Untitled Document

this coming Sunday, so spread the word.” The coconut telegraph buzzed with activity as gringos from one end of the island to the other received the news. Facebook postings came fast and furious, with questions and requests for directions to McNab Place, commonly known to locals as Puky’s.

Gerald McNab, nicknamed Puky, and his wife Norma are the Mom and Pop of the branch of the Roatan McNab family that recently opened what become one of the favorite eateries on the east end of the island. Daughters, Erica and Nitzi work alongside Mom and Dad, as does son Gerald when he is not out Captaining the family shrimp boat.

Don‘t be fooled by the wording on McNab Place’s sign that advertises fast food. Fortunately we were warned when we planned this outing that there was nothing fast about Puky’s and were told not to arrive too hungry. We did indeed wait a very long time for our food, but considering that this small family establishment was caught off guard by our large group of 35, they did a very good job of accommodating us.

I was thrilled to find another restaurant on the east end of the island and we definitely plan to return to Puky’s to sample the regular menu, available Monday to Saturday from 8 am to 10 pm and Saturday 8 am to 12 am. A wide variety of choices is available on the regular menu, including local dishes such as pastelitos and baleadas, popular with the local crowd, as well as burgers, wings, chicken fingers, fish, shrimp and lobster. Puky treated each member of our party to a sample of the succulent grilled lobster, which will be added to the choices for future Sunday barbeques.

Motivated sellers and fire sales
from the entire MLS. View >>


	He Says / She Says A couples review of The McNab Place in the historic town of Jonesville Read More > > Christmas comes early to Fiddler's/Calabash Bight Join the Fun > >
	Feature article: Who Lives In Paradise? Sharing the Success Stories of Roatan Property Buyers Read More > >
	A little piece of heaven in Sandy Bay Read More > >
	Best real estate bargans on the island. Motivated sellers and fire sales from the entire MLS. View >>

