Our timing was again impeccable.

Honduras, a country we had just visited, experiences a military coup and begins to melt down just days after we leave its borders.

Nicaraguan newspapers go so as far as to headline “Blood Bath.” Nothing from our visit indicated how events would turn so suddenly. With the exception of a taxi driver in La Ceiba ranting about corruption across the political spectrum (a common taxi driver tirade the world over), politics didn't figure much in our other conversations.

You've probably seen the images on TV, websites and newspapers of riot police, protesters and barricades in Tegucigalpa, Honduras' capital city. But if you're curious as to what Honduras looks like without a coup, we share photos from our recent visit to the Ruta Lenca, the Mayan ruins at Copan and the bay island of Utila.

Ruta Lenca – Gracias, La Esperanza, Marcala

Our sojourn into the hills of Southwestern Honduras brought us in search of markets and indigenous culture. The Ruta Lenca (Route of the Lenca People) is apparently one of the country's few remaining pockets of indigenous culture. Although its landscape, and agriculture appear lush and appealing, the region is also one of Honduras' poorest.

When you consider the slow-going town of Gracias, you may find it difficult to believe that it was once the capital of all Spanish-controlled Central America. One woman active in the town's reconstruction and development explained: “We don't want Gracias to be another Antigua (Guatemala). We have a local culture and spirit that we want expressed. We don't want to be seen just as a city of old, pretty buildings.”

We, however, will always associate Gracias with the Honduras-USA football World Cup qualifier match of June 2009.

Our arrival in La Esperanza was timed for its Sunday market, the largest of the regional markets where locals descend from neighboring villages with their produce and goods. One part windblown, another part oasis and a whole lotta' cowtown, La Esperanza appears a concatenation of dusty street corners. From the town's edge, the weekly market sprawls from the hills to the main square as makeshift stalls unfold onto the town's unpaved streets. Women walk with buckets of goods balanced on their heads (how do they do that??), local farmers sell onions and avocados from sacks and plastic crates, people shade themselves from the sun with towels and cowboy hats, and vendors spread plastics and kitchen goods on the ground.

The Market-goers stream in from neighboring villages not only to buy and sell goods, but to exchange the latest news and information. The Lenca, one of Honduras' few remaining indigenous groups, actually call this area their home. They are a rather tiny ethnic minority, their facial structures and smaller physiques distinguishing them from the majority (90%) mestizo (those of mixed Spanish and indigenous heritage) population. Their appearance serves as a physical reminder of how the people living in this region centuries ago must have looked. Like any group of people with longstanding traditions, their lives and many of their livelihoods are attached to the market and the audible buzz of their activity fills every nook and cranny — inside, outside, covered and open.

During our visit to La Esperanza, we were the only gringos in town, and from the looks of things, we'd likely be some of the few if only travelers the town would see for weeks. If you happen to be crossing the land border from Honduras to El Salvador at Perquin, consider stopping off at La Esperanza for a day or two to take in the market to enjoy a low key Honduran hill town and some good, strong coffee in the covered market.

Marcala, an even smaller town tucked amidst coffee plantations and farmland, served as our final stop in Honduras before we crossed the border into El Salvador. A curious characteristic of this place: the visible presence of Chinese interests. The town featured a large gaudy Chinese restaurant whose grandeur was distinctly un-Central American and a bit misfit for the size of the town. Additionally, there were several large hotels built in the blue glass and concrete aesthetic we recognized from our time in China. Perhaps most interesting, the local cable service in our hotel room featured two CCTV (Chinese government-run television) channels, one in Chinese and the other in Spanish.

We are still puzzled as to what business interests attracted the Chinese businessmen to this town.

See more photos from the Ruta Lenca

Mayan Ruins of Copan

Although the Mayan ruins in Copan cannot compete for size with those in Tikal, Guatemala, they easily surpass them in the detail of their engravings and reliefs. Intricately carved stellae (holy statues) portray Mayan leaders from 800 years ago while history is told by the massive hieroglyph staircase.

A bonus of Copan ruins: you are welcomed into the park by a group of rambunctious scarlet macaws. We know the park feeds these birds to keep them around, but they are still really, really cool.

The small town of Copan Ruinas just a few minutes away has a strong tourism infrastructure due to its proximity to the ruins, but it still maintains a sleepy Honduran town feel.

The Copan Ruinas market is no different. From the reactions we received, it seems like not many gringos make it the extra few yards to the rear. Venture back for a plato tipico (local fare consisting of some sort of meat, beans, rice and tortilla) from a comedor (eatery) or fresh baleada (flour tortilla stuffed with beans, cheese and eggs) from the stand at the far right corner.

