Archaeology museum and down to Honduras

We enjoyed a wonderful breakfast at the hotel with an array of fresh juices to choose from - watermelon, papaya, pineapple, orange, made to order omelets, beans, breakfast crepes.  Even had lox!  All to enjoy in a beautiful patio beside the pool. 
The National Archeology Museum is only about a 10 minute drive from the hotel.  I really like this museum in that it is small enough to not be overwhelmed but big enough to have some great stuff. Of course, since I'm such a fabric person, I love all of the examples of the embroidered traditional dress.  It also has lots of stelae that are in beautiful condition, pottery, dioramas of life during classical Maya time.  One of the highlights was an exhibit of all of the things found in one of the main burial sites at the ruins of Tikal.  It was a good preview of things to come.

Then the long ride to Honduras.  The road has been improved a lot since I was last here (2001), even so, it took 8 hours.  At least the bus is comfortable and the scenery is dramatic.  Climb over one range of mountains, descend into a valley, climb over the next range, descend, repeat many times. 
The border crossing into Honduras was busy with trucks lined up on both sides of the border.  This was also modernized since I was here last.  Before, it was one small building on each side with a couple of officials sitting behind a desk and a gate that was raised by hand.  It really felt like Woody Allen's movie, Bananas.  Now, there are multiple modern buildings on both sides, no gate and a fee to exit one country and enter the next. 

Only about 15 minute drive from the border to Copan Ruinas.  (The town is called Copan Ruinas and the ruins are just called Copan).  The hotel is lovely and they were efficient in checking us in.  The pool enticed many of us for a quick dip before dinner.  A lovely, relaxing dinner and then a swim for some and a walk around town for others.

A great day.