"Roatan island has won my heart for here I've built my castle where in any man's heart is his home," says Franco. Today the Castle is a landmark on Roatan and teaches the techniques of carving to twelve local apprentices. "It does worry me that this art can disappear," says Franco. "It is an art that should continue and that gives a fine representation of what men can do with the raw materials that Mother Nature gave us."
In the back of the Castle is where the mastermind works his craft. Franco retreats behind the two large wooden doors facing the main lobby, in his small and chaotic workplace, to keep the dying tradition of cameo carving alive. The curtains are shut and the room temperature kept no higher than 18 degrees Centigrade. Franco works best when most of the island is asleep. "Just to think, not even carve, to create… it takes a tremendous amount of time," says Franco.
Clues of Franco's artistic influences are noticeable throughout his workshop. Pictures of ships from the Queen Elizabeth II to the Andrea Doria and to Franco's father Cammile, hang on the walls; while scenes from Salvador Dali, Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci and images of romantic art and neo-classism are displayed among cameos in glass cases.
A variety of intricate tools lie on the table among colourful gems, books, Italian biscuits and pictures of Franco's two daughters. On another table, piles of wooden boxes carrying hundreds of small cameos are adjacent to an improvised mini-bar. Sitting in a corner of the room is the piece that won Franco a place in the Museum of Metropolitan Art. "It is my representation of the abduction of the Sabine women," he says.
Franco's main clientele is in Japan and his pieces are sold worldwide. Despite the fact that he is a successful businessman, Franco considers himself first and foremost an artist. "If I saw myself as a businessman, I would approach things without the love of perfecting the art," says Franco. "I'm an artist, a realist, an honest man, a sculptor, an architect, a barbarian."
The love of perfection that Franco refers to is reflected through his art. The details in the faces of the angels are flawless and the captivating scenes of Roman history evoke the Italian old school of art.
Covering an important part of the wall is a large painting representing the Crossing of the Atlantic. "It represents people crossing the ocean to come find a better life," says Franco. With the same goal, Franco came to the Americas to share his passion for carving the marine canvas.

Bill Jackson, himself born on the island of Utila, had been fascinated as a child by the exciting tale of the mysterious vanishing of the island schooner Olympia, and what had happened to all twelve people, both passengers and crew, on board. As a young boy, Bill had often sat in the evenings in the semi-darkness on the front porch of an elderly neighbor-the old man's features lit by the soft, mellow glow of a kerosene lamp-and eagerly listened while "Mister John" related the exciting tale of murder and mayhem on the high seas. It was then, long ago, that the author promised himself that someday he would write down the tale for others. He now has kept this promise and we his readers are his fortunate beneficiaries.
The spell-binding tale begins on the last of June, 1905, on a balmy, dark night on Utila. With both skill and an obvious love for the story itself, the author weaves a tight net that snares his readers from the very beginning. Old Bay Island names are sprinkled throughout, and the vanishing cultural ways of the islands, common throughout most of the Caribbean in those long-ago days of a century ago, along with dialogue rich in Antillean expressions that one can still hear bits of in the islands today, makes those of us familiar with The Bay Islands feel as if we were there that dark night when the schooner Olympia set sail on what was supposed to have been a calm, uneventful voyage of but four hours to the larger, nearby island of Roatán.
What happened on that fateful voyage is the focus of Bill's wonderfully crafted novel, and will leave his readers feeling both elated and sad at the same time. They will find themselves enduring the horrors and miseries that befall Miss Elsie Morgan, heroine of the story, as she struggles and prays to survive long enough to tell her story. Above all, they will rejoice at the final outcome of a young woman's determined "struggle against impossible odds".
This is a small book that you, the reader, will be sad to see end. It will hold you in its grip from page one through its Epilogue and the author's Final Note. Read and enjoy.

