The Big Big Trip Journal! If you want to make the man (or woman) upstairs laugh, just tell him your plans!

[HobbesOnTour]

Covid Interlude, Sunday, June 27, 2021, Antigua to Ciudad de Guatemala 42 km Total KM 2033

Min meters 1525, Max Meters 2103
Total Climb 648 Total Descent 646
Min Temp 19 Max Temp 33 Ave Temp 24

Leaving Antigua

I should have been disappointed, up at 5am, up to the roof with my coffee gear and a bit of breakfast all ready to savour the sun weaving its magic on the sky, the volcanoes and the town when Mother Nature decided to send in a load of low, grey cloud.
Still though, as mornings go it was like Antigua - calming.

A bit of calm wouldn't go amiss. I'm heading in to the Capital and I can expect a bit of stress. I'll take the calmness when I can.

Morning in the Plaza

​

Not wishing to damage myself or the bike I walked the cobbles to the edge of town and the main road to Guate (as the locals call it).
It's a dual carriageway, split, in the sense that the other side is somewhere else. And I have a reasonably decent shoulder all to myself!

Not a bad road in all fairness!

​

I reckoned there was about a 15km climb, a plateau, then downhill to the city. Get the climb out if the way and the worst would be over. Off I went.

it didn't take long for the clouds to disperse and the sun to come out to play but I had plenty of shade from a variety of pine trees. My biggest issue was motorbikes - lots of them, racing up, engines loudly protesting and displaying little roadcraft. Other than that there was often silence, except for the birds - ever more exotic sounding.

Nearing the summit, Werner came up behind me on a road bike and we had a bit of a chat - not the easiest thing for me, loaded, going uphill. My Spanish must be worse than people have being letting on because he wrote about the encounter on Facebook getting all the major details wrong! Oh well!

Once over the peak the two sides merged again and the far side was chock a block! I pulled in for a coffee and since it was Sunday, a slice of cake and got chatting to some motorcyclists.

​

Setting off again I was glad of a shoulder - traffic was pretty heavy. As always, the shoulder could not be relied on so it was an easy, slow descent never knowing what to expect. Heavy on the brakes.

Sometimes I could snatch a view down below

​

Getting closer to the city things got hairier and I had the perfect example of the different driving styles between México and Guatemala, for better and worse.
In slow moving traffic a road joined mine with the optimistic traffic happily rolling over the shoulder to edge their way in, effectively blocking my way. A common occurrence in México. However, there, it is normal to get the hell out of the way, normally by pulling back or randomly by pulling out into the traffic.
Not here!
Studiously ignored I had to pull up in order to navigate around them.
Thankfully, a red car saw my predicament, slowed to a crawl, threw on their hazard lights and signalled to me to take the lane. They sat behind me holding off the traffic. Once I was past the shoulder jumpers and back in the shoulder they pulled alongside, gave a toot and a wave and drove off.

Taking the bike route!​

I had two routes in Gizmo - one for a car and one for a bike. When things got really hairy and uncomfortable, I loaded up the bike route and within five minutes was wandering along a cycle path.
(I'm using Osmand now and usually the car routes are fine - and quicker to generate).

There are relatively few Colonial era buildings. Most are new

​

Getting to the AirBnB was tricky because it's in a security area, behind gates manned by guards but I eventually rolled up to the most unwelcoming person I've ever met!
I dropped my gear, had a quick shower and headed out - I was on a mission!

​

My destination was a Sports store and the only Thermarest agent in Guatemala.
According to the Thermarest website they would deal with my problem. A WhatsApp chat from Antigua had me less optimistic.
Of course they wouldn't accept responsibility for something they hadn't sold. I had to contact Thermarest.
But they're not replying!
Could the agent contact Thermarest?
They could try but an answer might be a month or two!
In any case I had a look at their stock of mats.
I also had a look at tents! Had they had a light one I may well have bought one!

In the centre, opposite a market. The congregation can walk out the door, walk across the road and choose from some of the most risqué lingerie yet!

​

Chores done I went for a walk.

Chat? Yes Please!
https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/chat-zone-for-the-big-big-trip-journal.254098/

 

[HobbesOnTour]

Ciudad de Guatemala

Getting robbed at gunpoint can kind of influence your opinion of a place and I'm afraid that I'm not big enough to get over that.

I'm fine - no real harm done, lost a telephone and a small bit of cash. Also my (old) passport card and my ID for the ship - That's what I'll miss most! I've lost my proof that for a couple of weeks I was a sailor!
Oh and photos. Almost a full memory card's worth. They're all backed up on Google, though.

There are billboards up around town with the Guatemalan competitors for this year's Olympics

​

The Airbnb was a bitter disappointment. I've never felt more unwelcome. I had to ask for keys, getting keys to the house on the second day and one to my room on the second night. Certain "perks" like the use of a terrace and coffee never materialised. I was not impressed.

Visiting the shop/agent for Thermarest was frustrating. There was nothing they could offer without the sayso of Thermarest and they had no better way of contacting them than I did.

We agreed that I'd return on Monday, hopefully having had contact with Thermarest.
At this stage I didn't really care about a replacement, I wanted acknowledgement from Thermarest that their "system" of support was about as useful as my mat.

A Brexit benefit? No longer supporting Guatemalan farmers?​

Chores done I headed into the centre about 4km away. What an uninspiring walk!
Again and again I was reminded of the US.
Pedestrians are an afterthought. Paths are there, alright, but disappear, don't join up and are just generally unpleasant.
There are vast commercial areas with no (apparent) living areas or shops and restaurants.
And all the American brands are present when it comes to food.

I had picked out the "Municipal Plaza" and was heading for that. I wasn't really surprised to find it was a carpark!
Since night was getting ready to fall I set off towards home.

However, I did come across a long, narrow park (actually a divider of a dual carriageway, the Park of the Americas, which had distinct sections for each country.
There seems to be a sense of belonging amongst the countries around here. México has started shipping vaccines to Guatemala, Colombia has just given 10 year status to millions of refugees fleeing Venezuela. Guatemala has a statue commerating the help México offered its citizens during its Civil War.

The EU generally, and Austria specifically helping to develop lake Atitlán​

On spec, near home I dropped into an electronics store to check out their phones. Mine has been acting up and this is probably the last main city for a while.
I was quite pleased to find a mid year "Black Friday" promo giving a very good price on a newer model of my cheapy Chinese phone. My needs are specific - a dual sim (one for my Dutch card, one for a local one) and the ability to add a memory card.
Not having money or cards on me I went home to do research.

Monday morning I tried Thermarest again. Nothing. Nada. Zilch.
I decided to get my new phone, get back to the Airbnb and begin the setup over the good wifi, see if Thermarest replied and one way or another get a mat.

The best part of the AirBnB! Day and night a stream of ants busy

​

I got the phone, had a bite to eat, went to the bank to get cash and headed home. A rain shower had me ducking under the arch of a closed business. (Either a lot of companies have shut down or a lot of places take Monday off). With nothing else to do I sat on the steps, took out my phone and started writing up my notes.
The rain eventually lightened so I hopped up, popped my phone in the pocket of the jacket and started to walk down the steps not really paying attention to the car that pulled up in front of me.
A young fella, about 15/16 hopped out and I greeted him with a cheerful "Hola!".

Then he pointed a gun at me.

I know I said "Oh" and I'm pretty sure I let out a (very unmanly) yelp.
You know, you think you know what you might do in these situations but pfft!
Unless you've practiced and practiced the mind goes blank.
Once he had my cooperation, indicated by my raising my hands, he lowered the gun, holding it against his crotch, invisible to anyone passing (nobody did). His hand went straight for where my phone had gone moments before and then he started to frisk me. Badly, not helped by my wearing a gore tex jacket from a man twice my size. (Thanks, Big Fella!)
He ignored my ciggies in my front right trousers pocket, failed to realise there was a pocket below that (with my wallet), never checked my ass (cards) and ignored my left side altogether (more cash).
Then he was climbing into the little metallic orange car and he was gone.
I remember looking and thinking I should get the reg but my brain wasn't working.
On my back my scruffy Decathlon backpack with my Kindle, Mazi and my new phone!

One particularly interesting church​

I don't think he spoke a word. He didn't need to - the gun said it all. Silver, well used, automatic I had no desire to find out if it was fake or not.
Looking back, I think he was as scared as I was. I was bigger than him but he had a buddy behind the wheel.

There was nobody on the street because of the rain. It was about two pm. It's not a bad or dodgy street - the Indian Embassy is on it. I have done this hundreds of times in the past year and a bit - sit down somewhere, watch, write a few notes. It was totally unexpected.

I was fine heading back to the Airbnb. In fact, within five minutes I was inside a "security zone" where the entire neighborhood is behind gates manned by guards. In fact, I was even giggling a little that they got a phone that I was about to replace, missed the new one and the cash I was after withdrawing from the bank.

Railway museum. I had to put my backpack in a locker but got a special dispensation to take Mazi along

​

I got home, fired up my tablet and set about all the boring stuff - erasing the phone, new passwords, cancelling WhatsApp etc while setting up the new one. A great advantage of having a second device.
In the middle of all this a response from Thermarest - they were going to contact someone in warranties. I asked them to be prompt.

A little later it dawned on me that I might want to leave on Tuesday, rather than Wednesday as planned. To do that I needed a sleeping mat. Back to the store.

It was only outside I felt suddenly uneasy. I resisted the urge to go back inside and followed busy streets to the store, bought another mat (I really didn't want to buy a Thermarest on principle but I had limited options) and headed for home.
Of course, without my phone (at home downloading all the old phone) I got a bit lost. I walked off the anxiety, forced myself to eat and found my way home.

