After three long days of bus travel from Utila, we made it to Costa Rica. Initially, we thought we'd gloss over this beautiful country because it is more expensive than others in the region. However, we were lucky enough to have found a house sit for 2 1/2 weeks in Platanillo where we would look after a 5 month old puppy named Jack. We set this house sit up through a website called Trusted House Sitters which helps potential house sitters find accommodation in return for taking care of people's homes and (usually) animals while the homeowners are on holiday. Casey and Dan, the couple we were house sitting for, are a couple from the States who have been travelling for a few years and have settled down in Costa Rica with their rescue pup Jack. ... read more

Here's what we got ourselves into so far out in the middle of nowhere...The beautiful, quiet, friendly Utopia eco-hostel set on a cacao farm only 3km from caves we could go exploring and the greenish blue pools of cool water at Semuc Champey that we could swim in. Our first thought upon arrival was that we could stay here a very long time. In fact, we were only booked in for 3 nights originally but we booked in for a 4th straight away. We thought we'd stay in the dorm but the opportunity to sleep in hammocks presented itself and we couldn't pass it up. Being set on a cacao farm was the perfect excuse to go on a chocolate tour which started out on the farm with a look and taste of the raw cacao ... read more

We got to Antigua knowing full well that we were getting there in time for Semana Santa, 'Holy Week' or the week of Easter. Being a very catholic part of the country it was a very important week and there were many things going on. We booked our hostel late and would have to leave Thursday, before all the big festivities since everyone (maybe their dog, and cats, and rats, and spiders too) would be coming to celebrate in the big city and there was no room in the inn. With little time in town we knew we should get a move on using the first day to orient ourselves. That night we had a chance to witness a procession, which is like a parade where the fraternity that is in charge of a certain saint ... read more

When we arrived in San Pedro we spent the first day relaxing and nursing our freshly blistered feet. We didn't have anything we needed to do, so we didn't. The second day we were excitedly waiting for Ryan who was making an impromptu trip to Guatemala for a visit. He'd been delayed and we didn't really have any way to contact him but we just wandered around town and found the Spanish school that we would be attending. All along the water front is very touristy: loads of restaurants, bars, and souvenir/textile shops. As we climbed the hill to the town centre you get a much more local vibe with the market and Catholic Church. Apparently the locals call the center of town 'San Pedro', while the water front and touristy area is referred to as ... read more

While in Quetzaltenango (Xela) we weren't really sure what to do. It seemed like a good place to cross the border to, but we hadn't really done any research; and neither had anyone we traveled with. It was a city: big and busy. We wandered on our first day, as we often do, looking for interesting things: markets, Spanish schools, a hat for Dan. We had good luck on the first two, not so good on the last one. Upon recommendation from another traveler we looked into Celas Maya Spanish school and it seemed really good. Lots of activities in the afternoon to practice Spanish and get a better feel for Xela. They went on excursions to textile cooperatives, coffee plantations, the Fuentes Georginas (more below), and many other things you might not be able to ... read more