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Honduras Vacation Guide - Travel Honduras

This site will help you:• plan vacation travel to Honduras - - the mainland, Roatan (pictured), or another Bay Island or,

• find the travel information you need to decide if Honduras travel is right for you.

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After vacationing and traveling in various parts of Honduras, I wanted to:• present an honest and fair picture of travel to Honduras, • offer a web site without ads, and • offer more travel information than I had been able to find than when I planned our travel to Honduras on the web.

Two options for your vacation travel planning convenience:• If you are in a rush, start with the quick-hit travel links or the 'search tool' on the right or,• When you have more time and are ready to begin preparing a Honduras vacation, perk a cup of Honduran coffee and work through the site from the Honduras travel topics on the left. Take your time and become your own Honduras travel guide. Come along and...enjoy!

First question . . . Why consider Honduras travel? (next section). Let's begin to plan vacation travel to Honduras . . . •

"You must be the change you wish to see in the world." -- Gandhi

For more thoughts on social justice issues, visit Bruderhoff's Quote of the Day

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Has This Site Helped You?

Over the months that our website has been active, we have received countless thank-you's from our website visitors. We are appreciative but would like to take that one step further.

We are encouraging our visitors, if they have been helped by the site, to make a donation to Our Little Roses (OLR) home for young girls in San Pedro Sula. The home is an outgrowth of the Episcopal church. My wife and I sponsor a child there and can attest to the integrity of OLR's work and the depth of their love.

Have you been helped by the site? If so, we are suggesting that you contribute:● 1% of the budgeted expenses for your Honduran trip to Our Little Roses. $3500 trip - $35 donation or,● $7, one-third the list price of a tour guide book for Honduras.

Any donation amount is sincerely appreciated. I forward all monies to Our Little Roses.

How to donate?

Let's make it easy. Merely 'Click to Give' below. This is strictly an honor system. Amazon.com is a safe, easy, and encrypted site. This accepts your Visa or MasterCard. I forward all monies received to Our Little Roses. Thanks for your generous gift!

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1. Click to donate in the column to the right, using Amazon.com's secure server. $7 is suggested and Amazon accepts credit cards. Please give as you are able.

2. Then, below is a link that will download the whole website. You can then print the entire site.

Where does your donation go? To Our Little Roses home for children, described in the column to the left.

The suggested amount for the download? $5 or more. You decide. How much has the site helped you?

Any donation amount is sincerely appreciated. I forward all monies to Our Little Roses.

1. Donate in the 'click to give' to the right, then

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Visit the Our Little Roses website and consider a significant one-time gift or consider sponsoring a child for a year. Your monies will be wisely used.

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(download takes about 7 seconds on broadband; 2 minutes + on dial-up.)

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Section I - Planning the Honduras Vacation

Home: Honduras Vacation and Travel GuideSearch Tool for Honduras Vacation

Why Vacation Honduras? Culture

Honduras Vacation Planning, Part 1 Where to Travel in Honduras Length of Vacation Map of Honduras Travel Books for Honduras Vacation

Honduras Vacation Planning, Part 2 Honduras Vacation Guides

Honduras Vacation Planning, Part 3 Accommodations,Hotels/Reservations When to Vacation in Honduras Festival Schedule throughout Year Passports/Visas for Honduras Immunizations and Medical Issues

Honduras Vacation Planning, Part 4 Ways to Obtain Cheapest Airfare Price Airfare to Honduras Honduras Airport Codes Current Weather in Honduras Newspapers and Radio in Honduras

Final Preparation-Honduras Vacation

Section II - Honduras on Vacation

Travel Tips for Honduras - Part 1 Restaurants and Food Hotels in Honduras Honduran Airlines Buses within Honduras 1st Class Buses Spanish Schools in Honduras Internet

Travel Tips for Honduras - Part 2 Money Issues Prices Banks in Honduras Lempiras and Dollars Exchange Rates for Lempiras ATM's in Honduras Tipping Shopping in Honduras Open-air Markets Department Stores Honduran Music

Section III - Reflecting on the Honduras Vacation

Honduras Travelogue Copan Ruinas Roatan San Pedro Sula La Ceiba Waterin' Place (Coxen Hole) Santa Rosa de Copan

Frequently Asked Questions

Recipes - Honduras Food Ceviche Tortillas Baleadas Sweet Potato/Feta Salad Ground Nut Soup Simmered Beef Platanos Fish with Garlic Black Bean Soup Conch Preparation

Honduran Coffee

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Honduras Food, Transportation, and Spanish Schools [This Page - Restaurants and Food, Recipes for Honduras food, Accommodations, Transportation, and Spanish Schools]

Restaurants and Honduras Food

• Dining Out - Step out a little and move beyond the recommendations that you have read about in all the Honduras travel books. How? A good place to start when looking for food is by walking the squares or plazas of Honduras, branching out, and looking for the places where locals are gathered. ◊ If your Spanish is limited, you are always safe in ordering plato typico. In Honduras, this typically consists of refried beans (red or black), crema, rice, a very salty piece of otherwise bland cheese, plantains (a fried sweet member of the banana family) and corn tortillas. ◊ Plantains come prepared in different. I always ask for maduros (mature) and they are the overly ripe ones you will see in the markets of Honduras. Often, on the north coast, they are apt to serve them less ripe (verde). On the islands, I saw kids walking around munching on boiled plantains. ◊ When in Tela, Ceiba or Roatan, the fresh fish is a must. Don't be so interested in what kind of fish it is; merely asked for what was caught that morning. Don't forget to try conch (pronounced 'konk' in English or caricol in Spanish). We had a conch ceviche in Honduras that was out of this world.

Try the Beef◊ Beef on the mainland is good but the range-grazed steer is a tougher cut than at home. For me, however, the taste is superior. If you get to La Ceiba, Ricardo’s is an excellent restaurant but be prepared to pay North American prices. Save room for dessert and the coffee is magnificent.

◊ Avoid uncooked vegetables (particularly salads) and fruits that haven’t been peeled. ◊ You have to have fresh pineapple for breakfast. Every day. One problem. You will never want to look at canned pineapple again. (Note: In Honduran restaurants, a hostess does not seat you. Walk right up to the

You are in Tips Section

Part 1 - Food, Transportation, and Spanish Schools in Honduras

Part 2 - Honduras Currency and Money & Ways to Spend It!

Part 3 - Health and Safety -Travel Honduras

Thoughts on studying Spanish in Honduras from Stacey H, a Summer 2005 visitor:

"Thanks for your website, Dave.

Spent 2 weeks this summer studying in Copán Ruinas at the Ixbalanque school and had a wonderful experience. The school directors, Kathea and Amadea, are helpful and wonderful and the instructors thorough and interesting, and the school experience includes visits to surrounding areas, in my case a village on the Guatemala border to watch pottery being made, a visit through mountain villages to a hot springs, and another trip to a new health clinic in a neighboring village.

Copán is a wonderful area to explore and to practice - not many English speakers there! I also had a positive home stay experience." Read entire

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table you would like and sit down. Honduran restaurants are beginning to establish separate smoking areas.) ◊ Shop the market and look for fresh melons and fruits. Wash them thoroughly before cutting into them. You probably won't find fresher produce any place on the planet.

Want to Try Your Own Honduran Food?

You can't be traveling the roads of Honduras or Central America 12 months a year. So, when you have a craving for some delightful dishes, visit our Honduras recipe section and cook on!

◊ Drink the Water? Water is not safe to drink anywhere in Honduras. This goes for the ice as well. Ask for agua purificada – purified water. I always checked with the waitress to make sure it had been boiled. If it seemed dubious, I asked for agua de botella (bottled water, pronounced bo-tay-yah). You can find Aguazul bottled water

almost anywhere in Honduras. Grab an extra bottle for the bus trip.

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Hotels

I am a bit fussy where my head rests at night. We typically paid $18-$45 per night, taxes and surcharges included, for a clean, safe hotel room. A room with shared bath facilities begins around $12; private baths (con baño privado) around $35 and up. At the high end of the price spectrum, exclusive resorts such as the Lodge at Pico Bonito will set you back $190-$225 per night. • Always ask if the rate includes taxes and surcharges. • Before entering the hotel, note where the street is. Ask for a room off the street. I have no qualms about not accepting an unsatisfactory room. • Make friends at the front desk. Hotel staff are indispensable when it comes to directions, places to visit away from the “tourist scene,” areas that are not safe in which to walk, suggested amounts for taxis costs, shops that have special items that you need, good local restaurants, bus routes, soccer events, etc. • Take answers with a grain of salt. In our travels within Central America and Honduras was no exception; answers are always definitively provided even when surety doesn’t exist. • (Note: Honduras has two rates for hotels: the price for a Honduran and the price for a tourist. They are not “biting” you. This is a practice of dual rates. It is buried in your hotel bill so you aren’t aware of it.)

• Hotel/accommodation suggestions (criteria - moderately priced, clean, private bath). I have stayed at these or recommend them based on good feedback from others:

- San Pedro Sula, Hotel Ejecutivo. If you are transiting through San Pedro Sula, Microtel is closer to the airport, convenient, and reasonable.- Copan Ruinas, Casa de Cafe B 'n B and Hacienda San Lucas, up on the side of the hill overlooking Copan (gorgeous). More Copan hotels here.

account on Copan Ruinas from Stacey.

- Santa Rosa de Copan, Hotel Elvir - Gracias, Guancascos - Lake Yohoa Area, Honduyate Marina - Tela, Maya Vista - La Ceiba, Hotel Gran Paris or Coco Pando- Roatan - West End, Posada Arco Iris; West Bay, Bananarama- Comayagua - Hotel Casagrande B 'n B

An extensive list of hotels and activities for all of the Bay Islands can be found at www.tropicalrez.com or www.roatan.com .

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Transportation

• Airlines within Honduras - Before discussing Honduran airlines, let’s discuss your return flight home. In Honduras, you must reconfirm your return flight to Canada or the States. You can do that before you even leave the airport. Elsewhere in the country, travel agents will charge you 100 lempiras to make that call for you.

◊ Frequently scheduled flights - Between Tegucigalpa, San Pedro Sula, La Ceiba, and Roatan. Several airlines. ◊ Less frequent - Utila, Guanaja, Trujillo, and parts of the Mosquitia. ◊ Sosa Airlines, Isleña Airlines (TACA owned), and Atlantic Airlines all fly to different parts of the country. Be advised -- If you are booked into Honduras with a secondary destination, you will be flying a 15-passenger Isleña flight, not a TACA flight. ◊ Our experience with Isleña was bad. They bumped us -- despite reservations and being 2nd in line; at first they provided no information and then misinformation. They were totally indifferent to us as customers. From my reading and discussions with others, our experience isn’t isolated. We also used Sosa and were very pleased.

More thoughts on Honduras airlines:◊ Scheduled flights within Honduras are price-regulated, so there is no need to price shop. Schedules change often. Sosa Airlines has a site with a schedule of flights within Honduras. (Sale means departs; llega is arrives and dias are days of the week). Isleña/TACA does have a site that will give you an idea of frequency. ◊ Arrival and departure times are pretty loose. Carry a good paperback. ◊ Keep ~$32 back (in $s or lempiras) to pay the exit tax when you leave Honduras. At the La Ceiba airport, they have added about a $2 tax when you fly out of the airport.

• Chicken Buses – To my delight, the standard-class buses in Honduras were better than Guatemala (well, anything would be) and Costa Rica. Chicken buses -- aged, transported North American school buses3 -- go everywhere and quite frequently. They are very inexpensive.

It is best to print out the routes and connections from San Pedro Sula and Tegucigalpa before you leave home (scroll to the bottom of the page for each city's schedule). Keep in mind that these routes may change. Other schedules throughout Central America are listed at the Magic Bus, Old Site.

◊ San Pedro Sula and Tegucigalpa have numerous bus stations located throughout the cities. Be alert to which bus station you need. ◊ When possible, find out if there is a directo (non-stop) bus. If there is, take it and be prepared to stop 14 times en-route anyways. ◊ Easy on the liquids before bus rides. You may have a long wait. ◊ Carry small lempira bills so change doesn’t become an issue. Learned that one the hard way in Guatemala.

• First class buses – Hedman-Alas has routes which link San Pedro Sula, La Ceiba, Tegucigalpa, and Copan Ruinas -- with a connection through to Guatemala City for those venturing on. Here is Hedman's schedule.

Hedman offers excellent service. Most recently, Hedman has added a bus that leaves from the San Pedro Sula airport to the downtown office. All their buses have on-board toilet. Hedman has its own separate bus stations in very secure areas. ◊ Note: As a foreigner, your ticket price is more than the posted price in the Hedman station (posted rate is a price for citizens). Other buses have the same price for tourists and Hondurans.

• Ferries - Ferries run daily from La Ceiba to Utila and Roatan (Guanaja once a week). The port is located a few miles east of Ceiba. The trip to Roatan takes about 1.5 hours and runs around $10. For those prone to motion sickness, the ride from the islands back to La Ceiba is gentler. The ferry leaves in the a.m. for Utila and at 1.45 pm and 4.15 pm for Roatan. Always check the Honduras Tips magazine (available throughout the country) for current times.

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Speaking Spanish There is no getting around that speaking Spanish will make your vacation richer and easier. Earlier I listed an itinerary for those who don't speak Spanish. That specific tour provides a vast exposure to different areas and cultures of Honduras while not putting the non-Spanish speaker into too many jams (expect some - learn to enjoy them when they do arrive).

Honduras has many schools to learn Spanish immersion style. Years ago, I 'dove into' this approach in Guatemala for 4 weeks. Our instruction was one-on-one which

is superior to group instruction. After four weeks, I came home functionally conversant in Spanish (and a bit brain-dead as well). It was a phenomenal experience and has served me well ever since.

Honduras offers the advantage of being less expensive than other Central American countries. Additionally, with fewer English speaking tourists in Honduras, you are less tempted to revert to your first language after class.

I visited four Spanish schools and can recommend the first two just based on first impressions and the interactions I had with staff. • Ixbalanque in Copan Ruinas (see a Summer 2005 visitor's laudatory comments in the right column above)• Central American Spanish Schools in La Ceiba/Utila/Roatan/Copan Ruinas (I visited the La Ceiba school) • Centro Internacional de Idiomas in La Ceiba/Bay Islands • Mango Spanish School in Tela (not visited) • Conversa in Tegucigalpa (not visited) and several others in San Pedro Sula and Tegucigalpa.

If you choose to study, I encourage you to do one-on-one rather than classroom. Also, try and go in months other than June, July, and August. Schools are stretched due to enrollment during the summer and your instructor might be an "add-on" rather than a regular. You will pay about $225 per week for 4 hours of instruction and room and board with a local family. By all means, consider it a good investment of your time and money.

I would appreciate your feedback feedback on any Spanish language immersion programs that you have attended in Honduras and how it went for you.

Internet Connections

High speed internet connections are available at cyber cafes throughout Honduras. Ask at your hotel's front desk for the cafes with the fastest (DSL) connection. The Ceiba area has the best speeds at the most reasonable price if you need to do more significant internet connecting.

Next Section: Money issues can always be perplexing. Let's see if we can make Honduras money easier for you. •

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Best Airfare to Honduras

Tips - Getting the Best Fare, Planning Part 4

• Fly Tuesdays through Thursdays if possible.• Price the airfare on the net between midnight and 5 a.m., Tuesdays through Thursdays. Don't believe me? Try it.• Know the going rate!• Have your exact planned dates in mind. Grab a good calendar off the net to help plan the trip and book flights.• If you see a bone cheap airfare13, buy it. Once those few inexpensive seats are gone, software automatically raises the price as load-factor thresholds are hit.

Best net website for prices? Lately, I have been using Expedia.com, listed below. If you make your reservation through the link below, Our Little Roses, an Episcopalian home for girls in San Pedro Sula, Honduras earns a commission. There is no additional fee for using this link.

Think about bookmarking this page and using the link for all your travels (any travel reservation you make,

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'Plan the Trip'

Part 1 - Ideas for the Honduras Vacation Theme

Part 2 - Honduras Travel Guides Part 3 - When to Travel Honduras - Fairs and Festivals

Part 4 - Get the Best Airfare to Honduras

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regardless of destination, earns the commission for Our Little Roses). Share this page with your co-workers, your fellow church members, etc. so that Our Little Roses can benefit from the reservation. Give it a try today.

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Airport codes and current weather (note: no scheduled flights into Copan Ruinas)

City/Code Weather

• SAP - San Pedro Sula

San Pedro Sula 10-day forecast

• RTB - RoatanRoatan 10-day forecast

• LCE - La Ceiba

Ceiba 10-day forecast

• TGU - Tegucigalpa ('Tegus')

Tegus 10-day forecast

Other Cities

Good Utilization of the Web

While you are on the net, check out • Travel-to-Honduras. The site has everything from activities to classifieds; diving to volunteerism. • The Caribbeantravelforums.com site has an excellent list of links to a variety of forums and sites on the Bay Islands and Honduras.• AboutUtila.com - The only place to find information on the web about Utila.

• Newspapers: There is one English newspaper online, Honduras This Week. The newspaper has an excellent archiving system that is buried within the web site but this link will get you there. Look up topics/areas that are of interest to you. As well, Yahoo has an index that provides an archive of Honduran news in English.

