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Published: April 13th 2008
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After Juayua we made our way to Suchitoto...first on bus to Santa Ana. There are no busses from there to Suchitoto, so we got on another one to a town about an hour away. The bus "station" was in the middle of the market and when we finally left it took FOREVER just to get to the street. Vendors had to move their tables, produce, finish their sales, etc. Most weren't in any hurry, and the bus driver didn't seem to be either. When we got to the next city it was too late and the bus for Suchitoto had already left. We decided to take a cab for $40 rather than spend the money on a place to stay and have to get a bus the next morning. Our taxi driver was great! He chatted most of the way about the history of El Salvador, the wars, corruption, people... a really friendly guy. Even when we got off the bus this random man on the street helped us flag down a cab and negotiate a price. And the people on the bus were so helpful telling us where we needed to get off and what bus to take next. I
felt surrounded by angels.
We got to Suchitoto after dark, made it to a hostel with TINY rooms, then walked around town to see the festivities for Semana Santa. They had processions Thursday evening, the crowd following a statue of Christ, Friday morning following Christ carrying the cross, and Friday evening with Him burried. Thursday evening we were part of the followers for half of the procession as they walked through the silent streets of the town. Before we left the priest shared that we walk in silence to meditate on what Christ did for us. We go behind because Christ told us to follow Him. In our lives we're to follow Him and His plan, not the other way arround.
For the processions people make beautiful art on the street using colored salt, sand and sawdust...pictures of Christ, the world, etc. Amazing! The procession walks on top of them, so within hours they're pretty much ruined...but then they're made again for the next procession.
Saturday we hiked down to where we thought was a gorgeous waterfall. It ended up being a trickle of water in a nearly dry river bed. Very disappointing. (We later found out
that if we had explored upstream, we would have discovered the waterfall, and downstream would have taken us to the lake...hm...next time I guess). So we spent the afternoon at a hotel, restaurant, pool!
Sunday morning we caught a bus to take us to a town close to the Honduran border where we'd spend a day or so. We got there late morning, met a gringa peace corp. worker who showed us a fantastic eaterier with BALEADAS!! (Blair and I had missed this Honduran staple!). We walked around the artesanias a bit, then hitched a ride to the next town, planning on taking a hour long bus ride up into the mountains to stay the night. We waited an hour for the bus, then waited an hour ON the bus, then decided nuts to this, let's just get back to Honduras! and got off the bus. (VERY early in the week Blair and I had run out of dollars, no bank would exchange our lempiras, and my debit card wouldn't work in any ATM...so we were at the mercy of Blairs' friends to cover us financially...we were both eager to get back across the border where we could use
Personal Manicurist!
We met the girl in the green shirt earlier in the morning. She had cute flowers on her nails and I commented on them. "I can do yours too!" She said. We ran into her later that night, bought some polish and she did Kristin and my nails in the park. :) our lempiras!!).
We waited for about another half an hour for a bus to take us to the border, but ended up hitching another ride in the back of a pick-up (the BEST way to travel I think!). The other bus we had been on to go up the mountain left just a bit before we did. We were never so happy to NOT be on a bus! (we found out that it normally leaves on time, but because of the holiday there wasn't going to be a second bus that evening, so it was waiting longer for everyone to be able to do their whatevers in town and then go up).
We made it through the border OK. The Honduran officers wanted to make sure that Blair and his friends weren't going to stay beyond the alotted time their passport stamps gave them. They each had to pay $3 to enter the country, but thanks to my residency card I didn't. (the officer joked that I needed to convince them to become residents too so they wouldn't have to pay).
Blair and I did a little cheer as we walked across the border...happy to be back
Little Girl at Baleada place
What a sweetheart! I used my nailpolish that I bought in Suchitoto to paint her nails. She was the daughter of the owner of where we ate, and they were Christians, so we talked about church and Jesus, and then shared a mango and had some gum in Honduran financial freedom! Within minutes a busito was going to Ocotepeque, where we could get another bus to Santa Rosa. But I have some missionary friends in Ocotepeque, so I called them up and we crashed there for the night, getting a pizza dinner and egg and fruit breakfast. WONDERFUL!! I really liked the town and want to go back to stay a week or two. It has a lovely view of mountains, and the people I talked to were friendly. (as we were looking for my friends' house I asked a couple ladies where the barrio was, or if they knew the gringos that lived there. The ladies helped us figure it out and even offered to walk with us.)
The next morning (Easter Sunday), we were back on another bus to La Entrada. We had thought of getting off in Santa Rosa, a closer town, and going to Gracias, where Blair and I have never been, but that afternoon was a pre-olypic soccer game between Honduras and the US, so we decided just to go straight back home to Copán.
One final busito from La Entrada to Copán and we were home! The busito was
packed full, some people "standing" bent over, another guy with his head stuck out the window. I think we should have a bumber sticker moto in Honduras "Always room for one more!"
It was good to be back in Copán. We had baleadas at Picame, our favorite eatery, and watched the soccer game, which Hondurs won!!
Despite all the FRUSTRATIONS I'm glad I got to know El Salvador a bit. I learned a lot and it was good to see some new places and people.
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A. Betsy
non-member comment
Suchitoto and coming back to Honduras
It is so good to hear about your travels. Spring has FINALLY sprung here with the last couple of days is high 60's. I look forward to hearing more from you. Love and hugs!!!