Piedraluna Hotel Guatemala City

... had a passport stolen, and because of that, they have gained street cred in Guatemala. I've been here many different times without the carnage so I wonder who is smarter on the streets?<br><br>Maybe instead of worrying about who has travel and street cred or not, they should gain some hygenic cred. I've run into these types all across the globe. They look like they haven't had a haircut or shave in 3 years or a shower in about as long ...

... with a huge and colourful procession marching around the town for hours on end complete with marching bands, incense swingers and some of the loudest bangers I've ever heard. The route of the procession was lined with beautiful (not to mention painstakingly constructed) religious artworks laid out on the ground in coloured sawdust and flowers, over which the marchers trampled while carrying a huge 'float' with statues of ...

... in Zone 10 (aka, Viva, easily the "safest" place to stay) at Xanamek Inn (sp?). Great hostel, but pricey. Went out on Saturday, had one, final great night out. Sunday, the day before I left back to Canada, I walked around Zone 1, mostly. Sundays are incredible days in the city, as a lot of people are off work, people are out and about, and there's tons of stuff going on. I really, really enjoyed it. And a word for other travelers: it's not nearly as dangerous ...

... Juan and Luis had many pitchers of beer, and were very enthusiastic about engaging us in conversation about which places we should go visit. Every place that Juan talked about was the most beautiful place on Earth. Luis was so drunk, that he just sat quietly and occasionally added in some remarks that were a little difficult to decipher. They both got really excited when the Madonna video for Beautiful Stranger came on. Right now we are about to check out of Casa Florencia ...

... volcano!" and we all had a laugh who could hear him through the storm. The weather cleared for us by 4 am, our wake up call. We ate a quick breakfast before climbing to the peak of the volcano. As the sun rose, we had some amazing views, absolutely spectacular views. It was so worth the climb. After returning to camp four hours later, we had the BEST pancakes I have ever tasted in my entire life. They were absolutely amazing. We also had more of the amazing pineapple from ...

... My luck continued when a gorgeous blond sat down next to me on the plane. Apparently someone was sitting in her assigned seat...too bad. She was an American archaeologist spending several months on a dig in the Guatemalan highlands. She was taking a few days off and returning to the states to visit some friends in New York and Connecticut. A good way to end a good trip!

... the top (of the trek not the volcano) we got within a couple of feet of the molten lava, walking across recently cooled lava still glowing orange underneath. I was behind everyone else having stopped for a leak and had to stand still waiting for the old folks to pick their way across. My feet started burning through the soles of my shoes so we sacked it off, waited til they had all finshed and went up there on our own with our bag of marshmallows! Lava isn´t the best for ...

... road we were walking was walked, at around the same time of the day, by those who were massacred around 37 years ago, community members of Plan de Sanchez. Interesting turn of fate. We strolled, unknowingly, into the community, lightly shrouded by cloud. Plan de Sanchez was a really special place for me to visit, because I'd learnt about it before leaving for Guatemala. The ...

... to look as if I didnt know him. Incidentally, there do seem to be a lot of drug dealers here in Guatemala. Its much like Stockwell. Except that rather than living in cramped council flats, these guys have built massive villas with pools in the jungle. You can see them as you fly into Guatemala City. The flight was ok, but the surfleit of Americans on board meant that we had to sit through an unnecessary round of applause on landing. I always ...

... the airport. The trip was uneventful and I was out of the car looking for the security line in 30 minutes. Getting into the airport was no problem. I love being able to check in on-line and not having checked luggage. The security line was short and I got right through. It is just a little bit of a pain having to take so much stuff off and then put it back on. Shoes, watch, jacket, hat ...