Every time there's a big game (Is there ever really "just a game?") there is some serious halabaloo all over the city. Last year, during the Montagua v. Olimpia game, I was riding in a taxi that accidentally drove into the middle of a riot in el Centro (downtown Tegus). The riot was, of course, just some cheer sessions on account of the Olimpia/Montagua game. I had agreed to meet a friend downtown completely unaware of the face-off between Honduras' two premier soccer teams.
When taxi man and I arrived downtown (he might have been the only Honduran man unversed in soccer lore), we suddenly found ourselves surrounded by people. They weren't congregating towards our taxi on purpose, really; the crowd simply evolved into a general mob of yelling, flag waving, chanting, fist pumping, pistol shots, and ruckus. The taxi driver started freaking out and yelling at me to lock the doors and close the windows as people started pounding on the car. His fears weren't unfounded. My students have told me that these sorts of rowdy gatherings have resulted in deaths. With that in mind, I slunk down into my seat, afraid that my gringa red hair would induce more ruckus directed at our taxi. For a few jarring moments, we held our breath hoping that the horde wouldn't fixate on us. Finally, the taxi driver was able to pull into a side street and out of the downtown area.
This dramatic retelling explains why many students were pulled out of school today (to see the big game, of course), why there was an amateur student ruckus happening at the after school (to support our country, of course), and why so many pistol shots and firecrackers were heard throughout the city (to commemorate the game, of course). Honduras killed it 8-1. I bet the Canadians wished they weren't "oot 'n a boot" today. Ha!
On a random note, here's a picture that never made it into my blog last year. I miss the view at my apartment. And I miss Lil' geck! See if you can spot him.
All my best and a thousand hugs from Honduras,
Julie
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