We spent the better part of this past week in Lanquin and Semuc Champey-- living the good life in the jungle! Our journey to Lanquin began when we arrived 4 hours later than expected (at midnight) and were essentially dumped out of our shuttle at a hostel we were not planning on staying at. Happy to just get out of the van at last, we figured we would stay there for the night and then figure things out the next day. Little did we know in the darkness of the night that we had touched down in paradise-- the Zephyr Lodge.
The Zephyr Lodge is a pretty fantastic place!... We awoke in the morning to soak in 360 degree views of the lush jungle, surrounding mountains and the Lanquin River. The Zephyr Lodge sits high on a hill, with hammocks, scenic and hot (this is a rarity) showers, good food and colorful staff to make your stay just that much more memorable. There is not too much going on in Lanquin beyond a simple traditional Mayan village, cool hostels for the tourists and the Kan Ba Caves and the natural swimming pools of Semuc Champey. We spent our first day at the lodge relaxing in the hammocks, eating good food, floating down the Lanquin River in inner tubes and playing Jenga. We met some wonderful people at Zephyr, who we ended up travelling to Antigua with days later.
On our second day at the Zephyr Lodge we went on the most beautiful and sketchy tour of all time: the Kan Ba Caves and Semuc Champey. The Kan Ba Caves are amazing and also incredibly dangerous. With only a candle in hand to provide light we swam, jumped and waded our way through the caves with our fearless leader Carlos showing us how it is done. With bats flying overhead we spent a few hours exploring the dark and magical caves. Next on our tour de sketch was the opportunity to jump off a shady looking bridge from about 25 feet high above the Lanquin River. Although it looked like a blast, I decided to pass-- not wanting to die in Semuc Champey, especially under a rusty bridge. Carlos our guide could not handle my decision and continued to call me a chicken and kept it up throughout the day. Best tour guide ever. After bridge jumping we headed to gorgeous and refreshing Semuc Champey where we spent the afternoon swimming in the natural limestone swimming pools, jumping off rocks (I gained some forgiveness from Carlos when I jumped off some of the rocks there) and slid down natural waterslides. It truly was an incredible day.
After our 3 days in Lanquin and Semuc Champey we headed to Antigua for a day or two of good food and city sophistication. Antigua is a lovely colonial city and features cobblestone streets lined with great bars, restaurants and shops. We took a walk (which turned into a motorcycle ride) with the local tourism police (suggested for safety reasons) to the top of a hill with a beauitful view overlooking the city and the mountains surrounding it. We had a great time in Antigua and it was a nice change of pace after being out in the middle of the jungle for days prior.
We are currently in Xela again and will be leaving on a 4 day trek to Todos Santos tomorrow morning to celebrate Day of the Dead in stlye with their traditional drunken horse races (for us to observe, not to partake in) and celebrations in the cemetary and throughout the town. We have heard it is one of the greatest annual celebrations in all of Guatemala... I´ll report back next week! It´s not quite Halloween, but drunken horse raises in the Guatemalan highlands will just have to suffice! Good bye pumpkins and hello horses!
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Adios Lago Atitlan!
It has been an amazing week in San Pedro and we will be heading off tomorrow morning towards Semuc Champey in Lanquin-- a jungle based, limestone structured, mineral pool oasis.
This morning we said good bye to our host family and are now back into the wonderful world of hostels-- staying at a classy little place called Yo Mama´s. I really enjoyed our homestay, but it was not without plenty of awkward moments, as is to be expected. Most awkward moments revolved around the bathroom I shared with the family-- I won´t miss that part of the experience! What I will miss though are the bountiful homecooked meals of Mama Maria, the challenge of piecing Spanish words together to communicate with the family, my very own bedroom and the opportunity to get a glimpse into the daily life of a Guatemalan family. It has certainly been an incredible experience... I will never forget my Guatemalan family!
Our time around Lago Atitlan has been full of adventure, with plenty of time to relax as well-- mostly in hammocks. Highlights include hikes around the lake from San Pedro to San Marcos, from San Marcos to Santa Cruz and a trip to Santiago to visit the shrine of Maximon-- the Maya god of drinking and smoking. Spanish school was a wonderful experience and although my Spanish is still significantly lacking-- I am much better off than I was before. Oh, and horseback riding out to the playa was a blast as well-- although a little scary due to my malnourished horse-- no big deal! And of course, needless to say it is the people you meet along the way that truly shape your experience and we certainly met some great people in our short time here... Matt, Townsend, Gary and Nancy, Jim from Allegre, Henry, my New Zealand peeps... Mucho gusto!
