http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Guatemala/Quetzaltenango/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Central America Caribbean , Guatemala , Quetzaltenango en-us Thu, 04 Dec 2008 20:06:27 UTC Thu, 04 Dec 2008 20:06:27 UTC We're in Guatemala I was pretty excited about going into a new country I've never been to before. I say we're because my friend Homer from San Antonio decided to join me in my travels. I've been on my own since June so having company was a good change up for me. It makes some things more fun when you have company.Our experience crossing the border from Mexico to Guatemala wasn't great. W http://www.travelblog.org//Central-America-Caribbean/Guatemala/Quetzaltenango/blog-346567.html another botched trip up near santiaguito. this time another guide and i took one of the kids from the school who has been to the camp. it looked like it was going to work out but we ended up in the exact spot from last time. very frustrating. decided to try to get back to xela which was an adventure in and of itself. hiking in the dark close call with some ladrones begging for rides all while http://www.travelblog.org//Central-America-Caribbean/Guatemala/Quetzaltenango/blog-345664.html The trip is getting more real. Bought the plane ticket will fly via Mexico City rented an apartment and booked transport from Guatemala City to Xela.I will leave from Montreal on Saturday 24 Jan 09 and return on 10 April.I will spend nearly all of my time in Xela. Will tour a bit when Steve comes to vist with or without a girlfriend and may have time for a day trip or two when Gaetan and A http://www.travelblog.org//Central-America-Caribbean/Guatemala/Quetzaltenango/blog-345662.html Hola mis amigos y familia. I have arrived safe and sound in the lovely little city of Quetzaltenango known by the locals by its Mayan name Xela pronounced Shayla. I enjoyed my train ride for the most part. It is best not to be in a hurry if you choose this mode of transportation thats for sure I had the opportunity to share stories with some interesting people and enjoyed watching the countr http://www.travelblog.org//Central-America-Caribbean/Guatemala/Quetzaltenango/blog-344182.html we got a little more adventure than we bargained for last weekend. we had to try the new guides out on our existing treks so ben jen and i went to investigate an old trek near volcan santiaguito most active volcano in guatemala....erupts every 45 minutes or something like that. qt used to run the trek but it is too dangerous in the wet season which just ended and no current guides know the http://www.travelblog.org//Central-America-Caribbean/Guatemala/Quetzaltenango/blog-343670.html hello all.life has been busy down here in central america.we arrived to xela about three weeks ago. xela is pronounced shayla....short for xelaju shaylawho the mayan name for the city of quetzaltelango which is almost never referred to as quetzaltelango except when you are new to the country and trying to get there and nobody knows what you are talking about. its a big hectic smogfille http://www.travelblog.org//Central-America-Caribbean/Guatemala/Quetzaltenango/blog-341612.html From Flores I took an overnight bus for 10 hours to Guatemala City and then onto Xela or Quetzaltengo to give it its full name.I have been in Xela for 2 weeks now. Xela is in the west of Guatemala surrounded by mountains and is at an altitude of 2300 metres. Xela is the second largest city in Guatemala after Guatemala city with around 150000 residents and isnt particularly a tourist desti http://www.travelblog.org//Central-America-Caribbean/Guatemala/Quetzaltenango/blog-336201.html Where am II am in Xela or Quetzaltenango Guatemala. It is my kinda town. A lively city with fun nightlife like salsa dance clubs shops for all your needs and surrounded by mountains. The weather at the moment is pretty consistent. Sun in the morning and rain in the evening. Soon enough though the rain is going to stop and it is going to get really hot. My favourite part of the city though are t http://www.travelblog.org//Central-America-Caribbean/Guatemala/Quetzaltenango/blog-331182.html These next few entries are a bit out late but got a bit lazy with my blog these last few weeks. Our last week in Gauatamala was spent in a Spanish school. Lizzie got to relearn the basics and I worked on what I knew. We had brilliant teachers and had an exhausting week but very enjoyable. The Utatlan School of Spanish was excellant and for only 175 a week we got 5 hours of one on one tuition http://www.travelblog.org//Central-America-Caribbean/Guatemala/Quetzaltenango/blog-320131.html Dear FriendsMuch has happened since my last hectic email.First