Beautiful sunset!

We stayed in Pacha Mama, a very gringo hostel but with a great chilled-out environment right by the beach, AND a pancake breakfast with free coffee all-day long (Brad’s heaven?!) We checked out some stellar sunsets on the beach there, played some football, and of course watched the superbowl. WOn’t mention the outcome…except that, that was the night we cut all of Brad’s locks off with a pair of cheap paper scissors haha! A LITTLE…under the influence. Turned out surprisingly nice though!

Beautiful locks!

All the hair!

All gone!

Soon enough, we began our terror journey to Costa Rica. First step, bus ride to Rivas….easy! Hop on another bus to the border town…easy! THEN, we get in line at the border….what turned into 3 grueling hours in the heat. First we get in a line in the sun just to pay this border town a small fee to get through the gate to the actual immigration. Then we hop in this MASSIVE line that seems to move so slow that its moving backwards. Probably because it practically was…we were getting cut left and right by locals. We found out that there are actually professional line-cutters that get paid to cut the line, and then bring the group of people up! grrrr!

Eventually we got through, paid our tax, and walked 1km or so at noon across to the Costa Rican immigration, which we thought would be much more civilized. NOPE…even worse line cutters. In fact, at one point Brad blocked the way of these guys trying to move up in line in front of us, and then the guy behind us pushed in front, then the guy behind him…and so on! It was GREAT..everyone was standing up to this line-cutter because of Brad’s inititative!

Crossing the border!

We get stamped for 10 days and on the (much nicer) bus to Liberia! FINALLY! Our plan was to make it to Montezuma, but after a 3 hour delay at the border… that wasn’t happening, so we stayed in Liberia the night and worked out our next move! Already though, we noticed a huge difference in Costa Rica. While sitting in the main square in town, we noticed kids playing…riding their skateboards, running around, texting on their cellphones! NOT trying to sell us everything and anything under the sun…it was refreshing after 2 months of fighting off these poor kids everywhere else.

So with only 10 days in beautiful Costa Rica, we knew we were going to enjoy them! Pura Vida!

Church in the city centre!

There was another reason for us to be excited about Granada and that was because we had a couchsurfing host lined up! Peta and her partner Ben, a South African & French fusion hosted us for two nights in their peaceful Nicaraguan abode. They are a global power couple, chosing to live a sustainable lifestyle in creating a bamboo reforestation and home building company called CO2 Bamboo.

Our first day there Peta took us to the model bamboo house, and we were just blown away. Not only was it beautiful but the natural materials mixed with the garden gave it a calming and peacful energy, but the best part being sustainable development. We really enjoyed getting to known them and hearing about CO2 Bamboo, two great people with the right mindset for the future!

Bamboo doorway!

The bathroom....bamboo style!

Chels and I spent our day and a half just walking around the city. We did find ourselves at a cigar factory/museum somewhere north of the city center. We walked in to a gangster-looking Nicaraguan that reminded me of Tony Montana from Scarface. He had a massive poster of himself smoking a cigar, another of him with Arnold Shwatzaneggar and some with Presidents and generals from all over…smoking his cigars! Kind of cool!

Cigars!

He took us to the back where they were drying tabacco, and rolling, pressing, wrapping the cigars! Very Cool!!….he let me roll one, and gave one to Brad to smoke! The rolling was easy, but the”puffing”…I am absolutely hopeless at! Brad just needed a glass of scotch to pull of his cross-legged in a rocking chair look!

Old man!

The central park was our next stop where we people watched, tried some local food, and witnessed some traditional dance with these big dressed up dolls! Eventually we headed back to Peta and Bens and ended the night with some insightful conversation and advice Thanks guys!

Traditional Dance!

Next stop….Ometepe (or so we though!)

Typical Leon!

While eating a delicious cheap meal in PureEarth Cafe, we spotted a long-lost couchsurfer from Flores that we didn’t think we’d see again..Stav! A few minutes later, I see on Facebook that our other fellow traveling couchsurfing partner, Alex, had just arrived in Leon!! How funny…we all had said our goodbyes, yet here we were again! So we all got together and headed to the markets to buy some juice in a bag…very common among locals. It was Saturday afternoon, so the town was bustling. We checked out the main cathedral and wandered through an outdoor concert and more markets. We decided there wasn’t a whole lot more to see so made plans to try out the beach the next day.

