More From Copan

Marc and I are spending 4 hours a day in language school and at least 2 hours studying, sometimes more. We are also finding time to see the sites of Copan. Monday we just walked around in Copan. Tuesday we walked to the bird park and saw beautifu macaws, toucans, and parrots. It was a long walk to the bird park. Many cars and taxis passed us, but I think we were the only ones walking. Going to the bird park was mostly uphill. I was huffing and puffing all the way and thinking at least it will be downhill going back. I was hot, sweaty and tired when we got there. But the beautiful birds were well worth the journey. Walking back was not too bad. Today, we walked to the artesan center. All the books say that it is within walking distance. Which is true, but we were almost there and took the wrong fork in the road. I think we walked up the steepest road I have ever walked. We saw no cars, no taxis, no horses. That always tells you something. Marc kept asking people (locals) is this the way to La Pinta. Everyone kept saying arriba, which means up or above. My legs were screaming in pain and I didn't want to walk arriba anymore. Again, we were seeing beautiful sites of the Copan Valley. Today was much hotter than yesterday, so I wasn't just hot and sweaty, I looked and felt like I had just stepped out of the swimming pool. We finally arrived at the top of the mountain and found 3 women weaving. I could not believe this was the artesan center. There was a restaurant and we got a much needed coke. We could also see the Mayan ruins in the distance. Some children led us to the rest of the artesan center. There several women make dolls out of corn husks. They are so beautiful made out of many bright colors. The women that work in the artesan center are poor and work hard. Harder than most of us would know about. We decided to buy a few dolls. All the women were standing there hoping we would buy one of their dolls. It is always hard to buy from one and not the others. They all work so hard to be able to make a somewhat better life for themselves and their children. Marc paid for the dolls. I was thinking about that loooong walk down the mountain. Knowing how steep it was, I was not sure going down would be any easier than going up. We found out we had come all the way around the mountain. A little girl had some flowers made out of the cornhusks and asked me to buy one for a dollar. I said yes and then kids came from everywhere wanting me to buy their flowers. I hated to say no to any of them, but my Honduran cash was a bit low and these people would not know what to do with American cash. This little girl and two of her friends showed us a quicker and not so steep way down. She took my hand and led me most of the way. It would have been so much easier to do it myself and go at my pace, but she was so sweet; I just let her lead me down. This part of the mountain was so much easier than the way we came up that I really did not need help. These children were so happy and had almost nothing. Why is it that we have so much and sometimes are not happy? It continues to amaze me. The little girl was worried about me and really wanted Marc and I to sit down and rest. We did. The walk down was a pretty one too, but I think we saw so much more going the long way up. But for a 2 kilometer walk, we only went 3 or 4 kilometers out of the way.
Terri