A Must!

Baleadas

On my way from school today in the morning, I had to make a mandatory stop. Not only becase my stomach was screaming for food, but because the best Baleada place is on my way!

A baleada? you must be asking yourself. Yes, a Bah-Lee-Ah-Dah. A very very typical thing to eat, not only in Tegus, but all over Honduras. If you ask me, you'll find the best ones in the North Coast but I can't drive 4 hours every day to get my baleada fix, so I settle for the ones in Tegus. Not bad at all. You'll find them everwhere in the mornings... a lady with a gas stove and a big thermos of horchata selling them in every corner and hundreds of baleada spots all over.

This yummy thing consists of a flour tortilla that can be filled with pretty much anything you can think of. The basic one is filled with refried beans, mantequilla (our better version of sour cream), and salty crumbly cheese. You can add or subtract anything you can think of, from eggs and avocado to chicken and meat.
My favorite combination is refried beans, mantequilla, cheese, scrambled eggs, and avocado. You must try this at least one.

Think of it as our very loved and popular version of a burrito.

The Recipe:

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Serving: 2 people

Tortilla Dough Ingredients
- 2 cups of white wheat flower
- one teaspoon of oil
- baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt
- 1 egg
- 1 cup of warm water

Beautiful

Gracias is a Must.

My trip began with the breakfast of champions... no, not a cigarrette and a cup of coffee, but a delicious typical Honduran breakfast. We stopped in Siguatepeque (on the road to the North, CA-5) just to eat in Comedor Suyapa. This place used to be a house where they sold food to hungry truck drivers, now, it is a restaurant and have two or three locations. They serve one plate, that's all - but oh what a plate it is! If I could eat breakfast like this everyday... the plate consists of Eggs (your choice, mine is scrambled), avocado, carne asada, refried beans, cheese, mantequilla (sour cream sort of) and tortillas. It is a bomb if you're not used to eating like this, but your stomach gets used to it fast. This is, in general terms, the Honduran dish. For breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

We spent our days in the middle of nowhere, Lempira. Lempira is one of the 18 states Honduras has. Located in the western part. Mountains, mountains, and more mountains. Absolutely beautiful. Mainly produces coffee and cattle. Here are some pictures of La Union (a very small town) and Gracias, the capital of Lempira. I was very impressed, very neat, lots of stuff to do, lots of places to eat and stay, I missed out on the hot springs, but I will go back for them...and you should visit the place.

Finca "La Majada", a friend's country place.

San Cristobal Fort

View from the Fort

Central Park... the local governance had a screen set up in the middle of the park and a movie showing so people could watch for free on Saturday afternoon. Neat huh?

The Cathedral

On our way back... we made the mandatory pit stop in Yojoa Lake. Ordered the most amazing fried fish and chips you will ever ever have in your life. There are tons and tons of "Champas" on the roadside and go in. You get to choose your fish, they're frozen and the price depends on their size, a small to medium fish is around 80-100 Lempiras. Once you choose your fish, the ladies fry it and take it to your table accompanied by tons of plantain chips and lime. Cabbage salad and pickled onion is up to you.
I owe you the Lake pic, I was too anxious to eat to take a pic ;)

Fish and Chips Honduran Style, sans and with the yummy onions and cabbage salad.

Overall, it was a great trip! Lempira is definitely a place you should take time to visit, plus it is only like 30 minutes away from Santa Rosa de Copan and the Mayan Ruins. DOOOO EEEEET!

It's here and almost gone...

Summer, for most countries is in June... for us, Summmer is one week in March or April, Easter for most, Semana Santa for us.
We have to thank Jesus for this week everybody gets a vacay. Some take to it religiously, some pack their bags and get out of Tegus.. FAST.
It is Wednesday, and I can say I wish Tegus was like today everyday. No nerve wrecking traffic, not busy or bustling, and what needs to be open, is. I only wished I owned a bike. It is about the only time you could bike around safely 'round here. No cars to run you over, no smart ass villain trying to get your stuff, no people anywhere. ahhhh.

Tegus Folks usually leave the capital to go all over the place... the beaches in the north coast (Tela and The Bay Islands being the most popular amongst us), the south coast (Coyolito, Amapala,and such..), others ditch the beach and sun and just stick to the sun in their hometowns or visit Copan.

I, my friends, am going to uknown territory. I have never been, but I have heard wonderful things about Gracias, Lempira. A colonial town located in Western Honduras. Forts, churches, nature, hot springs, and amazing food + people.
I'll let you know if Gracias is worth leaving Tegus, but my wild guess is YES!

More info about Gracias, Lempira...

Where it is:

Amazing People

Hot Springs

all pics by Juan Carlos
taken from the Gracias, Lempira Blog


San Cristobal Fort

Photo by: Joselito Vega
Taken from:

Have a fun rest of the week!