow and fast. On our way we would go over the Ulua Bridge, through Buffalo, Villanueva and into Portrerillos. Leaving Portrerillos, we would follow an Empresa Dean baronesa, a Ford F500 converted with a huge wood body. What I always remember was the driver practically sat in the middle and on his left was always the prettiest passenger. The seats were wood planks, usually three or four rows, and cargo in the rear. Mr. Dean ran a vast fleet of baronesa trucks from Portrerillos to Choluteca and had an airline in Honduras called Dean. We all headed for Las Bocas, then for El Jaral, where the ferry to cross the Lake was already waiting for us. It would be around noon when we started to cross beautiful Lake Yojoa, and the surrounding scenery was impressive, magnificent, unrolling seemingly endless before our astonished eyes. While we were crossing the lake, we had lunch from our canned goods stock, and had some shooting. I recall my Dad killing ducks, which he would give to the ferry helpers. Along the way, to our left were the grounds of United Fruit Company. We arrived at the other side of the lake, at Pito Solo, two hours later. Today it is the last curve on the highway where the Motel is located, all that is left are the pilings. After we docked, we left immediately for Siguatepeque, all up hill, where we arrived four hours later. We checked into the hotel owned by Max Izbenco and, after unloading our car and taking a look around the place, Dad would take a walk around the town. We would go to the telegraph office to send some telegrams and check on messages from the brewery. It was always easy to find the telegraph office, since you could hear the loud codes clicking away, usually on a Kiwi shoe can. After dark, we had dinner, went around the park to listen to the latest news, but I think my Dad really wanted to see the pretty girls walking around the park. The men would walk one way and the girls the other. PLEASANT CLIMATE Siguatepeque always was and is one of my favorite cities in Honduras. I recall huge log trucks coming down the mountain, something you don't see today, which is good for our forests, but I do miss the sounds and sights of those big trucks coming down the mountain. The city still is a beautiful place, where in the winter season the temperature drops as low as 38 degrees, and in the hot days never rises above 65 to 70 F, with the exception of a few days in the summer, when the temperature goes up to almost 100, but this is really seldom. Siguatepeque is 3,712 feet above sea level. After having a very pleasant night, and sleeping soundly, we would get up around 0600. On finishing breakfast, we would leave Siguatepeque with our ice-box replenished. The trip was all down hill, the famous "Cocona" ahead -- so many cars and trucks would not negotiate this curve and plunge to their death. Most of these curves were 180 degrees: you would have to turn, back up and continue to turn. We would arrive in Comayagua around noon. As we visited these cities, the first thing Dad would do was call on his distributor or a customer or two. They never failed in asking that we stay overnight, and sometimes we would. I believe this is one of the reasons my Dad was so successful in making the brewery what it is today, going out and personally thanking his customers, talking to them and seeing how he could improve his products. We would always visit the cathedral, which we found a very interesting place to see. As soon as we arrived at the atrium we found ourselves surrounded by some tourist guides, eager to give us all the information we wished, the truth, and sometimes not the truth about everything. We saw the famous clock, a time-piece which has a very interesting history. We also had the opportunity to behold the corpse of a famous bishop, buried there some 250 years ago, and the body still had most of its skin and clothes. Leaving the city, we would travel on a very dusty road for hours, with nothing but burros all over the place. Before climbing the mountain we would stop and the adults would have coffee and rosquillas and I, a Tropical root beer. THE ZAMBRANO WITCH Towards evening we would again be on top of the mountain looking down at the lights of Comayagua in the distance and the evening fires from the huts along the road. Coming into Zambrano, home of President Carias, I would always snuggle up to my parents, not only because it was getting cold, but I was told that along that section of the road, when you were alone, especially a truck driver, a witch would all of a sudden sit next to you asking for a ride. She would smile at you, and disappear. As you would leave, or enter a town, you had to stop at a police hut and report. You would give your name, the names of your passengers, destination and vehicle information. This was great, at least if something happened to you, they at least knew where you were last