travel

Garifuna fishermen, Punta Izopo, Tela

2011-09-07T11:26:00.001-06:00

Garifuna fishermen, Punta Izopo, Tela, a photo by Adalberto.H.Vega on Flickr.

Via Flickr:
Around 10AM these Garifuna fishermen will pack their nets and head to their huts with today's lunch: a few fresh fish caught from the Río Platano canals in Punta Izopo National Park as they have been doing since over a couple centuries when they first arrived to Honduran Caribeban Coast after being sent away from Saint Vincent Island.

Alrededor de las 10am estos pescadores Garífunas recogerán sus atarrayas y retornarán a sus cabañas con el almuerzo del día: unos cuantos pescados recién obtenidos de la desembocadura del Río Plátano en el Parque Nacional Punta Izopo como lo han venido haciendo a diario desde su llegada a las Costas del Caribe Hondureño hace más de dos siglos luego de ser enviados lejos de su natal isla de San Vicente.

A few Km. from Tela, Atlántida in Honduras, Punta Izopo National Park main attraction is the Rio Platano, where you can kayak through a maze of mangroves admiring an impressive landscape and plenty of aquatic birds, howler, spider and cappuccino monkeys and some crocodiles. An exciting way of spending half day, and then enjoy a typical Garifuna lunch at the community of Triunfo de La Cruz.

Artisan's street, Copan Ruinas

2011-09-07T11:16:00.001-06:00

Artisan's street, Copan Ruinas, a photo by Adalberto.H.Vega on Flickr.

Via Flickr:

The artisans' street in Copan Ruinas. Every weekend, this street is blocked to vehicles, and turned into a pedestrians' way, where everybody can admire and buy at bargain prices some excellent artwork and crafts exhibited by local and regional artisans. One of the little details that make this acquainted charming little town a true gem for tourists, besides the majestic Copan Maya Ruins.

La calle de los artesanos en Copan Ruinas. Cada fin de semana, esta vía se cierra al tránsito vehicular convirtiéndose en una peatonal donde los artesanos locales e internacionales exponen sus magníficas obras, las cuales estána la venta a precios muy razonables. Es una de las cosas de las que pueden disfrutar los visitantes en este pacífico y encantador pueblecito del Oeste de Honduras, además de las magníficas Ruinas de Copán.

MC Tours Honduras Launches New Redesigned Website

2011-08-12T13:56:00.006-06:00

MC Tours - Honduras redesigned website as a vital communication tool for its clients, business partners and for all the traveler community interested in Honduras.

The result is an improved website which offers a fresh new look that technically provides its online visitors with significant improvements in navigation and resources to easily locate what they are looking for.

The Website located in http://mctours-honduras.com includes a better structured navigation aimed for the visitor to easily find interesting information which will be a great help in selling Honduras destination. The products/services are grouped together in a logical way, according to type, including some specific sections that filter the content according to the travelers’ interest, providing a cross-reference throughout all the website content to quickly find wanted information. This combined with the powerful dynamic search feature, with all pages carefully indexed with keywords, will make it easy for visitors to find everything they may need with a just few clicks.

The website is also mobile ready, so users will be able to conveniently navigate it from their iPhone, iPad, Android, or other smartphone mobile device while on the road.We are sure visitors will find the Resources – Videos section particularly useful; this section contains 17 recently produced videos about Honduras highlights which are a valuable tool to show prospect visitors the wonders of this beautiful country.

MC Tours - Honduras

MC Tours – Honduras is a full services Tour Operator for Honduras, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Belize and El Salvador; specializing in handling planning and operations for accommodation's reservations, land transportation, domestic flights either scheduled or chartered, and attractions, activities and guided tours for all particular interests. MC Tours also has an extensive experience operating shore excursions for the most renowned cruise companies for their calls to Roatan Island and Puerto Cortes, Puerto Castilla and Amapala in mainland Honduras.

Contact:
MC Tours - Honduras

Adalberto Hernandez Vega

Av. Centroamerica

Copan Ruinas, Copan

Honduras

Voice +504-2651-4161

Fax +504-2651-4297

Email: adalberto@mctours-honduras.com

Website: MC Tours - Honduras
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Carpets of Copan, Honduras

2011-07-30T14:24:00.004-06:00

Photo of the day - Carpets of Copan, Honduras | Gadling.com

via gadling.com

Thanks Meg Nesterov for choosing our photo of Copan "Semana Santa" Carpets as Photo of the Day.

If the street above looks a little more colorful than the average road, it's because the carpet has been rolled out for Semana Santa, or holy week leading up to Easter. The "carpets" are made from colored sawdust and flowers and illustrate the Stations of the Cross. There are many reasons to visit Copan in the western region of Honduras, but the procession that will march down this street on Good Friday morning (April 6 in 2012, if you want to start planning) is a big draw; arrive early to admire the "carpets". Thanks to Flickr user Adalberto H Vega for capturing them before they got trampled!

Honduras's Top 5 Best Destinations

2011-03-13T20:50:00.009-06:00

Located right in the middle of Central America, Honduras has plenty of different touristic sites for varied interests. From archaeological sites and towns with colonial buildings to almost a quarter of territory turned into protected areas for nature lovers, beautiful beaches spanning over 500 miles of its Caribbean North coast and crystal-clear warm water coupled with bleached sand beaches at the Bay Islands, a section of the Mesoamerican barrier reef, second largest of its kind in the world and first in biodiversity; living cultures that bear ancient traditions and authentic cultural heritage, and certainly the friendliest people in the region.

1. Copan

Ball Court and Main Plaza, Copan Ruinas

Copán Ruinas is the prime destination in Honduras mainland. A small town with cobblestone streets, a multicultural ambiance typical of a regularly visited destination, yet not too crowded so as to still be enjoyed. As opposed to many other archaeological destinations, the main archaeological site is a short walk from town, just about ten city blocks away and you will find yourself in the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Copan, with a magnificent display of particularly unique sculpture works, even for general Maya art displays.

The southernmost Maya city–state of Copan flourished during a major Classic period from the 5th to 9th centuries AD, when Maya art and science development reached its peak just before mysteriously vanishing. You can enjoy a one-hour easy walk through the park, preferably with a local Tour Guide who will let you deep into the story of this fascinating place.

The Maya Sculpture Museum is one of the best in the region, holding the highest detail in original pieces found in the site protecting them from the elements as well as a full size replica of the Rosalila Temple, discovered in the late 80s, one of the intact temples preserved underneath one of the structures in the main site.

Besides the archaeological park, Copan has plenty of activities to keep you busy for a couple more days. There is the Copan Coffee Tour, a nice hike through shade grown coffee plantations under huge elderly trees inside an authentic primary rainforest just a 30-minute drive from town. Here you can learn about the harvesting and processing of this known bean variety that has become a key to most of our lifestyles.

