Guatemala........Reflections

After three magical nights in the treehouse, we headed back to Antigua for one more night before catching a shuttle bus to Guatemala City, ready for our flight to Nicaragua early the following morning.

Guatemala was a country we were totally undecided about until the very last minute but we definitely made the correct decision. From jungle temples to mountain lodges, from climbing volcanoes to experiencing earthquakes, from natural turquoise pools to beautiful lakes, it’s been amazing.

We thought we’d be living off rice and beans but the food has been fantastic even including the airport hotel in Guatemala City where a simple pasta dish was better than most Italian restaurants back home.  Add to this how cheap everything is plus the chance to learn some Spanish, its gone way beyond our expectations.

Not losing sight of the fact that Guatemala is a very poor country, where armed security is found at every cashpoint,  the local women wash their clothes in the lake, the children play with a kite in the streets made from a piece of string and a plastic bag and the men work the fields carrying nothing more than a machete. This was probably the most disturbing image initially.  However, when you’re walking along a quiet path and coming towards you is a father and his two young sons aged no older than 10, all armed with machetes and nothing more than a pleasant ‘good morning’ takes place, you soon realise that this is just a completely different way of life.

DAYS SPENT:  23

TRANSPORT:  1 taxi, 8 minivans, 3 trucks, 2 boats, 2 tuk-tuks.

NUMBER OF PLACES WE STAYED:  11 (4 hotels, 6 hostels, 1 lodge)

ITEMS LOST/BROKEN:  Paul’s rucksack cover, Vanessa’s sweatshirt lost to the tumble dryer

FAVOURITE EATERY:  La Ville Del Chef in Flores

WILDLIFE SPOTTED:  toucan, giant rat, coatis (raccoon), tarantula, howler monkeys, packs of mangy dogs

TOURS TAKEN:  5 (Tikal, Semuc Champey pools, Bat Cave, Pacaya Volcano, Spanish school)

BEST VALUE FOR MONEY: Guatemala!!!