This morning we said good bye to our host family and are now back into the wonderful world of hostels-- staying at a classy little place called Yo Mama´s. I really enjoyed our homestay, but it was not without plenty of awkward moments, as is to be expected. Most awkward moments revolved around the bathroom I shared with the family-- I won´t miss that part of the experience! What I will miss though are the bountiful homecooked meals of Mama Maria, the challenge of piecing Spanish words together to communicate with the family, my very own bedroom and the opportunity to get a glimpse into the daily life of a Guatemalan family. It has certainly been an incredible experience... I will never forget my Guatemalan family!
Our time around Lago Atitlan has been full of adventure, with plenty of time to relax as well-- mostly in hammocks. Highlights include hikes around the lake from San Pedro to San Marcos, from San Marcos to Santa Cruz and a trip to Santiago to visit the shrine of Maximon-- the Maya god of drinking and smoking. Spanish school was a wonderful experience and although my Spanish is still significantly lacking-- I am much better off than I was before. Oh, and horseback riding out to the playa was a blast as well-- although a little scary due to my malnourished horse-- no big deal! And of course, needless to say it is the people you meet along the way that truly shape your experience and we certainly met some great people in our short time here... Matt, Townsend, Gary and Nancy, Jim from Allegre, Henry, my New Zealand peeps... Mucho gusto!
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Come to San Pedro for church, Spanish Class and a live radio shout-out.
Beth and I arrived to San Padro on Lake Atitlan on Sunday in the early afternoon. We checked in at our school and then spent the day roaming around San Pedro-- mostly eating and drinking at the many fine establishments around town, nearly all offering amazing views and a serene setting. At 5:00 pm we went back to school to meet our homestay family for the week.
Let me introduce you to my Guatemalan family: Maria, Manuel, Juan, Lufi and Adimarie. Maria and Manuel are the parents and the kids range from 11 - 19 years old-- all living at home. Our home is nice, the family incredibly kind and the location is super close to school and the docks where all the action is. Beth and I have separate rooms and both are pretty decent, although Beth got lucky with her own bathroom-- I get the honor of sharing with the entire family. Our homestay inlcudes 3 meals a day and everything so far has been delicious! Maria buys all ingredients fresh each day (not even sure if they have a refridgerator) and makes each meal from scratch. Due to the fabulous reputation that Americans have, our meal portions are HUGE and finishing a meal is an incredible challenge. Knowing the economic status of many Guatemalans and especially as guests in someone´s home, you do not leave food on your plate-- so we eat and we eat well!
Our first night at Maria and Manuel´s they asked us if we would like to go to church with them and of course we said 'yes'! Before we knew it, we were at a GIANT (and surprisingly modern) Evangelical church, sitting amongst the congregants and singing along (or at least trying to). I cannot even put into words the experience, but I will try... Every member of our host family was involved in the church choir. Each portion of the choir wore a certain color and put on a well practiced performance. Many families brought tamborines with them and kept up with the beat the entire service. The service was joyful, the congregants enthusiasticly enagaged and the church was beautiful. It was one of those moments where you wonder how the hell you got yourself in the situation-- but are glad you did. Nothing says welcome to San Pedro like an evening at an Evangelical church!
Classes so far have been great! My teacher´s name is Lucy and she is a good teacher. I am not going to lie though, it is incredibly challenging (and at times frustrating) trying to learn a new language-- but I will try my best and keep an open attitude. It is also challenging to focus during class as our school (all outdoors) resembles paradise... I meet with Lucy in a cabana that overlooks the lake and the mountains and we are surrounded by tropical flowers and plants. The school grounds are unbelievably gorgeous and it feels like vacation just being on site. That said, I MUST focus and learn Spanish, as I am getting tired of playing charades everytime I need to communicate with someone. I have given more thumbs up in the past week than one should in a lifetime.
In other exciting news our host dad Manuel is a radio personality in San Pedro. Today we ran into him on his way to work and he invited us to come with him. Not only did we get to see Manuel in action, but he also gave us a shoutout on live air! It was pretty cool! Not every day you get your name mentioned on a Guatemalan radio station... Let alone an Evangelical one!
Tomorrow is a big day... Class in the moring, followed by horseback riding along the lake out to the playa, then a salsa dance class at school, and if that wasn´t enough next comes 'bacon and beer' night at a local pub and a pool tournament at another.
Anyways, off I go... Time for another one of Mama Maria´s fabulously large dinners!
Adios!
