It had been a loooong week, highlighted with power outages, late nights, spotty internet connections, and a call into the principal's office.
(It had to do with a butter knife, a detention, everybody learning from their mistakes, and no need to discuss it any further!)
Oh, yeah, it was quite the week!
And when you've had a week like that, there's even more appreciation for the bi-annual bazaar held in the garden of the U.S. Embassy.
Not only do us Embassy people have a chance to purchase crafts and handiwork from all over Honduras, it is another event that allows all of us to socialize for the afternoon.
Truthfully, you could not ask to be lumped into a better group of people than the folks that are stuck with right now. We are truly blessed with all the new friends we have found here!
But enough about me! This week, we interrupt our regular Mercado Programming to bring you a Special Presentation of Hecho En Honduras: At The Bazaar....
Nothing can make you feel as great as chocolate! (Or maybe that's just me.) That large yellow fruit at the top of the photo contains the seeds/beans that cacao is derived from. Quite a lot of the cacao produced here is actually exported to chocolate factories in other countries. Although there is chocolate in the grocery stores here, it's the same M&M's and Hershey's Bars that you'd find in The States. The brightly colored bags in this photo that are holding little Honduran-made chocolate bars are created from fabric produced by the Lenca Indians, one of several types of native Indian peoples that many Hondurans can find their lineage with.
Ok, so a nice glass of this would be a good substitute if the chocolate is all gone. (Not that I'm the one who ate it all....I plead the fifth!) This is wine made from fruits that are commonly found in this country. There's ones that most of you are familiar with, like strawberry (fresa) and blackberry (mora). Other varieties I was not familiar with before moving here. The bottle to the left is made from maracuya, the middle one is a fruit called Jamaica, and the one on the right is a maranon. A maranon grows on trees and looks like a kid molded a little red sweet pepper out of playdoh. It also contains something we are very familiar with in The States - cashews.
And, of course, there had to be coffee. This is Honduras, after all! I'm sure you remember our trip to Marcala, a major coffee growing region, located in the department of La Paz. A "department" here is similar to a "state" in the U.S. The coffee in this photo is from Intibuca, a department just west of La Paz. I am attempting to taste-test coffees from as many Honduran regions as I can while we are here. We'll see how far I get!
A bazaar is not a bazaar without jewelry! I don't believe any of these materials came from this country, from what I've been told, they mined all the silver out of the mountains years ago. But these colorful orbs for the ears were handcrafted here.
What looks like rope strung together is actually pine needles lashed together with thread and then fashioned into baskets, trivets, napkin holders and more. I'm told these cheerful items were crafted by women in the Southern part of Honduras.
Paintings here are colorful and vibrant. This is a work by cubist artist Maury Flores. Born in Tegucigalpa, who is a popular artist in Honduras and is internationally recognized.
Some beautiful pottery. I was told these are crafted by the Pech Indians, but I am having a hard time varifying that online. Either way, these little treasures are hand-crafted and striking!
And, lastly, hand-carved wooden pieces, which can readily be found all over Honduras. Mahogany trees grow here, as well as pine and cedar, just to name a few. Here, we have boxes of various sizes, wall plaques, and even a cup of coffee! It is also commplace to find large trunks with ornate carvings of flowers or pueblos, tables and chairs adorned with floral motifs, and large, smooth bowls perfect for salads or paella. And it is unbelievably cheap for the amount of work put into a piece!
I left the bazaar loaded down with new items for our home and tasty things eat and drink. It was an amazing day, and I am looking forward to the next, sometime in late fall, when I'll be scouring the tables for the perfect (not-too-heavy!) Christmas presents to send back home!