Juice in a bag at the markets!

After a 1km walk to the edge of town, out went the thumbs. Thanks to Alex’s Spanish skills, we ended up hopping in with a couple women at a gas station. They took us halfway to the beach, which happened to be on a very dead highway. After managing to find the one spot of shade on the highway and a few failed attempts of getting picked up…a truck up ahead leaving his house waited for us to run up and hop in the back! YAY! Weirdly enough, when we arrived, he decided he WASN’T a bus service afterall, and kept going past our stop. We had to wait for him to slow down before trying to jump out the back…I said “Try” because I ended up falling flat on my bum haha! But all was good and we made our way to the hot black-sandy beach in Nicaragua.

Surfing in Nicaragua!

Brad and Alex rented a surfboard for $3 and headed straight for the water while I watched the things…Alex stepped foot in (and saw) the Pacific Ocean for the first time in his life! With lots of failed attempts at surfing, the boys gave me a try…also a major fail, but fun nonetheless. Midday, blaring sun on black sand is tough, and being slightly unimpressed with the beach (so hard after being in WA’s beaches) we were soon back on the road, this time in the back of a workers truck, complete with a hammock and all!

Our ride!

Later that night, Brad and I explored the central area of town. It was nice to actually feel safe walking around at night….it’s been a while since we’ve been out of the hostel after dark! Not only was it safe, but it was bursting with joy – the little markets selling jewelry and knick-knacks, playgrounds set up for kids, teenagers playing volleyball, food stalls everywhere! We sat and people-watched for a bit before turning it in, in anticipation for what was to come tomorrow!

Brad and Alex in the Central Park!

A great deal of respect is owed to those who were the first to scale up the side of an active volcano, knowing at any time it could level an entire city raining down ash and spitting out fiery lava.  Now-a-days it’s easy to forget those who were brave enough to be the first since numerous tour groups throughout the region offer packaged treks onto and into the liveliest of our world’s volcanoes.  Finding that unique hybrid combination of fresh and adrenaline packed, but not yet ruined by mass tourism is something every traveler searches for but often proves elusive or expensive. 

Our first view of Cerro Negro!

However, a few years ago in Leon a perfect recipe of straight up insanity gave birth to the aforementioned hybrid – By strapping a piece of Formica onto the bottom of a wooden plank, sitting down toboggan style, pulling back on the rope and sliding down the face of Cerro Negro – Central Americas most active, Cinder Cone Volcano!  After a few trial runs, they threw in thick denim prison hand-me-down jumpsuits, and goggles and it is now safe for tourists through companies like Bigfoot (who we went through) and Quetzal Trekkers.  Never mind (or do!) the bit about reaching break neck speeds of 89km per hour on lava rocks or the fact that what your sliding down could eventually explode with the same force as a nuclear bomb and presto, Volcano Boarding!

Cerro Negro is as black as night, thus the name, and an imposing figure even from far away.  It is the black sheep of Leon’s volcanoes standing out in a way that says don’t F with me.  So arriving at the gates of the massive ground swell gave our nerves the jolt we’d been looking for. 

Liquid Courage!

A quick beer for some liquid courage and we were off.  To board down requires a 45 minute climb up the backside of the volcano.  Once you reach about half way the wind becomes more of a threat than the ticking time bomb you’re walking on.  We had to carry our boards flat so they wouldn’t act like a sail and blow us off the trail into the steaming cone.  It become so bad at one point I had to carry Chelsea’s board  so I wouldn’t loose her off the edge… and this wasn’t even the crazy bit. 

The beginning of the hike!

Once we reached the top and put our gear down, our colorful guide gave us a tour of the cone, yelling at the top of his lungs so we could hear him over the roar of the wind.  At one point we almost lost him when he got hit with an angry gust.  Soon after we headed back to suit up for the ride down. 

Scary...but almost to the top!

The jumpsuits were these gigantic orange arrangements that fit no one, and our goggles were so permanently fogged up that you couldn’t see AT ALL!  Once we were all suited up the guide went over a few of the techniques; how to slow down, speed up and stop.  His main concern was that everyone went fast and of course that we all made it out unscathed.  He recommended that we consider our future travel plans if trying to go fast because “traveling with an injury can ruin your trip.” 

Jailbird!

Getting ready for the craziness!

