Day 17 Honduras

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I liked Guatemala better than Mexico, there were a lot more Maya left, they still have over 20 spoken dialects. I discovered Gallo, Cabro, Monte Carlo, & Barena, all new cervezas to me. I know the people were poorer but I found most of them to be quietly dignified. I shared my meals with some of the kid street vendors & I will return some day to explore the country & give it the time it deserves. I loved the way they pimped their chicken buses with chrome & colour. The country is one of the most beautiful I have ever seen.

We hired an van to take our enlarged group to the Honduran border. We drove through Guatemala City & the traffic was heavy in zones 1 & 2. I couldn't help thinking about Pacaya volcano smouldering within sight of the city & what would happen to all the people here if there is ever a large eruption. The crossing was a bit run down. We paid a dpt. tax of 10 Quetzales & a Honduran entry fee of $ 3. I was glad not to get a stamp as I am trying to keep some clean pages in my passport. Honduras, Nicaragua, Guatemala, are part of SICA which is dropping border & trade restrictions to create a Central Amerian Union. The flag for a lot of counties in the region 2 blue bands (representing the Atlantic & Pacific oceans) between a white band which represents the isthmus which joins North & South America together, is modelled on the flag of the 1st Central American Republic. This existed briefly from 1823 -1840 but fell apart.

We arrived in Coban about 2pm. We checked into out hotel & I dropped my laundry off at La Casa de Todos. We went for lunch at the Picame Cafe, where I got the biggest burrito con pollo I have ever seen.

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