Just a random note and some additional video material from the last two weeks. I'm in León, Nicaragua right now - a very pretty, secure and generally friendly colonial town (AD 1524) -, critically listening to the latest Peppers album "I'm With You". Still safe and sound, even though I heard a dozen rather eerie stories from fellow travelers. However, none about the places in Nicaragua (my fourth country on this trip) I am going to visit - I'll be trying to avoid Managua, the capital (but will have to pass through tomorrow, right after a little detour to one of these fabulous black beaches).

Right below you can (hopefully) see a Google map of most of the places I visited so far, alphabetically ordered. However, the sun is just about to set and I'll be heading out to take some more pictures before coming back to answer some mails. Hi Rita, I'm with you! Silke, sister-heart, I wrote you a second postcard this morning, more to follow.


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I

Mighty magic Guatemalan thunderstorms, filmed from a farm at the Pacific Coast.


II

Crossing Lago Atitlán on a small motorboat from Panajachel (Gringotenango) to small and peaceful San Marcos.


III

Jumping into Lago Atitlán, a vast ancient vulcano crater lake in Guatemala; close to San Marcos.


IV

Enjoying the unspoiled view from Tikal's biggest temple (Templo IV) in El Petén (Guatemala). You can see, among other temples, Templo del Jaguar and hear a whole bunch of howler monkeys in the back. The setting had also been used to shoot the end scenes in "Star Wars IV: A New Hope" back in 1977 (the Rebel base on Yavin IV).


V

Spider monkeys close to the Maya ruins at Tikal in El Petén, Guatemala.


VI

Listening to Reggea music while traveling towards the paradise-like Belizean coast at Placencia.