here comes the rain!

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Well, I think the rainy season is upon us here in Honduras.  I didn't rain the first four days I was here, which is unusual for this time of year according to the locals.  But yesterday it rained nearly all day.  Not just your run-of-the-mill rain....a serious floater.  But it was nice considering how hot it has been this week.  The town has a suprisingly good drainage system and since it is relatively high on a hill, the excess rain will run off to the lower outskirts of town.  Not sure how that effects those living down there but they seem to be the most vulnerable to flooding.   According to the family I am staying with, entire lowland neighborhoods around Copan were washed away during Hurricane Mitch.
Discovered something here that simply cannot be matched in Southeast Texas:  Fresh mangos, picked off a tree right in the yard, for breakfast every day!  yummmmy!  Feeling healthier every day. 
Speaking of healthy eating, here are a few of my favorite things about Copan:
no taco bells, no mcdonalds, no whataburger, no burger king, no dominos, no papa johns, no pizza hut, no red lobster, no wal marts!!!!!!, no dollar generals, no old navies, etc, etc,  .....   you get the picture.   I assume that the town, for cultural and tourist reasons, does not allow such places to move in.  All stores, hotels and restaurants seem to be locally owned and operated.  Of course, this does have its drawbacks.  I doubt any restaurant here would pass Marvin Zindler's "slime in the ice machine" test (understood only by those Houstonians reading this).  One can be eating in a restaurant and it is no big deal for a dog or a cat to come trotting through the dining area.  
Went to a local hotel bar last night (friday) and had a few cuba libres.  The bartender was about 8 1/2 months pregnant and I half expected to have to assist in a delivery.  I was the only one in the bar for about 2 hours an I attempted to communicate with the lady in my very limited spanish.  I seem to be able to speak and read much better but still have great difficulty understanding others.  Saw a television on for the first time in a week(was hoping to go longer) in the bar.  thankfully it was muted, yet the radio still played popular english language music such as U2.  The movie on the TV appeared to be "Bend It Like Beckham" since the story consisted of a conflict between native and western cultures, which is relevant to my experiences here.  
The most popular beer here is called Salva Vida, translated to english as "life saver".  quite appropriate
The Honduran people are mostly very friendly to the tourists.  They are willing to talk to us and are very helpful with directions and such.  Interestingly, the most unfriendly people to tourists are other tourists.  They seem to avert their eyes from fellow light-skinned european types.  This puzzles me greatly.  Maybe they feel we "other" tourists are somehow infringing on the their well-planned, well-financed escape from the life of luxury and pleasure they lead back home.  Seeing other tourists reminds them of what they are: most likely spoiled, snobbish, elitist and condescending. One would think that being in such a poor, yet friendly, country would humble people.  I guess not.         But I digress....
Was hoping that by now I would be feeling like Hemingway or Henry Miller....maybe I am not suffering enough or it could be because I have yet to have a love affair with a beatiful mayan princess......(just kidding to all those women out there who love me, if there are any).  some of the more native looking women have skin that is almost the color of gold!   They glow just like the treasures that must have inspired the spanish conquistadors.  Can't understand how they could enslave and slaughter such a beautiful people...
No screw-top bottles for cokes.  Only glass bottles with pop-tops!
People here eat with their hands a lot.
Well that's it for today, hope all my family and friends are doing well.
peace, love and more love
 
 

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