How many trips to Honduras did it take before you started playing "spot the missionaries, the honeymooners, the con artists, the "mochilleros"? And how long was it before all of the above became "foreigners" to us too, the objects of some amusement.
Todd is Evans' hero. He is a fairly young Gringo whose first encounter with Roatan and its people came from a stint in the Peace Corps several years ago. Now, he is returning to the Island because he's bored with the work he's chosen for his career and is trying to find some way to make it exciting again. Colleen, the beautiful young heroine, comes from Scotland and is on Roatan because she has inherited a lovely mountain top estate on this far away island, a place she has never heard of before. The bad guy is Charles Tegget, "a land pirate" with a smile that charms anyone right out of all common sense. That is, unless they catch a good look at his eyes, "the eyes of a stray dog" with no warmth or compassion, only cold calculation.
Todd and Colleen arrive on Roatan just in time to get caught up in Tegget's latest scheme, an attempt to steal a beautiful beach property from the family who has owned it for over 150 years. Of course, Todd must save the property, win Colleen's love, find the treasure and thwart Tegget in such a way that the truly evil pirate never dares to set foot on Roatan ever again. He does so with the help of a band of his island friends, Tony, Sharella, Miss Catherine, Tim, Miss Katy, and Francisco, an old "Turtle Mon" who sees into the Island's distant past. Readers will have a great time guessing the real identities of these people and many others who come and go while Todd and Company and the Evil Men try to outwit each other.
The Judas Bird is jam-packed with fascinating pieces of history, island lore, odd vocabulary and all of Roatan in its idiosyncratic glory! Do you know that "Yabba Ding Ding" is actually "Yappa Ding Ding" and is an old Garifuna expression meaning "something worth less than nothing"? Do you know what "dolla come circle" means? I suppose that everyone but me knew that Coxen Hole itself was most probably named after an infamous pirate, John Coxon, who spent many years living on Roatan. (Until I read the book, I was under the impression that the name was a kind of off-color, Island joke and I have to say I'm a little sad, letting that idea go.)
In any case, the older people on Roatan won't ever have to worry about its history and culture being forgotten. David Evans has done a great job preserving it and serving it all up to us on a really tempting platter. No matter how busy you are you'll be glad you took the time to enjoy this book - whether you gulp it down fast, or savor it slowly, a little bit at a time.

Kris' wife, Naira, was a co-writer of "Dia Lindo" a song fusing not only musical styles but languages: Spanish and English- quite skillfully.
One of the other compilations is "Bad, bad whiskey". "Bad, bad, bad whiskey is making me walk with the devil again" sings Kris in a melody of a country waltz in a southern drawl accented. The melancholic, reflective song about a down day on a Caribbean island.
"Welcome to Roatan," tries to be many things to many people- not an easy thing to accomplish. On one hand it attempts to be simple, unsophisticated and a bit touristy introduction to Roatan sounds and cultures, on the other, it amazes with depth and elaboration for a listener much more sophisticated.

Bobby returned to Roatan in 1981 with a harmonica holder, a guitar and a newly discovered singing voice. He moved to French Harbour and his trio joined the local music scene. He developed his unique style by playing for "shrimpers," taking requests and any opportunity to improvise. Bobby's music continued to diversify and in 1996 he found himself in a situation neither he nor his music had experienced before…"a band."
Bringing his talents together with those of other people in a more formal way was an exciting experience. "I saw my solo songs really come to life with a band." After four years Bobby and his band TUNU released their first album: "Roatanified."
Six years later and after six months of detail-oriented work, Bobby and the Compadres, as he fondly calls the 11 contributing artists on his new album, released "Pulperia Leah," his second CD. Bobby explains that "each person has a place on that album that really lets them show off their individual talents."
The album's twelve songs tell stories of life on Roatan through Bobby's mixture of bluesy harmonica and Caribbean reggae exhibiting Bobby's soulful lyrics. Some of the songs, like "Leavin' You Babe" are newly recorded versions of those that he played for years. Others, such as "West End Stroll" are witty tales of life on the island.
His stories are realistic and uncomplicated versions of life on Roatan: what the island is and how it is changing. Bobby describes his lyrics as transparent with "nothing hiding behind dreamy language and cryptic words." He claims that he's never been able to decide to sit and write a song, but rather that he gets hit with inspiration: often while driving to and from construction sites that he works on. In fact, many a song has been written in the front seat of his truck, pulled over to the side of the road just long enough to jot down his thoughts.
Bobby looks forward to writing as an outlet and never really considered himself to be a great writer. His writing, together with the entirety of his musical style, reflects in his sparkling personality and gentle demeanor. "Pulperia Leah" is a step forward from "Roatanified," keeping in with the first album's general style and feel. Pulperia's songs successfully broaden the scope of the first album.

