HONDURAS – SANTA ROSA de COPAN – An Old Lady with a Backpack

December 29, 2023 – January 3, 2024

In Placencia we took a taxi to the ferry. It was basically a pounded out dirt road to a large boat, that didn’t look like it would pass any safety regulations in Canada. We paid our $78 CDN fee for the 4 hour boat ride. While we were in the queue to pay a fellow approached us, waving his Canadian passport, and asked where we were from. Joe was from Winnipeg and a dive master in Belize during the winter. He coached us through the casual customs process on both sides of the border. He warned us it was super casual and explained the process, but we didn’t understand until we experienced it.

The customs agent was sitting at a fold out table under a cheap tent. She stamped our passports. We were then allowed to board the boat. There were about 50 people on board. Life jackets were handed to everyone. There was one spot where the water got a bit rough, otherwise it was smooth. A man came around and exchanged our Belize money for Honduras money. Joe sat across from us and arranged a ride to our guesthouse through his Honduras girlfriend.

Once we got to Honduras, everyone got off the boat and had to relinquish our passports to a lady holding a plastic grocery bag. WTF?! We got into a queue beside the fish monger cleaning his catch. It was raining and we could only hope our bags were still on the boat and not getting soaked on the dock somewhere. Eventually we made our way to the front of the line and, like Noah’s Ark, we were lead in two by two into the customs office. They found our passports in the bag and took our electronic fingerprints. My limited Spanish came in handy when asked where we were staying and how long we were staying. Joe was behind us in line. When he was finished his process, he asked us to collect his suitcase while he looked for his girlfriend. The bags were still on the boat. No one checked if we took the right bags or someone else’s – like Joe’s.

We jumped in with him and his girlfriend and off we went to our guesthouse – which was not easy to find. We have discovered that Google Maps is almost useless (or the guesthouse coordinates are useless) when trying to locate the address. It takes you to the general area, but not specific. In our case, we were a block off. Not a good situation when you have NO idea where you are, it is raining and the guide says to watch out for crime. My phone took the inopportune time to freeze. I finally got Mario’s cell number and his girlfriend called for directions. We had arrived. Joe was an angel sent from heaven this day. Thank you Joe, from Winnipeg!

We grabbed a chicken dinner from the nearby mall then found a bank and exchanged more money, at a better rate than the boat guy. We were only spending the night, so it was spent searching for a bus to Santa Rosa de Copan and an early night.

It was pouring rain. The host offered to take us to the bus terminal. He made sure we were on the right bus and said goodbye.

The bus was a 26 passenger, and supposed to be an express to the Grande Terminal in San Pedro Sula, where we were to catch a different bus to Santa Rosa de Copan. The bus ticket was only $8 to San Pedro Sula. The van was badly rusted on the inside. Once again, the express bus seemed to pick people up at random spots.

In SPS, our driver told us to go through the terminal and catch the bus to Santa Rosa de Copan on the opposite side. The bus terminal is huge! It is like an airport with shops and cafes lining the central passageway. We went straight through where someone asked where we were going. Santa Rosa de Copan. The pointed to a bus and hurried us to it. Another man grabbed our bags and threw (yes, threw) them into the back of the van and basically pushed us into it. We found a couple of seats in the already crowded vehicle and settled in. The fare was $7 CDN. The buses leave ON TIME!

Once again, the express bus seemed to pick people up at random spots. We were finally 47 in the 26 passenger vehicle. These vans are NOT designed for large people. Most women in Central America have ample behinds. Kids sat 2 to a seat. Not once complaining or crying. I was wedged between the seats on a 2 x 6. The aisle was only about 10 inches wide. Pierre gave up his seat for an elderly lady and stood most of the way. He said it was quite the workout with the bus lurching side to side and the driver hitting the brakes and punching the gas like a race car driver. His feet are 12 inches long so he could not put them sideways and he could not stand facing forward either, because there was not enough room for that either. The roads were horrible and it took us 4 hours to travel 160 km. As with all buses in Central America, the music was blaring. I sat right beneath the speaker and had to put in ear plugs.

We all had to get out for a roadside passport check. The people who sat and stood at the front of the bus got out and did their ID check then got back on the bus. Those of us at the back had to squeeze our way past them to return to our “seats”. It never seemed to occur to them to stay off the bus and let us back on. The driver was behind me and kept pushing me to hurry to get in. I pointed to the lady in front of me, who was giving herself lots of room. Finally, he poked her and told her to move. Begrudgingly, she moved forward. Remember I said the aisle was only 10 inches wide and the ladies have ample behinds? Try squeezing past them! Now we had to squeeze by an even tighter packed bunch.

Karma paid off when we got to Santa Rosa de Copan. Usually there are taxis all over the place, but I didn’t see any. However, there was a man in a car parked right in front of us. Knowing that not all taxis look like taxis, I asked him how much to the address I showed him. Another man was trying to hustle me (maybe he was a taxi driver??) but my man in the car told him to bugger off. I could not understand what they were saying but the tone and gestures said it all. Then my man in the car told us it was 60L ($3.25) to go where we needed to go. It was exactly what our hostess said it would be. We jumped in. Once again, finding the correct address was not easy. Our driver called the number we were provided and finally delivered us. When I offered to pay him 100L ($5.25) because he had helped us so much, he refused. I asked the host why he refused. Oscar said that he thought we looked lost and he wanted to help. OMG! My faith in taxi drivers is restored! Then I found out he was NOT a taxi driver, just someone who saw strangers needing help. My belief that all taxi drivers are crooks had been rocked.

