Crossing Borders
The shuttle from sleepy Antigua to the ruins of Copan, Honduras left at 4 in the morning, and was scheduled to arrive at 10am. The van was packed full of travelers, guaranteeing that no one received any sleep as we sped through hairpin turns. Arriving at the border, we were immediately inundated with moneychangers looking to cash in on the new shipload of expats. After a $3 exit fee, and a $2 entrance tariff into Honduras, we were back on the road to Copan.
The ruins of Copan were left largely untouched and unpreserved until a large grant from the Japanese government established the archaelogical site and surrounding park. Mayan ruins, including temples, altars, and towering staircases littered the area, which was both quiet and filled with colorful wildlife.
Erika, Kyle, and I spent the day walking around the ruins before meeting Sarah, a fellow peace corps volunteer, at a delicious cafe in the town proper. She had some interesting travel tips, especially near Tikal, and also recommended a trip through Belize to avoid the questionable roads through Honduras.
Leaving Copan on a much more comfortable bus, we sped toward San Pedro Sula at 2pm, expecting to arrive by 5. When we rolled into the terminal at 5:30, we were assured by a ticket agent that all buses to La Ceiba, our final destination, had already departed. We raced downtown in a small van with 20 oher passengers, arived at another bus depot, and jumped on the last bus to Ceiba just as it was leaving the station.
By nightfall, we exited the bus a bit before Ceiba, to stay with a friend of Kyle´s named Regina. Her house is gigantic, as many of the safest houses in town, the usual spot for peace corps volunteers, are also most extravagant.
This morning we hitched a ride into the city in the back of a pickup. Jumping out of the car at the city center, we dropped our bags at a travel agency owned by a friend of Regina, an then met Tony, an ex peace corps volunteer who now runs a separate NGO. He, Kyle, and I discussed a possible website for the organization over meat and bean stew, before Erika, Kyle, and I left for the beach. Palm trees, sandy beaches, and a few jellyfish.
Heading out to Cayos Cochinos on Wednesday, but exploring La Ceiba today and tomorrow. Grabbed a hotel room with a private bath for $3.50.
Word of the day: Desculpe, meaning listen to me. Kyle uses it often to get people´s attention. I though he was saying esculpe me, which means spit on me.
The ruins of Copan were left largely untouched and unpreserved until a large grant from the Japanese government established the archaelogical site and surrounding park. Mayan ruins, including temples, altars, and towering staircases littered the area, which was both quiet and filled with colorful wildlife.
Erika, Kyle, and I spent the day walking around the ruins before meeting Sarah, a fellow peace corps volunteer, at a delicious cafe in the town proper. She had some interesting travel tips, especially near Tikal, and also recommended a trip through Belize to avoid the questionable roads through Honduras.
Leaving Copan on a much more comfortable bus, we sped toward San Pedro Sula at 2pm, expecting to arrive by 5. When we rolled into the terminal at 5:30, we were assured by a ticket agent that all buses to La Ceiba, our final destination, had already departed. We raced downtown in a small van with 20 oher passengers, arived at another bus depot, and jumped on the last bus to Ceiba just as it was leaving the station.
By nightfall, we exited the bus a bit before Ceiba, to stay with a friend of Kyle´s named Regina. Her house is gigantic, as many of the safest houses in town, the usual spot for peace corps volunteers, are also most extravagant.
This morning we hitched a ride into the city in the back of a pickup. Jumping out of the car at the city center, we dropped our bags at a travel agency owned by a friend of Regina, an then met Tony, an ex peace corps volunteer who now runs a separate NGO. He, Kyle, and I discussed a possible website for the organization over meat and bean stew, before Erika, Kyle, and I left for the beach. Palm trees, sandy beaches, and a few jellyfish.
Heading out to Cayos Cochinos on Wednesday, but exploring La Ceiba today and tomorrow. Grabbed a hotel room with a private bath for $3.50.
Word of the day: Desculpe, meaning listen to me. Kyle uses it often to get people´s attention. I though he was saying esculpe me, which means spit on me.
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