Limestone and Crystal Waters: Semuc Champey

Back in Antigua once again, this time with our new friends we enjoyed touring them around and introducing them to our favourite city in Central America. Our plan was to leave the morning after we arrived, but there was confusion with our scheduled ride and we ended up staying in town for another day. Realizing that we had some free time in a city in which we had already thoroughly explored, we decided to review our financial situation at length. The impact of our dropping Canadian dollar was hitting us hard and lead us to the heavy realization that our April 1 flight home was no longer viable and early March would be our new reality. After praying together, Travis called and was thankfully able to cancel our flight without the usually mandatory $400 fee, freeing us up to fly home when our budget runs out, which is what we had wanted all along.

With a new lightness in our step we revelled in our new found freedom, said goodbye to our Copan friends and boarded the shuttle for Semuc Champey. While on the shuttle we quickly became friends with a couple from California, little did we know the lesson in generosity they would teach us as we travelled together. During our ten hour journey to the heart of Guatemala, my usual motion sickness was coupled with the agony of severe stomach pain. Eight hours in I couldn't take it anymore, the feeling of nausea was so great I had Travis ask the driver to stop. I quickly jumped out and tried to throw up to no avail. I allowed myself to cry for a few minutes before taking a deep breath and climbing back in the shuttle trying to apologize to the other passengers when our new friends offered some very comforting words and made their understanding of my situation very apparent.The last hour was better for me as we loaded into the back of a truck to complete the trip. I could stand and look around at the lush jungle, breath in the fresh moist air and allow the beauty of the land to penetrate itself within my mind, easing the pain. Exhausted from our long journey, the four of us were thrilled to enjoy delicious authentic Indian cuisine at our Israeli hostel, a welcomed meal we did not expect deep in the Guatemalan jungle. 

The next day we walked a kilometre together in the rain and mud to the reason we had endured the gruelling journey to get here, Semuc Champey. It is difficult to describe the incredible beauty of this place, the sight of clear green water gently flowing from one natural swimming pool to the next was breath taking. My first thought was that all cartoons about enchanted, romantic forests gained their inspiration from this spot on Gods beautiful earth. The pools of teal and turquoise waters come up through a bed of limestone from an underground river to create an oasis in every sense of the word. With the pools nearly to ourselves, the four of us relaxed and enjoyed the cool, refreshing water for many hours together while talking and laughing. During our conversations we began to talk about some very deep topics and as a result of our friends encouragement and insight, our future has very likely been altered from what we thought we had just figured out mere days earlier. We couldn't be more thankful to have had these conversations and we are grateful to be given a new perspective on our futures. When we weren't talking Travis was able to convince me to jump in a few times, from a couple feet, and I have to admit that I'm beginning to enjoy this form of fun. There were also little fish who would come and nibble off your dead skin and although it took a bit to get used to them, we eventually sat back and allowed them to help clean up our bug bites. Mesmerized by this piece of heaven on earth we returned the next day to bask one more time in the brilliant waters. After such an incredible experience, knowing that the trip was totally worth it and with my stomach pains disappearing our journey out of the jungle wasn't as ominous as the journey in.

(This week friends, check in daily as we catch you up completely with our travels before we return home in the very near future).

                             

 

Copan: Ruins and Earthquakes

The ride back to Antigua from Lake Atitlan with my parents was not accompanied by motion sickness and thus the ride was infinitely more enjoyable. We enjoyed one last walk around the magnificent city together and in the morning said fair well. Even though we were sad to say goodbye, we were ready to jump back into the thick of back packing. 

Our journey to Honduras began at 4 am and continued for 8 hours across the winding countryside of Guatemala to the border. I should have taken a picture at this crossing because there was hardly anyone around save for a couple locals and one other shuttle, giving it a bit of an eerie feeling as we have become accustomed to large unorganized crossings. From the border it was a simple 20 minute drive to the safest spot in Honduras. For those that are not aware, Honduras ranks very very high in homicides and there has been no shortage of stories of such. We however, found a welcoming small town and a lovely hostel with a delightful family cafe next door, so we settled in for four days. 

Before we could settle in too much, we experienced one of the more unique things we have in our lives... an earthquake! At 4 am on our second night, we awoke to the walls and ground shaking and the sound of dogs and roosters crying out in the night. It didn't last long, but the sensation of the ground moving underneath us isn't something we will soon forget. With our curiosity piqued, we searched online to find the magnitude and location of the earthquake and discovered that the epicentre was 100 km away from us and it measured 4.5 on the Richter scale. 

