The difference when we arrived over the border from Mexico to Guatemala was immediately obvious. From seeing small organized Chiapas villages over rolling hills to a chaotic, hot and sweaty town of La Mesilla just over the border made me feel like I was finally leaving the country I had become accustomed to for the last 2 years. We immediately got thrown onto a ´Chicken bus´ heading for Huehuetenango, the first of many towns with a ´tenango´ at the end of its name which inevitably get shortened to more easily spoken appreviations. This town was known as ´Hue hue´ or ´way way´ as I soon got accustomed to hearing the bus conductor shout every 2 minutes to the side of road for the 2 hour scenic journey… well I say scenic, It felt more like a death roller coaster on the hill side turns with me either squashing into Rodrigo or a traditionally dressed indigenous woman holding a nearly crushed child in a shawl on her back. This journey was the first of many other similar ones to come. But I have to say even after 2 weeks I still held my breath for most of the journeys.
Our time in Guatemala ended up having more travelling than originally planned as we decided not to do the voluntary work and spend a bit more time seeing places people had recommended along the way. The best of which for me were Lake Atitlan, Tikal ruins and Samuc Champey. Lake Atitlan was just picture postcard perfect from every angle. It was great staying in the very hippy San Marcos where we had massages by practioners who had gone there for holidays and stayed for years, we swam from small piers into the lake and I played music with a transgender guitarist who sang Mexican Mariachi songs in an operatic voice that definitely sounded more male than female. I would definitely go back there. Tikal ruins in the north of Guatemala are the mother of all Mayan ruins and awe inspiring to see from the bottom and the top and walk through dense jungle with monkeys swinging through trees to get to the next set of temples. We also stayed in El Remate where we could kayak and swim in the Peten Itza lake while the sunset. The last place in our Guatemalan journey was the much talked about Semuc Champey. But I am so pleased we made the effort to go there. It really was incredible, particularly as we did a tour from our hostel that also involved caving and tubing down the river. The water in Semuc is a beautiful torquise-blue that is so crystal clear we could see 3 meters down to the bottom. The great thing is the knowledge that water was also rushing underneath through a tunnel of dangerous rapids while we swam safely above. Most definitely the most stunning dramatic and weird natural sight I have ever seen.
Guatemala has so much to offer and without meaning to sound like a tourist tout I recommend it for it’s natural beauty and it’s chaoticness. Just be prepared for some bumpy long journeys, over enthusiastic bus conductors and some a strange mix of foreign self importance over local efforts. Go with the flow!