Roatan Plunge | Love Travels #2

What is Roatan? (And a Playlist)

Hello, friends! If you are anything like me, you might be wondering... what is Roatan exactly? When I began the first book in this series, Vegas Knot, I learned a lot about Honduras (where Enrique's family is from). Part of that research led me to Roatan, an island off the Northern coast. And the more I learned about the history and culture, the more I thought it would be a perfect backdrop for Lorena's story. And then, in walked mega-wealthy Oscar and an enemies to lovers novel was born.

In my research for this story, I've been looking up videos by locals, watching promotional videos, reading articles, etc. But I was also lucky enough to speak to someone who resided on the island for many years. And they were kind enough to write this little introduction for me. At their request, I have left it as they wrote it, so the wording isn't mine in any way. They have also requested to remain anonymous, which I will respect, but if you have any questions, please leave them in the comments and I'll see if I can get us some answers.

So, without further ado, let's get to the information! (And make sure to stick around to the end -- I'll put a link in the comments to a playlist I made specifically for this book, in conjunction with my knowledgeable friend).

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Roatán is the largest of the three main islands that make up the Department of the Bay Islands in Honduras; the other two are Utila and Guanaja. Utila, the smallest island, is famous for its scuba diving, and Guanaja's claim to fame goes back to the days of Christopher Columbus.

On his fourth and final voyage across the ocean, the Italian explorer went ashore on Guanaja, which he named "The Island of the Pines" due to the abundance of pine trees found on the island. He also encountered a group of natives called the Paya who are believed to be descendants of the Maya.

As the story goes, Columbus was very impressed with the Paya due to how sophisticated their society was. The explorer took this as confirmation that he was now closer to India than he had ever been--because, you know, no Google Maps. And maybe some other things.

Over the years, the Spanish would claim the islands as a part of their empire and established a small presence there. Unfortunately for them, the boatloads of gold they were shipping back to Spain were too much for the British to resist. Cue, the pirate era--or Privateers, as the British Crown would have likely preferred, of the Bay Islands.

The Islands occupied a particular location in the Caribbean that made them prime real estate for helping to relieve Spanish ships of all that heavy gold and silver they had on board. For the most part, Spain did not seem to mind this too much. Just kidding. The Spaniards minded. A lot.

In time, the British established a permanent settlement on the East side of Roatán, which was called Port Royal. To show just how hospitable they could be, they built a fort at the mouth of the harbour so they could welcome Spanish battleships with cannon fire.

Many battles were fought for control over the islands, but eventually, the Union Jack Crew won the day. So for about a century, the scene on the islands was very tea and biscuits. Somewhere during this period, Dutch settlers also joined the party, adding some much-needed windmill flair to the place.

During this time, the Garifuna, an ethnic group that is a mix of African slaves and Caribbean natives from St. Vincent and the Grenadines, get dumped off the northern coast of Roatán by the British after they resisted against slavery.

Fortunately, the Garifuna settled well in Roatán, and they founded a town called Punta Gorda, which is still a historical and cultural icon on the island to this day. There, they have preserved much of their way of life, language, dances, and food.

There was a relatively stable structure of society on the island until the status quo was disrupted by Uncle Sam deciding to flex on Britain and make them give up many of their territories in Central America. To the dismay of most Islanders, Roatán, Utila and Guanaja were to be handed from Britain to Honduras.

Many locals perceived this switch in nationality unfavourably and were thus relocated to what is now Belize (then British Honduras) and the Cayman Islands. Once the handover was complete, Americans brought many new Christian denominations– and country music-- to the islands.

This arranged marriage with Honduras and the influx of mainlanders led to a clash of cultures that is still felt throughout the Bay Islands to the present. But time has brought the warring groups closer together, resulting in a fascinating cultural exchange that is unique in the region.

Today, both Spanish and a local variety of Creole English are spoken on the islands. Foods, music and Independence Day celebrations serve as lived expressions of the cultural melting pot found in this corner of the Caribbean.

In the last decade, Tourism has blossomed on the islands; most notably in Roatán, which hosts multiple cruise ship ports. White, sandy beaches such as West Bay, West End, Paya Bay (yes, it's named for the same Paya from earlier because they had a presence on Roatán too), and Camp Bay draw tourists to their turquoise waters.

Many hidden treasures await visitors to the island, from lush tropical forests to sunken pirate ships, from mangrove mazes to the dazzling underwater world of the barrier reef. And if you happen to find the right local on a cloudy moonlit night, they might just tell you about the ghosts that still roam the shores of the many cays off Roatán's coast.

Hopefully, that little introduction helps set the backdrop for Roatán Plunge. Ready to dive in?

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So, there you have our wonderful introduction to the history and uniqueness of Roatan. Have you every been to the area? Have you ever wanted to go on a cruise in the Carribbean? Do you have any questions about Roatan or it's history and culture?

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Author's Note: The first chapter of this story will be posted next week WEDNESDAY (August 17) and there will be a new chapter every week on Wednesday going forward. If you would like to receive a notification when that happens, make sure to add this story to your library and/or follow me at authorelizasolares . And if you're feeling extra kind, you could add it to a reading list to help other people find it. Every little bit helps small writers like me connect with readers who might enjoy this story.

In the meantime, please enjoy the playlist I've put together for this book. I'm still adding to it as I find songs that fit, but I like it so far. I'll paste the link in a comment here so it's hopefully clickable on web. And I'll make an announcement on my page with a clickable link.

Thanks for sticking around and I look forward to sharing the beginning of Lorena and Oscar's story with you next week. I'm so excited because I love them and their flawed lives so much and can't wait to watch their love story unfold.

Until Wednesday,
~Eliza

P. S. The playlist can be found at https://spoti.fi/3C0OPRq