Blogs from Flores, Petén Region, Guatemala, Central America Caribbean - page 7

My trip to Guatemala was with Global Youth Network. Eleven university students backpacking together to two different eco-tourism/volunteer locations. The first was two weeks at "Volunteer Peten", San Andreas near Flores, in the Peten Region. The project is run by Mateo, an American who moved there something like 20 years ago. He started with a conservation area just outside of town, and built a school to teach of conservation, agriculture, and environmental related aspects of health. He also built a library in town to try and interest young kids in learning. We spent our mornings volunteering in the conservation area. By noon it was too hot to work, so we went to the lake most days, then back to the library before dinner to do crafts with the young kids, and teach english to the older ... read more

Flores Very early the next morning we hitched a ride to Flores with Milos, a Czech guy now living in the Virgin Islands who had hired a car to travel around Guatemala. We met him at Semuc Champey and again later in the lodge. We took the scenic route up to Flores, attempting to navigate through various unsealed and unsignposted tracks. We didn't really know if we were going the right way (although we pretty much were) and neither did most of the locals we asked. Eventually we were escorted by two policemen on a motorbike back on to the main highway. We did pass through some beautiful countryside, eat lunch in a village off the beaten track, and swim in a little river. The swim in the river was kind of funny as when we ... read more

5.45am! Yes that was the time we got up this morning to catch a taxi to the border. For info, the taxi was cheaper than getting the bus. We hopped in the back of this car which had another lady passenger in the front. We must have made it about 9.5kms and with another half to go the cab stopped in the middle of what looked like no where and the lady, in her 4" heels, got out and just ran in to dense forest/jungle. Steve and I looked at each other a little confused - she must have known what she was doing after all. I was expecting a tough scary border crossing, but it was quite the opposite. We were just about the only people there (with it being just after 7) and the ... read more

Yesterday I had an interesting conversation with a French couple with halitosis. Well, it was actually last Tuesday, but since I've added to this I didn't want to change that fabulous first line. It was interesting for two reason: firstly, I believe I have answered the great open problem of our time, why the French so spectacularly pause in the middle of every sentence, as brilliantly portrayed by everyone's favourite Frenchman Arsene Wenger; and secondly, uncovered for myself in the same conversation, every linguist's nightmare. And indeed, the two are fabulously linked. The French only pause because they're trying not to speak Spanish. And with this same French couple, I can classify a first for me (and possibly ever) in knowing more languages than a fellow European. In Antigua mixing with other students, the language spoken ... read more

Arriving in Belize from Mexico had been a strange experience because you could literally see the cultural change in the people as you crossed the border: from Spanish to English; from Latino to Rasta; from short to tall. And now, on leaving Belize for Guatemala, the change was all but reversed. The bus journey showcased the beauty and greenery of this new country. I had known Guatemala only as a country of many colours, textiles and markets, but I hadn´t realised just how green it was until now. The roads were lined with taquerias and tin-roofed tiendas which were manned by all members of the family - big and small. Stray dogs and local women in traditional dress with babies tied to their backs walked casually along the sides of the windy roads that were surrounded ... read more