Dictionary Now

Newspapers in Spanish include La Prensa (San Pedro Sula), Tiempo (San Pedro Sula), and La Tribuna (Tegus).

• Radio is available on the net from a variety of stations.

Need Some Ideas on Where to Start?Rather than flounder around on places to include in your trip, I have listed some of my absolutely favorites areas to see in Honduras. I have included an overview on each spot. See if my 'Honduras Travel -Top Ten' interest you as well. •

Top Ten Places for Honduras Travel Jump to TopÝ Home

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Honduras Coffee

(Need itinerary to visit the coffee growing region of Honduras? Jump to onsite information here)

Honduras coffee brewing in the open market --

If I close my eyes, breathe in deeply, and think back of our vacation, the first image that comes back is the market at La Esperanza, Honduras and the wonderful smell of the Honduras coffee brewing.

It might come as a surprise to some but coffee’s roots are not Honduras nor Central American. The Spaniards brought the plant with them, but not until

the 1700's. Coffee originated in the Ethiopia area of Africa where the goatherds long ago chewed the bean at night to stay alert.

When you ride through the Honduran highlands, you are traveling through some of the finest coffee country in the world. Keep

Buy Honduran Coffee Online:

Cafe Emaus - Organic coffee (through the Emaus Foundation) orCafe Welchez - Shade Tree Grown

Honduras coffee Plantation ('Finca')Map (off-site)

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Great Coffee Links:

coffeereview.comIneedcoffee.comLucid CafeSweet Maria's (my favorite)Starbucks (hey, push what you own)

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your eyes out for Honduran coffee; it is a bush that is often planted in the shade of larger trees. There are over 90 million Honduran coffee bushes in cultivation. Pictured here is an early, clear-cut coffee plantation7 from the turn of the century.

Honduran coffee, most of which is a rich arabica coffee, is used mainly by coffee retailers as a blending coffee but Honduran coffee certainly is good enough to stand on its own (see Sweet Maria's excellent review of a Honduras coffee from the Santa Barbara area).

Honduran coffee growers have not been able to “brand” Honduran coffee like growers in other countries have. Walk into any grocery store and you can find a can of coffee with the tag line "100% Colombian coffee." Guatemalan and Costa Rican growers have pulled off the same type of branding in the coffee boutiques. Honduran Coffee? Not yet. (Sweet Maria's excellent site on coffee has a good article on Honduras coffee).

A second variety of Honduran coffee is robusta. It is grown at lower altitudes and is an inferior bean. Much of it ends up in instant coffee or inexpensive grocery blends. Trivia? These robusta Honduran coffee beans have twice the caffeine as arabica. In Costa Rica, it is actually illegal to grow robusta. That is how you keep quality up. So what determines quality in Honduran or any coffee?

Coffee Quality

The quality of coffee, not just Honduran coffee, is determined by:

· The elevation. The higher the elevation, the better the coffee. The Honduran government, in an effort to “brand” Honduran coffee, has become more particular about labeling (and monitoring) “strictly high grown” (sometimes called “strictly hard bean”) coffee. The higher the altitude at

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which it is grown, the denser the bean. Strictly high grown coffee grows more slowly than coffee beans grown at lower altitudes, adding to the price. To meet the SHG (or SHB) criteria, the coffee must be grown at 4900 to 6400 feet.

· The soil. The rich volcanic Honduran soils are ideal for quality coffee.

· The climate. Honduran coffee grown in shade is superior to the coffee grown in the sun (one taste of a Vietnamese coffee reveals this). Adequate rainfall (Honduras has little irrigation to speak of) is critical for a successful crop.

· When a bean is picked. Expensive coffees are pricey for a reason. To reach its fullest maturity, flavor and taste, a bean is best picked at its “red- berry”8 stage. Since coffee beans don’t ripen uniformly, multiple pickings offer the best coffee bean (rather than a one-time, 'strip the bush' approach).

· And last, but certainly not least, the very nature or quality of the coffee bush - - the cultivar itself. You reap what you sow. Coffee bushes will bear their first harvestable fruit 3-5 years after being planted. Bushes may last as long as 15-20 years. One bush will average 1 pound of beans a year (bumper crops are known as with any other crop if all conditions are ideal that year). Coffee does better in the shade although large fincas (plantations) now plant sun-tolerant variants, row upon row in the sun. Sun-planted coffee is a less sustainable farming practice and introduces the intensive use of chemicals (see below).

Prices for Honduran coffee in Honduras vary, depending on quality. You can expect to pay $.48 - $3.00 per pound. I picked up a couple of pounds of coffee in the open-air market in La Esperanza for $.48/pound. It had a very

“earthy” taste. The quality was about at the level of the inexpensive Asian or West African coffees that have flooded our markets in the last year, driving the Honduran coffee grower to his knees.

When buying Honduran coffee, look for one that says, “Strictly High Grown, European Quality (or Style).” There are excellent coffees to be had. I enjoyed the coffee at Welchez in Copan and also bought some Bella Vista (Beautiful View). If you can’t find Bella Vista elsewhere, know that it is available at a shop in the San Pedro Sula airport.

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Sustainable Agriculture Practices Historically, coffee was grown under the shade canopy of larger trees15. Sun-tolerant bushes have been developed and can be seen on plantations (fincas) that often stretch for miles. Forests are clear-cut for their timber and coffee is planted in the sun. This type of coffee production employs vast amounts of herbicides and pesticides and devastates the earth, spills pollutants into the water systems, and adversely affects the fauna.

Efforts are underway to address this devastating farming practice. The Songbird Foundation has an excellent overview which discusses the impact of coffee growing practices on the farmer, the earth, and the animals of coffee producing countries.

I encourage you to take a moment or two to become aware and informed of the

importance of your decision on what type of coffee you buy. You can make a difference. Buy a coffee produced with sustainable practices by small farmers who receive a fair price for their work (know as Fare Trade coffee).

More on Fair-Trade coffee can be found at Transfair USA, the only independent, third-party certifier of Fair Trade practices in the U.S. Excellent material is also available from the Smithsonian National Zoological Park website where they discuss the case for sustainable coffee production.

How to Buy Shade Grown, Organic and Fair Trade Coffees

Honduran coffee is available for purchase on line. Organic coffee from the Emaus Foundation is now available online as well. Proceeds from the sale help provide secondary school scholarships for academically motivated rural girls who live in the La Libertad area. Café Welchez is a shade tree coffee, grown at the Finca Santa Isabel, and shipped from Miami. Try some.

Here are some additional excellent choices:● Stone Creek Coffee - Wisconsin's finest, served up right here on the net. Try the organic Mexican or Peruvian Fair-Trade coffee in a strong latte. ● Dean Bean's offers only Fair-trade organic coffee (yes!) and is an old-fashioned "you are the customer" type of place. I love the feature where I can select and mix my own roast. Prices are the best on the net.● Churchill Coffee – Fair-trade practice; portion of proceeds goes to Our Little Roses Episcopal home for girls, San Pedro Sula.● And for our Canadian friends, here is a fair-trade online firm out of Nova Scotia: Justuscoffee.com. This recommendation comes from friend Bob Chasen who vacations up nort' near them.

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Now, tons of coffee links:

Information / Reports Coffee Universe Coffee ResearchCoffee ScienceCoffee Science Information Centre Coffee Quality Institute

Associations and Organizations Anacafe - Guatemalan Coffee AssociationBrazil Specialty Coffee Association Café de Colombia Coffee Association of Canada Green Coffee Association of New York International Coffee Organization Deutscher Kaffee-Verband Sindicato da Industria de Café do Estado de Sao Paulo National Coffee Association Specialty Coffee Assosciation of America European Coffee Federation Specialty Coffee Assosciation of Europe Interafrican Coffee Organisation Eastern African Fine Coffees Assosiation Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Common Fund for Commodities World Bank PROCAFE is an association for the promotion of coffee World Trade Organization

Trading and Pricing

Commodity Futures Trading Commission London International Financial Futures and Options ExchangeNew York Board of TradeBloomberg - Financial Markets, Commodities,

NewsGreen Coffee Trading, News and CommunicationBrazilian Mercantile and FuturesTokyo Grain ExchangeInternational Chamber of CommerceCommodity Futures Trading CommissionCoffee Trading and Information ServicesCoffee Network

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I am glad that you visited www.sidewalkmystic.com. Thanks for visiting. Please keep in mind that I am not a travel agent and can't "send some information on Honduras." I don't book flights. I would be glad to entertain questions you may have but I am merely a fellow who visited Honduras, was taken by it, and wanted to share it, the best way I know how.

If you would like to provide feedback, ask a question, discuss your pending trip to Honduras, have good ideas to suggest to others, offer suggestions for site improvement, etc., please use the form below.

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Best Places to Visit in Honduras

'Must-See Places'The top 10 places to see in Honduras? Ask ten people and you will get ten different responses. Each holds in their memory a different picture of Honduras. Tastes, experiences, preferences all figure in.

Here are my “must-see” places, cities, villages, or scenery from Honduras. I would enjoy hearing about yours. I may be reached through my email.

A Flight into one of the Bay Islands When you fly to the Bay Islands (Roatan, Utila, or Guanaja) out of La Ceiba or San Pedro Sula, you will be treated to the most spectacular view of the richest blue waters of your life. The Bay Islands boast of the 2nd largest barrier reef in the world. One view of these azure waters quickly tells the story why divers and snorkelers from around the world find their way to the Bay Islands.

Roatan – What’s not to like about Roatan? Take off your shoes and visit the shops along the beach of West End, stopping every 100 feet for

You are in Top-10-To-See Section:

First Five

Second Five

Tegucigalpa (Tegus) - Our journey didn't take us to

Tegus. In another section of our website, Eric Timar offers

the highlights of travel to Tegucigalpa, Honduras.

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a soda, a Salva Vida (the Honduran beer, literally Life Saver), or a coffee.

Visit Rudy’s for a smoothie and a chat with the most hospitable man on the island. Take a water taxi to West Bay (better yet, stay there for the quiet).

Sit on one of the piers and watch the sun slowly plunge in the west. Then, visit one of West End's bars and take in some distinctive island music.

Swim, snorkel, scuba dive, or sea kayak the day away at one of the fine beaches at West End or West Bay. Eat at the Lighthouse Inn (West End) at about 3 p.m. when they aren’t so busy, coaxing owner Miss Mavis out of the kitchen. She is one of the finest storytellers you will ever have the pleasure of meeting.

● Need up-to-the-minute info on Roatan? The Bay Islands Voice is published bi-weekly and the Roatan discussion group on Yahoo can keep you informed.● Day visitors from cruise ships - Wonderful day-trip ideas are offered from Roatanonline.

More about West End, West Bay and Roatan on sidewalkmystic.com •

Copan Ruinas (often referred to by tourists as just "Copan," which is actually the name of the department, not the town) – No trip to Honduras would be complete without a stop at the ruins. Current projects under the

supervision of the Copan Maya Foundation are listed here.

But what would Copan Ruinas be without the ruins? It would be a delightful, charming city of 6,000 that is tourist-friendly while not being overly “touristy.” Visit the market (immediately behind the municipal building, off the square). Spend time in the city square. Evenings bring out entire families. Just slow down. ● After dinner, saunter over to the Welchez Café (near the Hotel Marina Copan – same owners) for the apple pie, ice cream, and espresso coffee. Yep, I said apple pie and it’s very good. Pick up several pounds of local coffee to take home. ● In Copan, as elsewhere in rural Honduras, make sure you look upwards each evening for a sky amazingly awash with stars. Unbelievable sight. No light pollution permits a view that is unrivaled.● Visit Macaw Mountain Bird Park & Nature Reserve, an innovative tropical bird reserve in western Honduras that cares for rescued and endangered birds of the American tropics.

For more ideas on what to do in Copan Ruinas, as well as arrange personalized tours, visit Twisted Tours by Tanya.

San Pedro Sula – Maps of San Pedro Sula are hard so you might want to print out this map of San Pedro Sula.

Without a doubt, a visit to the Museum of Anthropology and History is worth it. The two-story museum is manageable. Arranged as an inviting series of displays, you will walk through the history of the San Pedro Sula valley, the arrival of the Spaniards, the conquest, and the interplay of the Spanish and Indigenous cultures. Many of the displays have English placards (more so in the 2nd half of the museum) that enhance the time spent here. Plan on about 4 hours to do the museum any justice. Open Tuesdays - Sundays.

● While San Pedro Sula boasts a large open-air market, it is over-stocked with $3 tourist items.

There are better open-air markets throughout Honduras so there is no need to spend too much time here. One part of the market not to miss is the northeast corner where about 100 women each has a small cooking area, making tortillas by hand as they have been made for centuries. San Pedro Sula residents come in for their daily 2-dozen ‘to-go.’

Road between San Pedro Sula and Tela/La Ceiba – This leg of the vacation is marvelous just for the miles and miles of bananas, cacao, corn, beans, sugar cane, pineapples, citrus and African palms. Like no other region of Honduras, this area offers a window into Honduras agriculture.

● The Nombre de Dios mountain range juts up to the east and south of you as you travel through the lush tropical region. Keep an eye out for the llama del bosque (flame of the forest), a tall tree crowned with gorgeous red flowers.

(2nd Top Five cont'd on next page)

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Honduras: Tourism in-wait...

Honduras tourism and culture are as "content-rich" as any country in Central America. But with little information on Honduras and its tourism in the news or on the net, Honduras and its tourism sector unfortunately remain under the radar for most North Americans. That's unfortunate - - Honduras and its tourism have lots to offer the traveler.

Honduras tourism - Why Honduras?

● Honduras and its growing eco-tourism sector have easily accessible, gorgeous national parks; cloud forests; national reserves; and botanical gardens - - all with remarkable scenery.

Each park offers great birding, hiking, photography opportunities, water rafting near La Ceiba, kayaking or sightseeing. Planeta.com has the best material on eco-tourism for those who are planning green-centered travel. As well, Ecoturismolatino.com has numerous articles on ideas for eco-tourism throughout Latin America.

● Honduras has marvelous beaches on Roatan, Guanaja, and Utila - - some of the finest in all of Latin America and the Caribbean. These beaches are tourism 'gold' for Honduras. Go for the great scuba diving, the

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snorkeling, the kayaking, the swimming, the long walks on the beach. (The beaches are probably Honduras' tourism best known destinations).

And no, there isn't any good surfing in Honduras. Try Panama's Pacific coast, but take your own board.

● Honduras has the Mayan Ruins at Copan Ruinas - An ancient civilization rich in culture comes alive alongside its descendents. Planned infrastructure improvements will only add to the Honduras eco-tourism growth in the Copan area, a short 2.5 hour bus ride from San Pedro Sula.

● Honduras is a different culture, very unlike North America, yet ever so close. San Pedro Sula and Tegucigalpa are a 2.5-hour non-stop flight from New Orleans, Houston, or Miami. As leisure time increases, eco-tourism in Honduras can become a growing industry. Make no mistake. Honduras is not Costa Rica and its park system is no where near as developed as Costa Rica's. Honduras does not have the variety of accommodations near their parks as does Costa Rica. But for those desiring a visit to nature at its purest, Honduras is a good choice.

● The Honduras people - a culture-rich mosaic (Honduras tourism's richest gift):

◊ The Mestizo, mixed ancestry - European and Indigenous

◊ Four major indigenous people - The Chortí Maya along the Guatemalan border,

the Miskito of Eastern Honduras and the Lenca people of western and southern Honduras (and several smaller groups - the Nahoas, Pech, Tawahkas and Tolupanes). The fourth group is:

◊ The Garifuna of the North Coast; African and Carib Indigenous backgrounds - - with their own distinct culture and language - - live along the North Coast (La Ceiba) and the Bay Islands

◊ English-speaking Blacks on the Caribbean coast and the Bay Islands, many of whom trace their roots to the Caymans

◊ English-speaking Whites on the Bay Islands who descend from the English and Scottish, with a claimed buccaneer ancestor or two thrown in for intrigue, ◊ Spanish-speaking descendents of the Spaniards from the time of the conquest,

◊ Descendents of the Chinese and Palestinians who came during the early 1900's.

● A Honduras Vacation is Inexpensive - Honduras tourism offers a tremendous value for your dollar.

Transportation, food and hotel prices are as reasonable as any place in the world. If you can get your PADI-diving certification more inexpensively anywhere, please let me know.

● Honduras is manageable - Unlike some of the larger countries in Latin America, much of Honduras can be seen in a two-week visit. ____________

With these thoughts in mind about Honduras tourism, let's begin to plan the Honduras travel. •

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Honduras Currency and Money - Lempiras & Money Issues

[This page - Money Issues (below), Shopping, Honduras Real Estate]

Honduras currency is called lempiras. Honduran money is not that difficult. Let's take the unknown out of the Honduras money equation right now so that you can better enjoy your vacation.

Check Honduras Currency Exchange Rate Now - US Dollar: Lempiras

• Banks – Buy your Honduras money (lempiras) and cash your travelers checks (buy American Express at home) at banks. When you arrive in Honduras, San Pedro Sula and Tegus airports have exchange cages. Buy enough lemps to hold you until the next day, when you can visit the bank.

Hotels and shops are going to charge you hefty

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Part 1 - Part 1 - Food, Transportation, and Honduras Spanish Schools

Part 2 - Honduras Currency and Money & Ways to Spend It!