See more photos of Copan ruins and town

Bay Island of Utila

Scuba diving is what Utila is all about for most visitors. Although our visit was mostly about work, we took some time out for a few dives and to enjoy the beach. Utila is not a place you go to experience Honduran cultural immersion, but its clear, Caribbean waters and laid-back pace can become addictive.

See more photos from the Bay Island of Utila

Some readers have suggested that we will run out of places to see when we complete our journey. We have no fear of this. We tend to depart each country with some familiarity and an even longer list of places we'd like to explore upon our return. For Honduras, this includes its northern coastline and Moskitia (Mosquito Coast), home to the Garifuna among others.

The post Honduras Photos: From Mayan Ruins to Scuba Diving appeared first on Uncornered Market.

“Hola, Gringos!” a little Honduran girl calls out to us from the garden of the coffee plantation-cum-guest house on the edge of Gracias, Honduras where we awoke Saturday morning.

“Hola, ninos!” we offer in response.

Giggles all around. Little do we know what a prescient greeting it is.

Honduras Football Fever

The streets of Honduras have been awash in Honduras football shirts and national flags for weeks. From adults to infants, the entire country has been decked out in the Honduran national team football garb. Tuk-tuks and cars drive through streets, Honduran flags flying.

The World Cup qualifying match between Honduras and the U.S.A. is on. It permeates every conversation.

At Castillo San Cristobal overlooking Gracias, a young man asks Dan who he wants to win the game. At the crossroads of diplomacy and metaphor, Dan stretches his Spanish skills (and the truth) and invokes the story of David and Goliath as a way out of explicitly taking sides.

On our return from Balneario Aguas Termales (the nearby hot springs), two young professionals from San Pedro Sula give us a ride. After confirming that we are American, the driver, a young doctor from San Pedro delivers in perfect English, “I hope your team loses tonight.”

It's impossible for us to come away offended, as it comes with good humor – and a free ride to our destination – attached. “Mucho gusto” (“Good to meet you.”) we shake hands, say goodbye and depart with a “Buena suerte!” (“Good luck!”)

The Only Gringos in the Room

As we scout the streets of Gracias for a place to watch the game, two women dressed in football jerseys welcome us into a dark, dingy bar. Why not?

Old dining room chairs are lined up in airliner fashion, no leg room. Beer posters, soccer pennants, and national flags are all obscured by virtual darkness. Room temperature is a cool 85 degrees. The attraction: the local company and a big screen projection of the game on a dropdown white sheet.

Believing that we could make a quick escape if the game turns nasty, we take a place on the edge of the second row. After all, we are in a country whose history includes a war with El Salvador in 1969 that supposedly ignited over a football game.

Men of all ages – some in football jerseys, others in work clothes – stream in as kickoff approaches. We catch surprised glances from the Honduran men who pile in. This is precious. No animosity; only curiosity.

We pay our fee – $0.50 a head – and settle in to watch the action. At $0.75, beers are the cheapest (and coldest) in all of Honduras. The room behind us is full of expectant faces paying loose attention to the Honduran sportscasters during the pre-game show.

Honduras v. USA

Four minutes into the game, Honduras scores. The room erupts; we congratulate everyone and take in the Honduran spirit. And we hope that team USA shows up sometime soon.

Then came the American goal from a penalty kick. Silent shock weighs heavy in the air. We wanted to cheer, but thought better of it and kept looking forward towards the screen.

At half-time, we decide to return to the streets to get some dinner. Walking through the hopeful faces in the dark room, we feel out of place. At the same time there's a sort of bond with everyone: the game is 1-1 at this point and anything is possible.

For the second half, we choose a bar with a bit more light and breathing room. Mobile phones are abuzz as friends and family live out the intensity and urgency of the game's second half. Two drunk women trade eyes with the bartender and some hearty men at the bar. Some scenes are universal.

The whole country is watching and praying for their team at that moment. But we all know the end result: USA 2: Honduras 1.

A Friendly Stroll Home

Even with America's win, we get a friendly “Adios!” and waves from the guys in the bar. A woman on the street offers “Felicidades!” (“Congratulations!”) with her baby in her arms. No shortage of waves and greetings as we make our way towards the main square. We still feel self-conscious as the only gringos around, but the mood is surprisingly jovial.

Before we reach our guest house, we pass the only polished hotel in town. A tour bus is parked in the lot and a sea of white faces mill inside the bar. So, we're not the only gringos in Gracias after all.

But, we are the only ones on the streets.

