Backpacker Paradise

Click here for photos. My photos aren´t great so far but expect better when Ahmet arrives.

Saturday morning I went to the park near mi casa en Guatemala to catch bus with Maya´ch Tours. I bought the ticket the day before in the Plaza Central. On my ticket, they had clearly written the bus would arrive at 7:20am. Some of my readers may know that I am not an early riser. I did make it to the Park at the appointed hour and by 8:00am I thought I had the wrong day or time. No. Just as I was about to leave, the microbus pulled up packed with passengers and we were off to Lanquin and Semuc Champey. I was a little miffed at the tardiness (45 mins late) so I asked the attendant ¨"que paso?". He blew me off..what a silly question gringa. I complained later to other gringos and then said i was lucky it wasnt an hour and get used to it.

The microbus dropped me off in Lanquin at the popular El Retiro. This hotel of sorts is more like a summer camp for backpackers, made of small cabanitas or huts, situated on the fast-moving river. I stayed in the dormitory part of the grass hut and there were also lodgers in the loft part of the cabanita. I met some nice gringas there from california and also new york, so i was hard to leave once i arrived, since the place has a permanent chillout feel with the bar/cafe just down the hill on the grounds.

I wandered up to Lanquin trying to find a bus since I wasn´t part of a tour. I asked a couple in a big SUV where the bus was and they hop in with us. They looked like wealthy Guatemaltecos who probably wouldnt be interested in robbing me, so I got in. They had kid´s toys in the back which further boosted my confidence. I had a nice chat with the couple of the way over...Julio and Nuria. I made it through the first 10 mins in rough spanish, then julio told me he was a chemical engineer and i could try in english.

Arriving at Semuc Chapmey, I was awestruck by natural beauty. Semuc Chapmey is a national park with 7 pozas or pools where the water from the river pours down into limestone beds. Absolutely gorgeous. Aquamarine water fills the cascading limestone pools. It´s the rainy season here, so it rained most of the time I was there.

On the way home, I took a mini bus that was headed back to Lanquin. All the buses and microbuses have an attendent who hangs halfway out the door and takes the money for the bus fare. Usually it is young men. I asked my driver how old he was and he said 16. A majority of the children here do not attend school past 6th grade, so there is a good chance this chico was working on the bus full-time at 16.

A truck was stuck on the way back so we sat in the hot microbus. Then I noticed Julio and Nuria up ahead. I got out to chat and they offered me a beer. The truck situation was resolved more quickly than expected, clearing up the mountain road. So I had to get on with a Gallo beer in hand and the attendant clucked at me a bit but let me on anyway. The mayan lady was not as happy to see me again, in a bathing suit with beer in hand.

Dinner is served family style at El Retiro, so we had a big mexican buffet at the cafe with most of the 100 guests. After dinner, I played a game called, lets say poohead, on some Obama playing cards that a girl from Arizona had.

Had a rough night with some stomach issues which got worse in the morning. Spent most of Sunday lounging, napping, and talking. Decided to stay another night due to sickness but feel much better today. I took the bus this morning with 3 Israelis and an Australian. The Israelis told the Australian in Hebrew, they have a saying ¨It´s your vacation, fly on it¨. There were lots of Israelis at El Retiro--they said it´s common for them to travel after their military service.

That´s all for now. I have class and ´´volunteering´´ this week, then Friday I take the bus to Guatemala City to meet Ahmet.

P.S. I´ve been entertained by the sweet sounds of CCR during my time at this internet cafe. Most likely the choice of the young man attending the cafe.