Waited until 9:30 AM to leave. The cashier downstairs owed me L51 and I hadn't gotten a receipt. I was not looking forward to attempting to explain the problem to someone else who didn't speak English. Unfortunately, there was a different cashier downstairs. Fortunately, this one spoke some English. "We owe you L51? - No problem" She didn't even ask for a receipt or for me to sign anything. Perhaps I'm the only giant in town this week.

I wandered down to Hotel Nuevo Boston. Supposedly, the management speaks English. Well, maybe so - but the girl behind the registration desk doesn't. I managed through the use of my handy dandy electronic translator to explain that I wanted a room with a balcony up front. Right on/over the road. I'm not sure how smart that is, given the traffic noise but we shall see. They supposedly have placed me on a waiting list for a room. I'm supposed to come back after checkout time - noon. I leave my bags there.

Off to Restaurante Al Natural - a restaurant where supposedly English/French/German/etc. are spoken. It's behind the big white cathedral. It's a nice place. Sort of reminds me of the back patio at the Hobbit Hole on Shepherd in Houston. Except that these people have a pet rabbit hopping around loose. (or perhaps it's tonight's entree) Anyway, I had a "Tipico Special": two eggs sunny side up (to match my personality), refried beans, fried bananas, chunk of cheese, and baby tortillas (Throughout most of my stay, almost all of the tortillas I encountered were small corn tortillas about 3 or 3 1/2 inches in diameter) large orange juice, coffee, a glass of papaya con leche (with milk) over ice. (L20=$3.08) I also get to read a copy of Honduras This Week. Not much of interest which is good news in itself. (No murders, robberies, mugings, etc.) It may be that English/ French/ German/etc. are spoken here but none of it is done by the wait-staff - they speak only Spanish.

That put me out of money - or close to it. I decide to go to a bank and change a $50 bill. I have decided not to change money on the streets since 1: it's illegal 2: you're more likely to encounter counterfeit money 3: I don't want to change money in public 4: I don't speak enough Spanish to deal with abnormal situations. I have read enough stories about the red-tape and time consuming paperwork that was involved with changing money that I prepared for the worst. The first place I went had two lines - I get into one line. It's moving too slow so I left - I would be really upset if I wait a long time in line, get to the front and it's the wrong line. I go to another bank - It only has one line - I can't go wrong. I wait. Three guys with shotguns and rifles eye me suspiciously. My turn. They don't change money there. They suggest I try the Casa de Cambrio across the street. I do. It's closed. I stumble into a place called Bancahorra (Bank of Today). They have a receptionist that speaks English. Fantastic. She takes me off into a side room and sits me down in front of a lady who doesn't speak English. I wave my passport and a $50 at her and say "Cambrio por favor?" The money changer person plays with a PC for a little while, entering info from my passport into something somewhere. Presto - changeo I'm on my way with L468. Loaded for bear.

On the way back, I encounter a blonde. American. She's an actress, has a masters degree in social something from Georgetown in D.C. She also has either two kids or seven. She did heavy drugs for about 5 years but it wasn't her fault, it was social pressure to fit into the high society of Honduras where she has many close friends. She had a boyfriend in Miami who killed a girl by pushing her out a hotel window and claiming it was suicide. Anyway, she somehow put him in jail in Honduras for drugs. If/when he gets out he'll kill her because he's part Jewish and part Arab. If he were pure Arab he wouldn't kill another Arab (she's actually from Palestine) over drugs but, the Jewish part of him will - well, you get the idea (and all of this at the top of her lungs)

They don't have my room ready so she takes me somewhere and I buy her a bowl of soup w/Pepsi. That's when I learn her life history. (She starts to make a scene because she's sure one of the cooks spit in her soup) Next we go to buy her a box of throat lozenges (since she didn't have any money on her I buy) and parted company in the plaza.

Back to the hotel. I checked in. Great room - large with green dresser, rocking chair, fancy tile floor, large cleverly designed coat rack with shoe holder area and many original hangers. The question remains - what about black-out tonight and how noisy will it prove to be? I don't see any candles in the room so just maybe?? Hope springs eternal from the human breast.

Now to see if I can find the place where they sell "Honduras This Week"

I found the "Libreria Pan-American" (AKA Percy Soto Bookstore), bought the current issue of HONDURAS THIS WEEK along with some back issues and post cards.

While walking around the pedestrian mall I heard "Rich! Rich!". Unfortunately, it was Denise, my "Friend" from lunch. She works in one of the stores on the mall. Unfortunately, I was so eager to get away that I forgot to take note of exactly which store it was. I'm sure I'll pay for that oversight later.

I wandered around a little, stumbled into what looked like a small fight. Or had been. The reporters were there with video cameras and the police had some guy in the back of a small pick-up truck. He had a busted lip and looked somewhat unhappy.

The only lines I've seen have been at the Panaderia's (Bakeries) in the evening. They sure smell great - If I knew what to get I might buy something. But I don't want to get in line with my lack of Spanish and gum up the works. And I never think of it except when there's a line.

I saw my first traffic cops today. Also saw my first accident. (Do you suppose the two are related?) a car had tried to pas one of the large buses at the wrong time. Just a little sideswipe, nothing serious. Fortunately all vehicles travel very slowly in this traffic and on these roads.

I also saw another impressive bus. It had an air dam up front like you see on the tops of the cabs of some 18-wheeler trucks, a revolving yellow light, and one of those TV antenna like you see on the trunk of some limousines.

I looked around for some place to eat that was close by and seemed reasonably clean. I found a place in the next block. Kind of a neighborhood panaderia. I got one piece of vegetable pizza, one beef empanada, and one something else (I have no idea) for l8.5=94c Walked back to the hotel and ate that with a banana soft drink. L2.5=27c

The room here is pretty reasonable L60 =$6.6 and even has hot water and double thick toilet tissue. It's amazing how your values adjust.

I think I'll read some back issues of HONDURAS THIS WEEK.

Not much of interest in those. A wide range of property for sale. Coffee plantation, old Spanish build fort, etc. all for $200,000 or will divide.

I'm coming down with a sore throat - we'll see what tomorrow brings. I shouldn't be out walking in the rain.