1. The cobblestoned streets, reminiscent of old Europe
2. The beautifully maintained parque central
3. The old, ruined cathedrals--seemingly around every corner
3. The street bands
4. The fine restaurants
5. The tourist crowds, local and foreign
6. The polite, friendly locals
7. The swarms of American college kids who come here for the highly regarded Spanish schools
8. The highly regarded Spanish schools
9. The considerable norteamericano expatriate community
10. The almost perfect climate--no fans or AC needed!
11. The beautiful surrounding mountains and volcanos
12. The bookstores
13. The cafes and bars
14. The delicatessens and bakeries
15. The fast food joints for that burger or pizza fix
16. The highly developed tourist infrastructure
17. The tightly controlled vehicle traffic
18. The tightly controlled, unobtrusive commercial signage
19. The excellent supermarkets
20. The close proximity to the nation's capital and airport
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Bests and Worsts of Central America 2010
Best Hotels
Guancasco, Gracias (Honduras) $20
King Palace, San Miguel (El Salvador) $28
Best Value Hotels
Villa Florencia, San Salvador Centro (El Salvador) $20
Via Via, Leon (Nicaragua) $17
Best Hotel Restaurants
Barca de Oro, Las Peñitas (Nicaragua)
Perkin Lenca, Perquin (El Salvador)
Best Meals--There were many, but a few stood out:
Perkin Lenca's kitchen had great breakfasts and good value, home-cooked quality dinners
Barca de Oro had the best fish dinner of the trip
Opalaca's (La Esperanza, Honduras) specializes in grilled meat and I had my best chicken dinner there
Guy with Weber Grill on the street in Juayua, El Salvador served the best carne asada dinner
Turicentro Los Esclavos (Guatemala) had a such a good BLT sandwich I ordered it twice
Best Deli Sandwich
Epicure, Antigua (Guatemala)
Best Panini Sandwich
Hole in the wall deli in Leon (Nicaragua)
Towns or Cities With Highest Fast Food Chain Saturation
San Miguel (El Salvador)
Antigua and Guatemala City (Guatemala)
Towns or Cities With Few or No Fast Food Chains
Leon and Granada (Nicaragua)
Best Espresso Coffees
La Rosita, Leon (Nicaragua)--owned by an expatriate Louisiana woman
Cafe Condessa, Antigua (Guatemala)
Best Local Brewed Coffees
Guancasco, Gracias (Honduras)
Hotel El Rey, Marcala (Honduras)
Hotel El Mirador, Juayua (El Salvador)
Best Travel Agency
I didn't patronize many of these but I want to plug PlusTravel of Antigua (with offices in Copan Ruinas) for its excellent shuttle bus (minivan) services between Antigua and Copan ($8), Antigua and Chichicastenango ($10 round trip), and many other destination points. Their drivers are courteous, friendly, and professional while their services are safe and basically on time.
Best Bus Rides
The microbus services in Nicaragua were safe, fast, and nearly hassle free
Worst Bus Rides
The local bus service between Choluteca, Honduras and the El Salvador border at Amatillo is frustratingly crowded and slow
Favorite Medium Size Cities
Leon, Nicaragua
Antigua, Guatemala
Favorite Town
Gracias, Honduras
Favorite Small Towns or Villages
Ataco, El Salvador
Copan Ruinas, Honduras
Perquin, El Salvador
Least Favorite Big Cities
San Salvador, El Salvador
San Miguel, El Salvador
Least Favorite Towns
Ahuachapan, El Salvador
La Esperanza, Honduras
Least Favorite Village
Los Cobanas, El Salvador
Most Affluent Towns or Cities
Antigua, Guatemala
Leon, Nicaragua
Granada, Nicaragua
Most Impoverished Towns or Region
La Ruta de Lenca, from Perquin (El Salvador) all the way to Gracias (Honduras)
Most Outgoing or Friendly People
El Salvador and Nicaragua
Most Reserved People
Guatemala and Honduras
Where I Felt Safest
Leon and Granada, Nicaragua
Antigua, Guatemala
Where I Felt Most Wary About Personal Security
San Salvador and San Miguel, El Salvador
note to readers: if you are interested in more worsts (or more bests) drop me a comment to that effect
Guancasco, Gracias (Honduras) $20
King Palace, San Miguel (El Salvador) $28
Best Value Hotels
Villa Florencia, San Salvador Centro (El Salvador) $20
Via Via, Leon (Nicaragua) $17
Best Hotel Restaurants
Barca de Oro, Las Peñitas (Nicaragua)
Perkin Lenca, Perquin (El Salvador)
Best Meals--There were many, but a few stood out:
Perkin Lenca's kitchen had great breakfasts and good value, home-cooked quality dinners
Barca de Oro had the best fish dinner of the trip
Opalaca's (La Esperanza, Honduras) specializes in grilled meat and I had my best chicken dinner there
Guy with Weber Grill on the street in Juayua, El Salvador served the best carne asada dinner
Turicentro Los Esclavos (Guatemala) had a such a good BLT sandwich I ordered it twice
Best Deli Sandwich
Epicure, Antigua (Guatemala)
Best Panini Sandwich
Hole in the wall deli in Leon (Nicaragua)
Towns or Cities With Highest Fast Food Chain Saturation
San Miguel (El Salvador)
Antigua and Guatemala City (Guatemala)
Towns or Cities With Few or No Fast Food Chains
Leon and Granada (Nicaragua)
Best Espresso Coffees
La Rosita, Leon (Nicaragua)--owned by an expatriate Louisiana woman
Cafe Condessa, Antigua (Guatemala)
Best Local Brewed Coffees
Guancasco, Gracias (Honduras)
Hotel El Rey, Marcala (Honduras)
Hotel El Mirador, Juayua (El Salvador)
Best Travel Agency
I didn't patronize many of these but I want to plug PlusTravel of Antigua (with offices in Copan Ruinas) for its excellent shuttle bus (minivan) services between Antigua and Copan ($8), Antigua and Chichicastenango ($10 round trip), and many other destination points. Their drivers are courteous, friendly, and professional while their services are safe and basically on time.
Best Bus Rides
The microbus services in Nicaragua were safe, fast, and nearly hassle free
Worst Bus Rides
The local bus service between Choluteca, Honduras and the El Salvador border at Amatillo is frustratingly crowded and slow
Favorite Medium Size Cities
Leon, Nicaragua
Antigua, Guatemala
Favorite Town
Gracias, Honduras
Favorite Small Towns or Villages
Ataco, El Salvador
Copan Ruinas, Honduras
Perquin, El Salvador
Least Favorite Big Cities
San Salvador, El Salvador
San Miguel, El Salvador
Least Favorite Towns
Ahuachapan, El Salvador
La Esperanza, Honduras
Least Favorite Village
Los Cobanas, El Salvador
Most Affluent Towns or Cities
Antigua, Guatemala
Leon, Nicaragua
Granada, Nicaragua
Most Impoverished Towns or Region
La Ruta de Lenca, from Perquin (El Salvador) all the way to Gracias (Honduras)
Most Outgoing or Friendly People
El Salvador and Nicaragua
Most Reserved People
Guatemala and Honduras
Where I Felt Safest
Leon and Granada, Nicaragua
Antigua, Guatemala
Where I Felt Most Wary About Personal Security
San Salvador and San Miguel, El Salvador
note to readers: if you are interested in more worsts (or more bests) drop me a comment to that effect
Summing it up in Antigua (Day 51)
Having just passed seven weeks on the road in Central America and now having only two days left in Guatemala before I return home this Thursday, I find myself cooling my heels in Antigua--I've run a bit over budget this week--and mentally summing up my journey.
