The Honduras Famliy Restaurant of Rosa in Tela Honduras

Andy, thank you for sharing your life. It's very enjoyable for me to be able to just click on your blog and watch you enjoy experiences in your daily life.

If you're not getting sausage in your baleada, I think she's playing you for a fool. It must be cheaper to give you the one with only the eggs, but charge you for the sausage too.

I must say, I think If I was down there, it'd be hard to not develop a sense of being played for a chump. It often seems, if there's a way they can get you, they'll take advantage.

Gadget from has written 831 comments

Hello, I looked at all the choices, and took the one that looked like eggs. What she called it was not part of my decision, just part of the Latino loose and unspecific way of thinking. I am not in Germany, and this is great.

Value is always determined before the purchase, I was positive what I was purchasing for 50 cents U.S, and know I got a good deal. Initially I ordered a cheese one on the first day, she started putting what was powered cheese in the tortilla, maybe was shaved, but looked dodgy. I stopped here, and said I did not want it.

Again, before the money leaves my hand, I know what I am buying.

latinamericalover from has written 3 comments

Looks good. In the 80s I spent 2 1/2 years in Honduras as a voluntario de Cuerpo de Paz in nearby Santa Cruz de Yojoa and have found memories of baleadas and Tela. Went back last year and paid if I can recall 23 lempiras for a baleada lunch. Thanks for bringing back fond memories.

Paragon from has written 9 comments

Do you tip Andy? Since it is 65 cents.

Gadget from has written 831 comments

I seldom Tip, except in the USA. Tipping is almost only an American Cultural thing, therefore Tipping tells the people you are foolish and easy to swindle.

Now, I gave Rosa and extra 50 Lempiras as a Propina to show I appreciated her helping me to make the video. i do not tip for the food I eat there.

Note, resorts and high end restaurants, and silly expat crooks will induce you to Tip, they make more money, even though is not part of the culture you are visiting.

I tend to avoid tourist who feel compelled to Tip, their Cultural Competance is about a zero. The joy of traveling is immersion and understanding the locals at a more than "Guidebook" silliness level. Tipping also is a way to belittle culture, and allow the person tipping to feel superiour, but never equal.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultural_competence

has written 205 comments

John said on Wednesday August 11th, 2010 09:30:51 AM

Do you tip Andy?......................................

Only TIP Andy gives is ....Plant your Corn Early Son.....

world kangaroo from has written 3 comments

Is that a bottle cap I espy under the baleada tray? I love it!

has written 205 comments

From the first guy Mikes Blog comments is a link to his BLOG

Mike Crosby said on Tuesday August 10th, 2010 05:37:55 PM
http://www.uncommonlybrilliant.blogspot.com


The notion that the Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution bars the government from adhering to the traditional understanding of what is and is not marriage strikes me as ludicrous. That understanding was nearly universal in this country when the Amendment was enacted and remained so for at least one hundred years. It still prevails today. Should the time come when it no longer prevails, it can and will be overturned democratically.

Wow, your Kids are gonna love Sharia law. Should the time come when it no longer prevails, it can and will be overturned democratically...Mikes quote.

When they start to give out capital punishment for gays, let alone adultery and if your sister,cousin,reat grand daughter commits adultery she gets stoned to death. Keep up the good work Mike. Either way it looks like you won't procreate and that is a good thing....

come on and let this one thru ! I'm begging ya....CW

Sharia (and#1588and#1585and#1610and#1593and#1577 Šarand#299and#703a [and#643aand#712riand#720and#661a], "way" or "path") is the sacred law of Islam. All Muslims believe Sharia is God's law

Tips are definately a north american thing. I give a tip based on friendliness/service/ because i want to rather than out of obligation.

Asiabill from has written 253 comments

Great One-Liner, "The joy of traveling is immersion and understanding the locals at a more than "Guidebook" silliness level." is exactly what I'm experiencing now and find it very rewarding being back on the road again.

My wife and I don't TIP most of the time either, sometimes in the Philippines if the waiter was extra attentive and not much maybe from a few coins to P10 to P30 depending.

Regarding being "taken" charged more money than what's correct, it's NOT only foriegners or caucasians who get overcharged as where ever there is a transportation hub or a tourist attraction / worldwide glorified destination where overpaid foreign or local urban tourists don't pay attention to how much they spend "while on holiday" ATTRACTS a certain type of people / scammers / hustlers ect and they overcharge locals just as much. So this type of behavior doesn't bother as much as it did when I was younger, I just SMILE and give facial or body gestures showing amusement at their salesmanship technique.

Gadget from has written 831 comments

Tipping is motivated by man interesting quirks of humans.

1. Desire to be generous. 5 Percent
2. Desire to feel adequate, and adhere or obey the social norms. 60 Percent
3. Desire to say to the waitress or waiter, you did an exceptional job. 5 Percent
4. Desire to say to the locals, I am rich 10 Percent
5. Guilt, middle class guilt, the low-esteem feeling a person has when they do not feel they deserve the money they have, that they did not work to get it. 10 percent.