seen. Their were also certain rules of the road -- you must recall these were mountain roads, at times room for only one car at a time. Trucks usually liked to travel at night for many reasons. It was cooler, we "tourists" would not be on the road, and they could look down the mountain for lights. No lights, they would head down. A truck going up the mountain had the right of way, the truck coming up would not stop! If he stopped, there is no way he could crank up and go again. There were so few trucks that over the years I got to know many of these drivers and we became close friends. Another rule back then was you didn't pick up anyone that was injured. Should that person die as you are moving him or her to the hospital, you were responsible. I always wondered what we would do if we ever came upon an accident! We saw many, but luckily someone else always beat us to the scene and we did not have to transport anyone. Late in the evening we would come upon the lights of Tegucigalpa in the distance. It was a long drive down into the city, and it would be midnight by the time we got to the brewery. What really stands out, and so help me, I cannot get rid of it, is the smell of the brewery grounds. Back then Cerveceria Tegucigalpa was downtown, alongside the Choluteca River. The grounds of the brewery were large and loaded with all kinds of flowers. Up till today, the smell of those grounds haunt me. They were so beautifully manicured, and the cool morning air in the city was so special, it was always so hard to leave Tegucigalpa. How I miss you today. |
| Monday, June 16, 1997 Online Edition 58 |
Coral Reef Explorer lets non-divers venture into underwater world By CAPTAIN TERRY CLYMIRE Many visitors to the Bay Islands ask the same questions again and again. What is there to do if you're not a diver? And what do you do when you're not diving? If you're not a diver, or at least not a diver yet, you may be wondering what all the excitement is about. But there's a way you, too, can experience the beauty and amazement of some of the world's most beautiful coral reefs. Just check out the new Full Moon Hotel on West Bay Beach and ask for Jerry Hynds' Coral Reef Explorer. Built in Tampa, Florida and measuring in as 48 feet in length, this specially constructed vessel is designed to give you a look at marine life without ever getting wet. It seats up to 28 adults at a depth of five feet below the surface in air conditioned, surround sound stereo comfort. Hynds, who owns both the boat and the hotel, wanted to offer tourists something different, regardless of their age and whether they were already into the world of scuba diving. Experienced divers who expect a trip on the Coral Reef Explorer to be just another boat ride soon realize they're mistaken. The vessel does just what its brochure promises, allowing passengers to "explore, enjoy and admire the splendor of the most rare, varied and colored species of the sea and part of the second largest barrier reef in the world through the large glass windows of the Coral Reef Explorer." The semi-submarine doesn't actually submerge. Instead, passengers descend into its glass hull and are safely seated below the water line while a bilingual and knowledgeable guide helps point out and identify hundreds of fish and coral species as the boat moves slowly about the reef. Fish ID charts are available and there are several feeding stops along the way, using scraps from the many fish factories located on the island. The trip takes place in the West End Marine Preserve, whose sea residents seem to have pleasantly accepted the visit as a part of their daily routine. Bar jacks and yellowtail snappers like to follow the boat on its journey. Other frequent sights are barracudas, stingrays, parrotfish, reef squid, barrel sponges, sea anemones and more. The ride is something the whole family will enjoy, and outstanding photos are available with just the snap of a camera. Trips are scheduled daily at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Transportation is provided by van from West End to West Bay, or you can take a water taxi from West End right to the boat. Trips for private groups can also be arranged. For more information or reservations, call (504) 45-1402 and ask for the Coral Reef Explorer. |
| Monday, June 9, 1997 Online Edition 57 |
