I was lured to Santa Lucia, located just outside of Tegucigalpa, with the promise of two things.
1) A cup of excellent tea at a quaint little Tea House and
2) The ability to safely walk down the street.
I was not disappointed!
This is Santa Lucia...
Nestled in one of the surrounding mountains of Teguc, it offers a quiet respite for the world-weary city dweller.
According to my friend, Heather (aka: The Promise-Maker) the town is populated with artists and craftspeople.
Bringing Kaye along, the three of us made the short drive to Santa Lucia on a bright blue Thursday. No bustling crowds. No husbands or kids to fuss over. Just three single ladies looking for a nice cup of tea!
This beautiful symbolism of motherhood, entitled "La Florista," greeted us in the Town Square. From there, we made our way up this staircase, straight from an M.C. Escher print, and onto a lookout point over the town.
You have to love a country that lacks litigation. It makes for a lot less guardrails and a lot more thrills!
I call this one "The Lookout," Subtitled "Waiting For My Big Sister." When we arrived at the top of that vertigo-inducing staircase, the first thing we saw was a breathtaking view of the surrounding mountains. The second thing we saw was a young couple sucking face at the other end of the park. Right in front of this little baby....
Oh, to be young and in love and not give a snit about your poor little sister or the hell-fire that would surely rain down after such a hot session of tonsil hockey!
The graffiti around town was so expertly done. Next time I come back, I will be sure to bring along a permanent marker and add some script to this piece. I don't think the past 10 years I've had with Hubster really counts until I declare my love for him in permanent ink on the side of a water tower!
I love this photo of simple town life. The white steeples of the Catholic church rise up in the background as this mother walks with her son on a dirt pathway. Perhaps heading home from preschool?
Eventually we made it to the Tea House. What looked like a small wooden cottage from the street, belied an enchanting cafe. I felt like I had stepped into a magazine.
A small garden, fit for a fairy.
The woman working in the kitchen (I had to go through the small kitchen in order to reach the bathroom, I was not just stampeding behind closed doors!) was a little bewildered that I was taking photographs of this wall. A wall of teapots that she works to clean and restock everyday - such elegant simplicity had long ago been lost to her.
It was hard to leave little Santa Lucia after our teapots ran dry. But there were children to tend to and households to run so, grudgingly, we made our way back down the mountain and returned into the hectic mainstream of big-city life. Promising each other, all the while, that this is something we must do again.
Thank you for joining us on our little tour of Santa Lucia. Check out my Instagram feed for a few more photos of that gorgeous church in this peaceful little town. I hope you will join us again on our next journey and, in the meantime, be sure to discover the adventure around you!
