Tegucigalpa!!!

The next stop on my journey was the capital of Honduras and what a weird and interresting place! Arriving there I felt quite lost as I knew nothing of the city and hadn't the chance to practice spanish in a couple weeks. I took a cab to a hotel recomended inthe travelers bible and checked in... There is a river dividing the city in two and I was on the market side....also known as danger town! I didnt find it too dangerous but heh.... I have been to some seedy areas of Guatemala so since the locals didin't have handguns in their belts I felt alright!

The bus ride was beautiful, passing through the mountains, and seeing some villages...

The first ngiht I walked through the market...it was still ight out, I wouldnt go there after dar...and headed across the bridge to find an internet cafe in town.... lots of pizza huts, almost one on every block, as well as the Burger King and his girlfriend Wendy. In this pic you can see the airport...aparently one of themost dangerous in the world.... One week before a plane carrying on e of the wealthiest men in the country started its landing too far down the runway and finished it in the street...2 people in cars were killed as well as several on the plane.... Honduras is trying to build a new airport there on or near the US military base which already has runways, but the US is not to pleased with this project.... They had put in the base in to control interests in latin america in the 80's if my info is correct. (a friend told me this) Either way how crazy is it to have the runway where it is!!! and the city is surounded by mountains!

The next day I went to visit Jesus! He is hanging out in full grandeur ontop of the city. A giant version and what a commanding view he has. Tegucigalpa is surounded by mountians and for that it is quite beautiful! Near Jesus is a small botanical garden and a zoo...I was hoping ot see some animals but the zoo was closed...the view was worth the trip! I also ran into some Quebecers who were volunteering in the city and got to speak some real french! (atleast they spoke real french and I spoke my cersion of it!)

Jesus himself....he was so big you couldn't get a picture form close up!

That morning I had wanted to wash the ocean out of my clothes and couldnt find a laundromat...On my hunt I came across a feather suspended in the air...it was hovering 10cm above the ground, straight up and down and I was mesmerized...thjere was nothing above or below it nor any wind! While I was staring a drunk man noticed it too and said Hi.... Needing a laundromat I asked for directions and he made it his personal mission to help me.... drunk at 8am may not be the best way to go about your day but after much seeking we found it! The funny `part was any time he went to ask someone they would not want to talk to him...then they saw me with my bundle of clothes and answered.... No one really knew where it was and we were sent in circles for 15 minutes until a constuction worker pointed it out not 1 block from where we were! (By the way that morning I decided to have a moustache day....maybe that is why I met Carlos...so we could be a pair)To celebrate my friend Carlos (above) took me to the skethiest part of the market...people lying passed out in the dirties sidewalks imaginable etc... and we went into a little store with 3 other not so clean people inside and one guy stnaing guard at the door....It was some kind of illegal alcohol distribution center.... He ordered a drink which the man at the counter poured forma big bottle into a smaller one and handed it to my frined who quikly chugged it all down...about 3 shots worth... Then he looked at me waitng for me to pay, which I did happily....as he found me the laundry! It cost about 30 cents! So that is how I was reintroduced to spanish! I got to practice with Carlos who despite his drunkeness was quite a gentleman. The streets were full of holes and crazy drivers and he kept pulling me this way and that to keep my footing sure and ensure I was not flattened into a pancake!

Upon returning form my visit with Jesus I had some trouble finding the laundromat! When I did it was closed but I knocked on the window and got my clothes!

Then it was supper and the tv in my hotel for the rest of the night!

One more thing about Tegucigalpa...while it was dirty and dangerous the city it rmeinds me of themost in the world is a toss up between jerusalem and Tel-Aviv!!! The reason is a weird one! Just about every streeet corner downtown has police or military on it....and in every aqwuare or park.... People with metal detectors search you as you enter banks and even some stores, and there are guards at almost every shop as well. These guards are hired security with shotguns, just sitting outside everything form an electronics store to a store that sells underwear to internet cafes! Every McDonalds, Burger King and Pizza Hut also had an armed guard! Look out Hamburgler!!!