GUATEMALA

Upon their arrival to Guatemala, one of the first differences Debora and Pat noticed was an increased presence of armed security guards at supermarkets, hotels, parking lots etc.  These men were often without uniforms and carried shotguns or rifles on their shoulders.  Even after spending the prior weeks in Mexico where the similarly armed Police and Army had stopped their vehicle more than a dozen times for inspection, it still felt strange to have gunned men everywhere they went..

Tikal is one of the most famous ruins in the world.  There are even rumors that the Egyptians are intimidated by them.  It was the first stop in Guatemala after crossing the border from Belize and was well worth it.  One difference between these pyramids and the ones in Mexico is that they can actually be climbed, and the panoramic views up top are beautiful.  Tikal is also a wildlife preserve, so there are monkeys, tejons, snakes and many other animals living freely there.  Nearby is a town called Isla Flores which is built on a small island in a lake that some local guides say was made by the Mayans.  True or not, its a nice place to check out.  

TEMPLE V - TIKAL RUINS

SIDEWALK ON ISLA FLORES

From there they drove southwest, and planned to reach Coban the same day.  But they started late, and not long before dark they had only reached a town called Poptun where they chose to stay the night.  This was one of the wisest decisions they made so far on this trip for a couple of reasons.  First, while staying in Poptun they realized they should visit a beautiful place called Semuc Champey on their way to Coban.  Second, their planned route to Coban turned out to be a very long adventure that would have been nearly impossible at night.  The roads so far in Guatemala weren't great, but they hadn't prepared the travelers for what was to come.  A route they believe would take about 3 hours ended up taking more than 7 mostly due to rough dirt roads winding up and down through one of the country's most mountainous regions.  Despite spending more time and gas on this wild ride, they saw beautiful remote landscapes and passed through tiny rural villages where women make their own clothing by hand and men carry huge loads of corn on their backs up and down rugged mountainsides.

LOCAL TRANSPORTATION IN ONE OF THE LARGEST VILLAGES ON THE WAY TO SEMUC CHAMPEY

THE COW, THE CLOUD AND THE MOUNTAIN

REMOTE SLOW ROAD IN THE GUATEMALAN HIGHLANDS

Just before nightfall they reached Semuc Champey (it means where the water hides underneath the ground) and they stayed in a rustic cabana for about $8.  It was definitely one of the most beautiful attractions seen so far.  A big river disappears into a cave and passes beneath spring-fed limestone formations containing beautifully shaped pools and little waterfalls.  It is gorgeous, but getting there requires a 4x4 vehicle or a ride in one of the local bus/trucks that provide transportation service to the area.  Finally they reached Coban on their fourth night in Guatemala.

LOOKING DOWN ON SEMUC CHAMPEY

SOME MORE SEMUC CHAMPEY

The couple found out the road they had first planned to take to Lake Atitlan and Antigua would be very slow and in bad condition. They also had spent more time and money traveling through Northern Guatemala than anticipated, so they had to change plans and agreed to head for El Salvador next.

The border crossing into El Salvador through the town of San Cristobal was a little chaotic but not too bad.  There were many big trucks parked in a line on the lane to exit the country.  They drove carefully on the opposite side of the road until they reached buildings to do the necessary paper work.  

Crossing into El Salvador was completely free, and this was good because Deb and Pat only had $9.00 cash on them.

TRICKS

- When officers say you have to pay  a fee, ask for a big official looking receipt. If they don't have it, don't pay it

- Ask trustworthy looking locals about the road conditions because they may not be well marked on the map

TROUBLES

- The windows to speak to the imigration officers in San Cristobal border crossing buildings not well signalized and confusing

-  Guatemala has the worst roads so far 

SMALL WATERFALLS

CRYSTAL CLEAR WATER POOLS

WHERE THE WATER DISAPPEARS INTO THE EARTH