Guatemala

Crossing into Guatemala proved to be less hectic than expected as we were soon on our way toward Coban. The pavement turned to dirt as late night construction had us breaking the cardinal rule; NO driving at night! Entering Coban, we chowed on some tasty street food and walked around. Our first morning in Guatemala brought delicious pastries and a little bit of backtracking to the highland village of Lanquin. Set among the layered mountains of north eastern Guatemala, Lanquin sat amidst the turquoise waters of the mighty Rio Cahabon. A friendly and unique hostel with an energetic international vibe provided a picturesque eco-lodge atmosphere for the next few days. One could camp by the river, wake up to an amazing desayuno and slide the kayak into the cool waters for some exciting Class III-V rapids ranging from 1hr to multi-day runs. Nights were full of traveler talk, games, good food and wild stories. We had fallen into the “gringo” trail which encompasses southern Mexico, and Guatemala. Everyone was going our way or coming from that way, recommendations por todos lados. El Retiro came out of the travel channel which made it that much harder to leave the thatched roofs, Mayan art, swinging hammocks, veggie conscious menu, colorful gardens and captivating crowds.

Leaving the green mountains we lost elevation as the colonial capital of Antigua had us gazing up at the mighty volcanoes that surrounded the beautiful city. Entering Antigua we listened to the instructions of our new traveling amigo Kurt. He had us safe and sound in a cozy Posada in no time. His friendly demeanor, engaging conversations, interesting history and hippied out, eco-conscious vibe made the long ride seem short and restless walks more enjoyable. Meandering around Antigua we were struck by the similarities between the other colonial towns we visited, yet Antigua seemed to have lost some of its magic with the amount of tourist traffic that bustled around the cobblestone streets. Waking up to the smoking volcanoes and esperanza for some good coffee, only brought theft and broken spirits. The “oh so peaceful” atmosphere of Antigua turned out to be a cloud covered hot bed for car robberies and we became yet another victim of the street. The theft led to some changes in plans and soon we were running around town trying to find the culprits. With no leads and many unhelpful shrugs we packed up our remaining gear and escaped to the quite Lake Atitlan.

The colorful, free spirited, peace loving village of San Pedro comforted us from our mishap in Antigua. We rested by the tranquil lake nestled among green volcanoes, ate amazing food, met up with traveling friends, hiked up sacred Mayan routes, and established some new plans. Leaving San Pedro we cruised up north to Xela where cool mountain breezes had us bundled up at night ready to climb in the surrounding hillsides. La Chicua and La Muela provided a dramatic climbing landscape among old lava flows, where clouds covered the valley below and religious chanting echoed through the hills, giving one an eerie spiritual feeling. It felt good to be out camping again and with a new traveling buddy named Dan, who hailed from Canada and studied at Columbia, whose scholastic roots and laidback vibe seemed to mesh well with our dynamic. After climbing and enjoying the cool volcanic atmosphere, the group spilt up as Vic and Abe went back to Lake Atitlan to study Spanish for a week and Dan and I rolled south.

Another night in Antigua had us camping in the police compound and exploring some possible robbery leads. With no new information about our stolen gear we headed towards El Volcan Pacaya where a horse ride up to the magnificent peak and jumping around an active lava flow had us gazing into the sunset towards El Salvador as the lava blazed among the dark volcanic rock. A day of climbing around Lake Amititlan where crack lines and an overhead gondola for spectators had us good and tuckered out before leaving for El Salvador the next day. While zooming through the mountain roads, towards the border, images were evoked of active volcanoes, raging rapids, eerie climbing, tasty street food, friendly travelers, tranquil lakes, peaceful towns and breathtaking landscapes. Guatemala is a country so rich in its diversity of terrain and colorful culture, an amazing pais with countless possibilities for exploration.

The little known El Salvador loomed on the horizon. Would it be the El Salvador that people warned us not to enter with highway robberies, kidnappings, bribery, and not so scenic landscape? Or, would it be endless black sand beaches, generous locals, untainted villages, great surf; a recuperating gem? Let’s hope for the latter. Vamos a El Salvador!