Sunday Dec. 31, 2006
The Lake Atitlan area was recommended by several people and my Lonely Planet guidebook, so after Antigua I made a short ride to the small town of Panajachel for one night (pretty, but nothing all that exciting) before ending up on the black volcanic sand beaches near the town of Monterrico on the Pacific for three days, including New Year's Eve.
I wasn't expecting to take a ferry to Monterrico, I guess the maps lied to me again, but it was an interesting ride nevertheless where I met a very nice American missionary family who have committed 3 years of their life to help people in Guatemala City. And it was amazing watching people put their valuable vehicles in these rickety old wooden boats that sat only inches out of the water (they usually had a few inches inside them also) and were powered by little old outboard motors.
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Weather here was tropical again (39/27 C hi/low) and it reminded me of the beaches in Mexico (aside from the amount of helicopter traffic I've seen flying back and forth only a few feet above the beach all day - I wonder what that's all about?). Most of the places I enquired about staying at were already booked up for New Years, but my tent saved the day. I managed to stay at a beautiful luxury resort on the beach that typically (for this time of year anyway) goes for $80 US/night for only $10, but with access to all the same amenities that the wealthy Guatemaltecan guests had. It was a great place to say goodbye to 2006 and hello to 2007.
Random Observations From Guatemala
Antigua and Tikal are both UNESCO world heritage sites.
Some days the Internet just doesn't work - anywhere. You just have to wait until the next day, or the next.
Sometimes the water and/or power shuts off at night.
It's been difficult getting cash from banks. I've been unsuccessful in person with all my cards and my passport as well as from many ATM machines. When I was finally allowed to withdraw cash from a machine, there's a $2000 Quetzales limit (about $267 US). Often machines just don't work anywhere and it seems that everyone (including locals) are having problems with the banks. The story I've heard indicates that the country has basically run out of cash. Supposedly, this was caused when they introduced some new bills and burned the old ones (although there are still some very, very old paper bills still in use), but the new bills didn't work in the machines so they were forced to reprint more new ones, which didn't get into circulation in time to cover the Christmas and New Years demands. So perhaps this is only a temporary problem.
Guatemala is only celebrating its 10th anniversary of national peace since the last civil war, so heavy military and armed presence is still common everywhere.
I've seen: Women passengers riding sidesaddle on motos; Riders on highways not wearing any gear (one guy had no shoes); Whole families on motos; People talking on cell phones while riding motos (one woman also had a baby on board); A child (maybe 4 years old) peeing off the curb into the street in downtown Antigua with his family sitting behind him on a doorstep sewing crafts.
New motos I've spotted for sale: Yamaha DT175 for $3300 US; Suzuki DL1000 for $82,880 Quetzales (approx. $11,040 US); Suzuki 125 for $5,000 Quetzales ($667 US). Used motos spotted: 2001 Honda Africa Twin 750 with 31,000 kms for $46,000 Quetzales ($6,133 US).
Speed bumps are called Topes in Mexico and Tumulos in Guatemala. Kids are constantly lighting fireworks and firecrackers somewhere which are often hard to differentiate from gunshots and bombs. Guatemala is a beautiful country and the Guatemaltecans I've met are religious, friendly and helpful.
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