My trip was successful in many ways. First, and most importantly, I allowed myself enough time to get truly immersed in the local culture. Though my original, vague goal of reaching beautiful Merida, Venezuela via Costa Rica and Panama was probably unrealistic given my penchant for taking things slowly and my unwillingness to spend more than four hours in a bus on any given day, I did achieve an important secondary goal of visiting several new places--notably Leon (Nicaragua), Perquin (El Salvador), Chichicastenango (Guatemala), and the beautiful countryside of the Ruta de Lenca in western Honduras (Los Cipreses, Marcala, La Esperanza, Gracias, and Santa Rosa de Copan). Also new for me were my brief stops on the Pacific coasts of both El Salvador and Nicaragua.
It was very important for me to give this trip a lot of time. My initial trips here in 2008 and 2009 were too brief--and too rushed--for me to do much more than take a quick glance at a region I'd found I liked at least as much as Southeast Asia--if not more so. One of the joys of traveling in Central America is the geographical fact that all these countries are very small, so the backpacking tourist can cover quite a lot of ground in relatively little time. Despite their size, however, these countries together boast an incredible diversity of peoples, languages, food, climates, and geographical features such as mountains, volcanos, cowboy countryside, beaches, two very different sea or ocean coasts, and numerous lakes--from the huge Lake Nicaragua to the large Lake Atitlan in Guatemala--and numerous smaller lakes and rivers between.
Secondly, once I'd postponed the Costa Rica leg of my journey, that opened up the possibility for revisits of Copan Ruinas (Honduras) and Antigua (Guatemala) this past week. Despite the fact that they were second time visits for me, they definitely remain highlights of this trip since I was able to capture hundreds of images of these beautiful places on my "photography mission."
My photography mission itself was a third important goal for me. I was able to take the time I needed to seek out and note photo subjects, mostly of city/town/village buildings and streets, and return later to take photos as unobtrusively as possible. There were three main reasons for this approach.
First, up until this time I had almost no experience taking hundreds of digital photos, so I considered this to be a learning experience for me. Early in my trip I didn't take very many photos at all, preferring instead to get the lie of the land. Later, after I'd become more sure of myself, I began to shoot much more, but with a strong emphasis on experimentation with light, shadow, composition, and subject. My aim here was to try to improve my skills shooting pictures with the modern equivilent of the old "instamatic".
Second, I didn't want to make myself a target for beggars and hustlers, or worse, thieves and muggers, by walking all over the place with a camera around my neck. Whenever I did shoot photos, usually I kept the camera in my shirt pocket or in my daybag until I found a likely subject.
Third, when it comes to photographing people, it pays to be discreet, especially in this region. Guatemalans in particular (but this goes for people all over the world) don't appreciate foreigners taking photos of them without permission. Consequently, I was very careful not to be too aggressive with the lens. Since I had almost no experience shooting candid photos of people, I was particularly careful to tread that path cautiously. I have probably improved a little bit in this area. But readers will notice that--once I get my photos posted--there aren't very many good photos of people apart from some typical street scenes.
Another important goal I achieved with this trip was the establishment of a credible travel blog which I can continue to build in the months and years to come. Committing myself to writing something almost daily was important in that it kept me on my toes, forcing me to wander--not aimlessly as I might have done two decades ago--but with some specific destinations in mind, always remembering that I had to be loyal to a readership (no matter how modest). This helped me to focus everyday on seeing things with a writer's eye. Everyday became a different story for me, and the challenge was to try to improve at creating a daily story that would be compelling to the general reader. I'm not sure how well I succeeded in that, but I think I've definitely made a good start.
My trip was successful in many ways. First, and most importantly, I allowed myself enough time to get truly immersed in the local culture. Though my original, vague goal of reaching beautiful Merida, Venezuela via Costa Rica and Panama was probably unrealistic given my penchant for taking things slowly and my unwillingness to spend more than four hours in a bus on any given day, I did achieve an important secondary goal of visiting several new places--notably Leon (Nicaragua), Perquin (El Salvador), Chichicastenango (Guatemala), and the beautiful countryside of the Ruta de Lenca in western Honduras (Los Cipreses, Marcala, La Esperanza, Gracias, and Santa Rosa de Copan). Also new for me were my brief stops on the Pacific coasts of both El Salvador and Nicaragua.
It was very important for me to give this trip a lot of time. My initial trips here in 2008 and 2009 were too brief--and too rushed--for me to do much more than take a quick glance at a region I'd found I liked at least as much as Southeast Asia--if not more so. One of the joys of traveling in Central America is the geographical fact that all these countries are very small, so the backpacking tourist can cover quite a lot of ground in relatively little time. Despite their size, however, these countries together boast an incredible diversity of peoples, languages, food, climates, and geographical features such as mountains, volcanos, cowboy countryside, beaches, two very different sea or ocean coasts, and numerous lakes--from the huge Lake Nicaragua to the large Lake Atitlan in Guatemala--and numerous smaller lakes and rivers between.
Secondly, once I'd postponed the Costa Rica leg of my journey, that opened up the possibility for revisits of Copan Ruinas (Honduras) and Antigua (Guatemala) this past week. Despite the fact that they were second time visits for me, they definitely remain highlights of this trip since I was able to capture hundreds of images of these beautiful places on my "photography mission."
My photography mission itself was a third important goal for me. I was able to take the time I needed to seek out and note photo subjects, mostly of city/town/village buildings and streets, and return later to take photos as unobtrusively as possible. There were three main reasons for this approach.
First, up until this time I had almost no experience taking hundreds of digital photos, so I considered this to be a learning experience for me. Early in my trip I didn't take very many photos at all, preferring instead to get the lie of the land. Later, after I'd become more sure of myself, I began to shoot much more, but with a strong emphasis on experimentation with light, shadow, composition, and subject. My aim here was to try to improve my skills shooting pictures with the modern equivilent of the old "instamatic".
Second, I didn't want to make myself a target for beggars and hustlers, or worse, thieves and muggers, by walking all over the place with a camera around my neck. Whenever I did shoot photos, usually I kept the camera in my shirt pocket or in my daybag until I found a likely subject.
Third, when it comes to photographing people, it pays to be discreet, especially in this region. Guatemalans in particular (but this goes for people all over the world) don't appreciate foreigners taking photos of them without permission. Consequently, I was very careful not to be too aggressive with the lens. Since I had almost no experience shooting candid photos of people, I was particularly careful to tread that path cautiously. I have probably improved a little bit in this area. But readers will notice that--once I get my photos posted--there aren't very many good photos of people apart from some typical street scenes.
Another important goal I achieved with this trip was the establishment of a credible travel blog which I can continue to build in the months and years to come. Committing myself to writing something almost daily was important in that it kept me on my toes, forcing me to wander--not aimlessly as I might have done two decades ago--but with some specific destinations in mind, always remembering that I had to be loyal to a readership (no matter how modest). This helped me to focus everyday on seeing things with a writer's eye. Everyday became a different story for me, and the challenge was to try to improve at creating a daily story that would be compelling to the general reader. I'm not sure how well I succeeded in that, but I think I've definitely made a good start.
Monday, July 12, 2010
Searching for a Church in Chichicastenango (Day 50)
All I had to go on was a name: Flavio Rodas. My aunt in suburban Milwaukee told me her church has one of its sister churches by that name in Chichicastenango, so I decided to look it up.
It was easy to find. . .well, sort of easy, that is. From the start, everyone told me there's no church by that name, only a school. The first man I asked sent me in the general direction of the school, so I started walking.
But Chichi is built upon some incredibly steep hills, and when I perceived that after walking down one hill I'd have to begin climbing another--but not entirely sure of the correct direction I should go--I flagged down a three-wheeled mototaxi.
"Sabes Iglesia de Flavio Rodas?" I asked the driver.
"Sure, I know it." And as he drove up the hill we passed a long wall with mural panels, one of which appeared to be painted by students of La Escuela Flavio Rodas.
"Is that the school?"
"The school is that way, " he pointed in one direction.
"How about the church?"
We reached a fork in the road. "Left for the school, right for the church, " he said.
"Go right." And soon we were in front of a church, but was it the right one? Assembly of God, it said, written on a sign above the door. Several women were seated in front with foods for sale.
The driver told me what everyone else had said: there's no church by that name, only the school.