of all I want to thank everyone for your generous donations. We were able to raise more than I had anticipated 120. With that we were able to make donations to both the man in Jolocmu as well as the Spanish Schools childrens charity program. Much thanks to all. I am honored that so many of you trust me with your donations and http://www.travelblog.org//Central-America-Caribbean/Guatemala/Quetzaltenango/blog-318631.html My first time in Latin America and am very grateful i went on the trip. I met so many great people and eat good food in Livingston. http://www.travelblog.org//Central-America-Caribbean/Guatemala/Quetzaltenango/blog-318326.html Yritetaan nyt kirjoitella vahemmilla kirjoitusvirheilla. En silti aio tata oikolukea joten saattaa tulla mita vain. Tuli vain kommenttia edellisesta kirjoituksesta. Se oli kirjoitettu todella paljolla maaraa univelkaa joten menkoon sen piikkiin.Chichissa herattiin markkinoille jo heti kuuden jalkeen ja mentiin terveelliselle aamupalalle paikallisten seuraan. Uppopaistettua kanaa seka riisia. Oli http://www.travelblog.org//Central-America-Caribbean/Guatemala/Quetzaltenango/blog-316931.html Disclaimer I have written this like a diary entry so I apologise for any bad grammar or incorrect statements. And remember its only my opinion and my take on the subjects I discuss. 61514TODOS SANTOSWhen I think about it I get a warm feeling inside thinking of the amazing family I stayed with the children I thought and the friends I made there. The basic lifestyle was perfect for me. Bathing http://www.travelblog.org//Central-America-Caribbean/Guatemala/Quetzaltenango/blog-314776.html Quetzaltenango 08021990. We made good on our cancelled date last night with Anne and Sue by taking them by taxi to Almolonga. Such a nice little indigenous village full with kids that looked at us from open doors and dusty streets. The raelly little ones from the hips and laps of their mothers. Both Anne and Sue did seem to have A GOOD TIME. On our return to Quetzaltenango I would have liked to http://www.travelblog.org//Central-America-Caribbean/Guatemala/Quetzaltenango/blog-311293.html Quetzaltenango 07021990. A taxi got us to the foot hills of the Santa Maria Volcan. We had a quick look at The pueblecito called Almolonga which was inhabited by indigenous people their women still wearing colorful indian clothing their men the more tradional cowboy stuff with huge sombreros. The hike up to the Santa Maria Volcan top was great but tiresome and took us most of the day. Some lo http://www.travelblog.org//Central-America-Caribbean/Guatemala/Quetzaltenango/Volcan-Santa-Maria/blog-311290.html Quetzaltenango 06021990. We changed our hotel today and went down in price from 21 quetzales to 8 quetzales. Not that I noticed much difference in the way of quality maybe it is all in the name. The 21 quetzales place was called El Emperador.....James came up with this really good day trip a walk into the hills just outside town to some thermal bahts. I039ve never been to thermal bahts be http://www.travelblog.org//Central-America-Caribbean/Guatemala/Quetzaltenango/blog-311288.html Quetzaltenango05021990. The border crossing this morning looked extremely primitive and reminded me of some border crossings back in that other continent Africa. Surrounded by high mountains all covered in pine forest and low folliage we had to go through a series of official border formalities. At least the guatamalan custom officials told us it was all ligitimate including the 5 US dolar br http://www.travelblog.org//Central-America-Caribbean/Guatemala/Quetzaltenango/blog-311286.html Que Onda Hey everybody How's it going I'm doing pretty good. To start i got a new job at a high school here. I'll teach english and I'll earn 1000 a month which is a lot of money here. I was really tired of being so poor. I start in a week and a half. But I have to cut my hair for the job. I really don't care that much. I was thinking of cutting it anyway. So soon you will see a picture of me http://www.travelblog.org//Central-America-Caribbean/Guatemala/Quetzaltenango/blog-309429.html So yesterday Tuesday August 7th I went to play soccer with about 8 other students from my Spanish School Celas Maya 1 teacher Byron and an employee of Celas. Byron is always trying to get students together to play soccer and he was able to rent an artificial turf field. The field was smaller than a normal field but it was covered with a roof which protected us from the usual rain. At t http://www.travelblog.org//Central-America-Caribbean/Guatemala/Quetzaltenango/blog-309141.html Right then I'm off on my travels and stop number 1 is theWestern Highland Hub of Quetzaltenango or Xela as it's called