Part 3 - Health and Safety while Traveling Honduras

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commissions to exchange for Honduras currency. It makes no sense to stand on the curb with a money-changer (quite legal), flashing 3,500L (lempiras) in Honduras money.

If you see a bank without a line, jump in it while you can and buy your Honduras money. Banks are slow, but safe. Major cities offer full banking services if you have a command of Spanish and a lot of time. Take US $s to Honduras. I didn't see a Canadian $ or a Euro once in Honduras (visitors tell me that this remains current advice, May 2004).

• Cash – Use good judgment on handling Honduras money. If traveling with another person, each person should carry half of the traveler’s checks and half of the currency.

◊ Make sure you have plenty of currency in 100- and 200-lempira notes. The 500-lempira note (~$30.00) if often difficult to cash. ◊ Have sufficient smaller notes (1, 2, 5, 10, and 20’s for buses, tips, etc.).◊ Take along a $2 calculator. It will come in handy when your hotel bill runs 2451 lempiras and you need to know how much that is!

• Lempiras and Dollars - Many of the shops and restaurants on the Bay Islands will accept dollars as Honduras currency in addition to lempiras. Always ask in advance. Lempiras are 'cash du jour' on the mainland, the only currency you will see.

• Exchange rates - Honduras money and exchange rates fluctuate daily between the lempira and the dollar. Overall, the lempira has taken a beating against the US dollar (because of commodity prices and fiscal policy) in the last year. Numerous sites exist to help you with current exchange rates for all currencies, to include US $s, Canadian $s, and the Euro.

• Best site for exchange rate: Oanda, mainly because I can print and clip a nice, small cheat-sheet (about the size of a credit card) that I can throw in my wallet before I leave.

• Cash belts – Buy one at any luggage store. Keep your passport and extra Honduras currency

and loose cash in it. Put the day’s anticipated money needs in your front pocket. Nothing more.

• ATM’s – Some have reported problems with ATMs. (Jul 2004) -- A Siguatepeque resident states that the machines function without problems in Tegus, San Pedro Sula, and Siguatepeque. On occasion, there is no cash available.

Those with recent experience are encouraged to let me know so that the information here remains current. Thanks.

If you are insistent on using that ATM, you can locate them for VISA and MasterCard, by city.

• Tipping – Some books will encourage you to keep tipping to a minimum in Honduras and Latin America. Implicit in that suggestion is “you don’t need to ruin it for the next North American that visits after you.” Well, I choose to tip with Honduras money (dollars, while stronger, may be inconvenient for the recipient although you won't find anyone turning them away).

When to tip and how much? (Again, this is on the heavy side, I know).◊ First, check your bill. Often, there is a 10% added in.◊ I generally tip 15%, depending on the service at meals. ◊ I leave 2% of the cost of an evening’s lodging on the dresser for the maid (local Honduras currency). Overdoing it? I don’t know but the small amount means 3-4 pounds of beans, rice, or corn for the home of the person who is serving you.

Consider:◊ Bellhops can be invaluable allies. I tip (again, with Honduras currency) them early in a visit, posing questions before they slip out of the room. If he (and they are all he's) has a good feel for the city, find out what days and times he works. The information they can share is worth the money. If I go out early for coffee and pastries (pasteles), I buy some sweets from the bakery (panaderia) to share with the night staff and bellhops.

• Prices - Traveling in Honduras is as inexpensive as it gets. Your Honduras money goes a long, long way. Utila and Roatan are among the cheapest places in the world to become PADI certified in diving. Food and hotels are extremely good values for your money. Prices double from the mainland as soon as you step off the plane on Guanaja, Roatan, or Utila.

Shopping• Open-air markets (Mercados) – Markets are wonderful places to shop, but as well, are fantastic places to people-watch. Every town, regardless of size, has a market. Hondurans, like all Central Americans, shop daily for their needs. You can find everything from coffee to nutmeg; used tires to machetes.

◊ Many North Americans haggle over prices in the markets. I don’t. Not my style. You decide for yourself. I remember watching a European woman bark at a young Guatemalan girl in a shop on Roatan, all to reduce a price by 12 cents.◊ If the price is outrageous, merely turn away. If the merchant wants your business, the price will drop to an appropriate amount.

• Department Stores – If you arrive in Honduras and go “whoops, I should have brought ___________,” not to worry. There are modern, well-stocked department stores in San Pedro Sula (two malls), Tegucigalpa (one mall), and La Ceiba. I had no trouble finding some needed clothing in La Ceiba’s department stores at very reasonable prices.

• Music - When you are in the larger cities, stop in a music store. Grab one of Guillermo Anderson's tapes. Anderson is the pop singer in Honduras. We particularly like his Pobre Marinero but they are all good. If you forget to stop, you can always order them from home. I have used this site and received the CD's in a very timely manner.

• Specialty Stores - Shopping◊ Hats and straw weavings; hammocks – Santa Barbara◊ Woodwork – San Pedro Sula or El Progreso◊ Leather goods – San Pedro Sula or Tegus◊ Cigars – Santa Rosa de Copan and larger cities

◊ Handicrafts - Pech Indigenous crafts, El Carbon, Olancho. Others: Valle de Angeles, near Tegus or Casa del Sol in San Pedro Sula at the Multiplaza

And don't forget:◊ Coffee – anywhere but I am particular to the coffee in Copan and Santa Rosa de Copan. Keep your eyes open elsewhere for a $2.50/pound variety. In another section, I more fully discuss

Honduras coffee.◊ Knick knacks – San Pedro Sula Market◊ Tunu (bark/wood) products – Trujillo and the department of Gracias a Dios◊ Pottery – Lenca pottery in La Campa (near Gracias), ceramic cooperative, pictured to the right

• Real Estate - If you are anything like me, the minute you hit the Bay Islands, you begin dreaming about owning a piece of this paradise. Roatan is an absolutely remarkable, charming place and it is easy to fall in love with it. While I didn't 'take the plunge' and buy real estate, some visitors do. A couple of thoughts:

◊ Real estate prices are only going to go up on Roatan. The island is on the verge of being 'discovered.' The 'secret' is out. Cruise lines are now docking weekly in Coxen Hole; sailing ships from Playa del Carmen moor every week in West Bay. All these new visitors take note of the same thing you do -- gorgeous beaches and reefs, a welcoming people, reasonable real estate prices without any taxes to speak of, a wonderful climate, a low cost of living.

◊ A real estate agent who really knows the island is worth his or her weight in gold. I had the good fortune of meeting one, Larry Schlesser, a resident of West Bay and owner of Roatan-Real Estate. Larry and his wife roomed next to us in Copan. I took an immediate liking to this personable fellow. Maybe it is our shared Midwestern roots, but I heartily recommend that you contact Larry if you are at all considering real estate. Visit Larry's site thru the graphic link below:

• Buy a Purse - Years ago, I saw the old men of rural Guatemala carrying woven purses (called bolsa or bolso de bolsillo). I bought one and have been liberated ever since. What an ingenious idea! Sunglasses, toilet paper, travel book, notebook, pen, comb, Imodium, etc. all in one place! You can buy a bolsa in any open air-market. Now, if I could make that step in North America.

Next Section: Being away from home is always just a tad anxiety producing. Let's minimize that by talking about health and security matters. •

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Roatan Diving Overview by

Laura Radford

Roatan, located about 30 miles off the coast of Honduras, has a reputation as being one of the world's top dive destinations. Roatan is home to some of the most luxurious all-inclusive dive resorts. Roatan also has more budget boutique dive operators than you can shake a bang-stick at.

Cost?

The island, whose economy is sustained by Honduras tourism and fishing, is perfectly equipped to accommodate all of a diver's desires. The backpacker-diver can rent gear and dive from any of the very reasonably priced operators out of the village of West End, on the island Roatan in Honduras. Most of the operators charge about $25-$35 a dive but lower the price after several dives.

Many thanks to Laura Radford for her articles and photos on Roatan diving and Honduras.

Laura would be glad to answer any of your Roatan diving and Honduras diving questions. She may be reached here.

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Dive Boats

The dive boats range from small, open ponga-types that hold no more than six divers to larger powerboats. The smaller boats stick close to the west end while the larger boats access the more remote sites.

How About Safety?

Nitrox is widely available as are dive computers. SCUBA courses are offered at nearly every shop, most are PADI, and range from resort courses all the way up to dive master and instructor development courses. Doctors specializing in dive medicine and a world-class recompression chamber are located at Anthony's Key Resort.

Gear? Need to Bring Mine?

Snorkeling gear can be rented at all dive shops and some restaurants and gift shops. West End also provides other things necessary to divers such as beer and t-shirts. The shirts sport all the favorites such as pirates, great whites, diver-down flags, and skeletons but some unique designs are also available. In addition to the very tasty local beer, there is also a wide variety of specialty drinks (try a Monkey La-La).

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The Water Itself

Water visibility is consistently a hundred feet year round although it can dip to about 80 feet at times in the rainy season. Water temperature averages in the low eighties but can dip into the high seventies in January and February.

What Makes It Unique?

Why is Roatan's diving so good? The island, nearly forty miles long and about three miles wide, is actually the top of an underwater mountain range called the Bonacca Ridge. The ridge includes the other Bay Islands, Utila and Guanaja, and the many smaller keys and islands nearby.

Roatan is surrounded on all sides by a living coral reef containing nearly every species of coral growing in the Caribbean Sea, including several species of rare black coral, and sponges of all colors and shapes. Some barrel sponges located off the east end of the island are the approximate size of large refrigerators.

The Reef

The reef, home to such beauties as seahorses, queen angel fish, stoplight parrot fish, blue tangs, and fairy basslets, slopes gently from shore providing excellent snorkeling and diving from nearly any point on the island. The reef stretches out to sea then drops off. Literally. Roatan is famous for its wall dives and nearly all dives are wall dives if you swim far enough out. Many crevices, chimneys, and caves punctuate the reef creating an impressive and varied topography.

The reef's walls vary from inclines leading to sandy bottom at 30-200 feet, to sheer cliffs plummeting dramatically into the abyss. And I mean abyss. Roatan is on the edge of the Cayman Trench that provides clear water from the depths as well as a variety of pelagic animals such as whale sharks, turtles, dolphin, and rays. The trench plunges thousands of feet right off the west end of the island. In fact, the deepest tourist submarine in the world is located in Half Moon Bay next to West End. For about $500 it will take you to a depth of 3000 feet.

Laura Radford is a writer and a PADI-certified SCUBA

Instructor. In 1995 after completing an MFA in Creative Writing she moved from Alaska to Costa Rica where she taught diving and lead SCUBA tours. She later returned to her home state of California where she worked as a high school English teacher.

Currently Laura is working as a freelance writer and is traveling and diving in her free time, which is most of time. She was drawn to Honduras by the extraordinary diving off the Bay Islands but was lured to mainland by Honduras’s natural beauty and fascinating history.

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Frequently Asked Questions - Honduras Travel

Every week, I receive emails with a variety of questions. I thought it might be helpful to list the most FAQs:

Q. Can you tell me what immunizations I should take prior to my visit to Honduras?

I believe this is an important issue that is best asked of your personal physician, your city public health nurse, or a medical professional. I know what I took in preparation but that may well be inappropriate for you. Tons of information is provided by the CDC. Odds are that your doc will follow the shots recommended by them.

In another section of our site, I include more suggestions on maintaining good health while traveling in Honduras.

Q. How much should I budget for on a daily basis?

This is a tough question. Visitors to this site are backpackers all the way through folks who stay at all-inclusive resorts. My wife and I are somewhere in the "middle" of that spectrum. I budgeted $100/day for our room, traveling expenses, meals, rafting, special entrance fees, etc. Our actual expenses didn't even come close to that and we came home with plenty to spare.

I need to add, we are not big shoppers nor heavy drinkers. Hard alcohol and wine are expensive (local rum and beer are not).

Backpackers can get by on $15-20 per day if frugal and traveling with others. Dive resorts at the high end on Roatan and Guanaja can start at $200 per day and on up. You will find many options between those extremes. Here are some of my hotel recommendations.

Q. What time of the year should I go to Honduras?

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Tough question again. What are you after? Diving? Well, the rainy season begins in October and runs through mid-January (but don't hold me to that!). On the North Coast and the Bay Islands, you can expect a thunderstorm any day of the year. The North Coast is hot and humid all summer.

The Western Highlands (Copan, Gracias, Santa Rosa de Copan) are tempered by the altitude. The dry season in the highlands is January through May.

Q. When is the Carnival in Ceiba?

La Ceiba is renowned for its Carnival (Carnaval in Spanish), with many saying it is the second best in all of Latin America. Music, food, dancing in the street, a wee-bit of imbibing, and parades. It usually falls the last two weeks in May but you really, really, need to check with someone in Ceiba, say your hotel, for specific dates. Get those reservations way early, though. Rooms go fast

Q. I have never been to Latin America. What might I expect in Honduras?

● Events/schedules/time for bus departure occur when they happen, not a moment before. If you need a fixed schedule where everything must "go down" when you want it to, you are going to be disappointed. Hondurans are not as time conscious as we North Americans are. Sit back and relax. Vacation, remember?

● You will be visiting the most hospitable people that we have encountered in all of our trips throughout Mexico and Central America. Make an effort to speak Spanish, even if it is just, "gracias" or "buenos dias."

● On the mainland particularly, you are going to see many rifle-toting guards, policemen and -women, and soldiers. Be prepared for that or it can crush your vacation. As importantly, don't overreact to it. It comes with the turf. Here are my ideas on making your trip safe and pleasurable by just using common sense.

● You will see plenty of poverty. Honduras is the 2nd poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere (others suggest the 3rd poorest). Some North Americans are unable to deal with this and it either ruins their vacation or they give money to people inappropriately. Hondurans deal with their own poverty much better than we do in response to seeing it. Here are some ideas on healthy ways to assist ease that poverty, if so moved.

● Hondurans will always answer any question posed to them. You need to understand -- In Honduras, it is more important to "please the other person" than provide a correct response. Answers, well, aren't always on the mark.

If you need an answer; it will be provided. It is a mere cultural nuance. Double check important matters with another person; take answers with a grain of salt. We have experienced 'need to please with an answer' in other Central American countries as well.

What else?

● Your hotel bill and restaurant check will have a 16% surcharge added to it that goes to Uncle Sam -- or rather, Uncle Pedro? Look at your bill and see if a tip (propina) has or has not been added in. I tip 15% in restaurants for good service and daily, 2-3% of the hotel price, for the maid.

site. Invite them to travel to Honduras with you:

● In more rural parts of Honduras, the children may or may not have been exposed to outsiders. They will be naturally curious. Find the playful side of yourself and interact, by all means. Kids are kids. ● Show an interest in the Honduran culture and it comes back to you multiplied. People the world over understand respect. Demonstrate respect daily. Watch your body language. It speaks volumes.

Q. Where is the best diving on Roatan?

You are asking the wrong guy. Swimming, to me, is staying alive while I am in the water. If you are interested in diving, visit Laura Radford's articles on-site about Roatan diving.

When we stayed with divers at Bananarama on Roatan, to a person, they remarked that the diving was every bit as good as diving on Bonaire or Belize. I trust that means something to you.

They also mentioned that the cost of diving in Honduras was the cheapest of any place they had ever visited. Even I understand that one.

Q. Is Honduras dangerous?

I answer that by asking, "How safe are urban areas in your home state?" I believe that we are so used to the violence and crime at home that we "overlook" it and become alarmed when traveling in Latin America. We over-react. Warren Post, ex-pat and owner of Pizza Pizza Restaurant in San Rosa de Copan, has some ideas that reinforce my point.

In another section, I offer many suggestions that will help make your travel safe and secure. I would add that there are no parts of Latin America that I would hesitate to visit (Colombia and right now, Venezuela and Bolivia would be exceptions) . Women traveling alone might benefit from the reading this section.

Most of all, common sense and a general awareness of your surroundings go an awfully long way when traveling to Latin America.

Q. Your site has little on Tela. How come?

We didn't visit Tela and I don't pretend to know more than I have read. If you visit Tela, are a good writer, and are willing to share your experiences on this site, please contact me. Here is an example of a superb travel critique of Roatan by Kathy Munster who sent it along in the spring of 2004.

Q. How current is your information?

We traveled Honduras in February 2003. Visitors to our site are extremely good at keeping it current by informing me of their experiences when they return home. Weekly, I make appropriate changes on the website based on their feedback.

It helps when you provide feedback on your hotel stays, offer suggestions on things to do, and send along those "if I had only known..." If you have benefited from our site, please consider helping the next person coming down the line. Reach me through out contact

form. Post it to your PDA now.

Q. Have you painted an accurate picture of Honduras on your website?

I hope so. Honduras has its share of real social issues. That needs to be pointed out. The people, their hospitality, the diversity of cultures, and their warmth can not be surpassed. The scenery, the beaches, the diving -- out of this world.

Did our visit to Honduras go perfectly? Heavens, no. But few of our Central American visits ever do! That is part of the adventure! Just remember that you are visiting a nation with a very undeveloped economy. You aren't in Kansas, Toto.

Q. What if I have other questions?

I entertain all questions and would be glad to hear from you. One caveat, please -- first spend some time on the site. Please read the website before "asking away." Thanks.

Use the search engine on our site to look up material you can not readily find. Some people prefer to use the Site Map or the Quick Hits first to see where to begin with topics of interest.

