Carnival in Honduras

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After Cuba, I've had a blast revisiting Panama & Honduras. I went to Panama after Cuba to see places I missed the first time. I met up with a Swedish guy I met in Guatemala in March and we traveled together to David (Panama 2nd largest city), Playa Las Lajas and Santa Catalina. There is nothing in David but the hostel we stayed at was awesome -Hostal Bambú, very laid back staff and it had a swimming pool. In Playa Las Lajas, really there is nothing much to do here expect chill & surf and same goes for Santa Catalina expect it has better wave for surfing -both places are beautiful. Actually we only went to Santa Catalina because we wanted to visit the Isla de Coiba (It used to house the most dangerous prisoners & political prisoners in Panama and it's rich in nature), but we couldn't go because of bad weather...........

Then I went to San Blas island where I met really amazing people. I stayed at Isla Robinson for a night and moved to Isla Franklin which I liked better. It was cleaner, nicer and much lively. It was sad to leave but am glad I made the trip. As usual, Panama City was great, did a little shopping. Its impossible to go to Panama City and not shop because they really have cheap stuffs. Oh, by the way if anyone of you is interested in a Panama girlfriend, I can hook you up.

Then off to Guatemala City to pick up my backpack that I left at Dos Lunas guesthouse and took a 22 hours bus ride with Hedman Alas for $54 to La Ceiba, Honduras. I moved into the 'Central America Spanish School' volunteer house and it felt great to finally have my own room to myself. I shared the house with 3 wonderful girls from New York. We partied together and ate each others food. My second week in Honduras was very crazy, it was the start of the much talked about carnival and am pleased I was here to experience it. The carnival was a week long affair with Saturday being the biggest day of all. So for a whole week, we attended the carnival in different neighborhood, the earliest time we arrived home was 3am but I think it was worth it. On our first carnival, we met Ricardo (a local from La Ceiba), he took us to the carnival venue because we were lost and introduced us to more local people -it turned out fun.

The Friday of the carnival, we partied extra hard (me, the 3 girls from NY -Chemique, Christine & Alex, Tessa -from Holland, she works at my school, Joshue -a Spanish teacher at the school, Matt -another American living in La Ceiba, Tiara -also from New York, Josephine -my German friend who came from Guatemala to attend the carnival and some other people. I really can not explain that night, it was so much fun and we met another America from Tennessee -he is a peace corp volunteer here in Honduras. The Saturday's Carnival was much grand - they had a parade from 12 noon to around 5.30pm, then the party began until Sunday morning. The parade was really cool - for me the most impressive show was that from Tigo (a cellular phone company) and the US military. Tigo had a Bike show -with girls & guys doing stunts -really cool and the US military had planes flying, doing stunts in the air and flying really really really low, I mean you should almost touch it. .

My house mates left the Monday after the carnival, which means Tessa and Joshue are all I have left in La Ceiba. By the way, partying is not all I do here in La Ceiba, I volunteer at a government day care for low income family. The kids love me, every morning when I arrive at the school, they run and give me a hug - isn't that just sweet. I love La Ceiba mainly because I can fit in and I can pass for being from here and I don't have to worry about people staring at me like they haven't seen a black person before or yelling out negra or other stuff like that.

Oh this past weekend I went to San Pedro de la Sula. I took a taxi from the terminal to the hotel and the taxi driver insisted on charging me 100 limpiras (USD$5), normally the price is 50 limpiras. I told him no & that he's charging me twice the rate, I got down to ask the hotel receptionist how much its suppose to be because I hate to cheat anyone out of their money -she told me it shouldn't be more than 50 limpiras then the taxi driver went all crazy and started calling me a ugly black trash and other racial sluts. Funny thing is that it didn't upset me, I think after 9 months of traveling in Latin America, am numb to racial sluts and the likes. By the way I gave him the 100 limpiras - my thinking was $5 doesn't make a different in my life & it must really mean something to him for causing all that unnecessary drama.

I was happy to return to La Ceiba. On Sunday, we went to Sambo Creek -a Garifuna town 30 minutes outside of La Ceiba to eat dinner. The food was good and surprising the town was buzzing with music & a lot of people, the club was even open & filled with people dancing. It was fun, I liked it. My trip is almost over, I have only about 3 more weeks and I don't know what to feel - to be happy or sad. It will feel good making money again, having my own apartment, eating the Nigerian food I like, starting graduate school and seeing my family again however I wish I still have money and time so I could still travel and experience new things.......

until next time..............

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Photos

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arrested man

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tigo biker peeps

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more from tigo

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car show

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claro girls

panama
santa catalina

panama
san blas

la ceiba
party time

carnival
mikitu

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garifuna

Comments

[lar]

taxi
Taxi from airport to anyplace is more because there are required by law to only take you. Anyother place they can pick up more passengers and make more money