Apr 19, 2017 - Puerto Quetzal

Our next port of call is Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala. We are going to do the Pacaya volcano hike, the blurb in the guide says 2.5 miles on rough terrain. Puerto Quetzal is one of the main ports for Guatemala and it looks as if it was built very recently. The main road out of town is a dual carriageway to the capital and fortunately for us it is in the direction of the volcano. We have been warned that security is an issue here and when we stop at a service station guarded by armed security complete with security watch tower you begin to...

Jan 30, 2017 - Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala and Coffee Plantation

Monday, Jan 30, 2017 Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala and Coffee Plantation We got up early for this tour and headed out on a more manageable bus that took us from the port to the mountains (5000 ft) to visit a coffee plantation. Along the way, we were amazed to see ash and steam spewing from an active volcano! There was also smoke on the low lands where sugarcane was being burned supposedly to kill snakes and make the fields safe for the workers. At the El Barretal Coffee Farm, music greeted us, as well as a large poster honoring Jorge Ubico...

Jun 30, 2015 - Day 5 - San Pedro / San Marcos

Another good class with Roxana. She is a good and patient teacher. We went through indirect objects and estar versus ser exercises. Very helpful. 3 hours is just right for spanish lessons. My brain would be fried with any more. I love my open classroom floor on the mountain. Our plan was to go to Santiago directly after class today. Santiago is probably the longest lancha ride of all the places we planned to visit while in San Pedro. The itinerary: Tuesday Santiago, Wednesday San Marcos, Thursday San Juan, Friday leave San Pedro to...

Jun 29, 2015 - Day 4 - San Pedro

I love, love, love my little room here in San Pedro. It has a bed with a desk and bathroom with shower - everything you could want or need. The room opens up to a welcoming garden and stairs up to the casita. It's very peaceful, although not quiet. Evenings can be a bit loud with the music in the town, but I have earplugs that work great! I even had two scorpions visit me a couple of evenings. They startled me but nothing that a broom didn't take care of. It's the first time I have encountered a real scorpion though - I should have...

Jun 28, 2015 - Day 3 - Antigua to San Pedro

So I woke up this morning and the blisters seem to be smaller and drying up after 2 days of oral antibiotics. The dermatologist said it would be 5 days before I would be better, so this is Day 3 and it looks like the antibiotics are kicking in. I do not have a fever. After debating the situation with the Insurance representative and Mike, I decided to not go to the hospital in Antigua, but I am getting the name of one in San Pedro if my skin does not continue to improve. There are shuttles from San Pedro to Guatemala City that run daily if...

Jun 27, 2015 - Day 2 - Antigua

I had a great night's sleep and woke up with hopes that my hands were looking better. They really weren't, but I felt that the pain wasn't as bad. The morning view out my window was awesome, although there is a lot of traffic noise from the road below. I had thoughts of trying to find a breakfast restaurant that I went to last time I was here. After a shower and dressing I went downstairs with Mike (to the living room/dining area) and we chatted about walking into town. Amanda was ready to get going at this point so as we left the...

Jun 26, 2015 - Day 1 - To Guatemala

I was all packed and ready to go on Thursday evening. I noticed that there were itchy blisters starting to form on my hands and feet and hoped that they wouldn't spread like what I had on my leg. When we left for the airport at 5:30am I decided to wear gloves in case the blisters on my hands got weepy since the blisters looked like they were spreading. When we arrived in Guatemala by 10:30am (12:30 Florida time) the blisters were larger and some were very red. Now I was worried. They also were painful and I thought it might be shingles. By...

Apr 26, 2015 - Antigua

This morning starts with a trip to MacDonald's for breakfast and some coffee a ride on the metro systems gets me there about 10 blocks from the hotel and it is the closes place lol. The metro system takes one Quetzal coin equal to about .13 cents USD, even n a Sunday morning was a lot of people on it, and there is a bus every few minutes. A walk around the area then back to hotel room and some updates to my blog and a few pictures posted on Facebook finally got it working, lol. Packed my bags and off for the shuttle ride back to Antigua...

Apr 25, 2015 - Back to Guatemala City

Today it is off to the bus stop for the Tica bus back across the border to Guatemala City had to leave the hotel at 6:15AM to get there a wait of wait of 30 minutes for the bus (a quick stop on the side of road) then on to the border, took about a hour there getting out of El Salvador and into Guatemala, then a two hour bus ride to the station in Guatemala City, a short ride to the hotel get checked in the a walk to Subway for some lunch, some time to kick back with a nice massage lol, then out for dinner and a couple beers, back to my room...

Apr 20, 2015 - Guatemala City

This morning it was a shuttle bus ride from Antigua to Guatemala City, Got checked into my hotel near the Tica bus station, got my us ticket to San Salvador leaving at 6:00 am, Walked around the area but not much here in this part of the city, will check out more we I return on Saturday. Went to MacDonald's for lunch and a smoothie lol back to my room for a bit of reading then to a Chinese restaurant for dinner back to room and bed No pictures today

Apr 19, 2015 - Antigua

Today is the last day of my trip with Intrepid Travel Group on the trip Mayan Encounter was a very good trip Starting in Playa del Carmen, Mexico and ending 17 days later in Antigua, Guatemala. Today was a easy day just walking around the city of Antigua, going to a nice breakfast buffet, picking up my chocolate from the Chocolate store mmmm good, lol, working on my travel blog wow I am now up to date, lots of pictures hope you don't get bored looking at them, Went to a great steakhouse for dinner very good a couple Gallo beers and a big...

Apr 18, 2015 - Back to Antigua

Up a little early to do some more work on my blog almost up to date on it, lol, some breakfast at the hotel not great but okay, didn't want to walk into town as it was raining, packed my bags and down stairs to meet the rest of the group for our last bus ride, back to Antigua leaving at 10:00 for a 2 1/2 hour trip back, got to hotel checked into our rooms then off for a tour of the chocolate store, great had chocolate to drink and then we made some chocolate candy for our self's great fun. Back to hotel checked emails a bit of downtime...