At the Macaw Mountain Bird Park Reserve you will watch over 200 birds from different species such as macaws, parrots, toucans, owls, and hawks; some are flying freely in the park while others are kept inside spacious aviaries, and you can even have an encounter with some lucky ones at the interaction area. Most of these birds have been rescued from smugglers or donated from people who had them as pets, and since they were not able to survive alone in the wild, they are taken care of in the park.

The Luna Jaguar Hot Springs and Spa 50 minutes from town provides all necessary elements for a relaxing afternoon soothing your body, and for the more active people there is the Los Sapos Canopy Tour with 14 zip-lines (one of them over half a mile long and 650 feet above the ground) qualified by some people as one of the best in Central America.

2. Roatan and Utila

West Bay Beach at Roatan, Bay Islands

If you are more into enjoying sand and sea, Roatan will be the best choice. Pristine water and sugar-white sand are waiting for you at some of the best beaches this side of America. And for divers and snorkelers, the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System is just a fin stroke away from the beach, as opposed to many other diving destinations where you are forced to take a boat ride to get to the good spots.

The Gumbalimba Natural Park has a zip-line, a jungle with a lagoon and an interaction area with monkeys and macaws, a nice hanging bridge and water sports, all available to spend a nice full day of fun and adventure. You can also visit a nice cameo factory, where you can see the ancient delicate art of carving mythical images in sea shells. There is also an iguana farm, glass bottom boat tours and dolphin encounters available for you.

Utila, the smallest of the Bay Islands is a true heaven for divers, it is the less expensive place in the planet to get PADI certification, a preferred spot for the impressively giant whale shark and plenty of marine life, still a truly enjoyable paradise not crowded at all.

3. Tela

Lancetilla Botanical Garden, Tela

One hour from San Pedro Sula, the main touristic gateway in the country is Tela, an old town that flourished during the banana boom of the 30s when Honduras was the main exporter of this exotic fruit, earning its popular title “Banana Republic”. Tela is located in the north Caribbean coast of Honduras.

There are nice fully appointed resorts to enjoy some sunny days, and there are also four different protected areas in the surroundings: Jeannette Kawas National Park; accessible only by water, this park has some of the nicest beaches around and totally off the beaten path to have them only for you, there is plenty of wildlife to be seen such as howler, white-faced, and spider monkeys, alligators, many aquatic birds and (if you are lucky) some dolphins along the boat on the way in. Los Micos Lagoon is a place to go on a motor boat right past the Garifuna village of Miami where you can visit a Garifuna Museum and interact with the ethnic locals during their daily life.

Tela is also home to the Lancetilla Botanical Garden, the second largest botanical garden in the world, holding a wide variety of plants and trees from around the globe. This garden was built as a research facility by one of the banana companies and is now maintained by the government. The Punta Izopo Wildlife Reserve is an intricate maze of mangroves where you can kayak along to enjoy the peace of this remote area while watching some abundant wild life.

4. La Ceiba

Cangrejal River Rafting, La Ceiba

One hour east of Tela and you will stumble upon La Ceiba, owner of the properly earned title: “the Ecotourism Capital” of Honduras. In La Ceiba you have the chance to visit Pico Bonito National Park, a true paradise for birdwatchers -one of the biggest most intact contiguous forest in this part of the world, with confirmed sightings of more than half of the nearly 800 birds known to Honduras. The highest elevation in the shortest distance from sea level, Pico Bonito has several nicely maintained nature trails for all levels of hiking and trekking, some canopy tours, and from The Lodge at Pico Bonito -featured in the Small Luxury Hotels of the World list- you can find a few nice bird-watching towers to easily appreciate some of the over 400 species that wander freely in this cloud forest including the elusive Lovely Cotinga.

Cuero y Salado Wild Life Refuge is a coastal manatee and wildlife refuge where the Cuero and Salado Rivers meet the ocean. The refuge contains over 13 square kilometers of tropical wet and mangrove forests. Monkeys, sloths, caimans, crocodiles, iguanas, and turtles are common sights together with over 350 species of birds. The refuge's most famous inhabitant is the elusive and endangered West Indian Manatee with an estimated population of 50 individuals. From the La Ceiba international airport you can fly to Roatan, Utila or Guanaja (the other two Bay Islands), although they can also be reached by a nice passenger’s speed-boat.

For those searching adrenaline kicks, the Cangrejal River offers class 4 and 5 rapids for one of the best white-water river rafting experiences. Last but not least from La Ceiba is Cayos Cochinos, an archipelago of several small cays all part of a protected area which has guaranteed a truly secluded experience in one of the most paradisaical spots around.

5. The Lenca Trail

Cathedral from Central Plaza, Santa Rosa de Copan

If your interest is more into the cultural side, the Lenca Trail offers a nice itinerary, covering some of the nicest old colonial towns including Comayagua, former capital city of Honduras. With some nice colonial churches and buildings, one of the Comayagua Cathedral towers holds the oldest clock in our continent; La Esperanza, a small town in the Honduran highlands where local Lenca people from the surrounding villages gather together on Sundays to exchange market goods; Gracias, former capital city in the days of the Central American Vice-royalty, home to some nice old churches, the San Cristobal fortress dating from colonial times and the Casa Galeano Museum; and Santa Rosa de Copan, a nice small city which flourished greatly during the republican period, right after independence days when the tobacco industry began to take off, the city tour includes a visit to some nice old buildings and a tobacco factory.

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Honduras is a little less than 3 hours from main gateways in the United States by flight, with four international airports receiving daily flights from major airlines, being San Pedro Sula the main aerial entry for tourism. Getting around is easy, there is deluxe transportation service available, and private services can easily be arranged as well. There are hotels for every budget, and the locals are very friendly. English is widely spoken in Copan and Roatan and also by the staff of important hotels throughout the country.

The Church and Central Plaza, Copan Ruinas

2011-03-05T20:56:00.010-06:00

Parque Central e Iglesia, Copán Ruinas, originally uploaded by Adalberto.H.Vega.

The Central Plaza in Copan Ruinas, Honduras is going through some radical transformations. Apparently the municipal authorities had finally come to their senses and realized that the Central Plaza in a small town like Copan Ruinas should not have that many ornaments and walls inside.

It is the same situation as any other town in Honduras (or Latin America) that has the typical layout of the Spanish cities, with the church opposite to the government building. The Central Plaza doesn't have any walls or tall edifications inside, because buildings around have even more historical value to be appreciated from the plaza itself.

Although a properly maintained—beautifully adorned Central Plaza contributes to the embellishment of the city, Central Plazas should not be crowded with vision-obstructive elements that impede the view of those historically valuable buildings.

The actual Plaza with all those decorations inside (and an unnecessary wall in the south side) was created by the same architect who designed the Central Plaza in Puerto Cortes, but the difference in that city as compared to Copan —no offense to the Porteños— is that the only pretty element in the city is the Plaza itself. There are no historical buildings around worthy of singular appreciation.

Let's hope the remodeling process won't suffer the same interference as the so—called garden refurbishing.