All things considered Chels and I decided we would try to go medium speed knowing that there was a potential to reach a max speed of 90kmh (55mph)!  Chelsea went first, actually they intentionally send all the girls first so they can watch the guys wipe out from the safety of the bottom. Well this was not the case for me!! I wiped out HARD…3 times!! I actually thought I would do alright – I have good balance and am generally athletic – NOPE! Fall once, fall twice into a major barrel roll, and fall a third time on the 45 degree angle which was killer. I had to climb back up to get my board and then brave it up to keep sliding down. Scratched all over, but it turned out alright – I got a free beer for most injuries

First group of boys coming down!

When I knew she reached the bottom safe, I exhaled and prepared for my go.  When I first started I immediately fell, having a hard time keeping my feet extended and elevated as instructed.  It took a few meters to sort out but once I figured out how to control my speed I was off.  I felt myself picking up speed.  Faster and faster, the adrenaline was surely pumping, the only problem being that I couldn’t see a damn thing!  As soon as I reached that point where I was boarder line out of control I started slowing down.  It was not as easy as skiing and my inexperience caused me to stop abruptly.  I was proud to receive the third fastest speed of the day with 61kmh! (As I was watching from the bottom, it seemed WAYYY faster!! We were all freaking out that this guy was going so fast and it ended up being Brad!)  Now I just needed to find a way to get the lava rocks out of my eyes and I was good. 

Volcano Boarding

A beer for the ride back was just what everyone needed. Everyone was chatty with adrenaline and excitement still flowing, and back at the hostel we were greeted with 2 cold mojitos each The night ended nicely with a jam sesh, drinks and card games at the hostel with our newfound friends!

Jam Sesh!

6am ferry to La Ceiba (to mainland Honduras), taxi ride to the bus terminal, 2-hour wait, then a 6-hour bus ride (not so bad)! Unfortunately there is no way to make it to Leon, Nicaragua in a day. We wanted to avoid staying overnight in the capital, Tegucigalpa, so stopped in the little colonial town of Comayagua where we had couchsurfers awaiting us THANK GOD!

Aside from the Bay Islands, Honduras didn’t feel like the safest place to travel through, so we were happy to feel safe in someones home we could trust! Andrea and Jimmy were AWESOME…took us to eat some delicious Honduran food, made us feel so welcome AND had an adorable kitten for me to play with Sorry Jimmy for not speaking Spanish!! A nice hiatus from the long Caribbean to Pacific coast drive!

BEST Baleadas ever!!! With Andrea!

The next leg was CRAZY! Woke up at 5am to catch a taxi to the highway that runs outside of town. From there, we caught a really nice van that seemed to be for more upscale locals to the capital Tegucigalpa. What should have been a nice smoothe ride ended up being nerve-wrecking when a policeman stepped on halfway through. Should be comforting right? WRONG! Not only were all the locals upset and anxious-looking when he entered, but this cop was basically standing on top of me, his massive rifle rubbing on my shoulder and almost on Brad’s foot, and his handgun in my face…along with his crotch!!! All this the day after our couchsurfer had just told us how corrupt the police are in Honduras and how it has become #1 country for murders… peace-corp were pulled out and all! My heart was PUMPING..I had to close my eyes to stop thinking about it! 30 minutes later, he got off and everyone on the bus could breathe again!

FINALLY arrived in Tegucigalpa, Where the bus stations are scattered throughout the city.So another taxi ride it was to the bus station, where we waited an hour before hopping on a comfortable greyhound-style bus to a town close to the Honduran/Nicaraguan border. Next we were rushed into a crappy hot cramped shuttle van where we were transported right to the border.

What happened next was just pure chaos. As we’re driving in, this Honduran man spots us (2 Gringos) in the front of a van, and starts SPRINTING towards us trying to grab on to the window! At first I thought he was trying to catch us and rob the shuttle!! Haha but NO, he wanted our business. We hop out and BOOM…Brad and I have never had so many touts surrounding us trying to exchange money and convince us to take THEIR rickshaw over the others. We went with the sprinter because of his enthusiasm and effort Slowly, we Rickshawed to the border, got our stamp OUT, and continued to slowly be bicycled the 1km to the Nicaraguan entrance.

Woo FINALLY to Nicaragua!

