Back in Guat

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Adventures since our last blog... We took a very fast boat from Punta Gorda (Belize) to Livingston in Guatemala (via Puerto Barrios) and stayed in a funky hotel with hammocks. Livingston is only accessible by boat and has people from many different cultural backgrounds. Mayans, Garifunans, Chinese, Mexicans, Indians and of course Gringos.... We had an amazing curry cooked by a crazy Mexican lady who had lived in India!

The next day we caught a boat up the Rio Dulce (Sweet River) via hot springs, caves, flower lagoon and bird island (cormorants and storks - or egrets) and we saw a big spikey iguana! 2 foot long! We also stopped at a co-operative community for supporting people from the Qu'etchi (?) population.

The Rio Dulce itself is spectacular with a deep gorge covered in Jungle, opening into a large lake.
We stopped in the town of Rio Dulce staying in the 'Backpackers Hotel' which is very noisy (no windows, all built of wood and reed curtains and mosquito nets....)

Wednesday we took a trip out to Finca Paradaiso to the hot waterfall pouring into a cold river. Penny reckoned it was the cheapest Spa session she had ever had. You could swim under the hot waterfall into a natural cave sauna, you could climb up the rocks for a hot water pummeling massage, and there was the steam and cold water pools too...all for 60 pence! This was followed by a dip in the lake: Lago-de-Izabal - the temperature of the Carribean. We hitch-hiked back from the Finca (like a farm) on a crazy lorry choc full of empty wooden crates (hundreds of them) we narrowly avoided being crushed to death and climbed out the lorry an hour later feeling a bit battered and dusty! Still, this is what it´s all about....!

Today we hiked round the lake to a castle (El Castillo de San Filipe) which was pretty cool to explore. Rather than another long hot hike we opted for a leisurely boat ride home to our Backpackers Hotel. We are now in Guatemala City after a 6 hour bus ride. Guat City is ugly, polluted, noisy and big (2 million people) so we are limiting our stay here to 10 hours. Flying to Ecuador 8 am tomorrow morning (via Costa Rica) before heading to our boat in the Galapagos for a week so won´t blog for a while!

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Photos

Paridaiso Hot Waterfall
Penny With Yvonne from Switzerland

Comments

[Partha]

Pics?
Oi..where are the pics!!?? Anyway, as Sue said..apart from crap coming out of Iains room (no puns intended, honest!)- alls same at QAH. Another night out coming up in Feb..let me know if you want to have your name on the list....