Check out these nice Honduras videos!

2010-12-02T10:47:00.002-06:00

Welchez Coffee and Copan Coffee Tour ~via Lexus Magazine

2010-06-27T18:12:00.004-06:00

Learning the art of the bean at Honduras’ finest coffee plantation

Originally published in Lexus Magazine - by Mark Anders | Photography by Chris M. Rogers

A perfect cup of cappuccino served up by Guillermo Calderón, the Barista Cowboy.

The finca’s Guamos, or shade trees, help to produce some of the most savory Arabica coffee on the planet.

I’m kneeling in the dirt, straddling a long line of tiny leafy coffee plants. There are 25,000 of them here, rows upon rows, planted inside small black plastic bags each the size of my fist. A low, black tent-like structure protects the seedlings from the strong Honduran sun, which is already blazing and it’s only eight in the morning.

The author rides off to survey coffee plants at Finca Santa Isabel. Removing weeds from young coffee plants.

This is the plant nursery. Soon these “small soldiers,” as the workers call them, will be planted in some lush tropical plot on Finca Santa Isabel, the 375-acre Café Welchez coffee plantation in the northwest corner of the country, close to the Guatemalan border.

This is where I’ll be working for the next few days. For now, it’s my job to remove the weeds hat are infiltrating these bags. They call it “cleaning.” Working alongside me is Gregorio Lopez, a 12-year veteran of the finca. He’s teaching me proper weeding technique. Meanwhile I chat him up in my marginal Spanish. I probably should have concentrated more on the task at hand because suddenly my translator, Edgar Carranza, approaches, looking concerned.

Edgar, who is 19 years old, leads coffee tours on the plantation. “You see,” he says solemnly, “there is quite a situation here.” He nods towards Gregorio. “He’s saying that you might have taken out some other good plants.”

“I pulled the wrong ones?”

“Yes, apparently you took out one that’s actually a small oak tree. They use it to build things on the farm.”

“Crap. I’m sorry. I’m already messing up.”

“That’s right,” says my friend Chris, camera in hand. “All of a sudden the coffee is going to be a hell of a lot more expensive.” Still chuckling, I get back to my weeding, but now with more resolve. I want to prove to Memo that I’m ready to move on to the next job.

Memo is short for Guillermo Calderon, but I call him Jefe Grande—Spanish for “Big Boss.” He’s 35, manager of the plantation, and though he seems like a serious, down-to-business kind of guy, the first time I called him Jefe Grande, he cracked a big smile. Memo is all cowboy. He’s six feet tall, 230 pounds, and carries himself with a confidence you’d expect from a man who operates a huge farm like this. But he’s also a gentleman farmer, an accountant turned classically trained barista. He can pour all sorts of elaborate designs in cappuccinos, and is highly knowledgeable about the coffee growing process. He’s a man of many names, so I add one more—I think of him as the Barista Cowboy.

Memo deftly leads me through it all, spouting off stats about soil samples and nitrogen and potassium content of the dirt. He talks of optimum humidity levels and elevation and organic fertilizer. The salient points are that Finca Santa Isabel, a 50-year-old farm, is predominantly a shade-grown, organic plantation. Unlike clear-cut coffee farms that are harvested by machine, this finca has guamos, or shade trees, that shield the coffee trees from heavy sunlight and provide a flourishing insect and bird habitat (with 80 species of birds) that eliminates the need for chemical fertilizers and pesticides. The result: an Earth-friendly process that produces some of the most savory Arabica coffee on the planet.

“Mark, come!” booms Memo, gesturing for me to follow. I have to jog a little to catch up, while our small entourage—Edgar, Gregorio, and two other caporales (supervisors) from the farm—trails behind.

Honduran wildlife, coffee tour bus, hand-crafted boots, traditional dress, Copan Ruins, and “Big Boss” Guillermo Calderon.

To the rest of the workers, I’m Gringo Loco— literally, “Crazy White Guy.” They think I’m crazy because I actually want to work on the plantation. This is tough, getting-your-hands-dirty kind of work, and most gringo tourists would rather cruise the finca on the tour bus and stroll around the plantation with Edgar. Meanwhile, I spray coffee plants with organic fertilizer, dig for worms in piles of rich, pungent compost made of coffee bean pulp, and clear brush and weeds from around mature coffee trees with a machete. This is serious labor and my triceps are burning. I also dig holes with a posthole digger. A skilled worker can do 300 in a day—but I do six and I’m ruined. Then I transplant the young coffee plants. Next, one of the caporales shows me how to use a machete to trim the tops off the coffee trees to keep them low enough for the pickers. They call this method “rock and roll” since experienced workers can quickly top a row of trees, one after another.

By lunchtime each day, I’m starving. We gather at Las Cascades, the finca’s treehouse-like café secreted within a thick rainforest. One afternoon as I burst into the café with Memo, muddy and sweaty with my rubber boots and cowboy hat, I get quizzical looks from the tourists on the official coffee tour. I may look out of place, like I’m playing cowboy, but I feel proud—cool even—because I’m rolling with the Jefe.

The Honduran coffee bean journey, from picking to roasting: Harvesting coffee, red beans, sun-drying process, and roasted beans.

“Este es Café de Mark,” the boss tells me as i scatter the beans.

Together we eat a brilliant plato típico, or typical Honduran food. There’s tender locally raised beef and Chicharones, homemade corn tortillas, green chiles, lightly fried plantains, and, of course, the coffee. Memo brings me a delicately poured cappuccino with an intricate spider web he’s drawn into the foam with chocolate syrup. And then he delivers me a rich, piping hot espresso. All perfect.

“Some testers say his coffee has a lot of spices other than chocolate, like a peach taste,” Edgar says, translating for Memo. “He’s saying it’s due to the work of the bees. They go around from flower to flower, like to citrus trees, lemons, other types of plants, and then back to the coffee plants, and that’s pretty much how these spices travel around in the coffee.”

Later we tour the farm by horse, galloping up and down steep pitches of rainforest, through narrow streams, and alongside rows of mature trees being harvested by teams of workers. Ever the cowboy, Memo packs his black steel pistol in a holster on his hip—“for security” he says.

In the late afternoon, as most of the workers pile into the beds of pickup trucks for their commute home, I join Memo and about a dozen other workers for a game of pelota, a fast-paced form of soccer played on the slick concrete pad where the farm’s coffee beans are sun dried.

These are the first few days of the harvest season and I can tell Memo is excited. For the next three months he’ll work from dawn to dusk supervising more than 300 workers as they pluck the valuable berries from the trees. An experienced picker can harvest 200 pounds a day, and every season Santa Isabel produces up to 5,000 sacks—a total of between 400,000 and 500,000 pounds—of coffee beans. Honduras is only the 10th-largest producer of coffee in the world, but thanks to fincas like this one, the country has quickly become known for its rich, pure beans, which are snapped up mostly by Europe and Japan. They may not have the Juan Valdez–size advertising budget of the Colombian coffees, but in-the-know baristas and connoisseurs revere Honduran coffee.

