Todos Santos Guatemala to Copan Ruins Honduras

My next target, high in the mountains village Todos Los Santos Chuchamente. I passed through the area where nearly half of the mountain gave its way.

The land slide I passed through.

Very rough terrain, as result my side luggage carrier needed some welding. I stopped in the village Chicaman and found a welding place. Jorge did an excellent job. He didn’t accept any money for his work, explaining this is the present for me from Guatemala. Thanks Jorge.

Later in the day I reached large pueblo Uspantan , suddenly my GPS stopped working. In Central America I solely relied on GPS. I had no maps except for one on my laptop. As a result, no more riding until is fixed. 

Next morning, I found negative wire between battery and GPS was broken off - easy repair. I decided to fix my mirrors at the same time. I found glass shop, they replaced both mirrors for under $4.

Some mountain scenery

Todos Santos Chuchamente known to be very traditional, most local man are wearing traditional clothing; red stripped pants and white/ blue stripped shirt. Mountain scenery was breathtaking. The weather wasn’t the best, cold with some drizzle. Finally I reached the village.

I asked these men if I can take a photo.  I didn’t want to take any chances. In this village, in year 2000, Japanese tourist made a photo of a girl and was murdered by the mob together with his driver.

Last few kilometers to the village were pretty hard with a lot of roadwork. The rain made the road very muddy and slippery. I had only road tire at the rear. I survived going down but I dreaded about going up.

I let the pressure down to 16PSI in both tires.

The movie clip going up 

The highest point after I left Todos Los Santos reached 3300m. At this altitude the temperature dropped to around 8 degree Celsius. It was raining. I had to descend to about 1900m in relatively short distance. The road was very steep and slippery. Often, I had to ride behind the trucks. I boiled brake fluid in my front and rear brakes. Suddenly, I had no brakes. Fortunately when this happened there were no any cars around and I was moving slowly. I managed to cross the road and somehow turned around so I was facing uphill.
This time ‘The Force’ was with me. Close call indeed. Uhh!!

The Movie clip

Next Qutzeltango or Xela as known to locals. Initially I planned to stay there only for one night. The next morning I looked for a place to have my breakfast. I walked into the restaurant and explained in my broken Spanish, I want scrambled eggs for breakfast. They couldn't understand me. In the end I got so frustrated I walked out and had my breakfast at McDonald....

I made a decision; I am going to sign up for one week Spanish course. Xela is famous for its Spanish language schools. Here we go, I am officially a student and hopefully by the week end I will be able to explain in Spanish how I want my eggs done for breakfast.

Today I got an email from Ted; my gear which includes my new camera is on its way to Guatemala City. In 3-4 days will be ready for collection at DHL office – great.

I met again with Victor in Antigua. I met Victor and Pauline earlier in Remate. First we rode to Guatemala City and later to DHL office. For change it was nice  to follow someone. We collected the package and returned to Antigua. 

View of Guatemala City 

Victor showed me how to save some time going through traffic in Guatemala City.

The movie clip

Antigua is the most expensive city in Guatemala. Everything seems to be priced up, very touristy but very nice place indeed.

Wow!! I have my new camera. Thanks Ted.

Main Square

Main square again

and... again main square

These are local bikes.

Local ladies doing some business.

The Cathedral

The mystery couple Victor and Pauline and I waiting for pizza. The pizza was really delicious made by resident Italian chef and the restaurant owner.

I booked a trip to Pacaya volcano. Nice trip but I must admit my expectation were to see lava. I may have to go to Hawaii for this.

Our guide spoke Spanish only. This was very good practice for me.

Th moonscape on Pacaya

Some of the lava sculptures we came across.

Am I in hell??? Maybe not just yet.

This is the closest we got to lava. These are volcano's vents. The guide put wooden stick in one of them and the stick got inflamed in seconds.

After the tour I was dropped off at the main plaza. In the morning I got picked up from the front of my hotel. Previous evening I got to the hotel following Victor. I had only very faint idea where my hotel was ?!#$

What dumb tourist does when he can’t find his hotel and can’t even remember its name? 

He walks around with this dumb lost look on his face and waits for the miracle. Finally an elderly lady stopped her car and offered to drive me around until I can recognize my hotel. To my excuse she explained; this happens all the time because streets in Antigua are very alike. Yeah right!!

Next day I left for San Pedro and Lake Atitlan. San Pedro is very popular with backpackers. It has this distinctive hippy flavor. Grass is freely available if this is your thing. Not legal in Guatemala but authority seem to not care much about it.

Coming down to San Pedro.

In the distance mountain called the Indian Head. Look closer.

View from my hotel's rooftop.

The ferry terminal. You can connect from here to several villages around the lake.

These are ferry boats

Locals fishing on the lake.

Streets are very narrow and steep.

Sunday - off duty time for these two local gentlemen.

I met Brian, an ex US army and ex Iraqi war veteran who chose San Pedro for his home. About a year ago with his wife he started a new business - bar and restaurant with the difference. As he explained to me “I have this dream.... I want to have a cultural center. You can come to my bar and have drink or alternatively you can have smoke with the difference". It was really interesting to watch from other side of the "fence" the action and the slow but steady flow of customers.

