Tom Sawyer Guatemala

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Sometimes its good to have a little something go wrong now and then. It reminds you that you are not invinceble. After leaving Tikal and Flores behind me and Barton took off for Coban, on our way to the limestone and the caves at semuc Champey. A few miles down a very well paved highway the road appeared to end in a small lake. We noticed however that a small ferry took you across. AS we drove on the ferry a man was selling 1 dollar fried chicken baskets. Health concerns aside when you are on a small ferry in the middle of Guatemala and a man offers you fried chicken you have to say yes sir. As we dug into our chicken a man next to us was pointing at the bottom of our car. I figured he was just interested in seeing an american plate this far south, besides I was face deep in fried food to take much notice. About an hour later a small boy pointed to the same spot on the car. No big deal, just a curios kid. Another hour later as we rumbled across a rickety wooden bridge a man spelled it out for us, FLAT TIRE GRINGO... We had been, somehow driving an a fairly flat tire for like three hours. Luckily there was no rim damage and a nive guy threw an innertube in the tire or something like that. We spent one night in Coban where we met some good people, two tree planters from Alberta and a young kid from Oregon. Some local tour guides introduced us to a local drink, one part rum, one part, 7 up, and one part beer, actually pretty good and they got us drunk enough to agree to go on their tour in the morning. With out our car parked safely (we assumed) we loaded up on a bus with our new friends and took the four hour ride to Semuc Champey. We spent the next day jumping in and out of a refreshingly cold river and swimming in warm limestone pools. In the late afternoon, in the pouring rain we took off for what was called a cave tour. We were given old shoes to wear and one candle each. At first it felt like a lame disney land ride with 20 giggling tourists walking threw knee deep water in a straight cave. NExt thign you knoe you are alone swimming with your candle aboce water. Three of us got way ahead of the guides and got a little separated. For at least ten minutes I was alone in the cave with my candle and dreams of Tom Sawyer adventures. I even happened upon an italien guy whose candle had gone out was just sitting on a cave ledge waiting for someone to save him. Wild, unsafe, but a great adventure... we even jumped off a 40 foot bridge to finish the day off. Good people and good partying both nights, met a cool UCLA girl who turned out to be a card shark. Met her crazy fly attedant cousin who I ended up giving an impromptu, suprisingly succussful guitar lesson to after >I was 12 beers deep. We arrived in Antigua yesterday, gringo capital of central america. We met back up with previously mentioned, and pictured Norwegian girls and all got drunk and went to a local open mic night. I got some good cuts in before the mezcal took over. We even took Irish car bombs at a pub we found. Antigua is basically west los Angeles surrounded by valcanoes. We ended up at some local womans house that looked like a North SHore mansion. We ate all her cheese and crackers smoked potato, out of a potato (pictures to follow for those of you who realize the epic nature of this feat). Antigua is fun but basically the Aspen ogf Central AMerica... but real fun. We are off to climb an active volcanoe... oh yeah.... XM radio doesnt work in central america..... and I bought a baseball glove to get ready for Nicaraguan league tryouts....

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Photos

Flat Tire #2
after riding on it for 2 hours

Brown at Chemuc Champey
the beard is progessing, slowly but surely

Barton off guard
small balls

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