Life's a Beach | Expat Life in Playa del Carmen : Guatemala

Road Trip Guatemala - The Ruins at Tikal

Rob Kinnon — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 18:43:00 GMT

Today we visited the ruins of the ancient Mayan city, Tikal. Leave it to the Kinnons to leave something as important as this until last. To be perfectly honest, I was a little worried that I might by psyching myself up too much. We've all seen the travel posters for Guatemala, right? The giant temple in the main Plaza gleaming in the sun, towering over the jungle. Maybe I had built this up too much in my mind. After all, we have climbed El Castillo at Chichen Itza, the High Temple at Lamanai, both La Iglesia and Nohoch Mul at Coba and The Acropolis at Ek Balam. Let's just say, we've seen some ruins, but I was still really looking forward to Tikal.

In order to get the most out of our visit, we hired a licensed bilingual guide (not cheap) at the entrance and asked him to give us a tour of the highlights of the site. It is recommended that vistors spend three days investigating this large ruin site. We had about three hours. Think, the Griswolds at the Grand Canyon.

Our guide was very knowledgeable and excellently managed our time in each grouping so that we would be able to see as much as possible. He was a bit at a loss with us, as much of the geological information pertinent to this part of the world, interesting facts about the flora and fauna and much of the Mayan history we were already well versed in. We trekked through the jungle, all the while our guide pointing out interesting plants and vines and listening for monkeys in the trees overhead. He seemed quite taken aback to hear my kids comparing and contrasting this archeological site with those at Xunantunich and Lamanai.....in Spanish.

Unlike most sites where visitors can still climb straight up some of the temples, Tikal has errected a series of well built staircases up the sides of the structures making it easy to walk up and take in the panoramic vistas over the jungle. OK, I know, it's wonderfully safe and it keeps the edifices from getting needlessly worn and possibly destroyed....but it's just not the same as scrambling up on all fours, shaking at the knees and running into the bums of fellow climbers. As the days of climbing pyramids and temples will most likely be over soon, I suppose this solution will have to do.

Pyramid 4

View to the Main Plaza from Pyramid 4

I guarantee you, Rob has no idea how close his foot is to the edge! Eeeek!

Montezuma Oropendola - We saw a lot of these on and around the site.

The North Acropolis

Standing on the Temple of the Masks looking over the Main Plaza to the Grand Jaguar Temple.

Pyramid 5

The stairs are steeper than the pyramid!

While we were at Pyramid 5, this fellow, a large male "pizote" stopped in to raid the garbage bins then stuck around for a photo shoot. He had no fear of me at all and came right up to say hello.

All in all, it was a good day and the ruins were exciting to see. I think I would like to return to Tikal the next time we are in the San Ignacio neighborhood and try to spend the night onsite. I hear that is quite an experience in itself! Perhaps the biggest surprize of the day happened as we were driving back down to El Remate. Pulling up behind another car that had stopped by the side of the road, we discovered they had found a family of howler monkeys hanging out in the trees along the road. There were several juveniles, a mother with her baby and a big daddy. We had enjoyed an up close encounter with semi-tame howler monkeys at the Baboon Sanctuary in Belize last year, but this was our first sighting in the wild.

This completed our day and put the perfect finishing touch on our family journey. Exhilarated, we headed for the border and braced for a long ride home.

Guatemala Road Trip - Flores

Rob Kinnon — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 20:56:00 GMT

Having just suffered through the agonizing trip from Atitlan to Rio Dulce, the scant four hours to Flores seemed like a hop, skip and a jump to us. The drive was easy and uneventful and we arrived in Flores earlier than expected with plenty of sunlight hours to walk through the town. Flores is pretty and very well kept, the homes all painted in varying shades of soft pastels.

The causeway going across from Santa Elena to Flores

The malecon

Surrounded on all sides by Lake Peten Itza, the lake itself is the main focus of this island. The east side boasts a spotless malecon and the west is lined with lovely little hotels and restaurants poised to take advantage of spectacular sunset views. We had planned to stay at La Casona de la Isla, one of smaller charming boutique hotels on Calle 30 de junio but this street and several other main roads through the village were being torn up so we ended up at the only "luxury" property on the island, Gran Hotel de la Isla, sort of the Holiday Inn of Flores. It was a bit cheesy for my taste and the staff acted as if we were their first guests....EVER....but the pool was nice and the interior walls of the hotel were covered with colorful murals depicting the ruins at Tikal and many of the Mayan gods, all described in Itza, Spanish and English. Cute.

After quickly checking in, we walked down the block and found a nice place on the lake for a drink and a snack. We sat and chatted with a nice couple from Amsterdam who were traveling through Guatemala, Belize and Mexico and swapped travel tips and impressions of the places we had seen. With an hour or so until sunset, we went off to explore the town and find a place to settle in for dinner and enjoy the views over the lake.