A rare picture of the world's laziest tiger in the driving seat!

​

Tuesday dawned and I awoke very conflicted - part of me wanted out of the city asap and part of me wanted to face down the anxiety.

I resisted the urge to run and took a wander back into the centre, along a more interesting route this time. After a while my anxiety morphed into anger. I was mad. Mad at what the little bastard had done. Not the phone, not the bit of cash. He took my confidence. Everyone was a threat now. I didn't like feeling that way.
I stopped for a coffee and had a good chat with myself. I told myself it was alright to be nervous. I had a feckin' gun pointed at me for God's sake. But.
But I've been gone for almost two years and the vast, vast majority of people have been nothing but good and kind.
Then I got up and set off again remembering all the good things that have happened to me.

Bathroom signs!

​

To be honest, I didn't see very much! And I don't think I missed much! My phone pretty much stayed in my pocket as I wandered around. I got a case for it, a screen protector and an adapter to be able to transfer photos from my camera to my phone. This phone has a new type of socket. I couldn't get a SIM card without ID.
Ironically, after specifically looking for a phone to take two SIM cards I now don't have a single SIM!

Downtown Guate

​

I did go to the Holocaust museum but it was closed. As were a couple of other museums but I wasn't bothered. Being out and about was the important thing.
I did visit a railway museum which was very interesting.

I went home and got organised for an early departure. I've done my walkabout, faced the fear but I still can't wait to get out of Guate!

Chat? Yes Please!
https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/chat-zone-for-the-big-big-trip-journal.254098/

 

[HobbesOnTour]

Covid Interlude, Wednesday, June 30, 2021, Ciudad de Guatemala to Guastatoya 83 km Total KM 2116

Min meters 520, Max Meters 1548
Total Climb 775 Total Descent 1721
Min Temp 18 Max Temp 38 Ave Temp 27

Getting the hell out of Guate!

I was up very early and both anxious to go yet a bit perturbed about actually getting out there!

For reasons that don't need explaining I took practically no photos in the city. Mother Nature and the Touring Gods gave me lots of compensation though.

​

The first part of getting out of the city was straightforward enough, navigating back across the centre. Osmand did a good job and had me on the main roads for minimum amounts of time and threw in some very pleasant, quiet streets to enjoy. No photos though - for some reason I was nervous taking my new phone out!

My first decent view of the countryside after leaving Guate behind. I could feel pressure in my chest just lifting and floating away. The city was one of the most difficult to actually get out of.

​

Getting back out the other side was the tricky part with flyovers, tunnels and inconsiderate traffic. Not having a specific destination in mind I took my time. Only one priority - get out of Guate with the minimum of stress.

Twice I ended up in the wrong side of the dual carriageway - blame 50/50 between Osmand and I.
Once, this involved climbing a monster, short hill in very heavy traffic with water and sand flowing downhill from roadworks higher up.
The second involved heading back towards the centre to find a spot to turn around.

Tricky to get out..... But oh was it worth it!​

I did stop for a coffee coming up to 8 am and watched the post 8am traffic towards the centre start to ease off.

Then it was pretty much out into the country and cheers when a shoulder appeared that actually seemed like it would stay. At about that time I started getting clear views of mountains and clouds ahead of me.

My trajectory was generally down with some short steep ascents. For a while I seemed to be travelling through the never ending village but soon the countryside took over and I was surrounded by mountains of all hues, vivid blue skies and perfect, virginal clouds.

What a place to live!

​

As always, there's not much relaxing on these roads. Rockfalls and trees appeared regularly on curves but I was getting back into my groove. A very late breakfast in a filling station gave me fuel for more.

There were lots of quarries today but on rounding a bend this one took a while to settle down in my eyes

​

Crossing a river the wind nearly took me out and then I had a hairy climb (steep!) in heavy traffic without a shoulder. At the top back to normal.

It's humid here, altitude varying from 800 to 1000 meters. And hot. It's interesting how much the two combined take out of me. Dark skies and raindrops prompted me to shelter in a filling station but the rain held off.

It wasn't all blue skies, but the rain never really got beyond spitting at me

​

A little further down the road there was gridlock. I weaved through a couple of Kms of stalled traffic to be stopped just short of a village by a serious accident.

I have no idea if the two are linked but this truck lost a wheel on the opposite dual carriageway to the accident.

​

Seeing some guys repaving a small and steep access road to the village a little ahead, I asked their permission to go up. No problem! They even pushed me up!

It was my plan to detour through the village and get back on the road. Distance from Guate was what I wanted.
But I stopped on the edge of the village for a cold coke and a farmer walked his few cows home for milking.
I wasn't in the big city anymore!

I can't possibly explain my thought process but when I saw these (scrawny) cows being driven for milking I knew this was my kind of place.

​

I had no urge to be on the main road when all that backlog could move again so I navigated to the Plaza - so pleasant - found a hotel & checked in!
A friendly little town - just what the doctor ordered!

A Plaza! Bright, cheery and full of people!

​

Later, I discovered just how friendly. I'd tried to get a SIM card for my new phone in the city but they wanted ID. Since I didn't have it on me (and my trusty, out of date Passport Card is now gone) I couldn't proceed.
Spying a phone shop on my wanderings, I hopped in explaining, tourist, passing through, lost phone, new phone, need SIM card.
No problem!
Until activation! Then supply ID number. I offered to get it from the hotel but we weren't sure an Irish Passport would work.
No problem, a man standing there took out his ID and said "use mine".
Small towns and the people in them!

Mis compañeros!

​

Chat? Yes Please!
https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/chat-zone-for-the-big-big-trip-journal.254098/

 

[HobbesOnTour]

Covid Interlude, Thursday, July 01, 2021, Guastatoya to Teculután 51 km Total KM 2167

Min meters 185, Max Meters 595
Total Climb 527 Total Descent 797
Min Temp 28 Max Temp 45 Ave Temp 36


Google doesn't know everything!

Getting artistic with the portrait feature on the new phone. Mazi travels like that unless there's a headwind or we're motoring downhill - then he sits up!

​

I had airco and a fan last night! Bliss!
I woke up about 4, thought about getting up and getting ahead of the heat but I was sleeping well and hadn't the previous couple of nights so I rolled over for another deep sleep.

It was 10 am when I was leaving having breakfasted beside the Plaza and not a shred of guilt was felt! The sun was, though! Hot already! Climbing towards 30C. The day peaked at 46C and I felt every single degree!

Guastatoya. A balm of a town, much needed, much appreciated

​

I joined the melee of traffic typical of any Guatemalan town, got caught out by the one way system so did a goodbye lap of the Plaza and then up, up, up to the main road.
As things turned out there were roadworks and a dodgy shoulder. That, with the backlog of traffic yesterday would have been hell!!

There was a bit of a climb from the get go so I was sweaty in no time. Then rolling, gently up, longer down.
As always, the shoulder was challenging but today Mother Nature was putting on a show!

There's no editing here, the colours really are that vivid! This new phone seems to be better at picking up the colours - or maybe the old one had a dirty screen​

I had no destination in mind, pretty confident that I'd find accommodation in the towns liberally sprinkled along the road. My priority was simple - somewhere friendly!

I'm getting close to the Honduran border too, so need to start thinking about (another) Covid test and the logistics of getting that to the border before it expires.

Feck the overhanging thumb - what a view!

​

At one stage my 4 lane dual carriageway simply ended to be replaced by a bumpy, broken two lanes! No warnings, no notices. Nada!
Thankfully it returned a few hundred meters later around a bend.

Later, the same thing happened at a bridge - 4 lanes but only one 2 lane bridge. No signs, nothing, just an instinctive move across on to the other carriageway. Mad Ted!

The clouds here are magical!

​

I stopped at a McDonalds of all places for a big cold drink. They had a shaded area outside where I could sit and use the WiFi to look for possible Covid test locations. (I'd planned to do that in the city but things happened). Hmmm. It's looking trickier than I hoped.

Then the road dropped permanently back to two lanes and a long climb. I really felt it. The heat. The humidity. Gravity. And the real killer - the fumes! Some of the trucks don't move much faster than me so I'm in the pollution zone for quite a while.
Then the descent and then things levelled off. Gentle ups and downs but hot. And hot.
I am very much amused at myself at how quickly I can forget the feeling!😊
Also, at the risk of coming across as a selfish, whiney child, what I would have given for some rain!😀. Although, the reality is that the road would have been far less manageable in the wet.

I decided enough was enough and pulled off at the next town. I found a hotel that was cheap with a lovely, friendly receptionist. I checked in, couldn't find my room, found it, had a cold shower and went off to explore.

I did some serious research on the Covid tests and it was looking like a return trip to the city!! Nooooooooooo! (A bus trip - I'd never manage the border in 72 hours otherwise).

I can't imagine experiencing this the same way on a bus!

​

Back at the hotel I asked my friendly receptionist who called a confab of employees together and arrived at the consensus that a new hospital around the corner could do a test.

Sceptical, I wandered off in the dark to this shiny, new building, asked if it was possible to be told "of course".
Then there's the small matter of what type of test is acceptable at the border. When the chap discovered I was travelling by bike he became far less formal, checked on the Honduras Govt website and confirmed their Antigen test was available. Now! Or in the morning!
We decided on the morning so he helped me fill out the form so that things will go speedy in the morning.

Small towns!

Another welcoming place I passed. For some reason I have an almost Pavlovian negative response to "San Cristobal"

​

Chat? Yes Please!
https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/chat-zone-for-the-big-big-trip-journal.254098/

 

[HobbesOnTour]

Covid Interlude, Friday, July 02, 2021, Teculután to Sábana Grande 56 km Total KM 2223

Min meters 184, Max Meters 515
Total Climb 656 Total Descent 425
Min Temp 26 Max Temp 40 Ave Temp 36

From agony to ecstasy!