So I walked down to the school and snapped a couple photos. On a Sunday there wasn't much to see. Then I walked back to the murals and shot some photos there. Then I walked back to the church and took a photo or two there.
Then I asked the women: "Is this the Iglesia Flavio Rodas?" Well, they said, there's no church by that name, only the school. But if you're looking for the church in Flavio Rodas (neighborhood), this must be the one because it's the only one around.
Based upon my extensive walk around the neighborhood, this appeared to be true.
I asked them if they have "sister churches" in the United States. "Oh yes," said one of the women, "I can think of one in California."
Any other states, I asked, perhaps Wisconsin? "Probably," she said, "but I'm not sure where."
This was good enough for me! Mission accomplished? Well, sure. . .
It was easy to find. . .well, sort of easy, that is. From the start, everyone told me there's no church by that name, only a school. The first man I asked sent me in the general direction of the school, so I started walking.
But Chichi is built upon some incredibly steep hills, and when I perceived that after walking down one hill I'd have to begin climbing another--but not entirely sure of the correct direction I should go--I flagged down a three-wheeled mototaxi.
"Sabes Iglesia de Flavio Rodas?" I asked the driver.
"Sure, I know it." And as he drove up the hill we passed a long wall with mural panels, one of which appeared to be painted by students of La Escuela Flavio Rodas.
"Is that the school?"
"The school is that way, " he pointed in one direction.
"How about the church?"
We reached a fork in the road. "Left for the school, right for the church, " he said.
"Go right." And soon we were in front of a church, but was it the right one? Assembly of God, it said, written on a sign above the door. Several women were seated in front with foods for sale.
The driver told me what everyone else had said: there's no church by that name, only the school.
So I walked down to the school and snapped a couple photos. On a Sunday there wasn't much to see. Then I walked back to the murals and shot some photos there. Then I walked back to the church and took a photo or two there.
Then I asked the women: "Is this the Iglesia Flavio Rodas?" Well, they said, there's no church by that name, only the school. But if you're looking for the church in Flavio Rodas (neighborhood), this must be the one because it's the only one around.
Based upon my extensive walk around the neighborhood, this appeared to be true.
I asked them if they have "sister churches" in the United States. "Oh yes," said one of the women, "I can think of one in California."
Any other states, I asked, perhaps Wisconsin? "Probably," she said, "but I'm not sure where."
This was good enough for me! Mission accomplished? Well, sure. . .
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Ancient Market Town Chichicastenango Draws Big Crowds
My Rough Guide to Guatemala claims that Chichicastenango has hosted markets on Thursdays and Sundays for "hundreds, perhaps thousands of years." And since this town is so famous for its twice weekly market I thought I should cap off my seven weeks in Central America with a visit.
If you're claustrophobic or don't care to be squeezed into a slowly moving mass of people, you may want to give Chichi a miss. Yet though I prefer to observe things from the sidelines, there's no doubt that there's lots of fine stuff for sale, especially of the colorful, locally hand-woven textiles.
Despite my best efforts to fend off the hawkers--I'm not really "in the market" for anything--I have dropped about $20 total on a shirt and carved wooden flute. Probably I've paid a little too much, especially for the shirt, but there's no denying I bought a nice one.
In a sense I didn't buy anything at all but rather paid two sales people Q150 total for their friendly but persistent efforts to make me part with my money!
(Okay, I will admit that I was in the market for shirt. And as for the flute, well...I figured I might find a use for it in Suzuki group classes next year.)
Joking aside, today for the first time on this journey I have felt just a little bit nervous about pickpockets, so I have taken appropriate precautions.
I had hoped to take a few photos but the crowds make it difficult plus I'm dealing with the reality that the locals--largely from the indigenous tribes who live in Guatemala's western highlands--remain fiercely sensitive about being photographed without permission, so I don't want to cause unnecessary offense. I will address this issue in a future post about my ongoing "photography mission."
Apart from the beautiful textiles, you can buy an array of fine leather goods, hammocks, handbags, shoulder bags, indigenous costumes, wallets, purses, belts, shoes, household items, hand-made jewelry and silver items, and much, much more. There is a whole section of "wet" market as well with fresh meats, poultry, fish, fruits, vegetables, and grains.
If I have time I want to find my Wisconsin aunt's church's sister church which is here in Chichi. All I have is a name, so I'll have to ask someone and hope they can direct me.
If you're claustrophobic or don't care to be squeezed into a slowly moving mass of people, you may want to give Chichi a miss. Yet though I prefer to observe things from the sidelines, there's no doubt that there's lots of fine stuff for sale, especially of the colorful, locally hand-woven textiles.
Despite my best efforts to fend off the hawkers--I'm not really "in the market" for anything--I have dropped about $20 total on a shirt and carved wooden flute. Probably I've paid a little too much, especially for the shirt, but there's no denying I bought a nice one.
In a sense I didn't buy anything at all but rather paid two sales people Q150 total for their friendly but persistent efforts to make me part with my money!
(Okay, I will admit that I was in the market for shirt. And as for the flute, well...I figured I might find a use for it in Suzuki group classes next year.)
Joking aside, today for the first time on this journey I have felt just a little bit nervous about pickpockets, so I have taken appropriate precautions.
I had hoped to take a few photos but the crowds make it difficult plus I'm dealing with the reality that the locals--largely from the indigenous tribes who live in Guatemala's western highlands--remain fiercely sensitive about being photographed without permission, so I don't want to cause unnecessary offense. I will address this issue in a future post about my ongoing "photography mission."
Apart from the beautiful textiles, you can buy an array of fine leather goods, hammocks, handbags, shoulder bags, indigenous costumes, wallets, purses, belts, shoes, household items, hand-made jewelry and silver items, and much, much more. There is a whole section of "wet" market as well with fresh meats, poultry, fish, fruits, vegetables, and grains.
If I have time I want to find my Wisconsin aunt's church's sister church which is here in Chichi. All I have is a name, so I'll have to ask someone and hope they can direct me.
Saturday, July 10, 2010
La Antigua: Busker Central in Central America
I haven't written much about buskers or musicians in Central America mainly because there hasn't been anything to write about. Unlike in Mexico where there is a whole mariachi troubador culture on the streets of its colonial cities, in El Salvador or Honduras you can go many days without seeing someone with a guitar or violin. When you do encounter street musicians, as you do in Granada, Nicaragua, it's somewhat of a pleasant surprise. And when I do bump into the occasional street band, as I did in Gracias, Honduras, I always donate something to the cause.
But in Antigua we are in a whole different league. It helps if you can picture the massive crowds here--not only of weekend trippers from Guatemala City and other parts of the country, but also foreign tourists from Europe and North America, high school and college kids from America, and denizens of the large expatriate Western community who now make Antigua their home. With crowds like these on a typical Saturday, it can pay very well to play on the street.
This city just reeks of cosmopolitan prosperity with its restaurants, bars, coffee shops, hotels, travel agencies, boutique stores, and regular markets. In a region where bookstores are oases and second hand English language books sell for $10 or more, there are so many books in English available, and for almost nothing, that I'm close to hyperventilating as I type this dispatch. La Antigua definitely has anything you could possibly want, especially for someone like me who has come from a markedly much poorer place such as western Honduras. If you want McDonald's or Burger King or Subway or almost any kind of pizza you desire, it's all here.
With crowds the way they are and with the sort of conveniences you can find here, maybe that's partly why the local buskers can do so well in this town. And it seems even foreign travelers can hang their hats for awhile and make a living with a song and a guitar, or--as in the case of "Takeshi"--by painting Japanese calligraphy.
Check out the following website from a young Japanese guy I just saw on Antigua's streets who had a huge crowd around him:
http://takeshi.henjin.com/
Takeshi sings original songs, plays guitar, and sells his CDs, but his main attraction is he paints your name in katakana/hiragana (Chinese/Japanese script) on a strip of white paper for five quetzales (60 cents). He has a big sign written in Spanish telling of his voyage around the world which encourages donations, and he wears a baseball cap and t-shirt promoting his website. Flyers ("take one!") are available so you can look him up on the web. . .and link him to your blog!