Cocktails and naranjadas at Raices Restaurant

Lanchero

Looking west to Santa Elena

Catholic Church of Flores

Learning to play the Marimba at a local music school.

Tuc-Tuc!!

After perusing the various dining options of the west side of the island we settled on Villa del Chef, a small inn and restaurant owned and operated by a German couple who had immigrated to Flores. The menu was a mix of guatemaltecan specialities, includng the local fish "El Blanco", and Arabic-Mediterranean cuisine and was a nice break from grilled meats and sausages. Passing on the nifty after dinner water pipes offered, we headed back to the hotel for a late night swim and tucked in early, excited to spend our last day in Guatemala exploring its most famous ruins, the ancient Mayan city of Tikal.

Villa del Chef

Ready for dinner, our last in Guatemala

Gorgeous sunset over Lake Peten Itza

Tomorrow, the ruins at Tikal and the trek back home.

Guatemala Road Trip - Rio Dulce and Livingston

Rob Kinnon — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 19:32:00 GMT

This morning we all slept in and woke to a rainy day. Well rested and now a bit bored we decided to ignore the weather and hire a "lancha" to take us to see the nearby Garifuna village, Livingston. By the time we were ready to leave, the rain had abated and we set out on a lovely day on the water. From the marina we took a quick detour around the aptly named Bird Island then travelled east where the river swells into a wide expanse known as El Golfete.

Local fisherman

Cormorants on Bird Island

Great Egrets

Guatemalan Navy???

Captain Birdie!

Starting at Lago Izabal, the largest lake in Guatemala, and stretching 42 kilometers, over centuries, the river has quietly carved a stunning gorge through the mountains and out to the Bay of Honduras. Trees and vines seem to pour off the steep cliffs, surrounding us with a shocking cascade of green. This area is home to cormorants, egrets, pelicans, frigates and more than 280 other bird species. They can be seen everywhere, thriving in this healthy ecosystem. In this place, you can see and feel why the jungle is called "the lungs of the planet". In addition to the marinas and small eco-resorts, the river is home to many indigenous families who maneuver the river in hand-made dugout canoes, the design for which has not changes in centuries. Fishermen scour the river banks in their canoes, spear fishing and setting crab traps to feed their families. There is no shortage of food here. After a brief stop off at a small natural hot spring, we continued on through the gorges, past the steep white cliffs known as "La Pintada" and onward to Livingston.

Cole's favorite spot.

More Egrets

Northern Jacana

Local girls

The gorges of Rio Dulce

La Pintada

After the fun we had in Hopkins, Belize last year, we were looking forward to checking out another Garifuna village. I also had my sites set on finding an authentic, locally made drum for Cole who has taken up Cuban drumming at Parque la Ceiba. Following the rhythmic beats coming from town, we happened upon a young group of musicans in a restaurant playing the traditonal drums, turtle shells and maracas. Cole was thrilled and we hoped we would run into them again during our short visit.

Coming into Livingston

Garfuna boys

Quiet streets

Local washing area

We enjoyed a stroll through the villlage to the beach, which was as we had been told, dirty and poluted from run-off from the town. Unfortunately, we did not have time to venture further to Playa Blanca or the waterfalls called Siete Altares, both highlights of this area. Hungry and pressed for time, we stopped for lunch at a lively restaurant/tour operator called Happy Fish. I made sure to try the local specialty, Tapado, a fish stew made with green bananas and coconut milk. While waiting, Rob venture out to inquire where we might find the drums we were seeking. Just our luck, an elderly gentleman informed us that the last resident drum maker in Livingston had passed away. Now, they have to make the trip north to Hopkins to buy the drums for the village. *sigh* Oh well. I guess we have another trip to Belize in our future! Livingston is colorful and charming, but was filled with cruise shippers on this day. Without a night or two in town to explore and meet the locals, we came away feeling that we had missed out a bit.

Boys Playing

Royal Terns

Brown Pelican

When we returned to Bruno's, they were already entertaining the sunset expat crowd. We settled in with a few Botrans and had one of best meals of the whole trip, perfectly grilled "lomito" with potatoes and a fresh garden salad. After dinner, we took the kids back to the carnival for a few more turns on the ferris wheel and then tucked in for the night. Tomorrow, Flores enroute to the ruins at Tikal!

Guatemala Road Trip - Rio Dulce

Rob Kinnon — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 03:20:00 GMT

With a long drive ahead of us, we had our last breakfast at Hotel Dos Mundos, carefully packed all of our purchases from Chichicastenango into the back of the truck and made our way back through the mountains toward Guatemala City. Our car has certainly taken a real beating on these twisting, plunging roads, as has our patience.

