Honduran Shopping Spree

Last week we decided to have a little shopping day.  Nothing like the marathon day we spent at the mall in San Pedro, but rather a day in and around the city of Santa Bárbara buying vegetables, craft supplies, and gifts to bring home on our upcoming trip to the States.

This is a really awesome tree in front of our house. The pictures don't quite do it justice but it is so red it looks like its on fire. The truck in the foreground comes to town 3 times a week to sell vegetables.

Another view

When we first visited Santa Bárbara we didn’t really like it – it was loud, crowded, and definitely had more of a “city” feel as opposed to the laid back “pueblo” vibe of Trinidad.  Over the course of the past year we have come to appreciate certain aspects of Santa Bárbara such as the vegetarian restaurant where you can always get a delicious salad, the bustling city market which has a wide selection of fresh fruits and vegetables, a mini-supermarket (key word mini) which usually has peanut butter, jelly, canned tuna, and tea bags, and of course the blessed bakery/ice cream shop that sells coffee granitas!

Our shopping day also included a stop in the small town of Arada to visit an amazing women’s co-op that makes the most beautiful baskets.  Arada is only a short 15 minute bus ride past Santa Bárbara and although there is little to nothing going on in town it is a very nice place with cool breezes, pretty streets lined with neat houses, and home to arguably the best craft makers in Honduras.

We first met the leader of this co-op almost a year ago at (where else?) the mall in San Pedro.  There happened to be an artisan fair set up that day and this brightly colored fan caught my eye, which David sweetly bought me for my birthday!  I loved the women’s crafts so much that I scribbled down “Arada – Noncita” (name of the lady) on a random piece of paper in my purse and filed it away for later use.  Four months later we showed up in town and asked around until we found Noncita’s house!  She answered our calls of “Buenas!” and led us into her front room which was loaded down with baskets, fans, purses, coasters, trivets, keychains, etc.

Baskets galore

Christmas gifts - total cost approximately $50

We bought even more good stuff for family & friends during the most recent trip but I don’t want to spoil the surprise with photos!  If you’re lucky enough to know us in real life (ha!) then you will see soon enough