After a visiting a nearby town, Esperanza, my host family and 6 friends were crammed into the truck driving back through the winding pass. The children were getting tired and fussy and everyone agreed we needed to stop for a break. Every mile or so we drove by small stands piled high with bananas, pineapples and oranges. We pulled up to the next one we saw and rolled the window down. A young girl around 10 years old ran up to the car dressed in a dirty professional looking skirt and bare feet. Some words were exchanged that I didn't catch and she hopped into her stand and grabbed the machete that was longer then her skinny arm. She picked up the closest pineapple and in a matter of seconds and removed the skin and cut it into round pieces. She stuffed them in a bag and brought it to the car window. We payed her 20 Limperas (about one US dollar) and began to snack on our fresh treat. We ordered two more and she prepared them faster then safe considering the size of the knife she was wielding. Another time after driving to San Pedro Sula we stopped at an identical stand but on a different road. This time we ordered coconuts. They were served to us with a straw and after we drank the milk the were chopped in half and the meat was dished out, with a machete of course. The people here don't just use this giant knife for delicious snacks, it is also commonly used as a weapon. Men throughout the streets carry machetes with them, either by the blade or in detailed leather pouches. At first the sight was scary, a man carrying a deadly weapon and walking down a crowded street. No one seemed to care or even notice these men. Being concerned for my general safety I asked a few people and I found out these men are the vigilantes of the town. They are here to protect the people when the police can't, which is virtually all the time.
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