A colorful cemetery in Solola

Plans to visit the Biosphere in Coban, the black Christ in Esquipulas and the ruins at Quiriguia were tabled in an effort to reduce our time in the car and make the trip less frantic and exhausting for us all. I have to admit that fifteen days into the trip, even I (Little Miss Get Up and Go,Go,Go!!) was starting to feel the effects and longing for something that resembled a real "vacation". Unfortunately, this day would bring no rest. On the contrary, this was our worst driving day yet. Two hours hopelessly lost in Guatemala traffic, slow moving trucks and road construction all conspired against us, making for a tough eight hour journey from Lake Atitlan to Rio Dulce.

We arrived in Rio Dulce long past sundown and made a bee-line for Bruno's Marina, a popular stop for the sailing set, recommended to us by our friend and former landlord, Brian. With the exception of a general warning issued to us by a border guard when we entered the country, this was the first time that we had been told to halt our travel for the evening. Our intended destination for the night was Hacienda Tijax, a cool spot on the river highly touted in all the guidebooks. The girls at Bruno's let us know in no uncertain terms that the desolate river road bringing us to Tijax was not safe and known to be a trouble spot at night. They were happy to call us a "lancha", but at this point, we were all so frazzled from the drive that we just wanted to bed down for the night. And so we did.

The next day, we did nothing.

That's right, nothing. Nothing, nothing, nothing.

It was great.

Here are some pictures.

Nothing

Birdie and Maria doing nothing.

Cole doing nothing.

After a long, relaxing day of doing nothing, we wandered into town to check out the carnival that was set up under the Rio Dulce bridge. The kids had spied the huge ferris wheel upon our arrival and promises were made for rides and carnie food. Having seen to many a carnival in Mexico, this one brought no surprizes. Ricketty, poorly maintained rides, bad fried food, impossible games of chance with horrible prizes: we've seen it all before. Still, my children were delighted and we spent the better part of the evening wandering from stall to stall looking for something edible.

Bellies rumbling and too late for dinner at Bruno's, we headed into town to find a suitable "comedor". The girls at the bar had recommended Jocelyn's and we were not disappointed. We chowed down on greasy fried chicken and fresh smoothies as dozens of produce trucks roared by behind us. OK, so the atmosphere may leave something to be desired but the food really hit the spot. Pleased with our room and the vibe at Bruno's, we had decided to stay for another night rather than move on to Tijax. We all tumbled into our beds, looking forward to a more active day toorrow, exploring more of the area.

Tomorrow, we explore the Rio Dulce and visit the Garifuna town, Livingston.

Guatemala Road Trip - Santiago Atitlan and San Pedro la Laguna

Rob Kinnon — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 13:01:00 GMT

Good news! Rob is on the mend and today he was feeling up to a boat ride across the lake to explore some of the smaller villages, specifically Santiago and San Pedro. We hired a lancha and set off to enjoy a beautiful warm day. It was overcast as we started off across the lake which made the volcanoes surrounding us seem very ominous as they appeared and disappeared in the mist. It was a still day and the water was just like glass. We easily skimmed along to the other side of the lake in record time.

Our first stop was Santiago, a lovely village on the lake that has managed to maintain much of it's authenticity despite the increase in tourism in this attractive region. Santiago is an excellent place to visit if you are interested in seeing the daily workings of a modern Maya village. The local language, Tzutujil, is still spoken predominantly although the vendors use enough Spanish to peddle their wares. There are 54 known Maya languages currently in use in Guatemala, each unique to a region, department (state) or village. For more information on the various Maya languages in Guatemala, click here.

Wanting to make the most of our time, we hired a tuk-tuk to drive us through the city, giving us the "whistle-stop" tour as we went along. First stop, to find Maximon. In Santiago, there are five Maximons. Each of the five idols is kept in the home of a different family every year. They are charged with his care and some of the money that is "offered" to him goes to support the family. In this case, we stopped on a narrow, empty street and were pointed down an even narrower back alley, past a few other homes, to a small open door. A classic W.W.M.D. moment if there ever was one. This, the first of the host homes that we would find, was a cramped, dark, incense filled room, with chairs for his guests and followers. It was lit with candles and decorated with hanging flowers, herbs, and liquor bottles. Maximon was covered with silk scarves and flanked on either side by his attendants (posse) who welcomed us inside, granted us permission to take photos, accepted donations and generally held court.

We continued our tour with a visit to the lovely Catholic church with its impressive bell tower. Parts of this church date all the way back to 1571.

As we drove up over the town, we were afforded a great view of the public washing area on the shore. I love that the municipality provides garbage bins.

We continued on up the hill to a small park built to memorialize the eleven lives lost in the winter of 1990 when the Guatemalan military opened fire into a group of demonstrators. The massacre was so shocking and reflected so poorly on the current administration that they immediately pulled all forces out of Santiago, never to return. A small ceremony is performed on this spot every year on December 2.

