My Trip to Central America
Honduras, Guatemala, and Belize, Oct.17 to Nov. 3, year 2000 By Dixie Hughes Chapter 1 Seattle to San Pedro Sula, Honduras, in one day
After a long night and morning in transit, I finally arrived at San Pedro Sula, Honduras for the beginning of a two-week excursion. I was off to a great start because on both legs of the flight, I sat next to an empty seat. Makes it much nicer than the usual sardine can feeling. I visited (in the Houston airport) with two other ladies from Seattle on this same group trip — we recognized each other’s luggage tags.
Our tour director — Dennis — met us after we stood around outside the airport for ten or fifteen minutes. A dumpy shuttle bus picked us up, but it was air-conditioned. It took a while to pile the luggage on the roof so all 20 of us could fit inside. Met my roommate for the next two weeks on the bus — her name is Shirley Smith and she’s from Washington DC. She already knew one of the other Seattle ladies (Rena) from other trips they have been on.
Dennis told us lots of things about Honduras on the way in from the airport but I was a bit jet lagged. All I remember is that Honduras produces the second most bananas in the world — behind Ecuador. The main banana company — Chicita — has been here since 1902. It’s a pretty area; steep green mountains around the city. It’s warm and a bit humid, of course, but not bad.
Our first group meeting was that same afternoon followed by a tour (in the same bus) around town. Impressions of banks with armed guards — machine guns — standing on the sidewalk. (This is supposedly because of the lack of technology in the banks???) Many large imposing houses on the hill overlooking the city — most are well barricaded. Fantastic trees and plants; tropical climate produces giant size of what we think of as house-plants.
Our evening meeting was introductions — quite a mixed group, six married couples and the rest single ladies (like me) — and an overview of the proposed trip. We’re supposed to get a new bus in Copan — sure hope so. He tells us the food and water will be safe at the hotels we will be in — "If no salad is served, there’s a reason." Oh oh.
Our first night was very long — I was pooped from being up all the night before, so went right to sleep. But the air conditioner gave out about 1:00 a.m. and the rest of the night was not too comfortable. We had to be on the bus by 7:30 for trip to restaurant for breakfast. Dennis then walked us over to the only "covered" market in Honduras — meaning it’s a big old building that is full of little stalls for selling handicrafts and produce. We saw a whole row of ladies making and cooking tortillas over little gas burners. It was fascinating. Each one makes about a thousand a day. We also got a taste of some of the unusual fruits available for the shoppers. Beautiful wood carvings were displayed.
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Limpera" is the name of the money in Honduras — named for a famous tribal chief who led Lenea natives against the Spaniards. His picture is on a one limpe bill.There are 15 limpera to a dollar
Our next stop was at the San Pedro Sula Mayan Museum, where many of the artifacts are on display that have been found at Copan and other Mayan cities. The obsidian tools and pottery were interesting because of their progression from a very plain design in early works to quite ornate in the later.
click here for museum pictures
The Mayan "books", called codices, have mostly been destroyed on the command of the Catholic priests. There are only three known left — in European museums — but we saw a copy with its intricate drawings of glyphs and fan folded design.
On to Copan
That same day we travel 105 miles to Copan in the same little bus with the luggage on top. Very third world. The two lane road is very curvy — drivers seem to have interesting passing techniques in the rain. The rolling hills become steep and a bit craggy — a lot like Snoqualmie Pass — but still green. Everything is covered with vegetation.