I can report that the kids loved this guy, and their (mostly) affluent local parents were fascinated by him. Of course I was pretty fascinated too.
When I think back now to my experiences in France and Switzerland of the 1980s, I regret that the CD was barely invented then, that there was no such thing as a "world wide web", and that it didn't seem economically feasible to busk one's way around Central America, Eastern Europe, Africa, or any other so-called "third world" area.
Now it looks as if maybe "third world areas" are among the only interesting--and lucrative--places left to go as an itinerant troubador in this increasingly homogenized, globalized world.
But in Antigua we are in a whole different league. It helps if you can picture the massive crowds here--not only of weekend trippers from Guatemala City and other parts of the country, but also foreign tourists from Europe and North America, high school and college kids from America, and denizens of the large expatriate Western community who now make Antigua their home. With crowds like these on a typical Saturday, it can pay very well to play on the street.
This city just reeks of cosmopolitan prosperity with its restaurants, bars, coffee shops, hotels, travel agencies, boutique stores, and regular markets. In a region where bookstores are oases and second hand English language books sell for $10 or more, there are so many books in English available, and for almost nothing, that I'm close to hyperventilating as I type this dispatch. La Antigua definitely has anything you could possibly want, especially for someone like me who has come from a markedly much poorer place such as western Honduras. If you want McDonald's or Burger King or Subway or almost any kind of pizza you desire, it's all here.
With crowds the way they are and with the sort of conveniences you can find here, maybe that's partly why the local buskers can do so well in this town. And it seems even foreign travelers can hang their hats for awhile and make a living with a song and a guitar, or--as in the case of "Takeshi"--by painting Japanese calligraphy.
Check out the following website from a young Japanese guy I just saw on Antigua's streets who had a huge crowd around him:
http://takeshi.henjin.com/
Takeshi sings original songs, plays guitar, and sells his CDs, but his main attraction is he paints your name in katakana/hiragana (Chinese/Japanese script) on a strip of white paper for five quetzales (60 cents). He has a big sign written in Spanish telling of his voyage around the world which encourages donations, and he wears a baseball cap and t-shirt promoting his website. Flyers ("take one!") are available so you can look him up on the web. . .and link him to your blog!
I can report that the kids loved this guy, and their (mostly) affluent local parents were fascinated by him. Of course I was pretty fascinated too.
When I think back now to my experiences in France and Switzerland of the 1980s, I regret that the CD was barely invented then, that there was no such thing as a "world wide web", and that it didn't seem economically feasible to busk one's way around Central America, Eastern Europe, Africa, or any other so-called "third world" area.
Now it looks as if maybe "third world areas" are among the only interesting--and lucrative--places left to go as an itinerant troubador in this increasingly homogenized, globalized world.
The Thrill of Completing the Tourist Checklist
Being a norteamericano backpacking tourist in Central America is hard work! I'll bet you didn't know there are a lot of chores involved. On top of being around and getting around in security and safety, you have to research hotels and restuarants,consult guidebooks and maps, look for bus stations and buses to get to the stations, get laundry done every few days, and you have to do all this while trying to stay on budget. Plus you have to get all these things done in a language which is not your own.
It may seems strange, but quite often I wake up in a mild panic because I have such a lengthy to do list, and today was one of those days.
1. Find a cheaper hotel room, check.
2. Get cash at ATM, check.
3. Take laundry to service shop, check.
4. Log on to hopefully high speed internet, check.
5. Update blog, check.
6. Check email, check.
7. Buy memory card for camera, check.
8. Arrange transport to Chichicastenango and back, check.
9. Go to supermarket, check.
10. Pick up laundry before the woman closes shop, check.
You get the picture.
I love getting all that stuff done by noon, so I can go out and do my 'real mission' which is the reconaissance of photo ops, then later walkby picture taking.
Check back again soon for a more detailed post about my photo mission in Central America. Until then, I'm going to enjoy this ultra cool city enjoying its very fine weekend.
It may seems strange, but quite often I wake up in a mild panic because I have such a lengthy to do list, and today was one of those days.
1. Find a cheaper hotel room, check.
2. Get cash at ATM, check.
3. Take laundry to service shop, check.
4. Log on to hopefully high speed internet, check.
5. Update blog, check.
6. Check email, check.
7. Buy memory card for camera, check.
8. Arrange transport to Chichicastenango and back, check.
9. Go to supermarket, check.
10. Pick up laundry before the woman closes shop, check.
You get the picture.
I love getting all that stuff done by noon, so I can go out and do my 'real mission' which is the reconaissance of photo ops, then later walkby picture taking.
Check back again soon for a more detailed post about my photo mission in Central America. Until then, I'm going to enjoy this ultra cool city enjoying its very fine weekend.
Copan to La Antigua
Finding myself hardly in the mood Thursday morning for a six hour microbus trip I stayed in Copan another night, and I'm glad I did since my ticket to the ruins was also good for a secondary site further down the road, Las Sepulturas, which experts theorize may have been housing for the ancient Maya civilization's power elite.
Though smaller than the primary site, Las Sepulturas in its way is even more impressive. Almost completely shrouded in jungle growth along a couple dirt trails, these ruins capture the imagination in ways the more touristed main area doesn't. As I was busy snapping away with my camera, and filling my memory card in the process, it occurred to me that kids would love this place. In a setting out of an Indiana Jones flick, on ruins where one can easily climb to the top and be master of all one sees, children can fancy themselves warrior princes and princessess from another millenium.
The mosquitos, however, were vicious. Located on lower ground than the main site and close to the winding Copan River, swarms of them lie in wait for the instant you stop to take a photo. And these suckers can bite through denim! Experts remain puzzled about the reasons for the sudden decline of the Maya. Could the lowly mosquito have played a bit part?
Yesterday's bus ride was relatively easy and uneventful as I shared a micro with a British couple and a German woman. We had the whole van to ourselves, and apart from some Friday evening traffic snarls in Guatemala City, everything went smoothly and we were only half an hour late.
Antigua, yet another Central American capital, is a classic destination in these parts. Even though there are tons of tourists here and the prices are higher than elsewhere, I'm glad to be back for a return visit to swim in the town's lovely charms. Because this capital city had more staying power than other towns like Gracias, it's larger in area and has many more architectural marvels. If I can buy a new memory card I'll probably go hog wild with the camera here too.
The timing of my arrival here may be fortuitous as tomorrow, Sunday, is one of the market days of Chichicastenango, which is only a couple hours northwest of here. I'm looking into joining a $10 day tour so I can remain based in Antigua.
Though smaller than the primary site, Las Sepulturas in its way is even more impressive. Almost completely shrouded in jungle growth along a couple dirt trails, these ruins capture the imagination in ways the more touristed main area doesn't. As I was busy snapping away with my camera, and filling my memory card in the process, it occurred to me that kids would love this place. In a setting out of an Indiana Jones flick, on ruins where one can easily climb to the top and be master of all one sees, children can fancy themselves warrior princes and princessess from another millenium.
The mosquitos, however, were vicious. Located on lower ground than the main site and close to the winding Copan River, swarms of them lie in wait for the instant you stop to take a photo. And these suckers can bite through denim! Experts remain puzzled about the reasons for the sudden decline of the Maya. Could the lowly mosquito have played a bit part?
Yesterday's bus ride was relatively easy and uneventful as I shared a micro with a British couple and a German woman. We had the whole van to ourselves, and apart from some Friday evening traffic snarls in Guatemala City, everything went smoothly and we were only half an hour late.
Antigua, yet another Central American capital, is a classic destination in these parts. Even though there are tons of tourists here and the prices are higher than elsewhere, I'm glad to be back for a return visit to swim in the town's lovely charms. Because this capital city had more staying power than other towns like Gracias, it's larger in area and has many more architectural marvels. If I can buy a new memory card I'll probably go hog wild with the camera here too.