Next was a decent walk through barren nothingness where we eventually found a sad-looking chicken bus that went ALL THE WAY TO LEON! YAY!! By now we were pouring sweat in the middle of the day, so grabbed a drink and endured the ride on the sunny side of the bus! We thought it was funny we were the ONLY ones sitting on the left side of the bus!

The bus dropped us off on the highway where we grabbed ONE more taxi to our hostel…only to find out they had NOT received our booking, and didn’t have room for us! All ended fine though, the hostel across the road had room and after 11 hours of taxi-> van-> taxi->Greyhound-> Shuttle-> Rickshaw-> Chicken Bus-> Taxi…and only $12 out-of-pocket…we CRASHED!

Out home for the next week!

Our journey to Utila was broken up into two parts, the first of which was a 12 hour multi-bus haul from San Pedro, Guatemala to Copan Ruinas, Hondurus. From there it took another 12 hours on buses and a floating fortress to get to Utila. Exhausting as it was, we were pumped to be on an island again and got there just in time to watch the sunset over the Carribean.

Marta came to meet us YAY!!

Our goal while on Utila was to become PADI certified – open water divers, which means we can scuba dive anywhere in the world up to 18m/60feet. We had arranged with a CS, Talon, who is working as an instructor, to recieve our certification via Deep Blue Divers.

The course requires you to read 5 chapters in the textbook which you are later tested on; watch the corresponding 5 videos; put your knowledge to action with 5 confined water dives (off the dock) and give those skills a try in 4 open water dives at depth. All dive shops also throw in two free “fun dives” once you have completed the course. All this, plus free accomodation while you are becoming certified for $250 USD! Thanks to a steady supply of backpackers and numerous dive shops, it’s a deal that can be found at any dive shop on the island.

Brad studying!

Our instuctor Henry was amazing. Any uncertainty we had about this potentially life-threatening activity going in, was erased because of his patient and confident teaching style. 

With out instructor Henry at Deep Blue Divers!

We took it slow at first, wanting to make sure we were prepared. As we progressed, we naturally gained more confidence up to our first open water dive. This is a very exciting point in the course because, for the first time, you enter the water from a boat and explore the reef. Lucky for us, 10 minutes into the dive we saw a Spotted Eagle Ray, one of the most graceful looking swimmers you could ever hope to see!

First boat ride...SO NERVOUS!

Brad's Backroll... Bond style!

Eagle Rays!

Being a good diver requires you to achieve neutral boyancy where you are literally weightless like a floating astronaut. A sensation unlike any other… on top of breathing underwater. Pretty soon Chelsea and I had the skills down pat, clearing our masks, buddy breathing, learning the signals, preparing gear, ect.

Practicing out skills on the ocean floor!

After our fourth and final open water dive, Chelsea and I were announced to the crowd of scuba divers on the boat that we were officially Open Water Divers. After everyone finished clapping one of the dive masters on board spotted some dolphins swimming around a nearby boat. We quickly called the other divers that were still in the water to the surface and as soon as they got on the boat we took off to get a closer look.

I thought they might be scared by the boat but as we got closer, dolphins were breaching on all sides of us. Immediately we all slid into the water, snorkles only (by law) and started swimming towards the pod. It was a mad house, close to 20 swimmers in the water all dying for a chance to swim with wild dolphins.

Come PLAY!

We all swam and swam for what seemed like 10 minutes spotting one or two swimming beneath. It appeared that we might have scared them off and so I stopped swimming.(I didn’t!!!!) Looking around at the surface, some were still chasing them (me) but most seemed to have given up as well. But as I took another look in the water I saw two whiz by me. Then, another and another. Pretty soon there were dolphins everywhere, some spinning, circling around us, swimming within inches of my outstretched hand. At this point I remember relaxing in the water, not being able to move just in awe of the events unfolding around me. We were playing with wild dolphins! This is one of the most amazing things I have ever done. Seeing these incredible creatures that close and that playful was a moving experience!

YAY DOLPHINS!!

Our last day on the islands, we teamed up with Henry and another Couchsurfer, Vince for a shore dive. He led us through these caverns and tunnels through the reef spotting colorful and interesting marine life. It turned out to be the best dive we had. Huge cave crabs, Yellow Sting Rays buried in the sand, sea cucumbers that looked like giant slugs underwater – amazing things we didn’t even know existed.

Breathing underwater!