Before finishing our tour of the village, we made a last minute visit to a second "Casa de Maximon", located in an empty room behind a bike shop. The now familiar idol was placed at one end of an airy, nearly empty room, colorful flowers and crepe paper decorations overhead, with his wife, smoking a cigarette in a coffin like enclosure behind him. Judging from the empty booze bottles lined up for her, she must have been quite a broad! In an adjacent open air courtyard, the ladies of the house, tended to the washing of the clothes that adorn the idol. There must have been hundreds of fanciful scarves hung out, drying in the sun.

We have found that, for the most part in the towns of the Western Highlands, the women still wear the tradition huipiles of their region. I would conservatively say that 85% of the women we saw were in the dress customary to their village but that, by and large, the men tended to lean toward more modern, "westernized" attire. In Santiago, the majority of the men also wore their traditonal trajes, white and purple shorts, cut below the knee, striped and/or embellished with rows of exquisitely embroidered regional birds. These daily wear outfits, the short pants often paired with a well pressed button down oxford-style shirt, the traditional "banda" wrapped around the waist and a straw cowboy hat were really good looking. The women wore costumes, predominantly in shades of blue and purple, all with the colorful embroidered birds or flowers on their huipiles. This village and these costumes were the standout favorites of this trip.

Doesn't he look just dandy!

From Santiago, our lancha took us about 20 minutes northwest to San Pedro. Often referred to as "the new Pana", San Pedro has become the new hot spot for young travelers and really caters to the European backpacking crowd. The town is also starting to attract a lot of Spanish students looking for an alternative to Antigua and Xela. After a quick lunch at Nick's, we found a tuk-tuk to take us around and show us the sights.

Our kids fishing off the docks below us.

Traditional traje of San Pedro la Laguna

A small, family run coffee processor.

Great view of the new Evangelical Christian Church in San Pedro.

El Nariz del Indio - Can you see it?

We puttered around San Pedro and neighboring San Juan for awhile, seeing the sights and chatting with our young drivers. The boys let our kids take turns driving the tuk-tuk which will undoubtedly become a highlight of their trip. The afternoon winds having picked up, our ride back to Pana was considerably less comfortable than the trip across. We were tired when we returned, after a delicious Asian inspired meal at "Chinitas", we tumbled into bed early and rested up for the big drive ahead of us.

Next stop, Rio Dulce!

Guatemala Road Trip - Atitlan Nature Reserve

Rob Kinnon — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 16:36:00 GMT

When we awoke this morning, Rob was feeling a bit better but not enough so to risk a day on the lake or wandering around remote hillside villages. After our complimentary breakfast, the kids and I decided to explore the Atitlan Nature Reserve located just a few minutes away by Tuk-Tuk. The focus of this visit was undoubtedly the "Cables Extremos", the high flying zip wires that criss-crossed the reserve with breathtaking views over the jungle, the waterfalls and out to the lake. Surprizingly, I have managed to make it to the ripe old age of 41 having never been on a zip line tour. My emotions were mixed about this experience but the kiddos were bound and determined to do it, and so I was along for the ride too. We suited up, and after a short explaination of the process from our two guides, we climbed 30 minutes up through the dense jungle and across several bouncy suspension bridges to the beginning of the cables. There was some debate about whether the children should ride by themselves or with the guides, but the kids easily won out, convinced that they could do it all on their own. And so they did with me following up after having to watch each of my precious children fearlessly hurl themselves into space and soar hundreds of feet above the treetops.

Our guides got a huge kick out of Birdie and Cole, delighting in their squeals and outbursts of Spanish swear words. We all made it down safely and spent an hour or so exploring the rest of the reserve, including the butterfly sanctuary. I'm not sure whether the netting was keeping the butterflies in or out as we only saw a handful of specimins actually inside the enclosed area. There were a lot of pretty flowers, so the experience was not a total loss.

In one area, we came upon a group of spider monkeys and coatimundii feeding along a stream. They scrambled into the trees as we drew near but stayed close enough for me to snap a few pictures.

Rob was feeling up to dinner when we returned, so we left the kids with Christina, a nice, young lady working at the hotel, and went out for a stroll around town and more Italian food at Circus Bar. Reportedly very popular with the expat crown, we found the bar and restaurant packed from the time we arrived to the time we left. This, and PanaRock a bar with live music on Calle Santander, seemed to be the only lively places in town. We enjoyed our woodoven fired pizza and calzone, wandered back through town, and returned to the hotel early enough to tuck the kids in. Boy, we are getting OLD!

Tomorrow, with any luck, we will hire a lancha and make the trip across the lake to Santiago and San Pedro.

