NOTA #3: Entre los mayas en GUATEMALA y los garifunas en BELIZE

Internet, after all. I planned on updating the blog since some days now, but always something (or somebody) intervened and I just kept on having a good time. It's definitely never really getting boring down here. I'm in Copán Ruinas, Honduras right now - having crossed the boarder to the third country just yesterday afternoon (after an intensive one-boat-five-buses-trip from Guatemala's Carribean coast, goddamnit). I just visited the Maya ruins closeby (hence the name) with a fellow traveler from North Carolina and even if it wasn't quite as exciting as Tikal (no monkeys, no ancient skyscrapers and super-expensive, but boring tunnel tours), at least I got away without any of these bites that gave me a hard time last week. So far. The internet connection is fairly quick and I will even be able to upload pictures at the end of my writing, however, it's not exactly supercheap and definitely not stable (the electricity just went off, but luckily I didn't start writing then; the person responsible noted that would be fairly normal for Honduras, however, so I will just stop worrying and love the bomb). Personal soundtrack for the moment: "For What You Dream Of" by Bedrock (feat. KYO). As loud as possible.

Right then! Bored already? Well, here we go. I started my trip through Guatemala last Monday (August 15) with a visit to Quetzaltenango (Xela), stayed there for one night, met one amazing person right at the start (that made me smile throughout the day) and continued to Lago Atitlán, also known as possibly the most beautiful lake in the world (I'm quoting Aldous Huxley here). Huxley also said the following: "Lake Como, it seems to me, touches on the limit of permissibly picturesque, but Atitlán is Como with additional embellishments of several immense volcanoes. It really is too much of a good thing."
(Meanwhile the electricity collapsed again, but I use GMail for writing now, which basically saved most of the above written. I'd wish I have my own little netbook here.) I stayed in a beautiful little place called San Marcos (far away from tourist-ridden Panajachel) and met up with Kiva, the girl from the U.S. I worked with on the farm. We were basically jumping from cliffs right into a huge ancient volcano crater lake, surrounded by some rather recent ones, still pretty impressive.

I took a shuttle bus from Lago Atitlán (via Antigua and Guatemala Ciudad, the dodgy capital) right to Flores in the north - a pretty comfortable overnight-trip through El Petén, Guatemala's biggest (and jungle-spread) district. On the way there I got to know Oliver, a curious, superfriendly and highly-interesting individual from Vancouver, Canada who shared my itinerary. Flores is situated on a small peninsula on a rather huge lake, pretty touristy (but very secure, I would also get drunk there for the first time - on my last night in Guatemala) and, more than anything else, the major starting point for Maya ruins explorations such as Tikal. We stayed in one sublime and superkewl hostel called "Los Amigos" (very recommendable!), ate mostly fresh fruits from the market in another town just close-by (Santa Elena), went for a swim in the lake and eventually made our way to Tikal the following morning (August 18). Tikal is just amazing and rather hard to describe with mere words. As we went there early enough there weren't many tourists around and we encountered quite a buch of both spider and howler monkeys (even though we would merely hear the latter and one wouldn't believe it, but it did sound like one massive Tyrannosaurus Rex getting pretty pissed on something behind the next temple). Templo IV is Tikal's highest plus it had been exceptionally interesting for me, personally, since George Lucas used the view for shooting his first Star Wars film back in 1976 (the Yavin IV rebel base at the end). We did some Yoga excercises on a smaller but very pretty temple later on. Also, I carried away quite some disturbing bug (and/or mosquito) bites which kept on annoying me for the following days.

Did I mention that I liked the hostel? I really did. It's a shame, Oliver's and my ways parted that soon, pero así es la vida, creo. I took a bus to Belize the following day where I spent the two nights. The first in dodgy, but pretty interesting and reggae-ridden Belize City - in a hotel with other (pretty random, alcoholized and noisy) travelers who were on their way to Northern cayes. When they would get stuck playing cards I strolled through the city and hooked up with some locals (some who actually didn't try to sell me dope).
The next morning I took a bus to Placencia (via Belize's capital Belmopan and the 2nd-biggest city Dangriga). Placencia is quite a relaxed and still pretty laid-back place with dream-like and palm-ridden beaches where that is definitely made for couples (I met two young U.S. Americans who spent their honeymoon there). I stayed in "Lydia's Guesthouse" (being aware of the irony) and talked with Lydia (who is around 50) to negotiate the price (since I have to pay a lot more being alone) and she actually told me her brother-in-law's last name would be Wagner as well (So much for the irony?).
I had quite a good night with two rather noisy, but comfortable fans, in total darkness (I shut down the windows for safety reasons, people apparently do try to break in occasionally).

I left Belize via their southernmost "city" Punta Gorda, not without having a long and most interesting conversation with a local barber while waiting for my bus connection (buses don't really stick to timetables) and he apparently appreciated my traveler's advice for setting up a shop (since he spent more than an hour talking after he delievered a big package of toys for his baby daughter onto the Belize City-bound bus. Nice guy.

Before eventually heading on to where I am right now (Copán Ruinas, Honduras, remember?) I had to cross Guatemala one more time (via speed boat right across the Carribean Sea) and stopped over in Lívingston for one night. Quite a special place. I didn't really fancy it too much at first - it's pretty dodgy and not as relaxed as people claim; however, my hostel had been a blast again! We were some 20 people all sitting together, while having a most delicious (vegetarian) dinner. It felt like being on a school trip, just more mature, fun and exciting. I ran into two Israeli girls later that night and we would hang out together for quite some time, sharing awestruck, memorable moments.

I would take a boat to Puerto Barrios (Guatemala's biggest harbour town) the next morning (August 23) and after quite a delicious breakfast, five consecutive buses (medium and small, all local) and a little annoying boarder crossing experience I eventually made it to my third Central American country. Our hostel (praised in pretty much every edition of Lonely Planet and called "En la Manzana Verde") is quite a shitty, boring dive and I definitely wouldn't recommend it. I originally planned on staying longer in town (for doing some laundry, after all, e.g.), but it's not really worth it. I talked to some girls from Madrid this morning (flawless Spanish, yippie!) and they filled my brain with a big bunch of pretty curious-sounding information about the island of Utíla (as part of las Islas de la Bahía). This is going to be my next target. I will likely leave tomorrow morning. Apart from everything I feel safe and sound. The only problem are my slowly dying headphones. I miss you too, Rita. I'm pretty sure you're having an amazing time, Donnie. I tried to call you, but you weren't anwering, cK. One other human creature being stuck in my mind, but well - así es la vida!

So well, since I haven't had problems with electricity for more than one hour, I will now try to upload pictures and videos. Meanwhile it looks like there is quite some storm setting up outside. Very beautiful.


GALERÍA DE IMÁGENES

I

In Quetzaltenango (Xela).


II

Lago Atitlán.


III

On the boat towards...


IV

...San Marcos (Lago Atitlán).


IVb

Vista de San Pedro, otro pueblo.



IVc

In Flores.



V

In Flores (Hostal "Los Amigos").


VI

Tikal: Templo del Gran Jaguar. Oliver y la vista del Templo IV.



VII

Más Tikal.


VIII

Belize City.


IX

Dangriga.
Placencia.


X

La playa en Placencia.



XI

"Lydia's Guesthouse". View from its terrace.


XII

Más Placencia.



XIII

In Punta Gorda.


XIV

In Lívingston, Guatemala.