#3. CAs Gem...Guatemala

From one beautiful country we have come to another...Guatemala, perhaps the most misunderstood country in Central America. With its very recent and extremely violent history, Guatemala is perhaps the biggest concern in terms of danger when travelling around Central America. But what a very welcome and pleasant surprise it is when you realise how truly amazing this place is. With the nicest, most friendly people and with the most spectacular and beautiful scenery, Guatemala has so much to offer and I defy anybody not to be encapsulated by it all!

After a somewhat bum-numbing 12-hour journey from San Cristobal, we arrived at Panajachal, Lake Atitlan, our first destination in Guatemala. We arrived in Panajachal on Steve´s birthday thus opting to stay the night, although our attempts to take advantage of the abundant happy hours available failed miserably. Unfortunately, after so much travelling, we were too tired to celebrate so vowed to celebrate the following day in a little village called San Marcos La Laguna, to coincide with the annual 2-day festival held there (25th & 26th April).

After having some drinks at our hotel (http://www.aaculaax.com/) - which overlooked the lake and volcanoes and was complete paradise - and after Steve having fallen over and cutting half of his face (nothing to do with the wine of course), we hit the festival. This truly was an experience. The festival was like one huge party overspilling into the streets; loud music blaring, a mini fairground, locals just basically getting bladdered!!

We bought some beers and were chatting between ourselves when a local man named Patrick approached us. Needless to say we got some more beers in and spent well over an hour with him.....we spoke English...he spoke Spanish/a Mayan dialect...we couldn´t understand each other one iota, but it was fun! However, we clearly got him too drunk and he became rather emotional and, after sucking on my neck like a leech, started to cry when we tried to leave! We then spent another half hour or so trying to escape him! The locals found the scene rather amusing and sat laughing at us...I´m glad we provided some entertainment for the evening!



After spending 3 nights in San Marcos, we moved to Jaibilito, where we spent a further three nights at the most magical hotel, La Casa del Mundo (http://www.lacasadelmundo.com/). Perched on a secluded cliff, built into the contours of the terrain, La Casa del Mundo is the perfect place for relaxation; whiling away the hours in a hammock, or jumping from the terrace into the freshwater lake! The only downside is that a "family" dinner is served, which is great if you like that American/Canadian "we-are-one-big-cheesy-and-fake-happy-family" kind of vibe but naturally, being British, we don´t!!

In total we spent a week relaxing by the lake which was really tranquil and mystical. The views of the volcanoes were spectacular and it was so nice just watching the locals going about their everyday business; washing themselves and their clothes in the lake, paddling their canoes to go fishing. The only exception to our relaxation was the 4-hour mountainous hike that we undertook from San Marcos to another village, Santa Cruz. But this was a mere mole hill compared to what was yet to come...

From Lake Atitlan we ventured to Quetzaltenango, known as Xela to the locals (Hotel Olivas, very friendly owners, Q150 for dbl bedroom, private bath. & cable...perfect for footie!). For some absurd reason we thought it would be a great idea to climb a volcano! Or should I say, Steve´s great idea! Being the gym freak that I was before I came out here I thought, no sweat! But, in Steve´s words, oh-boy-oh-boy - NOTHING could have prepared me for this!

The volcano in question was Volcan Santa Maria, a ´modest´ 3775 metres in height. The climb was to coincide with the full moon and is coordinated every full moon by Quetzaltrekkers (http://www.quetzaltrekkers.com/guathome.html), an excellent, non-profit organisation who donate all proceeds to a local school and to housing street kids.



We started our ascent at 12am on Wednesday (when you lot were waking up from your nice, relaxing, peaceful slumber!), having had only 1 hours sleep beforehand. Let´s just say after the first hour I was half dead and

wishing this was just a terrible dream! Throughout the climb I literally kept jolting from a trance, thinking I was dreaming, only to be disappointed when I realised I wasn´t! This was the hardest and most physically and mentally challenging thing I have ever done, and I didnt cope too well with the altitude, having to stop at regular intervals due to dizzy spells. Needless to say, with the exception of the guides, I was penultimately the last person to the top, with Steve the last....albeit that he was protecting me and giving me a little push when I got stuck on the rocks - hey, these boulders are particularly hard to negotiate when you have less than average length legs, almost like climbing several mountains!!!

4 hours and 50 minutes later, we reached the peak, although it took a while to sink in. I thought someone was playing a really cruel trick, rather like a mirage in the desert! But, the blood, sweat and (almost) tears were worth it Sitting on the peak, high above the clouds, we sat in sub-zero temperatures and watched the sun rise! Truly cold, but truly amazing!