Guatemala Road Trip - Panajachel on Lake Atitlan

Rob Kinnon — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 14:42:00 GMT

This morning Rob woke with what would be an uncomfortable and somewhat restrictive stomach issue. He and the kids decided to hang out around the pool at the hotel while I went out to explore this pretty lakeside town. It appears, much like any popular lakes in the US, Atitlan doesn't really get going until the folks from Guatemala City and Antigua pour in on the weekends. Nevertheless, there were hundreds and hundreds of vendors set up and "lancheros" hoping to get a few fares to the other villages on the lake. Pana is a pretty town, obviously the hub of tourist activity and as such, at first glance does not seem to hold much interest for cultural observers. Looking closer, I found that with all the vendors flocking here daily from their respective villages, there was a fascinating array of languages to listen to and "trajes" to see. Most spoke enough Spanish to be able to tell me where they were from and decribe what distinguished their group from the others. I found that they all have a tremendous amount of pride regarding their home village and their traditions, each believing their costume to be the most elaborate, their town the most beautiful and their people the cleverest in all of Guatemala.

One of the things I like best about Guatemala it the variety of beautiful flowering plants, either growing wild or thoughtfully planted in gardens and yards. Many of the species, such as the typical red geranium, so popular in suburban planters in the US, grow wild here make for unlimited technicolor landscaping options. The amazing array of colorful flowering plants and vines, both familiar and exotic, draws butterflies and hummingbirds and fill the air with a heady sweet perfume. I could have sat overlooking the lake all day.

Later in the afternoon, I returned to the hotel to check on my poor sick husband and a swim with the kids. We enjoyed an excellent dinner at the Italian restaurant onsite, likely one of the best in town, and turned in early, hoping for a healthy day tomorrow.

Go to Day 13 - Atitlan Nature Reserve

Guatemala Road Trip - Market Day in Chichicastenango

Rob Kinnon — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 16:53:00 GMT

Up to this point on the trip, we have been fairly restrained in our souvenir purchases, in anticipation of one big blowout shopping day at the world famous market in Chichicastenango. On our way, we made a short detour just west of the Cuatro Caminos and made a visit to the tiny hillside village of San Andres Xecul, to see what may be the most often photographed church in all of Guatemala. A veritable cacaphony of colors and carvings, this church and the small, friendly market were well worth the side trip.

I would be remiss if I did not mention that indeed, contrary to recent reports, there are chickens on the ubiquitous Guatemalan "Chicken Buses". After seeing this, I'm not sure what is less comfortable, the seats or these baskets.

With the exception of the mercado in Antigua, each of the market days we have experienced so far has been a "locals only" affair, not really meant for tourists and little to draw them outside of cultural interest. The market in Chichi, is the second largest in Guatemala and "the" place to buy textiles and handcrafts from all across the country. We had our sights set on colorful woven blankets, table coverings and bedspreads and we were not disappointed. On the contrary, the whole experience was rather overwhelming.

Nothing you read in the guidebooks or travel reports can really prepare you for this level of sensory overload. We had been warned to hide our money and only keep on what we needed for the day in an effort to thwart pickpockets reportly working the market days in search of unwary tourists. We were pleasantly surprized that at no time did we ever feel like anyone was trying to rob us. The shopkeepers with stalls were appropriately aggressive, but we were unprepared for the tenacity of the walking vendors, particularily the older women selling piles of embroidered and woven pieces. Once they saw that we were here to buy, they were on us like bees to honey. It was not unusual for a group to follow us and make their pitch for 20 minutes to a half an hour as we walked along trying to ignore them without being rude. They do get rather close and have no problem touching your arm to get your attention. If personal space is important to you, you may be very uncomfortable in the Chichi market. As we were here on a mission, I didn't take too many pictures, but I have a truckful of gorgeous textiles and masks to remember the day by.

Exhausted from a long day of shopping, bargaining and hauling packages, we were blessed with an easy one hour drive south into Panajachel on the shores of Lake Atitlan. We quickly found our hotel, Dos Mundos, which turned out to be far nicer than we had anticipated, dumped our stuff in the room and immediately went out in search of food along the main drag, Calle Santander. Pinguinos was featuring a charming (hokey tourist atraction) Marimba band which the kids just loved. I recorded a short video clip of the band which I will upload to YouTube and edit in to this post when we return home.

After dinner, one of the young musicians let Birdie play dress up in one of the authentic regional "trajes" of nearby Santiago Atitlan. How cute is that! The perfect end to a perfect day in Guatemala. Tomorrow, more of Panajachel on Lago Atitlan.

Guatemala Road Trip - Market Day in Momostenango and the Search for Rompopo

Rob Kinnon — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 12:56:00 GMT

This was one of those days that where everything just seemed to conspire against us. Now ten days into our trip, we have become accustomed to getting ourselves completely turned around and lost. It seems that no matter how many maps we consult, we aways end up having to stop and ask for directions several times enroute. This day would be no different, but for some reason, the stresses of manuevering our big truck through unmarked narrow streets clearly designed for pedestrians and horses really took a toll on our good humor and spirit of adventure. To make matters worse, our ultimate destination, Momostenango, a mountain village famous for its thick blankets woven from deer and goat hair, turned out to be disappointing. The market was haphazard and dirty and nowhere we wanted to investigate in any detail. We found a few blankets in one of the local shops but the designs were unattractive and the wool was scratchy, certainly not something we need back home on the Riviera Maya. That being said, having experienced the cold mountain nights, I can see why these blankets would be popular.

