Guatemala, Our Final Stop
Apr 4, 2001   Guatemala
BLOG: Un-related thoughts and activites of the day . . . .

Semana Santa in Antigua is something to behold!
Semana Santa in Antigua is something to behold!
There is so much to see and do in Guatemala! Exploring, local festivals, ancient ruins, natural sites. We are ending this trip on a good note!
Old posts from my very first travel website and my first backpacking trip (a year in 2000-2001)!

Apr 4

It’s almost over. For now. We’ve decided to return by the end of this month. We also decided to skip Belize since it is a bit expensive, and there is so much cool stuff to see in Guatemala.

Livingston was a nice laid back little town on the coast. I was a bit sick so it was a good place to stay in bed and relax for a while. Spent a little time at the beach and saw some movies at the bar. I love their public laundry facilities! It’s like a big pool or gigantic sink where everyone comes and washes things by hand.

Then we took a nice boat ride down the Rio Dulce to the town of the same name where we went to the most awesome spot. It is a hot thermal waterfall that spills into a wonderful cool swimming hole with fish and clear water. There are even little caves there, too.
Public luandry!
Public luandry!
Rio Dulce hot springs on the edge of the river.
Rio Dulce hot springs on the edge of the river.
Then we went to what felt just like summer camp at Finca Ixobal. They had all sorts of activities including horseback riding, and underground river caving. Boy were we sore! And we had our fist encounter with tics along the hikes there. Sigh. We’re still finding them in some really interesting spots!
Summer camp at Finca Ixobal! What a cool place.
Summer camp at Finca Ixobal! What a cool place.
Finca Paraisa, one of my favorite places! It's a hot water waterfal that lands in a cool pool full of little fishies that nibble your dead skin off.
Finca Paraisa, one of my favorite places! It's a hot water waterfal that lands in a cool pool full of little fishies that nibble your dead skin off.
Then on to the Mayan ruins of Tikal in a jungle filled with green parrots, howler monkeys, and many unidentifiable sounds. We loved it. One of the temples there was in one of the Star Wars movies, but I can’t remember the scene.
Wow, Tikal was impressive.
Wow, Tikal was impressive.
Steep steps up one of the pyramids of Tikal.
Steep steps up one of the pyramids of Tikal.
The view from the top.
The view from the top.
A coati climbing the steps at Tikal
A coati climbing the steps at Tikal
A hidden face inside one of the pyramids at Tikal.
A hidden face inside one of the pyramids at Tikal.
Ocellated turkey - beautiful!
Ocellated turkey - beautiful!
This is by far, the tiniest hotel room EVER. This is not an outhouse, it is the room we paid for at the entrance to Tikal so we could get up early and beat the crowds.
This is by far, the tiniest hotel room EVER. This is not an outhouse, it is the room we paid for at the entrance to Tikal so we could get up early and beat the crowds.
After our tiny hotel, we splurged on this one.
After our tiny hotel, we splurged on this one.

Apr 9, Happy Birthday Moms

We’ve spent way to long in smoggy Guatemala City, but we’re here at the right time of year to see some great celebrations! Huelga de los Dolores is a big wild parade put on by the college students protesting just about anything and everything. They all wear what look like colored KKK hoods but it is a very fun day! We were dragged into the festivities many times (our gringo skin made it impossible to hide) to dance with transvestites, jump rope, get painted with lipstick, etc.

Then the processions for Semana Santa are really interesting too. They make colorful designs on the street with colored sawdust, then the procession marches right over it. The men carry a Jesus float the size of a semi truck on their shoulders and they strain with every step while the band plays a sort of death march. Now we’re on to Antigua and some other cool places.
Woman selling flowers in Guatemala City.
Woman selling flowers in Guatemala City.
Huelga de los Dolres was a hilarious parade!
Huelga de los Dolres was a hilarious parade!

Apr 23, Time to Go Home (For Now)

The last couple of weeks have been great. A nice way to end this trip. We were lucky to get a hotel up through Thursday night in Antigua for Semana Santa where the processions and alfombras (the ¨carpets¨ they make on the street with colored sawdust and flowers) are incredible! A bit touristy, but worth seeing for sure.
People were out late at night with lights to keep putting together their detailed alfrombras for Semana Santa.
People were out late at night with lights to keep putting together their detailed alfrombras for Semana Santa.
They spend hours, day and night, building these alfombras (carpets).
They spend hours, day and night, building these alfombras (carpets).
They carry huge and very heavy floats around town.
They carry huge and very heavy floats around town.
... leaving nothing but dust
... leaving nothing but dust
They march right over the alfombras!
They march right over the alfombras!
I got a bit of some horrible intestinal thing, like Montezumas Revenge! Thank goodness you don´t need a prescription to get antibiotics from the pharmacy, so things are fine now.

Then on to Lake Atitlan for a little locals spring break in Panajachel, then a lot of relaxing in a little village on the lake. Took a boat, 4 buses, and a pick up truck to get to some wonderful hot springs set at the base of lush green cliffs in the mountains. Well worth the trip!
Lake Atitlan
Lake Atitlan
On Lake Atitlan, you pay for a tub and they fill it with hot solar-heated water.
On Lake Atitlan, you pay for a tub and they fill it with hot solar-heated water.
Fuentes Georginas is a wonderful hot springs near Chichicastenango.
Fuentes Georginas is a wonderful hot springs near Chichicastenango.
Took a very fast bus around hairpin turns to get to Chichicastenango where we visited a local place of worship and sacrifices. The shaman was preforming a ceremony for a couple for their harvest and they offered food, candles, and whiskey. Then the shaman did a nice ceremony for Steve and I. We even got showered with flower petals! There was a bit of a language barrier so we´re not sure if we´re married, will have good luck, or are going to have a prosperous corn harvest!

Sunday was market day, so we shopped a bit then crowded on the same fast bus this time going down the hill very fast around the hairpin turns and we were stuck sitting for 3 hours with one cheek on the seat and one off, trying not to slide into the aisle at every turn. Made it to Guate City and are staying with our new friend Thomas and his family until we fly home tomorrow. It´s still impossible to imagine working or having immediate responsibilities again. But we´ve had a taste of it today since Steve is helping Thomas install a certificate on his computer.

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