Monday, June 17, 2013

          An excursion was planned for our preparation day today.   The temple presidency (minus one counselor) and the four senior couple missionaries climbed into a van at 8:00 a.m. and off we went.  We didn’t really leave the city, which is huge, but drove forever across to the other side and up to the top of the mountain.  There is a park and a view point that is spectacular.  We walked around the park in perfect weather; and, since Monday is a slow day, there were very few other people there.  Week-ends in the park are very busy and we were grateful to be there without the crowds.

          The narrow crowded streets were crazy with zigzags, sharp turns, and no apparent order.  There were several steep hills to climb and I wondered if the van would make it all the way to the top. 

          We took our own snacks and ate them with a few mosquitoes at a picnic area.  A group of missionaries was there playing football.   The Honduran missionaries were playing soccer, of course, and they were all having a great time.  Glade always takes time to talk to them and find out everything he can about them and what they are doing.  Many are very, very young!

          A stop at the zoo rounded out the event and the few animals housed there posed for pictures and entertained us.  One big turtle was attempting to climb up out of the pond and flipped onto its back.  Of course, we wanted to jump the fence and right the poor thing, but thought better of it!  We watched it struggle and waited to see what would happen.  Then, to the rescue came the care taker with dinner!  Just when he was ready to leave, he spotted the turtle and immediately tipped it back right-side up with his boot and saved the day.

This is near the entrance to the park.

It rained a little and gave everything a fresh face.  The two girls in the center are missionaries.

I was happy that my umbrella fit into my purse--Glade's too--so we could keep dry.

The park is beautiful.

The following are all views of Tegucigalpa from the park at the top of the mountain.
Remember this city sits in a bowl, so-to-speak, and is surrounded by hills/mountains on all sides.

Just another view.

If you look toward the top of the picture right in the center
 just where the city part ends and the landscape starts, you can see the white spire of our temple.

Just another view.

Panning to the right---

The green area in the center is a park.  To the right of the park is a colorful soccer stadium and straight up from the stadium is the famous airport.  The airport starts about 3/4 of the way up from the bottom of the photo and looks like a road with grassy panels on either side and two pair of white spots on the runway.  It is pretty short for a runway!!

The square white-roofed building mid-center we thought must be a school.
The center court appeared to be filled with children and we could actually hear their delightful play from where we were!

Last one of the city!!  The road leading out of the city on the right is the one we drove on for our first excursion to the chicken farm and the town of Comyagua (oops, forgot the spelling).

This statue of Christ was constructed between 2007 and 2010 on the high point of the hill and looks out over the city where people can see it.  On a clear day, this statue can be seen from the temple.  The park is also only three years old.  

This is our group from left to right:
Pres. and Sister Ocampo--She is in the red shirt holding the colorful bag.  He is the temple president
and our mission president.  Notice that they are both wearing coats.
They are from San Pedro Sula--the second largest city in Honduras--where it is very hot!
Brother and Sister Cruz are on the right of the Ocampos--they manage the residence building where we live
and work in the temple one shift a week on Wednesdays.  They are from Honduras.
Pres. and Sister Cazier are behind and between the Ocampos and the Cruzes.  They were originally from the Burley/Rupert area but now reside in Florida when they are not on a mission.
This is their Sixth.  They have served in Panama and Guatemala.
Brother and Sister Starkey, wearing hats, are standing next to Glade.  They are the new arrivals from Kaysville and have some experience with Spanish.  He is pretty good and she speaks her own form of Spanglish.
Brother and Sister Bassett are on the far right.  They are the 80-year old couple who are also on their 5th or 6th mission.  They live in Wyoming when they are home.  They think this is their last mission.  They have served in
Honduras before and also in Guatemala.
Pres. and Sister Omada were not able to attend.

The kid comes out!!

Entering the Zoo

The snake pics are for the kids who like snakes!!

The peacocks were very entertaining as the colorful males were "showing off" for the seemingly uninterested females.
By the way, this is a back view which has its own beauty.

Here is the front, of course.  The fence is distracting,
but there were two birds whose feathers were fully spread and they were beautiful.

There were lots of very active monkeys!

Watching the antics of this bird reminded me of the ostrich races in "Swiss Family Robinson."

We think this lion had been to the barber--it looked shaved!

We think these little critters were the same ones we saw running around in Brazil--Quaties or something?

This poor jaguar had only three paws.

Crocs always look so bored!!

This is a tapor.

Come and get it!!  Lunch time!

A right-side-up turtle.

Rabbits in the zoo?  They were everywhere (within the confines of the fences)
in all colors and sizes until lunch showed up!  The food brought the huddle.