Chapter 2: San Pedro Sula during the day; the 2nd most disappointing part of the trip; family dinners; ESPN Deportes; Karaoke; and the growing anticipation for the highlight of the trip
San Pedro Sula
At about 8 AM or so, we woke up to the sounds of Ottito making breakfast. The customary breakfast in Honduras—what is called “tipico” or typical, and is actually the national dish—is eggs, refried red beans, some kind of meat (asada, chicken or pork) and a tortilla. Add to that platanos (plantains) and man you are good to go. I love food. Hahaha.
Today was cloudy, and we (me and my hair) found ourselves actually wearing a very light sweater during most of the day:
There was rain in the forecast and, actually, part of the day was spent diagnosing reports that the ONE road leading to Trujillo had been partially washed out by a few days of rain. So, the question “Would we be able to leave tomorrow?” was a constant. (More later)
Ottito mashed some of his daily responsibilities in with carting us around. First we went just outside of town to his company, called Cohnsa Paysa, where they make concrete and he is a civil engineer (in Honduras, people call him “Engineer” or “Ingeniero” in the same sign of respect you’d pay to a Doctor here in the States.)
We then stopped to get his air conditioning in his car fixed (for the ride to Trujillo.) Then, we went to my Tia Vilma’s house, where my Tia cooked, and where my mother again held court.
After some quick but DELICIOUS grub, we went outside to the back yard, where I usually hung out as a kid:
That’s where we met Muñeca (it means doll.)
Muñeca could rarely contain herself, if you know what I mean (I think she was 10 weeks old) but she was, of course, fricking adorable and was always in the back yard. You can call it Superchunk withdrawals, and I needed a fix.
The 2nd most Disappointing part of the trip
With a point of clarity, I must say that the most disappointing aspects of our Honduras trip came from San Pedro Sula. First was Applebee’s and the other smeared logos of US fast food or chain restaurants obscuring the natural landscape. The 2nd was much deeper and certainly more sad.
Well, to start out, Ottito needed a haircut so we went into el centro (downtown). Earlier in the day, I suggested that I wanted to walk around and just wing my little photo journalism vibe like I always do when I go on trips. It was here where Uncles, Aunts, and cousins all chimed in:
NO.
Not you, not as an American, not with that big ol’ camera.
You see, dear friends of Chance, the crime in San Pedro Sula was exponentially worse than I remember. So much so that, sadly, not only rich neighborhoods but even poor neighborhoods had razor wire, double locked gates followed by dead-bolted home doors entombing its citizens. The fact is this: in order to get into my Aunt’s house, she had to let you in. If you wanted out, she had to let you out. No walking around, no checking out the sights. Constant military presence, many policia all about, stopping cars, checking ID’s et al.
But don’t let me over dramatize this: it wasn’t a war zone. It had just changed and this new change was clashing angrily with my childhood memories. The two days we spent in San Pedro Sula, at the front end of this entire trip, were for the most part spent in a car or in a house. That’s it.
Well, apart from a few notable exceptions:
Checked out downtown, as we looked for the barber.
Here’s a shot of the main cathedral:
Driving through town:
La Policia y la Militaria:
And finally, at around 6 PM, while kicking and screaming, Ottito gets his haircut:
Sad:
…then happy.
Evening dinner
That evening, we went to a family gathering at the new home of my cousin Luis and his new wife, Regina.
(in the distance, Christina & My Tia Vilma; up front, my favorite Uncle: Tio Enrique, with his family sitting nearby)
The food was out of this world: these tacos with pork, or this one with a spicy almost mole type sauce. Two servings for me. I love food. HAHAHA.
We sat around, laughed, and talked…and laughed (Mom, my Tia Georgina, Regina):
Ottito grabbed my mother, then my wife, and danced to music being played:
Someone grabbed me a guitar. I told them I was left handed. No matter; flip that puppy upside down and sing a song or two with limited chords. Hey even better: make everyone laugh by making fun of Ottito’s now much larger size and girth as compared to when we were kids!!
