Rio Dulce y Guatemala City

¡Hola todos!

I´m in the big GC waiting for my 3pm bus to Xela. I must say this is the part of my trip I was most worried about, since I am still in my crappy Spanish skills days and this is supposed to be a terrifying place. But,so far, I´ve had much good luck.

For one, I got a free taxi from one bus station to another. It was a matter of blocks, but still. He didn´t want me towalk. He called himself "el taxi corazon" which is awesome because Diana just taught me that word via text within the last couple of days. So I knew what he meant, and indeed he was a sweetheart for doing that.

Then I dropped my stuff at the Linea Dorada station and followed the lady at the desk´s instructions to internet. It was very crowded and I was intimidated, so I went back to a restaurant I had passed that advertised 15Q Guatemalan food. Another good choice.



Not only was the traditional Guatemalan breakfast delicious (reminded me of the El Salvadorian restaurant Ben and I went to in Sellwood..minus the over pricing), but the woman, Isabel, spoke english and was extremely friendly and helpful. She made me feel right at home, asked me all about my trip and told me where other internet was in case this place was busy again.



Prior to here, I had my rushed post on Hopkins, Belize. Some things I left out were the animals. We had three at Lebaha

Survivor


Dean


y Lucy



and many more around. Lucy followed me every time I went to the beach (unless it was dinner time) and even scared off a drunk guy one night when I was watching waves. (don´t worry mom, it was a very safe village to be at the beach at night)

Dorothy mentioned the dogs used to be what I had been told to expect in Central America(mangy and untouchable), and then Hopkins got a humane society that provided discounted and free medical for the animals in the village. The people who ran it also got kids to adopt puppies and if they go to the weekly puppy class, they get free food for the week. So I got to play with puppies and kitties while I was there, extra bonus.


This is the one shot I got of Julien and Laura,the nice couple from France. They are doing a documentary on Belize and spending three months doing research. I mentioned going to the wake Friday night, and mostly I´m glad i went because i got to get to know them better. I left their card in my other bag, but the documentary has a website i will post later.



Punta Gorda




After writing yesterday, I went to get my "ferry" to Guatemala. There was only one boat at the time, so not much bartering (although i did get him to go down $10) and then nine of use were put in a boat and given large black plastic sheets. I figured it was for the finicky who didn´t want to get a little wet. umm.. no.

(me stoked for my ferry before I knew what I was getting into...)



As we got going I saw everyone in front completely cover themselves with the sheets and, after getting slapped in the face with a huge wave, I followed suit. It was the woman next to me´s first time on Memo´s boat, and she did not seem impressed at all. I started giggling at how silly this was, since I knew it was an hour ride and I was expecting to have this beautiful ocean view and take lots of pictures (oh expectations...), so to pass the time I started thinking of different ways I could describe what the boat ride was like.

Before it got to rough I thought it was kinda like being put in a Hefty trash bag and sent down a log ride.

But then--as the waves got more intense, my arms tired from holding up the heavy plastic and I started to wonder if the life jacket wasn´t just for the appearance of safety, but because people regularly have to use them--I came up with a more appropriate description: being zipped up in a body bag and thrown in a giant washing machine.

(after the ride)


I must say, as crazy as it was, I literally did giggle most the way. Anither way I passed the time under my black sheet (With occassionaly, usually regretted, peaks) was to think of each person I know and how they would react to this ride. I think Lena would´ve weathered it as well as me, but many I know would have been terrified. I finally found a good position with my left hand propping the plastic up ánd my right hand gripping tightly to my seat board.


Livingston was the port town I was dropped in and the next time I come through, I will definitely stay.


I got a lot of great help from the info guy, Carlos, but I had no cash, so I ended up having to leave. I thought I was being smart to not get a poor exchange rate and just get cash from the machine once I crossed borders... but lucky me, the only cash machine was broken and no banks are open on weekends.I could´ve stayed there for really cheap, but my only option was either to pay 70Q to go to Puerto Barrios and back to get cash since none of the budget hotels took cards, or 150Q to go up to Fronteras (commonly known as Rio Dulce). Again,my limited spanish caused me to end up spending more than I wanted, but now I have decided that my trip to Rio Dulce was my mom´s birthday present to me via the check she sent before I left (thank you mom, it was wonderful!)



All in all, I´m happy Ï went. I met a woman travelling alone from Seattle on the beach in Hopkins who had just come fromthere and she said I was crazy to not go to Rio Dulce. And although all I really got was a ride up the river...




...and a night at a beautiful jungle lodge (more wifi, score)...

...it was well worth it. I had my first hot shower, talked to Ben for a half hour, talked to Lena for a half hour and then had to get the heimlich.

yes, the heimlich. (Is that spelled right?) I ordered a salad and my very first bite I choked on an ornamentally cut tomato and sat for about 30 seconds contemplating whether or not I was going to be able to work it out on my own. After realizing I wasn´t, I stumbled to a table nearby giving the international sign for choking. They were all very scared and confused at what this strange girl was doing. The waiter decided I needed water and one lady started hitting me on the back, so I pushed her hand away and started to mime giving myself the Heimlich. Another lady jumped up and immediately went into action and got it out on the first try.

(where it happened, and where I spent much of the evening..)



I wanted to be embarrassed, but it was really just too funny. Luckily that´s when Lena emailed to say she was around so I could laugh about it with her. She´s one of the few who knows as a kid I choked on everything: hot dogs, jolly ranchers, root beer floats. But I had been good for a while.

Fronteres (oh,another fun story... while in Fronteras for a short bit (to hit an ATM to pay my boat man..) the first ATM I tried to use ate my debit card. I panicked just a little since I had no cash, owed a man 150 Q and it was my only debit card. Luckily, three Guatemalan men came to my rescue and used several different tools they constructed to get it out. It took about 15 minutes, but they got it. I will be much more careful in the future...and luckily there was another ATM that was just the swipe style.



The Hotel taxi, since we were on an island


My room


That´s it for now, I still have a few hours to kill before my bus, but elsewhere...