The timing of my arrival here may be fortuitous as tomorrow, Sunday, is one of the market days of Chichicastenango, which is only a couple hours northwest of here. I'm looking into joining a $10 day tour so I can remain based in Antigua.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Copan Ruinas and Beyond
Making up for yesterday's "lost" day, I grabbed a 7.30 bus this morning to La Entrada, the crossroads town in northwestern Honduras where I needed to catch a transfer to Copan Ruinas. I was checked into my hotel before noon and at the impressive Mayan archaeological site by 1.00 p.m.
This was my second trip to Copan following an August 2008 visit during which I had no camera. Today's visit was mainly for the purpose of getting photos--in that I can report I succeeded beyond expectations.
Click the following link for a very interesting website about Copan Ruinas:
http://www.honduras.net/copan/
Apart from the thrill of again seeing this amazingly well preserved site, I can report the oddity of traveling from one of the least touristed areas of Honduras--the Ruta de Lenca which I've just traversed from Perquin to Santa Rosa--to one of the top tourist destinations in Central America.
The village of Copan Ruinas, which I remember vaguely as a quiet, hot, dusty, and somewhat unkempt municipality now sparkles and shines vibrant with international restaurants, coffee shops and bars, a slew of hotels, and more tourists than I've seen anywhere apart from Granada, Nicaragua. These tourists are more affluent and of a wider age range than the college age backpackers I encountered in Nicaragua. The French seem particularly well represented here.
Readers of this blog have probably noticed that I'm not a huge fan of spending big bucks for the "touristy type" tours no matter where I go. Anything that costs more than $20 gets a long hard look before I decide to spend.
But the $15 admission charge to these 1600 year old ruins were definitely worth the splurge for me--even for a second time. From its Classic heyday circa 426-900 C.E. this important Mayan settlement was second only to the even more remarkable--and larger--ruins in Tikal, Guatemala.
Now that I'm only seven miles from the Guatemalan border, and a six hour microbus ride to Antigua, and since my return mission to Copan is basically complete, it's feasible for me to catch tomorrow's noon micro out of here and be in Antigua tomorrow night. From there the famous market town of Chichicastenago is only a couple hours away and Guatemala City's airport is only an hour or so. I will be very happy to have most of these arduous bus trips behind me.
A note about my photos: my readers understand, as I do, that a cutting edge 21st century blog needs photos along with other up-to-date bells and whistles. I appreciate my readers for their patience in bearing with me until I can return to the States, download the software, and upload some of my hundreds of photos. I hope to have an excellent slide show on this blog by August 1.
This was my second trip to Copan following an August 2008 visit during which I had no camera. Today's visit was mainly for the purpose of getting photos--in that I can report I succeeded beyond expectations.
Click the following link for a very interesting website about Copan Ruinas:
http://www.honduras.net/copan/
Apart from the thrill of again seeing this amazingly well preserved site, I can report the oddity of traveling from one of the least touristed areas of Honduras--the Ruta de Lenca which I've just traversed from Perquin to Santa Rosa--to one of the top tourist destinations in Central America.
The village of Copan Ruinas, which I remember vaguely as a quiet, hot, dusty, and somewhat unkempt municipality now sparkles and shines vibrant with international restaurants, coffee shops and bars, a slew of hotels, and more tourists than I've seen anywhere apart from Granada, Nicaragua. These tourists are more affluent and of a wider age range than the college age backpackers I encountered in Nicaragua. The French seem particularly well represented here.
Readers of this blog have probably noticed that I'm not a huge fan of spending big bucks for the "touristy type" tours no matter where I go. Anything that costs more than $20 gets a long hard look before I decide to spend.
But the $15 admission charge to these 1600 year old ruins were definitely worth the splurge for me--even for a second time. From its Classic heyday circa 426-900 C.E. this important Mayan settlement was second only to the even more remarkable--and larger--ruins in Tikal, Guatemala.
Now that I'm only seven miles from the Guatemalan border, and a six hour microbus ride to Antigua, and since my return mission to Copan is basically complete, it's feasible for me to catch tomorrow's noon micro out of here and be in Antigua tomorrow night. From there the famous market town of Chichicastenago is only a couple hours away and Guatemala City's airport is only an hour or so. I will be very happy to have most of these arduous bus trips behind me.
A note about my photos: my readers understand, as I do, that a cutting edge 21st century blog needs photos along with other up-to-date bells and whistles. I appreciate my readers for their patience in bearing with me until I can return to the States, download the software, and upload some of my hundreds of photos. I hope to have an excellent slide show on this blog by August 1.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Santa Rosa de Copan--Another Beautiful Colonial Town
For the first time in six weeks I've been "involuntarily" delayed by some kind of stomach bug which struck last night after my arrival in Santa Rosa and which is keeping me close to bed today. I've been able to get up at times to visit the restaurant of my hotel for drinks and fruit, and I'm confident I'll be ready to move on to Copan Ruinas tomorrow--a 3-4 hour trip from here.
Santa Rosa is another picturesque colonial town, population 29,000 (which makes it my biggest town since San Miguel, El Salvador), and is built on hills somewhat reminiscent of San Francisco. Since I've done nothing here but my usual late afternoon (yesterday) promenade near the parque central, I don't have much to report.
Being basically bed-ridden today gave me the opportunity to catch the Uruguay--Holland semifinal which I was glad to do since I missed just about all of the quarterfinals last week (is World Cup month truly over so soon?!).
I've been rooting for teams from the American hemisphere, so it was a blow to see Holland advance with a 3-2 victory over the South Americans. The Dutch busted out of a 1-1 tie with a header goal in the 73rd minute that seemed to have gobsmacked the Uruguayan goalkeeper so badly he remained frozen in place as the ball whizzed by his head. Not long after that the Dutch scored another to make it 3-1 and the Uruguayans couldn't do much more than an extra time consolation goal to bring it to 3-2.
Holland next will face the winner of tomorrow's Germany-Spain match for an all-European World Cup final.
Santa Rosa is another picturesque colonial town, population 29,000 (which makes it my biggest town since San Miguel, El Salvador), and is built on hills somewhat reminiscent of San Francisco. Since I've done nothing here but my usual late afternoon (yesterday) promenade near the parque central, I don't have much to report.
Being basically bed-ridden today gave me the opportunity to catch the Uruguay--Holland semifinal which I was glad to do since I missed just about all of the quarterfinals last week (is World Cup month truly over so soon?!).
I've been rooting for teams from the American hemisphere, so it was a blow to see Holland advance with a 3-2 victory over the South Americans. The Dutch busted out of a 1-1 tie with a header goal in the 73rd minute that seemed to have gobsmacked the Uruguayan goalkeeper so badly he remained frozen in place as the ball whizzed by his head. Not long after that the Dutch scored another to make it 3-1 and the Uruguayans couldn't do much more than an extra time consolation goal to bring it to 3-2.
Holland next will face the winner of tomorrow's Germany-Spain match for an all-European World Cup final.
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Gracias a Dios! Another Highlight. . .
After two nights in Gracias I feel the pull of its magnetic charm sucking me into itself with the plea: stay here for at least another night! This place is making me want to stick around nearly as much as Leon captured me this year and Granada/San Juan del Sur did in 2009.
According to legend the founder of Gracias, a 16th century conquistador, struggled his way through the rugged country of the region looking for a suitable site to build a Central American capital city. When at last he stumbled upon this relatively level but small valley, he is said to have fallen to his knees crying: "Gracias a Dios! Finally some flat land!"
Its attributes were immediately apparent to me once I was checked into my room at the Guancascos. My room is on the top level of a multilevel edifice built into a high hill overlooking the entire town. The terrace outside my door therefore offers one of the most stunning private views in the area. Rocky forested hills surround us but in stark contrast to the typical hot and dusty towns of western Honduras, this place is enveloped in multiple hues of green foliage.
