Blogs from Central America Caribbean - page 1950

15.07.06 Als ich aufwachte, war die Sonne noch hinter den Wolken versteckt. Ich blieb deshalb bis 08.30 Uhr liegen. Heute war ein Besuch in Semuc Champey angesagt. Leider musste ich aber bereits jetzt entscheiden, ob ich eine weitere Nacht bleibe oder nicht. Ich ueberlegte lange Zeit, wie meine weiteren Plaene sein wuerden, kam aber irgendwie auf keine schlaue Loesung. Ich entschied, noch eine Nacht zu bleiben, da heute abend ein kleines Fest angesagt war. Dann machte ich mich endlich auf den Weg. Zuerst besuchte ich erneut den Mirador, um noch ein paar Fotos zu knipsen. Dann musste ich jedoch nochmals zum Hotel zurueckkehren, um die Schuhe zu wechseln, da es ueberall noch ein bisschen zu matschig war fuer schoene Schuhe. Dann hatte ich endlich alle Sachen zusammen und lief nach Semuc Champey. Hier erwartete mich ein ... read more

After four nights in Bocas del Toro, it was time to move on and so we caught an 8:30 flight across to to David, on the pacific side of Panama (only $38!). From there it was a short bus ride up to Boquete, in the Chiriqui highlands. This little village is nestled up in the cloudy hills of Panama, amongst coffee plantations. We walked through the village and through someones elaborate gardens that were open to the public. When the afternoon thunderstorm arrived, we took cover at Cafe Ruiz, a coffee shop at a coffee plantation. We bumped into the Swiss couple from the snorkeling tour, who had taken the boat/bus option from Bocas to David to Boquete instead of flying - it took them something like 13 hours to get there, so we were glad ... read more

So leaving Coban, a medium sized town, for the north and more rural part of Guatemala took me to places where most tourists whizz past on the highway without stopping, kinda like Bakersfield, or Compton. It took me to the town of Chisec for a bus change and then to the town of Raxruyjah (Ray-roo-haah). Being in two towns with absolutely no tourist appeal, let alone tourists, and no interesting indigenous Mayan practices or dress, I had an opportunity to ask the question that was on my mind coming down here: What is third world poverty like? First of all, this question and its investigation gives me some guilt. To be a poverty voyeur seems wrong. These aren't anthropology subjects, they are people. But I've worked with low-income folks in the US, with poor people ... read more

I´ve been away for almost a week on a trip with the quetzaltrekkers through the villages of the Cuchumatane mountains, which less than 20 years was the scene of many devastating massacres during the civil war between the rightwing government army and the socialist Guerillas. Many young men were conscripted by force into the army only to have to kill their neighbouring villagers. Horrific happenings, and the people who survived all this still have the memories fresh in their minds. Hardly surprising that the villagers were a little wary of us as we passed through. Spent an interesting night staying with a family though who were prepared to talk to us about what it was like, and the current state of affairs for the people who live in the villages, which in short is pretty grim. ... read more

Les batteries de la caméras sont a plats, les photos ca sera pour le prochain arrèt. :-( J.P. ... read more