Day 3.
Just before 5am we boarded the mini-bus for the drive to Honduras.
The plan was to first head east to Guatemala City and then onto the border with Honduras before continuing on to the town of
Copán Ruinas.
At a service station on the eastern outskirts of Guatemala City to refuel, use the bathroom and buy some snacks.
Stopping for something to eat about the half-way mark in Santa Cruz. I tried to pay for my meal with US dollars but they were very picky with the condition of my $20 notes as apparently the Guatemalan banks are also quite super fussy. Juan said not to worry though as Honduras, El Salvador and Nicaragua readily take US currency.
Bienvenido a Honduras! We arrived at the border just after midday and crossed over into Honduras, my 125th country visited.
Outside Hotel Calle Real in the town of
Copán Ruinas just before 1pm.
And my room for our one night stay.
Copán Ruinas is a town close to the border that serves as a gateway for people traveling to see the nearby Mayan ruins of Copán, a UN World Heritage site.
A match underway on the local football pitch.
We then went for a walk into town.
Parque Central with the Parroquia San José Obrero Church on the bottom-left.
Some of the locals enjoying the shade in the main plaza on their weekend.
At Restaurante La Casa de Todo for lunch, enjoying banana pancakes with a decent sized
Tiste horchata de cacao con leche (cacao thirst quencher with milk).
Over lunch I chatted with Bruce, a very interesting guy from new Orleans on the trip also. He was 83 but could pass easily for someone 10-20 years younger. He used to work for Boeing in Houston including for the Moon program in the 1960's. His wife of 60 years had passed away a few years ago, and as she hadn't been too keen on travelling he was now catching up with adventures all over the world including visiting Antarctica and going on safari in Africa.
In the afternoon we climbed into a couple of minvans for a 45 minute ride into the Honduran countryside to the appropriately named village of Agua Caliente (Hot Water).
Crossing over a swing bridge over the Rio Managua at Jaguar Moon Spa.
