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Published: August 21st 2007
I awake abruptly, a feeling of a sharp jolting pain shooting up my leg, peering around with my eyes half open I notice that im jammed between a four foot ninety year old mayan woman on one side and a fat sweaty, middle aged man on the other squeezing all the remaining blood and circulation out of my leg. I needed to go to the bathroom, the word urgently was a serious understatement, I regret eating that piece of chicken of the street the previous night it has now come back for avengance in my lower bowel region. 20 people have been crammed into an old rikety 8 person van, the windows dont work and its 90 degrees out and theres only 4 hours left to go until we get to Flores.
These are the times you think to yourself why am I doing this? Where am I going and why am I going there anyway! Eventually, somebody manages to pry open a window and a gust of hot, musty jungle air blasts me in the face, I take a deep breath and all of a sudden everything disappears I am just there slap bang right in the moment and nothing
else matters, the endless array of trees swish by in a mesmerizing cavalcade of green, the clouds appear like magnificant white palaces in the sky, the past problems, trials, tribulations and future anxiousness and anticipation vanish and I dissolve into the limitless expanse of beauty right there in front of my face for what feels like an eternity. An indescribable sense of peace pervades the deep receses of my entire being and I realise this is it, this is everything and nothing more is needed or to be felt it is all right here..
Without warning, I am shaken from my reverie by a scream from the driver "last stop!!" Im back in the hot sweaty bus and I feel my body again, the people start pushing and shoving to get out of the bus. I sit on the side of the dirty pavement of this unknown town, a young boy runs up to me with a cup in his hand begging for change, he must be only about 9 years old, he has a sad look of hidden desperation in his eyes, I drop some money in and he gives me a smile and disappears so quickly it was
as though he was never there.
I approach an elderly man around of around 5 feet whose face is completely wrinkled like an old prune and ask him the direction to the bus for the next town, he tells me in an almost inaudible croaky voice of which im barely able to understand that its 5 blocks that way. He has trouble even lifting his arm to point out to me where I need to go I thank him graciously and slowly move my way along, perspiration starts dripping down my face, the town appears dead, the shops are all shut the sun is high up in the sky and nobody is around, it must be siesta time.
I arrive at the next block and for safetys sake I ask another person the directions for the bus but this person assures me its 3 blocks back in the opposite direction! I dont know what to think or say, I sit down exhausted already after walking such a short time in the blazing heat. I wonder what Im even doing in this crazy little town with its dusty, gravel roads and run down dilapitated brick houses.
I look across the
horizon towards the fork in the road leading to the unknown. I try to imagine what lies down those tracks, what kind of people live there and what are their lives like? Then a bus whizzes past and I jump on because right at that moment I realise there are many paths you can take in this life the destination is completly unimportant but in the end its the people you meet and the experiences you have that make life so wonderful and magical...
There is something very special about Guatemala that makes you get stuck here for alot longer than most plan. Many people you meet decide to come for a month and end up staying for a year or in some cases even longer. Some say its the energy of the lakes or the interesting people or thats its cheap. But the fact of the matter is it is a place that many foreigners have a great affinity for which I myself must agree with. Santa Cruz de laguna is one such place where many people come for a few days and stay a few months. Of all the towns around lake Atitlan, Santa Cruz is one
of the smallest. In fact, the only place where anything really happens is at the Iguana Perdida hostel right on the dock. It has a spectacular view from which you can see from the comfortable bar area. Its a good place to come and relax for a few days but it traps you in as you wake up each day to the sounds of birds and views of the lake make you think why should I leave today, or even tomorrow for that matter. The problem arises when after a few weeks you realise that you have literally done nothing but sit around and admire the beauty and think about all the things that you should be doing and arent but is it really a problem?
