Honduras. Untitled.

My trip down south couldn't have started out any better. I got to spend time with my best friend, and had the opportunity to see some of the underestimated beauty of Honduras. Here's an extended summary of my viaje:

I'm so happy I decided to go visit Alyssa in Honduras. She is a teacher in Tela, which is on the northern coast of Honduras on the Caribbean Sea.  I wanted to see her daily life, where she lived and worked, and also see the beautiful country and soak up some sun while I was at it.

After spending a few rainy days in Tela (it is the rainy season after all), Alyssa and I headed into central Honduras for the weekend. We stayed at a great hostel/brewery/restaurant (http://www.ddbrewery.com) near the picturesque Lake Yojoa.  The lake is known for having some rare birds, so we took a birdwatching boat tour out onto the lake. We also visited some caves and the impressive Pulhapanzak waterfall.
But the highlight of our weekend was probably eating fresh caught tilapia from the lake while watching the sunset over the same lake. Oh, and hitchhiking was a great thing to check of my list too (Mom, just pretend you didn't read that).

Next, I ventured off on my own for a few days to Copan Ruinas, near the Guatemalan border. Settled in the Copan Valley, it's a quaint and sleepy little Spanish looking town with cobblestone streets and open air markets. Nearby are the Copan Mayan ruins and some great hiking up into the mountains to overlook the valley. I also went horseback riding into the mountains to visit some smaller villages and other ruins. My favorite part of all was visiting the bird park, Macaw Mountain. It is a rescue park that saves rare and endangered birds to prepare them to be released back into the wild. 

Then I returned back to Tela and visited Punta Sal, a secluded beach and National Park. It can only be reached by boat, but then you get to enjoy hiking next to monkies, poisonous spiders and crabs. We also went snorkeling and saw lots of coral, tropical fish, and jellyfish. Thankfully, the weather had cleared up, so I had a perfect sunny day to lay on the beach.

 Alyssa, her roommate Becky, and I spent one last night out together in San Pedro Sula before I had to take off and say goodbye. I never would have thought to come to Honduras if Alyssa weren't there, but I'm so happy I did.  I experienced a lot of the natural and cultural beauty of Honduras, but best of all, I got to spend time with someone that I love. That was the most beautiful and most exciting part of all. Thank you for everything Alyssa!