Q. Why this site? What's in it for you?

I don't make a penny from the site. This site is a small thank you to the Honduran people for the hospitality we were extended. Nothing more.

Hondurans are the most gracious and welcoming people I have had the privilege of meeting and traveling among. I hope our site adds to your traveling pleasure among the people of Honduras.

May your travels be safe and restful!

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La Esperanza, Honduras - and other Best Places

La Esperanza – La Esperanza, Honduras lies about 60 km east of Gracias, in the department of Intibuca - - an area heavily populated by the Lenca people. The trip, on the road from

Gracias to La Esperanza, takes you through some of the most beautiful scenery in all of Honduras and Central America.

Near La Esperanza, adobe brick construction dots the landscape; bananas can be found growing at 4000’ (sweeter than coastal bananas) and small plots of corn are perched on a 50-degree slope. You will see some deforestation around La Esperanza, but nothing like the deforestation of Western Guatemala.

• Visit the open-air market in La Esperanza. While at the market in La Esperanza, buy

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steaming, hot tamalitos (small tamales but the best are made from fresh corn - - jilote) and a small amount of cream (crema). That crema gets lathered onto the tamalito. Swill La Esperanza's best coffee. Slowly stroll the market for an hour and soak in the real Honduras experience. Stop and have another coffee and a second tamilito. You get the picture.

Gracias – While not an overly attractive town, Gracias is so rich in history, it shouldn’t be missed. (Read some history before leaving home). Stand in the village square and imagine the area, as it might have looked when Captain Juan de Chavez entered the area in 1536. (In 1544, Gracias became the administrative center for all Spanish matters within Central America.)

Stroll the town, taking in the colonial architecture, seen clearly in the the 3 churches in town. Mosey on up to Guancascos Restaurant and Hotel for a dinner on the terraced patio. Magnificent view of the surrounding area. Catch the stars after dark.

• Celaque National Park is a mere 9 kilometers from Gracias and has hiking trails even for the casual hiker. The cloud forest holds Honduras’ highest peak at 9,350 feet. Celaque is the sacred heart of Lencan (the indigenous people of the area) spirituality. Hikers should ask at Guancascos or Hotel Erick for transportation ideas because a bus doesn’t make the trek to the park. The Friends of Celaque are making serious efforts at raising the awareness of preserving the ecosystem of the park.

Fútbol – Soccer fans will be pleased to know that soccer is alive and well in Honduras. While the best Honduran players move on to Europe, a very competitive league (link in Spanish only - Go Vida!) of 10 teams exists. Your hotel front desk can direct you to the stadium(s) (Ceiba, San Pedro Sula, and Tegus). The La Ceiba stadium is the easiest to find and reach. An amateur game is always going on -- just keep your eyes open around schools and open areas.

Santa Rosa de Copan – Find a building with an accessible roof or any high place surrounding the city and take in a sunset dipping below the horizon of the hills. Breathtaking. Visit the Don Melo cigar outlet next to the Hotel Elvir for hand-rolled cigars at less than 1/3 the retail cost in North America. (You can bring 100 cigars back into the U.S.) Watch cigars being rolled by hand out at the factory near the bus stop.• Five blocks east of the square is Pizza Pizza, a restaurant owned by Warren Post. Warren is an ex-pat who has done a great deal to promote tourism in the Western highlands and serves as an invaluable source of information about the area. He authors a web site that is indispensable for visitors planning to visit the Santa Rosa de Copan area. Oh yes, have some pizza at his place while you are there. • Holy Week procession is a phenomenal time in Santa Rosa. If you opt for this event, advance reservations are really needed. Get them early.

Miami Airport Even before leaving Miami, spend some time in the concourse where the Latin American/Caribbean airlines originate. Take in the variety and beauty of the diversity of peoples. Before your eyes is a human rainbow. The bright, vibrant color schemes of the airlines are a welcome change from the dull pastels of North American airlines.__________________

Next Section: Now, it is time to visit my favorite of *all* favorite Honduran cities, La Ceiba, Honduras (next section) •

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Health and Safety - Tips (Part 3)[This page - Women Travelers (below), General Safety, Health Issues, Sand Flies, Potpourri of Suggestions]

Travel Advice for Women - Honduras Travel

◊ Women traveling alone may anticipate a bit of attention, both visually and possibly vocally. ◊ Dress culturally appropriately. Long skirts just make sense if you want to draw less attention. Confine beach wear and shorts to the Bay Islands. A recent visitor wrote that after observing local women wearing contemporary apparel in La Ceiba and San Pedro Sula, women might well want to consider capris and cotton. My wife suggests that the smaller the village, the more conservative you dress. We were in several villages where she says that anything other than a long dress would have been inappropriate. Use your judgment.

I heartily agree with the cotton clothing recommendation, as mentioned in our 'packing for travel' section.

◊ Ignore catcalls if they occur and move on. This can be handled just as at home when walking through a construction

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workers' area. If you engage or respond to the banter, it merely escalates.◊ Avoid direct eye contact when talking with males. This has nothing to do with deference. When women make direct eye contact in Honduras, it is an "invitation" that you may not want to be extending. Don't do it.

More Ideas

◊ Most would encourage women not travel alone. If you must travel alone, use taxis and travel during the day. Use good sense!◊ Arrive early for the bus so that you can sit - - avoiding the physical jostling, etc., that is inevitable in the aisle. Buses get very crowded. Where available, use 1st class buses rather than chicken buses.◊ On the bus, seek out an elderly Honduran woman as a travel mate. Age is still respected and you are less apt to be bothered by Casanova, if he rides your route.◊ If someone tries to swipe your purse, don't resist (because you aren't carrying valuables in it anyways - see general safety ideas below).◊ If you have issues that need police attention, stop by a church and ask that someone go with you to the police station. While I make no promises, it can help.

General Safety Ideas

• Gang violence has escalated, particularly in San Pedro Sula. The tragic Christmas 2004 bus shooting has the country in a tizzy. The tourist ministry is cringing. This is the second incident in 18 months. While of no consolation to Hondurans, this violence is not directed at tourists. Rather, it seems that the poorest are at the mercy of the gangs, daily through extortions and neighborhood control.

People have written and asked if this spate

of violence would change my mind about visiting Honduras. It would not. I decidedly would spend less time in San Pedro Sula but:

1. Honduras is much, much more than gang violence. The violence grabs our front page, just as it does at home.

2. The violence has not yet been directed towards tourists.

At the same time, I would tell you that if this makes you anxious, don't travel. There is absolutely no reason to spend money and well-earned vacation time worrying about whether or not a Honduran gang is going to ruin your time. It is your call.

• Awareness is the key – In numerous trips to Central America, we have not had one problem with security. The Department of State offers a cautionary warning. Read it. It will give you pause that is for sure, as will the numerous rifle-toting guards and police whom you will see in the larger cities. Yikes!

I admit that I take the State Department's warning with a grain of salt. I recognize the inherent danger in any metropolitan area, regardless of the country. I have always been curious how our State Department would write up travel alerts (if written objectively) on New York City or Chicago. What to do then?

Let's list some key6 ideas to help with safety issues:

◊ Always ask the front desk for the safe and less-than-safe areas for walking. ◊ Take no jewelry with you. A $25 Timex is sufficient. We leave all other jewelry,

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even our wedding bands, at home.◊ Use taxis after dark. In metro areas, taxis should be used to move from bus station to bus station.

More suggestions:

◊ Don’t flash cash around. Use a money belt for extra cash and your passport. Carry only the day's money in your front pocket with a thick rubber band around it. The band helps hold the wad in your pocket when you sit down.◊ Take one credit card, leaving all the cancellation details with a friend at home. If traveling with someone, they should take a different credit card.◊ Split the cash and travelers' checks with your traveling partner. Each carries half.◊ Write down travelers' check numbers and keep in a place separate from your checks. Have the phone number available to report lost checks.

And finally:

◊ Be aware of your surroundings. Essentially, act just like you would in any major metropolitan area. ◊ Use common sense. Use good judgment. I found that the people in Honduras were extremely “protective” of us and were quick to assist with a list of “do’s and don’ts” for us when we merely asked.

Health Issues

• Pharmacies

Don’t bring along tons of over-the-counter items. Honduran pharmacies are very well stocked and the prices are comparable to what you pay in North America.

◊ Put your prescriptions4 in the bottles

in which they were dispensed in your carry-on, not in your checked baggage. ◊ In cities, pharmacies take turns remaining open 24 hours a day. When it is a pharmacy’s turn, a green card will be displayed in the front window. ◊ Pharmacists in Honduras have 6 years of post-high school education. They often serve as the first line of “physicianing.” Have a medical issue? First talk with a pharmacist.

• Physicians – If you get in a bind, you can find English-speaking docs in Santa Rosa de Copan, Copan, San Pedro Sula, Tegucigalpa, The Bay Islands, and La Ceiba. Overall, medical care in Honduras is not up to North American standards.◊ Consider buying medical emergency air evacuation insurance. Because I have a back issue, we bought a $50,000 plan for $16 through our auto association – a bargain by any standard. Lonely Planet offers a listing of firms dealing with trip insurance (to include air evacuation, if desired).◊ Check to make sure your health insurance plan covers care in Honduras. Medicare doesn't cover you in Honduras.◊ Diarrhea. If you do experience a bout, give it 24 hours. Use plenty of clear liquids - - hydrate, hydrate, hydrate and eat plain toast or white rice. If it continues beyond 24 hours, go after it with that prescription anti-biotic we talked about earlier.

• Sand Flies (no-see-ums) – No discussion of the North Coast, Roatan,

Guanaja, or Utila would be complete without a discussion of biting midges. I have yet to figure out why God created these although some naturalist using mind-altering drugs will surely conjure up a reason. Sand flies5 live on and off the beach, just waiting for you to come along.

Advice?

◊ Cover up. Cotton socks and pant legs help. Put a drop of lavender oil on your cuffs. ◊ Stay off the beach or out of wooded, moist areas when there is no breeze.◊ Some people swear by taking garlic oil pills or B-1 (100 mg daily); Off Deep Woods (or any product containing DEET); Avon Skin So Soft; or a Texas product, Cactus Juice (which is available on Roatan). Go ahead and lather up. None worked. I got drilled, period. My wife,

sitting right next to me, walked away without a bite. I am convinced that some of us are allergic to them; some of us are not.◊ New products with R-326 claim to be

more effective and avoid the medical concerns of DEET/skin absorption. If you have the time, order a spray with R-326 ahead of time.

So you got bit up, eh mate?◊ What to do when bit? At night, take two Benadryl. It helps. During the day, apply hydrogen peroxide. Let it dry. Then, load up with calamine lotion (calamina). There are also anti-itch creams available in the pharmacies. If you have a good cream from home, take it with you. Resist the urge to scratch (he chuckles) as scratching often leads to infection.

◊ If it is of any consolation, keep in mind that the sand fly (only the female bites humans) has a life cycle of 4-days. It is long dead after you still are itching. What a legacy.

A Potpourri of Suggestions• Laundry Services (Lavanderia) - Earlier, in the planning recommendations, we suggested light packing with cottons that could be washed out in your hotel sink at night. In all the cities (Copan Ruinas and Santa Rosa Copan as well), you will find laundries that take your clothing in the morning and have it wash, dried, and folded by 6 p.m. Hotels in the larger cities will wash your clothes as well. Avail yourself of these very inexpensive services; hotels charge more than local laundries.

• Showers – Be careful with two plumbing issues throughout Honduras:◊ Hot/Cold piping is sometimes reversed. Check before entering the shower.◊ Some showers (often called 'widows makers') are merely electrical heating elements crudely wired to the showerhead. Watch out where you put your hands during the shower.

• Toilet paper – Don’t assume that public areas, to include restaurants, will have toilet

paper. Grab a roll out of your hotel room. Crush the cardboard core and remove it. Toss the roll in that purse you bought. Trust me, this can come in very handy. At the right moment, T.P. is more precious than gold.

• Commodes – Speaking of bathrooms, every restroom (baño or servicio) has a basket right near the commode. Guess what it is for? The used paper goes into the basket. The low water pressure and sewer systems can’t handle waste paper. You will get used to this. Honest, you will.

• Standard of Living - First-time North Americans are often taken back by the poverty in Central America. Visitors to Honduras need be aware that Honduras has the second lowest per capita income in the Western Hemisphere. At times, divers land in Roatan, get a step or two off the path and say, "This isn't what I expected. Insulate me from this ..." The unfortunate reality of poverty exists throughout Latin America, even if some 5-star all-inclusive resorts and their promotional literature try to "protect" you from it.

Often I am asked, how best to interact if people ask for money. In Honduras, I experienced very few such situations (as contrasted to my experiences in Guatemala during its civil war). Honduran people are very proud people and maintain their dignity in the face of a terrible, grinding poverty.

But if you are asked for money, how best deal with it?

◊ I do two things. First, I say, “no gracias.” I then invite the individual to a comedor (small dining room with inexpensive food). Sometimes my offer is accepted; sometimes it isn’t.◊ Why not just give someone some money and move on? You will have to decide this for yourself. Years ago, when traveling in Guatemala, our Guatemala host asked us not to give to those who asked for things. He said, “You can be seen as a dollar bill, not as a person. If at the end of this trip, if you want to give money, I can suggest organizations that are making

significant, systemic changes that improve our people’s lives.” His advice has served us well in our numerous trips to Central America. ◊ Finally, with each of our trips, my wife and I budget a percentage of our total expenditures for an organization that is making a difference. When we get home, that is the first "bill" that is paid. Here are three fine organizations working in Honduras that would use your money wisely:

√ Nuestras Pequeñas Rosas (Our Little Roses) - Located in San Pedro Sula, Nuestras Pequeñas Rosas is home to 70 young previously homeless girls. It is an outgrowth of the Episcopal Diocese of Honduras. √ Habitat for Humanity (earmarked for Honduras) - In Honduras, Habitat’s goal is to build 1,000 homes a year in the San Pedro Sula area through 2007. √ Heifer Project International (earmarked for Honduras) – Heifer’s work in Honduras is in the Siguatepeque area.

Online information - Further information about a variety of organizations working for the improvement of life in Honduras are as close as the next link. projecthonduras.com is an online portal -- a network of individuals and groups working on innovative, grassroots responses to Honduras' social and economic needs, leveraging the information and the talent, expertise, and time within their network to serve as a catalyst for change. The site is an excellent 'window' through which prospective volunteers can see the variety of organizations working for the betterment of Honduran life.

"Hope is a state of mind, not of the world. Hope, in this deep and powerful sense, is not the same as joy that things are going

well, or willingness to invest in enterprises that are obviously heading for success, but rather an ability to work for something because it is good."

-Vaclav Havel

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In the next section, I offer ideas on where to travel in Honduras. I share my top ten favorite 'must-see' places for travel to Honduras.

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Honduras Map and Honduras Flag

Honduras Map - Most extensive listing of Honduras maps on the web (Honduras flag in right margin)

• Blank Outline Honduras Map, ideal for educational purposes• Departments - Map of Honduras• Huge Relief Map of Eastern Honduras• Large Relief Honduras Map• Huge Relief Map of Western Honduras• Honduras road map (a must for anyone planning on driving on the mainland of Honduras)

This section contains all the Honduras maps that I have found available on the net on Honduras. If you locate others, please send along the web address.

Honduras Flag

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• Tons of Maps of Eastern Honduras (Department 'Gracias a Dios, Honduras)• Very Detailed Honduras Map (expandable .pdf file)• Honduras map locating large coffee plantations

Bay Island Maps

Roatan Towns - Includes locations of accommodations - best Roatan map on webRoatan Maps (includes Coxen Hole map, hotel location map, island map -- watch orientation -- island runs generally SW to NE)Coxen Hole MapPrintable Roatan Map (again, watch orientation)Map of Roatan's TownsDive Map Sites, West End and West Bay, RoatanUtila MapUtila Dive MapGuanaja Map

Central America and Caribbean Relief Map

Huge Watershed Honduras Map (don't attempt without broadband)

Department Maps - Choluteca Departmento, Honduras Map

Honduras City Maps

• Map of Copan Ruinas, Honduras

• Map of Comayagua, Honduras

• Map of Copan Ruinas, Honduras

• Map of La Ceiba, Honduras

• Map of San Pedro Sula, Honduras

• Map of Tegucigalpa, Honduras (download and increase the size of the .pdf map)

• Map of Tela, Honduras (loads slowly)

• Map of Trujillo, Honduras (interactive)

• Map of Santa Rosa de Copan, Honduras

Maps of Honduras Parks

• Celaque Map• Huge Contour Map of Celaque (don't even attempt without high-speed access to net)• Trail Map of Celaque National Park• Rio Platano Map• Parks of Northern Honduras

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Honduras Vacation - Ideas and Suggestions [Vacation Themes] [ Maps ] [ Honduras Travel Books ]

Vacation Themes for Honduras- Planning Part 1

You have great choices when you travel to Honduras on vacation. Narrow it down based on your interests. To get a picture of Honduras, let's look at themes for your Honduras vacation consideration:

• Beaches, scuba diving, swimming and snorkeling – Any of the Bay Islands. West Bay on Roatan is a picture of serene beaches, quiet days, and healing waters. You have to spend at least two evenings on one of the Bay Islands if you are going to Honduras on vacation. Do it.

Utila is the least expensive and draws the backpacking crowd. Roatan is more upscale. Guanaja is for those that just want wonderful solitude with their diving or swimming.

