Guate! Guate! Guate!

  Antigua Guatemala, Guatemala
Wednesday, October 31, 2007

    Hello once again from your trusty local intrepid traveller, boldly exploring the touristy towns and backpacker ghettos of the world so that you don't have to!

    Yes, it's true.  I admit to the fact that, at least here in Guatemala, I have remained firmly on the beaten path.  No daring adventures to tiny towns down dirt tracks.  Nothing but the Pan-American Highway and what major tourist destinations are easily accessable from there.          That being said, the beaten path of touristdom in Guatemala is absolutely fantastic.  I have thoroughly enjoyed the 3+ weeks I've spent here.  Haven't done much riding on the bikes, but what riding I've done has been breathtaking.  Heck, the whole country is breathtaking.  Mist-shrouded volcanoes everywhere, several of which are actively spewing forth lava (I climbed one of those volcanoes.  Stood about three feet away from molten lava oozing out of the side of the mountain.  It's really hot, I melted my shoes.  If it weren't for the stray dogs living there I would've thought I was on another planet instead of Central America).  And all three of the towns I've stayed in are just gorgeous, and all for very different reasons.
    Antigua--the capitol of Central America until it was destroyed by an earthquake in 1783(?) and then re-destroyed several more times--is an example of what a tourist trap should be.  First off, the town itself is very pretty, with low pastel buildings surrounding at least a dozen giant picturesquely destroyed buildings from the 1700s.  Then, surround it with three giant volcanoes (hence the earthquakes).  Add to that a whole bunch of pleasant and pretty restaurants, cafes and bars and throw a very nice hostel on top and you've got a recipe for 8 days of blissful decadence.
    Panajachel--A town on the shores of beautiful Lake Atitlan.  I'm pretty sure Lake Atitlan is beautiful, everyone else says it is.  It was pouring rain the whole time we were there, though, so I couldn't say for myself.  Pana itself, however, was very interesting for a completely unexpected reason.  It was my chance to take a peak into the world of the American ex-pat, of which there is a thriving community in the town.  A very odd community, but very attractive in many ways.  I can easily see how people end up whiling away weeks/months/years in a beautiful place like this.  I could easily see it happening to me.
    Flores--Flores is a beautiful town of hotels restaurants and travel agents . . . oh, and one Church, set on a little island in a beautiful lake.

Old Man and the Sea

No mountains here, this is up near the Yucatan, deep in what used to be (and still is in spots) jungle.  The town and the surrounding countryside is idyllic.  It certainly helped that the weather was perfect, and the presence of Tikal nearby sure didn't hurt anything.

    Tikal?  What is this Tikal that I speak of?  It's a giant Mayan city set in the middle of jungle.  I know you've all seen at least one shot of it.  George Lucas used it for the exterior shots of the Rebel Base in the original Star Wars.

More Yavin IV

Yavin IV

It is indeed big and indeed beautiful, but what I will remember forever is being there as the sun went down.  I had the place nearly to myself and as the sun got lower and the light changed it was like being in a dream.  You know how the light gets at dusk?  All amber/gold and soft?  Splash that over some giant Mayan temples, add parrots and foxes and monkeys waking up for a night of doing whatever animals do when they're not looking pretty for tourists and you've got how I spent the evening of the 27th.  Very very cool.
   
    But onwards and upwards to new adventures.

Maw and Paw

Tomorrow my Mom flys home--Oh, I forgot to mention, my Mother flew down from Seattle for the last ten days to see Antigua and Tikal with us, it's been like a big family vacation minus my sister (just because she has a job and and family and is 8 months pregnant she didn't come down, hmph)--and my Dad and I hit the road once again.  We'll be cruising through El Salvador and Honduras towards Nicaragua, where hopefully I'll get a chance to get in touch with all'y'all again.

Oh, and one last note.  Everyone, please say hello to Stan from California, Mike from Panajachel and Masa from Slovenia, the newest lucky people on my travel-spam list.

Take Care,

Matt