After getting lost (again) we found a back route, down south, out of the mountains, toward Xela. Hungry and grumpy, we still had one more stop to make before calling it a day. I was bound and determined to not have this day be a total loss, so I steered us in the direction of Sajcaja, a small town known for two locally made spirits, Rompopo and Caldo de Frutas. Of course, once again, we wandered aimlessly through the tight sreets and alleys, following vague directions from local shop keeps to various locations where we might find the brews we were seeking. Finally, we arrived at the "Fabrica de Rompopo" and managed to purchase not only this sickly, yellow eggnog-like substance but also an unlabeled bottle of the foggy, punch-like concoction known only as "caldo de frutas", directly translated as fruit broth.

Feeling slightly more satisfied with ourselves we wandered back into Xela, and immediately taste tested our two new purchases back at the hotel. Rob was more parcial to the caldo de frutas, which tasted much like a fermeted version of the traditional Mexican ponch we enjoy at Christmas time. The Rompopo was as described in all the guidebooks, better tasting than it looks and essentially like sweet, spirited eggnog. While I could never drink very much of it in one sitting, I found the Rompopo quite delicious and am hoping to drag the rest of the bottle home with me.

Tomorrow, what is sure to be a highlight of this trip: world famous market day in Chichicastenango.

Guatemala Road Trip - Market Day in Almolonga and Las Fuentes Georginas

Rob Kinnon — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 23:54:00 GMT

After a quick breakfast in the hotel's posh and popular restaurant and dropping off our laundry at a nearby full service lavanderia, we headed south of Xela to investigate the nearby towns of Almolonga and Zunil. I had heard on good authority that the locals' vegetable market at Almolonga was something to see and a completely authentic cultural experience. We were not disappointed. The first thing we did was to drive straight down into the fields to see the source of this legendary produce. It was fascinating to watch the farmers working their plots using age old techniques using companion plants, crop rotation and manual irrigation. Although we learned that most of this produce is shipped out to El Salvadore, I now know why the vegetables and greens in Antigua were so fresh and delicious.

Almolonga

A farmer irrigating his crops from a labrynth of hand dug channels. The shovel is wooden.

From Almolonga, we drove south to the village of Zunil to see the market and the beautiful Iglesia de Santa Caterina. Trucks were lined up in and out of the city and we didn't even get close to the market itself but we did manage to see the beautifully maintained church.

Zunil

Iglesia de Santa Catarina

From Zunil, we turned sharply up into the mountains and drove a nailbiting 8 kilometers to find the legendary Fuentes Georginas. Renowned not only for their beauty but also for their curative powers, these natural hot springs are a popular stop for tour operators and locals alike. We had the place essentially to ourselves for awhile until a few larger groups trickled in. This is an amazing place and a "must see" if you are in the Western Highlands.

Check out these ferns! I tried to use the truck for scale. The closer we got to the springs, the BIGGER everything became.

The hot springs have several rustic bungalows where visitors can spend the night and numerous picnic areas along the hillside. There are changing rooms, bathrooms, lockers and even a nice little restaurant. One of the guide books we had brought with us reportedthat the springs, rather than hot, had grown tepid over the years, making them no longer worth the visit. We found this to be completely false. The water in the first pool was very hot,so much so that the kids could not get all the way in. Rob and I could linger for awhile at one end but couldn't manage to wade in as far as the source of the spring coming off the mountain.

Ahhhhhhh.

One brave soul managed to make it all the way in to the rocky face of the cliff where the water was pouring into the pool. While we were there, he was enlisted by several locals to fill various containers with the water, presumably to bring home to ailing family members or friends.

From this view, you can see the progression of the pools, the first and hottest, being close to the mountain and the last, most tepid pool, is where most of the children splashed and played. This was a wonderful spot to visit. Once we finally managed to cool ourselves down, we groggily headed back to Xela, had dinner near the hotel and tucked in for the night. Tomorrow, market day in Momostenango.

Guatemala Road Trip - Antigua to Quetzaltenango

Rob Kinnon — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 23:56:00 GMT

On our last morning in beautiful Antigua, we fueled up with a delicious breakfast at Rainbow Cafe and headed out to our next destination, Quetzaltenango, in the Western Highlands. As I anticipated the trip would take at least 4 hours, I only built in two stops along the way: the market in Chimaltenango and a visit to San Simon in the village of San Andres Itzapa. Chimaltenango turned out to be a disappointment from a cultural perspective, but definitely the place to be if you need to "pimp your ride" in Guatemala with seemingly hundreds of stores selling auto parts and accessories.