Washington state native wins third Utila Dive-Off By TED DANGER Special to Honduras This Week UTILA, The Bay Islands -- The third annual Utila Dive-Off was held the last day of March in the placid, deep blue Caribbean waters off The Bay Islands of Honduras. The weather was perfect as usual for this time of year, and the ocean comfortably warm. Some of the competitors had traveled quite far to attend this all-day beach event, including the world's deepest diving champion, Francisco "Pipin " Ferreras, who was available to answer questions from the enthusiastic fresh crop of future contenders in the sport of breath hold diving. With the advent of the Dive-Off website, promotion of this years event brought about some interesting results. Through posting a notice on a newsgroup, The Freedivelist@colosus.net, computer users with a love of freediving were alerted to the contest. Three such divers chose to commit to studying with Pipin Ferreras, and to compete with a slew of divemasters and instructors, who are always present on the island that is famous for certifying mass populations of budget travelers. Mauricio Fuentes voyaged from Brazil's interior; Jorge Rodriguez, a Columbian living in Connecticut; and Robin Sherwood, from the state of Washington; both journeyed to this small Honduran island. The interesting twist to this tale is that while both Mauricio and Robin are excellent swimmers in perfect health, neither had spent anytime to speak of freediving in the ocean. With just several days practice, diving off small dories (the islands most popular canoe-shaped crafts) with Pipin and his Champion freediving girlfriend, Audry, both ocean newbies were able to tie for first place. The winning results in the freedive competition was a three way tie for first, with an unfathomable depth of 146 feet. The third person to hit that amazing depth was none other than the top diver of the first Utila Dive-Off, Ricardo Gonzalez of Spain, who has been teaching at Utila Dive Centre for years now. He is somewhat of a legend on the island for his diving abilities, as well as his appearance, which has earned him the nickname "The Lion." Most people here could sense the pride and support for the local contenders on the island. Six divers qualified for a second dive, after touching bottom in 120 feet of water. One diver, a local boy, and divemaster Cecil, received a huge round of applause upon returning from 130 feet, earning him a brand new wetsuit, from one of the sponsors, "Harvey's Skin Diving Suits." The women also did better this year, with a best depth of 71, earning a lucky Canadian girl a top-rated BC donated by Seaquest. The top prize, a Uwatec Aladin Pro wrist mount dive computer, went to Robin Sherwood, who not only tied for first in the deep dive but also had the best time in the obstacle snorkel run. Last years contest had a similar situation, with Italian diver Andreas Suggliani winning both. All in all, this year's
contest boasted true championship performance from many
of the contenders. A new magazine, "Aqua" from
the publishers of Island Magazine, in a group effort with
PADI was on hand with a writer and photographer. Their
premier issue should be out in July, featuring Pipin at
the Dive-Off. Pipin Productions, Tony Barracuda, spent a
good deal of time with a broadcast quality camera on his
shoulder in an effort to capture the essence of Utila,
the contest, and the amazing sport of freediving. While
this year's contest could use a bit more organization,
next year promises to be a much larger meet. Advertisement
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Where to go and who to go with if you want to fly Honduran skies By RAYMOND GUTT SAN PEDRO SULA -- With its shiny new airport, traveling in and out of the nation's second largest city is a breeze. The new facility is the best and most modern in Honduras, maybe even all of Central America. But if you are looking for a flight into or out of the new airport, don't check the yellow pages. Look under "Airport" in the local phone book and all you will get is "see aviation companies." Look under "Aviation Companies" and you will find an incomplete listing that includes Alitalia, Isleña and Saenz. Isleña is a small airline offering service between Tegucigalpa, San Pedro Sula, La Ceiba, the Bay Islands and the Cayman Islands. If someone ever tries to book you a flight with Saenz, don't let them; La Saenz offers bus service between San Pedro Sula and Tegucigalpa. So much for letting your fingers do the walking. There are direct flights from the United States to San Pedro Sula or Tegucigalpa from five gateway cities: Miami, Houston, New Orleans, Los Angeles and New York. American Airlines and Taca Airlines make daily flights to and from Miami. You can also fly to and from Miami twice a week on Spain's Iberia Airlines. Lacsa Airlines provides direct flights to New Orleans and New York. If Houston is your destination, Continental is your airline. For regional travel, Copa Airlines serves Mexico City and Panama from San Pedro Sula, Lacsa serves San Jose from San Pedro Sula and Tegucigalpa and Taca serves Managua, San Salvador and Guatemala City from Tegucigalpa. For departures, arrivals and rates, talk to your favorite travel agent or call the airlines directly. If you prefer to travel
between Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula for much less
money, regular bus service is offered by Hedman Alas,
