Coban, Guatemala

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Note

Posting pictures requires: 1) a USB port, 2) Windows XP that isn't locked down or admin access to Win2000, and (preferably) 3) a speedy internet connection. No such luck this stop. When we are lucky enough to encounter all the preceding conditions, we'll be sure to post pictures.

Intro to Coban

Coban was once a stronghold of the Rabinal Maya. In the 19th century, German migrants moved in, founding vast coffee and cardamom fincas and give Coban the look and feel of a German mountain town. The era of German cultural and economic domination ended during WWII, when the USA prevailed upon the Guatemalan government to deport the powerful finca owners, many of whom supported the Nazis. Today Coban is a pleasant town, despite the chilly, rainy weather.

Our Experience

We hopped on our bus for Coban around 2:30 and started the 6+ hour trek about 40 minutes later when the driver finally appeared. Our book explains that Coban and surrounding areas are almost always rainy, and that statement definitely held true for us. It started raining early into our journey and never truly stopped (it was a very light rain in some areas). Along with being a rainy place, Coban is (in Lila's opinion) quite cold. I was quite chilly on the bus once the sun set. I think it must have been in the 60s - and after being quite hot on the Caribbean coast and in the jungle, 60 degrees is positively freezing.

About two thirds of the way into the trip, we drove up to a river. No bridge. We just drove up to the bank. On the other side of the river, we saw some sort of platform that was ferrying vehicles across. Nothing that special ... you have to do what you have to do when there's no bridge. Once our bus "boarded" the platform, we saw how it really operated. Two metal drums were attached to each side of the square platform. Actually, it was just the bottom half of a metal drum - a metal bucket of sorts. Now, in each of the two drums sat the "drivers" of the platform. Each drum sat in the water and had a decent size outboard motor attached to it. And, to complete the scene, each drum/driver was covered by a thatched, hut-like roof. It was positively hysterical. Seriously so much funnier than a chicken crossing a road... in my opinion. I think Joe still sides with the chicken. To maneuver the platform/barge/boat, the "drivers" would crank up their motors, and aim the platform towards the other side as best they could. In addition to our fully loaded bus and a handful of cars there was a semi-sized tanker truck on board with us. We figured if we didn't sink or otherwise perish in the water, we'd explode. (Sorry Alex, Joe is still alive.) The entire scene was one of the funniest things I've seen in a while, and we made sure to snap a number of entertaining pictures.

We finally got into Coban late that night, and of course it was still raining. We found a nearby hotel, and then quickly found a little something to eat at this fast food chicken place. This place was just like a McDonalds in appearance, but the line was for takeout only, and if you wanted to eat there you had to sit down and be served. Of course we didn't know that, so we stood in line, got our food, and sat down. Go us.

The next morning we walked around Coban for a bit, then made our way via bus towards Guatemala City and ultimately to Antigua.

Up Next...

Antigua, Guatemala and our trek up Pacaya, an active volcano. An American in San Ignacio told us we shouldn't miss it. He said it was well worth the walk up.

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Comments

[Patricia]

Still smiling
Amazingly funny ferry story, Lila!