The majority of travellers at some point along the line come to visit the age old city of Antigua. The colonial vibe is evident but if you have been spoilt with citys like San Cristobal de las Casas and Oaxaca city it is not that impressive. It can feel very artificial due to that fact everyone speaks English and that one out of every three people on the street are tourists. Nevertheless, its
the number one place to pick up some nice Jade but be wary of imitations. Ensure that you test it by attempting to scratch it with a knife as pure jade will not mark, I found it amusing when a lady tried to prove her jade that she was selling me was real by carving a huge mark into it, I doubt she even knew it was fake. Antigua is also very good for the nightlife with many places to go out to wee hours of the morning . There are alot of trips you can take around Antigua and Volcan Pacaya is not to be missed. Not only is this volcano active, lava is literally flowing down the side and you can go up to 2 metres from it as you stumble over the dusty, black volcanic rock. The steam and heat is overwhelming and feels like walking over a giant coal fire, a truly amazing and unique experience.
Roaming through the jungle road north of El Remate lies the famous ancient ruins of of Tikal. This ancient site flourished over 1000 years ago and now stands still deep inside the forest canopy. As you enter this ancient
Waterfall
Semuc Champeysite you immediately notice the vast array of brilliantly couloured trees and you hear the earrie cries of the distant Howler monkeys. The enormity of this site is hard to believe, it takes a good few hours to traverse and to visit all of its mighty grand temples. The subtropical jungle that engulfs Tikal is teeming with all kinds of wildlife including the strange and curious Coatimundi as well as a myriad of birds, the multicoloured Ocelot, lots of ants and dont forget those damn mosquitoes. Its so peaceful and tranquil to just to sit amongst the ruins and lose yourself in the inspiring and majestic surroundings. Whatever happened to this great civilisation will probably forever remain a mystery, yet they left a deep mark on a vastly untouched jungle terrain that will most likely withstand another thousand years.
Coming down the windy old road, 2 hours east of Coban, you pass through lush mountainous terrain and eventually arrive at the natural marvel of Semuc Champey. Even though its a major drawcard on the tourist trail, it is hard to find more than a handful of tourists floating around the magnificant surroundings teaming with butterflies and birds. The main
The Coatimundi, Tikal
Also known as the White-nosed Coati, is diurnal, living both on the ground and in the trees. This member of the racoon family is omnivorous, feeding on fruits, invertebrates, and other small animals. They feed by using their long noses, poking them under rocks and and into crevices, and using their long claws to dig holes or tear apart rotting logs. attraction created by the river eroding away the limestone pools in this natural paradise, there is also an extensive cave network that ends up stretching over 10kms underground most of which is underwater and you need to hold a candle whilst swimming through the narrow caverns. The river is exquisite and the water temperature quite surprisingly tepid, as the sun sets the multitude of stars appear and as you stare up from the hammock makes you never want to leave.
After being in Xela for 9 months, having met some great people and good times its natural to become comfortable and want to stay longer. But, at the same time no matter how good a place may be at one time or another, it will change. Travelling has to me been a good teacher in learning how to accept change. So many people in this world grasp onto memories of past places and relationships so that much that it can consume them. We pick the beautiful rose when it starts to bloom and yet its the human condition to hold on to it too long until it wilts and whithers away until it becomes dust. If and when we
let go we realise that around the next corner there is some great people and new adventures to be had. William Blake says it better than I can..
"He who binds himself to a joy does the winged life destroy; But he who kisses the joy as it flies Lives in eternity's sunrise"
Basic Spanish Translation:
Yo despierto de repente, siento dolor en mi pierna, veo una mujer muy vieja de lado izquierda y una hombre muy gordo sudorosa, no tengo espacio para respirar y necesito ir del baño muy pronto. No debi haber comido pollo bore la calle anoche. Viente personas estaban a dentro de una pequeña camioneta es de capacidada por ocho personas. Esta de tiempo pienso. Ke hago aqui? Adonde voy y porque tambien! Por fin, alguien abre una ventana y siento viento muy caliente, respiro profundo y todas las cosas desaparacen. Veo las arboles es muy verde y las nubes parecen palacios grande en el cielo, todo me problemas en el pasado y en el futuro se termina. Siento much paz y no necesisto mas porque todo es aqui y ahora.
