To get to the Honduras, we had to first take a launch along the coast to Puerto Barrios, another once-important port for the United Fruit company. Omoa lies on the Caribbean coast about 2 hours east of Puerto Barrios. Barrios is a rather squalid seaside town with few still-important commerce connections. The last working train in the Honduras is here, which is evident by the sprawl of tracks that indiscriminately cut across the main street where the buses and collectivos gather.
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.