by Julia Vadurro

"La Norteña," how the Muñoz brothers call their marimba, was built in the valley of Santa Barbara 15 years ago. Leonardo Muñoz, 70, has been playing the instrument since he was 17. His brother Manuel Muñoz, 52, started accompanying Leonardo 37 years ago. "I'm base. I'm center. I always play the melody," says Manuel.
The drumsticks used to hit the keys are made from a tree called "ule" and are covered in rubber-like coating. Each musician uses up to six of the drumsticks at the same time. In their controlled, sometimes jerky movements the brothers are reminiscent of Balinese shadow puppets. "We can play in the rhythm of merengue, bolero and sentimental music, "says Manuel.
The sound beat is transferred from drumsticks to the rectangular keys, to wooden square towers that hang below the instrument. These are wood resonators that reverberate the sound into four-five octaves. And the sound their instrument produces is quite amazing.
Ismael Ramirez from San Pedro is considered by the musical brothers to be one of the best marimba players and someone to look up to. In fact, marimba came to Honduras from Guatemala where it was brought by African slaves. Marimbas evolved into diverse forms and were adopted into the Central American music culture and through the world. The word "marimba" is an African Bantu language describing a mallet-struck xylophone with hollow resonators.

Roatan's mountainous geography offers an opportunity to build houses overlooking stunning vistas. One of the more spectacular places to build is Cohoon Ridge, on the West Bay road. Few houses have taken advantage of this opportunity as well as this recognizable octagonal house.
Euro Mesghez and Paolo Finzi were the builders of the house, the first one built on Cohoon Ridge. Both were commercial divers in Italy before coming to Roatan in 1991. Mesghez took the idea of the octagonal island bungalow and repeated it twice creating two towers. The south tower is one-story and the north tower is three stories tall. The two hexagonal-footprint towers are connected with a bridge - a bedroom space with spectacular views towards Flowers Bay shore. Underneath the bridge lies a patio and deck looking over Pirate's cove a mile below.
Rod and Jackie Merwin from Connecticut are the owners of the house today. The 3,600 square-foot house has four bedrooms, four bathrooms and a garage.
The interior is open, with few walls and rooms extending all the way to the roof and the whole design gives an aura of lightness and transparency. Still, it's not easy to build a house with no corners. It can be even harder to find furniture to fit.
The site is surrounded by a very recognizable white-washed property wall with a horizontal slit and horizontal wood bar. The fast-sloping site offers limited opportunities for landscaping, yet it has a meticulously laid out garden: a traveler palm tree thrives here, growing to 30 feet and withstanding the heavy winds.
"When the trade winds are blowing, the island is covered in a cloud of salt," said Mesghez. A cast concrete base and the octagonal shape gives needed stability to the house, which is subjected to tremendous wind forces year-round. "I built it really strong: a lot of concrete, a lot of metal," said Meghez.

Graceful economy of materials was the rule in constructing the structure: pressure-treated pine for floors and deck, cement block walls, painted rebar used for the main gate. The strong octagonal design helped to efficiently tackle the 100-120 mph Hurricane Mitch winds.
There are always at least a dozen birds taking advantage of the lift created by the wind blowing onto the ridge. For hours, they remain suspended, not even moving their wings, in balance above the ridge.

