PHOTO ALBUMS LINKS: —>> 1st Chrissie and Quest visit Rio Dulce the Copan Honduras

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2nd Visiting Antigua and Lake Atitlan with Chrissie and Quest

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Travel to Guatemala

On the 2nd of January we set off on the morning flight to Miami with Chrissie and Quest. There we stayed for the afternoon and night to get some needed shopping and to break the trip up for Quest. The next day we flew into Guatemala City and stayed overnight ready to get the Litegua bus to Rio Dulce.

Chrissie was dreading the 6 hours on the bus with 2 year old Quest. We arrived at the bus just before 9:00, thinking it left at 9:30 only to find out we had just enough time to board as it left at 9:00am. The best part was we didn’t have to get on the little bus out of the city and then transfer to the big bus – I hadn’t warned Chrissie about that one.

The bus ride with Quest went remarkably well, he looked at his shows and games on his kiddy iPad, had a nap and was chatting with other passengers. At the halfway stop we ate a quick lunch, Quest enjoying the local food, and stocked up on drink and snacks for the last leg.

Rio Dulce

On arriving at Fronteras we had friends awaiting to help with all the luggage. Steve, the dock master, Gillian and Gordon, so that before we knew it we were on Sledgehammer heading across the river towards Catamaran Hotel and Marina, our home on the river.

Chrissie was staying in Tango, which is a lovely cabana just down the dock from us. Once we arrived there were more friends to greet us and introductions made plus Chico to hug and love.

We planned to enjoy the Rio Dulce for a week including doing a trip down river in the boat, but the weather did not cooperate. Instead, we stayed dockside and had a relaxing time around the area. Quest really loved the Catamaran pool which became the afternoon place to be. We walked through Fronteras several times letting Chrissie get a taste of the real Guatemala. The sights and sounds of the street, the hustle and bustle of everyday life on the Rio. 

On the Friday Chrissie had a relaxing Mayan massage at Catamaran while we took Quest into town then on a tuk-tuk ride across the bridge. Well we found his first addiction, that being tuk-tuk rides and oh what a fuss when we had to get out.

At the other side of the bridge we walked back over the bridge. Here he had a great view of all the massive trucks crossing.

Next stop was the fish market where he checked out the crabs and the locals made a huge fuss over him. They just Loved his looks, his hair especially and as they love children the ladies and young girls had to hold him and kiss him. Quest has been christened Colacho – curly.

Copan Ruinis Honduras

After a week we said goodbye to the Rio Dulce and off we went to Copan Ruinis Honduras. We arranged for a private driver to pick us up at Backpackers Hostel at 10:00am. He drove us the near 5 hours, stopping at the border and deposited us safely at our hotel, Buena Vista. Quest was napping through most of the trip, but unfortunately as we crossed the border he became ill all over his clothes. Chrissie also felt sick from the bends in the mountain roads.

Hotel Buena Vista

We were very happy to arrive, Chrissie to see a pool for Quest and her room next to ours. We had a wonderful view being at the top of a hill overlooking the town.

And down to the town we went to stretch our legs. We enjoyed a walk around and stopped into an eatery for a bite to eat – nachos, guacamole, salsa and such.

After our venture into the village Quest enjoyed the pool. Despite the water being very chilly he had a blast.

Mayan ruins

Our 1st day was spent touring the Mayan ruins. We had a guide who tried to explain as much as he was able, but keeping an eye on a two year old meant not all of us could listen, so we sort of played tag teams, run after Quest and listening, plus photo taking.

It was a very interesting site which again covers a huge area much of which has yet to be uncovered. 

Discovered in 1570 by Diego García de Palacio, Copán is one of the more important archeological sites of the Mayan civilization.

The remains of the city and the large formal public squares reveal the three main periods of its development, before the city was abandoned at the beginning of the ninth century A.D.

The Plaza of the Hieroglyphic Staircase has a monumental staircase, one of the exceptional structures of the Mayan culture. On the 10-meter-wide steps, there are more than 1,250 individual glyphs, which constitute the longest known Mayan inscription. After the city was abandoned, it was swallowed by the jungle which helped its conservation.

