Nerd Alert In Guatemala!

After an incredibly easy border crossing, our first experience of Guatemala was a terror inducing bus ride in which our gun-ho bus driver had a penchant for attempted overtakes on hairpin bends despite almost zero visibility. Whilst fearing for our lives Colly decided to enlighten us with some interesting facts about Guatemala from the Lonely Planet. Here are some of our favourites.
1. 'Guns, drugs and lives are cheap in Guatemala, an unfriendly combination.'
2. 'Due to people being unhappy with the judicial system, lynchings are an almost daily occurence.'
3. 'In 2002 there were 3606 violent deaths.'
4. 'Rapes, murders and muggings have been common occurences at many tourist destinations.'

Coffee workers doing their thing

After a change of pants we were in Panajachel by the shores of Lake Atitlan which fills a collapsed volcano. After an evening there we boarded a boat across the lake to San Pedro, a chilled out backpacker town. Coffee is one of the biggest industries in Guatemala so we felt it necessary to do a coffee tour to learn more about it. Expecting a chauffeur driven tour culminating with a nice cup of coffee, we were somewhat taken aback when we began scaling a mountain on foot. While we were busy whining and panting our way up, we were put to shame by the children, adults and OAPs carrying 47kg sacks of coffee beans down the mountain. Out of San Pedro´s population of 12,000, 10.000 work in the coffee plantations. The coffee beans are red and sweet so taste a million miles form the roasted coffee beans you get in your average Starbucks.

One Sunday we headed to Chichicastenango, where they hold the biggest market in Latin America. Some beautiful jewellery was purchased on all behalfs and we were very upset that we couldn´t take home one of the adorable chicks, kittens and puppies on sale.

Larking around in Antigua

Next stop Antigua, which was a lovely town with cobbled streets, old monastries and overwhelming views of surrounding volcanoes. An unmissable experience in Guatemala is to climb an active volcano. We opted for the sunset tour of Volcano Pacaya and embarked on a rather exciting and unique adventure. Although we knew we would be seeing lava, nothing could prepare us for being just metres from the flow and the falling red hot rocks. To add to the atmosphere, we could smell the rubber on our shoes burning and feel the heat emanating from the rocks.

Real life lava

In fact the rocks were so jagged that one false move could have resulted in a broken limb or an extremity submerged in boiling molten lava. Despite the action clearly going on inside the volcano, as we stood and surveyed the scene from the crater, we were left breathless by the tranquility of the view, the peaks of surrounding volcanoes emerging from the pink blanket of clouds set against the dusky sky.

Colly wiping away tears

It was so beautiful we sat down and composed some poetry whilst wiping away tears of raw emotion. Our return journey was perilous in the pitch black, illuminated only by weak flashlights, the occasional shooting star and the glow from our hearts. An amazing and exhilarating experience, definately one of the best things we´ve done all trip.

Apparently all bus rides in Guatemala were going to be hellish. Trying to save a bit of cash, we opted for a third class bus with cries of 'we got buses across the whole of South East Asia without air con or toilets, it'll be a god damn breeze'. Very soon into the journey we began to regret our decision as the bus driver stopped every ten minutes to see to his errands, drop off packages and enjoy personal cigarette breaks. We gained another insight into police corruption in Central America as the police pulled the bus over and forced all immigrants from neighbouring countries off the bus. Although legally allowed to be in Guatemala and having correct paper work, the workers were charged 40 quetzales each and informed us afterwards that it was already the fourth time it had happened on their journey. After a seven hour journey becoming fourteen, we arrived at Flores delirious from hunger, dehydration and flat-bottom syndrome.

Jagged rocks afront surrounding volcanoes

Flores is an unremarkable town used simply as a gateway for the Mayan ruins at Tikal. Arising at 2.45am, we took a bus to the site. Arriving at 3.45 moley eyed, we set off through the pitch black jungle, alert to every sound. Particularly disturbing was the frightening and bizarre noise of the howler monkeys coming from high above us in the tree tops. We climbed to the top of one of the pyramids to watch the sunrise over the ancient city.

Mayan ruins at Tikal

However as it got lighter, the view was obscured by thick clouds, not quite the magical sunrise we were expecting but a truly mystical experience nonetheless. As we climbed down the pyramid, a family of spider monkeys swung past us going about their daily business with babies of back. The rest of the tour was a nature trail and history lesson as we learnt more about the jungle and Mayan civilisation. Next it was on to Belize and the Caribbean sea.

Nerd Alert In Guatemala!

Antigua Guatemala, Guatemala