Island Paradise Day 18

Today I left the house at 5:30 am to head into town to catch the 7 a.m. ferry to La Ceiba. I needed to go see a dentist about a problem I have been having with one of my teeth. The town of La Ceiba is about 20+ miles from here – to the south. The mainland is rimmed by a stunning mountain range with peaks reaching above 8,000 feet. What makes them look so amazing is the tropical foliage.

In between the base of the mountains and the sea is La Ceiba. There is nothing special about the town itself, but many islanders make the trip there regularly to see Doctors, Dentists, and to buy groceries. They actually have really good looking vegetables there!

The dentist was a young woman who spoke impeccable English, and she did a much better job explaining to me what the problem was than did my Canadian Dentist. For the xrays and consultation the cost was $20 U.S. She has recommended a minor surgery, which I will have done sometime in the next week or two. If I heal quickly, I may be able to get my crown replaced – but she is not certain I will have time to get both procedures done before I leave. So I may need to have the periodontal work done here and the crown done in Guadalajara, Mexico which is very near where we are headed next – Ajijic – on Lake Chapala.

I am always very impressed with the medical and dental care in the developing world. The Doctors are always U.S. or European trained, speak great English, and have amazing bedside manners. They talk to you – answer questions, show you your files and results – and in general treat you with respect. I never feel rushed, and at the dentist, I never feel like I am being up-sold. In fact, the dentists here go out of their way to tell you about all your options, from cheapest to most expensive. They are used to dealing with clients who have less money, so they never recommend stuff that does not really need to be done.

The ferry to La Ceiba was very comfortable – the water today on the ocean was as calm as a lake, so it really was very beautiful. The return trip was not until almost 5 p.m. so it was a long day of shopping after the dentist appointment. I bought lots of lovely veggies, and some beef. Here you can buy beef filet for so cheap it is almost silly. The slab of tenderloin I cut into 10 filets. Can you imagine – filet mignon for $2 piece? On the other hand, a box of raisin bran will cost you $20! I was also very happy to find some coriander seed, anise, cumin, and cilantro. Susan’s husband met us at the ferry dock in his boat and rode us all the way to Jack Neal beach, so fortunately we did not have to walk down the beach with our huge bags of provisions which included fresh Swiss chard, okra, crisp granny smith apples, strawberries and even some really nice Asiago cheese.

Unfortunately I forgot to buy coffee, so we will have to make the journey into Utila town tomorrow. Sigh.