• Honduras 'yesterday' - Copan Ruinas. No one can leave Honduras while on vacation without visiting the ruins. Even if you

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are only interested in diving, visit Copan Ruinas; the history and culture are too rich to miss.

Fly from the Bay Islands to San Pedro Sula, visiting the Museum of Anthropology and History. Then, use Hedman-Alas’s first-class bus to Copan Ruinas, stay the night, and take another full day there. Spend some time in the shops that dot the village while you are there to visit Copan Ruinas.

• Urban experience – Tegucigalpa or San Pedro Sula. While on vacation in Honduras, visit one city or the other -- unless you

plan on flying between them. If you arrive in and depart from San Pedro Sula, you are closer to the Bay Islands. Leave Roatan first thing in the morning and you can make an 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. connection back home. Voila, another night on the islands.

• City life with zest, nothing beats La Ceiba. Ah, Ceiba. A rich variety of people, music (you have to try the punta - local dance), the Caribbean sea, fresh fish, markets, good shopping, a laid-back attitude with a perpetual smile – that’s Ceiba. Cuero Y Salado Wildlife Refuge is a tropical forest preserve with a particular emphasis on manatee preservation. It is a 1/2 hour drive west of Ceiba.

In Pico Bonito Natural Reserve, you can hike from near sea-level up to 8,000 feet in the Nombre de Dios mountain range. No place in Honduras offers a greater variety of Honduran life than Ceiba.

• Relaxed taste of Caribbean life, Tela is the ticket. Tela has protected forests, national parks and botanical gardens all within 15 minutes. The tourism department of Tela has an informative website that will help you plan some time in the area.

From Tela, day trips to the Garifuna (West African, Arawak and Carib indigenous ancestry) villages of Miami and Tornabe are superb “slow down, look, and listen” opportunities.

• Hiking and birding in Honduras of a lifetime - virtually anywhere in Honduras. Over 30 cloud forests await you. Tropical preserves, mangrove swamps, lonely stretches of white sand, river rapids -- you name it, Honduras offers it.

• Solitude and remote jungle areas, the Mosquitia offers unrivaled adventure and uniqueness. Not an area for the timid.

Maps Printing out a map will give you a better lay of the land. The map from Lonely Planet will probably cover all the cities and places you will be taking in. If you would like a map with more detail on Honduras geography, this map should help.

I have collected an assortment of Honduras maps in their own section.

Length of stay? Make it at least two weeks or more. You are committing the airfare. Two weeks provides you a more leisurely time and permits a refreshing of your spirit. You work very hard. Now, relax very hard.

Travel Books - Invaluable AssetsUnlike Mexico or Brazil, you won’t find a great variety of books out there on Honduras. Chris Humphrey's Moon Handbooks: Honduras is my favorite. Spend some time with it.

Make your trip even more enjoyable by wading through some of the suggested reading in the excellent bibliography in the book.

Taking some time to read about Honduras prior to the trip provides a richer context during your visit there. Chris's book is the one book to toss into your bag on the way to the airport.

Adventures in Nature Honduras is another good book that would appeal to those seeking the 'green' approach to Honduras tourism, eco-tourism. It is harder to come by but can be ordered online.

Tegucigalpa (Tegus) - Our journey didn't take us to Tegus. In another section of our website, Eric Timar gives the highlights of travel to Tegucigalpa, Honduras.

Folks going to Tegucigalpa would be well served by getting their hands on Eric's Tegucigalpa Guide. Buy it for the dry humor even if

you aren't going to Tegucigalpa. Eric writes a descriptive, readable guide that provides an excellent context for travel anywhere in Honduras.

NOTE: While info on Tegus on the net is limited, Honduras Tips has the best overall site on Tegus. Make sure to use the nav buttons on the left (note: the home button takes you "off of" Tegus).

Complete guidebooks to Central America are out there, with all the countries from Guatemala to Panama listed and described in great detail. By all means, browse through them at your favorite book store. But I would suggest not taking one along -- it’s too heavy to lug throughout Honduras. My wife even encouraged me to rip out just the parts from our Honduran book that we would need for our journey. While I think she is onto something, I couldn’t bring myself to doing it. I am afraid of going to librarians' he11.

Next Section: Let's think through how much we want to plan and how much we should leave in the hands of a Honduran tour guide, all covered in the next section.

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Travel Lightly for Honduras

Packing

• First, use backpacks. Don't read into this -- I am not a backpacker nor a hiker. When you hit that first cobblestone street in Honduras with your wheeled suitcase looking for a hotel, remember I told you so.

For packing, I like Redwing backpacks with an internal frame but there are absolutely zillions of brands out there from which to select. Make sure you try it on before buying it.

• The Washington Post recommends these three as 'women-friendly' backpacks, all designed for better fit for women.

Weeklong pack: Mountainsmith's Chimera ($250!)

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Weekend pack: Camelbak's Isis ($80)Multipurpose pack: Granite Gear's Vapor Trail ($150)

• Next, when you begin to pack, put everything you think you will need for the trip on top of your bed. Now, randomly throw half of it onto the floor. Pack what is left on the bed.

Some rules (ok, guidelines) for Honduras packing:

√ Rule 1: Under-pack.√ Rule 2: See rule 1 above. You will be lugging this baggage. Porters at hotels are few and far between. My wife and I each carried a backpack that weighed 30-35 pounds. We had everything we needed. Laundry services are widely available, eliminating the need to pack for two weeks of fresh clothing.√ Rule 3: If you are traveling with someone, pack half of each person’s things into each backpack. That way, if one of the bags doesn’t show up in Tegucigalpa, La Ceiba, or San Pedro Sula, the trip proceeds on schedule!√ Rule 4: Pack only cottons that “hand-smooth” out. Cottons can be washed out at night in the sink with a bar of soap. Cotton breathes in Honduras's heat.Inexpensive laundries are in all the cities in Honduras.

Khakis and a collared shirt get you anywhere in Honduras. Women? – A long skirt and blouse seemed appropriate for all our travels. You will see shorts on Roatan, La Ceiba and Tela. A recent visitor suggests that after observing local women wear less than 'conservative clothing,' women might want to consider capris and cotton. My wife offers that the smaller the village, the more conservative you will want to dress. Use your judgment.

If you get caught like I did in the middle of winter without shorts, department stores in La Ceiba have an excellent stock.

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And some more:

√ Rule 5: Pack a bar of Ivory soap, a plastic bag for the “wets” and extra small ones in your purse for motion sickness.√ Rule 6: While packing, toss in small 2 ounce bottles of shampoo, hand lotion, etc. Don’t lug weight

unnecessarily. Save the room and weight for hauling back important items -- cigars, coffee, and rum.√ Rule 7: Regardless of when you go, pack plenty of sunscreen lotion with a high number. Suntan lotion is pricier in Honduras than it is at home.√ Rule 8: Wear and pack only comfortable shoes with plenty of cushion. Cobblestones, such as those near the Copan Ruinas, are unforgiving on the feet. Sandals for the beach are wonderful and weigh so little.

Electrical AppliancesHonduras has 110-volt electricity so your appliances will work. Many of the outlets in Honduras are the old variety and won’t accommodate the larger left prong (polarity prongs) that our appliances have. Buy a flat prong adaptor before leaving home and toss it into your backpack.

Travelers' Checks

• Go with a recognized name. I recommend American Express. They have the widest acceptance. (Banco Atlantida wouldn't even cash my American Express checks in Santa Rosa de Copan). There is no reason to travel to Honduras just to find out that the banks don't care for your credit union's travelers' checks.

• Buy plenty of small denominations. Plan on taking more cash/traveler’s checks than on other vacations. While every hotel accepted our Visa, I saw only one restaurant that accepted a credit card. While some have reported problems with ATM's in the past on Roatan, a May 2004 visitor to Tegus told me he had no problems.

• Buy a money belt in a luggage store and use it. Similar belts that drape over the neck are just an invitation to trouble. (See more on money issues in the practicalities/tips section). For those of you coming from Europe, bring only American dollars. I saw no other currencies being cashed in banks.

Driving? Are you really sure you want to do that? Maybe in the tips section I can persuade you to use the buses, collectivos, and planes. Driving in Honduras is not for the faint of heart but if you insist, order a road map ahead of time. It is next to impossible to find a map in Honduras. In the past, I have been able to find a map in Central America at the Texaco gas stations. In Honduras, I struck out.

Car rental agencies are in San Pedro Sula and Tegulcigalpa. While I recommend the collectivos and buses on Roatan, motor-biking can be fun.

Cameras and FilmBuy a new battery for your flash unit, toss in extra flash memory cards, battery charger and extra batteries if you are a digital user. Also, buy extra film in the States or Canada -- very pricey in Honduras and the availability isn't

always what you might need.

• In airports, if using film, take your camera out of your carry-on and hand it to the security agent. Ask them to pass it around the scanning equipment. The agent may ask you to snap the shutter. (Flash memory cards and their images are not harmed by x-ray equipment. Run it thru the machine without worry).• Don’t leave the film in checked baggage because it will be ruined. Even the Transportation Security Agency now recommends hand inspection of film/cameras and not putting film in checked baggage.

Small alarm clockA small battery operated alarm clock is a good idea. Front desks may or may not honor that 7 a.m. wakeup call. In the rural parts of Honduras, the roosters are pretty good about honoring your request for an early wake. The problem is, it is usually a bit earlier than you had arranged.

You’re Done!Congratulations. Sit back and enjoy your flight. You have laid out a loose itinerary with built-in flexibility, fully prepared for it, and packed accordingly. Your tickets, passport, cash, and travelers' checks are all in the right places. Right? Now, just a couple more things.

Travel Healthy on the PlaneGet up at least once an hour and walk the length of the plane.In between, stand in place. This keeps blood circulating in your legs.Avoid crossing your legs.Easy on the booze.Hydrate. Drink a 1/2 quart of water for every two hours airborne.

Other excellent ideas healthy plane traveling are provided by Dr. Andrew Weil at The Prevention website.

Finally:Keep expectations in check. It is only human to have high expectations. Let them go. Let the trip "be what it will be." Be open to serendipitous moments, being present to other people, and changing that sacred agenda you so meticulously planned. Parts of your great plan will disintegrate:

• Bus connections get blown because your Spanish is a tad weak or the bus hits a horse.• You get traveler’s diarrhea and can’t go anywhere for a day and a half.• You fall in love with a town but can’t stay because you are booked at the next hotel.• Relax. Schtuff happens. Enjoy the trip. Take what is presented and revel in it.

Check the WeatherPresent weather and 10-day forecast for Roatan, San Pedro Sula, Ceiba, and Tegucigalpa.

More packing tips needed? General packing tips are provided next.

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Copán Ruinas, Hondurasby Stacey Holeman, Summer 2005

Had two wonderful weeks exploring Copán Ruinas, Honduras while staying with a host family and studying Spanish at the Ixbalanque Escuela de Español. Here are a few of my thoughts:

The town itself is quaint and interesting (cobbled streets, tile roofs, bright stucco), LOTS of shops catering to tourists (150,000 people a year visit the ruins) but not spoiled by tourists. I avoided the gringo hang-outs, though I've heard some of them have excellent food. There's a new hostel (Manaza Verde - green apple - that looked interesting and I didn't see in any guide books).

The people were friendly and willing to help with my Spanish - overall seemed to like that I was giving it a try.

The surrounding area is extremely mountainous and worth exploring - Indian villages, hiking, birding, waterfalls, caves, hot springs.

The ruins are beautiful, only bummer is the excellent museum will continue to be closed for months for structural repairs. We LOVED Tikal for its setting and grandeur and we LOVED Copán for its setting, art, sculpture, giant stone faces, and trees. There's a nice nature trail you should take if you won't have a chance to get out hiking anywhere else. Go when they open at 8:00 am (best) or late in the day to avoid the crowds, don't miss the cementerío on the far side, one of our favorite spots.

In addition to the above I visited and enjoyed: ~~The butterfly farm (easy walk from town, displays, life cycle information plus a large, beautifully planted butterfly enclosure and two orchid houses) ~~Hacienda San Lucas (2-3 km from town - steep going up; I chose to take a mototaxi up and walked back through working farm land and along the Copán River; restored as a B & B, still a working farm, great views, hammocks, dogs, and hiking trails, including a fairly short hike to Los Sapos (the toads) which was, apparently, an ancient Mayan birthing site - loved that place.) ~~Macaw Mt. Bird Park (Parque de Aves - 3-4? km out of town a different way, gorgeous landscaped grounds along a river, wheel-chair accessible sidewalks and observation decks, hundreds of exotic birds that are native to Latin America including macaws, parrots, and toucans. This place is beautifully done and the birds are lovely, but doesn't seem very "Honduran".) ~~Agua Caliente (45-60 minutes out of town, depending on the road conditions, which can be very bad. The hike to the source of the water is through fabulous rainforest and the drive up through villages makes the trip worth it. The pools themselves were turquoise cement, bath water temperature, and a little scummy/buggy.) ~~El Boqueron cave (45 minute drive on some of the worst "roads" in the world plus a hot, mountainous hike through farmland [no joke - some of the farmed hillsides were 45-50 degree angles]. Cave itself was interesting with a variety of structures and textures, lots of water time, bats everywhere [including interesting colonies of juveniles] and the biggest spider I've ever seen - mouse-sized body and each leg 5-6 inches long.) ~~El Rubi Waterfall (30-45 minutes but in roughly the same direction as the cave, still thought to be dangerous unless you go with someone from up there or someone who knows the villagers, pretty hike, narrow suspension bridge, then up the river [which was high and fast when I was there] to the falls themselves.) ~~Birding with Jorge Barraza (this guy is AMAZING at spotting birds and interesting to talk to) was a guide at the ruins in the early 80's but couldn't read or write so actually attended primary through secondary school in his 20's, learned to speak English, and began studying the indigenous bird species. He also took us out to breakfast at a traditional "restaurant" in a house in an Indian village which was fascinating.

After studying hard for 3 terms at a local community college I arrived in Copán Ruinas with lots of vocabulary, an inadequate recollection of verb tenses, and not much usable Spanish. After two weeks of 1-on-1 tutoring (4-6 hours/day), a homestay with only Spanish, and lots of effort on my

Travelogue Story from Santa Rosa de Copan

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part to practice around town (a special thank you to the Yaragua Tours guide named Talo who took me to the cave and the waterfall, Carlos the stone carver (pictured) in the Mercado Artesanal, the taxi drivers, and girls from La Pintada village who sell corn husk dolls in the square), I can say pretty much whatever I need to and have a good handle on the most useful 5 or so verb tenses, but still need people to talk SLOWLY to hold a lengthy conversation.

My teachers at Ixbalanque were good, my host family fascinating (3 generations coming and going, lots of laughter and singing and way too much food), and the school itself is lovely. I thought the workbooks should have had more information in them, could have used more hand-outs to study, and found it frustrating a time or two that the teachers don't speak English. Most of the time that was okay, but a few times [like word order in questions] it would have been nice to have an English explanation.)

Hedman Alas isn't the cheapest bus company, but very comfortable and safe; they pass out soft drinks and snacks and show American movies with Spanish subtitles (good practice for me as I couldn't really hear the English). The trip from San Pedro Sula takes 2.5-3 hours, take dramamine or bromine ahead if you tend to get carsick as the last hour is really curvy.

Internet access is widely available, though the electricity was out off and on.

Local women wear skirts and, occasionally, long pants; I never saw a Honduran man in shorts. I felt more comfortable in skirts and pants other than shorts.

It rained - sometimes HARD - most evenings and into the night, sometimes starting in late afternoon, rarely during the day.

Hardly saw a mosquito but did get a few bites in jungly areas if I didn't have repellent on.

If you go to Copán Ruinas, stay for awhile - 1 or 2 days wouldn't cut it for me. Walk around between 7 and 8 in the morning as people leave for work, walk to school, scrub the sidewalks, and set up their shops. Somehow get up the road to Aqua Caliente village or at least to Sesemil to see how people live up there.

Stacey visited Copan Ruinas in June 2005 and sent along words of appreciation as well as this article and photos to encourage others on their Spanish studies. Thanks Stacey.

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La Ceiba Honduras - A Must-Visit

La Ceiba, Honduras' best, is teeming with life. Eco-tourism, hotels, restaurants, culture, parks and carnaval - La Ceiba is a must-visit vacation destination with something for everyone.

La Ceiba, Honduras, lies on the north central coast of Honduras. While it may be only the third largest city in Honduras, it certainly is the most lively!

If you are just traveling through, La Ceiba is a launching off spot to the islands -- Utila, Roatan, or Guanaja. You can catch the ferry from the docks or grab a quick 20-minute puddle-jumper flight to the islands. The airport at

which you land is called Goloson International airport and lies southwest of the city and is a quick 20-25 minute cab ride.

La Ceiba's Latin Beat

Ceiba, as Honduras people call it, has to be my favorite city in all of Honduras. If asked why, I can’t give a definitive answer. It is a city teeming with life and energy. The bustle is there but it is not a rush. There is an energy here. Human energy. Tragically, it can't be bottled or patented. It just has to be lived.

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La Ceiba has a unique energy. Cultures come together. Gracefully. Hispanic, African-Antillian, and Caribbean all get rolled into one vibrant beat. La Ceiba is home to Standard Fruit, marketed here under the Dole label. As well, Guillermo Anderson, Honduras' most popular singer, resides here when not touring.

