Day 21. Ferry/drive to Copan
Leaving our island paradise this morning, we head back to the mainland. Our destination  today is the magnificent Mayan ruins of Copan. Travelling around the town of San Pedro Sula in the rich hot fertile lowlands of the Sula Valley, we arrive at Copan, a lovely village of adobe buildings very close to the ruins themselves.

The ferry terminal at Coxen Hole, Roatan

Reminder that these are not always calm waters

Luckily for Ganes the water was calm and she enjoys an ice-cream in Baskin Robbins

Copan

Day 22. Visit Copan
This morning we visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site with a local guide. The Copán ruins in western Honduras once formed a spectacular Mayan ceremonial centre with palaces, temples, courtyards, and a ball court where a football-like game was played.  The Copán ruins were designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1980.
 

The Great Plaza is one of the most amazing achievements of the Classic Maya period (AD 750) and contains the greatest collection of Maya sculpture anywhere in Meso-America.
The famous Hieroglyphic Stairway is composed of 2500 individual glyphs; its sides flanked by serpentine birds and snakes.

It's raining again!

It's happy hour

Laurie's happy

Day 23. Drive to Antigua (Guatemala)
We head into Guatemala this morning, to the
stunning city of Antigua, set in a beautiful
valley between the volcanoes Agua, Fuego
and Acatenango.

What a difference 12 hours makes....Laurie's got a tummy bug

Sign warning us not to take our guns into the shop

Antigua

Local market

The cathedral

firework display to celebrate the start of the Christmas festivities

(photos © Hilary Stocks)

lighting paper lanterns

Day 24. Antigua

We spend the day roving the streets of the beautiful town

There's a Christmas parade....