San Simon, also known as Maximon or Ry Laj Man, is a fascinating figure very important in both the traditional Guatemalan Catholicism and pagan Maya religion. Often referred to the patron siaint of drunkards, prostitutes and gamblers, this colorful and mystifying character is revered in Guatemala and often sought after to grant wishes, heal the sick and bestow prosperity among his devotees. The plaques that decorate the walls of the "Casa of San Simon" in Itzapa all give testimony and thanks to his great powers.

Figures of San Simon, holders for burning copal and other "recuerdos" for visitors to take home.

The store where all the candles, herbs and cigars are sold.

Each different color represents a wish: green for work and prosperity, red for love, yellow for protection, black for revenge.

Outside the "Casa of San Simon" devotees burned offerings in the courtyard, leaving smoldering piles of ash. Along one wall of the compound, several men and even one woman, sat in the shade smoking the gigantic hand rolled cigars, allegedly a favorite treat of Maximon.

Rather than pews, this church-like home is furnished with a dozen metal tables on which his followers burn candles and leave lit cigarettes. Dressed in traditional Western garb, a dark suit and hat nd spoting a heavy black moustache, San Simon holds court surrounded by flowers and other offerings. At the altar, visitors leave money, cigarettes and alcohol as gifts to please Maximon and win his favor. While were were there we watched a purification ceremony where a woman flogged a man with a bundle of herbs and then sprayed alcohol on him from her mouth. He then tucked money into the pocket of the saint and sprinkled him with more of the potent booze.

After our fascinating visit with San Simon, we made tracks for Quetzaltenango in the Western Highlands. As we drove, the pine forests of San Andres Itzapa gave way to vast expanses of farmland, a perfect patchwork of small homesteads growing, cabbage, lettuce, melons, and beans. Along the way, we happened upon this lovely restaurant, appropriately named El Mirador, set high in the hills on the Pan-American Highway, overlooking between Santa Cruz Balanya and Tecpan. We ordered the "Parillada", two enormous platters overflowing with grilled chorizo, lomito, chicken, longaniza, potatoes and spring onions which came with a pile of home made tortillas, soup and a pitcher of naranjada. Fabulous!

Several hours later and just after nightfall, we arrrived in Quetzaltenango or Xela, as it is more commonly called. We easily found our hotel, Pension Bonfaz, located just off the Parque Central, threw our bags in the rooms and headed out for well deserved cocktails and dinner. Just across the plaza, the impressive Pasaje Enriquez invited us inside to investigate. We had drinks and pizza at the local hot spot for locals and the many students studying Spanish in the second largest city in the country. Salon Tecun, reported to be the oldest bar in Guatemala, has a great time worn atmosphere and really decent food. Just what we needed after a long day on the road.

Pasaje Enriquez

Tomorrow, market day in Almolonga and the Fuentes Georginas.

Guatemala Road Trip - Chapin Auto Safari

Rob Kinnon — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 03:38:00 GMT

While we should have been attending Mass at any one of the magnificent churches in Antigua holding Easter services, the heathen Kinnon family decided to avoid the crowds, head out of town and have another adventure. Our destination: the Chapin Auto Safari, an hour and a half (if you don't get lost and stop for directions half a dozen times) south east of Antigua, about 40 miles from the border of El Salvador.

I had done a little bit of research about this drive-thru zoo but we were surprized by what a well run organization they have put together. In addition to an excellent collection of animals indigenous to Guatemala and Central America, they also had a number of more exotic "safariesque" creatures like giraffes and lions. The animals all looked healthy, well fed and relaxed with plenty of room to wander about. God bless Central America, Birdie and Cole were allowed to ride on top of the truck all the way until the lion enclosure. I was really excited to try out my fancy smancy new zoom lens and took hundreds of photos.

At the end of the driving tour we parked and investigated the walking zoo and aviary. This section was somewhat less impressive but still enjoyable. Cole ran into his old friend the tapir and remembered to give him a wide berth this time!

We enjoyed a quick lunch with some of the best fried chicken we have had since last year's journey through Belize and then let the kids cool off and play in the enormous pool. What's more fun than swimming in your underpants!!

We were super impressed with the facilities at Auto Safari Chapin and would absolutely recommend this as a fun day trip from Antigua, whether or not you are travelling with kids. My children would be happy to go along if it would make you feel more comfortable. ;)

Go to Day 8 - Antigua to Quetzaltenango

Guatemala Road Trip - Pacaya Volcano

Rob Kinnon — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 16:25:00 GMT

In our travels on Thursday, we found a local tour agency and booked transport and a guide for Volcano Pacaya. Our van picked us up at 2:00pm from the hotel, and after collecting the rest of our group, transported us an hour and a half southeast of Antigua. In general, we don't usually book a lot of tours when we travel. While we could have easily made the drive ourselves and booked a guide onsite, but ultimately, we were happy going with this group. We met some really nice, like-minded travelers who were happy to share their adventure stories with us. The kids were so excited as we promised them we would make the trip on horseback. Truth be told, between my asthma and Rob's sore feet, there was no way we were going to make the ascent unassisted. It was expensive but so worth it to hear Birdie shreaking with delight every time her guide slapped her horse's rump to send him trotting on ahead of us. I think I see riding lessons in her future. She might be Mommy's little girl after all.

