Blog 2 20/03

We´ve been here for a month now, a lot has happened since we last blogged. After staying by the lake we moved to another lakeside location, Flores, in the North and this time the water was such that you could actually swim. After a hot and sticky twelve hour journey, we arrived at hostel ´Los Amigos´ where our Antigua friends were staying, much to our surprise. We spent the next few days swimming, eating and drinking  together, with a few others we met along the way. As the week drew to a close we bused up to Tikal, the ancient Mayan ruins and climbed many  a step to experience epic views of the rainforest, from small ledges at the top. A feat that definitely wouldn´t be possible by British health and safety standards.
On Monday we travelled South to Lanquin, where the beautiful waterfalls of Semuc Champey are situated, again we encountered previous people we had met along the way. Currently we are volunteering in ´El Retiro´ hostel, for our food and board, cheap drinks and tours are also thrown in. Again we occupy ourselves eating, drinking, swimming in the river, perfecting card games, scrabble skills and casually hearding poultry into each other´s rooms, to much amusement. Also feeding a certain Canadian marmite, to his intense dissatisfaction.
Yesterday we finally got round to exploring the caves and waterfalls of Semuc Champey, made all the more romantic by the soul source of light being candles, which we held, climbing through cracks and crevices. Slightly impractical when surrounded by gushing water. We then ventured to the Jurassic Park-like jungle and pools. Howler monkeys sound a lot like dinosaurs.
Yet another week has passed, and it´s time to move onwards and Eastwards to Rio Dulce. Tonight, our last night will probably be filled with more drinking, dancing and frolicking.

 Pen-knife coming in handy in Flores

 Watermelon in zoo

 A dip in the lake

Tikal

 

 Locals 

Hasta la vista baby.

Blog 1 07/02

So, we´ve been in Guatemala for two weeks now. Currently, we are in a little town on the edge of Lago de Atitlan called San Pedro de la Laguna, but we´ll start at the beginning.

Antigua was our frst stop, a cobbled street town, a couple of hours west of the capital. We spent two weeks there studying Spanish and making friends, staying with a local family who entertained us with Spanish riddles at the dinner table. In the house there were eight others, some of whom we got on with like a house on fire, others not so much. Our favourites: Brad, a 21 year old Canadian, suprisingly considering the name, who spontaneously left for Guatemala after a family holiday in Mexico, unlikely to return until he really has to. Naomi, a girl from Maryland, US, who pretty much epitomises the ´girl next door´ in the best possible way. Next was Rollo, felow Brit, who was the source of much entertainment throughout our stay. George, a Harvard professor, engaged us in lots of stimulating conversation including the topic of his imminent dragon tattoo. Christian and Melissa, a Canadian couple, this time from vancouver, who we got to know after spending an evening listening to an American expat talk about the state of affairs in Guatemala together. The talk happened at the "Rainbow Cafe", which later became somewhat a favourite.

As well as four hours a day at Spanish school we spent lots of time with them, drinking, eating, dancing, cooking and watching cheap films aquired from the market (varying in standard).

Yesterday we said goodbye to Antigua and our new found friends, and today we find ourselves in San Pedro, after a thoroughly entertaining bus journey with eight hyperactive Israeli guys, playing Jimi Hendrix and the Beatles off their ipod speakers for the benefit of the whole bus. It´s a beautiful setting but we´re realising theres not much to do here, other than sit and eat, or swing inthe hammocks of our hippy hostel we now call home. Oddly, there are a couple of Bristolians here too.

That´s all for now, we´ll try and keep you updated.

Spanish school, Antigua                                                            

 Pastores, a short chicken bus ride from Antigua

 Chicken bus ride, with Bob, Naomi and Rollo

Pheebs and breakfast on the lake.

Lake Atitlan                                          

Hasta Luego!