It was a great time, and we were blessed by a lower than usual mosquito count.
Later that night, Christina took the first cold shower of her life. It was hilarious, but sorry, no pictures!
Well, Ok… one!
(She’s going to kill me):
Last day in San Pedro Sula
The last day in San Pedro was much the same: Sitting around, visiting family and waiting. Early this morning, we went to an eatery inside a large run down market in downtown to eat breakfast tipico. The lady was surprised I took this photo, but it didn’t bother her.
We grabbed my mom and headed over to my cousin Miriam’s place where I met her daughter and son for the first time. Again, I can’t stress how much lost time reinvigorates my sense to want (or maybe even need) to come back here more often. Meeting, seeing the kids of my cousins ended up being very profound. I found myself shaking my head in amazement as if I had awoken from a long slumber to find the world very changed. But attitudes had not. Everyone was just as loving and welcoming as I remembered. That’s the constant about my Honduran family. It’s this thread that binds no matter how stretched.
Another interesting note: I found myself visually mesmerized by my cousin Miriam:
The reason is she is now (all grown up) a DEAD RINGER for my mom when I was young (and my mom younger). It was just, I don’t know, it kept stopping me in my tracks. I found myself treating her differently than the others (for the better)! I was looking back in time at my Mother. I wish I could properly explain this; their personalities are different. But it was just fascinating.
Evening of our 2nd day
Later, after more Ottito errands, the most amazing possibility occurred. I heard their was ESPN here on the cable channels. What does that mean?
Florida State game!!!
I don’t need to tell any of you my feelings for and about my beloved Seminoles, so I won’t. So(hahaha) anyway, there in fact was ESPN but it appeared to be ESPN Deportes (Spanish) with different scheduling. We searched my Tia Vilma’s house. Nothing. We finally (gulp, swallows pride) walked into a fricking TGI Friday’s and searched their big screens.
Nope.
Oh well, my dear friend Ty is taping it at home for me(quite simply one of the nicest things anyone has ever done for me). So, let’s drive around and get some grub.
A place called Chef Mariano’s, this was to be only the 2nd of a total of four meals in 12 days that we ate outside of family. Chef Mariano’s was PHENOMENAL and I swear we gotta come back here. Had the Sopa Garifuna: a coconut milk based brothy soup OH MY GOD, with scallops, fish, conch, vegetables etc, OH MY GOD. Fantastic.
But we’re not finished for the night, are we? Shouldn’t we at least do something before we leave tomorrow? Wait better yet, hey look! How about:
Karaoke!
I promise you, that when a place is packed, the song you see on the screen behind me, brings the house down. Tonight, it was not packed. Tonight, the American sarcasm of intentionally butchering songs during Karaoke failed to entertain these serious Karaoke goers of Honduran descent. Ah well, when you buy a few Vodka tonics for probably 2 dollars a pop, the pain is eased. I should note: my cousin and I enjoyably butchered I Can’t Fight This Feeling by REO Speedwagon. He was laughing as hard as I was.
We went back home and finished the evening thusly:
The bottom line is that—in spite all we had done— we all were less than patiently waiting, looking forward to and biding our time for the highlight of the trip:
Trujillo.
Most of the family were either there or on their way. To celebrate the New Year and to celebrate family. In all actuality, Ottito actually had been there for three days prior with his family, but chose to drive BACK to San Pedro (4 hours) just so he could pick me up from the airport. How amazing is that? He wanted us safe, secure and comfortable.
We were to leave tomorrow morning. The dreary weather was waning and sun had replaced the overcast days and threat of rain. Along with our suitcases piled in the back, it would be Ottito, my wife and I, my mom and my step dad, all crammed into a late 90’s Nissan pickup truck (and prayers for no rain).
We had decided to leave two days early, but the washed out road delayed that a day, making it a day early. Hmm, I think that math is right.
Anyway you slice it…. we simply. couldn’t. wait.
Coming Next: Chapter 3- The four hour ride to Trujillo and the only fear of the trip; We’re here!; an influx of family like you would not believe… and more TBA
