Tuesday, July 03, 2007

Hats in Honduras

Last weekend I crossed a border into Honduras with my schoolmate and fellow Swede. We saw Copàn Ruinas (the city) and Copàn (the Mayan ruins). Met many fellow backpackers and enjoyed the tiny town. Particularly I enjoyed the men in cowboy hats with machettes. Just for work, no worries. Many horses there, too. The ride over entailed 6 hours in a tourist passenger van listening to Spanish dance and jive music. Incredibly unique to be cruising up and around mountainous corners passing other vans, trucks, buses. It was the heat + music + speed + scenary that hit me. This is a lucky summer indeed.

One man I met is worth further description. He is a clown by profession from Wales, though really a wanderer from country to country. Currently he is dating a hippie Guatemalan. She and her friends really reminded me of American hippies, so to say. I met him as I ran home from the ruins in the rain with my friend. He invited us to see his band. We joined him, but he was the band. So I and my Belgian friend played some bongo, sang, danced and dreamt of the first international tour of our new band. Oh the characters you´ll meet.

The many travels are extremely tempting. Optional future travels include seeing a lake surrounded by volcanoes, cave adventures, jungle river rides, seeing tortugas (turtles!) by the ocean, plus plus plus. This Saturday I will climb the largest volcano in the area, Volcàn Acatenango. There are supposely banditos there, bandits, say some. We are taking a guide with a gun, which I always do on hikes around here - it´s typical. Also, I will not take any money or my camera. Just a sweater and rain coat. No worries. The police thwart off banditos around here Banditos are only interested in the lone sheep.. and that I am not.. thanks to the loving advice of family.

2 comments:

Mom said...

Good-bye Sarha, hello Sarita!

Anonymous said...

Is it possible to come down there and intern with the banditos? I'm looking into a career shift and that sounds right for me.