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BLESSED ARE THE POOR IN SPIRIT
by Carter Clews

I’m going to write to you about Comayagua, Honduras, this month. But, before I get to the refreshing reality of Comayagua, let me try to put to rest some of the more nagging, gnawing myths about Honduras, in particular, and Latin America, in general.

Now, please, let me warn you from the outset that for some, what I’m about to say is going to sound like heresy. And to them, it probably is. They like to consider themselves “realists.” I consider them the kind of people who, when they see flowers, look around for the corpse.

In fact, they are precisely the kind of people who wrote the following Pecksniffian passage on page 309 of the 2009 World Book Encyclopedia: “Most rural Hondurans are poor peasants who own or rent small farms. These people have poor transportation and communities and often are cut off from the life of the cities.” And one is left to wonder why these “poor peasants” suffering as they do from such “poor” transportation and “poor” communications don’t just go ahead and shoot themselves.

Well, the reason, of course, is that the “peasants” of Honduras don’t see themselves as poor. They transport themselves just fine, thank you. And since they have been corresponding and copulating with each other for well nigh 400 years now, they apparently don’t have too much trouble communicating, either.

As to being “cut off from the life of the cities,” so are the people in Enid, Oklahoma, and Williamsport, Maryland. And since I’ve been to both places, I can assure you that they are getting along just fine without the hustle and bustle of Tulsa Town, or Baltimore.

Let me give you the bottom line – because, unless you understand and appreciate its essence, you’re not likely to be happy in Comayagua, Honduras; Chichicastenango, Guatemala;  Panchimalco, El Salvador; Sarteneja, Belize; or any other of the 1001 places Clews’ Views will invite you to visit.

Most things you hear, read, and see about life in Latin America bear no more relationship to actual events on the ground than Hades does to happiness. So, forget all of the “flies-on-eyes” videos designed to tug on your heart- (and purse-) strings. And jettison all of the sappy narratives about the “poor peasants” with their “poor” transportation and “poor” communications, pining away for life in the city.  

For those with some pioneering derring-do; a love of the sea, sunshine, and sandy beaches; and a longing for the good life at a great price – far from the madding crowd (as well as Big Government’s heavy hand and high taxes) – the countries of Latin America are fast becoming the new American Dream. And that’s why some 500,000,000 “poor peasants” choose to live in those lands they love.

Okay, that’s enough preaching.  Let’s stop by – and, perhaps, consider re-settling in – copasetic Comayagua. The city of Comayagua, Honduras (population 50,000), is snuggled on the northern edge of the fertile Valle de Comayagua, cradled in the juncture of two pristine rivers: the Rio Chiquito and the Rio Humuya.  Here, the climate is mild to warm throughout the day and delightfully cool as evening falls.

The people of Comayagua are unassuming, open, and warm. And don’t be surprised if you hear more than a smattering of English, since the town is frequented by American soldiers and civilians from the nearby Enrique Soto Cano Air Base, home to the U.S. military’s proud Joint Task Force Bravo. A testament to the town’s allure is that several ex-military personnel have chosen to remain in Comayagua and have set up small businesses there.

First-time visitors to Comayagua are often struck by its wide boulevards and classic colonial architecture. Some say the latter is rivaled only by that of Antigua, Guatemala. All of that is quickly assimilated, however, when one realizes that this quaint city was for more than three centuries the capital of Honduras (first, the colony; then, the country).

It wasn’t until 1880 that President Marco Aurelio Soto changed the capital from Comayagua to Tegucigalpa. Legend has it that Soto’s decision was prompted by the snubbing of his Comayaguan wife by the city elite (proving once again that, indubitably, “pride goeth before a fall”). Nonetheless, the stunning architecture was left intact, and today, its resplendent beauty provides a serene setting for the remaining elite, and newcomers, as well.

Life in Comayagua largely revolves around its beautiful, bountiful Parque Central. Allowed to deteriorate somewhat shabbily in the mid- to late-Twentieth Century, the Parque enjoyed a renaissance in the early 2000’s and is now a tropical paradise of flowering plants, towering trees, romantic walkways, and thriving kiosks.

Interestingly, Moon’s Handbook suggests that visitors “Note the outline of the cathedral [Catedral de Santa Maria], which lines up with the church’s shadow once a day, drawn on the stones of the park in front.” And, it is, indeed, well worth seeing.