If people could empathize with a culture, they would soon see, nobody tips in 220 countries on the planet.

scone from has written 2 comments

I think the tip you are giving by returning every day to give them more business is thanks enough. Being a loyal customer and paying a fair price for a good product is not the norm all too often. I like you style (friendly, well mannered, and caring) and would hope I could have customers like that if I owned that business. Priceless tip!

Maybe if doing a video at a place like that some other type of tip (small gift or something) would be justified??.... Or maybe not... I don't know the culture there.

Keep the videos coming... they are great!!

has written 205 comments

I must say, I Do tip and I eat at mostly local places the see few tourists. It is greatly appreciated and I do see the portions increased on my return trips. I think of it as if it is an investment. I get exactly what I want on every returning trip and the staff more attentive because they know the tip is coming at the end of the night.

It is not much more but goes directly in their pocket of the waiteress or waiter. I get better tables, better views and the cost of tipping is offset with the SIZE of the pourtion and the service.

It does take a few times to get the VALUE, but if your a long time customer it is worth the tipping and nothing feels so good as to be welcomed by Name and shown a good seat and not have to wait for just a dollar or two and have your favorite drink already delivered without asking........plant your corn early, as Andy would say

Me(american white) and my friend(Guatemalan American) both 20 are headed to Honduras in September. First we will fly into San Pedro Sula then head directly to the North West coast and to the Islands: La Ceiba, Tela, Puerto Cortes, Roatan, Utila. How is the safety in these parts for foreignors. We will want to hit the bars, clubs, and anything aventurous also meet some ladies and locals of the area. We dont flash cash and my friend is fluent in spanish and I know a good amount. Where are the places to avoid, especially the clubs/ bars since we will want to drink a good amount lol but not make asses out of ourselves. Pretty much we want to chill and live it up without having to watch our back constantly. Any more info will be appreciated.

Gadget from has written 831 comments

To party Tela is dangerous, many people get killed, it is not the place to do what you are talking about.

I recommend you go to Utila to party, I think that is the party place, and the tourist police would help if they have them. Honduras is one of the most dangerous countries I have been in, makes Haiti and Africa look safe.

Tipping is an old custom that is perpetuated by the establishments allowance of restaurant owners to pay well under the market rate for labor. In what other industry is $2.38 per hour legal? The customer is expected to make up the employees wages in tips. Its not a "Thanks" in America. Its their wages. Its an awful, awful system and makes an already difficult job even harder. The customer suffers (more expensive night out), the employees suffer, and the restaurant owner gains a little extra. Less risk and more cash for them.

Restaurant owners pay their wait staff at least the going market rate for minimum wage labor in other countries, because of no tipping, and those restaurants stay open. There is no excuse for excepting the restaurant owners from having to pay minimum wage in America, and having their hard working employees have to rely on the non-enforceable whims of strangers.

First off, Andy, you are a genius. I really enjoy your blog. you've managed to drop off the radar in some ways but not drop off the planet. You're still connected to the 'normal' world through the blog but living an wonderfully 'abnormal' life.

But my real reason for posting is to comment on the issue of safety. I have traveled many many times to Honduras. I've been to Tegucigalpa, San Pedro Sula, La Ceiba Roatan and Utila. I've spent days or weeks in each. Honduras is a very dangerous country. it is also a very friendly and safe county. It is dangerous in that there are many places where you can be attacked and robbed or worse. That said, I have often been told by Hondurans that I should take a cab or go with a friend, when in fact I was mostly likely quite safe. There are two reasons for this. One is that the person warning you about the safety issues is a taxi driver or has a friend/relative who is a taxi driver. Thus, warnings about safety are a good way to play to the fears of foreigners and drum up some business. The other major reason is that many Hondurans are wonderful people and hosts, and will not want you to take a chance and walk in areas where there is a chance, no matter how slim, that you will be harmed. In my experience, the second reason has been more prevalent.

I follow, for myself, the following rules: In the big cities like Tegucigalp and San Pedro Sula I DO NOT travel at night alone on foot, and I do not drink or go out and party. Being young, not looking Honduran and looking drunk or high makes the odds very very high that you will be robbed (and very possibly killed). In the town of La Ceiba, I walk during the day and very selectively at night until 10:00pm. Taxi's are cheap so there is no need to walk anyway (except when I'm feeling fat and like i need the exercise). If SAn Pedro Sula is a 10 on the scale of dangerous (form 1 to 10 with 10 the most dangerous), then La Ceiba is a 2 or 3 during the day (so long as you stay out of the barrios, at least alone) and a 6 or 7 at night.

On the islands, it is a different story. It's hard to live on an island and kill people for a living. Most islands don't work that way. Utila is a big party, lots of drinking and backpackers and a fair amount of locals (many of whom speak english because the Bay Islands where at one time British protectorate). I have never heard of any major problems on teh islands, apart from the occasional drunk/desperate backpacker who robs a fellow traveler because they are stuck and in need of cash or whatever.

In short, Honduras has many wonderful places and people (as attested to by Andy's great blog). But it can be dangerous. to sum it up, i would hate for someone to miss the opportunity to meet wonderful Hondurans (especially the women) because they were afraid, or conversely to go and have something happen to them because they weren't properly warned about what to do in various places. All of this is highly anecdotal of course, but then most good info often starts that way.

Andy, keep it up, you have many fans. Awesome videos, but buy a lav mike:)