Monkey Love

This morning I got up just before dawn and ventured out into the jungle to see the sun rise over the ancient Mayan ruins of Tikal. The ruins are absolutely impressive, rising up above the canopy of the jungle, but the best part of the whole gig was watching the monkeys. I spent at least an hour watching a family of spider monkeys swing their way through the branches directly over my head (note: this makes for a stiff neck). I've seen monkeys in Costa Rica and the Amazon basin but nothing like this. They were all over the place and so close! The monkey kings simply swing around these amazing ruins enjoying their lives.....it makes me want to be a monkey.

My Guatemalan adventure is coming to an end. I've spent the last few days in El Petén...including a visit to Flores on Lake Peten Itza and some time at Tikal exploring the ruins (and the monkeys). Tomorrow it's back to Guate, then Houston, then Minneapolis....and finally, back to work on bright and early on Tues. Goodbye my monkey friends!

El Lago

For the last few days I've been enjoying a little lakeside relaxation. After the chicken buses, I checked into a fantastic little place in Panajachel. I feel a little guilty....I had a private hot shower and cable TV (I even watched Oprah on Monday!). The lake is absolutely breathtaking. There's no way for a piss-poor writer like myself to describe the unbelievable beauty of it...every viewpoint, every time of day.

On Monday evening while trying my damnedest to get the perfect sunset shot, I met Manav and Amit. They're Indian but have lived in NYC for the last 5 years.....and were traveling through Guate for a couple of weeks. I have to mention them specifically because their stories were so hilarious. They had rented a motorbike in Antigua and set out to Atitlan and then were going to drive across the entire country to Flores and Tikal (about 10 hours non-stop). In their first day they had already blown a tire and lost their brakes. Their story was really more of a farce based upon the motorcycle diaries but without any kind of philosophical, change the world kind of politics. They had also been ripped off for some really bad weed in Pana. They were just damn funny guys. I really hope they make it to Flores...I'd like to catch up with them on Friday.

Back to my exploration of the lake....So far, I've been to Pana (pretty much a tourist hole), the market in Solola (really fantastic - all of the locals come into town for market day dressed in their traditional clothing- authentic in comparison to others), an afternoon in Santiago Atitlan (a boatride across the lake - Also a hole) and now I'm in San Pedro. Pedro is a big stoner, backpacker hang out. While the views of the lake are fantastic, the town in general is gringo-ville and everywhere you turn you get the hard sell for something. Later today I'm off to San Marcos and then back to Pana for the night (and the nice hotel-oh the guilt!) Tomorrow I leave the highlands to go back to Antigua....I'm kind of looking forward to it.

Chicken Buses

On Monday morning I packed up my things and left the comforts of Don Ismael. I was headed to Lago Atitlan, a ginormous lake surrounded by volcanoes in the highlands. I had decided that rather than book the $10 shuttle bus ride directly there, I would experience the local way and take the chicken bus. So with my big pack, I jumped on the first bus. It seemed fine. I put my pack upon the rack above my head and took a seat. As we went around town, the bus got more and more full but still, I was the only gringo. We set out on the highway, packed to the gills and still I was the only gringo. With the crucifix on the dash and the music blaring, we twisted and turned through the hills at breakneck speed. I recall saying to the woman next to me Que suerte, tenemos sillas (How lucky we have seats!). A half hour later we rolled into the first major stop (for all others the bus merely slows down while people literally jump on and off). I quickly grabbed my bag and got off the bus. I was told that the connecting bus was across the street so I scurried across and jumped on just as it was about to take off. Before I could even get a look for a seat the bus tore away and I was thrown back. Again, I was the only gringo, the bus was like a giant can of sardines packed so tightly that no one could move. After bashing some poor man in the head with my pack (disculpeme senor) the driver's assistant took my bag and stored it in the front for me. I don't think it was as much to be nice to me as it was to spare the poor elderly man from being nailed again. So there I stood at the front of the bus, unable to sit, unable to move, with about 120 eyeballs staring at the crazy gringa for over an hour. After 4 buses in total I made it to Panajachel on the edge of Lake Atitlan. I never saw another gringo the entire way. This is strange to me because generally there are backpackers everywhere. It makes me wonder if I should have booked a shuttle. It was fantastic people watching though and I made it through with no real trouble....Like the signs on the bus said...I guess Jesus Christo really was with us!!

