The water vapor clouded the air. Children jumped into the pools, making large splashes. I gingerly dipped my toes into the big pool. Nope. Too hot! Even for me. I ran to the second pool, my feet already ice cold from the stone ground. I slipped into the warm water. Ah, relief. My body was […]
Finally! A Hot Bath. Read More »
Today we say goodbye to our new friends in Cobán. For the past six weeks we have volunteered at El Muro Hostal & Pub in Lanquin and at the bagel shop Fresh in Cobán. Our hosts, Max and Ann have been so welcoming and made our time here memorable. Veronica and Flor (pictured in pink
Traveling Means Saying Goodbye Read More »
We were nearly out of purified water, and then we ran out of gas. My taro root had been roasting in the oven for an hour when I began to wonder why it still wasn’t quite done. If I’ve learned anything from Guatamalans it’s that every problem has a solution. Max, Ann, and their two
Christmas in Guatemala Read More »
A car honk and the sound of her squeaky car tells me Ann has arrived to pick us up. “Buenos dias,” I say to her as she drives 10 minutes to the restaurant. Veronica and Flor are waiting for us outside. Another day at Fresh has begun. After spending three weeks at the hostal El
A Fresh Start in Coban Read More »
After spending 3 weeks in the heart of adventure tourism of Guatemala, I’ve come to realize that adventure tourism is just another way of saying difficult, uncomfortable, rustic, and dangerous. If you stay at an adventure tourism hostel, don’t expect warm water or reliable electricity. Definitely don’t expect wifi. Don’t get me wrong, you may
Adventure Tourism at Semuc Champey Read More »
Ever since hiking 50 miles of the Appalachian Trail in August, I’ve felt the desire for long walks. After eating a big Thanksgiving meal, I was ready for an epic walk. The day was overcast, with the occasional drizzle of rain. The temperature was in the mid to upper 60s. Perfect. After the rush
An Epic Walk in the Woods Read More »
I was stoked. I had a full day to cook in the kitchen. The owner of El Muro, Max, and his family were coming from Cobán to have a delicious meal with us. They were bringing the meat and desserts. I decided to make some side dishes. I was thankful that Thursday is one of
Thanksgiving in Guatemala Read More »
Martin and I have been at El Muro for 13 days. In exchange for a room and two meals a day, I work in the pub and hostal. The work is very easy and usually only takes up my morning and evenings, leaving most of the day for me to do whatever I want. El
The 8 hour ride from Flores to Lanquin started innocently enough. The 16 passenger vans are typically crammed with at least 20 people; ours had only 7. Plus, the driver turned on the air conditioning. What?! I was even able to write the Flores blog post during the first couple of hours. I was feeling
Getting to Lanquin is Not Easy Read More »
Over 1500 years ago, Tikal was a thriving city of 7 million Maya people. Today, over 80% of it is buried under hundreds of years of vegetation. I can only imagine what archeologists exclaimed when they discovered the city about 80 years ago. Tikal is an hour drive from Flores, Guatemala. After visiting the Maya