Hello Everyone,
My apologies for not being good about keeping up with my blog more often. I will try and do better from here on out. Ok so where are we these days. I believe we left off with the end of the school year approaching...teachers and students alike ready for the vacaction, getting final grades in, end of years activities and good-byes. Well, we got through all of it and now we are all on vacation. Some volunteer teachers (and friends) have gone back to the states, others to language schools in nearby countries, and some have stayed in Juticalpa. As for me, you'll have to wait til the end to hear about that.









Upon the recommendation of our two friends Sarah and Beth, who were doing our same vacation route but had started 2 days before us, we ledged at a cool hostel where met people from Ireland, USA and Denmark.


Upon entering the archeological site we got our first glimpse of the ruins...very exciting!

There was a good deal of hiking involved. But our guide told us that some of the hills were actually buried pyramids and buildings that have not been uncovered by archeologists.
And then we arrived at our first good view of the ruins. They were bigger than I had imagined. Our guide told us, however, that they actually even bigger in the time of the Mayans because today many of the tops have crumbled off.



There were10-12 ft tall statues called "stelae" everywhere.





This is Jaguar Court, which royalty had access to.

This is why the called it Jaguar court. The carved Jaguars were dancing to please their sun god.



very Indiana Jones-like to say the least!





What it might have looked like during the height of the Mayan civilization (250-800 AD).



There are several thousand glyphs on the 64 steps.


After getting a close up of the stiarcase we headed over to ball court, which was the 2nd largest in Central America...it is incredible that people have been excited about futbol here in Latin America for so long. The Mayan futbol was a little more hardcore however: a three pound rubber ball, players used their shoulders as well as hands and feet to move the ball, and last but not least, the winning team was sacrificed to the gods. Whoa!

After the ball court we moseyed over the the Great Plaza. This is where the common fold were allowed to mingle.


And that pretty much wrapped up seeing the Copan ruins. I have been wanting to go here even before I arrived in Honduras and so was very satisfied to have made a dream a reality.

After the ruins, Mario and I explored the town of Copan Ruinas. Like all Spanish style cities and towns, there was an iglesia with the parque central in front of it.



parque central

we got gigantic baleadas at a little restaurant called Vamos a Ver

The next day we left. This is the fertile Copan Valley where the most brilliant ancient civilization once lived - the Mayas.

More busrides from Copan to San Pedro and then over to the north coast to the city of La Ceiba, where we were going to meet up with our California friends Michael and Kathy. They had been visiting Guatemala for a few weeks before.


Our destination was the a little town outside of La Ceiba called Sambo Creek. Here would be our take-off point by boat to the little islands of Cayos Cochinos. This is the beachfront hotel we stayed at in Sambo Creek. It was nice to be with good friends.

Micahel wasted no time getting to relaxing.

And who wouldn't at a place like this?

Bright and early the next day we had some pan de coco (coconut bread) for breakfast and jumped into a boat to go to Cayos Cochinos.

And after at least a 45 minute ride through some choppy water (good job Kathy for making it through that), we arrived....que bonita (how pretty).

This is where we went snorkeling...40 foot visibility at least.




Then it was time to get back on the boat and return to the mainland.

That night the six of us were back in Ceiba where we got some great seafood but even better was the company.

It was time to part the next day, but also the Honduras world cup game was on at 5:00 a.m.
So we got up at 4:30, put on our jerseys and went to the bus station where they had a tv on the wall. Sadlly we (Honduras) lost to Chile.


So our vacation came to an end. Where does that leave us now. Michael went back to the states, Kathy to language school in Guatemala, Sarah and Beth back to the states as well and Mario and I to remain in Juticalpa for June and July.
And what are we doing with ourselves in Juticalpa? Well, we decided to teach an English course for some extra money (mario speaks english very well) in the afternoons.

Here's our flier that we posted around town.

And in the mornings I am working on Mario's farm. With me here is Sam, a short term volunteer with OAF, and four seminarians from the states, who are visiting Honduras for six weeks.
On the farm we grow plantains, yucca, guanabana, onion, carrots, chata, mahogany, papaya and mangos.

Here's our flier that we posted around town.

And in the mornings I am working on Mario's farm. With me here is Sam, a short term volunteer with OAF, and four seminarians from the states, who are visiting Honduras for six weeks.

So that is where I am at now...working on the farm and teaching english until the next school year starts. Some big adventures lately, but now my pace has changed a bit slower...which is fine with me.
Hope you are well.
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