Laquin, Semuc Champey: Guatemala

We wanted to make our next move and someone suggested Lanquin. Sure, why not?? We arrived to this pueblo, which was cute and small, at night. Stayed in a newer hostel right on the river Semuc Champey. We hiked a bit, I swam in some turquis natural pools and walked around a cave filled with bats.

The river naturaly created these beautiful pools. The force of the river Actually runs underneath. 

Travel buddies.

The forcé of the river!

Fuerte.

Locals.

Inside gruta Lanquin. Naked to the camera eye are thousands of murciélagos or bats flying around at dusk. They never flu into me, though.

More of the cave.

Also did some very unprofessional rock climbing in the cave.

Guatemalan landscape. Lush and green.

These are the local buses.

Some buses are still old school yellow and still have the school district on the side. If the buses had Been driving us to school at the speeds they drive in Guatemala, getting to school would have Been much more of an adventure.

All of this man's cargo goes right on top!

Local woman at terminal. The bus terminals are just a mess of confusion, yet it all makes sense. I felt this more in Xela(shela). Just people coming, going, yelling destinations at you, selling anything from whole pizzas to razors. I love it.

Lago Izabal, Río Dulce, Livingston: GUATEMALA

Arrived to another beautiful lake and of course more heat. We stayed in a hostel accesible only by lancha(boat). We were a little secluded from society but it was beautiful, filled with amenitites and swampy... In a good way. We visited Livingston, a local Garifuna town, Ate some seafood and saw many gringo yachties who come to find a safe harbor from the rough seas. Unfortunately none of them invited us to pop some bubbly with them aboard their yachts. Where's the love??

Man making hay from leaves o a tree.

A fortress to bade of the pirates of the Carribbean.

Birds in a tree in middle of lake.

Lily pads.

Homes located on the lake, river, swamp are only accesible by lancha.

Livingston, the people here were brought by a slave ship, when that ship crashed the people escaped to places and built their own communities.

Garifuna walking down the street.

Their music is called punta, and its all about the rythym of the drums.

This was the hostel, located in a swamp.

More homes along lake/ river.

As we took a lancha back to catch a bus out we saw this bridge, which makes accessing this region overland possible.

El Remate, Tikal, Uaxactún: GUATEMALA

 I finally made it to Guatemala. Yay new country! After taking a big bus, a couple of small buses, a taxi, a tuk tuk and another long, hot bus ride we made it to El Remate. There we stayed in a lovely bungalow right on the lake. We saw more ruins, that were Very impressive, hiked in the jungle and stayed in another pueblo. We even tried to go jaguar spotting early in the morning but had no luck.

The view from the hostel.

El ceibo. Sacred tree for the Maya, the tree o life.

View from the top of te Tallest buildinh early in the morning. You can see the jungle, hear birds and howler monkeys and see other temples.

Other temples, which resemble space ships some might say.

The top of the Tallest temple, over 1000 feet tall.

Temples.

We spent eight hours here, exploring the ruins.

The Tallest building in the site.

A face in the side of a temple.

Beautiful day, but soo hot.

This Hill is Actually a ruin that is víveres by vegetation. Very cool. And to think they dig all if this up, to excavate the ruin. 

Jungle spider. 

Stones in order.

View of lago Peten Itza from top of our hike in the jungle.

Uaxactún. (Wa-shak-toon)

These were were in the small town, and it was cool because we had them all to ourselves.

This is the observatory, you can come here and watch the solstices and equinoxes over the pyramids.

Covered by vegetation.

I liked how the vegetation covered this log.

This guy thouroughly enjoyed preaching into his microphone for the whole town to hear.

The town. They had their own version of a world cup, which started and ended in one day. In the middle of the town is what once was a landing strip, but now horses and other animals inhabit the space.

We stayed here, and i was attacked by a beetle in the middle of the night. Quite disgusting, but this is the jungle.

I dont know where i am half the time or what i am doing, so this sign and my expresion are very fitting for my life! O traveling(-: