DAY 11-14 - Travel, Hives, & SEMUC CHAMPEY

As previously spoken, leaving San Pedro wasn't easy. 

It's perfect, mellow, cheap, beautiful, and full of interesting people. 

but it was now time to go, so we got on a shuttle to Semuc Champey. We were told we would get on the bus around 3:50 AM and arrive at 2PM. This wasn't true. It wouldn't have even been true if the riots hadn't stopped our bus for over 2 hours. 

In sweltering heat and humidity, there was a complete stand still as protests blocked the roads in Guatemala City, a city with a metro-population of 4.5 million.

So we just stayed at this gas station waiting for the protests to end.

Back on the road there was a couple falling in love like middle schoolers. I wanted to slap them. The girl shared an earbud and mouthed every word to every Katie Perry song while staring in his eyes, and he bobbed his head accordingly. It was vomit worthy. 

I would be on this bus for a total of 17 hours and 45 minutes, so it was less than ideal that I was having some crazy allergic reaction and that hives were covering my body. I was itchy, sore, cramped. 

They grew and grew until they covered my arms, legs, groin, back, feet, hands, head, under-chin, and ears. 

When we arrived in Lanquin, we were met by all the hotels and hostels competing for us to stay at their place. Having some animation work to finish up, I asked everyone if they had wifi. Of course they all responded "Yes". But the place we choose, "Greengos" did not, even though they said they did. Also, instead of everyone speaking Spanish, when we showed up we realized everyone was speaking Hebrew, even all the guests.

The place was nice enough, although it was 50Q ($7), which is a bit pricier than we'd been staying, but it was right next to the park. Unfortunately since they didn't have wifi, I had to take a shuttle early in the morning back into Lanquin for 25Q.

Still with a body full of hives, I found this internet room and paid 10Q an hour to finish up a job. 

I went down to a comedor and asked for the menu. "We only have one thing, typical breakfast with coffee". 

"I'll have that!"

A family next to me was watching me eat like, "Does the gringo like it."

I looked up and smiled. They responded, "You like Tortillas? Pretty good eh?"

This isn't the first time people have asked me if I've ever had a tortilla before. "Yes it's very good! I have them at home. Tuesday night is Taco night!" This makes them happy. 

I ask a taxi for a ride back to the park. He tells me its 200Q ($27) because the taxis have stopped running, so he has to charge me a private shuttle price. My maximum budget per day is $40, so this is obviously not going to happen. 

"How long does it take to walk?"

"2.5 hours"

"Alright, thanks!" After walking for about 10 minutes a little boy standing in the back of a truck flying down the road tells me to jump in if I'm going to Semuc Champey. Of course I pause for a moment, because there is a machete in the bed, and they actually headed in the opposite direction. 

"We've got to gasoline first". 

"20Q?" I offer. Immediately I can tell I've offered to much, as the boy is quite happy, and nods. 

The ride was quite amazing, when I have a chance, I'm going to upload some pretty fun video from the ride. 

 

This photo was taken from the truck.

They dropped me off and I walked another 10 minutes to the Hotel. It felt amazing to have successfully found internet, and finished work.

Unfortunately a lot of the forests are being cut down.

The views are fairly spectacular, even in the rainy season.

The next morning we went to the park, Semuc Champey. 

It was a pretty steep climb up to the top. 

Pretty awesome view. The video I make soon will showcase this better.

Then we hiked down into it. 

This couple kept making out. They told me to take their photo, and then they started making out some more.

Afterwards I bought some chicken, rice, beans and salad from the family at the front of the park.

Mangos for Deseret. 

The next day we left on a shuttle up to Flores.

More protests. Our ride would now be 10 hours rather than 8. 

It was sweltering hot. In the van girls were singing the theme songs to Magic School Bus, Arthur, Barney and so on in Hebrew. That was pretty awesome.

It got flat. Flora changed.

This is the room we found for 40Q ($5.30) and some friends that have been on our busses since San Pedro were in the same room as us. They are from Patagonia, and have offered for us to stay with them when we pass through in the months ahead. Layla and Juan (nickname Nacho).

Flores is a tiny island, mostly inhabited by touristy shops and restaurants. The other tourists are here for the same reason I am, to head up to Tikal. Tomorrow will be a day of rest. I really wanted to read, but my nook stopped working yesterday. 

So so far: My phone spontaneously stopped working. My Nook spontaneously stopped working. Both were older devices and I'm not broken up about it. I just want to read.

I did bring with me 1 paperback book, The War of Art. It was gifted to me by Jeff Jackinovich and I read the whole thing on yesterday's bus ride. I recommend it to anyone who considers themselves an artist in somewhere, and has trouble at times evoking the muse. 

Day 7-10: Getting Comfy in San Pedro

We originally planned on staying San Pedro for 4 or 5 days. Lindsey was ready to go, but I was just getting comfortable. I loved the people that were staying at Casa Felipe with us. By day 10, some old friends left, and some new came. Just loads of quality people. 

One of the spots that I couldn't stop coming back to was Jaku. It was the restaurant with the best bang for your buck. These beef fajitas were 30Q ($3.94)

I've been spending lots of time at the beach.

Reading, swimming, watching the rain come in over the mountains, soaking in sun, drinking beer and conversing with the new friends.

This Chilean girl is currently a independent natural therapist, but she's been practicing with banderas (flags), and she'd like to one day do it with fire in the circus. She understands English, but chooses to only speak in Spanish. She was very sweet and patient.

This is David, the Italian. He doesn't normally wear a pirate hat, or sunglasses. He's probably the most nomadic guy staying at Casa Felipe. He was making and selling pasta in Mexico for 6 months, and soon he'll be headed to Canada to pick cherries. He understands English, but chooses to speak in Spanish. He loves Italy, but in order to pay rent he'd have to spend all of his time working. "That's not a real life," and so he has been traveling and making pasta. He is 40 years old. He is young at heart, but full of wisdom.

The is Mikeal. There is a long long story here. Essentially he is a pirate. His mom is a Guatemalan Jahova's witness, and his dad is Isreali. He is kind of crazy, and consumes a lot of questionable things. He works at the club Sublime, and sleeps on the bunk above mine. He is super friendly and overall good guy. 

I did not realize that he was gay, and thought he was being friendly when he started bringing me free drinks when I was at Sublime. In my defense I told him I didn't want any more drinks, but rum and pineapple juice kept coming. In the end I got a few more mustached kisses than I bargained for. That's the skinny.