Not all of the berries at Santa Isabel have ripened into their characteristic red and yellow colors, but there’s still plenty of activity on the farm. Workers emerge from the thick green foliage, each with his own waist-mounted plastic bucket for carrying the berries he’s picking at the moment, plus a big yellow burlap-like sack for his entire day’s harvest. Using both hands simultaneously, each picker deftly twists the ripe berries and pops them into the bucket. In the afternoon, they all meet in an open-air pavilion where the daily weigh-in happens. Memo presides over it all, flanked by Alexa, a cocoa-eyed, 22-year-old woman who tallies each worker’s harvest, both by number of gallons and quality of the berries picked.

One by one the workers proudly pour their sacks into the hopper. The beans look like marbles and I enjoy running my fingers through them. Memo asks me to hold my foot on the trapdoor as he judges each harvest. The workers hold their breath slightly and wait for his verdict. I can sympathize with them because I too have taken my turn harvesting and then presenting my meager haul to Memo, garnering a mixed review. Too many greens, he often scowls, but occasionally he offers praise. Then with a curt adios he tells me to lift my foot and send the berries tumbling down a chute to the holding tank below. Next, a machine groans to life and begins separating the good berries from the bad.

Rancho Las Cascadas Cafe at the Finca Santa Isabel plantation.

Each berry contains two coffee beans, and it takes extensive washing to remove the thick, fibrous husk. After the beans are washed, they are sent through a neatly tiled water canal system with a series of locks and dams that separate the husks and pulp from the beans. After that the beans are sent to another vat where they are left to ferment for 12 to 40 hours. Some plantations skip this process but Memo insists that it is the key to superior aroma and taste. Like a kid, I slop around in the vat with beans up to my knees before sending them down another chute where they’re staged for drying.

It takes five days to dry beans on the soccer field, three days on drying tables inside a greenhouse, or just 40 hours in the drying machine. Most are dried using a combination of all three methods before their 17 minutes of roasting, which brings the inner temperature of the beans to around 390 Fahrenheit, thereby producing their medium–dark brown color.

Out on the concrete soccer pitch in the bright afternoon sun, I get a huge batch of beans ready for roasting. I’m pushing them gently back and forth with a handmade wooden rake, turning them over for more sun. The rhythmic flow to it becomes hypnotic—part meditation exercise, part hockey rink Zamboni duty. All the while I recall the people I’ve met on the farm, and the work I’ve done over the past couple days, and that’s when I start to truly appreciate the magnitude of work and sweat that goes into producing each cup of coffee. “Este es café de Mark,” Memo says as I scatter the beans.

Even with my lackluster Spanish, little is lost in translation: This is Mark’s coffee. Funny, but true. I can’t help but smile as I realize that soon, somewhere, maybe at a tiny sidewalk café in Paris or in a Starbucks in the States, someone will indeed be enjoying the fruits of my labor.

IF YOU GO

GETTING THERE
The quaint cobblestone village of Copan Ruinas is about 2.5 hours from the airport in San Pedro Sula, Honduras. MC Tours - Honduras (mctours-honduras.com) can arrange for an escorted tour, accommodations and/or private transportation within the country.

STAY
Hotel Marina Copan is a warm, 51-room boutique hotel ideally situated beside the town’s main plaza, with plenty of good shopping and restaurants nearby. (hotelmarinacopan.com)

EXPERIENCE
Take the Copan Coffee Tour at Finca Santa Isabel, which includes a bilingual guide; breakfast, lunch, or brunch at Rancho Las Cascadas; and a shuttle to and from the Copan Ruinas. (cafehonduras.com) Explore the Parque Arquelogico Ruinas de Copan, site of one of the most elaborate cities of the Mayan Empire.

TASTE
Try Welchez Copan Gourmet Coffee for yourself. The online store offers light and dark roast, whole bean or already ground. (cafehonduras.com)

A good opportunity to visit Honduras

2010-06-04T17:18:00.003-06:00

As in many other cases regarding destinations, Honduras situation is mainly one of wrong-perception in sense of issues that may affect travelers.

Central Park, Copan Ruinas

We have a calm environment since even before the elections back in November 2009, and there has been no signs of safety and security threats along the country.

The US Embassy had canceled the travel alert to Honduras: “…Since the peaceful and transparent elections on November 29, 2009, political violence in the country has decreased considerably. The State Department canceled the travel alert for Honduras on December 8, 2009…” ~http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1135.html

And Canada Foreign Affair's website regarding Honduras shows that “…There is no Official Warning for this country. …” ~http://www.voyage.gc.ca/countries_pays/report_rapport-eng.asp?id=121000

If anything, this low demand situation, has caused hotels in main touristic sites like Roatan and Copan to drop their prices down to 50% discounts, which could be a good opportunity for Adventure Travelers to come and visit our country.

West Bay Beach, Roatan

A few samples of current promotional packages here: http://bit.ly/anqeu1 and here: http://bit.ly/bs5aEi

Original Rosalila Temple, Tunnels - Copan Ruinas Maya Site

Come and take advantage of these specials to visit this 'off-the-beaten-path' destination, You will truly enjoy it!

Museum of Anthropology and History - San Pedro Sula, Honduras

2010-03-05T11:00:00.006-06:00

The Palestinian Kattan family in San Pedro Sula Honduras 1920.Courtesy of the Museum of Anthropology and History of San Pedro Sula, Honduras.

Middle Eastern migrants to Latin America traveled predominantly from the eastern Mediterranean region variously known as the Arab East, the Levant, or the Mashreq. Part of the Ottoman Empire until the early twentieth century, this area includes modern Lebanon, Syria, Israel, and Palestine. Considerable migrant populations have also come from Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, and Iraq. ~via international.ucla.edu

They traveled with Turkish passport, therefore in some countries including Honduras they were know as 'Turcos'

The Museum of Anthropology and History in San Pedro Sula has a nice photo gallery of those early immigrants, as well as one of the most extensive collection of Lenca an other cultures' pottery artifacts and sculptures from pre-Columbian times way before Copan's Mayas glorious times.

If you travel to San Pedro Sula, Honduras don't forget to visit the Museum, open daily from 10am to 5pm (except on Tuesdays).

The Museo de Antropología e Historia is licensed by the Honduran Institute of Anthropology and History to house archaeological and historical collections, which by law belong to the people of Honduras. The ground floor of the museum is devoted to the history of Honduras, and San Pedro Sula in particular. The upper floor exhibits are about the prehistory of the valley where San Pedro is located. The Museum has a research library with information related to the history of Honduras. ~Wikipedia

Lake Suchitlan, Suchitoto, El Salvador

2010-02-17T10:54:00.003-06:00

Our photo of Lake Suchitlan, Suchitoto, El Salvador was chosen as Photo of the Day on Feb 5th 2010 in Gadling.com, AOL's travel blog.

