Blogs from Caribbean Coast, Guatemala, Central America Caribbean - page 20

Well, my mission in Antigua was a complete success. I set up transportation and airport pickup for my father for Monday and reserved us a room in Antigua during Semana Santa. None of you realize how difficult that task was. Due to the size and popularity of the festival in Antigua, people are supposed to reserve rooms at least 3 or 4 months in advance. I spent all day going hotel to hotel getting the same answer...we're full! The word around town was that every establishment was booked for that week and the rooms were going for around $110 (American) per night. I was presently crashing at the same hostel (Posada Ruiz#2) I had stayed at when I first arrived in Guatemala, at a bargin price of 25Q ($3.25). This hostel is first come first serve, ... read more

We left Antigua at 8am ( Wednesday 22nd ), and by private taxi, made an 8 hour journey to Rio Dulce. The journey was tiring, the heat had picked up once we had driven past Guatemala City, and it was in to 30 degrees. Arriving at Rio Dulce, we were met by a boat to take us on the short trip across the river, and to the hotel, the Hacienda Tijax. The hotel is on the river bed, and is made up completely of wooden chalets, and is basically in the jungle. There are expensive yachts anchored here too, mostly from the States and Canada. The hotel is linked by wooden walkways between the trees, its really a great jungle/hotel experience. There is also a swimming pool, with the water channeled from the river. We had ... read more

Rio Dulce, the city almost by the sea. Wondering how to spend my time, I go and visit the Castillo de San Philippe. The fortress was built during the 1500's to combat pirates who were raiding the merchant ships along the river and to protect the town. It is fairly easy to get to the site, just jump in a taxi. Returning is a different matter all together. I find it necessary at this point in my story to mention that the fortress is four miles outside of town. I found myself contemplating this very dilemma over a bottle of water in a little comedor (eatery) as I watched the heat rising from the asphalt. As I wiped the sweat from my forehead I thought four miles, maybe I should get another bottle of water. "Hello" ... read more

Rio Dulce and Flores... read more

Hola Amigos, Hoewel het inmiddels 9 januari is en ik ver van Guatemala ben, toch een korte up date. Op 30 december, na een laatste Spaanse les (en na het afscheid nemen van mijn vrienden daar) zijn we (Enrico en ik) uit Antigua vertrokken op weg naar Rio Dulce. Helaas ging dat niet helemaal zoals gepland waardoor we pas tegen 12 uur in Rio Dulce aankwamen (in plaats van rond een uur of 8/9) Het hotel dat we gereserveerd hadden was alleen per boot bereikbaar en er was geen telefoon, dus hebben we gelukkig uiteindelijk een ander hotel gevonden, waar we konden genieten van een wel verdiende nachtrust na een vermoeiende dag (mijn klamboe kwam goed van pas, aangezien er vrij veel muggen waren). Op oudjaarsdag met de boot naar Livingston: een geweldige ruim 3 uur ... read more