The Bahia Bar...

It's worth a visit to the Bahia Bar* which is next to the runway which is owned by the Hotel Christopher Columbus. Our taxi drove right across the tarmac and he didn't look for planes. Not suprising really; I don't think more than eight small planes landed at that airport in the time I was there, but still...

The American bar owner squints at the Hotel next door. It's...well it's painted a disturbing hue of green. "The locals call it the great Green Washing Machine" He tells me. The man is a font of local recent history...."Yep! back in '85 this place was really hoppin'." He squints and peers over over the ocean towards a dipping sun, " Ollies (Oliver North) boys used to do mock invasions right here on this stretch of beach. Two thousand of 'em landing in attack craft. Afterwards they'd all come over here an' drink." He smiles at the sea, "Used to make a lot of money back in them days. It was all very hush hush, you know, Contra advisors an' all. They weren't supposed to be here; one of Ollie's plans..." He pauses and scoules, "Ollie was a dush bag, but his boys were O.K. Anyway. One day this congressional investigation arrives in Trujillo. Two days later the Hercules cargo planes arrive an' they pack it all up an' are gone. Nothin' left behind at this bar but a few bewildered hores with no money to buy drinks. Was enough to make you cry."

On the day we left Trujillo hundreds of school children converged at the town square to protest the destruction of the environment. Perhaps there is hope for this beautiful area. I will be looking forward to visiting Trujillo again; the town was without question the nicest coastal town on the mainland that we visited.

We bussed back to Ceiba, then on to San Pedro Sula in one day. We stayed in the Hotel San Pedro, a no nonsense hotel which contained a lot of pigeons in the attic, but with one major redeeming feature which made it a wonderful place to stay. Lashings of hot water; I must have stood in the shower for almost an hour.
For breakfast we went to the Skandia Restaurant in the posh and expensive Hotel Sula. Eating at the Skandia is like going back in time to the 60's. Service was the best we encountered in Honduras and the food was great.
San Pedro Sula is stunningly unremarkable, but nevertheless a pleasant city, at least if you are passing through. Alas, the historical museum is a bit of a letdown after the one in Trujillo.