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Published: March 23rd 2008
From time to time some doctors will plan visits to do checks on all the kids from the orphanage and anyone from the surrounding jungle villages or Aldeas. So when Xavier the volunteer doctor heard that a dentist and a dermotologist were coming he planned a trip into the jungle to tell some people from the Aldeas to come visit for various skin and mouth problems he knew of. He asked me if I wanted to join him so we set out at 8am on a warm monday morning, passing through Aldea Rio Frio at about 9am, at the base of the mountain and Rio Frio (the cold river). We started up the mountain following a dirt road that was made for access to a petrol line and a pumping station, and missing our turn off into the jungle we followed it right to the top of the mountain before realising there was no path on the other side and we had taken the wrong path. It was quite a view so almost worth the hour side track. So we headed back down the mountain and found the right path into jungle and towards Aldea Nueva Rio Frio (the new village
of the cold river, probably was made after the original Aldea Rio Frio). At about 12 noon we arrived at our destination and went to speak to a few families. They all agreed to come to see the doctors so we went to find a spot to have lunch. We decided to go for a swim in the river as it was crystal clear and suprise suprise, it lived up to its name and was absolutly freezing due to the speed of the running water. We had lunch on a fallen tree trunk right in the middle of the river, before we knew it we were joined by some locals who also came for a swim and we got fed and had a chat.
There were some differences between this Aldea and Aldea de las Brisas beside the orphanage, for a start most houses had concrete floors and hot water boilers and electricity. It also seemed a lot smaller but furthur spread out so no village squares or football pitches like in Las Brisas.
After a very interesting day we headed back down the jungle path, this time running into a lot of workers who were returning home
View from the Top of the Mountain
You can see one of the lakes from Rio Dulce in the backgroundafter a long days grafting. Most of them stopped to talk to us whether we liked it or not and it seemed that the majority had to walk 3 hours to and from work and got paid 50 quetzales a day, about 5 euros. You can't help but feel bad for them but they all seem happy and willing to make the sacrifice for work.
We arrived again in Aldea Rio Frio around 5pm and stopped for a rest and a quick swim under the bridge. The river was so clean we filled our water bottles up again and it was the nicest water I've tasted since I got here. About an hour later we arrived back at the orphanage and ended our day trip. I think I'll do it again someday for sure.
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Nuala McAree
non-member comment
...... feeling a slight tinge of jealousy!
I love the jungle shots n all, reminds me alot of Goa ..... oh how i miss India! Make sure you enjoy it, cause it would freeze the arse off ye back here!!