12-Nov-2005 -- Driving the road from Tegucigalpa to San Pedro Sula about 80 km after Tegu, I turned off to the left to the small city of La Paz, capital of the same Department and quite different to La Paz Bolivia or La Paz, Baja California, Mexico, just some one storey houses, a Plaza, rubbish and lots of concrete paved streets, but no indicator, where to go to Marcala. Well, I found the way, following the beautiful new asphalted street swinging through pine forest covered hills opening great views to wide valleys and distant mountains. In the middle of nowhere I had to stop on a police checkpoint, the officer asked for my driving licence, car identification paper and my passport. I gave him, what he asked for, this guy could hardly read, I had to explain, where the picture in the passport is, where he can find the tourist visa, what is the meaning of my European license and how to examine the papers of my rented car.

In Marcala I asked for the way to Cabañas, the people indicated a dirt road leading south, the confluence was just 10 km ahead. According to my map the road ends in Cabañas, but I hoped it was going further on, because there were some more villages in the south of the La Paz province.

In Cabañas there is only a school and some scattered houses, the road lead further on. Following my GPS I turned on a junction to the left, the dirt way headed up to a crest where a track leads into the mountains, just one kilometre away from the confluence. I put on my mountain boots and started climbing, followed the path until I reached a hilltop with magnificent views to the surrounding area, the confluence was still 300 m away. I went further on until I reached a steep cliff, my GPS indicated I had still 40 m to go, so I descended the slope, finding a way through the 50 m abysses and reached the confluence in a ravine.

I took the necessary photos. The way back to the car was as usually much easier, there was a wide trail used by campesinos taking out lumber to the street with their horses. I followed it, and returned to my car, walking the long two km uphill on the dirt road.