Estelina's Buffet - Mercado Guamilitio, San Pedro Sula

I've read and heard people say "ir a San Pedro Sula y no comer donde Estelina es como no haber ido." (Visiting San Pedro Sula and not eating at Estelina's is like not having gone [to San Pedro]). I felt the same way before having heard or read that. It wasn't until a few minutes ago that I realized how iconic this establishment really is. Located in the landmark marketplace "Mercado Guamilito," it's an icon within and icon. This is also the home of the "World's Larget Baleada," I don't think that's a Guiness World Record, but nice bragging rights in Honduras.

(Read more about "Mercado Guamilito" here)

Estelina and her Baleadas are also considered the driving force behind the recent transformation of the "food court" area in Mercado Guamilito. The area currently being used for tortilla makers and food stands was previously used for produce stands. When Estelina began selling baleadas, in addition to produce, the demand for an area dedicated to food sales grew and it became what it is now. The tortilla area provides many restaurants and homes with fresh handmade tortillas.

I became a fan because of the excellent service, clean dining area, good food, big portions, reasonable prices and the overall presentation of the product.

The girls at Estelina's always greet you with a smile! OK, they didn't smile for the picture, but they are really nice and polite.

The dining area always surprises me. It's clean, well light, and nicely decorated, not what you expect to find at a "mercado".

Four varieties of scrambled eggs, beans (refried and "parados"), casamiento (rice and beans), pancakes, pastelitos.

No need for "in between" snacks with these portions.

If you only eat here once, you must have the Baleada there. The tortillas are perfectly made, not too thick so it opaques the taste of the contents and not too thin so the contents tear through.

In conclusion, Estelina's Buffet is a great place for good typical Honduran food. This alone should serve as a reason to visit the historic Guamilito market. Beyond the food, Estelina's is a great story. A humble produce vendor finding a niche with baleadas and developing that niche into a San Pedro Sula staple. This business has adopted excellent business practices seldom found in other Honduran businesses: friendly service, a variety of good quality products, efficiency (notice the stools that allow more customers to sit and dine), and great staff training, evident with up selling, greetings, politeness and willingness to accommodate your needs. The other thing that really jumps out to me is the fact that they have developed a "brand" complete with a logo, portraying the real Estelina, and cups rocking the logo and name. I hope other businesses in Honduras follow this example.

My rating: 5 out of 5 baleadas.

Common Sights and Sounds in Honduras - Annoying pre-recorded salesman, Almacenes El Cachimbazo

The louder you play it, the more potential customers will flock to your business... NOT!!!

This is hilarious though! Please, please, please listen to the sales pitch! They have been bumpin' this for at least two years.



Part 2

Pouring out a little liqour for Klien Bohemia - SPS

Klein Bohemia was my favorite hang out spot while calling myself a Jampedrano. This was the quintessential dive bar; a place where the attire of patrons could range from basketball shorts to suits, the type of bar where you can have a blast without consuming alcohol (That was my personal favorite), and it was the only "expat" hang out that I knew of in SPS. For all the real Sampedrano's, my condolences...

On any given day, what appeared to be "quite nights" could turn into a surprise performance from Honduran greats like Guillermo Anderson, Polache, and Montuca Sound System. Programmed concerts featured rock, ska, jazz, metal, electronic, trova, reggae, salsa, and so much more. From what I hear and have read, Klein Bohemia has been around for a long time and previously operated as the "Kulture Cafe". The bar eventually closed it's doors, but it's spirit will always survive in the memory of Sampedranos and transplants alike.

Honduran Corn Dogs

This is a Honduran corn dog. I should know better...

The Bus Bar - San Pedro Sula

I would like to offer my condolences to all the Sampedranos for the loss of the Bus Bar. The Bus Bar was a fully operational bus converted into a bar; stationed at the zona viva, with a grill outside to feed the hungry. Although I only visited once, I'm saddened to learn that it will not be there when I return to the heaven's gates (it seems that way right now).

Maynor Figueroa Accomplishes Rare Feat for Honduran Soccer

Maynor Figueroa became the first Honduran to score a goal in England's Premier League on January 11, 2009. He ricocheted a corner kick off his head in a game against Tottenham to accomplish this milestone in Honduran soccer. Maynor stated that he was supposed to set a screen for a forward on his team but reacted on instinct instead.



The rare feat is Maynor Figueroa's goal being #2 on the Dec. 11 2009 edition of ESPN's SPORTCENTER TOP 10 LIST (considering that ESPN show's Honduras "no love"). I'm not sure, but I think this is the highest position any Honduran has ever reached on the "TOP 10" (not including the countdown the featured the national team).




This is a funny video of Maynor adapting to life in England...

Returning Catracho Report images

Montuca Sound System - November 10th 2008 Show photo album

Montuca - Welcome to San Pedro (acoustic)

"WELCOME TO SAN PEDRO! OOOooOOO" That's from a Montuca Sound System song. They're a ska/reggae/funk/rock/jazz band from San Pedro Sula. If you're in SPS, check them out for an appropriate welcome to San Pedro Sula. I can see these dudes reaching that Banda Blanca status and gaining international notoriety. When that CD hits the shelves, I'm getting TWO! One to bump and another to save and sell on Ebay 20 years from now.

The crowd at a Montuca show is usually a good mix of foreigners and locals. (the latter don't really appear in the image below) All the images below were taken at a Montuca Sound System show on November 10th, 2008.

Returning Catracho Report images

The foreigners are always caught off guard when they see MSS live for the first time. It usually starts with them nodding their head in approval of their riffs and smooth lyrics. By the end of the first song, they proceed to wiggle like they have ants in their pants. Two songs into a set and they get carried away jumping around like crazy. I've had to warn a few of them, "HEY, HEY, HEY, (enter all time favorite hip hop line here), calm down dude! Hondurans don't understand the concept of a moshpit!!!"

