Asociación de Ganaderos y Agricultores de Francisco Morazán.
In other words, Tegucigalpa's local fair the week of Dia de la virgen (Suyapa), another big holiday in Honduras.
My housemates and I went to Agafam with another teacher and her Honduran boyfriend on Thursday night before the crowds arrived, and had a fun time strolling around and looking in the little shops. It was almost like a flea market, with stores selling everything from silver watches to baby strollers to illegally ripped DVDs. In between these tiny stores were squeezed orange juice stands and companies promoting their freshly brewed coffee. We followed the pathway around the fair, passing carts selling french fries (with cheese, ketchup or sugar) and churros, and every restaurant waiter bombarding us with their menu lists. It was quite the experience.
We eventually sat down at a table, mostly to get out of the customer competition, and found ourselves in an outdoor concert area, with a live singer, giant screens playing music videos, and men walking around selling turtle eggs from picnic baskets. We were laughing at the ridiculous scenario, as green disco lights dotted the restaurant, and the singer was accompanied in one song by a fog-machine. It was definitely a flashback to the 70's and 80's (or at least from what I know of those decades).
We continued this time trip as we journeyed on to the carnival side of the fair. We were greeted by vintage cartoon-faces painted on kiddie rides, a rickety Ferris wheel rotating at super speed, and impossible target games. Needing a change, we decided to proceed through the Animal section of the fair. Call me a city girl, but I have never in my life seen cows that enormous (actually hump-backed Zebus!). We picked our way carefully along a narrow, hay-strewn path between the cows. Some were laying and some standing, and I'm pretty sure one had just given birth. Once, the other teacher bumped into me and I jumped, thinking I was going to frighten a cow and get kicked. Although, it was interesting to note that the cow's caretakers slept next to the barn. We saw a series of hammocks by the entrance, and our Honduran friend told us these were their beds for the week. We also saw horses, but no rodeos or showings were going on at the time, so we headed for the exit.
As we were heading there, a few Honduran guard police started walking beside us. I turned around to discover a host of them trailing us. Carrying guns, they don't always make you feel the safest. But our Honduran friend reassured us, "Looks like you have an escort." We all laughed and the guards parted ways once we reached the fair exit. A great time had by all.
In other words, Tegucigalpa's local fair the week of Dia de la virgen (Suyapa), another big holiday in Honduras.
My housemates and I went to Agafam with another teacher and her Honduran boyfriend on Thursday night before the crowds arrived, and had a fun time strolling around and looking in the little shops. It was almost like a flea market, with stores selling everything from silver watches to baby strollers to illegally ripped DVDs. In between these tiny stores were squeezed orange juice stands and companies promoting their freshly brewed coffee. We followed the pathway around the fair, passing carts selling french fries (with cheese, ketchup or sugar) and churros, and every restaurant waiter bombarding us with their menu lists. It was quite the experience.
We eventually sat down at a table, mostly to get out of the customer competition, and found ourselves in an outdoor concert area, with a live singer, giant screens playing music videos, and men walking around selling turtle eggs from picnic baskets. We were laughing at the ridiculous scenario, as green disco lights dotted the restaurant, and the singer was accompanied in one song by a fog-machine. It was definitely a flashback to the 70's and 80's (or at least from what I know of those decades).
We continued this time trip as we journeyed on to the carnival side of the fair. We were greeted by vintage cartoon-faces painted on kiddie rides, a rickety Ferris wheel rotating at super speed, and impossible target games. Needing a change, we decided to proceed through the Animal section of the fair. Call me a city girl, but I have never in my life seen cows that enormous (actually hump-backed Zebus!). We picked our way carefully along a narrow, hay-strewn path between the cows. Some were laying and some standing, and I'm pretty sure one had just given birth. Once, the other teacher bumped into me and I jumped, thinking I was going to frighten a cow and get kicked. Although, it was interesting to note that the cow's caretakers slept next to the barn. We saw a series of hammocks by the entrance, and our Honduran friend told us these were their beds for the week. We also saw horses, but no rodeos or showings were going on at the time, so we headed for the exit.
As we were heading there, a few Honduran guard police started walking beside us. I turned around to discover a host of them trailing us. Carrying guns, they don't always make you feel the safest. But our Honduran friend reassured us, "Looks like you have an escort." We all laughed and the guards parted ways once we reached the fair exit. A great time had by all.
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