Blogs from Guatemala, Central America Caribbean - page 9

So, this is weird I know I met the driver/ guide at the Adrenalina office, but for the life of me i can't remember his name. I do however remember the taxi driver's name from yesterday...Willy Lopez. Anyway... I've chosen this tour because it includes a church I have wanted to see since I first started coming to Guatemala. I am joining a couple from Barcelona here in Guatemala for the first time. I didn't get their names. As I am the only non-Spanish speaker, we decide on Spanish for explanation and English for clarification.. She is a retired primary teacher, he a retired book publisher. As the day progressed I found out they have travelled extensively, been married 45 years this November and have at least 1 son who has his grandmother's antique Singer sewing ... read more

On Friday morning, I woke up in my little jungle bungalow and had to pack and prepare for our day on the lake and then visiting the small Caribbean town of Livingston. After breakfast, we all piled into a little speedboat and set out for a lovely day on Lake Izabal. Cruising through mangroves and passing by colorful lake front beach shacks, it felt like paradise but also, as though I had left Guatemala and been transported to Jamaica. We arrived in Livingston, a sleepy little town with a super relaxed vibe and a really interesting history. It's located in Eastern Guatemala and sits at the mouth of the Rio Dulce at the Gulf of Honduras. It's well-known for its unusual mix of Garifuna, Afro-Caribbean. Maya and Ladino (mestizo) people and culture and several languages are ... read more

My last day with Guise in Guatemala City was spent running errands as she continued to show me around town. We delivered some of her freshly made bread to friends of hers across town and in the evening, made homemade pizzas while drinking boxed wine. The next morning we woke up early for our mini road trip to Antigua and Guise had made fresh banana cupcakes to drop off at her church. She sent some with me as part of a care package along with a loaf of fresh-baked bread. Guise had volunteered to drive me to Antigua so that we could enjoy a farewell breakfast together and she could buy some goods to send to her daughter Jennifer in the states. We hugged each other goodbye when she dropped me off at the Central Park. ... read more

Clusters of white clouds float past my window as if someone's shaved off the frothy tops of hundreds of thousands of individual root beer floats. Or perhaps we are slowly approaching a new planet that's been overtaken by a mob of cotton candy. This visual makes me laugh quietly to myself as I imagine an army of cotton candy faces charging at us--their swords in hand. As our plane gets nearer and we appear larger and more threatening, they call for backup--a fleet of unicorns with candy-colored hair. With a new journey upon me, I'm embracing a whimsical sense of adventure and imagination! It's been three years since I've last traveled on my own and since I've shared my experiences with an audience. Three years ago I set off on a solo adventure to explore Spain, ... read more

18.5. Die Fahrt nach Coban im Westen Guatemalas ist unspektakulär, das Spannendste ist die Überquerung eines Flusses mit der Fähre. Während der letzten Stunde geht es dann steil bergauf, die Frauen tragen plötzlich weite Röcke und unifarbene Oberteile aus Spitze. Wir werden am Stadtrand ausgeladen, wir sind die einzigen, die hier aussteigen wollen. Der Taxifahrer schmunzelt, als wir seinen Preis zum Hotel akzeptieren – uns erschien er mit knapp drei Franken durchaus angemessen. Nach einer kurzen Ruhepause machen wir uns auf den Weg zu einer Agentur, die, wie wir im Reiseführer gelesen haben, Aufenthalte bei Mayafamilien in der Umgebung vermittelt. Guatemalas Bevölkerung besteht zu 60% aus Mestizos (Nachkommen aus der Verbindung von spanischen Eroberern und Mayafrauen) und zu 40% aus Maya. Diese wurden lange Zeit stark unterdrückt und verfolgt und sind auch heute noch oft benachteil ... read more