Flickr user Adal-Honduras took this shot of El Salvador's Lake Suchitlan, a popular weekend getaway for many Salvadorans. Located near the beautiful, colonial town of Suchitoto, Lake Suchitlan is one of the most gorgeous spots in perhaps the Western Hemisphere's most underrated country. ~ Aaron Hotfelder.

It is indeed a very beautiful place. The photo was taken from La Fonda del Mirador, a nice old house with a rustic but comfortable setting, while enjoying a delicious local-style prepared fish stuffed with shrimps:

Miami Garifuna Village, Tela. The Coast of Utopia -Condé Nast

2010-02-08T12:01:00.010-06:00

I found this old article about Miami Garifuna Village in Tela, Honduras. Written by Alison Humes Features Editor at Condé Nast Publications.

Lunch in Miami, one of the tiniest traditionally Garifuna communities sprinkled along the Atlantic coast of Honduras, was a profoundly satisfying moment, when all the contradictions of the world came together. The village lies at the end of a sand barrier, straddling the narrow ribbon of land that seals Los Micos Lagoon off from the Caribbean Sea, west of the small town of Tela. It is just inside the Jeannette Kawas National Park, one of Honduras's largest, a magical mix of cloud forest, estuaries, mangroves, and beaches. Walking through the village felt almost like trespassing; there are no streets, only paths between the small houses, all built of thatch and reeds. The sand sparkles, and there are little decorative gardens around some of the houses. There's no electricity or running water. The cayucos, boats carved from tree trunks, were pulled up on the shore of the lagoon, but if it's early enough in the day and you ask around, someone will take you out fishing or touring the enchanting lagoon. There was a breeze off the ocean, and we sat down at Nany's Place, along benches and picnic tables. I got a green coconut with the top cut off so I could drink its cool water and scrape the jelly out with a spoon. We lingered under the palapa, with the beach on one side and a view of the lagoon on the other, drinking beer and chatting with whoever came by to hang out.

Keel-billed Toucan - Macaw Mountain Bird Park - Copan Ruinas, Honduras

2010-01-23T16:44:00.004-06:00

Keel-billed Toucan - Macaw Mountain Bird Park - Copan Ruinas, Honduras, originally uploaded by Adalberto Hernandez Vega.

The Keel-billed Toucan (Ramphastos sulfuratus), also known as Sulfur-breasted Toucan, Rainbow-billed Toucan, is a colorful Central-South American bird with a large bill. It is the national bird of Belize.

This one is at the Macaw Mountain Bird Park in Copan Ruinas, Honduras, a nice private bird reserve where they take have macaws, parrots, toucans, owls, hawks and more.

Placencia Belize, One of 25 sexiest beaches

2009-10-08T14:39:00.003-06:00

From ForbesTraveler.com Placencia Belize.

Jungle birds and iguanas jockey for space with diehard scuba divers and mellow hammock-swingers in this Central American destination. Wedged between sea and lagoon, the crystal cays and lush mangroves of Placencia are an ecological eyeful. The rich fertility of Placencia inspires a tropical sexiness.

Videos of Honduras

2009-10-08T07:26:00.002-06:00

The Honduran Institute of Tourism is launching a series of interesting short videos, showing the wonders and must-see places of this tiny but beautiful country. The production is highly professional, and the footage is superb. They are publishing one different every week on Wednesdays.

Please come back weekly, because there is still a lot to come on the next weeks. This week featuring Roatan island:

Meals - Hotel Marina Copan, Honduras

2009-10-03T10:08:00.005-06:00

Meals - Hotel Marina Copan, Honduras, originally uploaded by Adal-Honduras.

Aren't these dishes delightfully inviting? Part of the regional cuisine of Western Honduras, some samples of what you can enjoy in Copan Ruinas.

Upper left (and clockwise): 1: Breakfast at the Junior Suite's balcony, Hotel Marina Copan. 2: Coffee Flan dessert. 3: Brochetas del Sol (Sun Sheesh Kabob), Fresh marinated cubes of beef and chicken tenders, corn, and vegetables, covered in champignon sauce, plus guacamole, rice and 'tostones' (fried green plantain). 4: Tropical chicken salad: Chicken, champignons, yogurt, celery, spices, served on a pineapple half, plus watermelon.

Hotel Marina Copan

Some more exquisite delights:

Cine Hispano - Santa Rosa de Copan

2009-09-28T10:48:00.002-06:00

Cine Hispano - Santa Rosa de Copan, originally uploaded by Adal-Honduras.

Santa Rosa de Copán is the departmental capital of the Honduran department of Copán. It is set at an altitude of approximately 1000m.

Santa Rosa de Copán, Honduras, is the largest and most important city in western Honduras with a population of 42,803. Santa Rosa is the governmental hub of the department of Copán. The city is connected through the International Highway of the West with San Pedro Sula to the east and with the borders of El Salvador at El Poy and Guatemala at Agua Caliente to the west. Santa Rosa benefits from a beautiful setting, surrounded by hills and pine trees, and enjoys a subtropical climate with temperatures ranging from 25-29° C in the summer (March-June) and from 13-15° C in the winter (December-February).

Santa Rosa has a rich cultural heritage and is an appealing stop for tourists. The historical center of the city has been declared a Honduran national monument. Visitors can enjoy the colonial architecture, cobblestone streets and colonial-style houses that demonstrate the preservation of Santa Rosa's culture and history, with its origins in tobacco farming. While visiting the city center you will notice several different architectural styles of the historical buildings. Santa Rosa is situated at a strategic point between Copán Ruinas and Gracias, Lempira. Here you will find two of the most important tourist attractions in Honduras: Copán Ruinas and Celaque National Park. The city also has the advantage of being within 2 hours of the borders of both El Salvador and Guatemala, which makes it the perfect place to rest up and explore its historical downtown. Santa Rosa is also an ideal spot to use as a base to explore nearby towns such as Lepaera, Corquin and San Marcos, among others.

The city offers a wide selection of hotels and restaurants. It was founded in the early 18th century by Spanish settlers as Los Llanos de Santa Rosa and was picked as the site for La Real Factoria del Tabaco, the Royal Tobacco Company a Spanish crown company in 1765. Later, it was the capital city of the department of Gracias before that department was split into Copán and Lempira. In 1865, it was renamed Santa Rosa de Copan. ~via Wikipedia

Uploaded by Adal-Honduras on 27 Jun 09, 8.02PM CST.

Honduras Videos

2009-09-16T19:50:00.014-06:00

Check out Honduran Institute of Tourism - YouTube Channel featuring a series of short videos filmed in July and August 2009:

~via YouTube

Why it is Important to Use a Travel Agent

2009-07-20T18:04:00.008-06:00

I stumbled upon these on-line readings recently regarding travel, and I decided to share extracts and links that you may find useful:

Ruthanne Terrero the Editorial Director of the Questex Travel Group —which includes Travel Agent magazine, Home-Based Travel Agent, Luxury Travel Advisor, Premier Hotels & Resorts and Premier Spas & Romance— was approached by CNN recently to talk about how consumers can take advantage of the current situation in order to find the best travel deals.

