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Published: April 7th 2011
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The bus I ended up in was one of those old yellow school buses, imported from the USA. It was pretty comfortable though, although the bus was full. The ride was mostly through valleys with some mountains nearby, but nearly all flat out. It gets real dry and dusty everywhere here during winter that's for sure! Four hours after departing the SPS bus station the bus arrived safe and sound. It was only a few minutes along the steep and cobblestoned streets before I had found a place to stay. At HNL 200 ($10) a bargain, three floors with an inner courtyard so it stays nice and cool. I had a room on the ground floor.
The rest of the day I didn't do much, apart from walking around the small town and meeting some fellow travelers at some of the great establishments meant for dining and drinking. At the en of the afternoon, just before dusk, a group of musicians set up on a little stage on the square. I was just getting into my book sitting on this lovely square with its church when two children came up. Too shy to say anything, I got myself and them
a cup of shaved ice with condensed milk and syrups from a guy with a little cart. That got them talking just a little.
After a good nights sleep and some breakfast I walked over to the
ruins. I had expected them to be somewhat bigger, but they were fabulous nonetheless. These particular ruins are known for the sculptures apparently. As I went pretty early in the morning there weren't that many people yet, so that was good. Unobstructed photos... he he. Amazing how trees have completely grown on, in and around the ruins, their roots completely embedded into the structures. Very similar to the ruins of Angkor Wat in Cambodia. As an extra attraction there were a bunch of macaws, semi-wild it seemed. I spotted one eating with a squirrel right next to it, the macaw watching it from the corner of it eyes as if saying ''if you come any closer I'll bite you''.
I walked around for what probably was and hour and a half when I felt I'd seen it all. On my way out I noticed a sign saying 'nature trail' so I spent another hour walking along that train through the surrounding forest.
I saw multiple butterflies, blue with a wingspan of like 15 cm! (!), or actually it might have been the same butterfly following me around, who knows. I couldn't get a picture of it, that for sure! Bloody thing didn't wanna sit still...
Saw a small mammal as well, don't know what it was really... something between a capibara and a guinea pig. Again, too shy to get a good photo opportunity. Great to see though, and to hear all the different calls of birds.
After lunch I did some more walking, just going out of the cobbled tourist village and walking into the surrounding countryside. Watched a snake eat loads of tadpoles from a bridge, people bathing and washing clothes in that very same river, a herd of cows crossing the bridge followed by their owner in his pick-up, and a whole lot more. Enjoyed it very much. Would have loved to have stayed in one of the hacienda's, a large farm, that dot the countryside around Copan Ruinas. Oh well, some other time.
I had seen enough I decided, so the next morning I took a minibus to the border with Guatemala, meeting a Danish guy
along the way. It's a mere 10 km from the town to the border, from where I was heading north-east.
See you in Guatemala!
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LivingTheDream
Ben
Same same but different
I think every single tourist who goes to Copan comes away with a pictures of these two lovely birds that sit at the entrance :-) Very cool, and brings back a lot of memories!