Blogs from Verapaz Region, Guatemala, Central America Caribbean - page 18

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 CobanCoban 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 ExperienceWe hopped on our bus for Coban ... read more

From San Pedro we took a bus to Chimaltenango, where we got another crazy bus to Antigua. In Antigua we found a hotel where we spent the night, and began a search to a way to summit the Pacaya Volcano. We found Sergio Garcia who another traveler mentioned on the internet. We signed up for a tour with them, and they took us to the trail where we walked a total of 3km. After 1km we saw the lake produced by the Pacaya volcano, a clear blue ery pretty sight. We got to the top of the walk where you could look up and see this Huge lightly smoldering volcano. And look down to see Flowing rock, thats right lava, red hot, straight out of Dante´s Peak lava. And i was thinking oh my goodness i ... read more

Hola mi amigos, que tal? I´m doing good as usual. It´s been a great few days since my last update. We went to Tikal of course, which was pretty amazing to see. The ruins were beautiful and it´s was crazy to think of what it might have looked like thousands of years ago when it was at its peak. The last night we were in Flores there was some great lightening over the mountains across the lake, and we were serenaded by a very innebriated man singing in the distance. After Tikal it was down to Coban, which is a nice little city. We spent the afternoon in Coban, checked out a little Mayan museum and a church up on a hill with great views of the city. Guatemala is a real mixture of tradition and ... read more

We tossed a coin to decide to go to Flores and Tikal the unmissable via either Rio Dulce, near the Carribean coast, or Coban in the sweaty centre of the country. Coban and won, and ´scuse my slightly dated language, but "boy was it a winner"! Well not Coban as such, it is a dive, got a nice hostel and a sweet resteraunt, but otherwise rammed with people gathering for what appeared to be the biggest running race event in Guatemala. But people don´t come to Coban for Coban. Nearby is a truly awesome waterfall that comprises a set of crystal pools (the largest nearly of olympic proportions in depth and surface, and totalling say 20, each on a different level, with a gentle trickle of water between). All of this comprises a grand 300m limestone ... read more

Tog med Lea og Nynne til Semuc Champey den foerste weekend...fra fredag til soendag... Vi tog afsted om fredagen i en shuttle beregnet til 15 - vi var 17!!! og ja det var 10 MEGET haarde timer!!! Vi kunne dog ikke koere hele vejen i shuttlen - det sidste stykke blev vi transporteret af en vogn med lad hvor vi saa allesammen stod som grise - syret! Anyway, vi naaede frem og saa fik vi ellers lidt aftensmad og saa i seng!! Naeste dag "besteg" vi bjerge - noej hvor var det haardt, men sikke en udsigt! Og at vi vidste at naar vi kom ned kunne vi bade i floden hjalp lidt paa det;) Skoent!! Derudover skulle vi ogsaa denne dag paa tur i grotter - og det foregik med stearinlys og ja med at ... read more