These buses are very popular in Central America, called chicken buses. They are old retired american school buses. After certain age when they don't meet USA road standards any more they are sold to several countries in Central and South America. They are beautifully repainted and used on local routes.

San Pedro has its own charm, with something to offer to everyone; nice restaurants, beautiful lake, mountains walks. This was the cheapest place in Guatemala. Maybe a place I would like to come back sometime in the future.

San Pedro was the last place I wanted to visit in Guatemala, next Honduras border and Copan Ruins, about 350km away.

Guatemala - Tikal, Rio Dulce and Semuc Chapney Cascades

Tikal UNESCO world heritage site is arguably the most important Maya site in Americas, build right in the middle of the jungle. Ruins are spread over the large area, only about 20% are opened to visitors. Most of them are in the process of restoration. I arrived in early afternoon. I learned, if I buy my ticket after 4pm I can use it the next day. After 4pm I hardly met any visitors, instead I saw a lot of silver foxes playing between the ruins, Spider Monkeys swinging between the trees and Howler Monkeys giving this incredible noise mixed with distant sounder storm. The majesty of this place is incredible. For me, by far the most favorite ruins in Central America. I decided to come back the next morning and do it all over again.

Tikal Jaguar Temple Rises 47 meters high.

Tikal Temples as seen in Star Wars

Next, lake Peten Itza and Flores. Instead of staying in Flores I decided to stay at El Remate. I stayed at ‘Mon Ami’ hotel and restaurant. This place is owned by Santiago, French expatriate. I met there  Victor and Pauline from Guatemala City. They gave me a lot of local information.
Victor rides motorcycle too. We will meet later in my journey.

Around the lake Peten Itza:

The movie clip.

And Flores:

The movie clip

Pauline and Victor helped me to plan my trip in Guatemala to avoid busy roads and topes. Rio Dulce and Livingstone are only 3 hours away from El Remate. This is my next target.

Rio Dulce and Lake Izabel became a Mecca for many sailors. There is a large number expat sailors from USA. The place is beautiful and being in Guatemala pretty cheap. The mooring cost only $150 per month, this includes all amenities.

As all tourists do, I took boat ride to Livingstone.

We are on our way.

You can't beat this smile.

Passing by some villages.

Livingstone is very special. Drastically different from the rest of Guatemala with its distinctive Caribbean lifestyle. In many ways similar to Belize and islands off the Belize coast. The difference, spoken language is Spanish. Livingstone is mostly occupied by Garifuana people which are decedents of African slaves mixed with indigenous in 17^th century. 

 Main street in Livingstone.

What the hell is this?

Any ideas?

Boat ride from Rio Dulce to Livingstone:

The Movie clip.

My next destination Candelaria Caves only about 170km away. I was too lazy to load the route to my GPS and overshooted the turn off by ~50km. As a result I had to ride through heavy rain.
Road number 5 started as dirt road and continued for another 50km before turning into freshly laid bitumen.

A lot of traditional villages on the way.

I reached Candelaria late afternoon. I wanted to book a tour for the next day. Unfortunately, water level in caves was too high. Well, there is always another time.

Scenery in Candelaria area

Next Lanquin a gateaway to Semuc Chapney Cascades, arguable the best natural wonder in Central America. The road started as a beautiful mountain road, then changed to graded road and finally changed to a single track. On the map this was the same road and appeared to be quite major?? 

In the following clip watch out for the wrong turn I took and arrived in the middle of the local markets.

The movie clip.

I stayed at backpackers hangouts El Retiro; busy place and good selection of tours for very reasonable price. I decided on all day long adventure tour for 165 Quetzals, about $20.

We started on the back of the truck.

Then we walked/swam/climb through the cave. We did tubing in the river. We jump from the bridge and more.

The giant swing.

Finally we visited Semuc Chapney Cascades. The water before the cascades is brown and murky than through cascades it clears and after the cascades becomes brown and murky again. The phenomenon can be easily explained. Only small part of the river actually goes over the cascades. Most water flows in the underground cave and then surfaces again mixing with water from the cascades. The water is rich with minerals, mainly calcium.

Having a lunch before the climb.

View of Semuc Chapney Cascades from the mirador high above..

 The water is crystal clear.

Our guide and below him the cave entrance, where water flows beneath the cascades.

 No comments.

When I was preparing to jump from the bridge I suddenly saw two riders approaching; Dean from Melbourne Australia on his Ural motorcycle with the sidecar; he was in his seventh year of travel around the world and Martin from my home town Brisbane. He was on BMW 1200GS.
Both guys met in Cartagena Colombia, since then they ride together heading north.

Who doesn’t know Ural motorcycles; these are Russian made classic motorcycles originally based on 2^nd world war era BMW R71 motorcycle.

Sorry no pics. In this section I relied on someone else's pictures. My new camera is on its way.
I will collect it in Guatemala City soon.