The article reads:

Navigating the deals and best steals can be overwhelming, which is why turning to a travel agent for help can make a difference. A travel agent, for example, can sift through all the options, often secure different packages and can help prospective travelers figure out what destination is best for them.

"If you go to a professional, they can tell you what the traditional prices are ... and give you some good old-fashioned advice," said Ruthanne Terrero, a vice president in charge of content at The Travel Group, which puts out publications and websites for travel professionals.

She wrote a column before about: Top 10 Reasons to Use a Travel Agent

Christopher Dane from GLC News writes his own quite good 10 reasons that I am listing here (My favorite is #6):

10. You want "a single throat to choke" when something goes wrong.

9. Because you do not have the time or resources to keep up with this every changing travel environment.

8. Unless this is your one of your core competencies... forgettaboutit!

7. Much better chance of getting the best value through a reputable agency that you trust.

6. Why would you ever go to a doctor when you can research it online???? Same applies to travel.

5. Who gonna call... (when there is a problem) ...ghostbusters??? not!

4. You cannot book complicated itineraries online or with one supplier and feel assured that you got the best price/value.

4. For the most part they are an unbiased resource with far more tools at their disposal than you.

3. Because everyone feels about travel the way they feel when they buy a car... everyone else got a better deal than me!

2. It is always easier to second guess someone else.

1. Because I have people that can do that for me....having people is good! Besides there are many other things I want to do!

This is an excerpt from an analysis written by a travel agent elaborating a little more on the subject:

...people do not realize how much travel agents can help them. People also don't realize that the price on the internet is the same price travel agents can do the booking for. Our commission is already in the price that is on the internet, you don't pay anything extra.

Travel agents book travel everyday. We take our FAM trips all over the world so we are knowledgeable. Our sales reps come by and train us on what is new in travel. They are our "go to person" when we need something or have a problem to resolve. Travel agents book reliable companies that we can count on...

...We want your repeat business so travel agents will do the best possible job for you so you will come back again!

And another travel agent also comenting on the issue:

Consumers, especially under the age of 30, are under the false impression that internet travel always provides more for less. As a long time veteran of the retail travel industry, I find that many times people pay more for less online and get a less than satisfactory travel experience.

If consumers want to buy travel as a commodity and care more about price than the quality of their vacation experience, they can book online. If they want to have a superior experience, usually at the same cost, they should utilize the services of a travel professional.

A travel professional is someone whose occupation is as a travel consultant, not someone who 'Does it on the side'. Travel agents provide a great deal of information that the internet does not. We are constantly undergoing training and certification to provide our clients with the best possible information. If I want my car repaired I go to a mechanic, If you want a a great vacation, go to a travel agent.

Utila - One of 10 Best Scuba Diving Destinations

2009-07-16T17:21:00.013-06:00

Utila, in the Bay Islands, Honduras is one of the 10 best scuba diving destinations, according to OpenTravel site. Other places include: Australia, Mexico, Indonesia, Belize, Micronesia, Vanuatu, Egypt, Thailand, and Maldives.

If hours under the water watching wild and abundant marine life is your type of thing, these are some of the world’s most spectacular dive destinations. Probably you have already visited one or even a few of those locations but I bet there’s at least one place you haven’t yet explored.

Utila. By bubblesandbugs

If you search for an unspoiled dive spot, head for Utila. The smallest of the Bay Islands of Honduras, just 11 km (6.8 miles) long and 4 km (2.4 miles) at its widest, is surrounded by pristine crystal waters. It sits on top of the second largest fringing coral reef in the world. Empty beaches and waters, 60 different scuba diving sites with caves and numerous wrecks (such as the famous Halliburton) and an encounter with harmless whale shark - all come in a package. ~via OpenTravel.com

To learn a lot about Utila, you can visit this great —and properly named— website: AboutUtila.com with plenty of useful information and fantastic photo galleries. If you are more into the better organized travel plans you can contact MC Tours - Honduras who can put together a nice package for you including transportation to/from San Pedro Sula, with discounted rates in accommodations such as the Utopia Village or the Mango Inn.

A great place to see the giant Whale Shark, the world's largest fish. The "official" world record size, which is apparently listed in the Guinness Book of World Records, is 12.65m (41ft 6in). Have you have ever been swimming with Whale Sharks? I'd love to know how somebody achieved a measurement this accurate. How did they get the whale shark to stay still (and straighten out), while they ran the 50ft tape measure over its massive length?

Scuba Diver encounters Whale Shark. By AboutUtila.com

Although more frequent in the months March-April and August-September, the Whale Shark is regularly sighted around the Island of Utila and unlike dolphins or other fish which tend to school or travel in pods, are usually solitary. That said, it is not uncommon for 5 or more singular Whale Sharks to be sighted in a single day along the northern shores of Utila. The tropical island of Utila is reckoned by some to be home to an annual rendezvous of these presumably migratory creatures who have been recorded traveling over 8,000 miles. ~via AboutUtila.com

Cozy kitchen - Copan Ruinas, Honduras

2009-06-30T18:47:00.015-06:00

Our thanks to Karen Walrond writer from AOL travel blog Gadling.com who has chosen another of our flickr photos as yesterday's Photo of the Day 6.29.09.

Today I've been keeping a close eye on the happenings in Honduras -- it appears that even though military troops have sent President Jose Manuel Zelaya into exile, and there have been a few skirmishes between demonstrators and the Honduran police, the country remains relatively calm. Here's hoping they remain that way.

And in the meantime, take a look at this wonderfully cozy kitchen in a small Mayan village in Honduras, shared by Adal-Honduras. It certainly speaks to peaceful times, doesn't it? Lovely shot. ~Gadling

It is indeed rewarding. We also appreciate our friends at Gadling for helping us project a better image to the world in these moments of uncertainty. We are confident that things will completely return to normal pretty soon.

Honduras’ borders remain open, and the airports remain operative for regularly scheduled flights. Latest news from Continental Airlines, American Airlines and Delta Airlines stated they continue to operate flights as usual; TACA flights to/from Costa Rica and domestic flights are suspended —since last week but because of different reasons unrelated to latest events. TACA international flights to other destinations are operating as scheduled.

Some information for travelers regarding flights: Passengers traveling with TACA may wish to call +(504) 550-8222 (San Pedro Sula) or +(504) 220-7602 (Tegucigalpa). Those passengers traveling with Continental Airlines may wish to call +(504) 220-0999 (Tegucigalpa), +(504) 557-4141 (San Pedro Sula), or 1-800-231-0856 (United States). Those traveling with American Airlines may wish to call +(504) 216-4800 (Honduras) or 1-800-433-7300 (United States). Those traveling with Delta Airlines may wish to call 1-800-791-9000 (United States and Central America) or +(504) 550-1616 (San Pedro Sula).