The ascent was much easier as you would expect, although this was a challenge in itself. I discovered the best way to get down was to slide on your bum, although this was not out of choice! Eventually we reached flat and civillised lands 3 hours later and, by the time we got back to the hotel, I could have cried! NEVER. EVER. AGAIN!!! Or maybe a smaller one next time!

After Xela we travelled to Cobán, via Guatemala City, where we visited Semuc Champey and Finca Santa Maria, a small coffee plantation. The coffee plantation was extremely interesting - never again will I take a cup of coffee forgranted, especially given the arduous process to make it and the pittance that the workers are paid to do so! Steve even had his first ever cup of coffee!

We opted to go to Semuc Champey with a travel agency, situated within the hotel [???]. It is possible to go it alone, however, we decided to pay the Q260 for a hassle free adventure.

Semuc Champey is a natural wonder, comprising a limestone bridge formation with cascading pools, meeting the underground river via a tumultuous waterfall. Initially the steep 1.5 hour hike seems like a bad idea, however, once you reach the viewing deck, the almost aerial view of Semuc Champey, surrounded by lush green jungle, makes it worthwhile.

Our guide, René, was excellent. Very comical, he was also a bit of a daredevil and, after our glorious swim in the pools, helped us to climb perilously down to the rear of the waterfall. Clinging on with our lives and using every tiny crevice for our slippery ascent, one false move meant dicing with death...or at the very least a huge hospital bill! Not many guides do this so we were very lucky - René was a real life Action Man! Following Semuc Champey we visited the Lanquin cave; a hot, sweaty, slippery and pretty unspectacular attraction.

From Cobán we got the shuttle to Flores in order to reach our next destination, Tikal. As far as Tikal is concerned, we truly did save the best Mayan ruins until last. The 2.30am wake up call and longish drive from Flores became worthwhile once we reached the top of Pyramid IV, Tikal's highest point, and watched the sunrise through the mist. Shrouded in thick, dense jungle, Tikal came alive with a frenzy of activity the higher the sun rose; a variety of birds sang to each other and howler monkeys could be heard marking their territories in the distance, a cry almost resembling something out of Jurassic Park. There's nothing quite like being at one with nature!

As well as having an abundance of impressive ruins, some with amazing panoramic views, the fact that Tikal is swathed in jungle means that there is an abundance of wildlife too. Spider monkeys swinging in the trees, toucans and parrots swooping low, Tikal is something else! There is just something so calming and almost magical about the place.

Guatemala is a country that has truly surprised and inspired me! Given its extremely violent and unstable past and the fact that any guide book will tell you that it is generally a dangerous place, the people are probably the nicest and friendliest that we have encountered so far. They will always stop to help and, unlike the Cuban's, never expect anything in return. They laugh and joke with each other and are always respectful and courteous of each other, despite the hot, cramped and uncomfortable conditions of the notorious "chicken buses" (the best travelling experience and the best way to mingle with the locals) - something to be learnt on the London Underground! All social classes integrate with one another with no hostility or bitterness towards one another. Being here really is an eye opener.

From Tikal we sadly and reluctantly left Guatemala and headed to Belize [bus from Flores to Munchor de Mencos Q30, 'illegal' departure fee Q10, taxi to Benque $5BZE, bus to Belize City], safe in the knowledge that we will be back...

[Photos: 2 - Lake Atitlan; 3 - Chichicastenango; 4 - Tikal]

#2. One Tequilla. Two Tequilla. Three Tequilla. Floor...

From Cuba we arrive in Mexico, a land of vast plains and Mayan ruins aplenty. But, lest not forget the local tipple, Tequilla and, even better, tacos, quesadillas and fajitas galore...Mexico will be food heaven!!

Our first stop in Mexico was Playa del Carmen [Hacienda Maria Bonita, $50 for dbl room, kitchen, private bath and balcony], again not particularly the backpackers experience but we were still in holiday mode! Having come straight from Cuba, it was plain to see how much wealthier Mexico is as a country, although I am sure that some areas are still considered third-world. The second thing I noticed was how friendly and helpful the people were, greeting us with an hola as we walked along the main strip, albeit that they were trying to entice us into their shops.

As far as resorts go, Playa del Carmen has it all and something for all tastes. Primarily aimed at the US market, it was interesting to see how the Yanks partied and a refreshing change from the somewhat sleazy resorts us Brits are use to (although Cancún is probably a different experience altogether).

