Rio Dulce and Livingston

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We had wanted to meet up with our friends in Belize when we got wind that they were going to be in the Cayes, but unfortunately their plans put them in Placentia instead which would have been another 5 hours past Belize City for us, and would make for some miserable travel with only 1 or 2 days of seeing our friends. So we opted to do our own thing and go down to Rio Dulce instead, which is small town on the river of the same name, and was only 4-5 hour bus ride from Santa Elena.

Once there, we stayed at Casa Perico, which was situated on a smaller tribuatary off the main river. There was a guy who worked for information who helped us and called them. They sent out a boat for free and took us to the place. It was a very nice setting in lush jungle with boardwalks connecting the habitations. We were pretty exhausted, so we spent that first day resting and reading in our cabin, arounsing only for the buffet dinner that night. The next day we had some more energy to explore a bit with Sarah, a new friend from Melbourne who we met on the road. We started by exploring Finca El Paraiso, a hot waterfall about an hour from Rio Dulce. The we checked out Castillo De San Felipe, a small stone fort built to protect the settlement from pirates. We made it back to the casa in time for an evening buffet barbecue.

The next day, Sunday, September 27, we took a boat down the Rio Dulce to the town of Livingstone on the Carribean sea. As our boat docked we were warmly greeted in English by several young Garifuna men. The Garifuna are a unique ethnic group of mixed ancestory who speak there own language, Garifuna, and often speak English as a second language. They are found throughout the Carribean, but their Guatemalan stronghold in definitely Livingstone.

Our greeters lead us to Casa Iguana where we stayed for the night. The next moring we took a long walk along the beach to the Siete Altares, a set of seven pools in a single freshwater cascade. Set in the jungle, the pools were charming and a great place to swim and to cool off, and we had them all to ourselves. The pools have religous significance to the local Garifuna, although we have not learned how or why. Fortunately they don´t mind tourists swimming in the them! They were also the location for the filming of the very first Tarzan film!

Walking back from the Siete Altares we stopped by Gamboa´s place for servings of her tapado. Tapado is a rich Garifuna stew made of plaintains, coconut milk, a local crab (left in its shell but cut in half), and a whole fried fish, laid out on top of the bowl. Later that night we checked out a local club for some Garifuna drumming, although to be honest we weren´t sure if we got the real thing. The next day was spent mailing postcards and resting up for our trip big into Honduras.

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Photos

George at Finca Paradiso
A hot waterfall falling into cool water and a great place for a swim.

George and Sarah on the shores of Livingston
Sarah is an Australian friend we met at Casa Perico in Rio Dulce. She had also studied Spanish in San Pedro La Laguna in Guatemala, but at another school, and was a friend of Bree.

Siete Altares
The ¨Seven Alters¨is a series of freshwater pools that flow into each other, creating a cascade (most beautifully seen after heavy rains). A great place for a swim!

Tapado, a traditional Garafuna stew
consisting of fish, crab, shrimp, coconut milk, and others...