We started out Saturday morning. We'd planned this trip in sort of of haphazard way...calling for reservations the morning of, checking the oil the morning of, not checking the weather even as we saw the rain clouds roll in over Comayagua and listened to the mist falling on the tin roofs of Casa Guadalupe. The thing we did do ahead of time is read guidebooks in the evenings. We had said that if we couldn't find reservations or something passed that we couldn't actually go on our weekend getaway, we'd just stay at home reading guidebooks about all the places to where we could be going. I don't think the boys would have been as entertained, especially as there aren't too many photos in them. But as it was, we drove off at about 9:30 AM just after I remembered to pick up light jackets for me and the boys out of the donation boxes in the bodega at Casa G. Daniel has one and so I left it up to him to pack it, but he didn't. He didn't complain and actually seemed to be hot the whole time even though the boys and I wore our jackets practically the whole time. I thought I was supposed to be the hot one during pregnancy. :)
We drove through beautiful mountains in the misty rain (not the best weather for looking at the scenery, like the tallest mountain peak in Honduras...we never figured out which one it was because the fog covered all the peaks disguising just which one was the tallest), through small towns and villages, over dirt roads (yuck, yuck, yuck) and paved ones (Thank God for paved roads), and finally ended up in the tobacco-making town of Santa Rosa de Copan just after dark. Our hotel was in the old colonial part of the city, not in the newer, industrial part just off the “highway.” Our stomachs we growling for food which we found at a cute little pizza place that just happened to have a small kids' playground under a roof...bonus! Good pizza, no spills, a pleasant walk back that passed by the Cathedral, and good sleep for all.
I must mention that Juan Pablo is almost potty trained, so on this trip we kept him in diapers but he used them like undies, except when there wasn't a potty near by and we told him to just go in his diaper...I don't know if that retards his learning, but hey we're new at this. Also, we were on a destruction streak...at least one spill or break a day. The first place we stopped at, a little restaurant for lunch, Juan Pablo was the first one in and before I could even get in the door after him he went straight over to the display of little crafts, picked up the little ceramic house, and let it slide through his little fingers just as I opened the door. The waiters and cashier behind the desk just sat there...I thought at least they'd provide me a little trash can, but maybe they were a bit astonished at gringos (Daniel and me) and even gringitos (the boys) in their place. They probably see an anglo backpacker or two from time to time, but a family with toddlers has got to be rare. And, yes, they did charge us for the broken ceramic house even though it was a really cute little boy who broke it.
At the next stop to see an old castle, we spilled a whole glase of fresh squeezed lemonade all over me and the table and the floor while the boys made as many crumbs as they could all over the little cafe. I say that “we” spilled it, but actually it was my arm that knocked it over, but it was because I had moved it so that Emmanuel wouldn't knock it over with his arm, and yet, after turning to check his diaper I found that I had put it in just the right spot for me to hit it with my elbow as I turned back around. The girl behind the counter looked glad to see us go.
After attending Mass at the Cathedral the next morning, we drove on to Copan Ruins where we would spend the rest of our time before heading home the next afternoon. Daniel, Juan Pablo, and I visited Copan two years ago with my parents. We stayed at the same little bed and breakfast but did not visit the main site of the Mayan ruins the area is named and famed for. Instead we went to a children's musem made to help them learn about the Mayan people and culture (One of the messages of the Honduran people of Copan to the rest of Honduras is to “know your heritage” as a way to boost the national pride of Hondurans.) There Emmanuel broke a maraca in the music section...we left a donation. After a drive and a hike at a nearby farm with some ruins on it, we found something to eat. There someone, I don't remember who of us, spilled water and the boys left rice all about our table. The next morning we enjoyed a delicious breakfast, beautiful views of the green hills and farms, and lounged around in hammocks all from our B&B.
After a picnic lunch, we walked around the ruins of a residential area of the Mayan. Though very large, it is not visited as much at the main ruins where all the ceremonies, events, and games took place. We were alone except for our guide as we looked at where they people lived and were buried...right under their stone houses. Very fascinating stuff. And such a beautiful, green area full of huge trees and lovely grass. A very nice stop for our last one before heading back to Comayagua. Our route home was shorter and all paved road. :) As always, it was nice to be back in our own abode with people and things familiar.
We drove through beautiful mountains in the misty rain (not the best weather for looking at the scenery, like the tallest mountain peak in Honduras...we never figured out which one it was because the fog covered all the peaks disguising just which one was the tallest), through small towns and villages, over dirt roads (yuck, yuck, yuck) and paved ones (Thank God for paved roads), and finally ended up in the tobacco-making town of Santa Rosa de Copan just after dark. Our hotel was in the old colonial part of the city, not in the newer, industrial part just off the “highway.” Our stomachs we growling for food which we found at a cute little pizza place that just happened to have a small kids' playground under a roof...bonus! Good pizza, no spills, a pleasant walk back that passed by the Cathedral, and good sleep for all.
I must mention that Juan Pablo is almost potty trained, so on this trip we kept him in diapers but he used them like undies, except when there wasn't a potty near by and we told him to just go in his diaper...I don't know if that retards his learning, but hey we're new at this. Also, we were on a destruction streak...at least one spill or break a day. The first place we stopped at, a little restaurant for lunch, Juan Pablo was the first one in and before I could even get in the door after him he went straight over to the display of little crafts, picked up the little ceramic house, and let it slide through his little fingers just as I opened the door. The waiters and cashier behind the desk just sat there...I thought at least they'd provide me a little trash can, but maybe they were a bit astonished at gringos (Daniel and me) and even gringitos (the boys) in their place. They probably see an anglo backpacker or two from time to time, but a family with toddlers has got to be rare. And, yes, they did charge us for the broken ceramic house even though it was a really cute little boy who broke it.
At the next stop to see an old castle, we spilled a whole glase of fresh squeezed lemonade all over me and the table and the floor while the boys made as many crumbs as they could all over the little cafe. I say that “we” spilled it, but actually it was my arm that knocked it over, but it was because I had moved it so that Emmanuel wouldn't knock it over with his arm, and yet, after turning to check his diaper I found that I had put it in just the right spot for me to hit it with my elbow as I turned back around. The girl behind the counter looked glad to see us go.
After attending Mass at the Cathedral the next morning, we drove on to Copan Ruins where we would spend the rest of our time before heading home the next afternoon. Daniel, Juan Pablo, and I visited Copan two years ago with my parents. We stayed at the same little bed and breakfast but did not visit the main site of the Mayan ruins the area is named and famed for. Instead we went to a children's musem made to help them learn about the Mayan people and culture (One of the messages of the Honduran people of Copan to the rest of Honduras is to “know your heritage” as a way to boost the national pride of Hondurans.) There Emmanuel broke a maraca in the music section...we left a donation. After a drive and a hike at a nearby farm with some ruins on it, we found something to eat. There someone, I don't remember who of us, spilled water and the boys left rice all about our table. The next morning we enjoyed a delicious breakfast, beautiful views of the green hills and farms, and lounged around in hammocks all from our B&B.
After a picnic lunch, we walked around the ruins of a residential area of the Mayan. Though very large, it is not visited as much at the main ruins where all the ceremonies, events, and games took place. We were alone except for our guide as we looked at where they people lived and were buried...right under their stone houses. Very fascinating stuff. And such a beautiful, green area full of huge trees and lovely grass. A very nice stop for our last one before heading back to Comayagua. Our route home was shorter and all paved road. :) As always, it was nice to be back in our own abode with people and things familiar.
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