Honduras

The weather is a little hot and humid and has given me prickly heat so i looked it up online:
"Prickly heat can be prevented by avoiding activities that induce sweating, using air conditioning to cool the environment,wearing light clothing and in general, avoiding hot and humid weather. Frequent cool showers or cool baths with mild soap can help to prevent heat rash."
Does not sound like bike touring will help . . . but it seems to be passing.I got one last boat ride from Grant in his lancha from the Marios Marina to Fronteras and we parted ways. Grant is a lot of fun. I am thinking of sailing with him to Cuba next winter if time allows . . . but time to pedal off with typical crack of noon start over the tallest bridge in Central America. The distance was shorter than it appeared so i was at the Guatemalan border by late afternoon after rolling past a lot of fruit. International border crossing can be intimidating and not friendly places. However, this is not the case with Guatemala. They do not get many touring cyclists at this border and I was an instant celebrity as officials kept emerging from the immigration shack to check out my ride. Finally, i had to leave because it was going to be dark in an hour and i am sure they had something else to do with the fifty or so trucks lined up . . . or not.
I spent the night in Corinto, Honduras at a hotel and continued on my way towards the Honduran coast passing more fruit plantations or "fincas" with names like "Kickapoo" and "Chinook." Not very latin, sounds more like a summer camp, but not. Reminded me of videos i showed in my classes of Hondurans being beaten, shot, and gassed because they wanted higher wages (or simply wages) on these fincas. Honduras is poor, poor enough that Mexicans feel sorry for them, that's poor. However, the countryside is beautiful with tall steep mountains,clear rivers, and good roads.
Along the way I notice squatter type settlements beside the road but they seem formally organized . . . probably for the people picking fruits or serving tourists along the beaches. Also, i have not seen a single man hole cover but lots of holes that you really have to watch for on a bike because they are in the middle of the street.






I stopped along the coast in the little town of Omoa to grab a bite of ceviche before continuing onwards into San Pedro Sula to replace my bottom bracket that was clicking away.



Honduras recently suffered an attempted military coup after 30 years of democratic governance. However, the coup failed due to popular uprising as well as pressure from Latin American nations. Yet, all does not seem well. People were protesting in the central plaza of San Pedro Sula or rather someone was ranting while everyone sat around and listened. If you look at the cathedral you can see big splotches of red paint and some of the windows were recently broken. The Catholic church, in typical fashion, did not condemn the coup attempt thereby granting legitimacy to the attempted oligarchic takeover. However, it did not go unnoticed. Private armed security is everywhere - even small restaurants have two guards, one inside to unlock the door for you and one outside with a weapon. Pistol grip sawed off shotguns loaded with buckshot are common - they make me more nervous than any crime! Outside stores security stands around with pistols tucked into their belts or long machetes hanging off their waists. I have been around hired guns before but this is a little over the top . . . i assume there is a reason. But I have felt safe in the tree lined middle class neighborhood where the hostel is located. And the two resident terriers have been excellent company - last night one slept on my bed while the other slept under.
Off to Lago Yojoa, Honduras' largest lake, surrounded by mountains, waterfalls, and . . . a microbrewery! Man, what i would give for a Sierra Nevada pale ale . . .