Guatemala guatemala guatemala

You know when you spend a long time with one person, you get to know them REAL well.  Well Anna and I did that in college so now, since we've been traveling we've had those moments where we begin to trigger relapses of hilarious moments.

We've shared the dalmation bed.  Then the next night we had to share a TWIN size bed, as we arrived into Lanquin at 9pm in the rain and that's all they had left.  No options.  We look up from each others feet tucked deep in blankets and both say 'if our friends could only see us now, they wouldn't be suprised.

We've spent serious time in the buses.  Sitting next to each other.  Sharing stories and thoughts.  Anna has been plauged with the travelers D and yesterday I cried on the bus as she told me when she woke up in the morning she had to go check her pants.  She was so sweaty she didn't know what had happened in her sleep.
No worries, just sweat.

We're traveling cheap.  Sharing almost every meal, every piece of fruit and every drink.  Lets just say, some good bonding.  We've seen half of this country by bus windows and look-out points.  It's rugged, beautiful, mysterious and energetic all at the same time.  That could really describe us too.

Anna has one day left.  I have a very long list of things/reasons to keep her in the country for at least another week.  We'll see if it works.  Salsa dancing lessons today and another trip to the market.

Semuc Champey Chocolate

Addiction:

It's buying atleast 2 chocolates a day.

It's hiding my money in my shorts from Anna when she asks to hold it, so I have enough to buy atleast one chocolate, she's trying to help me break the habit. It's waking up in the morning thinking chocolate or going to bed dreaming of it.  It becomes a problem when you know which kid sells the best and when they know your name.

 

  

Anna and I dried our own cocoa beans!

First step is admitting the problem!  Now, weening myself off.......its tough people!

Has all of this just happened?

Anna here checking in again.  Going to bullet point a few eye openers that Guatemala offers to me on a daily basis.

Grain Trucks aka People Movers

The best thing about riding in these is that I am a foot taller than everyone else and always have a decent view, unless it is tarped for rain, things can get complicated.

Daily bug check in the dorm rooms

You never know what visitors you are having that evening or are already there to welcome you.  Thus far we have had spiders, toads, a dog, and the unknown leg eaters that come out at night and suck our blood.

The Sun

Results: I have shed an entire layer of skin head to toe

Fun with the Machete

This thing is great!  I cut open my first coconut with it!

Scorpy the Scorpion

I got stung by this big grey and yellow legged creature in the jungle, OUCH!

Picked fresh cocoa

This is what chocolate is made from, aka the cocoa seed pod

The endless beauty

Semuc Champey wowzers!

When people say that Semuc Champey might be one of the most beautiful things you can see and experience in Guatemala, they're not lying or even exaggerating.

(having hard time rotating, pick and turn computer!)

Deep.  And I mean DEEP in the jungle.  In the heart of Guatemala.  Where people use dirt mountain trails as sidewalks.  Where they speak the Mayan language of Kekchi and little Spanish. 

(Chocolate girls, I bought over 10 bars, it's a problem)

Where the little girls sell home made chocolate.  They're mom's dry the cocoa beans in the front yard.

Where you walk 1km in any direction to find the closest tienda and all they sell is rice, beans and cookies.  Nothing like fruits or veggies.

This my friends, is the heart of Guatemala.  Semuc Champey.  A place.  A park.  A series of waterfalls/natural swimming pools.  A pumping river that goes underground for 300 meters.  Leaving above, beauty that you've never imagined.  

Seriously.  How to imagine seeing monkeys.  Waterfalls.  Pools.  Jungle   And fresh chocolate.

I'll continue on the chocolate later.  As I have an addiction.  It's a problem, we bought 4 bars in one day.  They knew us by name.  As we'd sneak off into the jungle, they'd see us, yelling 'Anna y Heily, hay choco latte!'  Sad but very true.

 

Another success!

Guatemala's Best

1 day.  300km (aka 180 miles) 13 hours of bus time, a 14 hour trip.  You do the calculations.

 

What our buses looked like on the outside!

An idea of what the buses were like from the inside!  As soon as we thought "ok, it's not possible to put anyone else in here," they'd pick up 2 more people.

So might call us crazy.  But that’s how we did it.  13 hrs on some of the funniest bus rides yet.  Anna got to appreciate a man sitting on her lap.  And, an armpit in her face.  I sat on a piece of wood wedged between two seats.  We dodged and weaved around some of the smallest, gravel roads I’ve been on yet.  Not to mention we were running along the ridges of the mountains. 

I had a conversation with a deaf man, we signed together.  I have absolutely NO idea what we talked about for 20 minutes, but do know that by the time I was done, I was a little scared someone was going to stop the bus, rob us, then take our packs from above.

Don’t worry that didn’t happen.  We made it to Lanquin from Quetzaltenango, only fighting one flat tire.  

 

Leaving San Pedro, this was out our window.

While in ‘Xela’ we shared our first bed, staying cheap as it was only a layover stop for us.  Let’s just say, we were probably more comfortable sleeping that close, due to the conditions of our room.  At one point Anna asked if I stay in places like this often, if so she was to be worried!

To Semuc Champey today!