Guatemala! Tikal, Peten, Antigua, San Pedro, Nebaj

I have been thinking that travelling is probably the most emotional thing one can do. All the time there are new impressions, from smells to sights to sounds, everything. It is amazing how much the brain can take in without loosing the plot. And all those lovely people I meet along the way, some I travelled with, others that I just chat to on the bus. The Guatemalans are a friendly folk, again, this has been my experience all along. There are always  rude people, but my memories mostly ignore those ;). And all those emotional moments, like when you take in the view over Lake Atitlan in the sunshine with those beautiful clouds in the back, or the thunder and lightening over the Peten Itza lake sat on a jet, or those beautiful moments when you share the best ice cream in the world. And then there are those goodbyes, they really hurt me every time! I have to think "see you soon" to be able to cope. But it all means that I am meeting great people and I am living my life, so its all positive (don't cry).
I just got to Nebaj today, so I am having to write about my whole Guatemala trip here in this post, impossible! The first place I got to after Copan was Santa Elena at lake Peten Itza. A little shit hole where Jaten and me stayed in an even shittier proper local hotel. It was an experience. But we had a good time with some local girls making Jaten do the sexy dance haha. He looked slightly uncomfortable. The next day we went to Tikal, the biggest Maya ruins after El Mirador I believe. It is a huge compound and it amazes me how on earth they built such grand temples. I stayed in my hammock on the campgrounds of the Tikal ruins, got a good deal bargained out of the official staff. Lots of animal noise there at night. There was one loud sound, like a cry of a mammal. When we went to look, we discovered that it was a frog crying for help because a snake was trying to eat it. I was just thinking the poor frog, it was heartbreaking to watch and hear, and Jaten thought that the snake might also die after eating that frog because honestly, I don't know how that snake would swallow it in the first place. Must have been a young teenager snake, all full of itself and discovering its limits. We rescued them (actually Jaten did, I just watched and gave mental and verbal support of course). Anyway, I don't think this is as interesting as talking about the ruins but those ruins just have to be seen, I don't know how to describe them otherwise. Will add a picture. Then we went to lake Peten Itza again and stayed in El Remate, a beautiful little village. The hostel was right by the lake with its on jet. It was picturesque to watch the evening thunder and lightenings behind those clouds, such a colourful spectacle. A real beauty. El Remate is also the place where I discovered the most amazing ice cream, so big, I can hardly finish it and that says a lot. You can get two large ice cream balls (for example espresso fudge and caramel) and then they put a fat layer of melted chocolate over it with peanuts, I go crazy. I want one now.

Anyway, so then the next stop was Antigua, lots of tourists there but it is a great place, you could stay there easily. Met more lovely as well as crazy people in a good hostel, went out, bought some things on the market, learned how to make wristbands, had good wine, and simply enjoyed this beautiful colonial town. Oh yes, and the cafe "Refugio" made the best coffee I have had. Finally. An oral sensation.

From Antigua we went to Lago Atitlan and stayed in San Pedro to meet up with another friend and celebrate his birthday. Lots of partying and going out in San Pedro, was nice for a change too. But enough now! I stayed in a lovely hostel owned by a Maya family. There are over 20 Maya dialects I think and they sound so different to Spanish, I cannot understand a word they are saying. The place was cheap, about 3 dollars per night for my own room. The kitchen and bathroom facilities were all shared with the family. And I played basketball with the owner and the other local Mayans! Didn't play too well unfortunately, but it was fun. Apparently there are loads of teams around there, even women's teams, maybe I should move there? The hostel was nice and quiet and during the day I would make wristbands (my new obsession, I even did it today in the rocky chicken bus squeezed between Guatemalans who were all watching me), or hang around, or walk through the town, do some bartering, chat to people. One day I went over to Panajachel to a second hand textile market, where they were selling all the typical textile from around the area. Beautiful and colourful. Another day I went to San Marcos, a small hippie village by the lake, bit much for me really with opening the heart shakra dances and stuff, but a beautiful spot! I even jumped off the 7.5m point on the hill there. It was not easy and the fall was slightly uncomfortable, but like Chaz said, just as you are starting to freak out why you are still falling you hit the water. And that was such a relief. When I got out of the (cold!) water, my legs where shaking. But I did it man.

