As most of you know my purse was stolen a couple of months ago. It was at KFC by a group of thieves who really knew what they were doing, I was able to cancel most credit cards right away but they were able to get money out of my US bank accounts, plus the cash I had, my passport, and drivers license, cell phone, and assorted other stuff. I had to get police reports and file paper after paper with the banks and credit card companies. Getting my new passport was a challenge and I give up learning my phone numbers because I have had so many phones stolen.

So I needed a new driver license. I went down to the police department where you get your license. I took a copy of the police report, my old Florida license and old passport, car registration and new passport. I went to information who sent me to a big metal container (like the ones we send down with stuff in them or you see on the backs of semi trucks) it had a metal desk and a police officer and thousands of file cabinets.

I tell him that my license was stolen and I need a new one. I give him the police report and copies which he studies for a long, long time and then ask why my passport picture is different in the copy. I patiently explain yet again, that the copy is my old passport which I used for getting my license a couple of years ago but that it was stolen when my license was stolen so I had to get a new one, like I need a new license.

Oh well then what date did you get your old license (luckily I had that), okay good, good. Now you need a health certificate and eye test.

I said I am just replacing my old stolen license, it has not expired.

Nope still need it, and we would be happy to do it today here for the low price of 100 limps. Oh I see. 100 limps fine.

So I go to the health office. I sit down in a chair a lady in a white coat ask if I smoke or do drugs, nope. Have I ever had an operation? Am I married. She took my blood pressure ask if I took any medication. She told me to look at the chart on the wall what colors did I see? Green and Red. Good. Read the letters on line number 8. So I did, she sat there, saying," Yes, yes, good, read the next line." Yeah I passed! I paid the fee and got the certificate that pronounces me healthy. I was walking back to the "box" when I realized that when she as speaking to me she ask me everything in Spanish of course but when I took the eye test I said all the letters in English. She has no idea what I was saying. Makes me think it was only about the money.

So I hurry back to the box, give the officer the paper and he staples it to my others and said okay come back in two days. What I ask? Yeah come back we have to look it all up.

Okay it is what it is. And I did see all the files that they have, so I will come back. Like I have a choice.

Two days later I am coming back and what happens but I get pulled over right in front of the police station. I explain what is going on, and then the shake down starts. It always starts the same, ""WEllllllll, you know I am going to have to give you a ticket." So we sit and talk and talk about how he is going to have to give a ticket and how I am going to the police station right now. Finally he gets tired and waves us on.

Seriously right in front of the huge police station I am getting the shake down. I mean I could see the police walking in and out of the office and this guy is trying to get money.

But it is what it is.

So I go back to the box. I tell the same guy why I am back and he looks puzzled, I point to my paperwork which is sitting in the same place as when I left. "Oh yeah, here you go."he stamps it and tells me to go inside. He didn't look up anything, just a stamp. It is what it is.

I go to information, they ask why my passport pictures are different, I point out the whole stolen passport, police report thing, okay go to box #4.
Great I am finally going to get this done, I wait in the line and then
Box # 4 said wrong box go to
#3 who sends me to
#13 who sends me to
#12 who sends me back to
#3 who sends me to
the bank who sends me back to
#2 who sends me back to
the bank who sends me to
#3 who sends me to
#13 who sends me to
#12 who takes a picture,

I am not making this up and I kid you not when I tell you I had to explain the new passport picture to four different people.

By this time I was pulling my hair out so you can imagine how good the picture looks ( and imagine is all you will ever do for this picture will not see the light of day).

I got my license and while I waited I tried to convince myself that, it is what it is, all part of the charm of Honduras.

It was easier to get a bank to reverse thousands of dollars in charges while in another county using email and the phone and took less time than it did to get a driver license replaced.

I will have to tell you about Aora getting her license another day it all started with box #4.…………..