After all our above ground exploration we went into the underground tunnels and remains. I must say it was darn hot down there!!

To get to and from the site we got a tuk-tuk and again Quest was totally absorbed by the ride and did not want to get out. After his nap we spent the afternoon by the pool which was quite chilly, but he loved it regardless.

Horse riding

On our second day Chrissie and I went horse riding for the morning, while Papa stayed with Quest. We had a wonderful ride. The guide took us out of the town and followed the track alongside the river.

Then up the hillside following a narrow pathway. I was the lead horse which the guide followed and kept tapping her flanks to encourage her to move on. Chrissie was at the rear.

We passed though a small village and then stopped at a Mayan religious site. It was an area for fertility, which was blessed by the shaman with a stone shaped like a frog behind which was one of a crocodile where the women gave birth. Apparently the birthing area is still used by the Mayans!!

Our next stop was at a vista – a lookout over the river and opposite mountainside. It was very pretty and interesting as we could see much of the way we had come. From there we left the horses and walked uphill to a small guest house – Buena Vista, where again Chrissie and I went to a lookout from a yoga platform and then had a very refreshing hibiscus drink.  

And the Red Macaws were in the trees above us! After which we remounted and rode at a quicker pace, sometimes trotting back to our starting point.

It was a fun morning. Papa John had kept Quest entertained by letting him play with other children in the village square.

Red Macaw Mountain

Our last day in Copan we visited the Red Macaw Mountain. This is a sanctuary dedicated to the rescue and rehabilitation of the red macaws and other birds from this region. They have been quite successful as you do now see red macaws that now live and breed in the surrounding mountains, flying in the skies.

Again we went via tuk-tuk so Quest was thrilled, just sitting trancelike as we drove along. It was very enjoyable wandering around the sanctuary and seeing the birds. The setting was on a forested hillside and the pathways meandered down to a river, along its banks past the cages and then up again to the start point. It was a very pleasant morning.

After our Red Macaw mountain morning we stopped in the town for a wonderful lunch! I believe the place was called The Twisted Parrot.

A couple of our evenings we walked down to the village and around the square, Quest would enjoy running around and then we would go to a restaurant Carnitas for dinner. There the waitresses bring everything to your table balanced on their heads. And as it turned out Quest loved Guatemala cuisine.

Plus the meat is cooked on an open fire tended to by an older lady. The decor is rustic with many interesting artifacts, the food excellent and it was a pleasant way to pass the evening.

Off to Antigua our hellish ride

Our transport to Antigua was to be a shuttle, due to arrive at 12:00. We were ready and waiting, waiting and waiting. John went down to the village to see the operators, he was told there was a hold up at the border, but the shuttle would be along soon. Well after a few other trips to the village, us all pretty fed up, Quest really just past his threshold of tiredness and hunger, at nearly 3:00pm our driver showed up! No explanation, not diddly squat, the only good part was we were the only travelers, there were supposed to be 15 of us. So we loaded up, he drove through the village, stopped, picked up a friend who hopped in front and finally we were off. But oh, what a drive! They talked and talked, passing their phones showing each other girly pics, laughing, driving soooo slowly, it was agonizing. The drive took nearly 6 hours, which should have been 4 hours, but at least we got to our Airbnb safely. 

Cassa Barbara

Our Airbnb in Antigua was a delightful place right in the town, just a few blocks away from everything. When we arrived our hosts were there waiting for us, which was very kind of them as it was such a late arrival. We all were exhausted and promptly went to bed.

Around Antigua

Our first day in Antigua was spent having a wonderful breakfast at one of our favorite haunts and then a walk around showing Chrissie the main square, the artisans market, some of the ruins and churches.

Antigua is a wonderful old city with amazing architecture. Everywhere I look I see a picture to take, from the door knockers to the locals wandering around selling their wares.

Another morning we walked to the cross on the hill Cerro de la Cruz means Hill of the Cross—but this attraction is far more than a cross constructed during the colonial era…..

From here you have a wonderful view across the old city below. We were able to see Fuego smoking away in the distance. 

