New Beige is Reborn and we find a Dunkin Donuts

Scarlet Macaws

Copan Ruinas

Hieroglyphic Staircase

Dunkin Donuts Adventure

 

Wednesday, March 28 2012

This morning we checked out of our hotel in Copan and walked almost 1km to the Copan Ruinas.  These ruins are Mayan and are most known for their sculptures.  They were quite extraordinary with many Estelas, which are tower-like sculptures about 10ft high and depicting Mayan kings and other notable figures. Also there was a hieroglyphic staircase that is covered with carvings on each block of the staircase.  Amazing.  The ruins are also known for a network of tunnels that visitors can actually go through.  We however, did not visit them because they another 285 L in addition to the admission.  We couldn’t justify spending $60 on one activity especially when gas costs us like $80/tank.  The ruins also are a breeding ground for Scarlet Macaws and we were able to hear and see the Macaws flying around the area.  A couple of them were flying around and actually dive-bombed Jon.  There was no question that these ruins had the best sculpture of any that we have seen.

We left Copan and began our long day’s drive to reach the coastal city of La Cieba, which is also the name of a sacred tree.  The roads in Honduras are not as good as the roads in Guatemala were but they seemed to have less congestion and there aren’t as many roads so less chance for getting lost.  We did find that we would get stuck behind slow moving trucks a lot and had to make at least 27 dangerous passing maneuvers. As we drove today we passed from the dry desert environment into the lush green tropical environment again. 

While we were driving through an unknown town Jon spotted a Automechanico Electrico so he whipped the truck around and we attempted for about the fifth time to get the electrical problem we have been having with the truck for two months fixed.  Jon tried to explain the problem to this mechanic who only spoke Espanol while I sat in the truck and looked up words he needed to know in our English to Spanish dictionary.  As is the case in most car repair places in Latin America the whole family seems to be part of the show.  Our mechanic looked at our fuses and then started checking out the ground wires and then he shouted “Hay la problema” with a finger in the air and a smile on his face.  We took that to mean good news.  There was a metal bracket that had fallen out of place from somewhere and every time a certain ground wire would touch it we would lose all power to the truck.  The power always came back immediately so it has never been a serious problem.  The mechanic pulled out the metal bracket and threw it on the ground saying that we wouldn’t need it.  Hopefully that's the case.  He fixed the wire area and then sent his little boy helper on his bike to get a fuse that we apparently had also blown in the process.  Jon and I discussed the maximum amount we were willing to pay this man and decided that would be around 1000L ($52).  When the time came he said we were all set to go and told us the price would be 200L ($10.50).  Heck yes!!!  We drove on and came to several bumps in the road where our electrical problem would usually occur and no problemo.  It seems to be fixed.

Driving onward it was hot and sunny.  We came to the town of El Progresso and we were both saying we needed something like an iced coffee.  This usually isn’t something you can get in Latin America because every drink you buy even from a cooler is at best slightly chilled, never anything icy and refreshing.  If it’s a little refreshing it lasts for only a minute.  Someone must have been watching out for us because what do we see shining ahead of us in all its glory, Dunkin Donuts.  We hadn’t seen one of these since we were in Las Vegas, NV.  El Progresso is really progressive!!!!  Jon whipped the truck around and we pulled into the drive-thru and tried to communicate to the lady on the other end that we want iced coffees.  It all worked out and I even used their clean, toilet paper and soap filled bathroom, which is a luxury in these countries. 

We continued to drive and had fully intended to make it to La Cieba but the sun started to set and we were still about 60km away. We have heard many times not to drive at night so I begged Jon to let us get a hotel.  We stopped and got a room for 250L ($15 US) and got a few groceries from the tienda downstairs.  We were able to cook our dinner in the kitchen at the hotel and are preparing for tomorrows boat ride to the island of Utila where we will stay for a couple days to kayak and enjoy the beach.  Hasta luego.