Guatemala and back to Honduras

Trip Start Aug 30, 2007
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Trip End Jun 30, 2008


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Flag of Honduras  , Gracias,
Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Guatemala turned out to something of a flying visit as we just didnīt leave enough time. Shame, since itīs a fabulously friendly and colourful country. Thereīs something special about Guatemala, and it felt like a privelege to travel to a country with such tradition, identity and magic. Itīs truly latin american with itīs own vibrant culture and personality. I keep making comparisons, but when much of the countries weīve visited (parts of CR particularly) are leaning so heavily towards all things American, Guatemala offers an enriching, authentic experience. From what we saw of it anyway. Women everywhere are dressed in the intricately woven and embroidered fabrics they have worn for  centuries. Men, women and children carry staggeringly heavy loads wrapped in bright cloth, balanced, somehow, comfortably on their heads. Everyone has a bright smile and a "hola". 

We spent a few days in Antigua, then went to stay in the village of San Marcos on Lago Atitlan. It is a beautiful lake, as beautiful as claimed, flanked by three volcanoes, but with a fair amount of development creeping in on its banks. We planned two nights but spent five. We met some good people - a few Irish, an interesting, artistic couple from Montreal, and a IT guy from Texas who ended up being really useful to know for advice on our website (and who has already managed to get us first place in Google for "Intercambio Central America"). We spent most evenings with them, eating in the same local restaurant and listening to a visiting Argentinian musician play tango tunes on his guitar. Then weīd sit in the garden chatting and sharing wine and taking "taki" beer. Days were spent hiking around the lake, going to yoga classes, reading, or kayaking on the lake. Spent a day in Chichicastenango, a town famous for its market. Hell of a market. Huge, bustling, sprawling and piled high, overwhelmingly so, with colourful and cheap textiles, clothes, and crafts.

Couldnīt describe it as a safe country, by a long stretch. We left the car at a police station in Copan Ruinas, Honduras, by the border, and travelled into Guatemala by bus just to make sure we had a plan B. Even in tranquil, hippyville San Marcos someone we met had been mugged on a dark path. Most people experience no trouble, but everyone knows someone who had something happen to them. Very sad, but a very poor, corrupt country. Lots of guns, but weīre well used to guns, big guns, everywhere now. Itīll be strange to walk into a bank, or even a regular shop, in the UK without saying "Buenas" to a guard carrying an enormous pump action shot gun.

After our holiday within a holiday to the lake, we returned via Panajachel, to Antigua for one night before getting a 4am bus to Copan. Collected the car and drove straight to Gracias in Honduras. Boo. Expected more from this town, but itīs just hot, dusty and a bit depressing. Exhausted though so persuaded Chris to spend two nights just to chill out after two days on the road.
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