this coming Sunday, so spread the word.” The coconut telegraph buzzed with activity as gringos from one end of the island to the other received the news. Facebook postings came fast and furious, with questions and requests for directions to McNab Place, commonly known to locals as Puky’s. Gerald McNab, nicknamed Puky, and his wife Norma are the Mom and Pop of the branch of the Roatan McNab family that recently opened what become one of the favorite eateries on the east end of the island. Daughters, Erica and Nitzi work alongside Mom and Dad, as does son Gerald when he is not out Captaining the family shrimp boat.
Whether you travel by land or by sea, a matching set of white gates welcomes you to Puky’s. The roadway entrance is located across from a convenient parking lot on the north side of the picturesque road that runs from the main island highway down into the charming fishing village of Jonesville. The seaside entrance is through a matching white gate at the end of an accommodating dock built on the scenic south shore of Roatan. Fleets of giant shrimp and lobster boats line the shore while dories and skiffs zip back and forth along the inner channel, a protected waterway that serves as the main route of transport for residents of communities from Calabash Bight to First Bight.
On a clear day the giant peaks of the mountain ranges of the Honduran mainland, about thirty miles away, form a stunning backdrop to the azure waters of the Caribbean Sea stretching to the south. Townsfolk saunter along the narrow roadway through Jonesville, one of the oldest communities on the island, and children entertain with good old fashioned outdoor fun that is heartwarming to watch. You will find three generations of McNabs working and living in harmony and before long begin to feel yourself a part of this warm and welcoming island family.
He Says: Don‘t be fooled by the wording on McNab Place’s sign that advertises fast food. Fortunately we were warned when we planned this outing that there was nothing fast about Puky’s and were told not to arrive too hungry. We did indeed wait a very long time for our food, but considering that this small family establishment was caught off guard by our large group of 35, they did a very good job of accommodating us.
My first fear that there wouldn’t be enough cold beer to go around proved false, and not only was the beer cold, but the price was the lowest we had paid yet anywhere on the island and substantially less expensive than the West End. The meals, a choice of barbeque chicken, beef or pork, served with generous sides of beans, potato salad, and tortillas, were man-sized and delicious and like the beer, much less expensive than most places on the island. Despite the size of our group, the atmosphere was extremely relaxed, with ample time to socialize with friend, old and new who live either part or full time here on the island.
She Says: I was thrilled to find another restaurant on the east end of the island and we definitely plan to return to Puky’s to sample the regular menu, available Monday to Saturday from 8 am to 10 pm and Saturday 8 am to 12 am. A wide variety of choices is available on the regular menu, including local dishes such as pastelitos and baleadas, popular with the local crowd, as well as burgers, wings, chicken fingers, fish, shrimp and lobster. Puky treated each member of our party to a sample of the succulent grilled lobster, which will be added to the choices for future Sunday barbeques.
There were plenty of photo opps while we waited for our meal, including Millyto, the family monkey, a parrot, fishes and a water turtle and three live crocodiles, safely housed in a screened in enclosure.
Best Real Estate Bargans!! on the Island. Motivated sellers and fire sales from the entire MLS. View >>		Visit Our Roatan Vacation Rentals Website AboutRoatanVacationRentals.com
“Is the snowman coming to the party again this year Miss Kelly?” The annual Fiddlers/Calabash children’s Christmas party was still a couple of weeks away, but a group of about 15 children showed up at Miss Kelly’s door to make sure the large blow up snowman was going to be there again this year. Sure enough, when the children arrived on the afternoon of Dec 23rd, Frosty was there to greet them. The yard around the little island home where the party is held was decorated with red and
white streamers and balloons and upon arrival each child was given a mask to wear, a noisy horn to blow and a container of bubbles to blow. These trinkets alone are much more than many of these low-income island children would hope to receive for Christmas. A story about a woman who purchased three shiny red apples, half for each of her six children as their Christmas treat brought home the need for us to pitch in and give a little back to this community that we call home.
So when we fly home to the U.S. or Canada to visit friends and family, we visit our local dollar stores and stock up on fun but inexpensive gifts for the children. The word has spread so that even family and friends coming to the island arrive with bags of dollar store gifts. The Saturday before the party a “wrapping party” is held in conjunction with the live music provided by the Banditos at BJs Backyard BBQ in the town of Oak Ridge. Volunteers arrive armed with bags of gifts, wrapping paper, scissors and tape. Gifts are wrapped and sorted into four piles – for younger girls, older girls, younger boys and older boys. A fifth pile contains gifts that would suit boys or girls.
A Santa Claus piñata was hung from the trees and in true Central American fashion the poor fellow received a whacking from each child. The game was well organized and run by a group of teenage boys. The youngest children went first and everyone who wanted a turn got one, while the teenagers made sure that the children watching were not hurt by the whacking stick. As Santa began to come apart the candies dropped to the ground below and the kids dove in to retrieve them. Mothers watched from the sidelines and in some cases quickly rescued smaller children from the bottom of the pile of bodies.
Those who are unable or don’t care to shop for gifts donated cash to help cover the cost of the meal, provided by a local woman, for about 100 people, including 60-65 children and the families that accompany them to the party. The meal is simple, basically just chicken, rice and cake with a cup of fruit punch but the children line up in eager anticipation of their meal and joined in a prayer of grace. Quiet fell over the crowd as the children ate and nobody needed to be told to finish their meal.
After a reading of a children’s bible story by a local church lady, complete with questions and answers from the children, it was time for the hula hoop contest. Miss Kelly demonstrated how the contest would work – applause would determine the winner. The coveted hula-hoops were distributed to the winners as prizes, but not without the tricky task of prying them from the hands of the non-winners. Finally, it was gift time and four lines were formed to distribute the gifts. There were enough gifts for each child to receive several and the smiles on the children’s faces were more than enough thanks for those who had helped.
Many thanks to Miss Kelly, the driving force behind this endeavor. In Kelly’s own words, below, is an account of the birth and evolution of the childrens’ Christmas party. Muchas gracias Miss Kelly!