The nightlife has a fun and buzzy vibe, with alfresco dining and watering holes at every corner. By day, the soft, fine white sands and clear, turquoise waters make the beach very enticing.

Whilst in Playa del Carmen, we visited Chichen Itza, a fairly unmemorable site of Mayan ruins well over populated with tourists, but a place we felt obliged to visit just because we were in the local vicinity.

From Playa del Carmen our 'proper' travelling began, as we got the night bus to Palenque. Initially hoping to stay in El Panchen (which is highly recommended), by the time we arrived in Palenque we were so tired that we opted for the first hostel that we stumbled upon. That same day we hailed a colectivo, the easiest, cheapest and most reliable form of transport in Mexico, and visited Palenque, a site of Mayan ruins shrouded in jungle.

Palenque really was quite a serene and tranquil place, much better than Chichen Itza, with the jungle alive with birds and monkeys calling to each other. I was quite disappointed that I did not see any monkeys....that is, until we were about to leave. As we waited for our ride back to the hotel I decided to "monkey around" and did my best monkey call in the hope that a monkey would at least humour me and call back. Anyway, as I looked up I saw something very large rustling in the trees and, lo-and-behold, a big, black, spider monkey was happily swinging away! Maybe it was just coincidence but I quite fancy myself as Jane of the Jungle....Steve Tarzan, me Jane! Seeing my first monkey in its natural habitat was definitely the highlight of the day and well worth the ravenous mozzies who decided to feast on me that day! [Lesson #413...be generous with the insect repellent!]

Palenque town itself is a great place to sit at a street stall, munching on the most exquisite tacos and watching the world go by; Mayan women and children selling their trinkets, shoeshine boys awaiting their next customer, people just going about their daily business.

From Palenque we headed south to San Cristobal de Las Casas [Le Gite Del Sol www.legitedelsol.com], a very quaint and peaceful colonial town. We opted to go with Raul & Alex [150 Pesos, daily @ 9.30 from the cross in the main plaza, no need to book], a tour lead by a half-indigenous guide, to the Mayan village of Chamula. This really was like stepping back in time!

Chamula is not governed by Mexico and is even 1 hour behind, which they believe to be God´s time. Only people who are born in Chamula can live there and if you change religion you have to leave, never to return! The people are extremely religious, but not in a fanatical way, this is just their way of living happier and more content lives. The village is controlled by a number of spiritual leaders and it is strictly forbidden to take pictures of these people....being superstitious they believe that their photos will be used in witchcraft! The police, or rather, criminals who have to police the village as community service, will take your camera away if you even attempt to photograph them! The same goes if you try to take photos in the Church, the most sacred place (albeit that the locals can drink alcohol and smoke in the church, and even kill chickens as part of a ritual). They also drink Coca-Cola in abundance, believing that burping is a way of releasing the evil spirits inside them....this is my excuse from now on!

I was informed that many missionaries from the US have visited Chamula in order to try and convert the people into a more civillised and westernised way of living, believing the people to be uncivillised and their beliefs wrong. However, having been to Chamula and having witnessed these so-called "uncivillised" people, I can honestly say that they seem very happy in their lives; they are not harming or offending anybody and, in my opinion, they should be left alone. Afterall, each to their own...

The following day we visited the Cañon del Sumidero for a 90-minute boat cruise along crocodile infested waters, another real treat and something I would highly recommend (although the Aussies sitting behind me were naturally unfazed or unimpressed by our four legged friends!).

After eating our way around an amazing and very interesting country, and having the rotund bellies to prove it, we must bid fairwell to Mexico, as we make our way a little reluctantly to Guatemala...

[Photos: 1 - Palenque Ruinas; 2 - Chamulan Lady; 3 - Crocodile at Cañon del Sumidero]

#1. First Stop Cuba...

So this is where our journey begins. 4663 miles from home in the mysterious land that is Cuba. I say mysterious because, other than its cigars, rum, sexy Cuban dancing and the fact the Fidel Castro has been on his death bed for some time, not a great deal is known about Cuba. Now, having been here, all I can say is, seeing is believing. But first, a brief history...

In 1952, Fulgencio Batista, a pro-US army sergeant, proclaimed himself dictator and, being extremely corrupt, ran Cuba for his own profit and that of the US. Many rebels opposed this, hence the Cuban Revolution began.

Los Barbudos, as the rebels came to be known, was lead by Fidel Castro, with the help of Ernst Che Guevara (pictured), an Argentian doctor who later died in 1967 after being captured and executed by Bolivian soldiers. Che has become a cult hero ever since and is iconic of the Cuban Revolution.