locally. After arriving from a 7 hour bus ride from Antigua via the capital and the bus breaking down twice Argh you can imagine I wasn't in the best frame of mind. Like most buses to Xela mine arrived nowhere near the centre of town but instead at the Minerva bus term http://www.travelblog.org//Central-America-Caribbean/Guatemala/Quetzaltenango/blog-308053.html HolaYesterday we slept at the top of the huge Volcano just next to the smaller active one that you can see in the pictureBut let's go back a bit in time....After the roughness of Huehuetenango we went to still rough conditions to investigate about mining in Guatemala. But after that Nadja was completely exhausted tired fed up with bad sleeping rotten beds monotonous food http://www.travelblog.org//Central-America-Caribbean/Guatemala/Quetzaltenango/blog-306826.html Before my trip to Tikal I thought it would be good to trim my beard. Unfortunately I did not bring a beard trimmer with me to Guatemala. So I decided that this would be a good opportunity for me to support the local economy interact with more Guatemalans and practice my Spanish. The bad part is I get nervous and forget Spanish when I need it for something important and the phrases you need http://www.travelblog.org//Central-America-Caribbean/Guatemala/Quetzaltenango/blog-305203.html I wish someone had given me this advice...but here it is for anyone doing this trip From Lago de Atitlan to XelaLeave San Marcos by taking a pick up2Q or tuktuk10Q from the top road by the school. They will drop you at a road in San Pablo...wait for the first chichen bus It costs 10 Q to get to the junction at 148kms known as this Leave in the morning...i left at 7.30. The buses tend to http://www.travelblog.org//Central-America-Caribbean/Guatemala/Quetzaltenango/blog-304114.html So the 4 of July proved to be an exciting day here in Xela Guatemala. Every Friday my Spanish school Celas Maya hosts a graduation for the students who are not returning for another week of classes. Sometimes these graduations do not have a theme and we have typical Guatemalan food but other times the graduation has a theme. My new good friend Dan whom I have only known for 4 days and I http://www.travelblog.org//Central-America-Caribbean/Guatemala/Quetzaltenango/blog-296214.html Hola PeopleI have been here in Xela for 4 weeks. This is my fourth week and i have been working at a private clinic with four doctors for 2 weeks and at a private specialist hospital for a week. My jefe or boss is Dr. Jose and i have been shadowing his every move when i am at the clinic. He is a pediatrician and his wife is a physical therapist and i have had the opportunity to shadow the both http://www.travelblog.org//Central-America-Caribbean/Guatemala/Quetzaltenango/blog-292092.html Two hours on a chicken bus from the lake and we arrive in Xela otherwise known as Quetzaltenango the second largest city in Guatemala and probably the nicest. Not a lot to do here as a tourist but we got a pick up truck up one of the mountains to some natural hot springs and pools known as Las Fuentes Georginas . Lovely day out well worth the 30 min ride up the mountain through the clouds. Al http://www.travelblog.org//Central-America-Caribbean/Guatemala/Quetzaltenango/blog-291735.html Fuentes GeorginasSo my first saturday in Xela guatemala my school educacion para todos had an excursion to Fuentes Georginas a natural volcanic hot spring thingy. It was precioso. We left xela around 8 am or 9 am and boarded a chicken bus. A chicken bus is an american schoolbus painted in hilarious colors. Also known as a molue direct from the streets of lagos Nigeria complete with itty http://www.travelblog.org//Central-America-Caribbean/Guatemala/Quetzaltenango/blog-291616.html Quetzaltenango or Xela my home for six weeksHello PeopleSo i decided to put up a travel blog to share my experiences travelling in Guatemala over the summer. So far i have not been to many places outside Xela as i am studying espanol in a school here called Educacion para Todos httpwww.spanishschools.biz . I have been in Xela or Quetzaltenango since June 1st and everything has been prett http://www.travelblog.org//Central-America-Caribbean/Guatemala/Quetzaltenango/blog-290404.html As I said in my previous blog....Im in Xela As much as I love the adventure of traveling around the country amazing it feels so nice to be in a place I am familiar with and catch up with old friends. It's like they say... home even though San Jose is my 1st home don't worry mom and dad is where the heart is. My friends are here of all the places in Guatemala my heart is here. http://www.travelblog.org//Central-America-Caribbean/Guatemala/Quetzaltenango/blog-288205.html