The hotel--maybe the finest in town--is owned and managed by an expatriate Dutch woman, Frony, who oversees a capable staff of locals who run the good restaurant (with excellent local coffee) and keep the place beautifully clean. At around $20 nightly, this place is one of the best values I've encountered on a six week journey of hotels which runs the complete gamut. I believe most of my readers will not blame me for feeling that another late afternoon with a cold drink on "my" terrace as the sun goes down, enjoying the beauty of this place, is definitely in the cards.
On the recommendation of Rachel, the intern I met in Marcala, I ate at the restaurant of the Posada de Don Juan where I ate a sopa de tortilla that absolutely was to die for. (A common regional dish, sopa de tortilla has a curry-type soup base with fresh cheese, avocado, and baked tortilla chips--like Doritos without the MSG.)
The town has the usual cathedral, in this case a small colonial structure, and a well-kept parque central plus a couple very good supermarkets as well as the usual bustling local markets and dusty bus terminals. Despite the obvious signs of poverty in some of the residents (my post yesterday was partly inspired by the unusually high number of beggars I've bumped into here) there are also unmistakable signs of prosperity, notably in the many young people. Perhaps this bodes well for the area's future.
A somewhat unusual feature of this beautiful little town is the 19th century castle which is perched even higher than my hotel and has absolutely stunning views for miles around. In the cool interior of the castle are informative placards in Spanish and English, one of which tells us that the local kids grow up playing here and "many fall in love here." This confirmed my initial impression that the site has all the best characteristics of a lovers' lane.
The foreigners one meets here are mostly young volunteers of various NGOs and of the Peace Corps which, in Honduras, has its largest delegation (of about 260) of any other country in the world. But here and there one can meet other backpacking tourists like me. It's well worth the effort it takes to get to this remote settlement--which maybe is yet another good reason for me not to push onward too quickly. Of course, the longer I stay here the more remote my chances of getting to Chichicastenango, at least this year.
I have eleven days to get to Guatemala City for my return flight home.
According to legend the founder of Gracias, a 16th century conquistador, struggled his way through the rugged country of the region looking for a suitable site to build a Central American capital city. When at last he stumbled upon this relatively level but small valley, he is said to have fallen to his knees crying: "Gracias a Dios! Finally some flat land!"
Its attributes were immediately apparent to me once I was checked into my room at the Guancascos. My room is on the top level of a multilevel edifice built into a high hill overlooking the entire town. The terrace outside my door therefore offers one of the most stunning private views in the area. Rocky forested hills surround us but in stark contrast to the typical hot and dusty towns of western Honduras, this place is enveloped in multiple hues of green foliage.
The hotel--maybe the finest in town--is owned and managed by an expatriate Dutch woman, Frony, who oversees a capable staff of locals who run the good restaurant (with excellent local coffee) and keep the place beautifully clean. At around $20 nightly, this place is one of the best values I've encountered on a six week journey of hotels which runs the complete gamut. I believe most of my readers will not blame me for feeling that another late afternoon with a cold drink on "my" terrace as the sun goes down, enjoying the beauty of this place, is definitely in the cards.
On the recommendation of Rachel, the intern I met in Marcala, I ate at the restaurant of the Posada de Don Juan where I ate a sopa de tortilla that absolutely was to die for. (A common regional dish, sopa de tortilla has a curry-type soup base with fresh cheese, avocado, and baked tortilla chips--like Doritos without the MSG.)
The town has the usual cathedral, in this case a small colonial structure, and a well-kept parque central plus a couple very good supermarkets as well as the usual bustling local markets and dusty bus terminals. Despite the obvious signs of poverty in some of the residents (my post yesterday was partly inspired by the unusually high number of beggars I've bumped into here) there are also unmistakable signs of prosperity, notably in the many young people. Perhaps this bodes well for the area's future.
A somewhat unusual feature of this beautiful little town is the 19th century castle which is perched even higher than my hotel and has absolutely stunning views for miles around. In the cool interior of the castle are informative placards in Spanish and English, one of which tells us that the local kids grow up playing here and "many fall in love here." This confirmed my initial impression that the site has all the best characteristics of a lovers' lane.
The foreigners one meets here are mostly young volunteers of various NGOs and of the Peace Corps which, in Honduras, has its largest delegation (of about 260) of any other country in the world. But here and there one can meet other backpacking tourists like me. It's well worth the effort it takes to get to this remote settlement--which maybe is yet another good reason for me not to push onward too quickly. Of course, the longer I stay here the more remote my chances of getting to Chichicastenango, at least this year.
I have eleven days to get to Guatemala City for my return flight home.
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Doing A Small Part for the Local Economies
I'm "wealthy" around here which is why I have to be cautious and situationally aware. It's also why I have to spend money wisely--and hopefully in ways which help the people who most need it--without my going broke in the process.
I don't have a hard and fast rule against giving to beggars, though my default response is no. The thing is, despite the very real poverty you witness all over Central America, there aren't nearly as many beggars as one might expect. But there a few, and I find that they are mainly older people, men and women of middle age and older. When it comes to beggars I have a soft spot for elderly women because I know how hard women of all ages work around here--you see evidence of that everywhere you go--so if an old woman is begging I figure she's truly desperate.
With working age men, I usually say no, but if they can speak some English I will hear them out, then maybe offer a little help.
Far more common than beggars are the many people who haved carved an independent niche for themselves in the economy by peddling various items on the street or on buses or at bus terminals. Candies, drinks, fruit, various hot foods, and fresh snacks like roasted peanuts or carameled popcorn are among some of the edibles you will find being hawked by itinerant peddlers, these mostly by women. And watches, wallets, flashlights, CDs, and DVDs are also commonly sold--typically by men. If fresh snacks and fruit or bottled (more typically bagged) water is on offer, I will often go for it, because these items are always very cheap but great value.
My main contributions to the economy, of course, are for lodging, food, and transport (basically in that order). Some hotel owners are quite obviously wealthy, but there are many others who are running a mom and pop affair. For ordinary folks who have converted their old courtyard home into a guesthouse, the cash I and others bring to the table can be a real help. And in any given town I always try to eat at least once in an ordinary, modest, mom-type comedor because she's putting her kitchen to work for her family.
If I can find espresso coffee I will spend my money there. Sometimes these places are owned by foreigners, so I'm aware that I'm not directly helping the locals very much with my custom in that case. But foreigners always hire many locals as employees, and so I do my part by tipping them if the opportunity arises. I make liberal use of the tip jar, marked propina in Spanish, not by leaving a lot, but by always leaving something.
If I can't find an espresso shack then I'll look for the best 30 to 50 cent cafe con leche in the market. When I find a good one the seller will get a tiny extra boost that day because I will usually buy 3-4 of them--and the same number the next morning! By that time, the locals in the market "know" me fairly well. . .
In the bigger, more expensive restaurants I always tip my waitresses (it's usually young women at this job), and when the service is extra fine I sometimes even tip a little too much--maybe a dollar more than was necessary, not all that much for me, but helpful to her.
I also make a point of tipping the ladies who clean my hotel rooms--these women work very hard, and the evidence for that is in the fact that nearly every room I've rented, no matter how old or new, big or small, ramshackle or sleek, is always spotlessly clean. For these women I try to leave a certain amount per night's stay. Again, it's not a lot of cash for me but I know what I leave will help someone's family. And often I can hire that same woman to do my laundry--another little bit that helps her a little, while helping me a lot!
Often I'll round up taxi fares. I have found most taxi drivers to be really helpful and professional, despite the not-so-sparkling reputation they have worldwide, but in my experience I've rarely been "taken for a ride." So in Central America I don't over-haggle with the the driver, but tip a bit instead. It's well worth the extra few cents it costs me because in this economy another 5-10 lempiras (30 to 60 cents) can be stretched some way by the driver (he can stretch that 10 lempiras in ways which I simply can't). And let's face it: isn't that a whole lot better for me than getting ripped off?