I was up and at the clinic for 7am. I was even expected! "Are you the man crossing the border on a bicycle?"
There was a lot of waiting, another strange exploration of my nose and finally the all important piece of paper!

It was already hot so I had breakfast at the hotel, packed up and left town.

Hot. Did I say it was hot?

​

I'm now on a bit of a countdown - 72 hours to get across the border before my cert is invalid. I'd picked out a place on iOverlander where I can camp about 50km down the road. There's a junction there that will allow me choose my border crossing, leaving 60 or 80 km the next day. Only one problem - there's a perfect triangle in the gradient profile that I'll be hitting at the hottest part of the day.

Mountains everywhere!

​

Getting out of town was straightforward, if tricky, a description that could be applied to the whole day.
Like an Irish summer I could never be sure if the shoulder existed, if it would stay or be overrun with various kinds of flotsam.

The first part was relatively flat and lush. I recall cycling along under a marvellous canopy of trees, the shade a cooling balm and the various scents stimulating all ruined when a battered truck rattled by hot air from its engine blasting me and manky, black fumes suffocating me.

I am incredibly close to nature in these parts!

​

At one stage I crossed a wide, surging, brown river carrying all kinds of things along with it. Unusually, I had a bit of space to pull in, so I did. I'm getting used to a bit of vibration on bridges, but this was off the scale wobbly!! Terrifying! When a low loader went past carrying a huge Caterpillar digger I held my breath until it was off the bridge! Getting back on the bike was tricky simply because the bridge was shaking so much from the traffic!

It's rare I get a chance to photograph a river because the bridges are deathtraps for cyclists - narrow, no shoulder, a high, narrow footpath and of course, all the crap swept up against it.
Another example of Guatemala aping the U.S.​

In the heat, any climbing had me sweating, then any descent was gloriously chilling. I was already drinking a lot and I hadn't even hit the main climb.

As the climb started I spotted a comedor and shop and pulled in thinking I might rest an hour or two and let the worst of the heat pass.

I pulled up and immediately began to have doubts as three, possibly four generations of females all called out to me encouraging me to sit down. The shop was first (and now that I could see it properly, was pretty empty) and the women were at a building behind it.
I'm a little bit ashamed to say that my first thought was that it could be a scene from Deliverance.
However, there was no way I could mistake the genuine warmth coming from every single one.
I was bade sit down, offered tortillas, asked about eggs, then onions, given cold water.
If I said these people were dirt poor it would be a literal description, not a commentary. The floor was dirt. The roof was mismatched strips, squares and rectangles of corrugated iron, patched and supported by logs, timber offcuts and string.
The beds were outside under the roof. There was nothing electrical that I could see, although I did spy an old meter hanging off a wall.
My food was prepared over an open fire in a room that filled with smoke.
A few chickens and young chicks pecked around and there seemed to be a handful of scrawny kittens, although no cat.
There seemed to be several generations of women present and two teenage boys.
The youngest, a little girl, I'd put at no more than three.
She had a toy and was playing quite creatively, I thought. Her sister and one brother helped her along.
Her toy? Dough.
Not "play dough", actual dough, the same stuff that was used for my tortillas.
It was rolled into a ball and used to make "fingerprints", then a mould for her elbow.
The real fun began when she started sticking her nose in it.
It was both incredibly interesting and incredibly sad.
I introduced her to Frida. They hit it off.

Clouds!

​

We talked as I waited, then ate. Where was I from, where was I going. Family? Did I have a wife? Children? When I replied in the negative the comment was made that God was my companion. I couldn't argue with that. It would have been rude.
God features in everyday life here in a manner that is strange to me. He's as present as you and I. Growing up in Catholic Ireland I was told the same thing (normally in the way that God was watching everything I did) but I never felt it. It always seemed awkward, forced. Not here. People talk about it normally.

A man showed up, about my age, whom I took to be the little girl's father. He was friendly if a little hard to understand and wanted to try out his few words of English (most people do here).
He offered me "coca" and I couldn't be sure if it was cola or cocaine! I declined both! (It was cola!)
Then the little girl's actual father showed up leading a donkey loaded with sticks. People cook on fires and fires need firewood! Each stick was actually from a hefty branch, I'd say a diameter of about three inches, each the same length and each had been carefully chopped with a machete and stacked, self supporting on the donkey's back. That's a lot of work.
He was sixty if he was a day, throwing my grasp of the family hierarchy into confusion.
It's not unusual to see an older man with a younger woman. Perhaps in the smaller places options are limited, or more likely, the men go away to work and only return to settle down when they can support a family. Sometimes that can take a while.

A lot of farming taking place, on a bigger scale than I have seen for a while. I even saw a tractor!

​

It was a very interesting experience, although at times I felt like an exhibit. I think they'd be appalled that I felt anything but welcome.
When the time came for me to leave it was made clear that absolutely no way would money be accepted.
This wasn't an Irish "Oh-Don't-Be-So-Silly-But-If-You-Really-Want-To-Leave-Something-On-The-Table-That'd-Be-Fine.
It was a Christian Open your door to the traveller. I risked grave insult by pushing the issue.
If I could have bottled the goodwill I felt leaving that little shack I'd be the wealthiest man on the planet.
Frida has a good home.

This is a typical shoulder situation. It's below the level of the road which is great because I have it all for myself! However, at junctions it fills with crap, at bridges it disappears, it can be filled with sand, gravel, tree branches, dead animals or rocks. Then it's tricky to get back on to the road because of the height difference. Sometimes it just morphs into a rain gulley too!​

Going up in the sun I was getting my ass kicked! A climbing lane was announced but with minimal road markings it was just a free for all. Not pleasant.
I laboured, I sweated, I swore, I walked after one close pass too many, then continued cycling again. I stopped in shade, I suffered in sun.

At last I made the summit and swiftly lost all the height. Oh, but the cool wind on my soaking body! It was bordering on sinful!!

After that descent it was uphill again, but more gentle. I reached Chiquimula and pulled in for a cold drink and a sandwich. Then through the madness of a Guatemalan town and out the other side.

I was heading for a hotel that allowed camping. The last mention of this place was over a year ago, I can't find any info online, I'm just trusting in a little community. I took a side road and passed a few hotels so I'd have back ups if the worst came to the worst.
I asked at a restaurant to be directed down a backroad by a very friendly man.
I arrived to a warm welcome, told to get myself organised then return and pay. They have a swimming pool!
A fiver to use the pool and camping's free in a field out the back.
Since there was some thunder and the pool closes at nine I asked about setting up under a roof when everyone is gone. No problem!

A shower and into the pool. Ecstasy!

In the pool, a young chap, eight years old, wasted no time in coming over to me to chat - in English! I was happy to oblige so long as he obliged me by letting me speak in Spanish. I met his mother and his sister. He had been born in Maryland but back in Guatemala six years. A confident, chirpy young fella.

Tomorrow with no medical tests I aim to be in the road as early as possible to beat the heat. More climbing tomorrow, but more in chunks rather than one big one.

The sun going down. Just Los Dos Amigos again

​

Chat? Yes Please!
https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/chat-zone-for-the-big-big-trip-journal.254098/

Edited to correct day & date

 

[HobbesOnTour]

Covid Interlude, Saturday, July 03, 2021, Sábana Grande to Aldea El Brasilar 32 km Total KM 2255

Min meters 384, Max Meters 768
Total Climb 532 Total Descent 478
Min Temp 21 Max Temp 39 Ave Temp 32

I don't know what I did to Montezuma!

Some of this may be graphic but is included to give the full picture of a long distance tour in foreign parts. Perhaps best not read at mealtimes!

My swim last night was luxurious! All days on the bike should finish in a warm pool! I felt like a king! A spoilt king!

Then it was just hanging around the pool until 9 when the pool closed so I could set up. I was tired. The heat is really taking it out of me.
About 8, a group of five young folk showed up and splashed around until 9 and when they saw my bike and me setting up one of the lads was straight over for a chat.

Then it was ablutions and bed. Returning from washing my teeth I paused by the pool and watched a few fireflies appear and disappear. I find them captivating and a pretty vivid reminder that I'm in a whole new world! It also helps that given the variety and potency of bugs in these parts the fireflies are pretty and harmless!
My new sleeping mat is quite comfortable despite being thinner than my old one. I read a few moments and dropped off.

About an hour later I was awake again! I have company - an armed guard - and his phone went off. Satisfied it wasn't my morning alarm I prepared to return to sleep.
But sleep wasn't coming. Instead, there was an unfortunately familiar pressure and pain in my bowels. Half asleep I tried to will it away but that wasn't happening. When I decided it was time to get up and head for the bathroom I reached for some clothing but the act of moving seemed to kick everything into gear. I threw on my shorts, skipped my top and shoes and struggled through the darkness pace quickening all the time while contorting my body into all kind of unusual positions trying to control the uncontrollable.

I didn't make it in time.

Thank whoever for having decent, flushing toilets and a supply of toilet paper.
There I was, naked, cleaning up after myself, washing my shorts and then having a shower all the time waiting for a man with a shotgun to come in. I've had better nights! (Yet so lucky! In other places I would have been in a right quandary!)

Once I was sure everything was out, that the bathrooms and showers were clean I went back to bed and slept surprisingly well.

On a happier note this is what I would be travelling through later!

​

At 5am I didn't feel great but got up and started getting organised - slowly. I'd planned on coffee and a little food but that was impossible.
I had five trips to the bathroom before I left and set off with some trepidation.
I had two options and chose the shorter one with less climbing. It'll add a couple of days to Honduras but it's not like I'm in a rush!
60 odd km to the border which I had hoped to knock off early enough was looking doubtful.

