The geography of this region is well marked by its natural boundaries; there is really no need for any man marked boundaries. To the north 40 minutes away is the Caribbean Sea and further north is the boundary to Guatemala. This where Omoa, my town, can be found and also where a natural bay is, hence its name Bahia de Omoa (Bay of Omoa). Along the western border of Cortes lies a range of mountains called El Merendon, which is really the local name for the continuous range of the Sierra Madre Mountains. These mountains provide a natural barrier on that western side of Honduras that are located at an altitude of 1,800-2,242 meters. This mountain range is home to a vast biosphere of jungle and exotic flora and fauna (Cortes 1)
Right smack in the middle of Cortes lies a valley snuggled below the mountain range and in this valley, also known as Valle De Sula (Valley of Sula), is San Pedro Sula. Right at the very bottom of the limits of the department of Cortes is the only lake in Honduras, Lago de Yojoa (Lake of Yojoa). This lake is the boundary that separates Cortes from western and southern regions, this lake is also shared by them. Cortes’s geography is not all that extensive but it does mark well where everything is (Cortes 1). We, the people that identify themselves as coming from Cortes are very different from those that come from the capital. As a little side note, those that come from Cortes have a rivalry with those that come from the capital. To start with our way of speaking is very distinct. For example with some words in Spanish we switch the letter S of a word for a J, if we were to say San Pedro it would sound like Jan Pedro (remember that the J in Spanish is silent). Another example is that instead of saying si (yes) we will sometimes say ji. Our way of speaking is also very musical, we tend to carry on our sentences like a Colombian in contrast to Hondurans of other regions.
Our food is unique because it literally represents and symbolizes the region that we live in. Our food is mostly made up of seafood and also the basic rice and beans plate with banana plantains and tortillas. You know you’re in Cortes when you’re in the beach and you smell the steaming scent of coconut milk in conch soup or the spicy smell of vinegar in fish ceviche. In the other regions people can still eat these dishes but it’s not the same, as they don’t have beaches to represent the tropical and coastal feeling of the food