From Puerto Barrios it is necessary to travel to Antigua via Guatemala City and, due to time constraints, we had to stopover for the night. Now, forget what I said about Belize City, Guatemala City really IS the epitome of places to avoid. A bad dream by day and hell by night, this is one place that the guidebooks are not scaremongering about, they are telling the truth!
Certain areas are especially dangerous and the streets deserted (literally not a soul...apart from the unsavouries that are perhaps lurking in the shadows), as the locals hurry home before dark. Zona 1 and the bus stations are notoriously bad, as Steve and I discovered when we alighted the bus and started walking, reaching a junction of dark, desolate streets. A passing driver started gesticulating wildly, like a madman, and told us not to go any further. Always a good idea to wander into the most dangerous part of Guatemala at night, laden with gear, giving the impression of rich tourists! [Lesson #546...listen to the guidebooks and Lesson #547...we are not invincible!] We stayed in Hotel Fenix, described in Lonely Planet as 'veneral', whilst I would bluntly call it a toilet! It's amazing the places you can sleep when you are tired enough.
It seems that all the dregs of society have congregated into one place, that is Guatemala City. And not one Guatemalan outside of GC has a good word to say about it. However, come morning, the once desolate streets are alive with a frenzy of activity and, given that Guatemala City is an up-and-coming financial centre, there is hope!
We got a (very busy) chicken bus to Antigua, a very old and picturesque Spanish colonial town, nestled between three volcanoes, with Cerro de la Cruz offering stunning panoramic views - the perfect place to live for a month! The people are extremely friendly, extremely helpful (we had seen several apartments within the first hour just from talking to a few people) and the town extremely safe. Antigua is the only place in the whole of Guatemala that has tourist police, in place specifically to protect the tourists.
We went through an agency to find our apartment [www.casanovarealestate.net] as none of the apartments we viewed previously were up to scratch and we were very particular about what we wanted. Although slightly over budget, the apartment was perfect!
Antigua is in the perfect location, with easy access to other destinations, perfect for weekends off from studying.
Antigua is in the perfect location, with easy access to other destinations, perfect for weekends off from studying. Our first trip was to Volcan Paçaya, one of the most active volcanoes in Central America, and what an amazing experience it is to walk alongside real, flowing lava! Although we have come back to Guatemala during the rain season and we did hit a torrential downpour as we reached the peak, come rain or shine, this is a destination not to be missed! BUT A WORD OF WARNING....the molten rock is extremely sharp and very slippery when wet, as I found when I lost my footing and fell arse over tit, losing my foot in a crevice! At first I thought it was broken as I couldnt move it - always ideal when at the top of a very active volcano - but luckily my very supportive hiking shoes saved me! Thank God for Decathlon!
Our second trip to Paçaya - to coincide with the better, less wet weather - was even more spectacular than the first. Lava could be seen spewing from the mouth of the volcano and flowed merely an inch from the surface beneath our feet - perhaps the closest experience to walking over hot coals!
After Pacaya we ventured to Chichicastenango for Market Day (Sunday), a market where Mayan's flock in their hundreds to sell their handiwork. Chichi is a photographer's paradise (as probably noted from the photos); a vast array of bright, evocative colours, displayed on the stalls and worn by the locals. In Chichi you are guaranteed to buy a unique item for a bargain price!
We also took a long bus and boat ride to Livingston, stopping overnight (in a cockroach infested pit) and then a boat cruise along Rio Dulce; a lush river as sweet as its name! This area is in stark contrast to the rest of Guatemala, heavily populated by Garifuna people and how one would expect the Caribbean to be. Unfortunately, Steve and I were both ill from what we presumed to be food poisoning and thus were bed ridden for much of the weekend so couldn't fully appreciate these delights! The new weight-loss plan...a Guatemalan diet!!
Our weekdays were spent studying Spanish and, although we went to a reputable school, in hindsight I would have studied privately. This is the best way to ensure that the teachers, who are on a very poor wage, reap the rewards that they truly deserve. Our teachers, Betty and Waleske, were highly proficient and made our studies very enjoyable (call Waleske NO TO BE ADDED), although as you can imagine, having not studied for so long, our brains were fried!!!
Sadly and with perfecto Spanglish under our belts (although a long way to becoming fluent of course), we bid a final farewell to Guatemala. It is highly unlikely that we will ever return but we will cherish the memories. I would urge anybody to visit this very special country and defy anyone not to succumb to its charms...
[Photos: 1 - Antigua; 2 - Volcan Paçaya]
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