While the volcano is very active, rumbling and cracking ominously every few minutes, today we would see no hot lava flows. We found some thermals where hot air was pouring up from the hardened lava feilds but no luck with the red hot molten lava we were hoping for. We stayed for sunset and then carefully made our descent in the pitch dark, trusting our guides and surefooted horses to return us safely to our van and the rest of our group. It was a great day and an experience the kids will not soon forget.

Go to Day 7 - Auto Safari Chapin

Guatemala Road Trip - Antigua Day 2

Rob Kinnon — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 05:29:00 GMT

On the morning of our second day in this beautiful colonial town, I woke at 2:00am, quietly dressed and crept out onto the dark and desolate streets of Antigua. The procession from La Merced was scheduled to depart at 3:00am and this was an opportunity I did not want to pass up. I was a bit uneasy at first, but as I approached the Parque Central, I encountered dozens of groups laying out their alfombras and crowds of spectators also on their way to the church.

Once I arrived at La Merced, I was glad I had made the effort. The solemn procession was awe inspiring and brought tears to my eyes.

Returning to the hotel at 5:00am, I crawled back into bed for a bit more sleep before venturing back out to watch more of the festivities. A few hours later rested and ready to go, we decided to try out the well known "Rainbow Cafe" for brunch. This place is popular all day and all night with a mediterranean influenced menu, lots of vegetarian options, a full bar, live music in the evenings, a great booktore, full service travel agency and even a lecture series. We enjoyed a very nice meal and hit the cobblestones for more sightseeing and a trip to the Artesans Mercado.

The Mercado was amazing but overwhelming. After a few purchases, we headed back toward La Merced, indending to catch the tail end of the day's procession. While I really wanted Rob and the kids to see this amazing event......

....somehow, we wound up at Reilly's Irish Tavern, perhaps one of the best bars I have ever been in. Great atmosphere, strong drinks, attentive staff and awesome music. What more could you want!

And this is about the time, dear reader, your narrator checks out for the day. Lack of sleep and several Botran Anejos got the best of me. We ate a quick dinner and headed back to Las Farolas where I slept like the dead. Big day planned for tomorrow. Stay tuned!!

Go to Day 6 - Pacaya Volcano

Guatemala Road Trip - Antigua Day 1

Rob Kinnon — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 17:56:00 GMT

Exhausted from the long drive yesterday, Rob slept in for a bit while the kids and I went out for breakfast and to get our bearings around town. As we strolled through the city, we came upon dozens of families creating colorful "alfombras" on the cobblestone streets. Using colored sawdust, grains, pine needles and flowers, they spend hours and hours, often starting the process in the wee hours of the morning, making these elaborate rugs to cushion the feet of "los cucuruchos" as they make their way through the city, carrying the heavy "andas" apon their shoulders. Hours and hours of work, months of planning and preparation, all destroyed in an instant.

We walked over to the Iglesia de San Francisco where one of today's processions was scheduled to begin to confirm the start time and the route they would follow through the city. Although it was quite early, already the grounds were starting to fill up with onlookers, vendors and members of the national media all jockeying for the best position to see the parade.

The kids and I went back to Las Faroles to collect Rob and hurried back to the church in time to watch the the iniciation of the procession. The grounds surrounding the church were now packed wih people, the devout, many of whom have traveled for days to be in attendance for this remarkable spectacle of remembrance. The energy in the air was palpable. Pictures and words cannot possibly describe the event.

Following the crowds, we pressed our way out onto the streets and found a spot from which to watch the entire procession pass by.

As the San Francisco passed us by and continued on its route through the city, another started from the Iglesia de la Esculela de Cristo. This one was smaller but no less interesting.

O our way to search outthe popular expat hangout "Cafe No Se" we came across a group of students creating a beautiful rug in front of their Spanish school "Centro Linguistic La Union". Of course, Birdie jumped at the chance to help out.

After a few drinks at "Cafe No Se" we wandered over to the park at the Church of San Pedro where the public washing basins are still in use. The whole park was filled with food vendors and people enjoying an evening in town. There were dozens of childrens playing "escondidos" (hide and seek) and our kids were only to happy to join in. Apparently, our blond haired and blue eyed children were quite a curiousity.

After a few plates of grilled chorizo and chiles rellenos and a long day of walking, we dragged ourselves back to the hotel for a long night's sleep, although, some of us would have a shorter night than others.

Go to Antigua Day 2