It’s certainly hard to top swimming with dolphins as the best part about Utila, but overall our time there was one of the most memorable on our entire trip. Breathing underwater is such a cool feeling and because of it, a whole new world has opened up for us to explore.. As if there wasn’t enough to explore already!

Sunrise the morning we left!

Brad's new poncho!

Brad and I woke up early to give ourselves plenty of time to find our way around the chicken busses. For those who are wondering what in the world a chicken bus is, it’s an OLD American school bus that the locals travel in throughout the country In Guatemala especially, they are decorated to the MAX! I mean all sorts of colors, advertisements, Jesus stickers! It’s GREAT!

Chicken Bus!

Well finding the correct bus was NOT a problem in the least. The locals are super helpful and very vocal about where they’re going. As the bus pulls up, the fare collector is yelling out “ENCUENTROS” “CHICHI”… and we yell back “ChiChi???” to double check and he then immediately rushes us in while the bus is still rolling! Only 5 Q or about 60 cents for the first half of the trip. We get off the chicken bus in Los Encuentros and immediately get ushered over to the bus to Chichi! WELL there is NO mistake that you’re on the right bus because it is PACKED!! I mean we were hanging out the door when we first got on and eventually climbed over bunches of families and made our way to the back. It was HOTT, crowded…we were definitely the only “Gringos” or white people…but it was fun!! And again…only 5 Quetzal and they dropped us off right at the market entrance and we were good to go

Standing on the Chicken Bus!

The markets are a massive maze of traditional Mayan goods, mixed with food vendors and practical goods. On either end are 2 churches that you can go inside and take a look at, although photography is PROHIBITED inside! All along the steps outside, women are selling flowers, and when you go inside, you see why….the ground is covered in petals! I don’t know if its an everyday occurrence or if we were lucky, but there was a religious ceremony outside with drums and dancers.

Flower ladies at the church!

So after the puchase of a typical breakfast in the market stalls, a poncho and a shot glass, we were on our way back to Pana! The ride back…even crazier! I thought 3 people to a seat was a lot, I actually saw a family of 7 on one seat!!!! SEVEN!! Then I could hear this lady yelling, thinking she’s preaching something, but when I look up, I see she’s selling eye drops or something. I’m thinking fat chance lady, but I lost count after she sold 10 to people on the bus! It’s like their version of eBay! Totally awesome!

Yummy CHEAP Brekkie!

The cost of chicken busses roundtrip was 20 Quetzals each which is about $2.60….which beats $12 and gives you quite an experience. Plus 9 bucks gets you FAR in Guatemala!

This doesn't even do it justice!

Kinda looks like Greece!

When we arrived in Panajachel we dropped our bags off at the hostel and headed straight for the shore. We made the walk down the main street Calle Santander which is lined with restaurants, markets and tour agencies. Down at the waters edge, Panajachel offers a great view of the lake as you look out at three volcanos. This is the most impressive thing about Panajachel. In fact we didn’t really find Pana had much to offer. It has absolutely no character and you hardly know you’re at the lake, which is why we went.

Amazing view!

Across the lake is San Pedro. The tiny boat ride across offers stunning views and only cost 3 bucks! As soon as we stepped off the boat, we immediately loved it! The whole town is actually along the lake, so no matter where you eat, sleep or walk…you can see the lake (unlike Pana). It is also much cheaper, and you don’t get the feeling you’re being ripped off just for being a gringo! For example: In Pana, a trip to Copan Ruinas in Honduras costs 280 Q ($35) but from San Pedro, almost FURTHER away it was only 150 Q ($18.75)!  Anyway we found a nice quiet little family-run place to stay, Casa Elena, and it was only 8 bucks a night for a private room WITH a bathroom and hot water

Boat ride across Lake Atitlan

We immediately starting searching out the best deal for hiking Volcan de San Pedro at sunrise. We ended up going with Bigfoot Agency because the lady was straight up with us. If it’s just the 2 of us, its 20 bucks, it we find a 3rd person, its 15 bucks! SWEET…we set out to find a 3rd! We ended up finding like 6…2 different couples…all from our boat ride over, so got it even cheaper!
So 2:15 am the alarm goes off, and we eat our 2 loaves of banana bread we bought the night before. Brad drinks his cold coffee he also got the night before, and off we went! Our guide met us at our hostel and we started the journey, passing drunks along the way that were still out from the night before.

