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Continued from Lost and Found…

“El Doctor reckons we should make the trip together. Ahem… not if you’re after what I think you’re after. Too bad his intentions couldn’t be only amicable. If they were, I’d be on the back of that Harley yesterday. Sigh…”

That evening I caught I ride with Dennis to the pitch to play futbolito. I was quickly becoming “one of the guys.” As we relaxed at the nearby shop just as they day before I learned about the upcoming organized soccer match the boys had in La Ceiba. In fact, they would be leaving the next day. Of course, they’d be sticking around for the festival…

It wasn’t long before they offered an invite for me to join them. Random road trip to La Ceiba where I’d get to meet up with my travel buddies for the Punta festival?? Heck ya! Walter, one of the guys that played with us, informed he had space in his car. Thus, it was settled… the next day I was leaving for La Ceiba.

The entire weekend was a blast. Both teams allowed me to play the last 20 minutes of the game. On three occasions I nearly had a goal. The boys all told me I made history as both the first North American and the first woman to play soccer in such an organized match in Honduras. Hahaha… how cool! Breaking barriers!! It was just recreational, but it’s Honduras… and women just don’t get to play with men. Spectators from the other team couldn’t believe it when I suited up and stepped onto the field. The rest of the weekend was spent relaxing during the day at beachfront bars with tropical style cabañas and spending the evenings amidst the craziness of the Punta festival. I was able to meet up with my prior travel buddies only once though, unfortunately. The entire weekend I barely paid a dime. All my expenses were covered except the couple times I insisted on treating them. It turned out to be a great group of guys with whom I quickly became close friends. Now, even in Copan, they hardly let me pay for anything when I visit their restaurants and bars. Walter owns a panaderia (bread shop) and gave me a tour of it. I want to do a proper exploration of the entire process complete with photos, audio and video when I pass back through Copan.

It was through my newfound soccer buddies that I met “El Doctor.” El Doctor is an older gentleman with a young spirit who is filthy rich, even for U.S. standards. He owns several hotels in Copan and has businesses in Tegucigalpa as well. He cruises around Copan on a flashy Harley Davidson Hog – which is even flashier because he’s in, ahem, the tiny Hondureno village of Copan Ruinas. His new cottage in Copan, complete with a small, oasis-style pool, a sauna and a guesthouse just finished construction. He also owns a beach house as well as a house in Tegus. Who knows what else? “El Doctor” took a fancy to me, my salsa dancing and my dream to one day trek across the Americas tip to tip – from Cape Columbia on Ellesmere Island in Canada to Cape Horn on the Águila Islet of Chile. El Doctor recons we should make the trip together. Ahem… not if you’re after what I think you’re after. Too bad his intentions couldn’t be only amicable. If they were, I’d be on the back of that Harley yesterday. Sigh…

When I had returned to Copan, the start of my computer problems had began. My beat up adapter had finally given out so I could no longer charge my computer. I had gotten word from Mako that I should come back to San Pedro Sula so we could discuss more “business” though. So, two days later, I headed back to see what might turn up and to see if I could find a replacement adapter in the city. The taxi driver that drove me from the bus station to Klein Bohemia was unusually young – my age – and cleaner cut. Harol and I struck up a conversation and in no time I was quickly invited to play soccer with his Christian group the next evening. Yes! I’ve scored a soccer group in both Copan and SPS!!

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