Our purpose in coming to Honduras was to see the famous Mayan Ruins and we were not disappointed. We were a bit surprised by how few tourists were at the site considering its fame, wonder and grandure though. With no line up and hardly anyone around we paid our $30 and entered the historic site. At the entrance we were greeted by the amazing sight and sound of Macaws flying amoung the towering trees overhead. As the trees parted along our path the sight of the magnificent grand plaza began to take shape. Copan is famous for its well preserved and incredibly detailed Stelae, which are carved hieroglyphs of rulers with written descriptions on all sides of a very large upright stone. With our lonely planet book in hand we carefully read about each one (of which there are many) and proceeded on to the temples. It was exciting to be able to climb to the top of many of the ruins and look down at the site and imagine what it all may have looked like 1000 years ago. Copan also boasts of the longest continuous hieroglyphic inscription in the Mayan world detailing the ruling dynasty on a stairway 63 steps high and the second largest ball court. This day was truly remarkable and we were awestruck by the scope and impressive artistic abilities portrayed by the ancient Maya.

On other days we toured a couple museums holding special artifacts from the site, as well as a full size replica of one of the temples found underneath a current one (red building below). However, our time in Copan was enhanced all the more by three new friends. Our favourite memory was sitting around the hostel owners home/cafe and watching the Super Bowl on a small, old tv in Spanish. The next day was go time and two of our new friends joined us on our ride to Antigua, which turned out to be a private transfer as we were the only ones aboard!

                                 

                                        

                                 

                               

                                     

                              

                              

                                  

 

 

    

   

   

   

   

Serenity and Shopping at Lago de Atitlan

The shuttle van ride to our next location was a good decision since the Day gene of motion sickness reared its ugly head along the windy roads. The ride could have been much worse though as the local buses that Travis and I were accostumed to went speeding past us and showed no hesitation in taking corners at full tilt while the tires on the inside of the corner came off the ground, literally. Lake Atitlan, beautifully situated in the highlands of Guatemala, surrounded by three volcanos and numerous Mayan tribes speaking 16 different dialects awaited our arrival, making the journey more than worth the momentary pain. Travis and I felt privileged to share this magnificent location on our travels with my parents who booked a lovely home for us to enjoy for 8 days together. The view from our front belcony overlooked the water and proceeded up to Volcan San Pedro which rose above the water with a gentle demeanour. Most mornings would begin with a cup of delicious local coffee while curled up in a blanket on the front deck, yes a blanket because the mornings were surprisingly cool. Equally the evenings were brisk allowing us to enjoy the hot tub and sauna each night under the stars. It felt so good to be in a home again and cook for ourselves each day. Believe it or not, eating out does lose its appeal after awhile. Above all, this time with my mom and dad was precious, we didn't do a lot of activities throughout the week allowing for more time to visit, rest and enjoy each other's company. 

When we did decide to venture out of our cozy oasis we would climb in the back of an old pick up truck which was their local taxi service and head for the nearby town of Panajachel. On one occasion we took a Tuk Tuk ride (first picture) and visited a nature park where we enjoyed walking along hanging bridges, seeing a waterfall and a butterfly pavilion. However, one of our highlights was visiting the nearby village of Santa Catarina where the local women were weaving beautiful tapestries and clothing in the streets and open faced shops. We were so impressed with the friendliness of the Mayan people and we were very thankful for the opportunity to buy from them first hand. We infused more than a few dollars into the local economy and put Travis' bartering skills and Spanish to the ultimate test as he was the one to make deals for both mom and myself. On another trip we took a boat out across the lake and explored surrounding towns. We also went kyaking for an hour to soak in the views from a different perspective. Oh and I would be remiss if I didn't mention the fabulous massage mom and I received on the deck one afternoon, the sound of birds and water greatly enhanced our relaxation.

As our time at the lake was coming to a close Travis remarked at how thankful he was for the opportunity to completely relax and rest as he did not realize how much he needed it. Some may think that we are on this grand vacation where we sit on the beach and sipping Mai Thais all day and that couldn't be farther from the truth. The real truth is we are travelling through developing countries that present new challenges every day for us to overcome. Travis carries a fair amount of stress down here (which is causing his beard to go grey) as he is always looking out for us, keeping us safe. Simple things such as buying food becomes an event, as we try to find a place within our budget as well as overcoming the language barrier all while performing currency exchange in our minds. I am very thankful for Travis' leadership ability as he carries most of the responsibility down here. So this week of release was very welcomed, by both of us and we were so glad to share this special time with my mom and dad. (Now if you want to see very good pictures from this time you best look at my moms, sadly I could not upload them on the blog as there resolution was too high.)