Let me introduce you to my Guatemalan family: Maria, Manuel, Juan, Lufi and Adimarie. Maria and Manuel are the parents and the kids range from 11 - 19 years old-- all living at home. Our home is nice, the family incredibly kind and the location is super close to school and the docks where all the action is. Beth and I have separate rooms and both are pretty decent, although Beth got lucky with her own bathroom-- I get the honor of sharing with the entire family. Our homestay inlcudes 3 meals a day and everything so far has been delicious! Maria buys all ingredients fresh each day (not even sure if they have a refridgerator) and makes each meal from scratch. Due to the fabulous reputation that Americans have, our meal portions are HUGE and finishing a meal is an incredible challenge. Knowing the economic status of many Guatemalans and especially as guests in someone´s home, you do not leave food on your plate-- so we eat and we eat well!
Our first night at Maria and Manuel´s they asked us if we would like to go to church with them and of course we said 'yes'! Before we knew it, we were at a GIANT (and surprisingly modern) Evangelical church, sitting amongst the congregants and singing along (or at least trying to). I cannot even put into words the experience, but I will try... Every member of our host family was involved in the church choir. Each portion of the choir wore a certain color and put on a well practiced performance. Many families brought tamborines with them and kept up with the beat the entire service. The service was joyful, the congregants enthusiasticly enagaged and the church was beautiful. It was one of those moments where you wonder how the hell you got yourself in the situation-- but are glad you did. Nothing says welcome to San Pedro like an evening at an Evangelical church!
Classes so far have been great! My teacher´s name is Lucy and she is a good teacher. I am not going to lie though, it is incredibly challenging (and at times frustrating) trying to learn a new language-- but I will try my best and keep an open attitude. It is also challenging to focus during class as our school (all outdoors) resembles paradise... I meet with Lucy in a cabana that overlooks the lake and the mountains and we are surrounded by tropical flowers and plants. The school grounds are unbelievably gorgeous and it feels like vacation just being on site. That said, I MUST focus and learn Spanish, as I am getting tired of playing charades everytime I need to communicate with someone. I have given more thumbs up in the past week than one should in a lifetime.
In other exciting news our host dad Manuel is a radio personality in San Pedro. Today we ran into him on his way to work and he invited us to come with him. Not only did we get to see Manuel in action, but he also gave us a shoutout on live air! It was pretty cool! Not every day you get your name mentioned on a Guatemalan radio station... Let alone an Evangelical one!
Tomorrow is a big day... Class in the moring, followed by horseback riding along the lake out to the playa, then a salsa dance class at school, and if that wasn´t enough next comes 'bacon and beer' night at a local pub and a pool tournament at another.
Anyways, off I go... Time for another one of Mama Maria´s fabulously large dinners!
Adios!
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Volcan Santa Maria, Teatro Municipal, Mercado La Democracia and MORE!
Yesterday I spent a full day exploring Xela (actually named Quetzaltenango) by foot. I feel more than satisfied with the amount of ground I covered and have really enjoyed spending time in this historic city in theWestern Highlands--minus the abundance of mangy stray dogs, poor air quality and insane drivers. With a tourist map in hand, I set out to find a number of destinations I had circled earlier including: Teatro Municpal (beautiful concert and theater venue built in 1882), Universidad Rafael Landivar (a small private Jesuit university), Mercado La Democracia (a crazy, multi block market that has just about anything you could want-- and not want) and Parque Benito Juarez (a lovely and lively park dedicated to Mexico´s first indigenous President). Due to the fact that I don´t speak Spanish (yet, of course), I need to be super savvy to get around and use my best judgment at all times. Truth be told I really have little clue as to what is going on around here, from street signs, the words of passerbys, common etiquette, religious practices, etc. So far, so good though-- and I look forward to learning more. I loved all of the places I visited and particularly enjoyed watching the people of Xela go about their daily business. The Mercado La Democracia was certainly a highlight-- the colors of the goods for sale, the women carrying everything from fruits, vegetables, rice, etc. on their heads (usually with a baby wrapped on their back in a colorful blanket) and the local vendors trying so hard to sell you pretty much anything-- all ´hand made´ of course. It was a ton of fun and a good few hours of entertainment. I really enjoyed seeing the parakeets and other fancy birds for sale next to the lemons and bananas-- tempting.
I met Beth in the afternoon at my hostel (The Black Cat Hostel) when she was done class. We then went for a nice hike in the hills that surround the city and it was really lovely. Not too much to report from the hike except great views and fresh air, except we did nearly get attacked by a posse of bad ass street turkeys. It sounds silly, but it was actually extemely scary! It got even scarier when a surly dog came out to protect the turkeys. That is when I ran (although likely the worst reaction to the situation) and thank goodness the local farm owner came to our rescue and brought the dog back on their proprty so we could proceed. I guess what doesn´t kill you, only makes you stronger-- or scared of live turkeys.