Along the beach are many restaurants and night clubs. Away from the sea, central park (see photo below) is a very shaded area, thanks to the huge ceiba and palm trees. More restaurants are in this area and you can walk the area or ride in an inexpensive cab.

Close to the city is the Cuero y Salado Wildlife Preserve. Nature buffs will enjoy the Pico Bonito National Park which includes the 8,000 peak. This is the mountain you see as you drive through the area.

What To Do in La Ceiba (see next page)

Part 1: (this page)Part 2: What to do in CeibaPart 3: Restaurants and DaytripsPart 4: Jen Campbell's First-Hand Account of La Carnaval in La Ceiba

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San Pedro Sula Honduras-Vacation Begins Here

Map of San Pedro Sula Honduras (off site)

Why San Pedro Sula?

The city of San Pedro Sula makes for the best arrival and departure point, regardless of destination within Honduras. Whether traveling to Roatan or the Mosquitia; Copan Ruinas to La Ceiba or La Esperanza -- San Pedro Sula is both the logical and logistical starting point for Honduras travel. Why start there?

● San Pedro Sula offers more flights to Roatan than does Tegucigalpa, the capital of Honduras.

● San Pedro Sula sits squarely in the center of the Sula valley. Most of Honduras' commerce and traffic travel through the Sula valley.

● Land travel within Honduras is much easier if you begin in San Pedro Sula. Tegucigalpa, an option, requires more backtracking if your final leg of the trip is in the Bay Islands. San Pedro Sula sits equidistant between Copan Ruinas and La Ceiba (and on to the Bay Islands). This Honduras map will help you see the point. From Tegucigalpa to Copan requires a bus trip

Travel Story from San Pedro Sula

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to San Pedro Sula and then back up to Copan Ruinas.

(If you are going to travel to Tegucigalpa, Eric Timar's articles on Tegucigalpa travel on our website will be helpful. Eric makes some compelling reasons for traveling to Tegucigalpa).

A tip? How can you grab another night in

Roatan? Easy. Arrange your return flight home from Honduras at Noon or later, leaving Roatan on a morning commuter flight in time to catch your flight out of SPS or Tegus.

● If you begin your travels in San Pedro Sula, more time is available to visit and spend quality time at the Museum of Anthropology and History. The museum is a must-see for Honduras history or culture buffs.

Things to Do in San Pedro SulaBefore leaving San Pedro Sula, consider the following as good opportunities. Always take a cab after dark:

• Restaurants - Many excellent restaurants in San Pedro Sula, with a variety of ethnic flavors, are located in the Zona Viva. We had conch ceviche and a fish platter at Chef Mariano's, a Garifuna restaurant. It was superb.

• Soccer (Fútbol). Professional soccer is played in more that one part of San Pedro Sula. Your front desk can help you locate the closer stadium.

• Shopping for Leather Goods: San Pedro Sula offers several choices but many recommend Danilo's for leather Goods.

• Parque Central - Central Park, like all Central American parks, is a wonderful place to find a Pepsi, a bench, and a shade tree. Take time just to "people watch." Sometimes, marimba bands will be playing at the noon hour. Downside? Too many gringo-like cafeterias immediately adjacent to the park. They miss the mark on Honduran authenticity but yet they remain busy. Go figure.

For an inexpensive lunch, try Antojitos Mexicanos, right above the Expresso Americano on the square. Cholesterol city.

The cathedral in San Pedro Sula sits at the east end of the park but isn't all that architecturally interesting. The front doors were locked at 12.15pm, so I don't know what the stained glass or interior offer. Not to worry. You will find many a church open elsewhere, if that is your interest. (The city of Gracias, Honduras has as much historical church architecture as any area in the country).

• Handicrafts, nicknacks, cigars, rum, vanilla - Guamilito Market is the largest market for the take-home gifts. The Guamilito Market (mercado) offers just about everything under the sun, including a dozen tortillas to go, made right before your eyes. If you can't find something, you just aren't looking.

I personally would encourage you to shop the Casa del Sol, immediately south of the market, before buying at Guamilito. They are a smaller shop and the goods seemed to be a higher quality. Reasonably priced.

Take time for a latte under the umbrellas at La

Plazita, right next to Casa del Sol. A cigar and coffee store with an excellent selection is within the small grouping of shops. The woman owner is a gracious woman who is willing to share ideas on what to see in Honduras. Introduce yourself.

• Art - By all means, look for some. We enjoy buying one distinct, unique, quality piece of art home from every trip. One place you might try looking for one is at the MAYMO Art Gallery (3rd paragraph down in linked article).

• Finally, for those of you who can't do without, there are malls in San Pedro Sula. Both MegaPlaza or Mulitplaza will provide the 'mall fix' and you can continue on with your journey.

Suggested routes for travel in Honduras.

Join us in the next section where we describe two Honduras travel routes, one for Spanish speakers or folks who love adventure, and one for those without Spanish.•

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Tegucigalpa, Honduras

Honduras travelers will want to visit Tegucigalpa, Honduras for its rich history and its distinct cultural flavor. Eric Timar has been kind enough to offer us his best insights into Tegucigalpa's history, some attractions and activities, as well as accommodations, food, and nightlife. Thanks Eric. - Dave

Tegucigalpa is located in the southern part of Honduras, in Francisco Morazán province. The elevation is around 3,000 feet. The population is around one million (May 2001), according to the National Institute of Statistics.

Tegucigalpa - LOCAL HISTORY

Native Americans were already living in the area of present-day Tegucigalpa, and calling it by that name, when the first Europeans–Spanish miners–arrived in the middle of the 1500s. (September 29, 1578 is the traditional founding date of the city, but modern historians have determined that this date is contrived.) The city was named capital of Honduras in 1880.

Those Native Americans were mostly of the Lenca people; unfortunately, their language is dead and not a lot is known about their culture. More information on the Lenca can be found in The Cost of Conquest by Linda

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Newson.

The early Spanish miners in Tegucigalpa found silver, mostly, which supports the theory that the city’s name meant "silver hill" in an indigenous language. Alas, those modern historians have again spoiled a good story by punching holes in this explanation; for one thing, the local Native Americans did not mine silver and so it is unlikely they would have named a hill for it. The meaning of the city’s name remains unknown; possibilities include "place where men meet" and "colored stones."

The descendants of the Native Americans and Europeans in Tegucigalpa were joined, early in the 1900s, by two other ethnic groups–Arabs and Chinese. The Arabs continued to immigrate for about fifty years, and Chinese continue to come to this day. Both communities are visible in the capital; the two largest hardware store chains carry Arab names, and Chinese restaurants abound.

About one-third of Tegucigalpa–the area lying to the south and west of the Choluteca River–is known as Comayagüela. This was a separate city until 1938; Tegucigalpa and Comayagüela both are further subdivided into barrios.

Tegucigalpa - ATTRACTIONS

The center of town features fine old churches, other old buildings, and a pedestrian walkway. The cathedral of St. Michael Archangel (1782) anchors the central park; the Los Dolores church (1732; two blocks west and two blocks north of the central park) is the most handsome; and the San Francisco church is the oldest building of any type in the city, probably dating from 1590 (three blocks east of the central park). The La Merced church (around 1650) is located next to the National Art Gallery (three blocks south of the central park), which was formerly a priests’ residence.

The pedestrian street, or peatonal, offers coffee, pirated CDs, donuts, and people-watching.

Parque La Leona is a pleasant park with a good view of downtown–but don’t think you can skip a visit to El Picacho (below) because you have been to La Leona. If you stand by the statue of Morazán in the central park and look up north, La Leona is the first concrete thing you see as you drop your gaze down from the statue of Christ.

Francisco Morazán was a Honduran, born in Tegucigalpa, who served as president of Central America (1830-1840) during its short tenure as a united nation. His birthplace, one block north of the peatonal, is marked by a plaque off Calle Mendiete (on a the north wall of a building on the west side of the street.) He advocated free elections and popular education, and so was executed by conservatives in 1842.

The Villa Roy National Museum is seven blocks north of the northwest corner of the post office, which is four long blocks (down the peatonal) west of the cathedral–got that? The museum has an interesting collection, including vintage cars used by old Honduran dictators, but is also notable for its green grounds and beautiful main building, a former private residence.

Tegucigalpa - ACTIVITIES

Popular destinations for tourists are the towns of Santa Lucia and Valle de Angeles to the east of the city. Valle de Angeles is the best place in the area, if not the entire nation, to buy souvenirs and craft items; it is especially well-known for its woodwork. Santa Lucia has a few shops but is better known for its beautiful views and nice old church. Valle de Angeles, the farther of the two, is an hour away by bus and quicker by car. Buses leave from Hospital San Felipe.

El Picacho is a national park on the north side of the city; that large statue of Christ is within it. Picacho offers an amazing view of the city; be sure to walk all the way to the foot of the statue for the overlook. The park also has a Confucian garden donated by the government of Taiwan, a United Nations garden, and the national zoo. The zoo is modest but does feature agoutis, coatimundis, and a big tapir straight out of a "Lothar of the Hill People" skit. Buses leave for the park from a stop one block south of Parque Finlay downtown; on weekends many buses go all the way to the park entrance but on weekdays they drop you off a twenty-minute walk away.

La Tigra is a national park encompassing a cloud forest to the north of Tegucigalpa. Elevations in the park are from over four thousand to nearly seven thousand feet. La Tigra is a beautiful and well-maintained park, with good hiking trails and a conscientious staff, but transportation there and lodging require planning. Call AMITIGRA, the caretakers of the park, at 504 235 8493 for information.

Two of the best professional soccer teams this side of Brazil play in Tegucigalpa–Olimpia and Motagua. These teams have supplied several great players to Major League Soccer in the United States, including Alex Pineda Chacon (Olimpia), the league Most Valuable Player in 2001; Milton Reyes (Motagua) of the Dallas Burn; and Amado Guevara (Motagua) of the NewYork/New Jersey MetroStars. Olimpia is now coached by Jose de la Paz Herrera, aka "Chelato" Ucles, the dean of Honduran soccer, who coached the last national team to make it to the World Cup finals (1982).

You may be able to see the Honduran national soccer team play in the capital; this squad was declared "Team of the Year" by FIFA, soccer’s international governing body, in 2001 in recognition of victories against giant nations such as Mexico, the United

States, and Brazil. The team is currently trying to qualify for the 2006 World Cup in Germany. The Hondurans are competing against Guatemala, Costa Rica, and Canada for two slots in a six-team tournament to be played in 2005. Of those six teams, three will win berths to Germany and the fourth-place finisher will head to a playoff against the third-place team in the Asia region for another berth (got that?). So the smart money is on Honduras to get tickets to Germany after defeating Japan late in 2005. The U. S. team, which is somehow currently ranked seventh in the world by FIFA (I am not making this up), will squeak into the finals by finishing third, after Mexico and Costa Rica, with the usual nail-biter one-goal win over Trinidad and Tobago.

The Honduran national team was coached for a time by Bora Milutinovich, the wandering veteran of international soccer who coached the strong U.S. team in 1994 and has also directed China, Mexico, and Nigeria; he quit in July ‘04. Not promising for the seleccion . . .

Next page: Accommodations, activities, and nightlife in Tegucigalpa, Honduras

Page 1 l 2

Eric Timar moved to Tegucigalpa in 1999 with his wife, Mary Wilcox, to work for three years with Mennonite Central Committee. Their daughter, Estelle, was born in the city in 2000. They are currently in exile in the U.S., plotting their return. Eric is also the author of Tegucigalpa: The Non-Comprehensive Guide. Buy it for the humor, even if you aren't going to visit Tegus.

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Santa Rosa de Copan Things to Do in the Heart of the Honduras Highlands

Santa Rosa de Copán, up in the mountains of western Honduras, is a wonderful small city with gorgeous vistas. We arrived on a Sunday morning and left early the next day with Max Elvir, Lenca Land Trails, so our impressions were brief and fleeting.

As such, I can't do the city justice. Warren Post, owner of Pizza Pizza in Santa Rosa de Copan, graciously offered his ideas on things to do in his adopted home. Thanks Warren, for this page, for providing a critique of my Honduras vacation plans and for helping me understand better the country we loved visiting.

The Best of Santa Rosa de Copan-Warren Post

The geographic and psychological heart of Santa Rosa is its historic downtown, a lovely place to stroll and admire the restored buildings and cobbled streets. Declared a national monument, the downtown area is restored and protected by the Santa Rosa Historical Preservation Commission. Although

Travelogue Story from Santa Rosa de Copan

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their

web site is in Spanish, it is worth seeing if only to admire the many photographs of Santa Rosa's unique architecture.

Santa Rosa is noted for the excellent hand rolled cigars produced by Flor de Copán, makers of the famous Zino line. The factory, located four blocks east of the bus station, offers guided tours (in Spanish) 7:30 - 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 - 4:30 p.m. Monday - Friday. There is a charge of US$2 per visitor. Be sure to take the factory tour while in Santa Rosa, even if you don't smoke.

Cigars are available for sale at the factory outlet, which is two blocks west of the central plaza. My friend the cigar taster at the factory (yes, there really are a few people in this world who are paid to have jobs like that) recommends the Santa Rosa: mild but not light, well made, and won't harsh you out midway through.

Just as Santa Rosa is famous abroad for its cigars, it is known among Hondurans as a center of cultural activity. The city cultural center (Casa de la Cultura, 1/2 block south of the central plaza) offers a library, frequent exhibitions, performances, readings, and concerts. Be sure to ask about upcoming events.

Coffee lovers will want to visit Beneficio Maya,

where fine coffee is graded and roasted for export. Aside from being able to view the process, visitors can buy fresh export grade coffee. Take a taxi to the beneficio, as it's a little hard to find. There is usually something to see year round, although most activity takes place during coffee harvest season (October - February).

Ten minutes outside of town on the road to Gracias is the village of La Montañita. There you will find Doricentro, a privately operated park with water toboggan, swimming and wading pools, light snacks and beverages, picnic areas, and music. An entrance fee of US$1.50 includes use of the toboggan and pools. Doricentro is open weekends and holidays.

Further along the road to Gracias is Las Tres Jotas (US$0.75), another private park that is also a working tobacco farm and fishery. Have the bus driver point it out, as the sign on the highway is easy to miss. Aside from picnic areas and wading pools, Las Tres Jotas has the freshest fish you'll eat. Las Tres Jotas is open daily and welcomes overnight campers.

A very special time to visit Santa Rosa is during Easter Week. During the week before Easter, Santa Rosa presents some of the best processions in the nation. Six in all, the processions are full dress street theater reenactments of the different parts of the Easter story daily beginning Holy Thursday. There's the Incarceration Procession, the Holy Cross Procession, the Funeral and Mourning Processions, the Resurrection Procession, and more.

The most spectacular is undoubtedly the Holy Cross Procession, or Via Crucis, on Friday morning. Bearing cross and under guard, Jesus makes his way through the heart of Santa Rosa's historical district along a two kilometer route beautifully decorated with carpets of flowers and colored sawdust in the streets. Because the carpets are ruined by the passage of the procession, you will want to arrive well before the nine a.m. starting time to admire the handiwork of the many

Copanecos who have labored since dawn on the decorations.

My personal favorite, however, is the candlelight Women's Procession Friday night. Mary and her friends march silently through the dark streets in mourning for her son's death, the only sound their footfalls on the cold cobblestones.

Another good time to visit Santa Rosa is during the annual fair in the last two weeks of August. Dedicated to the local patron saint, Santa Rosa de Lima, there are religious observances, a beauty pageant and

coronation, street carnivals, a rodeo, cultural performances, and more.

Honduras's Independence Day, September 15, is marked by three days of celebrations and parades with surprisingly intricate uniforms and costumes. Each year schools compete to see which can display the most striking or unique presentation. Kindergartens march on September 13, elementary schools on September 14, and high schools on September 15.

There are also volunteering opportunities in Santa Rosa de Copán. The cultural center downtown can always use volunteers. You could pretty much write your own position description there, but some ideas are: dance instruction (ballet or modern), music (band/orchestra), drama, photography, painting... well, you get the idea. Interested? Email the cultural center (casadelacultura @ hotmail.com) for more information.

The La Roca community center is always seeking volunteers who are willing to commit at least two months. Currently the center is looking for volunteers to teach classes like crafts and English and to coordinate sports programs in basketball and volleyball for girls and soccer for boys. Spanish definitely helps, but is not absolutely necessary in these particular activities. Email the center (Phil @ timko.ca) for more information.

AUTHOR PROFILE

Warren Post first arrived in Honduras in 1986 as a diplomat assigned to the U.S. embassy in Tegucigalpa, and returned to stay in 1990. Since then Warren has occupied himself as a beach bum in Trujillo, a marketing director for a ecotour operator, an English teacher on a cattle ranch, a cybercafe owner, a jungle guide in the Mosquitia, and a web designer and IT consultant. In 1994 he and his Honduran wife Orlanda opened Pizza Pizza, a family restaurant in Santa Rosa de Copan, which they continue to operate with their three teenage sons.

Warren's website is packed full of information. Make sure you visit his page on day trips around Santa Rosa de Copan.

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Roatan-West Bay, West End and More

Roatan - West End and West Bay on Roatan are the two most popular areas. A comparison is helpful.