But to go back at little bit….
Just before 5am as the sun was coming up I was treated to a totally different kind of dawn chorus. It wasn't chirping or singing, it was chattering, exotic and melodious in its own way. And dense! There are trees all around and every one sounded like it was full of birds. A wall of sound dawn chorus!

On the road my legs felt like jelly but my innards weren't too bad.
Back where I turned off last night was a big filling station. I went in thinking some food might be an idea but couldn't handle the thought. Instead I had a quick coffee and set off.
While having my coffee outside I noticed a large sign on the opposite side of the road welcoming people and announcing "We bless, pray for and love Israel" along with a Bible citation. What is it with Israel that inspires such advocacy from small town North Carolina to Guatemala?

​

The edge of town was hectic then a calmness descended. I actually started to feel ok as I immediately started climbing.
Then, out of nowhere I hit traffic. Roadworks! An hour I had to wait chatting to the flag man. He'd ask me a question then ponder upon my reply. A few minutes later the next question.
The other side was allowed through first, then my side. Crazy! I pulled in and let everyone away.
The hour meant a jump of 5C but there was reasonable shade so I kept going. The advantage of the roadworks was that I had my side of the road to myself!
After about half an hour and hearing the sound of motorbikes coming up behind me (the advance party!) I pulled in to a shaded bus stop, bought a cold drink at a convenient tienda and waited out the next traffic rush.

A pretty entrance opposite where I took a breather

​

The next stage was tough with gradients up to 14%, less shade and a really crappy surface. I struggled up and would have celebrated the top but I had no energy. Frustratingly, it was down the other side. On a really bad road surface.

Crap road..... But the views!

​

It's probably my lack of energy but I don't think I'm doing any justice to the landscape. It was glorious! Everything seemed so close (unfortunately the trucks too!). It was rich, lush, fertile and in the times there was no traffic it smelled of life. Bushes, trees and various plants grow right to the edge of the road, sometimes in the road. It's hard not to feel immersed in the landscape when the landscape regularly brushes against me!
There's a river I've been following for a lot of yesterday and today so I guess that explains the life in the area.

​

It was at this point that I decided to skip the border today. iOverlander had a possible camping spot half way along and I couldn't be sure there were any other options to stay until well after the border.
I pulled off to enter a small town on the hunt for a pharmacy. I had kept some tablets from my last episode in San Cristobal but I needed more.

It's hard to believe everything can be so green in such intense sunlight and heat - the rain has been confined to the night time

​

Job done I rejoined the main road and found the thermal pools I hoped to camp at.
Oooooh! The girl at reception was unsure, checked and seemed embarrassed to say that it would cost about 3 quid!
Again, I'll have a place to pitch under a roof.

First order of business was to check the bathrooms - not as nice as last night and lacking paper.
I stripped off and entered a pool - hot! Very hot! But good for the muscles.

I met a lovely family, the father being especially friendly, his eldest daughter friendly and curious too. Food, drink, whatever I wanted was mine. (Any other day I'd have eaten them out of house and home! Today? Not so much.
He loves to camp too (although he uses a boat) and was very interested in my Trangia when I brewed up a coffee later. When they were leaving he checked if I needed anything (I topped up my water) and all the family wished me safe travels.

There's something about these lands...

​

The plan is to have a lazy day, conserve energy and head away early tomorrow to beat the heat. But who knows?

In moments like this with an empty road I like to stop and take a moment to appreciate where I am. There's something about the way that the flora is on the verge of taking over the road that makes me think of jungle.

​

Chat? Yes Please!
https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/chat-zone-for-the-big-big-trip-journal.254098/

 

[HobbesOnTour]

Covid Interlude, Sunday, July 04, 2021, Aldea El Brasilar (Guatemala) to Copan Ruinas (Honduras) 29 km Total KM 2284

Min meters 417, Max Meters 842
Total Climb 665 Total Descent 467
Min Temp 23 Max Temp 36 Ave Temp 27

Breaking Borders!

I had a lazy day yesterday, sitting in the shade after a good soak, chatting to people, mainly kids and teenagers who had seen the bike. Older folk were just as friendly with lots of smiles and nods. Something of a celebrity, I was!

I ate nothing except a couple of granola bars but drank regularly.

Mystery every-feckin'-where!

​

If anything, the place seemed to get busier later so I moved from the pool area to my sheltered spot and set up the tent. Then had a very enjoyable read of my book sitting on a low wall.
All things considered, I was pretty happy and then there was a group roar from below me in the pools as the power went out. (Power cuts are always happening in this part of the world).
With the area plunged into darkness the sky came to life! In a rare occurrence, there seemed to be no clouds and the sky was filled with bright stars and planets. As night-time skies go it was pretty spectacular!
I had it for about five minutes and as two guys were busy dragging a generator out to use the lights suddenly came back and my sky disappeared.

Sunday morning I was planning to roll out when the gates opened at 6am. Of course, this is Latin America so it was about 6:30 when people showed up and about 7 when I was leaving, fuelled on coffee only. The good news was that my belly seemed to be settling down. There were no late night emergency runs to the bathroom!

The mornings in these parts really have to be experienced! Bored yet of reading about mountains and clouds? Well, I'm sure not bored of seeing them!

I'm not particularly high, but there are clouds below me. I find that thrilling!

​

I was straight into a climb with my jelly legs. At least there was very little traffic and the road surface had picked up after the last town yesterday.
It was cloudier this morning than yesterday meaning that the temperature was less - but oh! was it humid! Even just packing up I was working up a sweat. Within minutes my top was soaking. Not sweaty - soaking like I'd pulled it out of a bucket of water and put it on.
It's probably worth putting down that the temperature reading on Gizmo often has little bearing on the effect of the temperature. A temperature of 35 can feel much, much hotter than 40 if humidity is heavy. In fact, I sometimes wonder if a higher temperature actually reduces humidity and is preferable?

When the gradient hit 12% I said enough and pushed the last bit to the top.
The other side with the wind on my wet clothes was heavenly!

The sun is out and starting to burn!

​

I don't know where everyone was going but most of the traffic was against me, mainly pickups filled with people standing in the back. There were quite a few pedestrians too and people out working in the fields.

After the descent the road levelled off - well, what passes for level in these parts! Short, sharp climbs and just as short, sharp descents. I could manage ok but was feeling the effects of heat, humidity and a lack of food. A few Kms from the border I pulled in to a filling station for a cold drink and risked a hamburger. No such thing as a simple sandwich or quesadilla. Oh how I miss my Mexican food! I poked but ate little.

It didn't take too long to hit the last teeny tiny village of Guatemala and a bit of looking around to find out where to go. There's one building here, combining the immigration/emigration of both countries - how civilised!

I located the right building, went in and was promptly sent outside to the "Health centre" - four young women sitting at a table.
Bored, they checked my Covid test, stamped it then sent me to a shop across the road to get something done online. If that sounds vague, that's because it was!
I joined the queue in the shop (three people) and when my turn came it was all dealt with smoothly. Simply inputting my Passport data.
I paid the small fee having had a pleasant chat with the man doing this, then back to the office.
There was no-one in line so straight up to the Guatemalan counter to get stamped out - over before I knew it, then straight to the Honduras counter to get stamped in - a bit more complicated involving a photo and fingerprints.
I had to put the four fingers of my right hand onto a scanner. After this I got two thumbs up from the lady which I took to be a sign that it was a success. Actually, it was the signal to both both my thumbs on the scanner!
I had to pay US $3 (actually 4 because the woman said something about the quality of my notes - scammed!).
She took the time to explain to me that my 90 days started counting down the day I crossed into Guatemala and showed me on the passport where the last day in Central America is allowed - Guatemala never explained this when I entered - but I knew it already.
And I was done! New stamps in my passport! The whole process was quick, efficient and friendly. The Honduran lady used my first name all the time which I found friendly. Although my bike was outside I had no worries as the area was free of money changers and street sellers and there weren't many border crossers.
On my way out, a man from the Guatemalan tourist board was there with a tablet to ask me some questions which I was happy to answer.

Outside, I crossed back into Guatemala (there are no barriers) and changed my Quetzals for Lempiras.

Then I sat down to savour a new country!
Now, all the pressure was off, my dealings with officialdom done for another little while. There's always a little frisson of anxiety at these crossings, especially now with Covid complicating things. There's always the nagging doubt that some I won't be dotted or T crossed and I'll be fecked at a border crossing but so far my crossings have been painless and quite exciting, actually! I've no idea how many times I've crossed borders in Europe - no fun at all!

Honduras!!! Country number 4! Great road, great shoulder, hardly any traffic and so green!

​

My destination for today, Copán Ruinas was only down the road (up the road to be accurate) and I'd booked a hostel last night simply because I had no idea what the crossing would be like and it was one less thing to worry about.

When I did set off again it was into a 12% climb for a km or so. That's no way to welcome a cyclist, Honduras!

The road might be wider but Mother Nature is right beside me! With the damp humidity there is a real feeling of being touched by the environment, of being in it, rather than passing through​

The road was great (except for one landslide) and best of all I had it pretty much to myself. There was hardly any traffic! Of the traffic, almost all gave toots or waves, one poor motorcyclist nearly coming a cropper as he tried to wave and steer one handed through a rockfall!

By now the sun was out so any mist and fog had burned off. The land looked tougher, rockier, harder to farm. Still lots of green though!