If I've ever been overcharged or ripped off in Central America, I've concluded, it's nearly always my fault for neglecting to get the price up front, or because of some other carelessness on my part. When that happens, I shrug to myself and say, "That was a lesson well worth the cost!" because hopefully I won't make another expensive mistake like that again.
I don't have a hard and fast rule against giving to beggars, though my default response is no. The thing is, despite the very real poverty you witness all over Central America, there aren't nearly as many beggars as one might expect. But there a few, and I find that they are mainly older people, men and women of middle age and older. When it comes to beggars I have a soft spot for elderly women because I know how hard women of all ages work around here--you see evidence of that everywhere you go--so if an old woman is begging I figure she's truly desperate.
With working age men, I usually say no, but if they can speak some English I will hear them out, then maybe offer a little help.
Far more common than beggars are the many people who haved carved an independent niche for themselves in the economy by peddling various items on the street or on buses or at bus terminals. Candies, drinks, fruit, various hot foods, and fresh snacks like roasted peanuts or carameled popcorn are among some of the edibles you will find being hawked by itinerant peddlers, these mostly by women. And watches, wallets, flashlights, CDs, and DVDs are also commonly sold--typically by men. If fresh snacks and fruit or bottled (more typically bagged) water is on offer, I will often go for it, because these items are always very cheap but great value.
My main contributions to the economy, of course, are for lodging, food, and transport (basically in that order). Some hotel owners are quite obviously wealthy, but there are many others who are running a mom and pop affair. For ordinary folks who have converted their old courtyard home into a guesthouse, the cash I and others bring to the table can be a real help. And in any given town I always try to eat at least once in an ordinary, modest, mom-type comedor because she's putting her kitchen to work for her family.
If I can find espresso coffee I will spend my money there. Sometimes these places are owned by foreigners, so I'm aware that I'm not directly helping the locals very much with my custom in that case. But foreigners always hire many locals as employees, and so I do my part by tipping them if the opportunity arises. I make liberal use of the tip jar, marked propina in Spanish, not by leaving a lot, but by always leaving something.
If I can't find an espresso shack then I'll look for the best 30 to 50 cent cafe con leche in the market. When I find a good one the seller will get a tiny extra boost that day because I will usually buy 3-4 of them--and the same number the next morning! By that time, the locals in the market "know" me fairly well. . .
In the bigger, more expensive restaurants I always tip my waitresses (it's usually young women at this job), and when the service is extra fine I sometimes even tip a little too much--maybe a dollar more than was necessary, not all that much for me, but helpful to her.
I also make a point of tipping the ladies who clean my hotel rooms--these women work very hard, and the evidence for that is in the fact that nearly every room I've rented, no matter how old or new, big or small, ramshackle or sleek, is always spotlessly clean. For these women I try to leave a certain amount per night's stay. Again, it's not a lot of cash for me but I know what I leave will help someone's family. And often I can hire that same woman to do my laundry--another little bit that helps her a little, while helping me a lot!
Often I'll round up taxi fares. I have found most taxi drivers to be really helpful and professional, despite the not-so-sparkling reputation they have worldwide, but in my experience I've rarely been "taken for a ride." So in Central America I don't over-haggle with the the driver, but tip a bit instead. It's well worth the extra few cents it costs me because in this economy another 5-10 lempiras (30 to 60 cents) can be stretched some way by the driver (he can stretch that 10 lempiras in ways which I simply can't). And let's face it: isn't that a whole lot better for me than getting ripped off?
If I've ever been overcharged or ripped off in Central America, I've concluded, it's nearly always my fault for neglecting to get the price up front, or because of some other carelessness on my part. When that happens, I shrug to myself and say, "That was a lesson well worth the cost!" because hopefully I won't make another expensive mistake like that again.
Argentina & Brazil Sent Home By Germany & Holland
Frankly I was rooting for South American powerhouse teams Argentina and Brazil in their losing battles with European bigshots Germany and Holland, so it wasn't much fun to see both teams whipped by large margins this morning and yesterday.
However I wasn't really rooting for Argentina coach Diego Maradona,he of the notorious "hand of God" who scored a critical goal against England way back when that many said was a handball.
If memory serves me, Maradona also was sent home from the 1994 World Cup in disgrace after testing positive for cocaine. The press, then and now, seems to eat him up because he's always good for some juicy ridiculous comment.
Another player from 1994, Dunga of Brazil, is now his team's coach as well. As I recall he was certainly a lot less controversial than Maradona, serving brilliantly as goalie and captain of the team that year. And if I remember correctly Dunga was the "old man" of his team--in his thirties--and his World Cup appearances marked the end of his playing career.
However I wasn't really rooting for Argentina coach Diego Maradona,he of the notorious "hand of God" who scored a critical goal against England way back when that many said was a handball.
If memory serves me, Maradona also was sent home from the 1994 World Cup in disgrace after testing positive for cocaine. The press, then and now, seems to eat him up because he's always good for some juicy ridiculous comment.
Another player from 1994, Dunga of Brazil, is now his team's coach as well. As I recall he was certainly a lot less controversial than Maradona, serving brilliantly as goalie and captain of the team that year. And if I remember correctly Dunga was the "old man" of his team--in his thirties--and his World Cup appearances marked the end of his playing career.
Friday, July 2, 2010
In Gracias!
I had a pleasant surprise today when I found that the road from La Esperanza to Gracias is paved nearly all the way, cutting an anticipated four hour trip down to three. The 25 mile stretch from La Esperanza to the halfway point San Juan was so new that the painted lane markers couldn't have been more than a week old. For the locals this must make their lives a bit easier, at least for getting around more conveniently. And it occurred to me that with this new road, the area suddenly goes from being very underdeveloped, to having one of the best roads in all of Central America--a "first world" perk!
I'm realizing now that my Lonely Planet guide definitely needs an updated edition, at least for this part of Honduras, since their stated travel times around are no longer valid. And whereas three or four years ago, when my edition of LP's Central America on a Shoestring was published, there were no hotels in San Juan, today I counted three as we passed through.
How quickly things can change, even in a very impoverished place like western Honduras.
Gracias is a lovely town but much hotter than in La Esperanza. I'm staying at an excellent place, the Hotel Guancascos, which is perched on a hill overlooking the town and features a large terrace restaurant. I will stay here for at least two nights which will take me to Sunday July Fourth. I now have just a little less than two weeks--about 12 days--to get back to Guatemala City.
I'm realizing now that my Lonely Planet guide definitely needs an updated edition, at least for this part of Honduras, since their stated travel times around are no longer valid. And whereas three or four years ago, when my edition of LP's Central America on a Shoestring was published, there were no hotels in San Juan, today I counted three as we passed through.
How quickly things can change, even in a very impoverished place like western Honduras.
Gracias is a lovely town but much hotter than in La Esperanza. I'm staying at an excellent place, the Hotel Guancascos, which is perched on a hill overlooking the town and features a large terrace restaurant. I will stay here for at least two nights which will take me to Sunday July Fourth. I now have just a little less than two weeks--about 12 days--to get back to Guatemala City.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
La Esperanza
There were no rains today and the sun came out for first time in many days, so the bumpy road was relatively dry and hazard free all the way to La Esperanza. The Lonely Planet tells me that this town of 6000 is the "highest in Honduras" so I expect the weather to be chilly tonight.
Despite the fact that this town is smaller than Marcala, it seems to be more prosperous. Some of the streets are recently paved and there are a number of thriving markets here. And while there's a wider choice of ATMs, also there are many more hotels here than in Marcala. The reality of that fact seems to have driven the average room price down to around $12, which I will pay tonight.
Still there is a sense here of being almost completely outside the "civilized" world. On the Marcala-La Esperanza road there was nothing but high pine forest and a winding dirt road with almost no settlement between points. I had a bit of a secret thrill when I caught a ride in a micro with a woman driver--highly unusual in Central America. At the end of the journey I thanked and complimented her with my kindergarten Spanish: "Usted tienes el poder de mujer!" You have the power of woman! (for which I was rewarded with a hearty laugh).
