The Hog Islands

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These past 10 days I've been accompanied by a quirky little Quaker boy from Pennsylvania who sometimes meets with the Mennonites. I probably shouldn't say little, he towers over me and is a Black Belt in Karate...I know a Quaker/Sometimes Mennonite with a Black Belt in Karate. I said he was quirky. Anyway, enough about him, there will be more about his exploits tomorrow. For now I wanted to show you some photos of the Hog Islands, though they don't do the place justice. My dear Karate Quaker friend wanted to see some islands in his time here but in that traveling to any one of the 3 main Bay Islands is at least a 2 day, $100 dollar affair I axed, no, I karate chopped the idea. As he was sobbing and begging me to reconsider, something hit me, an idea...they seem so few and far between these days. Turns out that there are these little cays about 2o kilometers of the coast that are absolutely stunning (or so the they tell me, I had as of yet to see them) and the round trip tour can be done in 8 hours and for about $35; I had always wanted to visit them but had just never had the time or reason to do so. Upon hearing this option my blubbering companion perked right up and then laid right down for a nap. We invited 2 of the kids from Laureles to come with us and the next day, bright and early, we found ourselves in a 15 foot long motor boat headed out to sea. An hour or so later we arrived on the main island, signed in with the park authorities and then spent the rest of the day snorkeling and eating fish on one of the inhabited islands. It was an absolutely perfect day, the best snorkeling I've ever done and for the price it couldn't be beat. We got back around 4pm and took a nap...who knew paddling around in Paradise could be so exhausting.

one of the tiny little cays on the outskirts of the collection with the mainland in the background
another of the tinier cays, probably about the size of a high school gymnasium

the mountains of the mainland

one of the 2 main islands

we brought carlos and oder with us for the day...don't worry they didn't have school, turns out the public school teachers here prefer to strike over the right to be compensated while on strike than to actually go to work. that's a topic for another day. yay quakers! yeah, so like i said, the photos really don't do this place justice, it really is absolutely perfect and pristine. i'd love to go back so if you're a quaker or a mennonite or a karate expert or a combination of the 3 and want to come visit me i'll be more than happy to accommodate you, so long as you pay my way to the islands. yay frugality!
peace.

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