Escuela, Playa, y Belnearios

We are just completing our first week at Spanish school! It's 4 hours a day, 5 days a week - and we are forced to learn quickly. Considering the fact that we knew little to no Spanish a week ago and are now able to have conversations in Spanish is quite an accomplishment. Granted these conversations are usually only about present-tense happenings and aren't sophisticated by any stretch of the imagination. Still, we are pretty proud of ourselves!

Other than Spanish school, we have spent a few days checking out some of the different swimming spots in La Ceiba. There are 4 types of these swimming holes we've identified each with with there own personalities.


The beach (duh) - the nicest beach around these parts is in a Garifuna village called Sambo Creek. The beach is relatively clean, but they aren't groomed and glistening white postcard beaches. Vultures offer you company along-side dug-out canoe fishing boats and laundry.

Los Chorros - The local bus that goes to Sambo Creek also stops along the way at tons of swimming holes (Balnearios) in the many rivers that come down the mountains and pass under the highway. Some of them are cleaner than others, and Los Chorros is one of the more popular ones. Our swim ended with a snake encounter.

Rio Congrejal - Hitch a ride up the river that flows through La Ceiba and you're in a mountainous jungle. There are a few lodges along this river offering rooms and whitewater rafting. We have connections, so we spent the day at Pepe's house where we cliff jumped, swam with Ruby, and encountered another snake and some bats as a bonus.
If you look very carefully you will see a body suspended in mid-air above the water. That's where we cliff jumped too.


La Quinta Real - the nicest hotel in La Ceiba. We went there for lunch and were allowed to hang out all day and swim in the pool! Beers there though cost 32 lmps (equal to $1.70... VERY expensive in comparison to everywhere else)