Gangsters and Mayas….contrasts of Honduras


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Published: January 19th 2014
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4 days in Honduras


So we entered Honduras on the bus – crossing went really smoothly as did the exchange of money we had left from Nicaragua. The only thing that made us a little bit uneasy was a huge gun our guard was holding all the time. On one hand it made us feel secure but on other, we felt very unsure about this country.

On arrival in Tegucigalpa, we were shocked by how shabby this place looked. As the likes of Peruvian or Bolivian towns, it looked poor and grey. Tica Bus dropped us at their office (not the station God forbid) and we already knew that a few hotels were in the neighborhood. Shock number 2 – the entrance to the first hotel we checked was guarded by 3 gates with steel bars. What on earth?

We were offered nice and clean room for only 7$ so we did not have to go anywhere else. Anyhow, we only stopped here to take a next day bus to Copan village as evening buses are simply not running through Honduras. But even for the 24h stay we still had to have some money. We asked our hotel host if it was safe to walk around and she nodded with an unsure expression on her face. ‘Just make sure you have nothing valuable on you…absolutely nothing’ – she said. Right, that is interesting ha?

I used the old fashion way then and put our credit card in my bra haha and off we went. We only had to walk 4 blocks to the next bus office (Hedman Alas) but that was enough for us to notice how differently people acted around us. For starters they really stared at us and most of the men kept their hand at their pistol in their pants … like we were going to starts shooting!!! We bought the tickets for the next day and hoped in a taxi downtown to get some money out and have something to eat. We decided that shopping mall should be a fairly safe place to do so and we were not mistaken.

The moment we entered the mall, we were followed by a guard who would not leave us until we left. It was very comforting as everybody could see us withdrawing some money but on the other hand I would not say I felt any danger whatsoever, just the whole situation was a bit surreal. We finally emerged on the ‘very dangerous’ street and saw McDonalds on the other side of itt. Never say no to a nice cone! People stared at us even more as we were randomly standing around them and eating ice cream. This time I felt like I had Idiot written on my forehead haha

At midnight we were woken up by shootings on the streets – just like in the movies. We heard many stories about gangsters of Tegucigalpa and we already expected it so it did not impress us at that much. In the end we were protected by 3 gate doors haha In the morning, in our usual fashion instead of hotel restaurant we went to a local eatery. You should have seen the shock on the owner’s face!!! She asked, or rather stated in Spanish - ‘You want to eat here?’. Of course we did and what she made us was super yummy.

A few minutes later Police officers joined us and did not leave until we left. Every big shop we saw had guards standing and they all were in full readiness with hands on their guns, not just fooling around. Yes, we read in papers that Honduras has one of the highest mortality rates in the world with 12 people daily on average being killed in gang related disputes and robberies. For such a small country it is quite something...We then realized that us being there, in this café, did not cause surprise because we are Europeans but caused worry of danger for her. We could have drawn the robbers in – simple as that.

By the evening we arrived in Copan without any problems even though we had a stopover in the very infamous San Pedro Sula. Of course, there were shots on the way and we could hear the gangsters playing but we were just fine. Some hotel owners picked us up for free and offered us a room in a very close proximity to the center so we took it. We were so excited about the Copan Ruinas we could not wait. When we walked the streets of Copan in the evening to find some nice restaurant we felt like in a completely different country. It was quiet and pretty with cobble-stoned alleys and restored buildings. And everybody was so friendly and open. Obviously this place gets its fair share of tourism so they are very welcoming but also somebody said it has a lot to do with the fact that they all come from Mayan tribe that built Copan.

Maybe so and it made a nice impression nevertheless. There were so many contrasts in just one day. The poor streets of Tegucigalpa were replaced by artisan streets and stunning buildings; hole-in-a-wall cafes by trendy cafes and foreign owned restaurants (we especially enjoyed popular ViaVia Cafe for breakfasts and it was real treat to us). Suspicious looking and staring people were replaced by warm and welcoming locals who smiled and spoke to us everywhere we went. And there was not even one guard around any ATM in town - already says a lot ha?

