Holiday Inn San Cristobal San Cristobal de las Casas

... in or around the river. But the main attraction was the crocodiles that we had been promised we would see. As the boat was heading back to the port we had yet to encounter any, and this gave the trip an air of disappointment despite the wonderful scenery. Yet suddenly the boat slowed and pulled over to the river bank where the guide had spotted something. Two large crocs were lounging on the mud, and as we drew closer a third glided right past the boat to ...

... was the famed Market Municipal. It was only Thursday but so many people were flocked to the area that there was a horrible traffic jam. Livestock were being auctioned, food was everywhere. If it weren't for our packs, we would've stayed longer to enjoy the insanity.

The last direct shuttle from San Cristobal to Quetzaltenango (Xela) left at 9 a.m., the only possible way to get into Guatemala by sun down was to bus our way to Ciudad Cuahtemoc (Ciudad ...

... I have become obsessed with these charcol chicken vendors you get all over the place in Mexico, where they butterfly cut chickens and roast them over coals and serve them to you with rice, wraps, lime, salad, etc. Its like a Mexican version of nandos as they spice it with chilli and lime and things, which is pretty similar to the old peri peri goodness from back home. Once we got back on the bus, I was lucky enough that the hot looking girl sat next to me ...

... tours in the region. The price indicated is a bit expensive, but asking for info is free, right? So here I go! Arriving there, I am facinga closed gate. So I ring the bell, as the sign on the door says. A man opens the door and I say: "Hello, I would lik some information about your bike tours." He then waves me to his office, shows me a file with 2 pages of FAQs about the bike tours: " - Can I take my camera wit me? No, because Idigenous are weary of cameras. - Do we visit a ...

... destination was the white church – the church of Saint John the Baptist - located just across the village square which was lined with vendors selling their merchandise. Notably it was all done in a quiet manner with no one approaching visitors or soliciting aggressively as is the manner in Mexico. As I said in an earlier blog, the Tzotzil are a quiet reserved people that are very much enveloped in his or her own fascinating culture. In another part of the square was an ...

... the “zocalo”. It would have been nice to find a warm room but despite the cool temperatures there is no source of heat in the hotel rooms other than heavy horse blankets.

It was basic accommodations, clean, friendly but without any type of frills. But what can one expect for 300 pesos. The horse blankets came in handy as we crawled into bed in the early morning hours to catch up on sleep, which we missed on the overnight bus ride.

Once we ...

... paluuyhteytemme kohti Suomea 15. helmikuuta. Aika näyttää riittääkö häntä Mesoamerikan viimeiseen pötkylään eli Panamaan asti. Halvimmat lennot eivät meidän tapauksessa tarkoita kaikkein suorimpia. Siirtymiseen Helsingistä Mexico Cityyn ja San Josesta takaisin käsittää kaikkineen 7 vaihtoa ja kolme eri lentoyhtiötä. Positiivinen puoli on se, että tällä tavoin saa itselleen sumplittua matkan varrelle pitkän viikonlopun vaikka New Yorkiin ennen eksoottisempaan kieliympärist ...

... said it was dangerous, and that the locals didnt like us going that way unless with a guide. not at all what the guide books state... and he was wrong. we have people coming out and waving. kids squeeling, and running away after waving,... then running back. we cycle up hill through small villages, with `pigs tied up outside, free range chickens, a few eagles, and fantastic views back down...if we ...

... is Caye Caulker" - the island almost dictates that you slow your pace of life down and that´s probably the reason we ended up staying longer here than anticipated! After our hop through Belize we made our way to the Mexican border minus the bus driver who decided not to pick the full bus load up on the other side! After a hasty taxi ride we made the last bus to Playa del Carmen by the skin of our teeth! We hadn´t planned on heading here but we received word from ...

... at the far end of the room. beyond the doors is el circo nightclub, walls painted soft orange marble with heavy dark varnished wooden pillars and arched rafters holding up the ceiling, tangle of lighting wires and globes, mirror balls, speakers and fans. a red laminated and distressed aluminium bar snakes its way up the right hand side, a two level grand stand further along the same wall. the polished cement floor leads back across the 25 metre long dancefloor to a stage ...