Sandcruiser in Copan, Honduras

Our day in Copán.

We started off with an incredible breakfast at Llama del Bosque where Kelley and Beebee had a delicious Desayuno Ranchero -- two sunny-side-up eggs covered in salsa, refried black beans, a chunk of chese, fried plantains, ham, avocado and tortillas; Steve had fluffy pancakes with honey and Lori, toast and marmalade. We all shared a platter of fruit to start off and as we gobbled that up in about two minutes, a little old woman brought us another plate and said, "because that one was kindof small".

Toting our backpacks, cameras and some snacks, we walked along the one kilometer path out of town and up to the ruins. A fairly pricey day trip -- $10 U.S. for the ruins per person and $5 U.S. for the museum which houses some replicas (of things to big to excavate) and originals. We did the ruins first and were blown away. This was Beebee's first trip to ruins of any sort and the rest of the gang's second or third.

A brief history of the Mayans and Copán: An unknown people … crossed the Sierra Espíritu Santo from Guatemala into the valley of Copán around A.D. 100, conquering the Mayan-speaking inhabitants of the region. These new rulers consolidated thier local control over the next three centuries and began construction of the city of Copán by the fifth century.
Copán was the greatest center for arts, astronomy, and science in the Mayan world. The elaborate stelae erected at Copán are unparalleled anywhere in Mesoamerica, and the city's royal astronomers calculated planetary movements, eclipses, and the yearly calendar with a precision equaled only by modern science.
[Copán was] built gradually over the course of 400 years, with old temples buried and new ones built over them. At its height some 24,000 p0eople are thought ot have lived in and around Copán. [This] civilization abruptly collapsed around A.D 900. One widely accepted explanation for the demise of the Mayan civilization is that the population grew too big for the surrounding lands to support. Recent studies confirm massive deforestation and soil erosion just before the city's collapse. Although Maya-speaking people continued to live in the Valle de Copán and still do so today, the city was abandoned entirely.
-Chris Humphrey in Moon Handbook's "Honduras, Including the Bay Islands and Copán"

The games played in the ballcourt pictured below were sometimes played to the death.

Ballcourt, nobody knows exactly how the game was played, but we know that the losers were sometimes killed Bb looking at centuries-old carvings Red Macaws odorn the entrance to the ruins 15+ foot carved-stone Stelae are found arranged in the Great Plaza, one still has traces of red paint on it Up close to a great carving

The Great Plaza of Copan Images on a Stela, just two of dozens, all telling the story of Copan's rulers The view as you walk into the ruins at Copán. Ornately carved stone face- with traces of red pigment Another great face

Groovy carved relief on the Acropolis (West Plaza) Un-restored temple wall with Bb and Kelley looking at some restoration work One of many great views from Copán Crumbling wall of the Acropolis. We overheard a guide to say that it was built so that a king could stand atop it during an eclipse and thus prove he was a god. Good story… wonder if it was true. Steve, imagining what it would be like to be a Mayan priest (or king) 1500 ago

The following pictures are from the museum where many of the original carvings of Copan have been preserved. Very authentic replicas have been made and put in the original locations.


A full-scale reproduction of the Rosalila Temple, but the real thing was discovered in its entirity underneath another temple. The conquering ruler who built over it did not destroy it, presumably because it was just too beautiful.	Super-famous (deservedly) Altar Q depicts the 16 kings of Copan passing a baton of ceremonial rule down through the generations	Incredible carvings, all done about 600 years before the European renaissance.	Just imagine what this looked like in 400-800 A.D., with stucco and paint covering the delicate carvings	Lori and Bb sit down to sketch some reliefs


Ballcourt, nobody knows exactly how the game was played, but we know that the losers were sometimes killed	Bb looking at centuries-old carvings	Red Macaws odorn the entrance to the ruins	15+ foot carved-stone Stelae are found arranged in the Great Plaza, one still has traces of red paint on it	Up close to a great carving

The Great Plaza of Copan	Images on a Stela, just two of dozens, all telling the story of Copan's rulers	The view as you walk into the ruins at Copán.	Ornately carved stone face- with traces of red pigment	Another great face

Groovy carved relief on the Acropolis (West Plaza)	Un-restored temple wall with Bb and Kelley looking at some restoration work	One of many great views from Copán	Crumbling wall of the Acropolis. We overheard a guide to say that it was built so that a king could stand atop it during an eclipse and thus prove he was a god. Good story… wonder if it was true.	Steve, imagining what it would be like to be a Mayan priest (or king) 1500 ago