living in a remote village in Honduras and I decided to plan a children's Christmas party to meet our neighbors. I found a shady lot with a tree for a piñata and planned a bountiful meal, mindful that for many this would be their only Christmas Dinner. I scoured the island looking for toys and trinkets we could use as gifts and then foraged for wrapping supplies. My enthusiasm was contagious and soon a local schoolteacher offered to narrate the Christmas Story. Unbelievably, an 8' inflatable snowman appeared. When contacted, a visiting mission group graced us with a donation of 100 toys.
On the day of the party, early arrivals helped blow up balloons and decorate our vacant lot. Neighbors volunteered to help with the food and we served 55 meals that first Christmas. The children were flush with excitement as they clamored for their presents and nearly overwhelmed the gringa in the Santa hat! They returned to their homes with full bellies and at least five simple gifts each. The piñata was the only casualty.The tradition continues into its 7th year and has evolved into a village-wide event. Today we are cherished neighbors and friends, often invited to weddings, funerals, graduations, and all of life's celebrations.
Visit Our Roatan Vacation Rentals Website AboutRoatanVacationRentals.com
The new Pete Dye Black Pearl Golf Course nestled in the turquoise waters of Pristine Bay announces it’s opening to the public in January. Read more about the Black Pearl in a subsequent issue.
Our January, 2011 Success Story features Bob and Rosalie Boileau from British Columbia, Canada.
“We love our new home and spend half the year here on Roatan and half the year in Gibsons, B. C.”, says Rosalie. “Gibsons is on the beautiful sunshine coast and is accessible by ferry only. It is home to 'Molly's Reach' where the TV show the Beachcombers was filmed. We boat and dive up the coast on our 38' power boat 'The Black Pearl'.” Bob and Rosalie are both involved with their local Habitat for Humanity affiliate in Gibsons and in November of 2007 joined a team of 18 people from all across Canada who travelled to Guatemala with a single purpose, to help build affordable housing for poor Guatemalan families, a life changing
experience during which they made lifelong friends. Bob and Rosalie were also avid divers, having earned their certificates in 1998 on a trip to Belize and after their work in Guatemala they travelled to Roatan for a little R&R and to do some diving. A chance encounter on the beach between Bob and a fellow Canadian who had sold his property in Kelowna, BC and purchased property on the island sparked the couple’s interest in investing on the island. “At the time a winter vacation house was the last thing on our radar but we could not ignore the potential on the island of
Roatan for investment. Bob and I had spent the last 15 years doing two month winter travel all over the world; Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmar, Australia, New Zealand, Tonga, Samoa, Ecuador, Guatemala, Peru, seven countries in Africa as well as doing humanitarian work in Malawi on water projects.” The initial search for property in 2007 proved fruitless, however it led to a long and lasting relationship between the Bob and Rosalie and the staff at About Roatan Real Estate, a relationship that went far beyond agent and buyer. After keepingan eye on the market the couple returned to Roatan a
year later in November of 2008 “ to either buy a house or to 'get it out of our system,'” according to Rosalie. “I couldn’t believe the level of commitment”, says Rosalie of the dedicated people who showed them a variety of properties on the island. “They drove us around for weeks on end, never once showing any sign of running out of patience and always with our best interests in mind.” “The house in Sandy Bay that we did eventually buy was above our budget at first but in the few weeks we were on the island
the price dropped several times until it was looking like we may just be able to make an offer that would work for us. The house came with several challenges and unfinished projects but we are both 'handy' people and we weren't worried about being able to finish up the unfinished projects.” After viewing properties all over the island Bob and Rosalie chose to buy in Sandy Bay, just minutes from the hub of activity in West End because it had everything they were looking for. They enjoy dining out and valued the proximity to the wide variety of restaurants available at the busier end of the island. Being avid divers they also appreciated that their new home was so close to the majority of dive operations on the west end of the island.
“Two things appealed to us about the house, the most important being the spectacular view and the fact that it was a well build concrete house. We are on 1/3 of an acre and our beautiful garden is full of tropical flowers as well as banana, papaya and guava trees.” “We have watched the island grow with investment, the Mega Plaza, the golf course, Ace Hardware, Mahogany Bay and the massive increase of cruise ship traffic. We really feel that the island is still undervalued and that we have made a wise investment that will grow in years to come,” concludes Rosalie.
Special Properties List Click here to see some of the property sales that we think are the best on the Island Marci Weirsma, Broker Alex Poirier A Buyer’s Agent Annie Culp, Sales agent About Roatan Real Estate Jackson Plaza, French Harbor Roatan, Bay Islands, Honduras Office: 011 (504) 455-7140/7046 Home: 011 (504) 435-1554 Mobile 011 (504) 9876-8758 US Fax: (305) 704-8565 SKYPE: calabashbightyachtclub Email: cbyc@globalnet.hn Certified International Property Specialist Network Member Member NAR - National Association of Realtors Member of Roatan Realtors Assoc., ANIBIR, (Honduran Realtors Assoc) Web site: www.aboutroatanrealestate.com Email: alex@aboutroatanrealestate.com

He Says / She Says

Feature article:

Special Properties List