You Could Say We´re halfway...

Through Guatemala that is. So we are doing a loop through Guatemala, paying homage to even the most remote of touristy sites. By the end of the circle, before exiting Guate, we should have visited all the attractions of this beautiful country. We just seem to be doing it in the most unconventional way. Not to say that there is one routine way of traveling through Guatemala´s landscape, but the route we are taking is less navigated. To us, it make sense due to its linear path. To others, it is rugged and ardurous. These challanges not only make the adventure more compelling, but are outwieghed by the benefits of taking the most direct path.
Starting in Guatemala city, the southern capitol, a little over two weeks ago, we headed north west to Antigua. From there we made a day trip to an active, lava spewing volcano, before heading to El Lago de Atitlan. There we spent a night in Panajechel, before boating across the lake to San Pedro; an ex-patriot commune nestled at the foot of the volcanoes that surround the lake. Spending a week in San Pedro, taking spanish classes and recovering from our illness, we made a day trip to Chichicestenango, and bought a machete at the local market. From there we headed NW to Quetzeltenango, or Xela (Shee-la), where we spent a weekend. This city, second largest in Guatemala, is positioned 2335m above ground, way in the highlands, and is reminiscent to Antigua, just not run by foreigners. The city is cold, and has colonial history, from the Germans, who designed the gothic architecture of its main buildings. All too much a European town. And not coincidentally, probably the best place to live as a foreigner, with many oppurtunities to teach, learn and volunteer. Mike and I would have definetly spent more time there, if its weather didnt mirror that of which we escaped DC for. We did have enough time to make a day trip to Fuentes Georginas, a natural spa of hot water fueled by the sulfur springs of the volacanoes. The setting is tropical, and the water is hot, and gets boiling to the touch the further you go towards the waterfall, that releases the scorching liquid right from the source.
From Xela, we head to points of no return, East through the mountain ranges towards Tikal. This is where most travelers head back south to Antigua or Guate City before heading to Tikal or Lake Izabel. but our aforementioned path is calling, and we remained determined to take the circular and more direct course. other fellow travelers form more of a snowflake like shape, as they go back and forth, north and south, constantly retracing their steps, all to avoid the rugged and less explored terrain that Mike and I now find ourselves in.
We go to HueHuetenango, normally used as a resting place to and from Mexico, but to us the first stop of 6, to Lanquin. It is a dirty town, and we do not leave the bus stop, as we spend the night in a terminal hotel, with small concrete boxes as rooms. The next morning, the journey begins, we start with a microbus to Aguacatan, then another to Sacapulas, and another to Uspantan. From there we hitch another that is supposed to take us to Coban. The transit however was interuppted, as the bus could not go any further because a landslide had destroyed the road, and taken over 200 lives as well. This is where it got interesting. We hopped in the back of a pick up, with a dutch couple and a several locals, that took us on a detour to Coban. This one way road started as a mud fest, where we struggled to maintain traction down the sides of the moutain. Many times we had to stop and reverse, finding space against the cliffs to let a different vehicle by. Soon enough we made it to the valley, and hauled ass along the river on the gravel road, truck serfing. this method was identical to the way we made it to Fuentes, and i believe we have some video footage of both, by the way. once finally making it to Coban, after 5 different vehicles, and over 10 hours of traveling, we had about 40 miles left, to the village of Lanquin. This bus had assigned seating!! can you believe that, assigned seating in Guatemala, a country where kids literally play tag with machete in hand, families fit 4 to a motorcycle and life expectancy is one of the lowest in Latin America. we soon figured out the logic behind this restrictive, American-like policy. The numbers to the seat were aribitrarily construed as to fit up to 5 passangers in rows of seating meant for 3. 3 Guatemalans that is, not bodies of immense length like Mike and I´s.
I digress, we make it to Lanquin. From here we hit the caves, that extend miles in to the earth, and visit Semuc Champey, a spot off the Cahabon Rio, with series of cool pools of turquios and emerald green water. We checked in to El Retiro, a commune on the river. This lodge is your typical beach bungalow, shanty shacks and huts with lofts are your main sleeping quarters, but you can also rent a hammock to sleep on for $3 a night. Dinner is a communal affair, 50 Q´s for a vegetarrian buffet. there is a roaming cow, a fire pit and a night time gaurd armed with M-16.
One problem, no ATM in Lanquin, and this lodge is one of those resort type deals, where although unexpensive, offers everything you need so you do not have to, nor want to leave it. I have seemed to come down with another spell, and mike was kind enough to make the trip back to Coban to withdraw for the both of us. I am almost positive that the sterile pen is the cause of my ailments. Its not as if i have isolated all the variables, but i have narrowed this tool down, and its inablity to fully purify the water we are drinking, as the source of my stomack pains and weakness. I think i will retire this item for last resort use.
Tomorrow; Semuc Champey.
In the possible horizon; El Mirador and the Bay Islands. the latter more probable, the former most intriguing. El Mirador is deep into the Peten Jungle, 5 miles from the Mexican border. To get here, invovles a grueling 45 mile trek in primitive conditions, most likely with a armed private gaurd, as this area is no mans land, and is sovereign only to the guerillas and narcos that dominate the mexican/guatemalan border. This ancient mayan ruin holds the tallest pyramid ever in the Mayan world; El Tigre. The metroplis was said to be abandoned for mysterious reasons and virtually all its builidings remain buried beneath the jungle.
The Bay islands, on the carribean coast off Honduras, hold the second largest barrier reef in the world and may be possible to visit from Rio Dulce, where we will go after Tikal. This will be our eastern point, where we will descend back to Guatemala city, completing our circle, and heading south along the pacific.
Location of Next post; the carribean side of the Guatemalan/Honduras border, or the pacific beaches of El Salvador.