Our previously selected Gadling Photo of the Day 4.27.09:

You can follow me on Twitter: @ahvega

Swim with dolphins in Honduras

2009-06-24T18:41:00.011-06:00

One of thirty ways to live a longer and healthier life.

I stumble upon this page a while ago on healthy living from SAGA Magazine: "Thirty ways to a healthier life" , and I am particularly fond of #19 related to Interaction with Dolphins, an activity you can perform in Honduras —easily and less expensively than in other destinations:

Swim with dolphins: People with mild to moderate depression showed significant and lasting improvement after spending an hour a day swimming with dolphins for two weeks in Honduras, according to a study published in the BMJ. They did much better than a control group who took part in water-based activities but without the dolphins. The psychiatrists from the University of Leicester medical school were testing brophilia - the theory that human health and wellbeing are linked to our relationship with the natural environment. —SAGA Magazine, Read complete article here: Thirty ways to a healthier life.

Anthony's Key Resort hosts the Roatan Institute for Marine Sciences, an institution devoted to responsibly study these intelligent sea mammals. They host a free Dolphin Show, and for the traveler wanting to have a more in depth experience they have a variety of related activities including dolphin encounter, swimming with dolphins and even a dolphin scuba camp.

Dolphins Show - Roatan, Honduras —Uploaded by Adal-Honduras on 22 Jun 09

Roatan (RTB) has weekly flights from major US gateways, San Pedro Sula (SAP) has daily flights from USA, —check flights' arrivals to RTB and SAP Airports in the 'Flight Status' box at the right.

West Bay in Roatan is one of the best unspoiled white-sand crystal-clear waters' beaches in the Caribbean where the wonderful coral reef is just a few fins' strokes away. The Bay Islands, Honduras are part of the Belize Barrier Reef System, an outstanding natural system consisting of the largest barrier reef in the northern hemisphere, offshore atolls, several hundred sand cays, mangrove forests, coastal lagoons and estuaries. The barrier reef system was declared World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1996.

West Bay Beach - Roatan, Honduras —Uploaded by Adal-Honduras on 22 Jun 09

If you want to extend your stay in the country, MC Tours - Honduras can arrange a nice itinerary for you combining some days in mainland, where you can enjoy a variety of interesting activities related to nature, colonial towns, adventure, archeology and living cultures.

Ceviche, the other raw fish dish

2009-06-24T01:45:00.010-06:00

Some of the less–traveled Europeans, or even North Americans, when traveling to Latin America for the first time they think they will starve to death or have to settle for weird-tasting survival meals. They couldn’t be more wrong. Latin America has contributed with some of the finest ingredients in most of the famous international cuisines nowadays, i.e.: tomato, potato, sweet potato, yucca, maize (corn), green pepper, hot pepper, cacao (chocolate), avocado, pineapple, papaya, squash, cashew, peanut, loroco, chipilin, vanilla, etc. to name a few. If you have missed some of these delights, then you should travel to Latin America.
This is a -provocative- blog post by MatadorLife about ceviche, a tasty and refreshing meal from Latin America, next time you visit this region, give it a try:

“Cooking raw fish in citrus juice is at the heart of one of Latin America’s most popular dishes, Ceviche. This centuries old technique uses the acid from lime/lemon juice to cure or ‘cook’ the fish. Often served as a starter or a light lunch.

Ceviche from Peru

Ceviche has many different forms across Latin America and the Caribbean and each country has its own distinctive take using local ingredients. They all involve either fish, shellfish, squid or octopus being marinated in either lemon or lime juice…” -more-

—via MatadorLife

Copan Canopy Tour - at Lonely Planet forum

2009-06-23T00:10:00.015-06:00

Zipline in Copan

One of the most fun parts of Copan was doing the zipline. Its called the Canopy Tour de Los Sapos. Its about a mile walk from the south of town, or you can arrange a pickup from some of the tour operators in town. Its fairly pricey, I think it was $35 US per person, but it was definitely worth it. Its several kilometers of zipline over the canopy, and you can see the ruins from the zip line. The longest zipline was about a kilometer. - travelinggnome08

it is a true 'canopy tour'... ie: ziplines. These are cables suspended above the forest canopy that you are attached to... and then zip along! I spent 5 weeks in Central America... and this visit is a must. Beats the hell out of any zip lines I have ever seen in Costa Rica or Guatemala. 16 lines in total, and 2 of them are 1km long over the forest cover. You even have views of the Copan Ruins. Professionally run and well worth the 2 hours. Money well spent. - travelbug1970

Posted via email from Adal's microblog

Check ANY Flight Status live here:

2009-06-22T21:51:00.005-06:00

You can check any Airports and any Flights status from here. Just write in your Airline name or code and flight number, or Departure/Arrival Airports and dates and click Go:

Flight information is provided by FlightStats, and is subject to the FlightStats Terms of Use.

Museum of Maya Sculpture: Rosalila Temple replica

2009-06-22T20:55:00.004-06:00

via flickr.com

Inside the Sculpture Museum at Copan Ruinas, Honduras. This magnificent full-scale replica of the Rosalila Temple, restored to its original colors and high relief 'stucco' façades, lies showing all its splendor.
Undoubtedly a unique sample of the beautiful Maya World art.

Posted via web from adal's posterous

Awesome sunset, West Bay Beach, Roatan

2009-06-22T20:36:00.002-06:00

via facebook.com

May, 2009 - West Bay Beach, Paradise Beach Club

Posted via web from adal's posterous

Traveled to Central America? -- ...share your photos on Flickr!

2009-06-18T19:14:00.006-06:00

We have created a Flickr.com Group named Visit Central America and another one called Visit Honduras, where you are welcome to share your photos of your travels to this enchanting region. Please feel free to publish as many photos as you like, and also please add the following 'tags' for easier handling and display: geotagged, geotag:Honduras, Honduras (or corresponding country accordingly).

You can also pin-point your photos to a map (check out the Map) for the Group (or any other Flickr Map) just use 'geotags', there are several methods, but I found this one very easy: You can use Google Earth plus Trippermap Tool as explained here

This is a sample of some of the photos added lately:

Be more productive. Go on vacation.

2009-06-18T10:33:00.003-06:00

"...time off is an important component of hardcore achievement and productivity." — Darren Hardy

Self-improvement coach Darren Hardy wrote recently an interesting post about how important it is to go on vacation to improve your productivity:

How does America regain its supremacy in the productive world? How do you improve your personal productivity?

ANSWER: Go on vacation.

438 million. That is the number of vacation days American’s failed to take in 2007 according to Harris Interactive research group. More than any other industrialized nation.

Here is the result: America ranks #1 in depression and mental health problems. Americans are experiencing burnout, reduced productivity, diminished creativity, failed relationships, stress or stress-related ailments such as depression, heart disease or stomach ulcers in record levels.