Most afternoons Quest would nap, Chrissie rested and John and I walked around the town, buying supplies or just getting exercise.

Then when Quest awakened we would walk to the main square where Quest would run around, play with the local children and get endless attention from the Mayan ladies. They just all stared and pointed at Quest, taking photos like he was a celebrity from a TV show….and why?

Well his curly hair and blue blue eyes, they would touch and stroke his hair, want to cuddle him, and called him: colocho which means curly headed fellow in Spanish. Quest was oblivious at first, he just wanted to play, but then he started to enjoy the attention by saying hola, and holding out his hand for high fives. “Hola Colacho”

The Saturday market

On our last day in Antigua being a Saturday we went to the local market. I just love markets they are so colourful in every which way, with every type of merchandise imaginable.

Chrissie at first was intrigued but as the morning wore on she found it claustrophobic, too many people, too little space, too much noise and she needed to escape. We had been there for a good while and she had been able to make a few purchases. I just love markets!

Off to Lake Atitlan

Our transport to Lake Atitlan was made through a travel agent that I had dealings with before, an excellent company – Rainbow Travels. Our driver arrived on time, spoke some English, and had a very nice mini bus.

He said that he would take us the scenic route which avoids the Pan American Highway which in some areas of the northbound side is in terrible disrepair with huge potholes where the road has cracked and recessed. I was delighted because we had not travelled this route before and the scenery was lovely. Chrissie not so happy as the bending mountain roads make her nauseous. We stopped above Lake Atitlan for the view, which as always was stunning. 

Villa Amor

Upon reaching Panajchel we easily found our new Airbnb. It was a lovely cottage with a very nice big garden. The groundskeeper was awaiting our arrival and handed over the keys after which we headed out to lunch.

Our lunch was not the best, but the child venders that stopped at our table to watch Quest’s iPad were, they ended up selling Quest a wooden toy helicopter plus a red bracelet, which appeared on his arm like magic. 

Chrissie had a case of travelers tummy on her first morning so John, Quest and I went for a walk about around Panajachel while she rested giving the antibiotics time to do their magic – I am sure the previous lunch was the cause.

San Marcus

By the afternoon she was feeling up to our first venture across the lake. We took a public launcha to San Marcus. The ride was a bit lumpy as it was a windy day, but the scenery was beautiful.

Oh, and public rides stop at all the stops between so we saw the places between. In San Marcus we walked the narrow lanes, checking out a few stores and the lovely murals.

Then we hopped in a tuk-tuk, much to Quest’s delight, and rode all the way to San Juan passing through San Pablo Along the way. The “road” mainly followed the shoreline and was extremely bumpy with huge potholes, but Quest just loved the ride.

San Juan

At our destination San Juan we were dropped off near the village square and walked towards the lovely church at the top of hill.

This village has many wonderful murals on it walls, plus many stores selling beautiful paintings, the artwork is just stunning. As promised to Quest we stopped and he got a treat of wonderful cake and some soda from one of the small cafes.

By then it was late afternoon and we arrived at the dock just in time to catch one of the last launchas back across the lake. The bad news was we were motoring right into the wind and waves and with it being late afternoon it was very windy and quite chilly.

Being seated at the front of the launcha – one bench in front of us John had to help to hold up a sheet of plastic to try to shelter us from the wind and spray from the lake. It was one rough ride back taking over an hour so that the sun had set by the time we were back. It was however a fun filled afternoon.

Climbing San Pedro volcano

John was off early the next morning to climb the massive volcano San Pedro. The 3 of us spent the morning exploring different streets, lanes, shops and stalls Chrissie was especially interested in bags with a certain fabric design and hammocks for her home. Back at the house Quest had a nap and we planned to head off after, but at about 1:30 John arrived back. 

He had arrived at his destination at 7am, headed off with a few young Europeans and a guide, had a tough scenic hike up the slopes of San Pedro, only to be stopped half an hour or so from the top. There were bandits on the slopes and nobody could continue. Poor John was very disappointed, the whole group were ticked off as there had been no warning of this. So anyway he had returned hours early.