Our guesthouse was a beautiful 3 bedroom house. We were currently the only guests. That would change the next day. We settled in then went for a walk to orientate ourselves and to find some groceries. We had stopped at a chicken place and had a meal. Pierre left his backpack behind. The girl in the chicken shop ran down the street to catch up with us. We patronized the chicken place again because of her kindness. It turns out that a nice chicken dinner is under $5 each, so it made us wonder why we bothered cooking.

The town is on some wicked hills. As a result the sidewalk starts at a few inches above the street, but quickly goes to a few feet above the street.

Every now and then, there would be steps on the sidewalk. The sidewalks were not always great. It seemed that the sidewalks were built and maintained by the shop or house it abutted, similar to how one maintains the snow removal in Canada. At times it was nice, some had tiles, some was smooth cement, but mostly it was beat up old cement with pot holes and mysterious sink holes.

The electrical wiring on the streets were almost as bad a in India. There were messes of wires and a spider’s web of wires leading to and from the power poles.

We passed a couple of coffin shops. Yup, shops selling coffins. In Canada we hide death behind closed doors. Here, in Central America, it is just another product to sell. One shop even had a guy come out and try to lure us in like a used car salesman.

I had to wonder if people are illiterate. There were signs that said what the shop was but also a picture.

We saw a beautiful coffee shop on the second floor of a shop. It had vines hanging down, shading and secluding the diners who sat on the veranda. It was all too lovely and we had to go up. The Cocoa and Coffee Shop did not disappoint. We had 2 coffee and a tiramisu. We returned a few days later for the ambience and good coffee. It was also a great vantage point to people watch. We also saw, and heard, a couple of advertising vans drive past on the street below. I have no idea what was being promoted, but both had that exaggerated salesman, infomercial (or Evangelical preacher) voice over huge loudspeakers mounted to the roof of the van.

We spent an entire day looking for new boot laces for Pierre. As I’ve mentioned before, there are lots of shoe stores, new and used. You would think finding laces would be a breeze. Nope. We did get to see a lot of the town and a lot of shops in search of the laces. A couple of days later, I spotted a fabric store and though they might have cord we could make into laces. They took us to the shop across the street, who directed us to a shop around the corner, who directed us to another shop. They had laces. You would think we just won the lottery. They must have thought we were crazy for being so excited. We had spent at least 6 hours and numerous kilometres and shops looking.

About 50 feet from our guesthouse was a row of little lean-to shacks selling fireworks and firecrackers. I guess we will see some action on New Year’s Eve. We asked many people where the best place to watch the fireworks would be. No one seemed to have an answer. We found out why. We merely stood on the street corner and could see fireworks all around us. Firecrackers sounded like machine gun fire. The air was full of smoke and the thick smell of sulphur. It was like a war zone, with all the booms and flashes. It went full on for at least 20 minutes. It was great!

Because it was New Year, there was not a lot of options for things to see and do. As unusual, we went to the Central Park

and Cathedral Santa Ana.

We stopped at the 120 Infantry Brigade building, but they did not allow us in. Pierre was taken back to his young military days as he stood next to the young soldier.

A couple days later we wanted to go to Jerusalem Gardens. Diana, our hostess, said that it was next door to her Mother’s house and she was now going there. She would give us a ride. Perfect. We went to her Mother’s house first. It was a small farm with numerous fruit trees, herbs, medicinal plants and flowers. I was in heaven taking pictures of all the flowers.

Diana spoke a bit of broken English and explained most of the plants to me.

We picked some oranges, limes and huge lemons.

She crushed various herbs and let me smell them. It used to be an Airbnb but her Mom is now retired and her daughter and grandson live there with her. They had a large Groot made as a lawn ornament when it was an Airbnb.

There was even an outdoor kitchen behind the swimming pool.

Her Mom invited us for coffee on her massive veranda, which was decorated with hundreds, if not thousands, of Christmas ornaments.

It was a perfect day for me. I think Pierre enjoyed it too, but not as much as me. LOL

Diana then gave us a ride to Jerusalem Gardens on her way back to town.

Oscar, her brother, said he would pick us up and bring us back to town later. It was a venue for weddings and other celebrations. It was quite lovely with overhead walkways and little alcoves to sit.

There was even a tree house type playground for kids. There were really nice buildings surrounding a small pool. We could tell it was going to be a high end resort, but not yet complete. A worker said that it would be ready in one month. It took us about 10 minutes to tour the entire area.

We went to the little store across the street (Why is there a random shop in the middle of nowhere?) and watched a rooster with big spurs while we waited for Oscar.

Our last day in Santa Rosa de Copan was spent walking around. There is a big Santa Rosa sign at the bottom of a steep hill with 150 steps leading up to to the Bible on the Santa Rosa hill. It was a massive statue with the 10 commandments on it.

We then we went back to the Cocoa & Coffee Shop, where we just chilled and enjoyed a cup of coffee. We then went back to the chicken place we went to on our first day. We bought some chicken and went back to the guesthouse to eat and pack for the next day.