Travel Information for Gracias, Honduras

• How to get there: If you are going from Copan Ruinas to Gracias, take a local bus to La Entrada ($2.50), then a chicken bus to Santa Rosa de Copan ($1.50) and finally, another chicken bus from Santa Rosa de Copan to Gracias ($2). The total journey takes around 5 hours, but if our experience is any measure, you'll get a lot of smiles and photo-ops along the way.
• Where to stay: Finca Bavaria on the outskirts of town is a working coffee plantation with a few basic rooms available. The rooms are nothing to write home about, but the garden area – complete with a horse and chickens, and sweet, older man running the place – absolutely makes up for it.
• Where to eat: No visit to Gracias is complete without a visit to Rinconcito Graciano, a cute little restaurant with a gregarious owner named Lizeth. She is passionate about using only fresh, organic ingredients and everything is cooked from scratch, “like home.” You drink fresh tamarind juice from a vessel resembling a carved-out coconut shell. She is knowledgeable about Gracias and the surrounding region as well.
• What to do: Gracias was once the capital of all of Spanish-conquered Central America, meaning that the town is full of centuries-old churches and buildings. Climb up to the Castillo San Cristobal on the hill for a view of the town and surrounding hills. Relax in hot, sulfuric water in a forest setting at the Balneario Aguas Termales (hot springs) four kilometers outside of town. It takes about one hour by foot or a few minutes if you hitch a ride (or take a mototaxi/tuk-tuk, L50 each way).
• Where to connect: The internet cafe on the main square has a wireless router and friendly owners who keep it open past 9 PM if you ask nicely. You can also catch an unsecured wifi signal by sitting on the steps near Hotel Guancascos.

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What do we do when we're not chasing chicken buses from one town to the next? Here's a hint.

To balance out the frenzied, amazing race style segments of our journey, we occasionally take time to relax…and to work. For the last week, we have been doing just that on Utila, one of Bay Islands on the northern coast of Honduras.

Much of our time recently has been spent working on a website development project. But away from our laptops and the unreliable wifi signal (we swear one of our neighbors must be downloading TV shows all day long) in our rented apartment, we take advantage of Utila's diving and beach opportunities.

Traveling Above and Below the Water's Surface

Before we deliver a rundown of the marine life we encountered on our dives, we offer a passing thought.

Some people take to scuba diving the same way they might take to travel in general — that is, by checking off all the must-see sights on some Top 10 list in their guidebook. Some miss a few sights and feel cheated for not having accomplished the entire list. Some catch all ten sights but miss everything else along the way because they forgot to look around. And others just see what they can see.

The great opportunity in the underwater journey, like travel on land, lies deep in the enjoyment and appreciation of the ordinary. So on your next dive, a parrot fish here, a squirrel fish there, and colorful coral might be all that you are destined to see. Is that sufficiently fulfilling? Or just cause for misery…if all you came for were the sharks.

In the end, it's all about managing expectations and being happy with what is, rather than what could have been.

What We Saw on our Dives

This time underwater, we lucked out as we dove the north side of Utila. We witnessed the ordinary: schools of flying fish on the ride out to the site; beautiful coral and a colorful parrot fish being cleaned (molested?) by a sharksucker remora fish riding his dorsal fin.

With that, we could have surfaced satisfied.

Later, we came across a nurse shark taking a rest in sandy break between coral. And just as our dive was about to end, an enormous southern stingray (as in 1.5 meters, or more than 5 feet across) allowed us an extended look before gliding off into the deep.

We all surfaced on a diving high. Paraiso (Paradise) – the name of the dive site – was spot on.

Practical Details for Utila, Honduras

Scuba Diving: Every other business in Utila is a dive shop, so there's no shortage of diving options. Many people visit Utila for their Open Water dive certifications because its one of the cheapest locations around to do so. The going wisdom: dive sites on the north side of the island tend to more interesting and feature deeper coral walls.

We dove with Utila Dive Center (UDC) and Bay Islands College of Diving (BICD). Two fun dives cost $55 + $4 reef fee. They both provide all the dive equipment you'll need.

Where to Stay: If you come for your Open Water certification, many of the dive shops will provide you with free, basic accommodation. We required an internet connection in order to work, so we rented a one-room apartment at Bananaville Apartments ($150/week + electricity). Although we had a wifi signal the whole time, internet speeds were not reliable.

Where to Eat: Many restaurants offer similar fare – fish burgers, grilled fish, hamburgers, etc. Our favorite place: Babalu. Its proprietor, Dado, recently lived in Miami but hails from the Ligurian Coast of Italy. On the restaurant's dockside, he created a natural aquarium so you can drink beers and watch the fish collect below. The scene is laid back, tranquil and beautiful for sunsets. As food goes, the little kitchen may not look like much, but the shrimp in garlic and white wine sauce is fantastic. The breaded shrimp and grilled snapper fillet are pretty tasty, too.

Photo Credit: All underwater photos are thanks to Alice Andrew, a dive instructor at Bay Islands College of Diving (BICD) in Utila, Honduras.

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