Blogs from Central America Caribbean - page 3

We were happy with our choice of taking an Uber from Guatemala City to Panajachel on Lake Atitlán. It was pretty speedy - a little too speedy at times - and got us to our hotel at check-in time with military precision! The url=https://www.booking.com/hotel/gt/posada-gutierrez.en-gb.html?aid=1769628&sid=ef6f4c27fb07edaed3e690c1da73a6edHotel Posada Gutierrez was a short walk out of town which we preferred as we had read that the bars could get quite lively. It was a bit expensive for what it was but we were generally satisfied with the place. Breakfast was good and there was always access to filtered water for our bottles. Walking down Calle Santander can be a bit hectic. That's where the loud bars are, and believe me they are loud! There are also some great restaurants there, offering pretty good value for decent quality meals. The street ... read more

We decided to return to Central America this year and travelled with Iberia from Alicante (via Madrid) to Guatemala City. We didn't really know what to expect so we booked a little comfort to start the trip with three nights in the Barceló Hotel. Although it's only a couple of kilometres from the airport, we arrived at rush hour and even in an Uber (booked thanks to the patchy WiFi at the airport) the journey took half an hour or so. The traffic was quite something and I'm not sure we had really anticipated being in a cab and drinking in the city's fumes so soon after our arrival. The hotel was nice but a bit off the backpacker scene that would probably provide most of the rest of our accommodation. Breakfast was, as you would ... read more

This island never disappoints. We motored over the reef in a glass bottom. There was room enough so the every could get a view. I saw my blue tang, my needle fish, lots of parrots, butterfly fish and Sargent majors. The coral looked stressed but I know the locals are doing everything they can to protect it. Lots of pipe organ corals, and brain corals. Every now and then we spotted something bright yellow or vivid purple but I couldn’t identify it. The Captain was knowledgeable and personable and I enjoyed fish spotting. And then….i caught a cold. Sore throat, coughing, and a temp. Went to sack bay and got some cough medicine, took a covid test, negative, and I’m feeling better. We are at Grand Turk. I bet the snorkeling here is outrageous. Tonight is ... read more

Two glorious sea days. My legs are giving me payback for my lack of exercise. Still, I persist. The ship is bulging at the seams but I am getting used to the crowds. We chose to eat in a private venue rather than the dining room where the lines we extremely long. Good choice. We get to eat dinner any time, the menu in basically the same as the dining room but with a couple of special additions. The service is excellent. The downside is that we don’t share with other diners. Dressy night brought out the glamour. Unlike some previous formal nights, a good proportion of the guests made some attempt to dress up. Not a lot of tuxedos but jackets and ties, many long gowns and a couple that might have been seen on ... read more

There are some travel journeys that are seemingly straight forward, but take unforeseen turns, only to eventually work out just fine. Our travel to the lovely island of Nevis was exactly that. Living in Florida, the three-hour journey to the Miami Airport and the flight to St. Kitts were essentially uncomplicated, then the unexpected happened. Let us back up just a little. We had originally booked a nice home to share with our friends Sylvia and Kevin (from the Travelers Century Club) on Nevis back in early July. Normally, you hear from the owners closer to your arrival date with the details about where the home is located and check in information. When Dave did not hear from the host even after messaging him, he placed a call to the owner, only to be told that ... read more