El manubrio de camioneta dice "Ultimo parada" Estoy atras in el camioneta hace
Sunset
El Remate mucho calor y siento me cuerpo otra vez. La gente sale muy rapido fuera de la camioneta y me sente sobre de calle sucio. Un niño corre con uno baso en la mano y me pide dinero, el tiene solo nueve años pienso, tiene aspecto de tristsza. Yo pongo poco dinero adentro el vaso y desaparace muy rapido. Veo una hombre muy viejo y cuyo cara es muy arrugada. Le pregunto donde esta bus para de proximo ciudad. Me responde cinco cuadras in eso direction. Yo digo gracias y mi voy muy despacio en la direction. El pueblo parece muy silencioso el sol esta muy alto en el cielo, pienso esta momento de la siesta.
Llego a la proxima esquina y pregunto donde es de bus para de proximo ciudad, pero est persona diceme es en otro direction. No se que pensar o decir. Andando solo por poco tiempo y siento mucho cansado. Pienso que hago aqui en estan pequeño pueblo. Miro sobre la calle y pienos es abajo en los directions, que clase gente viviendo alli y como son sus vidas. Ahorita, una camioneta llega y salto adentro por es no important el destino es irrevalente solo es
importante que gente te encuentras en las experiences que se vida magico y brillioso.
Es algo especial en Guatemala porque muchas personas quedan mas tiempo de son hubieron pensado. Algunas decen esta las energias en las lagos y othros decen es porque tiene gente amambles y es barrato aqui tambien. Santa Cruz es un pequeña pueblo sobre Lago de Atitlan, no haces nada aqui por es solo una hostel llama Iguana Perdida y no es mas en de todo pueblo. Tiene vista del lago muy buenisimo y es muy bien lugar para relaxcion. Despues cada dia piensas salir pero es muy hermosa y no quieres. Es un problema despue dos o tres semanas y no he hecho nada. Pero aqui no es un problema.
Las mayorias de mochilleros quedan en la ciudad muy viejo llama Antigua. Puedes ver cosas como tipo Colonia pero si has visto de cidades san cristobal y Oaxaca en Mexico, Antigua no es muy impressionante. Es poco artificial porque todo gente habla solo en ingles y es muy turistica tambien. Pero, es un bueno lugar por comprar Jade y puedes encontrar muchos falcificar . Debes probar la Jade con un cuchillo y cortalo si
Bird
Tikal no puede manchar es Jade puro. Antigua es bien por las discotecas y muchos tipos de musica. Muy cerca de Antigua es una volcan activo llamado Pacaya. Puedes ir solo dos metros antes de lava sobre las procas sientes mucho calor. Esta muy bien experiencia.
Sobre de calle norte de El Remate esta unias de Tikal. Un mil años antes esta sitio estuve una grande ciudad con cien mil gente. Puedes ver muchas aves en las arboles grandes. Las ruinas es muy grande tambien. Necesitas dos horas por caminar por ahi. Muchos animales viven in Tikal inclusivo aves, monos, el unico Coatimundi, hormigas y mosquitos tambien. Es muy tranqiul para sentarse aqui sobre las ruinas por toda la dia.
Dos horas este de Coban, de traves montañas y lleges en lugar de Semuc Campey. No puedes ver muchas turistas aqui por que todo solo vienen por una dia y regresan de pueblo cerca llama lanquin. La cosa mayoir aqui esta de rio con piscinas de limestone. Tambien esta un cueva muy grande y mucho es bajo de aqua y necesitas nadar de traves con un candela en su mano. El rio es muy hermosa y tiempo de aqua
es caliente. Despues puesto de sol puesdes ver de estrellas bonitas y no quieres salir.
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Sharing the magic
Hello Mark! Your photos are so incredibly beautiful that, for a moment, I thought I had been with you in those wonderful places, and had shared their magic. You have a way to tell about them that make them truly alive! I only wish that you updated your site a bit more often, but well, I can understand that, when one lives such an experience, going back to the "real" world to type on a computer is a bit out of place :) Keep enjoying life as you do! Aline