Copán Ruinas, Honduras

C in the town of Copan Ruinas

We left for Copan at 4:00 in the morning via shuttle…which meant by the time we arrived we were completely exhausted. On a positive note, the Honduran border crossing was incredibly relaxed and the town of Copan lay only 10 kilometers beyond.  The countryside was beautiful: rural fields, rolling hills.  The first thing I noticed was, along with the plethora of livestock, the presence of cowboys…REAL cowboys with hats and shiny belt buckles. On Sunday they congregated in the main square, playing cards, chatting, and watching the world go by. 

The town itself was incredibly small and easy to negotiate. We stayed at hotel ViaVia, which I highly recommend (thought the lively bar will certainly keep light sleepers awake into the wee hours).  Spent the first day in a zombie-like state, walking around in the hills, snapping pictures, and drinking coffee. Being the rainy season, we were treated to a fantastic downpour in the afternoon, which we watched from the window in a café over the main square.

C looking out at the ruins

For almost every meal we ate “baleadas”; a local Honduran favorite comprised of a giant tortilla, eggs, beans, and sometimes veggies.

On our second day we visited the ruins, which were…amazing? Awe-inspiring? Fascinating? This was my first experience with Maya ruins, so it’s hard to describe exactly. Though supposedly the park isn’t as breathtaking as the famous Tikal, it's very important in its own right. Copan boasts an impressive collection of stellae (depicting the royal family) as well as an amazing stairway comprised of carved stones with over 2000 Maya glyphs – the longest Mayan script yet discovered. Though not all of it has been translated due to erosion and damage, the glyphs tell the story of the city’s history and major events in the lives of its rulers.

Mayan glyphs

The park was extremely quiet and, arriving early, we basically had the first hour to ourselves.  There is a flock of wild macaws that congregate near the main entrance, some lovely views of the Copan River Valley, and an amazing variety of temples, glyphs, stellae, and carvings.  My favorite parts were those that lay off the beaten path: the royal residences and the nature trail. The former is hidden in the woods down a muddy hill from the rest of the ruins; the living quarters of the ruling family. Mostly reduced to eroded stone foundations and surrounded by lush trees, we could sit in peace and listen to the birds. We even saw a toucan sharpening its beak on a nearby trunk! The nature trail was also wonderful (and worth the painful mosquito bites!). The path took us past mounds that had once been Maya homes and through an old ball court. Along the way we saw a plethora of birds, insects, and lizards, as well as a majestic giant Ceiba Tree.

Tuk-tuk in Copan

Our second day was spent at Macaw Mountain, a gorgeous birdpark just a short tuk-tuk ride from the town center. We were able to hold and interact with the birds and also walk around the beautifully landscaped grounds. There is a restaurant/café serving excellent coffee grown on-site, a river, two short nature trails, and a variety of feathered beings that are being rehabilitated (many found injured in the wild or rescued from the pet trade).  The ticket - only USD $10 - is good for three days and the money goes to a wonderful cause. 

Visiting Copan was a wonderful experience and has been one of the highlights of my time in Central America! Here is some information on the places we visited:

The bird park: http://www.macawmountain.com/

The archeological park (Spanish): http://es.copanhonduras.org/

Hotel ViaVia: http://www.viaviacafe.com/en/home