From Alta Vera Paz to Baja Vera Paz

We decided to trail off the tourist mochillero path and came to Salama, a small town northeast of Guatemala city. We took a two hour curvy, wild, nausea provoking bus ride (nothing out of the usual for Guatemalan bus treks thus far) through the Guatemalan highlands. The landscape changed from lush green subtropical rolling mountains, to a warmer climate with dry air and a desert brown/jade sierra. Besides two pairs of mormons, Dom and I were the only gringos, and possibly the tallest people in town. Los chapines (slang for Guatemalans) are very kind and humble people. They seem to be just as curious of us as we are as them.  This busy little town does not skip a beat with its motos zooming in and around the parque central, the truckloads of cattle and horses taking up the entire road, the Mayan women carrying baskets full of tortillas on their heads (with their children slung over their backs taking an afternoon siesta), the speakers blasting reggaeton and bachata music at the local fast-food fried chicken joint, and the endless fruit and churrasco stands.  Sitting in the park and watching the small town busy at work was enough entertainment for us! We found a nice coffee shop and drank some of the best espresso we have found yet on our journey!

Tomorrow we head to Rio Dulce where we will be volunteering at the orphanage Casa Guatemala. It has been great to get a feel for Guatemala, the culture and people alike for the past few weeks before we settle down and do what we came here to do... GIVE A HELPING HAND!

Wish us luck!!

Yasmin

Enjoying fresh squeezed orange juice and fried chicken in Caye Caulker, Belize

Tuk Tuk in Flores, Guatemala

Atardecer Lago Peten Itza, Guatemala

Tikal Mayan Ruin

The sacred Ceiba tree of the Mayans

Semuc Champey. A limestone shelf with pristine turquoise waterfalls and swimming holes fed by water run off from the jungle on either side. A fresh water river Rio Cohabon runs under it. 

Semuc Champey. Where we spent Dom's 25th Birthday!

Yasmin's Paradise

Caldo de Gallina

Breeze through Belize -> to Guatemala

After just a few days in Belize, where we swam with sharks in the Cays off the second largest reef in the world, we skipped on over to Guatemala.

We began our Guatemalan journey by stepping in the temples of the Mayan people...TIKAL.  We ventured into the ruins at sunrise and had the whole place to ourselves for several hours.  The howler monkeys roared, the toucans fluttered, and the parrots sang.

Next, we gathered our bags and headed south to the jungle in the highlands to discover Samuc Champey.  Samuc Champey is a natural wonder that is truly jaw dropping.  Turquoise bathes along the river, a great spot to turn the 25 year mark.

Now we reside at a small family run hotel in Coban, one of Guatemala's coffee capitals.  Touring plantations and drinking some of the country's finest cafe is the daily routine.

DOM

Photo Journal:

Kinda like life... and I choose to swing

"Chocolate" is a native from Caye Caulker who is the founder of the Manatee Reserve just off the coast of Belize City

Charles the chef makes delicious Belizean meals at home everyday and brings it to the main road in Caye Caulker to sell 

Sunset Caye Caulker

Flores, Guatemala: Fiesta del Cristo Negro. "La Vaca" is a man wearing a bull costume with fireworks attached chasing around local children and tourists.

El Mirador with Flores in the background

Tikal at sunrise

Possum digging for hormigas

Tikal

Dominic pursuing his life goal... a coffee farmer... he gets to pick the hard to reach ones

Tulum, Quintana Roo MEXICO

We made it to Mexico! We spent one night in Cancun to meet up with our friends Rachael and Andrew, and since then, we have been hanging out in a small town called Tulum, known for its exquisite beaches, cenotes (a collapse of limestone in the land that exposes deep blue, fresh water holes where you can snorkel and scuba dive to discover the underwater cave system), and Mayan ruins. Tulum was one of the last cities built and inhabited by the Mayans and it is situated on a cliff that overlooks the Caribbean.

For the past few days we have been hanging out in Tulum: doing such things as lounging on the beach, snorkeling in the cenotes, and in the ocean.  We both got to see a couple of sea turtles for the first time! Also, we have been eating some great eats!  One of the our first nights in Tulum we ate at a great local joint called, El Camello (The Camel).  Our three plates consisted of: fresh caught ceviche (raw seafood "cooked" in lime juice), filete a la veracruzana (filet with salsa on top), and finally camarones al ajo (shrimp cooked in garlic).  And just to top it off...Una Michelada (Beer with "the house secret sauce").

After eating our fair share of tacos, mole, agua de cualquiera cosa, and piles of seafood and lounging around this Yucatan town, we are ready to head down south to Belize tomorrow.