San Pedro Sula was gritty and congested, but also had a certain charm to it and a superb coffee culture. The photo essay below captures some memories of my time in San Pedro Sula.
San Pedro Sula Photo Essay
I spent several hours out walking, snapping photos between coffee stops and taking in both a city and country I had never been to in the past. My photo essay is ostensibly an incomplete look at the sprawling city of 700,000 people, but gives you an idea of what to expect.
There was not intense poverty and the infrastructure, while not modern, was functional. Incomes may be low, but the cost of living is much lower here too. That’s not to say it was an idyllic place: I don’t think tens of thousands make the 1,500-mile trek to the Texas border for the fun of it.
An NPR story sheds some light on why…
Hondurans represent the largest nationality crossing the southern U.S. border asking for asylum — more than 200 families a day, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
“I’m a farmer — corn, coffee, beans. But I can’t make enough to feed my family,” Enrique said. “We have droughts and then we have floods. And there’s the lawlessness. Maras [gangs] extort the smallest businesses. We’re headed to Houston, asking God to guide us and protect us.”
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The government of Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández has been accused of theft of public funds. U.S. federal prosecutors have also implicated Hernández as a “co-conspirator” in the crimes of his brother, Tony, who was sentenced to life in prison this year for cocaine trafficking. The president denies any wrongdoing or that Honduras has descended into a “narcostate.”
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Central Americans asking for protection at the U.S. border often say they’re fleeing ruthless criminal gangs back home. In many places, every type of business — from the ubiquitous corner shops called pulperías, to Super Chicken takeout joints, to the three-wheel tuk-tuk taxis — are expected to pay weekly extortion to gangs as “protection” from rival thugs.
The entire article is fascinating.
Enjoy the culture while you can. I see gringo influence in the wings like the fast food restaurants and gas stations. Takes away from the atmosphere and puts pressure on local vendors.
In a pre-pandemic visit to Poland, was utterly amazed by the number of American fast food restaurants at every supper highway exit; new shopping centers at every major rail station; and brand name hotels next to Khrushchevka housing blocks. We explored the country side to find the real Poland of old.
Thank Spain for leaving a legacy were the oligarchy rules the economy and the rest have to fend for themselves with outlawed activities. Compare that to British colonies where the standard of living doesn’t require to prostitute your children and education is valued.
Your intro could have been of almost any Central or South American city. I am in Guatemala City today, headed back to Bogotá tomorrow and then on to Quito for a bit. But for every new US chain restaurant there are three or more local, better restaurants built. The same goes for Starbucks. It is here, but we have more and better coffee shops in each country, each with a different name, making them harder to find but worth it.
Nice city. I want to go. Unlike every other commenter on this blog, I actually spend a lot of time on the Texas border. El Paso, Harlingen, Eagle Pass, Del Rio, Presidio, Brownsville… I’ve been there this summer. Check my IP for posts from Tamaulipas, Coahuila, and Chihuahua. Every single piece of news reported about the “border” is wrong, but yes, a lot of Hondurans are fleeing bad situations… I’m amazed how nice San Pedro Sula appears to be. I hope one day all of our neighbors living in Honduras will be able to enjoy prosperity like this in their country.