Although I'll be comfortable here tonight, tomorrow's leg promises to be a bit wearing: it's four hours by bus to my next destination, the old colonial capital of Gracias. Between here and there is the town of San Juan which has no proper hotels, but my trusty LP says I can get a $4 per night homestay if I decide to stop.
Despite the fact that this town is smaller than Marcala, it seems to be more prosperous. Some of the streets are recently paved and there are a number of thriving markets here. And while there's a wider choice of ATMs, also there are many more hotels here than in Marcala. The reality of that fact seems to have driven the average room price down to around $12, which I will pay tonight.
Still there is a sense here of being almost completely outside the "civilized" world. On the Marcala-La Esperanza road there was nothing but high pine forest and a winding dirt road with almost no settlement between points. I had a bit of a secret thrill when I caught a ride in a micro with a woman driver--highly unusual in Central America. At the end of the journey I thanked and complimented her with my kindergarten Spanish: "Usted tienes el poder de mujer!" You have the power of woman! (for which I was rewarded with a hearty laugh).
Although I'll be comfortable here tonight, tomorrow's leg promises to be a bit wearing: it's four hours by bus to my next destination, the old colonial capital of Gracias. Between here and there is the town of San Juan which has no proper hotels, but my trusty LP says I can get a $4 per night homestay if I decide to stop.
The Road to Marcala, Honduras and Beyond
If I had known that the 25 mile trip to Marcala from Perquin was mostly dirt road I might have thought twice about attempting it. I knew beforhand that I was facing a three hour ride but what I didn't know was that three hours was the minimum I could expect.
With too late a start on Tuesday--about 3 p.m.--it took about an hour to reach the remote Honduran frontier post where the immigration office wasn't even open but a friendly Honduran policeman waved me through with a bus full of locals headed to the high and muddy villages on the opposite side.
During the notorious "football war" of 1969, El Salvador's stronger army seized this territory from the Hondurans. With the end of the civil war in 1992, the Hondurans took El Salvador to the World Court which ruled in favor of Honduras. El Salvador accepted this verdict but under protest, and therefore it doesn't maintain an immigration checkpoint here.
The people who live in this tiny slice of territory--mostly of the indigenous Lenca tribe--are technically Salvadoran who happen to live in Honduras. This political grey area also happens to be one of the most remote and impoverished of both countries.
By 4.30 I was dropped off with some locals as far as the bus could go on these steep muddy roads near the village of Sabanetas. From there, I was told, I could try to hitchhike the last treacherous 12 miles to Marcala. Or I could walk. There were no more buses that day.
Fortunately there was one "hostal " in a tiny settlement called Los Cipreses where I was able to get a bunk in a cabin with no electric but with outhouse amenities. All the other cabins were occupied by Honduran NGO workers.
The helpful people of the hostal hooked me up with the one gringo living in the area, a young Peace Corps volunteer by the name of "Frank." He is about nine months through his two year stint here, and as his Spanish is excellent he is a wealth of knowledge about the area. We chatted for about two hours.
It soon became clear that it is the rare tourist who passes through this stunningly beautiful region. (Frank said I was only the third stranded backpacker in Los Cipreses during his tenure thus far.) I spent a chilly, rainy night in my candlelit cabin.
The next morning, Wednesday, found me hiking with my gear up and down the kilometer or so to the Honduran army post where I was able to squeeze onto a micro for the 90 minute journey to Marcala, a town of about 11,000--by far the largest settlement around.
There is a surprisingly large number of foreigners here, but not of the tourist variety--yet it's not so surprising once the brain truly registers the immense scope of the poverty of the locals. The westerners one meets are very busy as aid workers for government and NGO alike (when I checked into my hotel I was asked "Who do you work for?").
Marcala has almost no paved streets at all which tells us, at the very least, that there are more pressing priorities on the very limited resources that are available.
Yet the town boasts a couple cyber shops and even a tiny cafe with an espresso machine which is where I met Rachel, a Wellesly College senior who is on a ten week internship doing research for a Yale-sponsored entity called Innovations for Poverty Action. She enthusiastically described her project studying the underground micro-finance economy of Honduras--basically she's researching loansharks and their customers--and comparing that data with the economy of legitimate micro-finance. With the knowledge gained by her excellent Spanish she was able to fill me in on the latest political situation including details of the coup in 2009 and events since then.
Transport from here to my next destination La Esperanza is also difficult and sporadic. If I cannot catch the 11.00 micro today I'll probably have to hitch a ride on a pickup, a common practice here. Usually the driver will charge the going rate, a dollar or so, same as the buses.
But there's certainly no turning back for me now. Thankfully, Marcala has an ATM so I was able to get stocked with lempiras, the local currency, enough to get me Gracias or hopefully Santa Rosa de Copan. It's only after that that I can hope for better, paved roads
With too late a start on Tuesday--about 3 p.m.--it took about an hour to reach the remote Honduran frontier post where the immigration office wasn't even open but a friendly Honduran policeman waved me through with a bus full of locals headed to the high and muddy villages on the opposite side.
During the notorious "football war" of 1969, El Salvador's stronger army seized this territory from the Hondurans. With the end of the civil war in 1992, the Hondurans took El Salvador to the World Court which ruled in favor of Honduras. El Salvador accepted this verdict but under protest, and therefore it doesn't maintain an immigration checkpoint here.
The people who live in this tiny slice of territory--mostly of the indigenous Lenca tribe--are technically Salvadoran who happen to live in Honduras. This political grey area also happens to be one of the most remote and impoverished of both countries.
By 4.30 I was dropped off with some locals as far as the bus could go on these steep muddy roads near the village of Sabanetas. From there, I was told, I could try to hitchhike the last treacherous 12 miles to Marcala. Or I could walk. There were no more buses that day.
Fortunately there was one "hostal " in a tiny settlement called Los Cipreses where I was able to get a bunk in a cabin with no electric but with outhouse amenities. All the other cabins were occupied by Honduran NGO workers.
The helpful people of the hostal hooked me up with the one gringo living in the area, a young Peace Corps volunteer by the name of "Frank." He is about nine months through his two year stint here, and as his Spanish is excellent he is a wealth of knowledge about the area. We chatted for about two hours.
It soon became clear that it is the rare tourist who passes through this stunningly beautiful region. (Frank said I was only the third stranded backpacker in Los Cipreses during his tenure thus far.) I spent a chilly, rainy night in my candlelit cabin.
The next morning, Wednesday, found me hiking with my gear up and down the kilometer or so to the Honduran army post where I was able to squeeze onto a micro for the 90 minute journey to Marcala, a town of about 11,000--by far the largest settlement around.
There is a surprisingly large number of foreigners here, but not of the tourist variety--yet it's not so surprising once the brain truly registers the immense scope of the poverty of the locals. The westerners one meets are very busy as aid workers for government and NGO alike (when I checked into my hotel I was asked "Who do you work for?").
Marcala has almost no paved streets at all which tells us, at the very least, that there are more pressing priorities on the very limited resources that are available.
Yet the town boasts a couple cyber shops and even a tiny cafe with an espresso machine which is where I met Rachel, a Wellesly College senior who is on a ten week internship doing research for a Yale-sponsored entity called Innovations for Poverty Action. She enthusiastically described her project studying the underground micro-finance economy of Honduras--basically she's researching loansharks and their customers--and comparing that data with the economy of legitimate micro-finance. With the knowledge gained by her excellent Spanish she was able to fill me in on the latest political situation including details of the coup in 2009 and events since then.
Transport from here to my next destination La Esperanza is also difficult and sporadic. If I cannot catch the 11.00 micro today I'll probably have to hitch a ride on a pickup, a common practice here. Usually the driver will charge the going rate, a dollar or so, same as the buses.
But there's certainly no turning back for me now. Thankfully, Marcala has an ATM so I was able to get stocked with lempiras, the local currency, enough to get me Gracias or hopefully Santa Rosa de Copan. It's only after that that I can hope for better, paved roads
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