I enjoyed dinner out with some friends I met at the hostel (it is amazing what $5 USD or much less can get you here) and then met up again with Beth and some of her friends from school for drinks and live music at a local bar.
Today, I thought it would be a good idea to climb a volcano-- so I did! I got picked up by the tour company at the delightful hour of 4:00 am to head to Llanos del Pinal, the small village where the trail begins for Volcan Santa Maria. The hike was 11 km round trip and an insanely hard climb due to the steep and unmaintained trail, high elevation of the volcano (12, 375 ft.) and of course the muddy and slippery conditions left as a little reminder of the just passed rainy season. Well worth it though for the gorgeous views, great workout and glimpse into Guatemalan life in a small village. I met some cool people in my hiking group: 3 girls from Spain and also 2 from Germany. We all got along really well, especially factoring in the significant language barriers amongst the group. Tonight we will be trying to catch the Giants game at a bar somewhere in town, heading out for some dinner and then likely relax at a bar again enjoying some live music. Minus the Giants game, I think this will be our standard evening routine... The life of a traveler is quite nice, I must say!
Tomorrow morning Beth and I leave Xela by shuttle and head to San Pedro on Lake Atitlan to move in with our new Guatemalan family and begin language school the next day!... Can´t wait!
I met Beth in the afternoon at my hostel (The Black Cat Hostel) when she was done class. We then went for a nice hike in the hills that surround the city and it was really lovely. Not too much to report from the hike except great views and fresh air, except we did nearly get attacked by a posse of bad ass street turkeys. It sounds silly, but it was actually extemely scary! It got even scarier when a surly dog came out to protect the turkeys. That is when I ran (although likely the worst reaction to the situation) and thank goodness the local farm owner came to our rescue and brought the dog back on their proprty so we could proceed. I guess what doesn´t kill you, only makes you stronger-- or scared of live turkeys.
I enjoyed dinner out with some friends I met at the hostel (it is amazing what $5 USD or much less can get you here) and then met up again with Beth and some of her friends from school for drinks and live music at a local bar.
Today, I thought it would be a good idea to climb a volcano-- so I did! I got picked up by the tour company at the delightful hour of 4:00 am to head to Llanos del Pinal, the small village where the trail begins for Volcan Santa Maria. The hike was 11 km round trip and an insanely hard climb due to the steep and unmaintained trail, high elevation of the volcano (12, 375 ft.) and of course the muddy and slippery conditions left as a little reminder of the just passed rainy season. Well worth it though for the gorgeous views, great workout and glimpse into Guatemalan life in a small village. I met some cool people in my hiking group: 3 girls from Spain and also 2 from Germany. We all got along really well, especially factoring in the significant language barriers amongst the group. Tonight we will be trying to catch the Giants game at a bar somewhere in town, heading out for some dinner and then likely relax at a bar again enjoying some live music. Minus the Giants game, I think this will be our standard evening routine... The life of a traveler is quite nice, I must say!
Tomorrow morning Beth and I leave Xela by shuttle and head to San Pedro on Lake Atitlan to move in with our new Guatemalan family and begin language school the next day!... Can´t wait!
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Safe arrival in Guatemala!
A quick post tonight to let everyone know that I made it safe and sound to Guatemala City!
I need to be up bright and early tomorrow morning to enjoy a homemade breakfast in the garden at the B&B I am staying at, go on a mini tour of Guatemala City and then hop on a bus over to Xela-- which is a 4 hour ordeal that as I have been warned, may involve mud slides. All in all, it sounds like a fab first day in Guatemala. Tomorrow evening I will be meeting up with Beth, which is also incredibly exciting.
A huge shout-out to the one and only Gabi Moskowitz for graciously driving me to the airport this morning. Not only did she get me to SFO with plenty of time to spare before my flight, but she also rationally and calmly drove me to the San Bruno Best Buy when I realized just minutes away from arriving to SFO that I left my camera USB at home... Oops! $20 and a minor freak out later, the problem was solved. Thanks Gabi, I love you mucho!
Speaking of friends...