In the table about Roatan that follows, we'll do a quick look at each of the two Roatan beaches, West End and West Bay (sunset pictured). You can begin by asking

yourself, "What are my preferences? What am I looking for in this Roatan vacation?"

Keep things in perspective -- this is not a choice between a good and a bad selection. This is a good/good choice, merely based on preferences. You can't lose!

Here is a Roatan map to help you catch your bearings. Note that it is not oriented with North to the top.

Finally, Kathy Munster, a Roatan visitor, wrote us with some suggestions and ideas from her trip. She provides her impressions of the island from her Spring

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Read Roatan Travel StoriesWest Bay's Beach andWaterin' Place

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You are in the Roatan Section

Part 1 - West End and West Bay, in Comparison

Part 2 - Accommodations and Restaurants

More Things to do in Roatan (off-site)

2004 visit. With her permission, I have included it below the West End/West Bay comparison table.

West End, Roatan West Bay, Roatan

Beach - Grass Bottom Beach - Sand Bottom

Area has night life - active (by Honduras standards)

Laid back; perfect, slow pace. Quiet.

Wide, wide array of accommodations

Accommodations are mid-range in price and up

Plenty of shops Few shops to speak of

Plenty of restaurants Few restaurants

On the main dragWater taxi (~$1.20) or land taxi ($10 and up)

Woody's grocery store, others small dry goods shops

No groceries to speak of

Reef - 200 yards out Reef 30 yards out

Lots of dive shops Some dive shops

Minibuses from Coxen Hole No minibuses

Internet cafe

Internet cafe at Foster's (Oasis Internet Cafe, with int'l phone, fax, and copy machine)

Rudy's Smoothies No Rudy's!

Let me say it again, when deciding on Roatan between West End and West Bay, this is not a choice between a good and a bad selection. This is a good/good choice, merely based on preferences. You can't lose!

Spring, 2004 Roatan...

The Best Caribbean Island by Kathy Munster

We have traveled extensively in the Leeward and Windward Islands for the past 21 years. I have loved every island for its flavor and uniqueness, but I have never fallen in love with a place like we did Roatan. Due to personal restrictions, we did not leave the island to visit the mainland. We will do that the next time.....and there will be a next time. We are in the process of purchasing a lot on the island.

Just some notes to add to your extensive ones:

● Purchased a copy of the Moon Handbook, and found it to be invaluable. ● There are many, many inexpensive accommodations on Roatan. You will get what you pay for, i.e., a $5.00 room may be a tiny room in a modified container, with similar accommodations for the community shower. ● We thought Half Moon Bay Cottages were a real value, and the setting is wonderful. ● There are some waterfront apartments in West End...I think they're called The Beach House at Half Moon Bay....they appear to be really nice, clean, and new, right on the water/beach and on "Main Street West End". You can't get a better location. I think they are not budget priced, but that would depend on the number of occupants.● You can also get wonderful fruits and veggies off of trucks in West End. Very good quality stuff and prices.

West Bay

● On West Bay Beach, most of the budget accommodations are set back from the beach, and will likely overlook the swamp that separates them from the road.● There are those to be found (Island Pearl, Cabana Roatana, to name two) that have wonderful settings and in some cases, even water views. The vegetation is very heavy around these sites, so the sea view is restricted. But the cool shade of the palms is welcome on an afternoon as the sun sets.

We stayed at a hotel called Paradise Beach Club. It was more upscale, depending on the accommodations you pay for. We had a beachfront villa that is unsurpassed for its location. The hotel has less expensive yet very nice rooms for around $85/night. If you ask for a balcony room, upper floor, ocean-side,

you will get some spectacular views.

[Editorial insert: We stayed at Bananarama on West Bay and loved the privacy, the airy openness, the landscaping, and the slower pace that West Bay offers. Immaculate. Dave]

The food at the hotel was iffy, at best. The only place to get a really great meal on West Bay is Bite on the Beach. It's closed Sunday and Monday. We tried every place on West Bay that was serving breakfast, and found that the only one we would return to (and did) was the Palapa at Mayan Princess. The wonderful French Restaurant at Island Pearl is closed indefinitely.

West Bay Cont'd

There is much construction going on on West Bay (and the entire island, for that matter) and some of the ambiance is lost due to that. The Mayan Princess is a long way from opening their new restaurant/bar. We did hear that when they do, they will tear down the Palapa Bar, which is a pity. It's a great spot.

The Money Drill

I did the bank routine, to cash traveler's checks. Had to go to Coxen Hole to do this. Stood in the bank for 1 hour, and needed every form of ID I could find. I found out I could have cashed them (any amount) at Warren's Grocery, which was right across the street, for nearly the same exchange rate.

Everyone, including street vendors, took traveler's checks, but not always at the greatest exchange rate. Usually they would round it out to 17/1, when the actual was closer to 18/1. ATMs are not a good deal here yet -- too unreliable and not always accurate.

Coxen Hole

There is a mercado (market) in Coxen Hole. It's just a couple of blocks off the main street. I can't tell you how to get there, as we were re-routed due to extensive construction of a new sewer system in a major section of downtown Coxen Hole. I am seeing results of the increasing cruise-ship business (I believe there are 5 a week, now). There is serious beautifying of Coxen Hole, with colorful roadside walls being built. The walls line the streets in and out of Coxen Hole, and hide the not-so-attractive yards.

The only gas stations we found were in Coxen Hole.

This requires watching that gas gauge carefully.

French Harbor

There is a superb grocery store in French Harbor (a working town) called Eldon's. Rumor has it that he will be opening a new facility at the yet-to-be-built development called Keyhole Estates, which is on West Bay Road, just before the entrance to Henry Morgan Hotel.

French Harbor has a couple of excellent restaurants but I did not get a warm, fuzzy feeling here. I would not be comfortable walking around here. It has real potential to be a great spot...the shrimpers come in here, and its an interesting working harbor. I'd go here at night with escorts (or not at all). [Edit. French Harbor is more a working town and less a tourist attraction. Like Kathy, trust your own judgment, wherever you travel in Honduras. In another section of the website, I discuss security in greater detail. Dave]

General Impressions

We visited other "settlements" on the island. The general feeling I have is that there are other lovely communities but you need a car to access them. One in particular with a great beach is Fantasy Island It is the perfect place to go if you want to just stay at the resort , or have a car at your disposal. But really remote!

There are numerous up-scale housing developments going up throughout the island. (in case you're thinking about buying a piece of paradise). Again, some of these were very remote (Parrot Tree, Palmetto Bay, to name two) but with really incredible plans for future communities. Presently, though, they are far from amenities.

Roads

● The main highway that stretches from end to end of the island, is in really good shape -- one of the best I've experienced in the Caribbean. But, once you get off this thoroughfare, it can be really dicey. ● A four-wheel vehicle is recommended for any travel here. ● The roads into the resorts and beach on West Bay are a pothole-filled challenge. ● The main street in West End is a sandy stretch that is very slow going and a crater-filled obstacle course. So...you just go slowly! It's one of the things

that lends the great character to West End.

This island is definitely in a major growth mode. I suspect the flavor of it will change, probably way too soon.

All in all, a completely relaxing, wonderful experience. Thanks again for all of your input. We did get the Sawyer's bug spray (your link) and it worked quite well. No serious bites.

I am sharing your website address with many of the people we met on the island!

Take care,Kathy

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Need some ideas on accommodations and food? Roatan resident, and culinary critic (grinning) Larry Schlesser offers up some of his best suggestions. Next ->

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Utila, Honduras

We didn't get a chance to visit Utila. No site on Honduras would be complete without a discussion of this fascinating island and its people. To that end, we are trying to build out that section and here is our first offering. Let's start with a 'warm hello' from Utila's mayor, Alton Cooper.

“I would like to welcome you to our beautiful island of Utila, nestling in the Caribbean Sea and located approximately 18 miles (29 km) from the Honduras mainland port of La Ceiba. Utila is just 11 km long and 4 km at its widest and surrounded by vast coral reefs with prolific undersea life.

The smallest of the major islands in The Bay Islands group, Utila is renowned as being one of the least expensive and most beautiful places in the world for scuba diving. From the Mayan Indians, through the years spent as a British Colony, Utila provides a rich and diverse cultural experience with it's population of 2,500 people you will find a unique blend of British, American and Spanish heritages making Utila a Caribbean Island which is still a largely undiscovered and unspoiled paradise.” Alton Cooper, Mayor of Utila

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Utila is a well-kept internet secret but webmaster Mark Smith is about to remedy that. His AboutUtila.com is a wonderful collection of links that feature the best of Utila. One of my favorite sections is the photo gallery, some of the finest photos from Utila, Honduras. Make sure you take a look at the aerial views of Utila as well as the gorgeous sunsets.

Accommodations

Utila offers a wonderful array of accommodations, from budget back packers to the finer type hotels. The photos of the Utila hotels, resorts, homes, and apartments in this section alone will make me a Utila visitor the next time we visit.

Location

As Mayor Cooper indicates, you are a mere 7-minute flight from Ceiba. This Honduras map will show you how close you are to the mainland. Here is a link to other Utila maps that I have collected.

A Nickel's History

Those who have been online for any period of time know of the Roatan group on Yahoo. A frequent contributor there is retired professor David Evans. Here, Evans discusses the history of Utila, Roatan, and Guanaja, the wonderful Bay Islands of Honduras.

Need More Info?

The folks on Utila would love to have you. Journey over to the general Utila travel section of AboutUtila.com and find

the missing piece you need to complete you Bay Island vacation.

Thanks for Mayor Cooper and Webmaster Mark Smith for offering this piece on Utila, Honduras to Sidewalkmystic.com.

Utila sunset courtesy of Nojo, and underwater scene, Adam Laverty

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Indigenous Groups of Honduras

Indigenous groups are one of the top 5 reasons to visit Honduras. Groups that you can visit include the Miskito Indians, the Pech Indians, the Garifunas, the Lencas, and the Chorti Indians. Other Honduran ethnic groups which can be visited include the Tawahka Indians and the Bay Islanders. The Tolupan (Jicaque) Indians are not very easy to visit and are not very open to visitors.

sidewalkmystic.com is fortunate to have Wendy Griffin offer this section of the website, Indigenous Groups of Honduras.

Wendy, a historian and writer, is widely known throughout Honduras for her understanding and interest in the ethnic groups of Honduras and for her writings on the peoples of Honduras. Wendy graciously offers her time and expertise in writing this section (except for the Lenca page which I wrote). This section immeasurably adds to presenting a fuller picture of Honduras. Thank you Wendy.

Common sense and an appreciation for other cultures are all that is necessary to visit the ethnic communities of Honduras. In my Central American travels, I (Dave) have found it helpful to keep these things in mind:

• Some individuals choose not to have pictures taken. Don't take pictures without permission -- no different than at home.• Be sensitive to ceremonies and rituals. Don't barge in or assume that you have the right to intrude.• Show a true interest in other people. People the world over understand when you are genuinely interested in them.• Kids will be naturally curious. Go with the flow and find some youthful behavior inside yourself when

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interacting with kids.• Demonstrate respect with actions and words.

Group Population (update pending)

Lenca 100,000

Garifuna 98,000

Miskito 29,000

Chortí Maya 4,200

Pech 2,500

Tolupan 2,000

Tawahka 1,000

Wendy Griffin has worked with Honduran ethnic groups since 1986. In Honduras she has worked with bilingual education (Spanish/native languages) and taught English and anthropology at Honduran universities. From 1992 to 2002 she was a reporter covering Honduran ethnic groups for Honduras This Week. Her in-depth articles can be seen online at marrder.com and click on previous edition.

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Looking Skyward

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Jesus

Graciousness Is...

Blame the Bike Guy

Oh, a Waterin'

Place

Honduras Tales - "Sidewalk Vignettes"

Remarkable events occur daily in the mundane and run-of-the-mill moments of our lives. Often, I miss them. But every time I visit Central America, it's as though I am viewing life through a different set of eyes. All my senses seem more alive. The banal seems to come to life - - the 'plain' gains a luster - - the ordinary is no longer ordinary. I am not able to completely explain this phenomenon. The closest I can come is to share stories, and those, well, I am always happy to tell one. Please join me...

Copan Ruinas

Looking Skyward

Day two in Copan Ruinas and rain is challenging my patience. There is no way I am going to come to Honduras and miss the ancient ruins. So after breakfast, we begin to follow the path to the site despite the rain. Not looking good.

A brief

drizzle slows to a gentle mist. My glasses are spotted enough to be an absolute nuisance. I reach into my purse for a tissue, look upwards, and try to discern how the weather gods are going to treat us. Like I would know what I am looking for. My wife asks me, “Will we get this visit in?”

“Of course,” I boldly affirm, wondering why in the world I need to conceal my own ignorance about weather to my wife of 33 years. Oh well. There are some things I have to know about and “weather” is one of them, even though I haven’t a clue. "This will blow over within 10-15 minutes," I assure her.

Now it is drizzling again and I lower my chin because I am fresh out of tissues. Drats. We continue to walk the path and I become aware of my pace. I soon realize that in 3 short days in Honduras, I have slowed down. Significantly. It seems to be a very comfortable pace. Is it vacation or have I settled into a Honduran tempo? In town, when walking, we don’t pass any people. Interesting.

As we near the entrance to the ruins, I again look skyward to determine from which direction the rain is coming. I soon realize that I don't even know which

way is north.

Then, out of the corner of my eye, I see a guy standing in a tree. Impossible. Maybe it is the rain on my glasses. I wipe my glasses clean with my fingers. And yep, there he is, perched high atop the tree, feet firmly planted on branches near the tree’s trunk. This is too good to pass up. I have to know what in the world is going on. So I begin to walk more closely to the tree and Dee smirks, knowing where this is going.

“Senor, excuse me, but may I ask what you doing?” I yell out in my best Spanish. What follows is a very rough translation with the man I have dubbed Senor Pito.

It seems my newest Honduran acquaintance is picking pito, a red-colored air plant. He reaches for only the smallest of them, by-passing the larger ones. When he finds the right size, he picks it and tosses it down to his two sons on the ground, who quickly jostle each other to lay claim to the prize. Kids are kids.

Here is what I think he told me. Don’t take it for gospel. Pito is used as an herbal medicine. Insomniacs and those seeking pleasant dreams dry it, crumble it, and put it into scrambled eggs (huevos revueltos). Sweet dreams are guaranteed - - or so I learned, on a path in rural Copan. But then again, with my Spanish, it really could be that pito is an aphrodisiac that farmers give to old bulls for that one

last, great moment. We may never know.

(Renowned traveler and writer Judith Fein recounts her visit to the Copan area where she visits with a local Chorti Mayan healer and a second visit with a healer on the north coast, a Garifuna. [Her personal website chronicles her travels throughout the world...well worth a visit.])

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Honduras Food - Honduras Recipes

Honduras food is similar to the food in many other Central American nations. I have included some of my own Honduras recipes to give you a 'taste' of Honduras food.

What foods will you find in Honduras?

• First, tortillas. And then, more tortillas. Tortillas are an every day staple, just as bread is in North America.

• Second, beans. Beans come in all colors but in Honduras, the food usually included red or black ("turtle" for those familiar with Caribbean cooking). Beans and tortillas. The country of Honduras runs on these foods.

• Rice. Many "blue plate specials" will have rice on them.

• A salad of some sort is often served with your food in Honduras. Frequently, it will be a shredded cabbage, a few slices of carrots, and

If you have a good Honduran recipe to share, please send it along. I will ensure that you receive credit for the recipe.

Thanks, Dave

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Recipes MainCeiba

CevicheTortillas

BaleadasSalad

Ground Nut Soup

BeefFried

Platanos Fish with

GarlicBlack Bean SoupBlack Beans

Preparing Conch

moistened with a light oil/vinegar (hint of sugar) dressing.

• Meat (inland), fish (North Coast or Bay Islands), or salty white cheese (salt has preservative qualities in a country with less than perfect refrigeration). The average Honduran can not afford these type of food luxuries. Salsas grace every good table and often spice up the food.

So, on with the Honduran recipes. I will add to the recipes as time permits, adding typical Honduras food offerings.

Ceiba Ceviche - A light appetizer from my favorite Honduran city, La CeibaTortillas - Simple. No more store-bought, cardboard-tasting tortillas!Baleadas - Simpler yet. Use the tortilla and fill away!Green Salad with Sweet Potatoes and Feta Cheese - a delightful surpriseGround Nut Soup - interesting soup from Twisted Tanya's restaurant in Copan RuinasSan Pedro Sula Simmered Beef - a typical pepper based, simmered beefFried Platanos - Twelve minutes to heaven with plantainsFish with GarlicBlack Bean SoupPreparing Conch

Do you have a good Honduran or Central American recipe that you would like to share? Send it to me. I will be glad to kitchen taste it and post the best ones to the website.

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projecthonduras.com

The Conference on Honduras 2005 will take place in Copan Ruinas during October 20-23, 2005 at the Municipal Conference Center beside the town's central

plaza. If you would like to receive an invitation, Marco may be reached at this encoded email address.

The focus of the Conference on Honduras 2004 was education, healthcare, and community building. The aim was to present and exchange information on current and proposed grassroots volunteer projects to help the people of Honduras.

