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In the Western part of the country, at least, there are enough churches to satisfy even the most rabid colonial architecture aficionado. Some of the smallest, most humble examples can also be the most touching. We're not talking vertiginous naves and gold-laden altars here, but peaceful and cool sanctuaries, away from the sun and from the worries of the world.
The food I tried was good and inexpensive, but also remarkably unchanging. Except on the coast, where there is plenty of seafood, the fare is almost set in stone: plantains, pork chops, refried beans, hard cheese, eggs, avocado, and tortillas. You can add variety with licuados (fruit smoothies). And, of course, there is always plenty of coffee on hand.
I felt 100% safe in the parts of Honduras which I visited. Not coincidentally, I noticed that family ties are very strong there. Everyone seems to be carrying a toddler or accompanying a senior citizen. Even young men who sell bootleg DVDs do it while minding a baby. It's probably an oversimplification, but I had a feeling that Honduran society is basically decent.
When I was there several years ago, the water supply in Juticalpa was turned on from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., which would have worked fine except for during those hours the Sandinistas would on occasion sabbotage the water supply.I'm pretty sure washing clothes in the river was a common activity, regardless of whether the city had running water, and it was where where I ended up bathing during the week I was there (upstream from the cattle, on good days).
The money is Honduras is the Lempira named after an indio called Lempira. The lempira was fluctuating a little in between my two trips around 10-15 Lempiras for $1 US. The only currency of any real value in Honduras is the US Dollar. I wouldn't risk bringing other currencies. It was possible to get cash advances from my credit card at most major banks (Banco de Occidente, Banco Atlantida and Bancahsa in Tela for example or Banco Atlantida, Credomatico, Aval Card and Honducard in SPS). Most banks are open from 8:00 to 12:00 and from 2:00 to 4:00 from Monday to Friday, and only in the morning on Saturday.In San Pedro Sula there are always touts trying to get you to change your dollars on the street near the central park. The rate they are offering is usually the same as those of the banks. In Tela, however, I was living there for sometime and new the touts quite well (they knew me by name)...
Carving of the head of an old man. If you think about it, he must have been a Ruler - why else would they have gone through the trouble. Actually I have since learned it's the head of a bacab, one of fifteen around the base of a temple. 'bacabs' were representations of Mayan deities, and there were perhaps as many as 166 of these. In a complicated system, each bacab also represented a direction (east or west for example), as well as a color.
The famous 'petroglyph' or 'heiroglyph' staircase at Copan. If they ever get all these stones back in the proper order, they may be able to translate the Mayan writing some day. For all we know it just might say 'Please keep to the right.' hehe- just kidding!
Another Mayan 'stele'Take the trouble to go up the road another kilometer and visit the connecting site known as 'Las Sepulturas.' It is called the 'tombs' for the burials found under the floors of the buildings. But perhaps more importantly it points to how Mayan society organized itself, with relatives of the Ruler of Copan probably being given compounds of their own to live in. If you look at the site carefully you can tell, even by the topography, who was important and who was less important in descending order. The caretakers here are very lonely, few tourists bother to come.But it is certainly worth a visit.One of the workers kicked the dirt and then picked up an object and handed it to me. It was a piece of a Mayan obsidian blade.
Honduran 'money' is the Lempira, and the exchange rate as of 3/2001 was 15.25 Lempiras = $1 American. The currency is basically notes, so if you are owed in change for example 5.20 Lempira don't be surprised if you don't get the 20 centavos. Nobody likes the coins as they are basically worthless, so they tend to round things off.Rule of thumb:15 Lempira = $1.00*20 Lempira note = $1.35*50 Lempira note = about $3.25*100 Lempira note = about $6.50*500 Lempira note = about $33* (but change them at a bank cause no one else usually has enough to change them - except gas station attendants, of course!).By the way, as soon as you leave the airport you will be greeted with money changers with big wads of bills. You might as well change some money with them. Apparently it isn't illegal, they do it quite openly, and you will get the same rate or better than the rate being offered in the...
Looks very Indian doesn't it? An interesting trivia fact > Only two early civilizations came to an understanding of the value of 0 in mathematics, and about the same time - 700AD. The Indians and the Maya.
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Hotel Portal del Angel Tegucigalpa
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Isabella Boutique Hotel San Pedro Sula
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Reviews and photos of Honduras attractions posted by real travelers and locals. The best tips for Honduras sightseeing.
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Q: Hello fellow travelers. I am planning a trip to Honduras this Jan through Feb. When looking at all the pictures of places to go,...
A: Although it's been a while since my last visit to Honduras, I can offer a few recommendations. I'd put Trujillo near the top of your list - it's got nice beaches, an...
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