The Copan Ruinas themselves were great – not as immaculate as we imagined (damn you Google images of Mayan temples in Mexico) but we enjoyed the visit so much. The complex itself is quite vast and we took it slowly, admiring remains of ancient living quarters, temples and cemeteries. Obviously the famous Ball Court and Hieroglyphic stairway makes an impact upon seeing it, although it is a shame one cannot enjoy its full view form a distance. We loved the way they put explanation boards everywhere so even without a guide we had a clue of what we were looking at. Also the pictures from excavations made us realize how enormous was the amount of work done. Bless UNESCO for that!!!

Very interesting was the facts about why the civilization vanished, which are rather obvious and not mystical as some alien fanatics may think. Back in Colombia we read a great book ‘Germs, Guns and Steel’, which explains why some civilizations came to power over centuries and why some never evolved beyond ancient times. The Mayas were actually very advanced, as you all know, but a long drought destroyed their sophisticated kingdom system. Commoners were no longer able to believe in Gods and Kings sent by Gods who had no control over natural events as they had stated before. No control means no fear and that means no gold and gifts – simple.

The sculpture museum was also really impressive. This is really what Copan is famous for to be honest. The temples are not as high as in Tikal and maybe not as preserved as the ones in Mexico but the stonework is legendary. The original Rosalila Temple, discovered at the site in perfect condition can also be seen there, as well many other artifacts. The visit made us very hungry for more but the thought of how many Mayan sites we had ahead of us was comforting. It made us also literally hungry so we jumped on the first opportunity to have some local food, which conveniently we found just outside of the site gates. These were the best tacos (or type of it) ever and the lady who sold them to us was amazing as well.

So the first days in Honduras were very interesting even though it could have been dangerous. We tried not to think of it and stay vigilant at all times. The Copan village made it all up to us. We loved the place, the people and the ruinas – so happy we decided to stop by on the way to Guatemala. Of course we will always regret not going to the Bay Islands but hey ho, we were running out of time. Guatemala here we come!!!




Additional Info:


• Tica Bus crossing to Tegucigalpa cost us around 25$ each. The Tica Bus office in Leon takes credit cards so you don’t need to bring cash.
Hedman Alas bus from Tegucigalpa to Copan cost us 40$ each. It is rather pricey but the terminal and the bus are both very secure. They don’t take credit cards so you need to bring cash to pay.



Additional photos below
Photos: 35, Displayed: 27


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stone pillarstone pillar
stone pillar

beautiful detail
love the foodlove the food
love the food

which one?


19th January 2014

Honduras for kids
I ve read your article and I find it extreamly interesting! Do you think that Honduras can be travelled by families with little kids?
20th January 2014

Ruins and gunfire
Know one could make this stuff up...crazy things going on around the world. Glad you were safe and had an armed escort. The ruins sound perfect. Looking forward to your next adventure.
20th January 2014
Copan Ruinas

Yummy ruins and tacos
Gorgeous photos of the ruins and the tacos! Given the unsavory nature of the capital, would it be better to go from Nicaragua to El Salvador and to Copan from there?
20th January 2014
Copan Ruinas

Hi there
thanks Tara:-) We heard even worse things about El Salvador so not sure hahha Unfortunately you have to pass through one or another if you don't want to fly:-( Now that we think about the whole trip, it was not so bad and definitely worth the stop:-) cheers, B&T
21st January 2014

www.curacaovacationaccommodation.com
The ruins in Central America and the Caribbean islands are definitely worth visiting. We should be more aware of the fact that the mayas had a higher knowledge of things than we have.
22nd January 2014

Scary Gangsta & Beautiful History
Was glad that everything turned out alright for you guys in Tegucigalpa. Simply love the pictures and the write up of Copan Ruinas. The additional info is really useful for those during land trips there. Looking forward to your trip in Guatemalas. Have lots of fun!! (^_^)
23rd January 2014

thank you
So kind:-) we are really glad you enjoyed our blog. There is plenty to come so stay tuned. Beata
23rd January 2014

thank you
So kind:-) we are really glad you enjoyed our blog. There is plenty to come so stay tuned. Beata

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