WALKING THROUGH HONDURAS

The public streets of Honduras are literally strewn with garbage.  The problem has grown to the stage where no one even seems to notice it anymore.  Wherever you are is where you drop your garbage.  Some gets eaten by the goats and sheep that graze the road sides freely.  However, that which is uneaten continues to mound up until it obscures the natural beauty of this land.

It's not very often that we get home from the office before dark.  On those days when we do get home early enough, we leave the safety of our housing compound and get a tiny bit of exercise by walking.  We stay within the confines of the guarded colony which surrounds our housing complex.  The streets we walk don't look like the streets pictured above.  We thought you might enjoy accompanying us today on our walk.



Our walk is about two miles long and will take us about 30 minutes.

There aren't many sidewalks, but there are manicured roadways, flowers in bloom and roads that have been swept clean of the normal dust and grime for us to enjoy.  This area is called Bosques del Merendon.  There are a number of homes being built further up the road, and some fences that for now stand guard over empty fields.  This area is the home of the most wealthy of families here in San Pedro Sula.  Most of the lots are still undeveloped, but there is lots of room to grow.  Most of the homes that are built have private security guards in addition to the guards that watch over this private colony's entry. 
   The birds that we hear sound more wild than the birds we have known before. Trees soar more that a hundred feet into the blue sky above us.  Occasionally we will see an animal scurry across the road in front of us - usually it is a rat-like animal called a taper (we think).

It provides a peaceful atmosphere for us to unwind from the stress of the mission office.  Sadly, even here we don't dare be outside once the sun sets.  So, we don't pause long to admire the sights.  We have to keep walking.

Any area that is not trimmed and manicured soon grows into a dense, impenetrable jungle.

We do see a few things that we have never seen before.  This nest used to house either ants, wasps or termites; we just don't know.  We didn't dare disturb it for fear that it wasn't completely uninhabited.

Sometimes the beauty is breathtaking.

We pass no one on the streets; and no one passes us. The air is muggy and the temperature is hot. We talk about our day - the sad and the funny.  We talk about our future plans.  And, of course, we talk about family.  It's a wonderful part of our day.  But, now it is time to turn around and head for home.

The San Pedro Sula valley lies below us.  It will very soon disappear into the darkness as year round the sun sets by 6:00 p.m.  It seems to transition from light to dark extremely quickly here.  So, for today our walk is over.  We hope that you enjoyed it.