What is there to say. This is the best away trip you can ever do. Whereas I've been jeered and pelted with sandwiches, drinks and whatever else in every other Central American stadium, even after we broke Honduras hearts in the 85th minute all they wanted to do is buy us beer! Seriously Honduras is the nicest country in North America. They wouldn't let us leave the stadium because every one just wanted to buy us beer and talk to us. Every Honduran asks you what you think of the country and how your trip is there. As one guy told me. Guatemalans and Nicaraguans have plenty of tourists. They don't give a shit about you. Here each one is like a treasure. Every Honduran feels responsible to make sure you enjoy yourself. And don't get me started on the food. Best stadium food in the world. No ****** comparables. You can get steak, sausage, kebabs, chicken, and it comes on a giant plate with cole slaw plaintains and beans. Beer was $1.50. Water came in a bag and was 45 cents. The vendors in Honduras are the hardest working people I've ever seen. They come with an empty tray and ask what you need. Then you order and they literally sprint to get your order. Eventually they realized the US fans were heavy beer drinkers so at one point around 10 minutes ore kickoff they was a line of guys just bringing beer to like 15 American fans. Honduran fans show up early. By noon the sideline was packed and loud! Our Honduran friend said we won't get seats unless we are sitting down two hours early. There was no away section. No police escort. The police didn't give us a second thought and there was no need to. We sat up against the cheap seats which are on the end line. The overhang gives a bit of shade to the fans in those sections and people showed up five hours before kickoff to get those seats. There was barbed wire between us but I got the impression that it was more for the ticket prices than anything. The fans wanted nothing more than to trade scarves and flags with us. It was particularly important for them to get a photo with American flags for whatever reason.
How was the general safety outside the match? Any precautions? I know from previous experiences heading south you need to be aware of everything from being in by sundown to what taxis you get in to which bars/clubs you go to. As one example a guy I worked with went to Colombia for a vacation with a friend and they went to a bar a few blocks from their hotel. Apparently either the bar tender or one of the girls they were talking to put scopolamine in his drink, took him to the ATM, he emptied it out, then to his hotel room and they took everything of value. Woke up late the next morning only remembering bits and pieces. Sounds like Honduras treated you quite well. I might have to go next cycle.
I walked alone about an hour each way between my budget hotel in central SPS and the stadium without any problems. I couldn't figure out if there are buses/vans that do that trip and I hate taxis. Of course, I do lots of things many other travelers don't. Real Corona, were you in the small AO and me section in Bloque P? I didn't see you. We had a completely unnecessary police presence next to us. The bagged water was L5 before the game, then L10 later. So like 20 cents and then 40 cents. I heard it was L2 outside the stadium. Hondurans are generally friendly. They speak really fast and my decreasing Spanish ability doesn't work as well as in other nearby countries, even in awesome Nicaragua. Also super gracious. My wife and I were at the 2009 Conor Casey match which clinched qualification for the US, and the Hondurans in front of us shook our hands and congratulated us. I felt like the Estadio Olimpico was louder yesterday after the Honduras goal than Estadio Azteca is when Mexico scores.
I've heard the stories of that stuff in Colombia and all I can say is Shit happens I guess. I spent a month in Colombia and went from Cartagena to Ipiales with the only incident a guy trying to steal my bag on a bus. I caught him and he awkwardly protested he didn't know it was mine. Kinda funny. I sure as hell wouldn't be walking around the center like Eddie Stiel did. But we all know he doesn't own a smartphone so really what's the point in robbing him. I've been to SPS before and match day is probably the safest time to be there. Really nothing to worry about except drinking too much beer and eating too much sausage. We had a car so didn't need to grab a taxi but you could easily get one. Even when one of our guys went on an explicative filled rant against the ref the fans just started laughing saying "**** the ref". When we scored nobody even gave the slightest glance at us. Waaaaaaaaaaay different than Guatemalans. Eddie we were in bloque A. Originally I was sitting in midfield with just ordinary fans but finally some guys congregating over by the fence. I guess one AO guy was with us and went over to I and said they should come over but they didn't want to. And yeah that was one of the loudest stadiums I've ever seen
Actually, no cell phone at all; however, I had our laptop during my visit to SPS, whose central district is typical, Central American fun hustle bustle. No worries there.
So... I just bought a flight to Honduras for the Australia game. Damn you cervezas!! Massive game for La H and the country and stadium will be going crazy, Friday game at 4pm. The stadium should be pretty darn fun..
Have a great time!!! I can recommend a cold water only budget hotel, if you want such a place. 300 Lempira per night if I remember correctly. Ha. Ha.
I know this game falls outside the definition of the thread, but.......trip/match report? I watched it on Telemundo. Super heavy, sloppy field. Way worse than at the US/T&T match at Couva. The on-field reporter said that it wasn't too hot.
Amazing atmosphere, maybe the loudest I've heard any stadium ever. Deafening. People were awesome as always, beer and food were great. And the country was totally up for it, as you can imagine. Weather was perfect. As always, stadium packed 4 hours before game time. Game itself: so much fun. Field was horrible, and hilarious to see AUS during warm-ups. Even better when HON were flopping all over the place. Cant imagine any of the AUS players have ever had many of these experiences. Funny because i totally felt their pain. It is a very tough place to play, yet alone win. AUS fan section was only about 20 people but saw a ton of them after, so they may have been spread out. Massive gun fire during the game, was military outside keeping order at the gate. It was quite surreal, watched the whole thing. Landed at 1p, game at 4p, back at airport at 10a then next morning. So nice to have family in a place like this, makes travel so much easier. Friend of friend pulled me out of hour long customs line and took me to front, slid him 10 bucks. Crazy stuff.
@Real Corona @Mlint Cathis Chuy says hello. Here's the family after the game... guess which one is me.