In 1959, Castro overthrew Batista by force, and has retained all government powers ever since.

The first thing that strikes you as you enter Havana, or Habana as it is known, are the very old, crumbling buildings and the classic American cars, some in desperate need of some TLC whilst others being proudly polished by their owners.

The second thing that strikes you is the physique of the Cuban people. Perfectly groomed, these people take pride in their appearance. Size-0 is not a concept here, far from it, but honed, toned and sculpted to perfection is! But it is easy to see why. Cuban's are so active. If they are not shaking their booty to the Salsa they are running around on the streets playing basketball, baseball, and not a MacDonalds or any other fast food outlet in sight...how refreshing!

Yet despite these characteristics befitting Cuba's identity, once you scratch beneath the surface you soon realise how poor and controlled Cuban`s lives really are. Despite the fact that Fidel overthrew one dictator for the "good" of the country, it seems he has become a dictator himself, having absolute control over every aspect of Cuban life, freezing Cuba into what feels like a time-warp. The only difference between himself and Batista is that he opposes all things American. If I could describe Cuba in one word, it would be "surreal". But more on this later...

Our first stop in Havana was the old town, La Habana Vieja. Currently, UNESCO are donating millions towards the restoration of this area, as Havana has become a world heritage centre, yet given the situation with the govenment, it is impossible to know how much of this money is actually being invested and how much is going straight into Fidel`s pocket! As you approach the old town you pass buildings near collapse, forgetting that some of these are actually peoples homes.

La Habana Vieja is the tourist hub of Havana and comes alive from around 11am when the day tours turn up in abundance. The main areas of interest are Plaza de San Francisco and Plaza de Armas, the latter of which is particularly pictureseque and the perfect spot for a mojito or two; live and extremely talented Cuban bands play the Cha-Cha-Cha in the bars (expect to pay a tip at every interval), Cuban women dressed in their garb perch on doorsteps, happily posing with oversized cigars for that Kodak moment (pay 1CUC to take photos), and children lark about in the lush, green garden at the centre of the Plaza.

We took a horse and cart tour of the old town (10CUC pp), not only because we wanted to travel in style to mark the start of our travels, but also as it is good way to get your bearings! Our tour guide Mike, (I can`t actually remember his name but hey, he looked like a Mike) gave us an insight into the current situation with Castro in that he believed (or maybe hoped?) that he was dead already.

On the recommendation of Mike, we ate at Balturra [Lesson #367...always ask to look at the menu first before being seated]. This was not a restaurant for the budget traveller! However, being typically British, we were too polite to get up and leave thus ate there anyway...albeit that we had to share a meal due to lack of cash (perhaps leaving would have been the less embarrassing option!).

Cuban food is notoriously 'bad', although I feel 'limited' is a more apt definition. However, much is made of the staple foods that they have, namingly chicken, rice and frijoles (black beans). Sounds unappealing but tastes good. Very, very good!

Whilst we were in Havana, we learnt the hard way how easy it is to get hustled. On our second day we were approached by a Cuban couple who seemed over friendly and over keen to show us around. "Where are you from?" they asked. "England" we replied, at which point they both saidm in unison, "Ali G...Aiiiiii". Alarm bells should have started to ring! Against our better judgement we followed them, although Steve and I both admitted after that we thought we were going to be robbed! Anyway, eventually we settled in a bar for some Mojito´s, which we had expected to pay for anyway, but the bill came to CUC 24!!! Extremely expensive considering that we were paying CUC 1.75 for a mojito the previous day!! We only had CUC 11 so left a pair of cheap sunglasses on the pretence that we would return with the remainder of the money. Of course we never did! Whilst in the bar the couple also tried to ask us for money to buy food for their children. The woman even claimed she was pregnant, despite smoking and drinking at 9.30 in the morning! This couple blatantly were not poor, evidently by their clothes and copious amount of bling!

That same afternoon we were approached by a second couple, over eager to make conversation. "Where are you from?" they asked and then, almost predictably, in perfectly rehearsed unison, they quipped, "Ali G....Aiiii".

Some Cubans genuinely do want to talk and take a genuine interest in you, however, most Cuban's do not expect something for nothing. Any help or kind gesture on their part warrants financial reward, and some can become rude and aggressive when you fail to meet their demands. All the hassle became tiresome after a while and, by day 3, I couldn't wait to leave! Two days in Havana is plenty!