Tierra del Fuego

Again I was up before the crack of dawn. I sat in the street outside la casa de Don Ismael looking up at Volcan Agua in the morning light while waiting for my shuttle to Pacaya. Pacaya is an active volcano about 1 1/2 from Antigua that continuously erupts, creating incredible lava flows. Since my shuttle was late (of course) I was in the street for some time chatting with the locals, who were also waiting for their bus, and a boy who just happened by with his goats (I wish I could remember their names- They were such nice goats). One of the gentlemen who was chatting me up was from El Salvador. To most Americans, I think Central America seems like a big conglomerate of poor countries with beaches and bananas. If you've traveled here though, and chatted with a few folks, you know that's not the case. It's always interesting to me to hear different perspectives. For example, if you talk with someone from Costa Rica, they will tell you that Nicaraguans are lazy and uneducated and they come across the border to take jobs. This man that I spoke to went on to tell me how terrible El Salvador is and that life is so much better in Guate.....the youth of Salvador do drugs and drink and rob you blind. It's fascinating to me to hear about these rivalries, opinions and matters of national pride.

So, on to Pacaya.... I'd seen Thomas' pictures of Pacaya but it was so much more incredible to see first hand. Pictures can't do justice to it. We had a short hike up to the edge of the lava flows (as little as 3 months ago they had flattened a part of the hillside). Then you start climbing on the actual cooled lava. It's sharp and it crunches under your feet. As you hike along you hit spots where you can hear that it's hollow underneath....at one time hot molten lava had flown through and left just a crust for you to walk on. Some places are hardened and secure, others crunch and move each time you step. As you get up further, you can start to feel the heat coming from the rocks. Walking along it's fine and then you step over a crevice and feel the intense heat coming from it....it's unbelievable! We were able to get up close to moving lava flows that glowed red and radiated intense heat. It was really a fantastic experience.

Paraiso de Mochilleros

As with so many "third world" places I've been, there was a rooster to wake me up this morning. No worries though. I definitely could have used the rest but I was so excited to get out and explore in the morning sunlight. What I really wanted was to take some pictures with great light and less cars, people, noise, etc. I certainly got what I asked for. Antigua is even more beautiful before the gringos come out.

The city is truly a backpackers paradise. You can get tacos, curry, or hummus and cheap drinks at hundreds of places. There's internet on every corner and just about anything you could every need can be obtained cheaply. However, all of this is in the context of beautiful Spanish colonial architecture, in the shadows of three enormous volcanoes and among friendly, smiling Guatemalan locals. It's no wonder that people come here and never leave.

I spent the rest of the day exploring Antigua and hiking up el cerro de la cruz (the hill of the cross) for a great view of the city. I also met some more people and made plans to hook up later for a music festival outside of town. Called Jamtigua, it was an all day concert put on by a local radio station and sponsored by Gallo (Guate beer). Elizabeth (the girl from day 1), Pedro (Peter from London that I met at the cross) and a German girl (Catherine?) all hopped in a tuk tuk and headed out of town to experience la musica.

It was quite a production. Just like what you'd see in the states...A big sound and light stage, ticket booths, and beer stands that only take tickets. The crowd was pretty mixed with foreign backpackers and locals (more on the side of the backpackers) but it was really pretty fun. The music ranged from Mayan folk singers to German rock to Salvadorian drummers. This is also where I met Juan Carlos, supposedly a lawyer from Guate but pretty much your typical "Latin lover"....not a bad kisser though!

We didn't stay too late....Elizabeth and I had to get up early the next day to head to Pacaya.

It's Easier Than It Looks!

Finally! I'm able to access my blog! For some reason I've been having trouble with the site for the last 4 days. So my apologies if I told you to check out my blog and then didn't post anything. Who am I kidding!? No one reads this anyway!
I arrived in Guatemala a few days ago and I have to say, it was a very smooth ride. I got bumped to first class when I got to Houston so the flight into Guate was quite pleasurable. As soon as I got off the plane, I met a girl from upstate NY that was headed to Antigua on a shuttle. We caught up again later at Cafe Sky (the name sort of says it all) to watch the sun go down and take in the view of the volcanoes surrounding the city. Seriously, everything just fell into place. I'm so glad I didn't listen to all of the crazy warnings about how dangerous Guate is. Yes, it's not exactly safe to travel in any undeveloped country and specifically as a single woman but the scare tactics really piss me off.
I can't help but compare this place (Antigua specifically) with Nicaragua (Granada specifically). It seems so similar except that Guate is more like Nica on steriods. There's more restaurants, more backpackers, more volcano hikes....I haven't been able to discern whether this is good or bad. Guate is more developed for travelers to get around but Nica is more tranquil and then there's also the beaches....for now we'll call it a draw.
Special thanks to Mike and John...La Casa de Don Ismael is a great little spot! I just want to hug the people there everytime I see them.