Magnificent Antigua

Transportation... You know where this is about to go if you have read any of our precious posts. The shuttle ride from El Cuco, El Salvador to the Guatemalan border took about 4 hours, it was at this point our driver informed us we would be escorted by police the next 3 hours until we reach Antigua. We were confused and shocked, as our understanding until this point was that El Salvador and Honduras were more dangerous. He explained to us all that along the road from the border to Antigua there had been many recent armed robberies, with a somber face as if looking into the past he told us that he has seen people dead on this road. I was sitting right beside him in the front as he talked and Travis on my right in the passenger seat.The whole shuttle, which was previously lively and talkative fell silent for the remainder of the trip. With suspicion my eyes jolted from one vehicle to the next as we drove into the descending darkness. I began to pray as I felt fear rising up within me. It was then I decided to visit more with our driver and get to know him to lessen the tension. We quickly discovered we were both Christians and he immediately switched the music to DC Talk for the remainder of the journey. I smiled and laughed inside to think that the songs I enjoyed in my teens were now lightening my heart along a dangerous road. Thankfully, we safely arrived in Antigua and found the hostel we wanted with ease. All they had left was the dorm but it didn't matter, we were exhausted. Travelling through dangerous and trying conditions always serves to make us more grateful and appreciative. In the morning we enjoyed the most delicious breakfast, visited with some inspiring people and peacefully sat on a very nice rooftop patio reflecting on the journey we had just endured.

Our first order of business in Antigua was to meet up with my parents who had arrived in Guatemala the day before. With eagerness and excitement we made our way across the city over the cobblestone streets and past the many ruins. It was so wonderful to see them after 3 months of being apart and together the four of us spent the next 3 days soaking in the spledor of the old capital city of all Central America. Antigua is a beautiful colonial city and the colourful Mayan people selling gorgeous hand crafted treasures add so much more culture than any city we had visited previously. Not to mention the three volcanos surrounding the city including an active one which hosted belows of smoke from the top. Without a doubt this was our favourite city so far. The ambience of the cobblestone streets, friendly people and delicious food made me wonder how come this place wasn't more expensive to visit. Someday we most definelty want to return.

                      

 

   

 

  

Tranquility and Turtles in El Salvador

Waking up at 1:30 am was a bizzar concept, however that is what was required to catch our shuttle from Leon to El Salvador. I was nervous to cross through Honduras as everything we had heard about the people and country had been negative. We drifted in and out of sleep as we bounced along the lightless highway as our driver sped and appeard to make it a game as to how close he could get to an animal on the road before swerving hard to miss it. Thankfully, he did take good care of his passengers as we never had to set foot in Honduras even though we crossed two borders in order to enter El Salvador. After 8 hours of travel we arrived at La Tortuga Verde (the green turtle) hostel resort on the beach and sadly parted ways with our Swiss friends once again as they continued on to Guatemala. 

For the next week we thoroughly enjoyed our beachfront home with each day playing out nearly identical to the last. It was like Groundhog Day for a week as we added or subtracted from the events until we had perfected our craft. Our private room had its own front porch with a hammock where each day started with Travis reading while I suntanned. We would play in the waves and a couple times I braved surfing with my sports instructor husband making sure I caught the right waves and performed the skill correctly. That feeling of gliding across the water was incredible and made up for all the times I crashed and the salt water rushed up my nose burning my sinuses and cussing me to gasp each and every time. We would play Crazy 8's and listen to music as we laughed and visited through the heat of the day before heading out to the large nearly empty beach which made for a perfect spot to catch the incredibly stunning sunsets. With the beach and colourful backdrop to ourselves we could play frisbee until the light dictated we stop. The bed we had made the experience even more enjoyable as it was very comfortable and came complete with 4 pillows! Not a bad day to reenact repeatedly and a welcome reprieve from the grind.

Our highlight came the day before we left when the resort informed us that they had baby turtles ready to be released into the ocean. They operate a conservation program where locals get paid to bring sea turtle eggs to the resort instead of eating them. Along with other guests we released about seven turtles into the ocean. I was nervous to touch them but Travis picked one up and carried it to the ocean, but the breaking waves kept pushing him back to shore so Travis scooped him back up and in his cloths walked him all the way out passed the waves. We were proud to give the little guy a great head start as the attrition rate for the endangerd leatherback turtles is very high.

We can not fairly say we seen El Salvador as we never left our resort area, with the increase in gang violence (12 murders per day) and the fast spreading mosquito diseases we decided to continue on to Guatemala. What we can say though is that the drive was beautiful as we traveled in the shuttle van once again. The lush plants, flowers, rolling hills and volcanos all the way up to the Guatemalan border were gorgeous. Maybe someday we can do El Salvador justice, but for now we are greatful for the lovely week we enjoyed on the beach near El Cuco.