We hired a car to drive to Trinidad....this was certainly an experience! Signposts are few and far between and what is sign posted tends not to be on the map! After eventually finding a road which could have passed for a motorway and which we were hoping to be the autopiste, we drove for around 2 hours only to end up......the other side of Havana! We didn´t know whether to laugh or cry! So we went back to where we started and in the end admitted defeat. Eventually a fluent English speaking Cuban appeared from nowhere and offered to show us the way...by jumping in our car. We were a bit dubious at first but Steve had been driving in circles for so long we were past caring. The guy was actually very helpful and it was lucky he was there to help as the autopiste was 20km away and not sign posted. We gave him some money and he hitch-hiked back, which all Cuban´s do, even school children. Can you imagine hitch-hiking in England?!?

The best way to describe the Autopiste is this...picture the M25, minus any traffic, a distinct lack of road signs, with huge pot holes, cows grazing casually on the central reservation, hitch-hikers in abundance and random cyclists where there are no towns for miles!

After 7 hours or so driving we eventually made it to Trinidad which was well worth the wait! We stayed at Hotel Finca Ma Dolores, a site of pristine cabanas set in lush banana and mango groves, almost resembling a farm with farmyard animals skulking around and cockerals waking us up at the crack of dawn.

Trinidad town is the most surreal place ever. A medieval town with laws to protect conservation, Trinidad is extremely pictureseque in an 'olde-worlde' way, with cobbled streets and the horse the most common form of transport! The people are very friendly, much more so than in Havana.

Whilst in Trinidad, we took a drive down to Playa Ancon and had a swim in the beautifully warm waters of the Caribbean - life doesnt get any better! After Trinidad we then drove up to Jibacoa, which again became a mission as again there were very few signs, so more a case of trial and error...with more of the latter!

As mentioned previously, Cuba is stuck in time. A supermarket is not how we know a supermarket to be, but merely a small room selling twenty or so of the most basic, staple items; almost like a war-time store selling rations. An uncomfortable silence can be felt if any questions are raised regarding Castro, almost as if sworn to secrecy and their lives depend on it! I sensed that Havana in particular was more anti-Fidel, whilst the south was more pro, undoubtedly due to the excessive amount of propaganda forced down their necks (noteably by the vast quantities of anti-US propaganda on the billboards the further south you drive). In fact, thoroughout the whole of Cuba there is no advertising, only propaganda and brand Castro!. You can almost feel the frustration and resentment of the people as they try to make ends meet, little wonder that they will try anything to earn some extra cash.

The "official" currency is the Cuban Convertible Peso (CUC) which is allegedly equivalent to $1US, however, is really equivalent to about $0.80 due to the commission you are charged on the dollar. Due to this currency, Cuba is particularly expensive for tourists. In fact, the CUC is the tourist currency! The real Cuban currency, or the national currency, is the non-convertible peso, with 1CUC equivalent to 25 national peso! All prices published on menus, in shops etc are actually the national currency but naturally, as tourists, we pay with the currency we have been given...25 times more than the actual value!

Steve and I stayed in the Saratoga whilst in Havana and The Breezes, Jibacoa, hardly the backpackers experience but purely as Steve got agents rates due to working within the industry. However, now that I have a better understanding of the situation in Cuba, I would not do this again out of principal. The Cuban government owns the vast majority of hotels in Cuba, including car hire. On those Cuban's who work in the hotels are allowed on the premises, everyone else prohibited. Imagine being treated second-class to tourists, in your own country! If I was to revisit Cuba again I would stay with a family or in a Casa Particulares, a private home with lodgings, with all money going direct to the families. THis was a tax free, private enterprise initiative introduced by Castro, however, rumour has it that since 2004, the government has been trying to force theses to close due to loss of revenue.

Cuba is an extremely repressed nation living under the toughest dictatorship. Fidel's obsession with the US has cost his country the chance to progress and move forward, ironic considering his oppostion of the US was to protect Cuba. Cuban's are some of the most talented singers, dancers and athletes (noteably boxers) in the world, however, they cannot leave to develop their career. If they do, they are treated as Cuban exiles, only allowed to return to Cuba once every 3 years. As Cuban´s have strong family values, this is a huge sacrifice to make.

Who knows what the future holds for Cuba but, with Castro´s eventual demise, I hope, for the sake of all future generations, that things can only get better.

[Photos: 1 - Che Guevara, icon of the Cuban Revolution; 2 - Sign in Havana; 3 - Trinidad, Cuba; 4 - Playa Ancon near Trinidad]