Honduras Travel

Copan Ruinas is a small town 2 kilometers west of the the site itself. Rugged mountainous terrain, ranches, and a rustic atmosphere. Highland location with cool nights and warm days: just the way I like it. The town is situated on a hillside with steep cobblestone streets that crisscross back and forth.

As is tradition in most Latin American towns, people gather in the town square in the early evening when the heat of the day is subsiding. Women prepare and sell snacks, children play games on the boardwalk, men sit and discuss affairs, while teens hope for romantic encounters.

The food is excellent here. One dish I particularly like is a mixture of beans, cheese, peppers, cream, onions, chicken, and tomatoes. This piping hot mixture is poured over the nachos. The whole thing is kept hot with a bed of coals in a clay pot beneath, very tasty.

The site of the Mayan ruins lies just inside a national park and world heritage site. The site dates back 2,000 years with the golden age between A.D. 550 and 800, after which Copan mysteriously fell into decline and was reclaimed by the jungle.

The Mayan world was a highly developed society based on theology, science, and symbolism. Mayan astronomers gathered in Copan and did a great deal of research on eclipses. They also took their sport seriously, with the losing captain of the ball team being beheaded.

Copan’s famous hieroglyphic staircase depicts the genealogy of its rulers and the history of the site in 63 steps, 30 meters wide, each step carved in intricate detail to the very top. The intricate carvings seem removed from history or reminiscent of Indonesian art. At times they appear cartoonlike, with broad, exaggerated features. Check out the toothy turtle on the photo page.

Another curious tradition is that temples were destroyed and rebuilt with the advent of new rulers. One temple, however, was considered too sacred and was simply entombed inside another. Imagine the delight and surprise when it was discovered.

Rosalia, as it is named, displays the original colors and intact architecture of Copan in its heydays. A full-scale replica exists in the museum on site. Copan is very subtle in its presentation. It does not seem as spectacular as other sites on previous trips. The carvings, though, are truly amazing.

Met up with a couple from Sweden, Chris and Carin, in Copan. They have been traveling for about a year. We decided to go to Rio Dulce together. The next morning, we took the notorious chicken bus back to Guatemala. Actually, these buses are probably a lot safer than the tourist shuttles which I avoid because they are too visible.

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