Honduras is known as the banana republic and there is a good reason why. At the end of the 1900s, US traders took an interest in bananas produced in northern Honduras. With advances in refrigeration, and the relatively short boat trip to southern USA the banana industry boomed. US companies who wanted to purchase land where given generous incentives by a succession of Honduran governments. By 1920, three quarters of banana growing lands were owned by US companies and over 60% of all Honduras’ exports were directly from bananas. The economic success of the banana industry made the banana companies very powerful within Honduras and many of them aligned themselves with political parties. Unlike its neighbours, Honduras failed to foster an indigenous landholding elite which led them to become controlled by US banana interests – hence the name ‘banana republic’.
TEGUCIGALPA
The name sounds like a bit of a mouthful but many of the locals call this place Tegus (teh-goose). It’s not the prettiest of places but we are staying in a decent hotel which makes it bearable.
Cathedral in Tegucigalpa
We had a brief scare yesterday when we arrived. Sara and I had walked about 1-2km from the bus station with our backpacks on and we decided to stop for a few minutes to take counsel. I pulled out the guidebook to take a look at the city map and the next thing I hear Sara yelling at somebody to her left – I was standing to her right. Someone had run up to her and grabbed her wrist and was trying to pull her watch off. With our backpacks on we both weigh about 15kg heavier so Sara had a lot of weight behind her. The man must have realised that he wasn't going to get the watch off her hand so he pulled away and ran off down the street. I wanted to run after him but I had my backpack on and also my shower sandals, which are not built for running, so the both of us just watched in stunned silence as he ran down the street. He had broken one of the pins on Sara’s watch but the more disturbing thing was this happened in broad daylight in a busy area. After six months of traveling it’s the only real incident that we have encountered first hand. Later that day we got Sara’s watch repaired for 35c but I didn't get a receipt so I may have a hard time explaining it to the insurance company. Accommodation was at Hotel Iberia for US$10 a night.
Sara at one of the many Internet cafe's we've frequented -this one in Honduras
The trip continues. Tomorrow, Nicaragua.
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