To the top just in time!

Just getting to the base of the volcano was tough, but the actual climb up was RIGOROUS! Everyone had head torches, except me haha…I followed the other hikers light and the moonlight…making sure to lift my knees high. About 3 1/2 hours later, we were ALMOST to the top and saw the light of day starting to emerge. Brad raced up to the top for the last 10 minutes, and I moaned and groaned my way up shortly behind him! I was actually MOL-ing (Moaning out Loud) it was TOUGH!!! We lost half of our group to the hill…. But oooooh man the view was INCREDIBLE !!!!! It was 100% worth the pain and the colors of the sky behind the other volcanoes were so bright and illuminating! We were cheering and high-fiving each other in complete elation! The entire lake was beneath us and in our view!

Breathtaking!

In the middle of our admiring, the cold hit! THANK GOD our guide was already building a fire, because it was frigid! Even worse for Brad was that he was completely soaked from sweat…his back and butt drenched! We warmed up for a few minutes while we waited for the sun to peek over the volcano tops, singing songs to help motivate its rise… “Here Comes the Sun”!

Warming up by the fire!

Yay Here Comes the Sun!

The others finally arrived after the sun rise, and we all chowed down on some grub! Peanut Butter Sandwiches and Snickers! Some people brought whole blocks of cheese up! After about an hour and a half on the summit, we decided to head down. The hike down was AWESOME! Now that it was light, we could see the beautiful lush green trees. It was like a tropical rainforest up there! Also we could enjoy the view of the other side of the lake, and all the towns sprawled along it. We were able to walk through a coffee farm and try a bean or two, careful as to not risk being shot for stealing their beans!! lol just kidding. We finished just after 11pm and were exhausted, so after grabbing a smoothie, went straight for a nap!

Tropical!

Woo we did it!

After deciding to stay one more day in this cute town, we spent it relaxing at a super cool hostel called “Zoola People”. It’s Israeli run, right along the lake with a colorful tent full of pillows and tables to chill at. Skyping, blogging, and researching…enjoying their delicious Health Sandwich packed full of avocado! Brad and I find we need one of those days every once in a while, because traveling can be EXHAUSTING! (not complaining!)

Zoola!

Next stop…Honduras!!

Typical Antigua!

The former capital of Guatemala (until a massive earthquake hit), is now a popular tourist destination and it’s easy to see why. Sitting at the base of dormant Volcan de Agua, the town is different from everywhere else in Guatemala we had previously visited. The European influence is omnipresent with the quaint colonial charm, cobble stone streets, lots of cafes and a neat central park.

Cathedral!

The best view of the city is from the Cerro de la Cruz. The walk is for people of all ages, paved steps the whole way and a police presence, making it safe to do on your own. When you reach the top be sure to check out the smoking Pacaya Volcano to the right and allow youself to imagine the possibility of an eruption!

Cerro de la Cruz!

Our experience in Antigua was great, complete with a couchsurfing host to boot. Love (pronouced Loov-eh), was our Sweedish host living in a sweet pad right near the central markets. He led us through the maze of narrow lanes, showing us a few great places to grab a cheap and delicious meal. Incredible as it is, also staying with Love was our friend Alex, whom we met all the way beck in Belize!

On our second day there, Love led us all on a crazy journey up to a surrounding town for a hike to a series of waterfalls. Getting there we hitchhiked in the back of an ambulance which was a first for all involved. The hike in was beautiful. Long groves of coffee plants leading up into the beautiful hills. Chels and I made it to the first waterfall and stopped there. A towering falls but no opportunity for swimming. The guys attempted a hike up the overgrown trail to the other ones while Chels and I had a chill out. We all hitched a ride home in time for a sunset browse at the market to get supplies for our guacamole and chip dinner.. Mmm Mmm good!

Back of the ambulance!!

The boys enjoying the Waterfall!

Antigua is a great town to just walk around, which is mostly what we did when we weren’t riding in the back of ambulances to far off waterfalls. Even though it’s gringo central, traditionally dressed women still roam the streets selling their hand made crafts; and there is no shortage of your prepackaged Mayan-goods markets.

Guatemala is so colorful!