I paused regularly, sometimes to rest, sometimes to look and sometimes to remind myself I was in Honduras! Country number four!
At one such stop a rare car pulled up and reversed towards me.
"We don't get many Gringos down here", said a Gringo.
"I'm not a Gringo", I replied, "I'm Irish".
"It's almost the same", says he.
At least a woman passenger had the good grace to correct him!
"You're riding your bike, huh?" was his next contribution.

Now, I apologise to any US citizens reading this, but some of your countrymen and women can seriously damage your reputation! Back in San Cristobal de las Casas I had a conversation that ran like this…
"You sound like you have a bit of an Irish brogue",
"Well, I'm Irish"
"Me too! Where are you from?" (US accent)
"Eh, I'm Irish".
"You must have spent some time there to pick up the accent",
"I'm Irish - I grew up there"
Cue total confusion!
He was a nice, US chap, much older than me, had clearly smoked way too much dope and had problems linking pieces of information together. The idea that Ireland was a place that people actually lived in, as opposed to descended from, seemed to confuse him greatly.

Anyway, back to Honduras….

"Yep", says I, "started in Virginia and have made it to here".
"No way! You did not!"
I looked at him and nodded.
"Do you not think if I was making up a story I'd start somewhere sexier than Virginia?"
"But you didn't ride across the Atlantic!", he announced triumphantly.
"No, I took a ship - hence the start in Virginia".

After a bit more chit chat they left me in peace and I took my time before starting to climb again. It was steep, probably more sustained steep climbing than I've done in a while but I eventually made it to the top. Frustratingly, I got to lose all that height pretty much immediately! But at least it was fun!! The road was pretty good, the traffic light so I could really let go.
But then Mother Nature intervened with some views that had to be appreciated, not flown past. So familiar in terms of mountains and green, but yet different.

Since it was still early, around noon, I thought I'd bypass the hostel and cycle to the Plaza. Ha! Cobbles! Big, nasty ones. I turned around and checked in.
Copán Ruinas also has some ridiculously steep streets! Not fun for cycling!

Nothing good, at all, to say about the hostel.
I had a shower (cold and water came straight from a plastic pipe. A shower it was not!) and went out for a wander.

Then one of those things happened that is just bizarre! I met someone I knew! In Honduras!
Standing in a coffee shop in absolutely no rush I heard my name being called. "Frank, Frank!". (I think my anonymity is busted at this stage!)
That's not a common name in these parts!
I turned around and it was my young amigo from the swimming pool the other night!
He was delighted with himself for recognising me (I had a mask on, and clothes!) and we had a little chat, him in English, me in Spanish as is our way. His whole family were with him, beaming, congratulating me on making it to Honduras. What a small, small world! In Honduras a few hours and I meet someone I know!

Feckin' great!

Honduras - drawing me in already!

​

Chat? Yes Please!
https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/chat-zone-for-the-big-big-trip-journal.254098/

Edited 'cos Dumbass listed the wrong destination

 

[HobbesOnTour]

Copán Ruinas Part 1

(I wrote this out as one post but the ten photo limit doesn't do the place justice. I'm going to split it into three posts - sorry if it interrupts the narrative)

The really great thing about a long journey is that every now and then you come to a place and everything falls into place. A special place! Copan Ruinas is ine of those places.

Named for the local Mayan ruins I wasn't expecting too much given my underwhelming reaction to previous ones and my arrival at my hotel/hostel got off to the worst possible start with an unfriendly and disinterested check-in.
I don't need much but my room had a bed and a small unit that took my barbag and nothing else. No place to hang anything, nothing.
One socket leaving me to choose a fan or charging.
The shared bathroom was ….. interesting and the shower was a plastic pipe out of a wall dispensing cold water.
Worst of all, a big fuss was made about my bike and not in a good way - I had to leave it outside, in the street during daylight and could only bring it in at night.

So, on arrival I had a cold shower then went exploring. It's a wonderfully small, steep town so exploring doesn't take long.
I found a bank and got some local cash and a cheap, quiet but very friendly restaurant that made great food. I may be boring but I ate there three evenings in a row and enjoyed every single morsel.

Rain ended my explorations so back to the most miserable hotel/hostel, make some posts and bed.
The bed was horrible! A really cheap, springy mattress meant a fitful sleep.

Monday was a new day so I started optimistically. No, the hotel/hostel did not have drinking water (a first!) and no the kitchen was not available to use (as advertised). I hadn't had my coffee! This was serious! I discovered later they have a roof terrace but jackass receptionist couldn't be bothered telling me.

I set off to see the ruins but decided to walk along the river. Google Maps (when will I learn??) said it was ok. But it wasn't! But a lovely walk away from traffic, just me, the sound of the river some birds and the occasional encounter with a confused, machete wielding local. Once I realised Google was wrong I kept on walking anyway as it was so pleasant.

A walk along the river. Water, birds and a few cows. Even after I knew I was going "wrong" I kept on going. It was so peaceful. I knew I had put my demons to bed when rounding a bend I was met with a teenager swinging a machete. My first instinct wasn't panic.

​

When I did get to the ruins they were closed - Monday! Even though the website says open every day! Ah, Latin America!

Slightly frustrated, I took my first ever tuk tuk to go to a bird sanctuary. Talk about bouncy!! Whoah! This is a whole different kind of travel.

Macaw Mountain. Look it up online. Without the birds it's a beautiful place to visit. With the birds it's special.

​

I got out to the bird place in pouring rain and the very pleasant attendant explained that it wouldn't be safe to walk around in the rain. I could however, buy a wristband and return the next day. But I was planning to leave the next day!
I took a look around from where I was standing and decided that I wasn't going to be held to any makey uppy schedule and paid for my wristband.

What are you looking at?​

Back in town I needed some coffee and saw a sign for a coffee garden - actually the third floor of a hotel with good views and friendly staff.
On leaving I booked a room for the next morning.

The Plaza, the largest flat area in town! There was a coffee place down a side street with great cinnamon rolls. Every time I got one to have with a coffee it started raining soon after!
An old man approached me on Sunday and after a brief chat hit me up "for a few pesos". I obliged and he snapped the money from my fingers and ran away. Later I saw him asleep on a footpath. Sunday is a big drinking (and possibly other stuff too) day. It's not unusual to see men, always men, sleeping it off. In the street.​

I went back to my hostel and replaced the chain on Roccado.

The view awaiting me when I moved hotel. I kicked myself after for not moving earlier

There may be less street art in these parts but I cannot fault the quality

The new phone has a "night" feature. The church didn't turn out too bad.

A preview of the view from atop the ruins. I had walked behind that the day before. The forest surrounding the ruins really added to their impact. The screeching of the birds too. The "old places" of the Mayans are regarded as sacred and I believe I could feel that here, similar to that park in Guatemala looking down on the lake.

A different view from my second hotel.

There's something so atmospheric about a ruin peeking out through the trees! This was my first view of the ruins. A "Wow" moment

​

Chat? Yes Please!
https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/chat-zone-for-the-big-big-trip-journal.254098/

 

[HobbesOnTour]

Copán Ruinas Part 2

Tuesday was the day and I wasn't even supposed to be there!
I packed up having dragged my stuff from the cellar two floors down (I'd had a look and there were no more than two other rooms occupied. There was no need to put me down there except the jackassness of one unpleasant employee).

I got really thirsty after seeing this fella! And an urge to visit the Palace Bar on Fleet Street (Dublin).

​

I walked the bike to my new home, unloaded, (no problem storing the bike), had a warm shower and went back to the bird sanctuary.
It was feckin' fantastic!
Then I went to the ruins - bloody brilliant!
Then I went to a Mayan history museum, designed for kids - so perfect for me! Closed!
Oh well, two out of three ain't bad!

There's always a view!

​

I thought I'd enjoy the kind of jungle walk the Bird Sanctuary offered but the birds were absolutely amazing!

No cage! This one just swooped down to eat. They have feeding points at the café - simple but brilliant!

​

The Macaw is the largest of the parrot family and a bird steeped in the lore of the Mayans.
The Sanctuary is very, very explicit about the caging of the birds - even before you get there - and one girl explained it like this to me
"Imagine someone dropped on a desert island from their youth and left there for twenty years. Then they get rescued and put into a room with you. No manners, no socialisation. Are you going to enjoy that? Will they?"
Because that's the story of this place - started (elsewhere) by a woman who took over the care of birds from people who got fed up with them.
In one particularly noisy aviary there was a sign explaining that these birds had all suffered abuse. How did they display their damage?
Aggression, self harm, constant movement, eating problems. How very human!

Even with no birds it is a beautiful place

​

Another area had birds loose, normally for picture posing on the arms or shoulders of visitors. Because of Covid no contact, so there are seats to sit with the birds around! My amiga offered to take my photo but I produced Mazi. That's when I got my personalised discussion on the birds.

Who and what the hell are you????

​

There are birds loose too, flying through the forest, sometimes stopping to have a chat with their caged buddies.

No words!

​

I witnessed feeding time and was actually quite close to the birds.

There is also a breeding program and I was able to see eggs being incubated artificially and chicks!

Most of the parrot type birds are monogamous and there were many many pairs nuzzling and grooming each other. I found it very sweet.

The couple are smooching - the birds, not the humans!

​

There's a café on site with pictures of a particular green demon, Polly - a bird that can be playful and friendly but can snap and bite just as easily!

There are lots of bird varieties present but the king is the Macaw. The colours are just unbelievable.

Now off to the ruins!

I christened this Macaw Alley (at the ruins). Wait long enough and a pair (always a pair) would fly screeching out of their tree and along the "alley". A view and a moment to savour.

A tree - outstanding in its field!