The Catedra de Santa Maria, itself – or La Iglesia de la Inmaculada Concepcion, as some prefer to call it – is one of the most imposing in all of Honduras. Which is saying something, since the artisans of that deeply religious country take their iconage most seriously. The edifice, towering majestically above the Parque, features no fewer than eight carefully crafted statues. And it also features one of the oldest working clocks in the world.  

The Catedra tower, built in 1650, is home to the Reloq Arabe, or Arab Clock, made in 1100 in Spain. There, it graced the La Alhambra of Granada before being donated to Comayagua by King Felipe II. Though the face of the clock on the outside of the tower is not the original, the wheelworks, weights, and pendulums on the inside are. And if you arrive at the right time, the old clock keepers will escort you up in the tower to watch it strike the hour, as it has done for nearly a millennium. It’s more than worth the climb.

For those into the artifacts of the antiquity, Comayagua boasts not one, but two museums: the Museo Colonial and the Museo de Arqueologica. The first is to the south, the second to the north, of the Parque Central, so no matter which way you turn, you can take a trip back in time. But, here, a caveat is in order : don’t expect to while away the hours in either museum unless you are one of those with a meticulous eye for the obscure. Both museums are rather small by American standards and for most of us, I’m afraid the artifacts are not particularly impressive.

One rather large artifact that may be impressive to some will be the Caxa Real. It is the crumbling ruins of the old tax-collection house built somewhere between 1739 and 1741. Built by the sycophantic Royal Field Marshall Don Pedro de Rivera Villalon to serve as the Royal Treasury for King Felipe and Queen Isabel, it was destroyed by an earthquake in 1809, proving once again that there is, indeed, a God.

Now, since Clews’ Views is expressly written for those looking not merely to visit, but to considering living in the venues reviewed, you might be wondering what one does in Comayagua. Well, when not relaxing in the Parque Central, or enjoying the licuados (milkshakes) at Ricle Reposteria y Cafeteria, or the Cajun cooking at Haneman’s Bar and Grill, you can journey out the four miles or so to the Parque Nacional Montana de Comayagua.

A hiker’s haven, the Parque Nacional covers more than 15,000 acres of virgin forests. It houses the El Portillo, the highest point in the park, reaching a height of 2,400 meters. For those who enjoy wildlife, the park is well populated with toucans, quetzals, eagles, deer, monkeys, and even a few pumas. When one considers that the predatory puma can leap 40 feet through the air to devour its prey, a few may be more than enough.

Perhaps the most celebrated event in Comayagua for visitors, re-settlers, and tourists alike is the annual week-long Easter Pageant, with its legendary “Sawdust Carpets.” Beginning on Palm Sunday, and ending on Easter Sunday, Comayagua quite literally transforms itself with celebrations and processions day and night throughout its streets and plazas.

Highlighting the event are the nearly two dozen “Sawdust Carpets “unlike any seen elsewhere in the world. Actually created from brightly colored blends of sawdust and salt, the magical carpets decorate the sidewalks of Comayagua, making the sojourn less painful for the Christ figure as he endures the procession of the via crucis.

The “Sawdust Carpets,” which normally take the artisans of Comayagua almost three months to design, are laid out in a marathon session of up to 10 hours in preparation for the sacred procession.  And even if you have sawdust in your veins, you may find yourself moved by the simple majesty of the moment.

It is, perhaps, this timeless celebration, with its spirit of community, reverential air, and meticulous attention to detail that symbolizes the very essence of Comayagua, Honduras. It is a place where people meet of one accord, where peace prevails, and where the simple joys of, and attendant duties to, traditional values make for a life as secure and ennobling as it is serene.

So, you may, in fact, want to consider residing in Comayagua yourself one day, there to join the “poor peasants” deeply drawing on the true richness of life, the “poor (humble) in spirit” to whom we are told is accorded “the kingdom of heaven.”

See you next month.

AUTHOR : Carter L. Clews began his career in marketing as Director of Public Relations for the National Right to Work Committee in Washington, after which he became Director of Communications for the U.S. Senate Conference of the Majority. Following his years in Washington, Mr. Clews became Creative Director for Inphomation, Inc, the company responsible for several of the top infomercials in recent history, including Making Love Work, The Psychic Friends Network, and The Helicopter Lure. Mr. Clews has won numerous writing awards, including the Best Scriptwriter of the Year Award from the Electronic Retail Association. He now lives at Keyhole Bay on Roatan in the beautiful Bay Islands.

  Email : Carter Clews