It reminded me of this quote I read somewhere:

"When I am … traveling in a carriage, or walking after a good meal, or during the night when I cannot sleep; it is on such occasions that ideas flow best and most abundantly." — Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Check out the full post here: Workaholics Anonymous—A 12-Step Program of Recovery and Personal Transformation (Step 11)

Big Ben and Parliament Square, London

2009-06-16T12:09:00.009-06:00

Big Ben, London, originally uploaded by Adal-Honduras.

It is rewarding to learn your photos are appreciated by some important information sources such as Schmap guides. They have for the second time added one of my photos to the just released seventh edition of their Schmap London Guide: Big Ben and the Parliament Square (my first photo included was the Cloister of St. Jerome in Madrid).

Big Ben
Parliament Square
London, SW1A 2NE
www.whitechapelbellfoundry.co....
"Big Ben" is the name of the clock inside the famous tower that also forms part of the Houses of Parliament. Its impressive mechanism weighs in at over 13.5 tons, and the pendulum, which beats once every two seconds, is 13 feet long and weighs 690 pounds. The clock was named "Big Ben" after the First Commissioner of Works, and since 1885 a light above it has been lit while the House of Commons is in session. — Review © 2009, Wcities

Their London Map:

Color and texture - Chichicastenango, Guatemala

2009-06-07T15:58:00.019-06:00

Chichicastenango Market, Guatemala, originally uploaded by Adal-Honduras.

AOL travel blog site Gadling.com has honored us by choosing one of our flickr pics as Photo of the Day 4.27.09 a few weeks ago.

Man, if there was *ever* a study in colour and texture, this fabulous photograph is it. Shot and shared by Adal-Honduras, you can almost hear the sounds and smell the smells of this Guatemalan market. Beautiful capture! — Gadling

It is indeed our region landscapes and people —like these Chichicastenango kaqchikels—with their colorful and elaborate textures who provoke those reactions. It is truly a proud for Central Americans to have such a diverse culture and riches, all contained in such small area of land.

Central America has a lot to offer to the traveler eager to experience living cultures, lush forests, abundant wildlife, artistic samples of ancient sculpture, mystical archeological sites, colonial towns, breathtaking white sandy beaches in the Caribbean Sea of crystal-clear pristine waters and home to the World Heritage Site Belize Barrier Reef spanning down to Roatan, second in size yet number one in biodiversity in the world —and closer to the Northern Hemisphere.

There are indeed 15 places in the region declared World Heritage Sites by UNESCO:
Guatemala

Belize

Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System

El Salvador

Joya de Cerén Archaeological Site

Honduras

Nicaragua

Ruins of León Viejo

Costa Rica

Panama

Central American main cities are around 2 - 5 hours flight from main gateways in the U. S. there is wide connectivity to/from Europe and South America as well.

Birds of Honduras

2009-06-07T01:32:00.012-06:00

Copan Ruinas based naturalist Robert Gallardo has compiled an extensive and most interesting repository of valuable information about the birds' species found in Honduras in his website “Birds of Honduras ”.

The interactive way of presenting this info becomes a valuable treasure for every birdwatcher interested in this region. Here you can read information on the species, enjoy nice photographs, and listen to some of the birds calls recorded by Robert himself. There are more than 380 species listed in the Website and include: Lovely Cotinga (Cotinga amabilis), Honduran Emerald (Amazilia luciae) endemic to the country, Harpy Eagle (Harpia harpyja), several species of Motmot and the elusive Resplendent Quetzal (Pharomachrus mocinno).

His experience and knowledge of Honduras flora and fauna, including orchids, butterflies and specializing in birds, is a result of his numerous travels throughout the country both as a scientist doing field work and as a Tour Guide including Olancho, the World Heritage Site of Rio Platano Biosphere Reserve , Pico Bonito National Park, and Copan Ruinas.

Born in Southern California, Robert's interest in nature developed during his numerous family camping trips. He has a degree in Natural Resource Planning and Interpretation. Thanks to joining the Peace Corps and being sent to Honduras in 1993, his passion for tropical natural history took off.

Robert has identified and added more than 20 new species of butterflies to the country's list and 17 new bird records. Two orchids he has collected are currently under investigation as being new for science. Robert and his wife Irma had completed the country's first work on native orchids in compact disk. It features over 170 species with around 350 wonderful photographs and bilingual English/Spanish text.

The natural history tours have continued to grow with each year seeing new companies coming to Honduras. They have been a good source of field data and personal satisfaction. — Robert Gallardo, Birds of Honduras

Their property in Copan Ruins in western Honduras: Enchanted Wings Butterfly Farm is a fine Nature Center, unique in Honduras. It has a butterfly house, collection on display, native orchid exhibit and botanical gardens. Soon they will add an insect museum, reptile exhibit and an eco-lodge.

Blogged with the Flock Browser

Cloister of St Jerome the Royal - Madrid

2009-06-02T21:36:00.026-06:00

I was surprised when I received a flickr message asking permission to include this photo in the newly released 7th edition of Schmap Madrid Guide

Iglesia de San Jeronimo - Madrid, originally uploaded by Adal-Honduras.

This photo was taken on February 2, 2008 during a trip to Madrid to attend FITUR. A really nice church from the XV Century, located in front of the Museo del Prado, besides the Real Academia de la Lengua.

Cloister of St Jerome the Royal — Calle Moreto 4 — Madrid, Madrid 28014
A church, popularly known as Los Jerónimos, that's full of history - kings and queens sought refuge here, Spanish parliaments were sworn in here, Alfonso XIII was married here and King Juan Carlos I was proclaimed King of Spain in this very building. It dates back to the 16th century, but has been restored several times and only a few external features remain from its early days. Inside, you'll see famous paintings by Carducho and José Méndez along with valuable sculptures like Juan de Mena´s 18th-century Cristo de la Buena Muerte, neo-Gothic lamps and stained-glass windows. It's close to the following museums: Prado, Thyssen-Bornemisza and Ejército (Army), as well as the Ritz and Palace hotels. — Review © 2009, Wcities

Schmap Madrid Map:

White hibiscus - Chaa Creek Lodge - Belize

2009-06-02T21:22:00.015-06:00

White hibiscus - Chaa Creek Lodge - Belize, originally uploaded by Adal-Honduras.

Hibiscus, especially white hibiscus, is considered to have medicinal properties in the Indian traditional system of medicine.

In Mexico, the red variety is also popular to make a refreshing beverage. The drink is known as agua de Jamaica and is quite popular for its color, tanginess and mild flavor; once sugar is added, it tastes somewhat like cranberry juice. Dieters or persons with kidney problems often take it without adding sugar for its beneficial properties and as a natural diuretic. It is made by boiling the dehydrated flowers in water; once it is boiled, it is allowed to cool and drunk with ice. — Wikipedia

Did you know that infusion from this flower is also believed to benefit hearth disease? A 2008 USDA study shows consuming hibiscus tea lowers blood pressure in a group of pre-hypertensive and mildly hypertensive adults.