Blogs from Verapaz Region, Guatemala, Central America Caribbean - page 8

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It feels almost like we are camping here, out on a ridge in the valley. Today we are heading for Guatamala's paradise. Our guide showed up to pick us up in a pickup truck, so the ten of us jumped in the back. It was a 10km gravel road, crowding locals in for short rides when they could squeeze in. Our guide is a humorous local named Otto who likes joking with us. Our first stop in Semuc Shampey is the caves. They extend over 15km into the mountain and at points we swim. Mainly the water is at stomach level. As we enter with our candles the guide says follow him to be safe (I can tell already that Jeff is not going to follow). The guide takes three steps in and falls into a ... read more


Dec 12 Off Again After a long refreshing sleep we were ready to head to Lanquin. We all ate breakfast at the hostel then jumped in a van for our 7 hour trip. Our bags were thrown on the roof and 10 of us squeezed in (5 Aussies, 5 Canadians). Luckily they noticed that this wouldn't work for that long a trip, so they called up another van and we split into 2 groups. We were now heading into the poor part of Guatamala. At a river crossing James and Jeff bought cantalope off a little child for the rough equivalent of 10 cents. Women and children work in bare feet with heavy loads and motorcycles wip by at excessive speeds with familys of 4 or 5 sitting precariously on top. We drove passed two children, ... read more


Imagine a place that has been completely untouched - a pure natural attraction which just a few dodgy sets of steps to help you access - this is Semuc Champey. First though a two hour journey from Coban with the last hour a unmade road to make even the most secure teeth shake loose we arrived in the small market town of Lanquin. The people here seem much smaller than even their other Mayan relatives and this seemed really apparent in the market where Neil had to duck continually to not bang into the stall canvas - he looked like gandalf visiting the shires! The people are so friendly and we enjoyed just wandering around before the final 40 minutes to Semuc where the most amazing waterfalls and natural swimming pools awaited. What we had not ... read more
Kirsty taking the plunge
Semuc champey
Neil taking the plunge


After ensuring we were on a bus to Coban Guatemala and not Copan Honduras (small difference - big error to put right!) we started the 5 hour journey to Coban. Our main reason to come here before we head to Antigua city is Semuc Champey and Languin. the former is a series of waterfalls and natural swimming pools and the latter a series of caves full of bats which fly out in the evening and obscure the sky. Only 8 of us in a 13 seater microbus as they call a minibus so relatively comfortable and cost only 12 quid each so although more than the local chicken buses definitely worth it. Made a crossing on a really weird ferry. Wooden and flat so the bus drove on then the ferry was powered by two men ... read more
Views of the mountains


We went on an excursion into Semuc Champey from a really nice hostel spot in Lanquin called "El Retiro." ... read more
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Hey guys! So we left Antigua yesterday and are now in Semuc Champey or close enough. Things kinda sucked two days ago (our last day in Antigua) when I was robbed. When I was walking through a bunch of Guats gettin on a bus some asshole slit my purse and stole my wallet which happened to contain my cash, debit card and mastercard. I cancelled my cards within 20 minutes and they had already cought 30$ worth of Subway! Luckily Mastercard was very helpful and I'm not paying for their little food spree. I was pretty bummed that afternoon but now... f*** it! My awesome mom is sending me a new debit card and Mastercard already has another credit card on the way! Sooo we took a bus for 6 hours yesterday to get here and ... read more


Keep on moving In Quetzaltenango I met a guy from Switzerland and we walked around the city the same afternoon. One of the most interesting places was the marked. With so many stalls with food, shoes and clothes. In the evening we met two English girls and we went to an Indian restaurant. I was surprised there even was one. The food was delicious and it was fun to talk about travelling. The next day I went by bus to Huehuetenango. Every time on the bus it is so much fun to look around what’s happening and look at the beautiful landscape passing by. Besides that it feels good to travel and to be on the move, not staying a minute to long at the same place. Being joyful in a rotten place When I arrived ... read more
Inside the caves of Lanquin
Jumping of the bridge or not?
Semuc Champey


Efter et par dages afslapning i Antigua, besluttede vi os for at tage ud for at bestige vulkaner! Det blev en vulkan i naerheden af Guatemala City, som hedder Pacaya. Vulkanen er stadig aktiv, saa vi glaedede os til at se en masse lava - og vi blev ikke skuffede! Det var en til tider ret haard tur opad. Nogle steder var det temmeligt stejlt, og paa lange straekninger var der rullesten og grus, som man skred rundt i. Paa naesten hele turen var der et par taalmodige guatemaltekere, som fulgte efter os med nogle heste, og ca. hver femte minut spurgte, om vi ville have en "taxi" resten af vejen op ad vulkanen. Vi klarede os dog uden, og endelig kom vi op til lavaen! Pludselig blev det bare rigtig varmt, og saa vidste vi, ... read more


A few photos of our adventure from Rio Duclce, gautemala to Lanquin, Gautemala... read more
Brigitte in the  sumec chamey?
Butterfly
Jeremy et Brigitte


El fin de semana pasado, aprovechando que era la festividad del Maestro, y no se daba clases (...más adelante les cuento como se celebra aqui esta festividad) junto con tres maestros mas , también voluntarios, hicimos una esacapada a las montañas, a un parque nacional llamado Semuc Champey. El recorrido fué en camioneta y en "chicken bus" por carreteras sin asfaltar salpicadas de puequeñas aldeas mayas . Este parque nacional es celebre por sus pozas de aguas cristalinas escalalonadas en las que se puede nadar y que se llenan con el agua fresca del rio Cahabón de color verde turquesa. Imaginad enormes piscinas de agua naturales en forma escalonada conectadas unas con otras y todo en medio de una gran jungla con todo tipo de animales y aves . Estuvimos ahì el dia entero disfrutando este ... read more
Bats
Lara en Chicken bus
Mi cama!!!




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