We got to go to the Trinidad and Tobago vs. Honduras soccer game in San Pedro Sula last weekend. What a crazy experience!
Our ride was an hour and a half late (on time for Honduran standards). I think 6 of the 10 passengers got a little bit motion sick from the speed at which we were going around the mountainous curves.
When we finally made it and started walking towards our entry gate, until we saw tear gas being shot out at the crowd of people I guess because everyone was out of control and pushing to get in. There was absolutely NO order to this madness. None. It was actually the opposite of order. For futbol to be so important to everyone in this country, the stadium sure did not reflect that. When I think of a stadium, I think of a nice building, easy accessible steps, lots of entry and exit ways in case of a fire, lots of seats, and aisle-ways. Not this stadium. Food vendors cooking on open fire and blocking the stairways. No aisle-ways because people are standing in them. No where to go in case of a fire. and the bathrooms...lets not talk about those.
We were waiting in line and our Honduran friend, Luis, who was with us kept telling us to "stay close, I mean like touching!" and when we were going through the one yard wide doorway, I understand more why it was so important to hold on. People were PUSHING so hard to get in and only one person fit through the door at a time. See the pictures below.
We finally made it to some standing room and it was so exciting. I really could feel the excitement for the game just radiating from the crowd. and then the announcer started saying the names of the players and people were going crazy! It was so cool. They LOVE futbol. I mean LOVE it! Below is a video I took when we first got to the game!
The entire stadium also sang the Honduran national anthem together in a capella.
Honduras won 4-1 and when they scored, the place went crazy! So excited. Check out the video
We tried to go out of the stadium at half-time to sit on the stairs because we were tired of standing (there was literally NO place around us to sit down) and WOW. The people kept saying "no hay paso, no hay paso (no passing)" but we were going to get out. The vendors were pushing their way through and we were going to also, even if we weren't Honduran. I have never been so close to so many people in my life. At one point, my arm was about 2 feet from my body stuck in between other people. People were pushing and I had no control over where my body was going. Our friend, Sierra, even lost her SHOES in the pushing! Crazy! "Its Central America" one guy said to us. We finally made it out though and did not attempt to go back in!
The south entrance of the stadium where we pushed in!
The stadium from afar.
The teams being introduced. Honduras in white.
The crowd of people squished together. :)
It was an experience that I am glad we had, but I like watching the games in Copan :)
Pushy crowds going through I small entrance/exit can be so scary. It can be hard to breathe and really scary if people panic. In the 70's we had the same problems at rock concerts that did not have assigned seats. I almost got trampeled at Little John colliseum at Clemson seeing Blue Oyster Cult. That did it for me. My tickets have had a seat number on them since.
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