​

Chat? Yes Please!
https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/chat-zone-for-the-big-big-trip-journal.254098/

 

[HobbesOnTour]

Copán Ruinas Part 3

I slipped through to the ruins without being hassled by a tour guide and was free to wander around myself. These are very much a work in progress in terms of restoration and all the more enjoyable for that.

I may have evaded the guides but I couldn't outwit two young lads! They had a range of headdresses for people to be photographed with the wings. When they saw me putting Mazi in they weren't going to lose their tip! Very funny lads and very pleasant too!

​

In a couple of places I got sidetracked by columns of ants hard at work! It really is so interesting to watch them.

What I particularly enjoyed were the trees! Planted in some of the buildings, then the city was abandoned and they just took over! I don't know what has happened to me in these parts but I never really appreciated trees before!
Given that a forest surrounds the ruins I found the whole site very atmospheric.

Trees growing out of the ruins. It's my understanding that some of these were planted as part of the design

​

Signs are generally bilingual and I was impressed with myself for understanding the monolingual ones.

More ruins, more trees!

​

However, without a doubt the highpoint was the Macaws! Yes! They have released some at the ruins and they live there now flying around, a wave of bright, multicoloured light flowing through the green trees. It is truly an amazing sight! Impossible to capture by camera but a memory that will live a long, long time.
These birds were revered by the Mayans. The city is in ruins, the people are still around and now the birds are back! I found it thrilling! History brought to life in such a colourful way!

Such a beautiful place!

This is where the rich people lived and died. No cemetery has been found but human remains have been found in what were the gardens in this "exclusive area". Puts a whole new meaning to "Can I play with Granny?"

The Ceiba tree - very special to the Mayans. This one was huuuuuge and planted atop a building - which we walk over!

Approaching ruins through the woods was so atmospheric! As silly as it sounds thoughts if exploration and discovery are not too far away

What a root!

This would have been the main square or Plaza. The hieroglyphic stairs is to the right. If you look closely you'll see individual statues with simple roofs. Elsewhere, plastic sheeting is used to protect stones, statues and altars until they can be restored properly.
At the entrance to the park is a sign commerating Japanese involvement in the research, restoration and support of the ruins.

The Heiroglyphic Stairs. Only relatively recently discovered, initially only the bottom 15 steps were dug up. Archaeologists found and pieced together the rest and rebuilt it. Apparently, it gives the history of the city and is incredibly useful. Not that long ago people could walk on it! Now, however, it is protected, even from the elements.

​

After my failure to get into the museum I set off in search of a coffee but the town was well into a power cut! So, taking my Trangia upstairs at the hotel I made my own as the rain poured down!

I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Copan. I found it relaxed and easygoing and the place hasn't sold its soul to the tourists - although that may be Covid.

Chat? Yes Please!
https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/chat-zone-for-the-big-big-trip-journal.254098/

 

[HobbesOnTour]

Covid Interlude, Wednesday, July 07, 2021, Copan Ruinas to La Entrada 62 km Total KM 2346

Min meters 467, Max Meters 1002
Total Climb 1011 Total Descent 955
Min Temp 22 Max Temp 46 Ave Temp 32

What a great feckin' day!

Nothing like a dawn coffee on the roof! I even had a little breakfast - a cold porridge mix from a single serving sachet. In comparison to my usual serving it wouldn't even rate as an appetiser!

I woke up this morning actually feeling good and well rested - the first morning like that in a while.
After my breakfast I packed up then gingerly walked down a steep, cobbled hill until I made contact with a proper road surface then I was off!

Leaving Copan feeling good with a quiet road like this - perfect!

​

It was a great morning for it! Coolish, but of course, misty and cloudy the first 20km were flat - or at least what passes for flat in these parts!
Yeah, it was up and down but not long so I could pretty much sit back, pedal and enjoy. Traffic was incredibly quiet which made it all the better!

In this part of the world a cyclist can't relax too much! A few times today the road surface just disappeared and once, a good chunk of the road!

A handful of villages were strung along the road, which itself was running through a river valley. Always something interesting around the next bend.

There was one big, big climb later but for now cycling in Honduras is pretty darn good!

Cycling through a river valley can be spectacular!

​

At the last village there was no open comedor so I went looking for some tortillas, a banana and water. No banana!
I set off again and within 5 minutes I had a banana - I actually had four if I wanted when a car slowed down, a woman's arm came out and offered me all with a beaming smile.
It's better to be lucky than good!
A little later I pulled in where there was some shade and ate peanut butter and banana tortillas.
Eating on the side of the road is one of my favourite things to do cycle touring but I have lost the habit.
In México the food was just so good and cheap that it just made more sense to buy something. Even when there weren't many places to buy food there weren't many places to stop and eat that were comfortable. Since Guatemala food quality and choice has dropped (although Honduras may buck that trend) so I may as well get back into the habit. So far, with a decent shoulder and regular (concrete) crash barriers Honduras is giving me options to stop and relax.
It's a far cry from the great facilities often found in Europe with picnic tables and bins, but the views here compensate!

Then the sun comes out and makes everything even better!
It's a weird and complicated relationship I have with the sun these days.
When it makes an appearance I know its going to cook me! I know that I will rapidly become more uncomfortable. I know it will make me dizzy if I'm not careful and that depending on where it is in the sky relative to my direction it can make my travelling a little riskier.
But;
It also means that blue (my favourite colour) spreads out all around me, pale, at first, then richer, deeper and evermore vivid.
In a kind of Darwinian presentation the weakest, wispiest and flimsiest clouds slowly become extinct leaving only the proud and the strong, pure in their whiteness, defiant in their form.
The greens become greener, paradoxically more vivid and vibrant as I start to wilt.
The sun can mean heaven and hell simultaneously.

Enter the Sun!

​

At about 8:30 I passed one option for calling it a day! It was another bath place where apparently I could camp according to iOverlander. Of course, at 8:30 am it wasn't even open! Even for me, stopping at 8:30 is a tad early.

I met Kevin under rather dubious circumstances when he pulled in ahead of me on his motorbike.
I approached cautiously (in all fairness I was going uphill so there really was no other way to approach) but as I got closer there was no mistaking that this was going to be a good encounter. He had a package of local, white cheese in his hand that he had just removed from his insulated box on the back of the bike.
Sure I couldn't take it - Gizmo was flipping between 46C in the sun and 40 in the shade. I couldn't eat it all in one go - it was about half a kilo! I explained my predicament and after protesting, clarifying that it was for free reluctantly he returned it to his cool box. In doing so, he spotted a bag of cream and the process started all over again!
It was genuinely fun! He wants to travel on his motorbike, an idea that I'm starting to warm to with all these hills!
Telling me that he'd have a cold juice for me when he was returning on the road he set off smiling and waving.
There's a warmth here and it's not just the sun!

Cycling here the landscape is full of variety and never dull​

I struggled up the last big climb of the day, a climb made all the more pleasant by the outstanding scenery and quiet road. Then it was going to be pretty much all downhill so that I'll be finishing far lower than when I started. That's going to mean heat!

Spotting a café just after the start of the drop I pulled in. I was feeling so good and enjoying myself so much that I looked ahead and considered a longer day. The reality is that there is no accommodation and all uphill, well over another 1000 meters. So that would be a no! Another coffee! Uh oh! Powercut! Nothing available!

I can't escape the feeling that Nature is exceptionally close​

There's a currency complication in Honduras. As well as getting my head around my third currency in three weeks, they don't use coins here - everything is paper money. This can mean I'm carrying a big wad of cash that will actually buy very little. I normally carry small money in a little soft bag in my pocket but with all the sweating the money gets damp and tears easily. People don't want torn money! It happened in Guatemala too, but it's more of an issue here. One way to look at it is that the weather is melting my cash!

The bridges here can be too narrow to stop, but sometimes its worth the risk​

With the exception of a couple of shortish steep climbs it was all downhill to La Entrada with the traffic picking up as I got closer to town.

With the sun belting down I can't believe how green everything is​

There's a big junction here and tomorrow I think I'll be on a busier road.
There's not much of a town away from the main road so I found a cheap hotel, checked in, had a shower and went for a quick wander - I needed a cold drink!

Later when I went out for food everything was closed! I got some sandwich stuff in a supermarket and had a lazy evening. The wifi became unusable as the evening wore on.
A bit of an anti-climax after such a great day on the bike!

Some days I'm just the luckiest fecker who ever threw his leg over a bike!

​

Chat? Yes Please!
https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/chat-zone-for-the-big-big-trip-journal.254098/

 

[HobbesOnTour]

Covid Interlude, Thursday, July 08, 2021, La Entrada to Santa Rosa 47 km Total KM 2393

Min meters 481, Max Meters 1159
Total Climb 1379 Total Descent 591
Min Temp 21 Max Temp 44 Ave Temp 32

What a difference a day makes!

The hotel last night was cheap and rough'n'ready as was the guy who checked me in.
Despite his ruff'n'gruff facade he did me quite a favour by giving me a mini fan to stand at the end of my bed. I'd thought he'd done it because the roof fan was kaput. It wasn't! So I had two fans - not a bad thing at all!
To add to the paradox, there was a knock on my door from the type of man that you really don't want at your door in the dark! Swarthy, in soiled vest and pants he didn't make the greatest first impression on me but he had my tv remote which I had declined earlier. Presumably a shift change. Impressive service, though!

Typical early morning view with low lying clouds. I think it's a great way to set the tone for a day exploring on a bike!

​

There was no comfortable place to brew up a morning coffee so I hit the road without figuring coolness would compensate for caffeine. The jury's out on that one!

By leaving early I also missed the worst of the traffic and soon left the long, busy town behind. Today was going to be all uphill, about 1100 meters and we got into it from the off, albeit gently.

