Posada Don Diego Antigua Guatemala

... was with a relatively new tour agency called Garage Funk Tours. We booked the tour through the school so didnt have any clue what we were in for. Turns out the two guys who started the tour group have absolutely no business being tour guides. I think they said a combined 8 words during the 8 hours of the event (spanish and english combined). We piled into their souped up chicken bus (black bus with red flames ...

... br>- Everything grows in Guatemala...even purple bananas! Flowers bloom year round.

- The traditional tip for bien service is 10%

- $1USD = 8.3 Quetzal, which is the national elusive bird printed on the currency

- Handmade kites actually fly and are for one time use - not very eco-friendly.

- Dancing plays a really large role in the life of both men and women, starting at a really young age. Guatemalan men ask me to dance at ...

... our best boots, raincoats, long pants, camera, water and sandwiches we met up at Barca Expeditions shortly before 2 PM. Little did we know, that we would have to wait – again – another half hour before being stuffed together with 14 other travellers into a van only suited for 12 people. It is needless to say, that the atmosphere was not that great from the offset.

Only barely having left Antigua we stopped to fuel and the driver told us to tank ...

... tarantula and two very calm snakes that we naturally also encountered and got into close contact with.

However, the funniest part of the excursion was our way back from Antigua Exotic and to the museum of San Felipe. It had been raining like crazy, but it had stopped by then. This then meant that the streets were almost made inpassable by small floods of water. At one point in time we found ourselves on a small ledger with only one ...

... the unique feature here is that even now, four years later, the lava is still flowing.

After hiking up through the forest, we crossed through the clouds and stepped onto black volcanic ash. From here, we continued another 30 minutes up. Although you canīt go to the crater, you can go close to the lava. The first sight of close-up lava sent everyone scrambling for a closer and closer look. Althought the air ...

... nursing hangovers, we arrived in Antigua, population 45,000, but a virtual metropolis after the tiny town of San Pedro.



(Now remember, we lost our camera - and all our photos from Antigua - somewhere on the overland trip between Honduras and Mexico, just after we left Guatemala, so you'll just have to make do with some leftover ones from San Pedro and a few we stole ...

... for the rest of the trek. Fortunately, there were locals who have been following our group who was happy to sell a ride on their horse. Knowing I was not in the position to bargain I accepted the fee of 100Q for an one way trip up the mountain. In hind sight I am glad I rode the horse up because it allowed me to enjoy the views along the trail vice suffering trying to keep up with the group. Two other members also chose ...

... a grid, North, South, East, West, so with the addition of landmarks like the Parque Central and any of 4 cathedrals, several ruins and cafes, it's no problem getting anywhere on foot. I spent a memorable evening last week at an English movie with Spanish subtitles with my housemates - we told ourselves that it was a good alternative method of learning Spanish. The cinema had lounge chairs, sofas ...

... American countries allows you to travel in these countries up to 3 months and pay only one fee at the first country you enter. Seems that someone forgot to tell the border folks because I've gotten charged at every border so far. And when I ask about it they look at me like they have no idea what I'm talking about. Since it's generally a $3 fee I don't make a big stink. I have ...