I've seen them play alongside other Honduran greats like Polache and Guillermo Anderson. In my opinion, this band is way ahead of its time for the Honduran audience. When they do "break on through to the other side", little girls will have posters of a shirtless Gary hanging over their beds and Carlos will rival the late, great Tito Puente with the facial gestures.



They also volunteer to play at many benefit concerts for worthy causes like HIV awareness. I give them (as is said in L.A.) MAD PROPS for dropping out of a concert after learning that it was in alliance with a politician. To me, this act represented them standing up against the system that has historically used the general Honduran population as sheep. Again, props!

Montuca Sound System will be playing at "The Crooked Palm" in Roatan for New Year's! I can't think of a better way to spend New Year's. This will be the second New Year's I spend with Los. I just hope we don't get stressed by the cops this year!



These dudes are real chill too. A good example of that is the following video I posted of them on Youtube. In this vid they imitate recognized Honduran soccer broadcasters like Copan Alvarez and Salvador Nasralla. Hilarious!!!!!




Montuca Playing Live

I didn't resize the images, for the entire album with pics of their Nov. 10, 2008 show click below!!!

MONTUCA SOUND SYSTEM LIVE - NOVEMBER 10th 2008

BBall in Honduras

Returning Catracho Report images






"¿Hay una cancha de baloncesto aqui?" That was one of the first questions I asked when I arrived in El Porvenir. I had to explain myself a few times, it turns out basketball or baloncesto, is more frequently called "basquet," and some people aren't even familiar with the sport. After correcting me [cough, cough], they would let me know that there are some courts around. After being misdirected and getting lost I discovered that there are a few, but they rarely have rims and are exclusively used for "futbolito." I eventually found a gym in San Pedro Sula; a forty five minute bus ride away. I don't recall exactly how I came upon "El Joyo", but I'm almost certain that someone on Honduras_Living let me know about it. Maybe it was off the FIBA site, I forgot. However I found it, I got the number to the San Pedro Sula league director. The league was in "off-season" mode so I practiced with his team, a team in the feminine league to be more precise. These girls can hoop though. It seriously took weeks before I could play ball for more than 20 minutes because of the heat, but more so the humidity. The humidity in SPS is intolerable! After becoming more familiar with the local players and gym schedule, I joined a team and began practicing for the upcoming season. I was going to play with INMUDE, was. I was the only player on my team to show for the first game of the season (and a few practice sessions). I arrived an hour early so I could shoot around and maybe meet some other players. I shot around, and shot around, until I realized that they weren't coming. By this time the clock was counting down from 10 minutes until I had to face defeat by forfeit. I spent a few of those minutes trying to talk the opposing team into a 5 on 1 game, they declined. The worse thing about being the only one shooting around on my half of the court is due to my per game scheme; I try to look like I don't play at all so I can catch people off guard when the game begins. They wouldn't even play a pick up game, probably because I was shooting around like Phillip Seymour Hoffman's character in Along Came Polly. Shouting like him while I brick also "Money!" "Let it rain!" The horn went off and I walked off the court with the head down, disgust on my face, jersey off and dragging behind me. Worst of all, everyone standing around was sure to think I was an idiot after that shooting display. Luckily, another group of guys was willing to play 3 on 3 and I had the opportunity to redeem myself. Needles to say, no one was trying to guard me because of my terrible shooting exhibition. I took advantage and wowed a few folks and even pulled out the around the back elbow pass. (Note to reader: you may have to look that up here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTVhQAbAYmI) Before I left I was asked if I would be interested in switching teams and I accepted the offer. That made me feel like a highly sought after free agent, of course, that wasn't really the case.

From the following week forward, I began playing with the Halcones.... from Puerto Cortes. Puerto Cortes is far from San Pedro Sula so our team didn't practice; we just showed up an played. We only one two games that whole season and one W came from a forfeit. We ended the season as the second worst team, the team I was to play with previously took the last place honors, whew! Me switching teams at the beginning of the season sparked a rivalry between Inmude and Halcones, that created a great atmosphere for the game we played against them. They were actually the only team we won against. The league was very competitive, up at the top of the rankings anyway. I wasn't the best player on my team, but I was the "X factor". I shut down every stellar player on opposing teams, even a few centers and forwards. The only problem was that no one else on my team would play defense. I sometimes had to guard multiple players at once. The opposition hated me, especially because I led the league in charges taken. They didn't have a stat column for that, but I'm sure I would have led the league if they tracked it. I have a good video of that too! The ref wasn't wearing his glasses so he missed the first call, he made it up on the following play. Some dude even called me Vlade Divac! As a Sacramento Kings fan, I took pride in that. The picture right before tip off is when I begin the trash talking; I remember telling that guy that he was going to suffer if he didn't eat a complete breakfast that morning. I also mentioned he was too small to match up against me. That's my favorite line to big fellas "you're too small dude. How does your coach expect you to guard me?" I haven't developed much of a Spanish basketball vocabulary since nothing translates directly. For instance; suicides are "parillas." Let's run some "grills." when I first heard that I looked around and asked if we were barbecuing. Fortunately my all-time favorite line does translate well: "Tu defensa es ofensiva" or "You're defense is offensive!" It takes people a minute before they catch onto that one. When I say it during games, opponents usually have a look on their face like they're trying to decipher the hieroglyfics.

I've only played once since relocating to Roatan, the court was actually being used for futbolito so I had to wait until they were done to shoot around. I heard about a court, or rim, somewhere in West End, but I haven't found it yet.