Norteños, El Rey and, of course, Saenz. Airline SPS TEG |
| Monday, June 2, 1997 Online Edition 56 |
"A Best-kept secret":
By W. E. GUTMAN Special to Honduras This Week PUERTO CORTES -- A grand lady of the sea, a new ocean route and two sister ports, one in Texas, the other in Honduras, are now making history thanks to a novel concept in international shipping. Pampered, dined, and entertained, passengers can take their vehicles on board .... including two fully loaded 18-wheelers. They call it a ferry but don't let the utilitarian moniker fool you. This is no overworked rust-bucket, no mere cockle shell vectored on some unmemorable course. Now in its second incarnation, redesigned and refurbished from prow to stern, the M/V Regal Voyager is a sleek, pedigreed ocean-going vessel sporting state-of-the-art propulsion and navigation systems, and offering the very best comforts of home to over 400 passengers and their vehicles -- from motorcycles, to cars, buses, and even 64-ton trailer-trucks. Plying the slate-blue waters of the Gulf of Mexico and the turquoise western Caribbean since January, the liner operates on weekly round-trip cruises between the Texas border resort of Port Isabel (near Brownsville) and Puerto Cortes, Honduras, the busiest and now most important harbor in Central America. The new sea lane is likely to facilitate vehicular traffic between the United States and Central America by eliminating the lengthy, exhausting and often perilous overland route though Mexico and Guatemala. U.S. expatriates living south of the border, Central Americans residing in the United States, backpackers and discriminating travelers on both sides will find the Regal Voyager an elegant, cozy and especially swift way to journey between the U.S. and the Isthmus. Promoters also bank on the new service to help create vast commercial opportunities, open up unique tourist markets and breathe fresh life into regional diplomatic relations. GENESIS Born as Massalia in Nantes, France, in 1971, the re-christened 12,500-ton, 466-ft Regal Voyager was bought by a group of investors at an Admiralty auction in London in 1994. Converted at La Spezia, Italy to exploit its esthetic lines, high speed, stabilizers, sprinklers and other assets, the ship is the first real Ropax vessel with high lane meters, high passenger capacity and design parameters meeting both U.S. and European standards. The vessel was rebuilt to U.S. Coast Guard specifications in force through the year 2010. Ready for worldwide trade, it was delivered in 1995, and following shakedown cruises in the Mediterranean, now makes weekly trips between the U.S. and Honduras. A one-way crossing, under the attentive care of a scrupulously professional 85-man crew, takes about 60 hours from port to port. PAMPERED ALL THE WAY Boasting the latest in safety equipment, and cruising at 19 knots, the Regal Voyager features double trailer decks, an elevator large enough to lift two trucks, and storage and tank capacity for long-distance hauls. Big on technology, the ship is also rich in creature comforts and leisure activities. Comfortable, impeccably architectured, 112 staterooms, most with private facilities, are fully air conditioned. Two-passenger elevators connect all decks. A cafeteria-style dining room and an a-la-carte restaurant serve three all-you-can-eat gourmet meals a day. In addition to the 62-seat theater where three new-release movies are previewed daily, there is a bar, two casinos brimming with one-armed bandits, two outdoor jacuzzis on the after-deck and a duty-free shop off of the main lounge. Tourists and cruise specialists agree: Nautical mile for mile, the Regal Voyager offers the most engaging and memorable travel experience anywhere. Businessmen and international shipping experts add that, "once it catches on, this unique service will have immense impact on regional commerce and U.S.-Central American relations." With characteristic Welsh pithiness, Captain Glanville Phillips, master of the Regal Voyager and a former commercial airline pilot with global seafaring experience spanning 38 years, puts it best: "There are lots of conventional ferries plying the deep. The Regal Voyager may be the best-kept secret. But not for long." Operators hope to put a second ship into service in the near future. Owned by St. Thomas Cruises Ltd. and operated by International Shipping Partners, the Bahamian registered Regal Voyager sails from Port Isabel on Sunday evenings and arrives in Puerto Cortes by noon on Wednesday. It returns on Wednesday evening and enters Port Isabel on Saturday morning. Round-trip fares start at between $149 and $219, plus a modest port charge. Vehicles are extra. For details, contact Steve Muschenheim, Isabel Cortes Ferry Service, Port Isabel, TX at (210) 943-2331; FAX (210) 943-2235. In Honduras, call Marco Tulio Gutierrez (Tegucigalpa, 38-5055); (San Pedro Sula, 57-5840); and (Puerto Cortes, 55-0045). A Connecticut-based journalist, W.E. Gutman is a regular contributor to Honduras This Week. |