I am the world's worst when it comes to recognising flora, fauna and the kinds of things people travel all over to see. However, even I can recognise a banana tree when I see one! I'll admit to getting quite excited by this one! I'm cycling in a place where bananas grow on the side of the road!!
(I have already seen many of these trees, but this is the first one where I spotted the fruit!)

​

I passed two lads on their mountain bikes flying down past me. We saluted and that was all, or so I thought.
A couple of minutes later there was an Indian (native American) war-cry in my left ear as one caught up with me. He was clearly very excited as he was babbling away. I tried a couple of times to interrupt to ask him to slow down but Señor Babble wasn't for stopping.
Eventually I got to ask him to slow down a little but his friend showed up and they just babbled at rach other. This led to all kinds of manoeuvres as first one, then the other cycled beside me while the other rode ahead to take a photo. I know they were only being enthusiastic but I did not enjoy it.
I wasn't sorry to see them peel off back down the hill.

The ascent was gentle, for the moment, it was relatively cool and the decent road was quite quiet but I found it harder to get enthused like I had been yesterday. It took me a while to figure out - litter.
For a few days I've been enjoying the feeling of Nature encroaching in on me. This morning, for a good while, it wasn't nature encroaching, it was plastic bottles, fast food containers and all that stuff casting an ugly glow over everything.

Give me a bit of shade and a view like this and I can pass a lot of time just soaking up the detail. Without shade I'll turn into a dribbling, melting mess - I'll still stop, though!

​

For much of the day people walking along the shoulder was a common sight. There were quite a few "homes" along the road or back a bit in the trees. Bodged frames with plastic and tarpaulin walls and roofs would be a more accurate description.

It was 7:12 when the sun came out and the serious climbing began! A double whammy!
I pulled in not long after at a shop to buy a banana. He didn't have any for sale but disappeared into his home and presented me with five! No charge! I bought a Coke and overpaid.
Sitting in a chair in the shade of his shop I made my tortilla, peanut butter and banana wraps, washed down with an ice cold coke. I'm telling you, cold coke from a glass bottle is one of the highlights of this trip!
I got to watch his chickens wandering around and was highly entertained by a young one chasing a butterfly! A young chicken has a very funny running style!

It may not be clear in the photo but that hill is cultivated! Incredibly steep, tended to by hand it must be incredibly physical labour - then take the climate into account! Lots of people are on the road, walking, or on motorbikes as they travel to tend to their fields. Everything they need, tools and water, carried with them.

​

I haven't mentioned butterflies but they have been constant since México. A variety of different shapes, sizes and especially colours they add a random distraction along the way. Buggers are impossible to photograph, though!

Setting off again, it was uphill with some seriously steep sections. I walked some of the steeper parts but the views!!

At least there were more level sections that gave me a bit of a break but the heat was hitting 40C and it was slow, tough going. Spying a bus stop in the shade I pulled in and just sat and sipped.
After about an hour a pickup dropped off a guy and we got to talking. My spidey senses were tingling. Eventually he said that I shouldn't be sitting here, that it was unsafe. Now, local knowledge is always a good thing but he wasn't from here, being from way past the Capital. He told me of a house I could stay at and my tingling increased. Looking around I saw a recently pulled up pickup sitting on the side of the road a little further along. I decided to move on.
Things didn't add up. There was (now) a steady stream of traffic along the road so I deemed it safe. Crawling up a hill wasn't going to make me much less of a target than sitting where I was.

In fairness, though, I was passed by a gas truck - transporting gas cylinders - and there amongst the rattling and banging cylinders was a guard with the ever present shotgun. Not in the cab - in the cargo.

Perhaps I'm getting more comfortable with the climbing (1300 meters today) or the temperatures, but I never felt under the slightest pressure at all. I stopped regularly and often not because it was sensible in the heat but also because it was far too pleasant to rush

​

I was cooking now! I reached a height of 875 meters and had a big drop! Great fun but so frustrating! I made a point of checking my altitude when the drop levelled off - 666 meters! Someone's messing with my head!
I knew I'd finish at about 1100 meters so at least now I knew what I had to do!

I wasn't feeling any pressure. I had lots of time to get to Santa Rosa, a town with a plaza! With about 10km to go I pulled into a comedor. Out of nowhere I was feeling ravenously hungry. Unable to quite understand everything (things I know have different names!) I ordered a soup by accident! I am not a fan of soups. Long story! Huge, tasty, with a chunk of meat on a bone that was almost impossible to eat with the supplied plastic spoon and lots and lots of veg - some I recognised, some I didn't it went down very well.

My view at the comedor!

​

Then I met Daniel, full of enthusiasm about my journey. He kept saying what a great adventure! He'd lived in Florida for six years but seems to have put down roots here now - as he was talking a little girl obviously missing her Papá came over and wrapped herself around his leg.
When he was leaving, with wife and two other kids, he called out to me that he was paying my bill! My automatic reaction was to argue, and I did but I gave up. There's a look that tells me I'm getting close to causing offence.
It's quite difficult to describe the emotions that something like that stirs up.

I was grinning when I left, at least until the next steep section. I was quite happy to take my time, granny gear up and wobble ever upwards. Then another motorcyclist slowed down for a chat. Going uphill combined with the noise of the engine was not conducive to conversation so he pulled in and I stopped beside him.
Every place has them, those that are a little odd. No bad intentions but they can make some of us feel uncomfortable. This was one of those. The conversation started off pretty much as normal with introductions, talk of destinations, time etc. Then he started telling me of his problem that he didn't have any worth. A difficult subject with a stranger on the side of the road at the best of times, throw in Spanish and the fact that I'm in the road and the traffic is passing pretty close and I was not at my best. I tried, but the conversation was too profound for my linguistic skills. "What was my worth?", I was asked.
I started to disentangle myself when I said that the conversation was beyond my abilities to be hit with a "You don't like me".
Oh dear!
After explaining a couple of times that I wasn't comfortable in the traffic (he took the shoulder and I was in the road) I took advantage of a driver who beeped me to make my escape.

The Plaza at Santa Rosa. The Tourist office is in the kiosko/bandstand. This beautiful, peaceful scene disguises the brutal cobbles and pitched narrow streets to get here!

​

Thankfully, Santa Rosa was within reach! I cycled in and when I went to turn towards the Plaza I took a double take - cobbles and a horrendous climb! No!
I doubled back, took a less direct but less steep route and bounced along to the plaza. Pretty! Yaaaaaay! It even had a tourist office! With no hotel and nothing on BookingDotCom for reference I thought I'd try. Finding accommodation is not their thing!
Picking one at random I asked if it was good and cheap. Sí! Off I went! Not cheap! At least the man on reception told me of another. I went there and rang the bell. A woman came to a window, took one look at me and said no!
Talk about a blow to the ego!
Around the corner I found another within my budget. Checked in, parked the bike, had a shower, did some laundry and nearly fell asleep!
Then off out to explore! First stop some coffee!

The side of the church looking onto the Plaza near sunset. I found a little café on the street, had a coffee (and my weakness - Tiramisu!), watched the world go gently by and felt completely at home.​

One of the great things about this travelogue is that I write it up pretty much at the end of my day. On days like today I fall asleep with strong images of hospitality and friendship inspired by Daniel, the banana giving shopkeeper and the people like them.
It's a pretty good way to end the day.

Chat? Yes Please!
https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/chat-zone-for-the-big-big-trip-journal.254098/

 

[HobbesOnTour]

Some odds'n'ends

Something a little different…..

Some days I can take 200 + photos and back in Oaxaca I know I took at least 320 in one day!
Every day there are photos excluded from these posts because there are other ones that should be seen. However, often the omitted ones tell a story in their own right.

So, I've decided that every now and then I'll pick ten of those orphan photos and throw them up with some commentary in an attempt to "fill out" some of the detail of this little trip.

This first one is about rain and road architecture.
The rain in these parts has to be felt to be appreciated! It can hit very hard and sting!
The sheer quantity that can fall and the incredibly short time it takes means that streets and roads have drainage systems that are beyond what I am used to.

This was just after crossing the border into Honduras and is a very neat example of a roadside drain. Also a bike trap! Honduras, so far, has a "neater", more consistent style of road design. Similar drains in Guatemala and México can be more ...... interesting


Since I hit the mountains in southern Mexico, but especially in Guatemala and Honduras, mountain towns and villages can have some very interesting footpaths! This is not a place for the old, the infirm or the simply inattentive (me!) or those pushing babies in buggies! (It explains the almost exclusive use of baby pouches and slings).

Here's a handy hint if you ever get to travel again. Using my bank card here is not instantaneous. A withdrawal today may not show up for several days. A bit of a problem on a bike tour!
On top of that, machines can be a bit weird. Taking a photo of the machine at the time it's used can be a helpful way of tracking bank activity in real time as Google gives me the location and the camera gives date and time.

For example, this one acted funny and rejected my card near the end of the transaction. A few days later I saw that the (phantom) withdrawal had gone through. Ready to march into the next branch I had all the details I needed but the system had fixed itself.


It pays to be attentive and always expect something strange! On a descent, rounding a bend these scenes can be interesting! Water running across the road, mud as well. It's not just the effect on a loaded bike, but other traffic will be taking various forms of evasive action. Not in this scene, but it's not unusual to see oncoming traffic in my lane or for deeper water to result in a good splashing from the front or side.

I don't know what it is about bridges but in the US, Guatemala and now Honduras they are brutal to cycle on. Mexico was the exception!
In Honduras it's scary how many are missing barriers! Of course, a bridge tends to be at the lowest point of a road so accumulates a lot of crap. Given the fact that the bridge is typically narrower than the road that pushes a cyclist well into the danger zone. It's all well and good to say that I have a right to be in the road, it's a different matter with an ancient, heaving, huffing and puffing articulated truck bearing down on me.
The worst part for me is that I usually have no safe place to pull in and take a photo - often these rivers, small and large, give great views along a valley.