The last night we were there we did a very American thing and got Chilly Cheese fries while watching Alabama beat up on LSU in the National Champoinship game. We redeemed ourselves later that night with a visit to Cafe No Se, a Mescal bar. The bar is a landmark, and modeled after a 1920s speak easy, with a secret door leading to the secluded bar. Mescal is a tequila-esq drink that is sipped and not nearly as harsh. We said our goodbyes to Love there and the next morning shipped off early to Panajachel on Lago de Atitlan!

American drinking night!

Mescal Bar!

Beautiful Semuc Champey!

Along the Guatemalan travel trail, fellow backpackers gaulk about the marvelous places they’ve been in this vibrant Central American country. A handful of places keep playing up like a broken record, and Semuc Champey is one of them. A natural phenomenon of aquamarine pools that, through years of erosion, rests on a limestone ledge hollowed out underneath by a raging river.
Part of Semuc Champey’s appeal is the journey there. It is isolated and the effort it takes to get there weeds out the traveler from the tourist, requiring a very uncomfortable ride from any direction down the rocky mountain road to the town of Lanquin. Once you arrive here you then have to arrange for a ride to Semuc Champey to claim natures reward.

Hitchhiking with the little Guatemalan girls!

We had the option of either staying in Lanquin or Semuc Champey. We chose Lanquin at this sweet hostel perched up on a hill surrounded by tall mountains and valleys..called Zephyr Lodge. A near 360 degree panoramic view of the landscape is available as you sit in one of the many swinging hammoks around the hostel. We actually ended up staying 3 nights longer than originally planned since it was such good vibes. (and we got the 4th night free! 5th day is Happy Hour all day!) It was a brilliant place to conveless as Chels and I were both getting over our stomachs introduction to Guatemala.

Amazing View!

Best shower ever!!

The hostel was great but just a small part of the overall experience. The feature presentation is Semuc Champey. It’s natural beauty transcends the cultural barriers as people from all parts of the world explore the jewel like pools. We feel, and other travelers have agreed, Semuc gives visitors an energy boost. You leave there with a pep in your step for the rest of that day. Maybe it’s the visual beauty, or maybe the pools have some magical healing properties; either way it was one hell of a place to celebrate the transition from my 25th to 26th trip around the sun!

Brad relaxing in the pools!

Flores from above!

About an hour taxi ride later and we arrived in a cute little town located on an island in the middle of the lake, called Flores. I immediately loved it – the old uneven cobblestone streets lined with local shops selling colorful Guatemalan gear. Similar to India, the local women in Guatemala actually wear their traditional dress still on an everyday basis! We were staying in a private room in a quieter hostel called “Hospedaje Yaxha” where you can take Spanish classes or eat at their cafe downstairs. Around the corner though was “Los Amigos”, the fun and colorful hostel with a cool garden full of hammocks…we moved there a couple days later!

Los Amigos!

On our way to the only ATM working on the island, we ran into Alex and Outti, our friends we met in Bullet Tree, and immediately organized a reunion dinner in town. Crazily enough, on our way to dinner, we ran into Stav, the other guy we were with in Bullet Tree, so he tagged along and it was one big CS reunion Super cheap dinner at the markets in the central square alongside an AMAZING Christmas Tree that lights up as it blares our the theme song to 2001 A Space Oddysey! Haha it was hilarious! Then, along with some other hostel friends, we all enjoyed beers at what became our favorite local spot in town! 3 beers for 15Q (2 bucks)!

Awesome Tree!

Couchsurfers!!

The main reason to visit Flores is as a stopping point to see the famous Mayan Ruins at Tikal. We woke up at 4am to catch the 4:30 shuttle to the ruins an hour away to be there for the park opening. 100% worth waking up, as you can be one of the only ones in the park if you skip the long-line for coffee and breakfast at the cafe they drop you at when you arrive. Unfortunately you cannot climb Temple II, the most famous image of Tikal. It really is just so steep..tourists are bound to slip and fall.

Tikal!

Awesome Moss!

What was recommended to us, and what we will also recommend, is to head straight to the back of the park to Temple IV, the highest temple that towers up above the rainforest canopy. It will most likely by super misty and foggy, but as the sun keeps rising, the fog slowly melts away to uncover the other temples sprouting out through the jungle. The mix of ruins with lush green trees, howling monkeys and talkative birds makes for a mystical experience. You beat the crowds first thing too!

Temple IV lookout!