COSTA RICA & PANAMA: Monteverde, Puerto Viejo....Bocas del Toro

SO I am combing these last two stops on my Central American tur de force because I basically stopped taking pictures. I became very lazy at the end of my trip and I think i literally grew tired of traveling. However, when I am re-energized and have much more money I could give these two places a second shot. Costa Rica is really beautiful and lush, but it has been over taken by gringoes. Bocas was also really touristy but still enjoyable. I wish I could have explored the islands more. I finally ended in Panama City where I took a plane back to Bogota. I missed the canal and the city.

Bocas

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Puerto Viejo

Frog in MOnteverde

Crazy cool moth in monteverde

Puerto Vienjo

Puerto Viejo

Bocas

Bocas

NICARAGUA: canyon, Antigua, Ometepe, Liz, Corn Islands

So, it has been quite some time since I last updated this. I am now back in Bogota. However, I must write about my adventures in NICA. The highlight was seeing my good friend Liz. I have since accidently deleted all of the pics I had of Nica, thanks to an IPHONE update. However, the second highlight would be Corn Islands. These two islands, the smaller being the better one, are quite an adventure to get out to. Antigua was a beautiful colonial town. Ometepe, really hot islands made from volcanoes and San Juan del Sur, party and surf central. Also went to a canyon, which was pretty, some pics are actually on my instagram, chelleg11, 

Hopefully more pics to come, for now please enjoy my crazy outfit montage with friends....

Isletas, Antigua

Big Corn Island

Sunset, Playa Colorado

View from Little Corn

Copán y Gracias: HONDURAS

Arrived in Honduras after crossing the border back to GUATEMALA from EL SALVADOR then on to Honduras. Arrived in the last archeological site in La Ruta Maya in Copán. Then we continued on to Gracias, a cute pueblo where they were inclined to say gracias alot. I also met the mayor!

A Hondurenean birthday party. Includes karoake.

Copán 

Bird's eye view.

This giant spider.

A face.

Dancing panther.

Stela or statue.

Stela with Mayan language.

Stelas in middle of site, covered now by roofs.

Giant staircase with Mayan language enscriptions.

This is a bed, in a house, where the Mayan slept, houses were organized by social status.

This is a tomb in a house, in many houses were locations were tombs were laid to rest.

Vine swing.

There are many macaws flying around Copán, it makes it all the more magical.

Graffiti.

View from fort St Cristobal in Gracias.

"You can be a hated leader of your time, but, if you want the people to remember you for generations, open a school" - Juan Lindo, ex president of Honduras.

View of El Celaque.

The mayor of Gracias and I.

Gracias.

Una cascada, we thought we were hiking to the waterfall, not to the view of the waterfall. Good hike, though.

Honduras.

Juayua, Chalchuapa, y Lago Coatepeque: EL SALVADOR

New country, new experiences. We made it to the border of El Salvador after leaving gringolandia. Once we arrived we decided to stay in Juayua (why-u-ah). This pueblo was cute and quaint and used as the basis to explore La Ruta de Las Flores. We visited little towns, waterfalls and got to know the nice and friendly people of El Salvador. Next we stopped in Chalchuapa where they were celebrating a week long festival. There was a procession with beauty queens and fireworks. Lastly, we took a break for a bit at volcanoe surrounded Lago Coatepeque. Much more to see in this small country so I will have to come back.

Cascadas.

Mural art in side of building.

Juayua.

La plaza.

Los Ausoles, bubbling steaming mud pits in Ahuachapan.

Steamin'

El Mirador en Ataco.

Apaneca.

Building art.

Kind ridding bike into Laguna Verde.

Little chicas.

View of Laguna de Las Ninfas.

Military presence.

There are constantly vendors on the converted American school buses. They hustle.

Proccesion of the beauty queens.

Ruinas Tazumal in Chalchuapas.

El Che came to visit them as well.

Lago Coatepeque, surrounded by volcanoes.

Very big grasshoppper, as big as my foot.

El lago, I ate delicious fried fish here, more than once.

Crossing the border to Honduras in this taxi, one can be creative with door handles if need be.