Tremeloes!
What used to be Topes in México!
These are my least favourite! In metal or hard plastic they can be very slippy when wet. Occasionally there are gaps where one or more have been smashed out of existence. Unfortunately, they are bolted to the ground and the bolts often remain ready to ambush a tyre!

While I've seen horses and cattle in work mode since southern México, since crossing into Honduras I've seen far more. While any decent sized town has shops selling fancy, decorated leather saddles (for tourists) the local saddle is a simpler affair, four pieces of wood and some material. The horses look thin and scrawny too. In fairness, most of the animals around here do.

Dogs are commonplace here, but typically strays or chained up at a property.
Strays, so far, have been fearful and timid. They are clearly well used to receiving a beating. The may bark, but normally only when I've passed them. Going uphill if I wobble in their general direction it's enough to send them scurrying off
A chase is rare, but does happen.
The chained ones tend to look and behave more businesslike but on chains there is not much they can do except alert other dogs.
However, the dogs are so laid back on the roads!

I've seen them napping in the hard shoulder with traffic flying by inches from their head. They meander across the road neither looking left nor right. Every single day I see the fresh results of their carelessness.
Since crossing into Honduras there are far more cats too!


While roadside breakdowns are less common than in México they still occur. Occasionally I'll see a red warning triangle placed right behind the broken vehicle but more often than not something like this - vegetation plucked from the side of the road, bundled and dropped in two or three bunches as a warning and direction aid.

Ironically, to me, these lumps of plants are often placed at an appropriate distance (both sides) as opposed to the reflective triangles which tend to be right behind the stricken vehicle.
Even organised "work" on the road such as clearing a rockslide will use this technique

Advertising is very interesting in these parts. From México and now into Honduras, billboards tend to use images of people that I don't see too many examples of! Not all the time, but certainly in what I would term "aspirational" advertising models are paler and more European in appearance.

Chat? Yes Please!
https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/chat-zone-for-the-big-big-trip-journal.254098/

 

[HobbesOnTour]

Covid Interlude, Friday, July 09, 2021, Santa Rosa to Gracias 49 km Total KM 2442
Min meters 484, Max Meters 1163
Total Climb 802 Total Descent 1098
Min Temp 22 Max Temp 42 Ave Temp 33

Meeting a Narco!

Slow to get going and no place to brew up coffee I weaved my way out of town trying to avoid a suicide hill (down) and back on to the main road. I had to double back a few kms from yesterday to take a turn off and was banking on a café I'd spotted yesterday being open. It was! A breakfast and coffee!

Heading out of the old town of Santa Rosa and looking over the (new) suburbs spreading out from the main road. These mountain towns can be pretty high and steep. The road down to the main road was so steep I chickened out and took a less precipitous one!

​

Taking advantage of wifi I logged into the Nicaraguan Government's website (how exotic!) to register my request to cross the border. A real PITA having to fill in the usual info, but also dates of border crossings and specific crossings. That really doesn't suit my style! My border crossing from Guatemala to Honduras was chosen the day before on the basis of least climbing. Also job information! Imagine a drop down list with every possible job title! In a foreign language! Not just "doctor" or "engineer" but discipline too!
To get to do all this I had to go through a captcha test (8 times!!!!). On a phone the pictures are tiny! And more evidence that my eyesight is fading! I'm getting old!

This is right beside the road. While the road was pretty poor with a lot of potholes, it was also relatively light on traffic. To me, there's something inspiring about the variety of flora. Mixed in with the types of trees I can recognise and am familiar with are plants and leaves that are very other-worldly. A reminder, right beside me, that we're not in Kansas anymore!

​

Job finally done it was time to hit the road several hours behind my (notional) schedule. A car had just parked in front of Roccado hemming him in so I wasn't too impressed with Junior (for that was his name), the driver.

An error!
Junior was lovely! A cyclist who had also cycled Central America he was very, very enthusiastic. He's also a salesman for pharmacy products and before I knew it had received meds from his car for diarrhea and pain relief!
For once, the other person was in a rush away! We had a lovely chat, swapped Facebooks and once again an offer of assistance no matter where I am.
Honduras is proving to be a very warm place in every sense of the word!

Rows of blue mountains! Am I ever going to get bored of these? If I do, someone (I'm looking at the Texans here!) shoot me!

​

Junior is flying to Miami next weekend for a Covid vaccine. He can visit his brother and sister in law at the same time. Then another weekend trip in a couple of weeks for the second dose. He travels for his work so needs it. I find it very interesting to see news coverage from Europe and the US about vaccination rates, "opening up" and the dropping of restrictions while the part of the world where I am is at a totally different stage.

But it's not all blue! The variety is fabulous! At my pace I have all the time in the world to notice.

​

On the road I took my turn and saw immediately that I was on a poorer road than yesterday. But traffic was light. Up and down, up and down and then a fairly long descent with some absolutely stunning views. Most of them were unphotographed because there was nowhere safe to stop or I was just having too much fun!

Again, the variety of plant life, of landscape just draws me along. Not feeling pressure of time I can soak it all up.

​

Up a bit then more down. The rest of the day is all uphill and because of my lazy morning, lazy breakfast and long chat I'm hitting it at the worst time of the day! At least it's a relatively gentle gradient! As luck would have it a restaurant showed up at the start of the climb so I pulled in for a cold drink and coffee.

Eugenio came over to practice his (perfect) English. Himself and his wife are going to be buying bikes next week - apparently I'm a bit of an inspiration!1

A scenery photo or something more?

These river valleys were and probably still are the lifeblood of the countryside around here. As well as passing through a few small towns there are more dotted around away from the road. Access seems to be on the kind of roads that bike Packers love! Life must be pretty tough around here.

​

Again, I was feeling very relaxed. This wasn't going to be the longest day, but my least favourite kind of day with the climbing last. Unfortunately, with far fewer barriers there were less places to stop, but the usually gentle gradient meant that I didn't have to stop too often.

Only rarely did I get a really good view, but when I did it really was a case of quality over quantity.

Passing through the village of Las Flores I spied some chicken on a grill - no peanut butter today!
Ah, words won't work to describe just how good this chicken was! Melt in my mouth tender, deliciously seasoned and with enough crispy bits for crunch. Served with homemade fried potatoes it was great cycling fuel. Leaving the little village I was keeping my eyes open for a place to stay so I could have a chicken dinner too!

Photo taken in honour of (and to mark the location of!) a great chicken restaurant!

​

Getting close to Gracias I could see some steepish narrow streets so I stuck to the main road for the climbing then pulled into the town.

I stayed on the main road around Gracias to avoid a monster hill then turned on to this! It's a small town, a little Plaza, unusually, located on one side as opposed to the centre. It has a couple of narrow streets running lengthways, cobbled, a couple running perpendicular and the rest like this!

​

I'd a bit of a decision to make. For a while I've been getting the odd twinge in my back that has increased the past few days. (The crap bed in Copan Ruinas may have made things worse). Today it became a bit of a problem, ironically not so much on the bike but off.
After my problems before I left I need to be careful with my back.
A bit of rest on a decent bed, or at least in a room where I can safely sleep on the floor (I tend not to mention my roomies which can have 4,6 or 8 legs and even cold blood!) won't do me any harm. I've some steep climbing coming up. I had a look around and found a quiet hotel above my normal budget and booked in for two nights. I may extend that.

The photo may be a tad blurry (sweaty pocket) but this was the last river crossing before Gracias. On the other side, a couple had driven down to the rocky shore and were sitting in the water enjoying a picnic

​

I'm really enjoying Honduras so a couple of days in a small Honduran town is not a bad thing at all!

Sealing the deal! The hotel has a dog, Lucas, who is as disinterested as any dog I've come across - unless he thinks there may be food! The wifi password is "Don't feed the dog" in Spanish!

​

Chat? Yes Please!
https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/chat-zone-for-the-big-big-trip-journal.254098/

 

[HobbesOnTour]

Gracias

I'm a terrible tourist - and an even worse student!

The view sitting outside my room in a simple but very friendly and pleasant hotel. Can you blame me for doing feck all?

​

Gracias was a very important town in Colonial times. Today, it's small, underdeveloped and very pleasant. It has one of the oldest churches in Honduras, the original centre of (Colonial) justice in Central America and a fort dating from Independence.

One of the oldest churches in Honduras

​

Steep, narrow streets get even narrower when the street traders set up with their produce. Others are just rock and mud. Walking can be treacherous! A loaded bike? Walk!

One of the few junctions where both streets are cobbled. Some are just mud and rocks

​

My hotel was delightful and quiet. Other than adjust the bike brakes I did very little. I stretched, did some exercises for my back that have been neglected on the road. There was an improvement, but not a cure.

A part of a footpath! If we ignore the fact that we have to hop up or down it's delightful! ​

I took up Duolingo again. My 400 + day streak reduced to zero!
I realised what else I had lost with my phone - a load of voice recordings. My Spanish vocabulary, a load of Hispanic music and some voice memos I've made in particular places when typing just wasn't good enough!

A view of the town from the fort, built after Independence when there was a lot of conflict and tension between Liberals and Conservatives!

​

I rested, relaxed and felt not a shred of guilt!

Instead of "Plaza" they tend to have a "Parque". This one was very colourful

A lot of the trees here accumulate a kind of moss

Bandstand in the park

This building used to be the centre of justice for indigenous people in all of Central America

​

Chat? Yes Please!
https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/chat-zone-for-the-big-big-trip-journal.254098/