Dont believe the bad rumours about Livingstone

Trip Start Aug 21, 2008

Trip End Ongoing

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Where I stayed

Casa de la Iguana Livingston

(Livingston hotels)

Flag of Guatemala Livingston, Guatemala
Tuesday, September 16, 2008

I arrived in Rio Dulce at around 10pm after the worst journey in the world ever. I was completely shattered by the time >I got there and I didn�t really need to be dropped off on the wrong side of the mile long bridge to my intended hostel. I decided to take advantage of the street vendor before making the journey and sat down near what turned out to be three drunken feisty locals (about the size of oompa loompas) who began to shout out what I assume was abuse (Gringo-this, gringo that). I didn�t really pay much attention but quickly polished off my greasy street meat and stuck a couple of cocktail sticks between my fingers just in case they decided to follow me accross the unlit bridge and I ran into trouble. No problems to speak of - I actually met a woman and her three 20-something daughters halfway across who offered to show me the way to the hostel. I�m pretty sure she was trying to marry off the eldest but although she obviously had very good taste, I was really not in the mood for marriage after a very long day

Volcanically warmed waterfall

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Backpacker�s hostel was cheap and clean but I was a tad concerned about the sign requesting patrons not to enter the bar with their guns...turns out that Rio Dulce is a �drugs bridge-town� between Central and South America (2 people had been shot in the bars toilets recently - gang warfare - no tourists involved --the hostel is safe - trust). There was anything particular I wanted to do in Rio Dulce other than take the scenic ferry ride to Livingston but Betsy, the Hostel�s Manager recommended a little gem. I took a 45 min trip to Finco Pariso (a volcanically heated waterfall that met the cooler waters of another stream - nice as totally unexpected and would recommend anyone travelling the same route to make the detour. The waters were incredibly hot and after several failed attempts at trying to climb up behind the waterfall I decided to just relax.
The Rio Dulce cruise was a nice journey, remeniscent of Belizian mangroves together with mountains either side. On the boat I hit it off immediately with an Irish Guy (Vin) and his italian girlfriend who told me about his ideas to export Mayan clothes to Ireland which got my brain ticking of other potential business opportunitites in the area...hmmm
From what I�ve read, Livingstone seems to be the place you either love or hate

Rio Dulce

. Not much touristy stuff going and the town felt like a real community..the local Garafuni women card gambling in the middle of the street and families in the local playground. The town was a mix of Landinos, Mayan and Garafuni which although there didn�t appear to be much integration was a peaceful mix. I intended to stay only the one night and head out to Utila, Honduras in the morning but the guys I had planned to travel with couldn�t wake me sufficiently (Yes - alcohol was involved). It turned out quite fortuitous as the weather was miserable and the Rio Dulce street meat had dacided to play havoc with my stomach, so a bunch of us treated ourselves to watching Die Hard 4 and a whole season of The (American (and surprisingly good)) Office.

I travelled the next day with Doltan, another (but older) israeli who was kind enough to lend me 50 bucks so I could make the journey (ATMs not working - sigh). The fair was steep but really worth it as it cut out changing onto four different buses and completed the journey in 10 hours instead of the typical 2 days. After arriving at La Ceiba ferry port I waited in anticipation for the arrival of my first guest writer in this blog, Meridyth....was she going to make the ferry in time? 20 mins to go for the last ferry of the day - tick tock, tick tock......