Two Backpackers

KanBa River Caves of Guatemala

| by Aracely on March 8th, 2010 | 2 Comments » | Adventures, Central America, Guatemala

KanBa Caves courtesy of semucchampey.com

Like our visit to Semuc Champey, we had no idea what we were getting into prior to leaving for our tour.  This point is echoed throughout most of our Guatemalan journeys.  The KanBa Caves are only a short walk from the metal bridge that spans Cahabón River. (more…)

Monterrico Beach

| by Aracely on October 6th, 2009 | 10 Comments » | Central America, Guatemala

Monterrico Beach

Monterrico is located just two hours west of Antigua on the Pacific coast, but the elevation change is enough to make the temperature difference very noticeable; it increases approximately 20 degrees Fahrenheit.  We arrived to Johnny’s Place where we had reservations for two nights.  The hotel is set right on the beach with beautiful views from the bar, lounge and dining areas. The coconut tree grounds are well kept with many hammocks surrounding the pools and beachfront lounges.  Monterrico Beach is mostly known for its black volcanic sand and sea turtle breeding program.  The sand is unique in color, but too hot to walk on during the day without sandals.  For Jason and I the really cool feature of Johnny’s is the life size chessboard complete with 3-foot tall pieces in the courtyard.  Johnny’s Place offers bungalows, private cabins, and a dorm room that are all reasonably priced. (more…)

Volcano Pacaya – Episode 6

| by Aracely on September 30th, 2009 | 5 Comments » | Adventures, Central America, Guatemala

I’m sure the idea of camping overnight on the side of an active volcano may sound like a suicide adventure to some folks, but trust me, it sounds much more suicidal than it really is.  Pacaya is one of the most active volcanoes in Latin America but its activity is not extreme enough to keep most daily visitors away.  It’s proximity to Antigua makes it an ideal adventure for many travelers in Guatemala. (more…)

Hard Working Children of Guatemala

| by Aracely on September 19th, 2009 | 9 Comments » | Central America, Guatemala, Reflections

I have only traveled to a few Latin American countries prior to arriving in Guatemala twenty-one days ago.  In 2003 I spent ten days in Costa Rica, in 2004 seventeen days in Ecuador (my country of origin), in 2008 eight days in Dominican Republic and in March of this year Jason and I spent six days on the Argentina/Brazil border for a visit to Iguazu Falls.

Shoe Shining Boy

Although those trips were relatively short and touristy, I feel as though I did get a glimpse, as small as it was, of the culture, people, and economic situation of those countries.  One notable and emotionally memorable observation for me was seeing children begging in the streets.  After spending twenty years living in the United States this is not something we are accustomed to seeing, or at least we can agree that it’s an extremely rare occurrence.

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Climbing Volcano San Pedro

| by Aracely on September 6th, 2009 | No Comments » | Adventures, Central America, Guatemala

Streets of Panajachel

before the lake’s port.  Before the driver had a chance to bring the vehicle to a complete stop, boatmen were on the roof of the van eager to help get the backpacks down.  As the group of tourists got off the bus we all claimed our packs from the men who were tossing them down at us.  While one man was chucking the bags, two others were offering boat rides across the lake.  They named all the surrounding towns so quickly with just one breath making it sound as if it was just one long name.  Then another man was offering a tuc-tuc ride to our hostel.  It all felt a bit chaotic. (more…)