Now I have left both of my new Colorado friends behind and am on the road again. Got to Nebaj today, found a good hostel straight away and decided spontaneously to do a two day hike through the mountains on my own, leaving tomorrow 6am. I will sleep in a mountain village. More about that in the next post!

Utila to Copan

Utila and Paradise Divers with all the lovely friends I made was so wonderful that instead of a week I spent 17 days there. And I still didn't want to leave. My heart is still aching and I wish myself back, wish I had stayed even longer! The best time I have had so far, thank you my friends! :D I was so upset on that ferry as it was taking me further and further away from the island, waving goodbye at Misato and Dani, and when I got to the mainland there were cloudy mountains and rain expecting me :(. Not helpful! After initially thinking that I would only snorkel a bit on Utila, I ended up doing the open water PADI and then extending my stay and did the advanced dive certificate as well, which included 30m dives, diving to a ship wreck and a night dive. The night dive was so impressive and somehow the sound seemed to be different. The last dive I did was with Misato, my new friend, best diving companion EVER! Wish we could do more. I think I am hooked. And that after I was so scared initially, I almost quit the first day after just being 30cm under water because Ï thought I could not breathe through the regulator, but luckily Pisa was strict enough to not allow me to chicken out. I hope I get to do more dives somewhere else, Misato come with me! I was seriously considering to stay on Utila and find a job. Tempting. Sunshine, sea, fish, beach, diving, baleadas (typical Honduran food), party, making music and dancing, darts, ice cream, friendly people, what more does one want!

And one day we went over to a small island, little key, with 14 people, we basically rented the entire island to ourselves and stayed over night until the late afternoon of the next day. 25 dollars to stay on your very own private island, how incredible is that. We had such a wonderful time, all white sand and palm trees and great snorkeling. Laying in hammocks, playing boule with coconuts, slacklining (I totally did it!! I got video proof! Misato you still owe me a massage!), playing table tennis on the kitchen table and making music. And cooking together, unfortunately I made the Thai curry extra spicy, everybody was sweating, ehm... The rum and food ran out after the first day already. Next time we calculate better ;). On the island there was just one house with spaceous rooms and another tiny house, that's it. Surrounded by turcoise water and coral. I have to smile when I think of it, what a lovely experience! I am so grateful for having found this paradise on my trip. Makes me have teary eyes. I still miss you guys so much. Thank you for a wonderful time.

And of course, my trip on the mainland to San Pedro Sula was full of greyness and rain and a sentimental Nessa. Haha. And as I got to San Pedro I asked the bus driver to let me out by the market near a hostel. He dropped me on a main road by a petrol station saying it was a very dangerous place and I should not walk around. Great! Walked over to the petrol station and the taxis wanted to charge me as much as the entire bus journey had cost me. I just kept wishing myself back to the lovely warm beach! The security guy from the petrol station told me not to trust just any taxi drivers either, only the ones I know. How would I know any taxi driver there though? Luckily he knew one that came in after a while and I eventually made it to the hostel which was much further then I thought. The hostel was pricey and not nice and in the middle of a boring area. I was so upset, I have to laugh at myself now, feeling all sorry for myself, hehehe. Then on the route to Copan I somehow missed my stop, didn't even know I had to change buses! So when I asked when we will get to Copan they told me oh, we already went passed it. Argh. Had to pay again an go back, taking two hours longer and I just thought I had to stop being so sad because it was effecting my travel karma. And sure enough when I got to Copan it was nice. Sweet little town with cobbled hilly streets surrounded by lush green mountains. Everyone is so friendly here. And my hostel is really nice, great fresh little room with comfy beds, there is internet (as you just realize) and a kitchen and the owner was singing to her kids this morning, so sweet. Right next doors is an ice cream shop. Perfect really. And then two guys walked into the hostel whom I had met on Isla de Ometepe in Nicaragua and also in Utila, so I am not on my own :). We went to the Copan ruinas today, my first Maya ruins, an amazing experience. Can't wait to see the next ones, these are only small in comparison to others!