In Honduras, the murder rate remains among the highest in the world…
In Honduras, police abuse and corruption hit the country…
In Honduras, seven out of ten children live below the poverty line…
This is some information about Honduras published in newspapers and international reports. Most of the news we hear from Honduras is focused on the country’s violence and corruption. However, Honduras is much more than that.
It is a fact that the country is facing poverty and criminality. And I would like to appeal to everyone, people and governments, to join efforts to improve the education system in Honduras, support the local economy, and reduce corruption and violence.
However, I don’t want to talk about that. I’d rather talk about how Honduras is an amazing country where people, food, culture, and nature all together made up a beautiful place to enjoy.
People
The first person of reference is my father. He migrated to Spain to continue his medical studies where he met my dear mother. Since I was a child, we have been traveling to Honduras as it is a part of our roots. And we simply love it!
My family and friends from Honduras are just wonderful. How can I describe them…friendly, helpful, talkative, joyful.
The vibe is so positive!
My dear father…
And my lovely grandma…
Something I miss in Europe is communication. Society tends to be very individualist and we are focused on ourselves.
In Honduras…everybody talks with everybody. The feeling of community is strong and cooperation is part of daily life.
The last time I went to Honduras we did some hiking in the mountains near Comayagua. On the way, we stopped to have breakfast in the house of a charming elderly woman who offered us coffee, frijoles, corn tortillas, quesillo, and avocado. She lived in a modest house built with wood and covered with mud. No luxuries. Just her hospitality, the best she could give us!
We shared a wonderful time at her house!
This is one example of all the Honduran hospitality!
Food
The food is one of the things I really enjoy! The gastronomy is something you have to experience if you travel to Honduras. The variety is wide as the country is endowed with agricultural land, forest, and marine resources.
My favorite traditional-food is called pupusas. It is a simple dish: cornbread with quesillo (cheese). You can add mashed beans, beef or veggies. And you eat them with curtido.
But you also have: baleadas, nacatamales, conch soup, montucas, atol de elote, mondongo soup, youca with chicharrón, catrachas etc.
And the delicious coffee…the best I’ve ever had!
You can find below a song by the singer Guillermo Anderson ‘El Encarguito’ who talks about all the variety of Honduran food! Enjoy!
Culture
Have you ever heard about the Mayan civilization? And why is it so important for the Honduran historical patrimony?
The Mayans developed their first civilization around 2600 BC. And they are well known for their knowledge of arts, architecture, mathematics, the calendar, and their astronomical system.
Honduras has one of the most important sites of the Mayan civilization, called the Copán Ruins.
The Copan Ruins are located in Western Honduras, in the department of Copán. For many years, the Copán Ruins have been famous for their magnificent Mayan ruins, declared by UNESCO as Archaeological World Heritage Site. Today, the Copán Ruins are considered the Paris of the Mayan world in Central America.
What about the Lencas patrimony? The unknown indigenous community?
The first signs of the Lencas communities are not well known, but according to some testimonies they were settled in Honduras before the Mayans. Currently, they live in some areas of the country and they are one of the largest indigenous communities in Honduras (around 100.000 people). The Lenca are strong peaceful people fighting to preserve their identity and culture. Despite this, most of them have lost their native language over centuries of Spanish domination.
In August 2019, I went with some friends to El Chircal, a Lenca settlement in the middle of the forest in the Municipality of Yarumela near Comayagua, my family home. It is one of the oldest vestiges of organized human presence in Honduras; its existence dates back approximately 3,200 years B.C. When we climbed up the ruins, I was kind of surprised, as the settlement looked abandoned. No tourists, no security, no archeological museum. We saw all the vestiges, such as pots and sharp tools, which were spread around the settlement as if we had been the first ones setting foot on their land. I really felt like Indiana Jones!
Nature
A picture is worth a thousand words. So let us see all the nature of Honduras!
Dense forests and jungles!
Cozy villages, art and music!
Let’s see a little bit of Valle de Ángeles! A village in the mountains that surrounds the capital Tegucigalpa!