May 31, 2020
Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras
Technically I’ve been here two and a half weeks, but my true first impressions were tempered by being quarantined. I was paroled last Wednesday, so now have had five days to explore the post.
It’s a pleasant little post that is greening up quickly thanks to the rain. It continues to rain a lot, but not an obnoxious amount. There are only bout 700 people here presently, so it’s pretty quiet. You can walk to most places on post in 5-10 minutes and the primary form of vehicular transportation (when used) is Easy-Go golf carts, which are everywhere. The place is downright sleepy.
It’s hard to get good vistas due to the weather, but this is a rather pretty valley with steep mountains on the west and east.
My home is a one-bedroom apartment with a fridge, but it is dry. Toilets, showers, and laundry are nearby. I have found hot showers, which are sketchy (think poorly-maintained county campground) and lukewarm showers, which are clean and nice. I have yet to find clean hot showers. (Update: I finally found clean hot showers.) If I were here for the full nine months I would warrant a newer, nicer, “wet” room.
There is one mess hall which is pretty good and one PX Shoppette, which is pretty small and sells just basics. There is very little food there. No fresh food of any kind. Mostly frozen stuff and loads of snack food. It does sell alcohol, which is currently quite popular due to COVID restrictions (no COVID yet on post).
There are a number of bars and restaurants on post, but they are closed. Only Subway is open. The gym just opened (with restrictions), but little else is, including the chapel. Barbershops are closed and there are some pretty ragged amateur haircuts on display. We are restricted to post. You are supposed to wear a mask when within six feet of others, but nobody cares if you are walking around without one. You must be wearing one in the shoppette and in the mess hall (when not eating.)
Fertig: RN, chauffeur, and barber. Truly a man of many talents. Seen here giving Derreck a haircut. He cut mine, as well, and honestly did a pretty good job.
There are huge mango trees all over post and the mangos, when ripe, are delicious. There is a falling mango hazard, though, and it is quite possible to get “mangoed.”
Of animals, we have many. There are rumors of coyotes and armadillos, but I haven’t seen any. Similar rumors about a coral snake near the clinic, but I haven’t seen it, either. We have seen skunk and iguana as well as feral dogs and cats. The quarters I inherited comes with Mrs. Whiskers. She doesn’t sleep inside, but will worm her way in the door as you walk in when she is hungry. I was told by the previous occupant of my quarters that it was my responsibility to feed her. The cats with a notched ear have been vaccinated and wormed. Apparently they are tolerated as they keep the rodent and snake population under control. Dirty Mike has claimed the steps and a bench in front of the clinic as his own.Oh, and there is an area of post I call the Chicken Ranch as there are wild chickens living there. This is the only military post I’ve ever been on where you can hear roosters crow.
In the Dining Facility.
Mrs. Whiskers, looking rather non-lethal.
The front of my hooch at night, con gatos.
Where there are hens and chicks…
There are roos.
