More Honduras visuals; Sudden realization about amateur travel photography

Usually I ask before taking a picture, but I always end up sneaking photos of private moments...like this elderly gentleman fishing on the pier in Omoa.

Upon re-reading my previous Honduras post, I have realized that, visually, I did a piss poor job of giving you a sense of what Honduras was like. Admittedly, part of this was due to my impatience and laziness with loading photos via dial-up modem, but that’s not even a good excuse. Because, seriously, letting you share a bit of my travel experience is the point of this blog after all! I endeavored to dig up some more photos of the Honduras, because much of it is really beautiful.


This way to the ruins!


And what ruins they are. Copan Ruinas are really incredible.


The Honduran countryside can range from mountainous and cool...


...to lush and intensely tropical.


The only thing for sure is that cows rule the land! As I traveled through Honduras, I wondered, "Is this place like Ireland, with more livestock than people?" Most of the cows I saw were pathetically skinny. I think I took a picture of this fine bovine because it actually seemed quite fat in comparison. Still, notice protrusion of ribcage on this creature. We wouldn't stand for such skinny cows in America!! :)



Omoa, the first of the two Caribbean villages where I stayed, was really very lovely. The pier was quite nice place just to hang out around sunset, where locals would do a bit of fishing with just line (no fancy schmancy fishing poles for these folks) and gather to chat. It seemed rarely empty, so I was lucky to capture this the photo above early in the morning. I should have posted more pictures in the first place!


One of the original Spanish colonial forts is also found in Omoa (Fortaleza de San Fernando de Omoa). You can climb to the top of the fort - here's just one of the lovely views! The grounds and facilities were kept up so nicely by the Honduran Institute of Anthropology and History that I couldn't help but be impressed. The Institute is even working their way slowly to restoring all the rooms of the fort so that they are not so damp, moldy, or bat-inhabited (although I actually find the damp, moldy, bat-inhabited nature part of the charm). Really excellent museum on the history of colonialism and of the fort, too (yes, I'm a dork).


Here is lovely Tornabé in all its one-street glory.


OK, so the beach in Tornabé wasn't exactly empty...there were lots of fishing boats scattered along the shore.


A shy, cute, but slightly bored kid manning one of the tiendas in Tornabé (photo credit to Christian). Did I mention they sell drinking water out of little plastic pouches in Honduras, too? Ah, memories...

I’ve realized that photos can never fully capture the beautiful places that I have seen and the wonderful experiences I have had over the past year. The memories of these things remain clearer and so much more incredible in my mind, that – after I describe them to you – I feel that showing you the pictures is somehow a letdown. Indeed, I always feel a bit bummed when I go back to review my pictures, only to realize that “Hey...that’s just not as cool as it seemed in person!” I suppose my shoddy photography skills don’t really help matters! Still, I do hope you can enjoy the visual images provided here while I desperately attempt to describe the coolness factor of certain places/things. And, if you find something in a picture to be honestly gorgeous, well, just imagine how incredible the actual place/thing is in person!