Honduras!

We'd been talking about it for over 5 years - I even had an empty passport that was 5 years old... we needed to go visit Michael's mission in Honduras.  The opportunity came mid-February.  Wow!  What an experience (Vacation? No. Experience? Yes.).  

Our beautiful plane.  

We spent our first night in Santa Rosa and wandered around the shops that evening.

The next day we were off to Ocotepeque - the city that was one of the main reasons for the trip.  Michael was there for 9 months of his mission.  One of the families there, the Rosas, were a family away from home for Michael.  He baptized the father, Manuel, the last day of his mission.  What an incredible experience to finally meet the family I'd heard so much about.

Michael, Laura, Marina, and Manuel.

The first day we were with them we crossed over into Guatemala. It was lunch at Pollo Campero and then some time to wander around the marketplace.

We also went to see the "Black Jesus."  Not even kidding. It's a shrine built in one of the churches there. The statue of Christ has turned black over the years due to all of the smoke from candles - I mean, due to a miracle.  ;)

This next picture is one of Michael's favorites.  Marina is trying to offer Michael some candy from a street vendor.  Michael is trying everything he can think of to tell her that there is no way he's eating Guatemalan candy from off the streets.  Too funny.

This little girl, Nazareth, is Manuel and Marina's granddaughter.  She was the CUTEST thing and helped me not miss my two munchkins quite so much.  She and her mom, Karen, joined us on our Guatemalan adventure.

That evening, back in Ocotepeque, we went with Marina to visit some other families Michael knew while  he was there.

The Nino Family

Hermana Thelma and Family

The Garcia Family

Everyone was so incredibly gracious to me despite my total lack of Spanish.  I definitely have a new goal.  Anyone have advice on the best way to learn a foreign language?

Dinner that night at the Rosa's was pretty traditional as Honduran food goes - Tortillas, refried beans, scrambled eggs, fried plantains, hard salty cheese and crema (kind of like sour cream).

Another Honduran food experience?  Drinking from a bag.  It's quite the challenge to learn how to hold the bag tight enough that you don't drop it but not so tight that the straw is closed up.  :)

Marina.  I love this woman!

The next morning we were off with Manuel to El Salvador (Ocotepeque borders both Guatemala and El Salvador).  He is the BEST to have around.  I have never met someone with so many connections.  We go into foreign countries and he's saying hi to everyone we pass, by name.  Crazy. He even talked the border patrol person out of charging us to cross the border, so long as we "found him on our way back through."  Pretty cool - we were illegal immigrants in El Salvador for like 45 minutes.  :)  Granted, Michael and I probably would have preferred to spend the $6 and get the stamps in our passport.

The main reason (well, only reason) to go into El Salvador?  Pupusas.  Basically stuffed tortillas. Yum.  

This picture is one of my favorites - Michael and Manuel.

It was an emotional goodbye when we left Ocotepeque, especially not knowing whether we would ever be back.  The road out of the city goes over a "cloud mountain."  This picture doesn't really do it justice.  It was crazy cloudy to the extent that it was hard to see where we were heading.

This happened a lot on our trip - we'd slow down to go over/around a massive pot hole and a group of kids would run over and beg for money.  It was good for me to realize just how incredibly blessed I am.  I wish we could have done more than give them some money and whatever food we had laying around.

We drove that day to the town near Copan Ruins. We checked into our hotel and did some shopping.

We found a random little restaurant in the town for dinner.  Michael had a baleada (flour tortilla stuffed with refried beans, eggs, and crema) and I had... the same thing as the night before.  :)  It wasn't quite what I ordered, but it was good, so no complaints.

Michael with a banana soda.

His baleada.

My beans, eggs, crema, plantains, sausage, and avocado.

The next morning we went on a guided horse ride.  It was gorgeous!  We were sore for a few days, but it was worth it.  Our guide took us up into a little village where we were immediately surrounded by a group of children trying to sell corn husk dolls.  We bought one for Jessica.

The view.  Don't you love Michael's hat?  :)

Michael and Chepe, our guide.

That afternoon we went to the Copan Ruins (Mayan ruins).

On our way out of town Michael slammed on the brakes and says, "There was the coolest bridge back there and we have to go and get pictures!"  I couldn't believe my eyes.

This bridge was in use!  Along came a man from the other side crossing over.  Michael talked to him afterwards and he was telling us how nice it was to take a bath in the river.  Classic.

The only "vacationy" aspect to our trip was our plan to go to the beach city of Tela.  It's on the Caribbean and usually has crystal clear super warm water.  Too bad we had to come the day it was POURING rain.  It was unreal.  So that meant that it was freezing and the water was nasty from all of the run-off into the ocean.  So much for that idea.

After a night in Tela, we drove back to San Pedro Sula, where we had flown in.  We ate at Baleada's Express for lunch.  There's not a lot of variety it terms of food in Honduras, just a few different ways to organize it. :)

There's a huge marketplace in San Pedro where we got the majority of our souvenirs that afternoon.

Our hotel overlooked the central park, so it was fun looking down that evening over the city.  The hat again - don't you love it?  Oh, and the week without shaving?  :)

The next day we walked around the central park.  There was still a lot of evidence of the political drama from a few months back.

We flew home that afternoon. 

 Wow!  What an adventure!  I'm so glad I finally had the chance to see the place that was, and still is, such a big influence in Michael's life.