From Roatan we headed to Copan. We ended up staying in San Pedro Sula for a night because a bridge on the route to Copan had collapsed. SPS is the 2nd biggest city in Honduras and quite unsafe after dark, which meant we were stuck in our hotel room playing cards and drinking flor de cana or local rum with our 2 friends Liz and Mel who we had met in Roatan and bumped into once again on this bus.
Copan is a beautiful little town in the mountains. It has a wonderful central square around which the entire city of 6 streets is laid out. We had a super street barbecue near here and genrally hung out here in the evenings.
The hostel we booked Iguana Azul and the Gringo owner, runs an interesting scam.They confirm a booking , then when you get there, they give you story about how they can't help it but they don't have a room anymore , but they can accomodate you in there more expensive property next door at a discount. After the discount, it still costs twice as much as the first place but it is nice room and breakfast in included so we took it. I know it is a scam becasue we met 6 people who had got the same routine! My guess is that he does this bacuse IA is a few block from the parque central, so he wouldn't get any walk ins, since normally all backpackers get to the centre of town, and look for a place to stay around there. Anyway, the next day turned nasty when the guy suddenly told us we had to vacate the room even though we had a 2 night booking. Don't want to get into the details but this was just the start of an interesting 2 days. Iguana Azul depends on good references and I will on trip advisor soon...
Anyway, the ruins are 7th century Mayan, and Copan is the location where the most pre colombian artifacts were found, so it is definitely interesting for those so interested. Yannick and I have had our fill of ruins but I still think it was worth seeing.
The next morning we got into a micro shuttle to cross the broder to Gautemala. The lady officer at the Honduran migracion would not stamp us out until we made sure we did not need a visa for Gautemala. I walk across to the Gautamala migracion and the old gentle guy across the table tells me it will cost $200 per person for the visa. I don't get it, and explain to him that the Gautemalan visa is free, and on arrival, for Indians. He brings the price down to $100 each and this is when I get what he was really asking for. I was shocked, and I told him I wouldn't pay anything for the visa. The micro was waiting and people were getting hassled. We then pulled out our laptop and told the officer we would show him a letter I had from his embassy (which of course was bull shit) when he finally asked for $10 per passport, and without waiting for me, began to stamp us in. This, without an exit stamp from Honduras!
In the confusion I gave him $10, and took the passports. He came after me and said I had to give him $20 more, but I had the stamped passports in my hand so I just walked away! Went back to the Honduran side to get the exit stamped and the lady asks me how much I paid for my Gaut visa? I said nothing, and she says you must've paid a minimum of $10 a passport, but if you did not you need to pay me to stamp you out. I acted like I did not understand any spanish and took my passports to leave when she gave up and stamped us out! Talk about international cooperation!
Not the adventure we were looking for, not the entry we wanted but exciting all the same! It has me ready for anything now! It was the most disgraceful welcome to any country. I pray this nevers happens to anyone entering India. I would be shamefaced.
Eventually we crossed and waited for our A/c PUllman bus coach that we had paid for to show up. Something that looked like a bus did show up, but it was very local, no a/c and no seat numbers so we had the last row. I guess we were now getting a real taste of Central America. Without a complain we took the 7 hour ride and finally reached the isla de Flores.
It is a very pretty island, and we look forward to meeting our travel friends Susana and Ion after travelling together in Bolivia a couple of months ago. We plan to spend a couple of weeks exploring Gautemala together so that will be fun!
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