Honduras

This is a blog about Mary’s trip through Brazil and Central America all comments are from her via her emails to me . My comments are in blue. At the bottom is a comments panel I encourage all who read this to leave a message to Mary and Helen. The ealier posts are top right.

Most of the pictures are clickable to enlarge just backspace to come back.

We have had a gtreat adventure getting to here and wish i could write as it happens..so much gets missed of it all.

anyway we had a great political history tour in Nicaragua and next morning set out from Leon at 0700 for the border on a big local bus with plenty of fresh air but it must be our ultimate ride cos we had a movie..Anaconda playing up front and though we stopped every few minutes people jumped on in the villages and sold everything you could think of!!…religious preachers like the little skinny guy with bleach blond hair giving a sermon loudly and followed shortly after by a plump young woman selling CDs that are obviously pirated..more women with buckets of tortillas and ingredients to fill them to your taste and they whip these up in 5 secs..quite yummy too..sweets, cakes, fruit, popcorn…stationery and kids toys!!..they seem to hop on and sell till the next quick stop..Its so entertaining..and the best way to be involved with the local people who get on and off cos we usually sit separately and get to know all sorts of people..

This pic is of Helen dragging her bags through a crowed market to catch a bus with Mary to cross into Hondurus

we pulled up at the border and caught a ride with some young guys in a bike traier thing..bit of hard work peddling us but they changed the price and did very well out of it..over a bridge and on to Honduras in what we thought would be a comfortable bus but this was like our ones and not enough air passing thouugh and stopping every few minutes again so by the time we reached the capital city of Tegucigalpa we were hot and tired..

The bike dude apparently he was a bit dodgy…. the guy with the money is a money changer he changes currencys for you at a fee of course. But very connvenient I remember that banks don’t do that and I got caught with a wad a cash in Romanian money, think I still have it somewhere, mind you that was 20 years ago and now they have the euro hhhmmm

we found there is no central terminal and as everyone else got off along the street at various places the driver asked if we had a hotel..meanwhile the conductor was pawing Helen who just smiled sweetly and I growled at him. he suggested we sleep on the bus and he would take care of us..outrageous idiot…i make up in assertiveness what she lacks for sure..i think having a bit of local language helps too..anyway the driver yelled out to his mate in a good car who gave us a ride to the hotel we picked from lonely planet..and we arranged for him to pick us up next morning..for a good fee!

Border you can see their bus reflection I think

that evening we had arrived at 1900 and needed a feed so went out and found the last open  food outlet..everything was locked and barred..even the dairy had prison bars and you asked them to pass what you needed. we got the deluxe bus up here next day and arrived here at dusk again.

Typical they even name a food stand after Mary hahahaha oh this wasn’t where they went just thought I would put it in

today we went out to the Copan Ruins..its beautiful and tranquil and really well preserved..we have loved it here and feel much safer in this small community however a restaurant guy just siad tourists were held at gunpoint and robbed last night by the hot pools..lucky we dont venture far at night..

The ruins

tomorrow we are off to Guatemala city for a night then on to Antigua… the political situation has meant a huge downturn in the economy in honduras but they hope it will settle now..we are the only guests in the hotel!! but there are a few more tourists at the ruins and around. The bus entrance had 2 armed guards inside and they took our photos as we got on the bus for identification iguess..armed guards are outside the baks here as well..anyway we are very happy after a good days rest here..the people are mostly very friendly and helpful and have been very welcoming to us..

Three cowboys riding in Mary and Helen are crossing the border into Guatemala early at 6 AM they will be in  Guatemala City by 12:00 pm.

I just have to say here that it is amazing the technology we have today to be able to communicate, I spoke with Mary today and also Yesterday on Skype and in fact most days we have been talking and it is free or sometimes she calls me on a land line via Skype for 3c a minute.