CA Trek 2013 - Copan

We left Semuc Champay early in the morning, heading across the border into Honduras. Getting to Copan took longer than we were told it would (a recurring theme for this trip) and we didn't make arrive until late afternoon. Without enough time for sightseeing, we took the opportunity to clean ourselves up and wash some laundry on the hostels stone washboard before heading out for dinner. A large group of us found ourselves at a restaurant that served grilled meats family-style and, with a healthy supply of wine to help, passed away several hours eating, drinking, and talking to our heart's content. The following morning, we started our day with a tour through the Mayan ruins. Many of the statues still have an impressive amount of detail considering they've been sitting outside, exposed to the elements, for hundreds of years. There was very little informational signage, but our group got a guide who spoke excellent English and did an excellent job of explaining the what and the why behind the history of the Mayan kings of Copan and the buildings they built.

   

That afternoon, I went with a small group to relax in the Aqua Termales, a bunch of volcanic hot springs about an hours drive out of town. The pools ranged from slightly-warmish to hot, though we were told that the main stream that we understandably weren't allowed in was a near-boiling 95C. We'd brought a supply of beer and rum and spent several hours lazily lounging in the pools and enjoying each others company. There really wasn't anywhere else in Honduras that we were interested in seeing, so we decided to head straight to Nicaragua. We managed to find a mini bus that would make the 14 hour drive from Copan to Granada, so we hit the road at 4am. As usual, the trip took even longer than we were told, but the home stretch was made much better once one of our clever classmates brilliantly spliced the wires from two sets of cheap headphones to create a makeshift iPod adaptor. We promptly busted out our stash of rum (it seems we alway have a stash of rum on this trip) and launched into a massive singalong. I made the mistake of getting too friendly with said rum, which did not end well, but it was still a great time nonetheless. 

 

After finally pulling in to Granada, we met up with a couple more classmates who had flown straight into Nicaragua. We bought some light food to eat while dangling our feet in the hotel pool and chatting into the night.