"We want to figure out how to improve and expand these projects, as well as encourage people to go out and create new projects," said the director of the conference, Marco Caceres. The program

projecthonduras.com was one of eight finalists in Microsoft's world-wide recognition... News Release

www.projecthonduras.com

● serves as a clearinghouse of information on Honduras

● creates an alternative model of development based on mobilizing and channeling "human capital" rather than continually emphasizing the need for more money

● establishes a growing international network of people communicating via listserv forums on ways to help Honduras ... to build an Internet-based model of development for Honduras

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consisted of 6-8 panels, made up of 3-6 speakers each.

The Conference on Honduras series is the third part of projecthonduras.com's three-step strategic plan to build an Internet-based model of development for Honduras. During the past six years, the volunteer group has created an online portal at www.projecthonduras.com which serves as a clearinghouse of information on Honduras and has established a growing international network of people communicating via listserv forums on ways to help the country.

"We have more than 3,000 individuals in our Worldwide Honduras Network, and it's

incredible to see the impact many of these private citizens are quietly

making on Honduras," said Caceres. "What we are trying to do with the conference is simply give people the chance to meet face-to-face, exchange business cards and information, and perhaps discover ways to complement each other's efforts."

The concept behind projecthonduras.com and the Conference on Honduras is based on the belief that developing countries like Honduras need to tap all of their "human capital"; around the world in order to break their cycles of poverty and find ways to implement solutions to persistent problems. The Internet now provides the ability to quickly and cost-effectively organize masses of people and channel their experience, talents, and expertise into specific areas of need in a country. For further information on the Conference on Honduras 2005, see www.projecthonduras.com/conference. The

conference will be presented by projecthonduras.com and sponsored by Special Missions Foundation, Inc.

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Honduras Travel - Links, Far and Near

Over 300 external links on travel in Honduras are included throughout this web site. Listed below are two types of links: 1) good links on Honduras travel and, 2) links that I enjoy. Call it editorial prerogative.

If you don't see what you are looking for, make sure you try the internal search engine to the right. With 100+ pages, you might have missed it.

Good Honduras Links:

Suggest your best Honduras travel links by emailing me. Thanks!

Lonely PlanetTravel to Honduras (Based on Roatan)Honduweb Travel (a bit dated)Honduras.com (Honduras's official web)Best Honduras travel book, Moon HandbookGeneral overall site from the Department of Tourism, Honduras TipsExcellent journal site on a kayak venture along the north coast of Honduras. Very well written.

Copan LinksBest site about the ruins.Best overall site about Copan.

La Ceiba LinksHolacebita.com (Business owners' site about La Ceiba)

Moskitia RegionBroad, descriptive site.More detailed travel site.

Puerto CortesGood overview

Roatan LinksBest informative site without commercials.Site with more commercial approach.Quick and clear overview of Roatan

Sailing LinksNoonsite.com

San Pedro Sula (very slim pickings - chamber of commerce missing the boat)General overview of the city.

Tegucigalpa (not much out there)Getting around Tegucigalpa.Overall general information.

Tela LinksTela-Honduras.com (good little site about Tela, on the north coast)

TrujilloNational Parks of Trujillo (worth a visit for the photos)A quick overview of the area (warning, music onsite)

Western HighlandsWarren Post's site on Santa Rosa de Copan, starting point for highlands

Best Overall Site for Honduras Links

LANIC, University of Texas (a must visit for info beyond tourism)

Delightful Links, Unrelated to Honduras

Bill Ford's helpful site on personal computing, with tons of "how-to's." Bill's site is the first place I drop in when stuck on a PC issue.

Urban Iditarod - An urban take-off on the great Alaskan dog-sled event. Have to meet these folks someday.

Folk and Fairy Tales from Around the World - A delightful assortment of stories from all corners of the globe. Any story tellers out there?

Hasidic stories always hold deep wisdom for me with a touch of mystery, often in the turn of a phrase. Have you ever read one?

Mr. Duck rolls out a continuing saga on family life in a series of wonderful, dry, humorous stories ... always a fresh take on family life.

Peace Fellowships Worth Your Consideration

Episcopal Peace FellowshipLutheran Peace FellowshipPax Christi

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About MeFormative Years I have knocked about this planet since 1948, when my mother felt a compelling need to share me with the world as David T. Borton. My life went fine until my first of many existential crises - - 1st grade, Wurlitzer Elementary School. There, in a class of 31 students, I was one of five David’s. Identity crisis smacked me right in the face. At age 5, I knew I needed a way to be different and I have been about that task ever since. I blame the mothers of all those other David’s for my inability to follow routine.

Home was Western New York, within a German-Lutheran family where work and responsibility were at the core of our purpose. Life was serious. Shoveling snow -- next to godliness. Memorizing Martin Luther’s Small Catechism verbatim was part and parcel of salvation. My academic career went along fine although I rarely applied myself. I saved myself for baseball. I played tons and tons of it. I had a deadly arm from the outfield but struggled at the plate. The curve ball gave me real grief. Underneath that flip response, quick-witted remark, and smirk was a kid in search of something; just didn’t know what that was.

I left home at 18 to attend college, never really looking back. I only return to visit my Mom, elder brother, younger sister, and their families (Dad died in '89). At college, too many mid-week beer parties and the Viet Nam war interrupted my education. Wars do that. Uncle Sam had my number; the draft was still in place. When I received my draft notice, I thought about appealing to our draft board - - for about 3 seconds. Our draft board resembled an octogenarian convention of the Daughters of the American Revolution. So into the green machine I went for four very long years.

I came out of that war in one piece but returned from overseas a much more reflective young man, not quite as sure of so many things. We had lost several flight crewmembers and those deaths turned my world and belief system upside down. I went overseas believing in what we were doing and came home very embittered. I felt duped. Enough. I got out and never looked back.

Education Comes thru Books and Sidewalks Upon discharge, I re-entered college on the GI bill, earning a business degree from Florida Atlantic University. Why business? By default. I didn’t have a clue what I wanted to do with my life. Later on in my business career, I received a Master of Theological Studies from Trinity Lutheran Seminary. Both were good experiences and I feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity to attend post-secondary schools. Formal education has served me well. But most of my deepest learnings have come from others.

Central AmericaIn 1988, I had the delight of visiting Guatemala with Alfalit International. Alfalit is an NGO throughout Central America, working to improve lives of people, one small group at a time. It was an experience of a lifetime and one that has changed me forever.

Jorge Colindres Monzón, of Mayan ancestry, was our host. Jorge is a Presbyterian minister and one who takes his faith very seriously. Oh, not the obsession with the Jesus quiz - - ‘Is he your personal Lord and Savior?' - - but much more rooted and grounded in the compassionate, caring, life-giving, healing and prophetic Jesus you find in the Gospel of Luke. Jorge taught me so much about my own faith, as he whisked us all over the western highlands of Guatemala, visiting with Christian small-base communities. Each community strived for its own improvement; be it literacy, cooperative farming, sewing cooperatives, weaving, etc. Within each setting, I saw the Christian faith lived out to its fullest.

I have been back to Central America many times since. I am hooked. It has a tremendous draw for me. Life is on the edge yet people seem more present to one another. Poverty collectively grinds at their bones but they remain open to a tomorrow – a tomorrow I am not sure how well I would face.

(cont'd on pg. 2)

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About sidewalkmystic.comSome years ago, a friend and I were walking. He asked me to describe my spirituality in a nutshell. Spontaneously, I said, “Well, I would have to describe myself as a sidewalk mystic.” Little did I realize how that chance discussion would bring forth a website address many years later.

"Mystic" is a word from by-gone eras. Tragically, the word most often only conjures up medieval images of monks cloistered away in monasteries. This, in turn, relegates God to remote and obscure places and leaves 21st-century humankind with few windows into the sacred. We live in an era where there is some vague notion that God may be present in the cathedrals and places of worship but often absent in our daily lives. And we are the worse for it.

Mysticism RecapturedWe, in our times, might be better served if we reached way back and brought back the essence of mysticism – to once again trust our instincts and intuition; to find the sacred in the ordinary. Mysticism suggests that as hard as we may try, we as humans can’t get our arms around comprehending everything mentally. Mysticism says to science and reason, “There

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are limitations to your knowledge.” It then turns to religion and the arts and says, “Your truths have boundaries.” A 'sidewalk mystic' tries to walk that path between the two seeming polarities, embracing each side of the path, knowing that together they inform and satisfy.

Awareness, presence, awe, and gratitude -- all are at the heart of mysticism. It is conscious of and sees the sacred in the mundane, recurring events of our lives. These moments do unfold daily on the sidewalk, in the office, at the subway station, or at home – if we are open to them.

It was with this attitude and openness that I walked the streets, paths, and highways of Honduras. And it is was there, not in some church or ostensible "sacred site," that God found me - - in chance conversations, in gracious acts that others extended me, in moments of mutual respect and genuine conversation, in times of quiet and humble admiration of a people known as Hondurans. I am deeply thankful for the experience.

Get it on the Web, Boy!

www.sidewalkmystic.com was mentally launched somewhere in Honduras; probably on the road in the southwestern highlands, on the back of a chicken bus as I talked to a young Lenca girl. She and many others served as the inspiration to move the idea from a concept to a living place where my experience could be shared.

Upon returning home, I wanted to learn how to publish a website. I was curious about the software and code behind the 1000's of websites I had seen. How are graphics captured and presented? What is the theory behind website design? How are ideas best presented on the Web? How does web writing differ from the standard prose we are taught? The rest is history.

For years, I have played around the edges of my writing. I didn’t take it seriously until I had an article placed in a professional journal. Shortly thereafter, a friend asked me to write a chapter in a book which she was editing, Social

Justice: The Teachings of Protestants, Jews, and Muslims. After the book, I began writing a monthly column on spirituality and social justice for the diocesan newspaper. Since then, I have done virtually nothing with my writing.

This project has taken on its own life. When I came home, I began madly writing about my journey to Honduras. I took the scatter-gun approach and the quality reflected it. There was no particular order, shape, or form. I quickly tossed it aside and began to organize my thoughts. I created an outline, prepared the Welcome Page, and had a co-worker who had majored in journalism review and critique my approach.

She helped me narrow down my target audience and from there it became easier to write. While I had my own agenda in preparing the site, I had to learn about the best approach to web writing. I learned that 25% of any individual page on the web gets read. People scan, not read, websites. Web writing calls for a quick hitting, bullet-ridden approach to presentation. It has been a difficult style to maintain throughout the site, but I have tried. I used the travelogue section as a diversion from the cramped nature of web writing.

I have learned tons throughout this process. It has been a wonderful process and now I offer it to you. From here, I plan on adding additional chapters on Latin American recipes; a photo gallery; Honduran agriculture; and a chapter on Lempira, the historic leader of the Lenca people during the conquest. I am open to other ideas and would welcome your suggestions via email . Who knows? The mystic in me leaves the future open - for the chance events which occur everyday in my life on the sidewalk.

Dedication This work-in-progress is dedicated to all the men who have affected my life. Of special note:

In honor of:

John Boldt, my dearest friend, who taught me the essence of friendship. John and I share a treasured trip together to Guatemala in Summer 1988. The pictured, very short, ex-Marine now serves as a pastor to a Lutheran church in the greater Houston area. Wish the boy would get a call to lead a congregation closer to Wisconsin.

Jorge Colindres Monzon, a Guatemalan Presbyterian minister, who hosted our visit to his country in 1988. Jorge not only taught me what true Christian community could be but also gave

me windows into the heart of Christ.

In memory of:

Francis Coyote Ulschack, who taught me to be a tender man and to be true to myself. Fran and his wife Glennys shared Costa Rica's sidewalks with us in the Winter of 2001. Fran's visit on Earth ended much, much too soon in February, 2002.

Allen Jackson Borton and Theophilus Herman Berner, Granddads. I wish I had known them better.

But most of all, this site is dedicated to my Dad, Rupert (Rup) Allen Borton (pictured at right with brother Jeff), a man among men. Big Rup taught me what being a man is all about. Oh, how I miss him.

As we began on this walk, let us continue on in courage:

"What fortitude the soul contains,That it can so endure

The accent of a coming foot,The opening of a door."

Emily Dickinson

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CreditsThe photos on this site are those I took while in Honduras (unless followed by a footnote number - see below). I began 'shooting' in earnest in Copan Ruinas. I have a great deal to learn about photography. You have no idea how difficult it was at times to capture the pictures out the window of the bus.12

The trip has triggered a new interest and I will be taking a continuing-education course to learn more. I have tons more to learn on graphics. The use of imagery with my writing is all new to me. So is the software and at times, I was ready to throw up my hands. Pixels, schmixels.

Other photos used in this site - If a number follows the bolded title of the photo, I list the credit below. The photos used are from 'open-right' sites; regardless I have chosen to list them. Photos used include:1. Library of Congress, http://www.loc.gov/2. http://dgl.microsoft.com/3. www.webshots.com4. www.wramc.amedd.army.mil5. University of Queensland, Australia, http://www.zen.uq.edu.au/entomology/6. www.btinternet.com/~fireballxl5/home/index.htm7. Library of Congress, http://www.loc.gov/8. www.webshots.com9. www.webshots.com10. Library of Congress, http://www.loc.gov/11. Library of Congress, http://www.loc.gov/12. www.loc.gov/ (That's Tom Mix at the heyday of his career in Hollywood)13. US Fish and Wildlife Service, http://www.fws.gov/14. Luna Rivera, original art15. Photos by Wendy Griffin

Reprinting MaterialPlease ask before using any of the written materials (or photos) from

this site. I would be honored to consider a reprinting of the material. I do, however, have a need to explicitly approve any reprinting in advance. I would be glad to discuss any request - - just email me .

The website www.sidewalkmystic.com is copyrighted with the exception of the photos credited to others. All opinions on the site, right or wrong, are just that - - opinions. Use this site as it was intended - - to give you ideas. Plan a good vacation, but in the end, it will be your trip. Make it safe, pleasurable, fulfilling and your own.

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Honduras Travel Guides

"Buy Honduran", Planning Part 2

There are two types of Honduras travel guides for Honduras travel:

• Locally-based Honduras travel guides and,• North American-based operators who offer complete package tours and sub-contract parts with Honduras travel guides. I don't recommend using a North American-based travel firm. (I do recommend using Honduras travel guides - see the discussion which follows below).

So why not just book the whole complete trip from North America and take the chance with their Honduras travel guide?

• Within a group setting, North Americans often tend to 'isolate' from the actual experience, remaining within the comfort of the group. You may end up going home knowing folks from Denver and the Honduras travel guide and miss the whole Honduras experience.

You are in Section:

'Plan the Trip'

Part 1 - Ideas for the Honduras Vacation Theme

Part 2 - Honduras Travel Guides Part 3 - When to Travel Honduras - Fairs and Festivals

Part 4 - Get the Best Airfare to Honduras

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• Once you are part of a tour group, you are committed. You go through Honduras when and where the Honduras travel guide goes. You eat and sleep wherever the travel guide has the best arrangements for themselves in Honduras.

• Little is left to chance and while using a travel agent from home may assure more predictability, spontaneity and serendipity are totally taken out of the equation.

• Some North Americans are very insensitive to other cultures. This can become a real 'trip buster.' Travel guides are reluctant to speak up about inappropriate behavior.

• Complete tours are often a tour of the inside of a Mercedes-Benz bus and a view of Honduras out the window. Encounters with Honduran people are rare and at a distance. You totally rely on the Honduras travel guide for interaction.

• Honduras Travel Guides: Once in Honduras, meet the local Honduras travel guides and learn of their services. Their knowledge of Honduras and things to do may well be the best use of your time. They offer the best picture of Honduras. Talk to the Honduras travel guides once in country and take time to use at least one of their services.

Though my wife and I are not good group-tourists, in Honduras we found a gem of a way to see the southwest mountain villages: Meet Max Elvir.

Max, of Lenca Land Trails (email: Lenca at hondutel.hn - phone 504-662-

1375), operates out of the Hotel Elvir in Santa Rosa de Copan. He(Tel: 662-1375). is bi-lingual his prices are reasonable and he works very hard to meet your needs. If you don’t

Use English - Spanish Dictionary Now

reach Max ahead of time, drop into the hotel and ask them to ring Max for you. Max has my highest recommendation.

Omega Tours (slow loading site) also comes highly recommended by folks who have sent emails along after using Omega. Omega covers local tours along the north coast/La Ceiba area/Pico Bonito area as a Honduras travel guide. German owner Udo has a lodge (within the Pico Bonito National Park) on the Rio Cangrejal, along the road to Yaruca. If you are a nature or rafting enthusiast, you will want to be in touch with Udo and his crew as possible Honduras travel guides for you.

The Tela area is so rich in preserves and parks that it is a shame that the area is relatively under-publicized. The local tour company is Garifuna Tours. Visit them and determine for yourself if they present value to you (I have no first-hand knowledge of their work nor have readers contacted me about them). If eco-tourism does surge in Honduras, the Tela area has so much to offer and a Honduras travel guide can enhance that visit and experience.

Travel to the Mosquitia is a whole different ballgame and does require advance planning before you leave home. If headed to the Mosquitia, use a Honduras travel guide. Moon Handbook and site visitors have recommended La Moskitia Eco-Aventuras if you are considering a visit to the Mosquitia area. This is an area where you will definitely benefit from using a Honduras tour guide. For a wonderful taste of the area, visit Derek Parent's site on the Mosquitia.

When is the best time to travel to Honduras? That's next.

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