Decorative elements unite in functionality to complement a masterfully designed house on Roatan's North shore

Projects where the owner gives an architect a free hand are the stuff of legends. Frank Lloyd Wright's Kaufman house, or Frank Gary's Long Island house for his mother are some of the best examples of what can be achieved in such a collaborative, trusting spirit. A new addition to a not-so-long list of such projects can be made: Roatan's Todo Rojo.
The house, located in Roatan's Lawson Rock gated community in Sandy Bay, is composed of four individual structures facing a central patio garden and connected by a series of overlapping roofs, screens and stone walkways. There is a low key axis to the design, running North-South, just East of the carved entry door through the patio, garden, the main living room and out towards the view of green slopes and beach.
The house can remind of a Cretan home with red, simple columns wrapped with vines around the base. The spaces are framed with earth-toned walls: red, browns and olive. There are multiple sources of indirect lighting and at sunset the house comes alive as it is flooded with sun bursting through the horizontal screens and openings.
This "Cretan design" constantly crosses into a South East Asian feel: antique Chinese sliding doors, simple oriental wood sconces, a Hindu statue at the entrance, materials such as bamboo flooring and travertine marble. The patio itself is reminiscent of a Shinto temple, with its scale, water bowl and stone details.
Decorative elements are also functional. The fans are not only useful, but decorative; the bamboo wall is not only pleasing to the eye, but serves as a louver to the closet. The top of the 30,000 gallon cistern serves as the flooring in the center of the house. The 2,500 sq ft home has two bedrooms, two baths, a home-office and an independent guest apartment.

Pine shingles on the roof are a not-expensive, welcome variation to the roof covering materials used on the Bay Islands. Not a single nail penetrates the wood siding below. The workmanship is craftsman like, done to the margins allowed by the materials. Builder Nelson Abbott constructed the house in one year.
The siding is used horizontally outside, as well as "inside-out" on the interior walls, to create a more uniform look, adding to the blurring of traditional inside/outside spaces characteristic of many of this architect's designs. Trimmings are minimal, reduced to simple 1" by 4" moldings. With all the transparency of the internal spaces, it was not easy to hide the wiring of the fans, lamps.
Gutters are made out of wood and lined with fiberglass. They end up looking and being strong, decorative and functional. The downspout in the patio garden is a thick metal chain, a detail originating with architect Frank Lloyd Wright.
Only a few owners are brave and intelligent enough to find a good architect and confide in him/her to produce a building that can reflect who they are and how they would like to live. "The clients were fun to work with," said Hal Sorrenti, the architect, of the Alreds. Sorrenti, who has practiced his craft for 11 years on Roatan, considers the house one of his two favorites.
Not unlike the master builder Dedalus' Labyrinth on the island of Crete, Sorrenti produced its Caribbean version, full of hidden space, functional niches and vistas.

Since opening their doors, over the last three months, the owners spent time fine tuning their menu and décor. Chef Paul James, a graduate of Canada's Stratford Chef School, changes the menu to match the local seasons of fruits and vegetables. The recipes are all original, compiled over time by Chef Paul during his three year sojourn in India.

Le Magnifique
Spicy and confident Vietnamese cuisine fuses Caribbean and South East Asian tastes.