Tuk-tuk to San Antonio Palopo

Therefore, John arrived just in time to go with us on our afternoon adventure. Off we went we hired a tuk-tuk for our travels, Chrissie had had enough of rough launcha rides, plus Quest just adored the tuk-tuk experience.

Our driver 1st drove us to San Antonio Palopo dropping us near the church on the hill over looking the Lake.

There we looked at the view and met a villager who acted as our guide. She took us 1st to the pottery. There we were shown the method they use for making their pottery. 1 was using a clay and another was using chalk. We then saw the glazed pottery and the finished work which is gorgeous.

Both Chrissie and I bought a few items, it was difficult to select as everything was beautiful.

From there we walked to the weavers where again we were told how the threads are spun, dyed with all natural plant based dyes, for instance orange comes from carrots, purple from a purple flower. We were told the phases of the moon affect the tone of the dye. There a were two methods used for weaving, the Spanish loom, introduced by the Spanish and the back strap which is purely Mayan. The designs are amazing, the fabrics incredibly beautiful!

Oh!, surprise surprise the ladies and children loved Quest!! Colacho!! We were asked to do a chocolate tour, but our driver awaited our return. 

Santa Catarina

So it was then back the way we came but stopping at Santa Catarina. This village is know for its beautiful geometric designs painted on its buildings. We strolled about and down to the waterfront enjoying the view of the lake.

After which we were back in our tuk-tuk, our driver stopped on the way back for us to enjoy the mirador – view point above the lake, such a beautiful lake.

San Pedro

On our last day in the Lake Atitlan region was a lovely calm sunny day so we took advantage and got a launcha to the village of San Pedro.

This village sits at the base of the San Pedro volcano and was where John started his volcano hike. We wandered around part of the village seeing the view of Indian nose across the lake. It is a busy, busy tourist hub. There are numerous tun-tuks, vendors and tourists. The lanes are narrow and busy. Again there are lovely murals, which I found to be more political in their messages.

Quest was not feeling in the mood for much sight seeing and so we went to a small cafe and had carrot cake and a refreshing drink.

Back across the lake we headed, Quest for a nap, John to babysit while Chrissie and I did a bit of tourist shopping. Chrissie got her hammock and bag and I bought a magnificent bed spread.

Guatemala City

Our next stop was Guatemala City. We had the same driver take us to our hotel Reforma Suites arriving after a fast 2 hour drive. After checking in and having lunch we set off for Chrissie and I to have our hair done and John and Quest to “enjoy” the Oakland mall. Apparently Quest had a blast playing with the various “toys” in one of the play areas. Chrissie and I enjoyed being pampered.

On our last day we started off at the Central plaza, having a look around and then to the central market. From there we stopped at at few stores and finally back to our hotel. 

In Chrissie’s words:

Mine and Quest’s trip to Guatemala just after the New Year in one word was ‘epic’!

I was at first apprehensive about the journey, traveling with a 2yr old is always uncertain. However Quest was the best little traveler, turns out he does great with multiple, flights, long bus rides, taxis, water ferry’s and long layovers…. way better than me, anyway.

I was blown away with Guatemala’s beauty, and the friendliness of the locals. Quest turned out to be a bit of a rockstar, everyone wanting to take pictures of him and touch him…. he was in his glory.

Quest especially loved all and anything to do with Tuk-tuks, his almost daily rides turned out to be the highlight of his trip.

Oh and….

Both mom and dad were the best hosts a non speaking Spanish gal could ask for!! They really went above and beyond organizing a real trip of a lifetime. However I am not eager to go on anymore long bus rides for a very long time.

Bright and early the next morning Chrissie and Quest flew out of Guatemala to Miami and Bermuda. John and I got a Lituegua bus back to Aeeshah and Chico at Catamaran Island, Rio Dulce.

 

In the end nothing we do or say in this lifetime will matter as much as the way we have loved one another. – Daphne Rose Kingma

Mere colour unspoiled by meaning, and unallied with definite form, can speak to the soul in a thousand different ways. – Oscar Wilde