I already made 2 Guatemalan friends today and so far, I really like the people here. First there was Fernando, the man sitting next to me on my flight from Houston to Guatemala. We chatted the entire flight and truth be told, after all the information he relayed to me about Guatemala-- I don't know if I need tomorrow's tour afterall. In addition he showed me pictures of his family on his iPad and also showed me a clip from Star Wars that was filmed in Guatemala-- not totally necessary, but awesome in any case! When we parted at the airport, I stuck out my hand to give him a sincere handshake and rather than that he gave me a hug and kissed me on the cheek, as if we were dear old friends. I instantly felt welcome in Guatemala! Next I met Gilda (who owns the B&B I am staying at tonight). She picked me up at the airport (sign in hand that read RAQUEL Kamen... I am guessing I will likely be called Raquel for the next 5 months) and took me home after a stop at a scenic viewpoint over looking the city lights and a visit to an ATM for me to take out some good ol' Quetzals. I am now in her kitchen, on her laptop and looking forward to seeing the gorgeous garden outside in the morning light. Gotta love Gilda.
Well, that wasn't a short post in the end. But honestly, when is any story I share short-- let alone that of an epic adventure.
Buenos noches y'all!
I need to be up bright and early tomorrow morning to enjoy a homemade breakfast in the garden at the B&B I am staying at, go on a mini tour of Guatemala City and then hop on a bus over to Xela-- which is a 4 hour ordeal that as I have been warned, may involve mud slides. All in all, it sounds like a fab first day in Guatemala. Tomorrow evening I will be meeting up with Beth, which is also incredibly exciting.
A huge shout-out to the one and only Gabi Moskowitz for graciously driving me to the airport this morning. Not only did she get me to SFO with plenty of time to spare before my flight, but she also rationally and calmly drove me to the San Bruno Best Buy when I realized just minutes away from arriving to SFO that I left my camera USB at home... Oops! $20 and a minor freak out later, the problem was solved. Thanks Gabi, I love you mucho!
Speaking of friends...
I already made 2 Guatemalan friends today and so far, I really like the people here. First there was Fernando, the man sitting next to me on my flight from Houston to Guatemala. We chatted the entire flight and truth be told, after all the information he relayed to me about Guatemala-- I don't know if I need tomorrow's tour afterall. In addition he showed me pictures of his family on his iPad and also showed me a clip from Star Wars that was filmed in Guatemala-- not totally necessary, but awesome in any case! When we parted at the airport, I stuck out my hand to give him a sincere handshake and rather than that he gave me a hug and kissed me on the cheek, as if we were dear old friends. I instantly felt welcome in Guatemala! Next I met Gilda (who owns the B&B I am staying at tonight). She picked me up at the airport (sign in hand that read RAQUEL Kamen... I am guessing I will likely be called Raquel for the next 5 months) and took me home after a stop at a scenic viewpoint over looking the city lights and a visit to an ATM for me to take out some good ol' Quetzals. I am now in her kitchen, on her laptop and looking forward to seeing the gorgeous garden outside in the morning light. Gotta love Gilda.
Well, that wasn't a short post in the end. But honestly, when is any story I share short-- let alone that of an epic adventure.
Buenos noches y'all!
All My Bags Are Packed and I'm Ready to Go....
So, I really should be fast asleep right now... Enjoying peaceful slumber in my cozy bed located in my clean, bug free, modern and private apartment. Instead, excitement has got the better of me (and if I am honest-- nerves too) and I am keeping busy doing mostly anything besides sleeping. From Googling Guatemala destinations to no end, downloading music (most recently purchased was the 2002 Norah Jones "Come Away With Me" album-- sure to put me asleep in even the noisiest of hostels), to sifting through my backpacks as if there is going to be an earth shattering discovery of something that is missing and/or an item that must not come along on the journey and of course cherishing my last moments lurking around on Facebook-- oh how I will miss thee!
The truth is, I am incredibly excited for what lies ahead and also in slight disbelief that my epic adventure (as I have come to lovingly call it) is finally here! I suppose reality will sink in once I arrive to Guatemala and no longer speak the language of the country I am in or know my way around at all... I'll have to work on that! I feel fortunate for this exciting, humbling and powerful opportunity and plan to make the most of every moment... Bring it on!
I fly tomorrow (which I guess at this point in time is today) from SFO to Guatemala City to begin my journey. I will be spending the night at a B&B in Guatemala City and then will head to Xela sometime the next day (after a tour of GC) to meet up with my awesome travel buddy Beth. Beth has already been out traveling for a few weeks at this point and I am extremely excited to join her. Beth and I met in March on a service trip for Bay Area young professionals to New Orleans, where we were serendipitously assigned to the same hostel room-- it was pretty much love at first sight. Since New Orleans, we have led two trips to Yosemite together, grabbed many-a-beers around town, planned a trip to Central and South America and now it is time to actualize our glorious plans!
Excitement, some nerves and great anticipation... Guatemala here I come!
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