I always dread doing a review of restaurants that are not as quite good as they perceive themselves to be. It's a recipe for disappointment. This is not the case with "Le Bistro," a recently launched Vietnamese restaurant in West End.
Frank, the owner of the six table restaurant, is not hesitant to wait on tables and pick up empty dishes. After many years of managing Flying Fish, Frank is only fulfilling every Frenchman's duty: "have a son, plant a tree, start a restaurant." And Frank seems to have figured out the essence of why people do start restaurants, not only "how they do it." If you are going to do something, do something original, do it right and do it the way you want… with style.
Roatan is connected to some interesting places around the globe: Bali, Fiji and most recently Vietnam. "Le Bistro" of Vietnamese cuisine? If you are confused about the name… here is your answer. Frank invited a Vietnamese Frenchman from Marseille, Richard, to take charge of his kitchen and a few months later it is hard to get a table.
The simple, not overbuilt menu with affordable prices attracts a "mixao" clientele of Roatan residents and tourists. Frankly, anyone with a taste for spice will feel right at home here.
To start things off, a bowl of complementary appetizers "with a punch" of fresh carrots, cauliflower and water chestnuts could be snacked on with a toothpick. A good tool to use, as the acidic spice can prove scorching hot.
Shrimp, grouper, pork, chicken or vegetarian can be the filling for acras, egg rolls, spring rolls and wantans that form the core of the menu. The result: transparent, super fresh spring rolls are crunchy; the shrimp acras were fried just right, retaining the elasticity of the meat. Three drops of the spicy sauce are like the "blood from the Alien movie," burning through metal and flesh. Handle with caution. Sweet and sour sauce is a better answer for most mortals.
With all thedelights, one can have trouble committing to just one. The answer to the dilemma is to order a Combo Platter and with a bit of everything. (Lps. 200-245)
For the main courses, we decided to try Mixao- a sensory delight (Lps. 190), and one of the menu's jewels. It's chicken and shrimp are served in a spicy ginger sauce, perched on top of a nest of deep fried noodles.
If you are into a more hands-on cooking experience, Blau Blau, or flaming hot pot of filet beef (Lps. 300 for two), should be your choice.

The dish can be prepared for one person as well. The strips of beef, zucchini, shallots, orange pepper and Chinese mushrooms are presented and cooked to your satisfaction in a pot surrounded with flames of rubbing alcohol.
The presentation of the dishes was simple, but tasteful. Plates, silverware, even napkins are not exuberant, but certainly not skimpy. The setting isn't too fancy. The restaurant is nestled in between a dive shop and a souvenir store and the dining experience is reminiscent of an outdoor market: casual and funky. Batik tablecloths, space lit by candlelight and metal frame cloth clad lamps.
If we could add anything to the experience, it would be a bigger wine menu, or even a couple Vietnamese fruit shake drinks. We were told the espresso machine is on its way.
Desserts are not on the menu, but should not be missed. Flan, crème caramel and pineapple slice flambé were the evening's deserts. Even though we found the sliver of flan a bit bubbly, the pineapple stole the show: super sweet and rummy.
Most amazing of all… our bill was under 800 Lps., that's including two drinks and coffee. "Danh t? s? nhi?u, Mr. Richard." Or, should we just say "Merci?".

The smell of cinnamon surrounded the table as Cinnamon Beef Tacos (Lps. 110) arrived at the table. The tacos were a more affordable entrée choice offering just as much attention in presentation and taste. The white flower tortilla was fresh and fluffy and the cabbage topping gave the tacos a nice crunch.
Offering a nice touch of originality in tableware, a stone yaba-ding-ding served as the napkin weight on our table. Still, an upgrade in napkins would more accurately match the quality and originality of the food.
All deserts were affordably priced at Lps. 40. Our Banana Rum Cake with roasted peanuts was smooth and sweet. Two of them would make you fail the Roatan police breathalyzer test. The Island Lime Pie arrived decorated with honey and a slice of lime. It was sweet and almost a bit tart, but coffee mellowed the taste. The price for our feast for two came to a reasonable Lps. 750, not including service.
Chef Carl never quite got used to the wisecracks made by some cruise ship tourists about the restaurant's name. "The 'Even better View' restaurant could pop-out anytime," said Carl. Still, even the stunning view of Crawfish Rock and North Shore below can't distract the visitor from the originality and quality of the restaurant's cuisine.
A popular spot with a varied clientele, the restaurant can be packed on a weekday lunch and filled to the brim on a Friday night after-work. It is a varied, imaginative cuisine at an affordable price.

YUCCA (CASSAVA) CAKE

65 lbs yucca, peeled and grated
4 cups sugar (or more or less to taste)
1 t salt
2 t vanilla
2tbl cinnamon
2 can coconut milk
1 can condensed milk
1/4 stick margarine
2 cups water

Mix together grated yucca and other ingredients, the thinner the mixture the better the cake, bake at 450º for 1 hour or until top is brown then slow oven to 350º and bake for another 3 hours in a 14x10x2 in. Baking pan