Puerto Cortes: gateway to Central America By W.E. GUTMAN Puerto Cortés invites superlatives: With five piers capable of accommodating nine container ships at a time, it is Honduras' largest port. It is fast becoming Central America's busiest harbor. Turning over millions of tons of bananas, coffee, melon, pineapple and exotic woods, among other commodities, Puerto Cortés is also the origin of Honduran export goods manufactured by 75,000 skilled workers in the country's 150 maquilas. Equipped with a 25,000 cubic meter refrigerated warehouse, the largest in Central America, Puerto Cortés has shipped nearly 4 million metric tons of goods in 1996 -- fruits, vegetables, sugar, iron, zinc, meats and tobacco to every major market in the Americas, the Caribbean, Europe, the Middle East and Asia. It has also stored and managed 110,000 metric tons of in-transit cargo from neighboring Central American states. In addition, 80 per cent of Honduran exports pass through Puerto Cortés. The combined export-import sector has generated over $61 million in revenues for the port in 1996. Over 1,300 vessels have passed through Puerto Cortés last year, most of them laden with cargo. With Honduras becoming a choice tourist destination, and owing the port's proximity to popular North Coast resorts, 10 passenger ships -- including the Regal Voyager -- now make regular stops. Calling it an "aggressive, dynamic international port," and citing such incentives as "preferential tariffs, competitive prices, insurance and operational flexibility," Roberto Valenzuela Simón, General Manager of Honduras' Port Authority, believes that Puerto Cortés will continue to have "enormous economic impact on the region." Valenzuela characterized the newly inaugurated service between the United States and Honduras, as "an exceptional instrument for the rapid enhancement of bilateral commercial and diplomatic relations. Handsome passenger vessel, rugged and speedy work horse, the Regal Voyager is a winner in every way. Its advent augurs well for both tourism and trade relations." Rolando Enrique López, manager of the Puerto Cortés Chamber of Commerce, an energetic business alliance that continues to infuse new life into the historic port, calls the Regal Voyager "a remarkable medium for the promotion of tourism and commerce. It signals a new era in travel and is sure to have a positive impact on both the politics and economies of the region." Located about 30 miles north of San Pedro Sula, Honduras' commercial- industrial nerve center, Puerto Cortés is connected by excellent roads to the resorts of Tela, La Ceiba and Trujillo. It is also within easy access of Copan, the seat of uncontested Maya power for almost two centuries and home to the celebrated hieroglyphic staircase made up of about 2,500 glyphs, most of them undeciphered to-date. |
Roatan Mayor prohibits reef-damaging boats and jet skis By CAPTAIN TERRY
CLYMIRE A study conducted by the Organization of the Americas, supported by the United Nations and sanctioned by the International Development Bank, found that heavy small boat traffic was causing extensive reef damage in this part of the Bay Islands. Not only is there a heavy flow of traffic, concluded the study, many of the boats are driven at such high speeds that they cause prop wash in shallow waters. The overall impact of this traffic is that coral sand is being suspended in the water, suffocating the already fragile soft and hard corals for which the Bay Islands are so well known, said the report. The western part of Roatan is known by locals and tourists alike as a peaceful, tranquil place to visit. Mayor Merren wants to protect this image while protecting the coral at the same time. The new ordinance prohibits boats, jet skis and anything pulled behind them, such as water skiers, from traveling at speeds high enough to damage the reef or cause possible injury or death to persons using West End waters for snorkeling, diving or swimming. Boat travel outside the reef on deeper water is not affected. The Mayor has also launched more visible marine patrols in the Preserve, with two boats to ensure the protection of the reef, that safety rules be followed, and to fight the growing problem of poaching. Previously, people caught stealing protected conch, lobster or crab from the West End Preserve were arrested, fined Lps. 50 and released. Now, the fine will be much larger and it will also have to spend some time in jail. As Roatan moves towards the 21st century, programs to protect its coral reef system, one of the island's best natural treasures, will be there with her, thanks to men of vision like Mayor Ricky Merren, who can see what is important to the people of the island. |
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