Copan, Honduras

El Salvador is bordered by Honduras and Guatemala on the north. To get to Honduras, we first crossed a border into Guatemala, from there to Honduras. This border was much easier and quicker than the closest one taking us directly to Honduras. Semi trucks were lined up for miles before the border, drivers sleeping on the pavement. Everything in the trucks is checked for drugs but we got through quickly.

We arrived in Copan, a pretty town conveniently located walking distance from major Mayan ruins. We went for dinner to a restaurant where the waitresses carry drinks and food on their heads. A few of us carried on to another bar where we ran into Lucy who had just given me a great massage. When that place closed she joined us to go to another bar with a little dance floor. Sammy our tour leader, Lucy and and I danced some merengue in various combinations.

The following morning we set off for the Mayan ruins. Outside the site are huge red macaws, in the wild but encouraged with corn, water and bird houses. A nearby bird sanctuary rescues birds wild and tame, rehabs them and releases them here.

We had a guided tour of the site. The highlight is the Hieroglyphic Stairway, with inscriptions on every step. This served as a red carpet for the royals to walk down to the common folk. My favourite part was the Jaguar Temple with the sculptures of the great cats prepared to defend the sun god, but they look like dancing pink panthers. Tunnels underneath that temple showed the ongoing excavations and a bathroom, not sure they were worth the extra cost to see a 1500 year old toilet.