Caffeine highs

C-O-C-A C-O-L-A: the huge letters are propped proudly in the mountainous jungle that dominates the west of San Pedro Sula. They spell the city's commercialised answer to the giant Hollywood sign in California. You can make a pilgrimage to the biggest advert in town from the city centre. You just keep following the main road through the wealthy districts, then swing a left and keep climbing the mountain for about an hour.

It's worth doing. You leave behind the last exclusive residence and suddenly you are in the jungle. People who do the walk regularly say they often come across snakes and exotic birdlife. There were quite a few day-trippers out on a Sunday stroll when we climbed so most of the wildlife was in hiding. All we saw were a lizard and a squirrel. But the real reason for the climb is the view. You climb a few hundred metres above the city and look down at the surprisingly lush urban scene below. Houses and roads seem to poke out from the jungle. You don't realise how green the city is when you are at street level.
We climbed at the height of the day's tropical heat. My water bottle was almost empty by the time we reached the giant 'C', so we headed a bit further up the hill to a modest little pulperia (general store) selling cold drinks to day-trippers. And, of course, there was only one caffeine soft drink on sale: Pepsi.