Yesterday I went with a couple I met in Copán Ruinas to the Ruins of Copán. These Mayan ruins impressed me greatly and, even though the cover fee was $10 (a lot of money down here), I still felt it was worth the trip, and took a number of pretty good pictures. An incredible sense of peace was present at that site, and I just wanted to camp there for a week and meditate. Unfortunately, I think that the site administration would have something to say about that sort of thing.

Today I went with this same couple, a man from Canada and his fiancée from Finland, to Gracias. Gracias is a small town up in the hills of Western Honduras, and it took us about five hours to get here today. It's a beautiful little spot, with fresh, cool, mountain air and a special restaurant from which you can see the entire place. It is noted for its tile rooves and charming little church. Very "colonial," as the guides say.

And the accomodations are very cheap as well. We're splitting a room three ways for about US$2.50 a piece (!!), which makes me very happy. The only big downside of the town is that there is no ATM. I'm going to have to cash my US dollars, which I don't want to do. But, that teaches me for not getting more money before coming here.

Anyway, tommorrow, or sometime soon, it appears that we're going to go up to a wilderness preserve they have here and hike for the day. I'm very excited about that; the land here is absolutely gorgeous, the air is clean and I could use some real physical activity now, after coming back from the dead in Tela.

I've been talking with my friends (Ron and Christine), and they are headed up to Lake Atitlán, Guatemala, next, and are encouraging me to go along with them. I'm aware that every step I take North I have to take back South, but their plan sounds pretty good, and they say the lake is only a day's journey away from where we were in Copán... I think I may go with them if things keep up as they are. I like the company and I like what they're telling me about the Guatemalan highlands. This trip could be a preview for the next trip I make to Guatemala from Mexico, and it sounds better than El Salvador ever did.

On a personal note, I must admit that I am still struggling with emotional issues as a result of my experience in Tela. I feel homesick for the United States, something I rarely experience and had not experienced for a very long time, and feel less joy in life than I did before. I feel more serene, more calm and unaffected by everything. I feel like the spark I had was gone. I don't know what to say or do.