On the Road Again
We have just finished a very fast-paced week of travel which we will now attempt to recap. At the moment we-re in Livingston, a community reachable only by boat… but how we got here is the real story.
SEMUC CHAMPEY
We left Antigua on Tuesday morning at 4am. This meant that we had to wake up at 3:30am. We did this willingly, I know not why. Thus began the long trip to Semuc Champey: six hours by minibus to Coban, two hours to Lanquin (an hour of which is on a long bumpy dirt road), and then half an hour in the back of a pickup truck to the one hotel that sits on the banks of the Cohabon River. Semuc Champey is a Guatemalan national park, one of the few natural rock bridges in the world (I assume, since I´ve never heard of another). I want to attempt to explain exactly what it is, but since I read a lot about it beforehand and completely didn´t understand any of it, I assume that my attempt will be feeble. But here it goes: A raging whitewater river encounters the rock bridge and goes underneath it into a cave. However, on top of the bridge some water remains and creates unbelievably beautiful turquoise pools perfect for swimming. Or, as it turns out, perfect for slipping and falling and almost breaking your arm, in the case of Zil. Ow.
As beautiful as the pools were, they did not hold a candle to the spelunking that one can undertake in the nearby caves. Unfortunately, I was the only participant of our small crew, as Zil´s arm was still in recovery from her slip and fall, and Megan´s back was angry with her after our days long journey. Yes, I spelunked. I spelunked with three Israelis just out of the army, a Spaniard who was afraid of heights, a young man from Brighton, and our guide, Luis. We were given candles and commenced swimming through water filled caves with one arm while holding the other above our heads to light our way. We swam, walked, climbed, and shimmied two kilometers into the cave before heading back out again. I only got lost once. In a little room with water up to my chin and seemingly no way out. But fear not, there was a way out, and I found it. Thank god.
TIKAL
The next morning we let ourselves sleep late… until 4:30am, and left for Tikal: two and a half hours to Coban, four hours to Flores, and fourty five minutes to El Remate, a little lakeside town just outside of the Tikal national park. There we slept, sleeping even a little later, until 5am. We arrived in the main plaza of the ancient Mayan ruins slightly after the sunrise, before the tourists flooded in. We sat on the old stone steps and watched the mist drift over the two thousand year old buildings accompanied in our meditation only by peacocks rooting around for breakfast. Pretty rad.
Later we hired a guide (which was TOTALLY worth the ten American dollars that it cost us) named Miguel. He was an ornthologist by trade and can recognize over five hundred bird species. We put his training to use and saw several toucans, woodpeckers, countless other birds that I can´t remember, spider monkeys, howler monkeys, and coates (funny anteater type furry rooting creatures). This is all in addition to the human engineering marvel that is Tikal: 65 meter high pyramids peak out over the immense expanse of jungle, which is always threatening to envelop the city. Truly breathtaking and awe-inspiring.
Now we are in Livingston, planning to rest and relax over the Christmas holiday. It´s not hard to do when it´s about 80 degrees in the shade.
Happy Holidays to all.
-Sarah (and Megan who wrote the last three paragraphs.)
Tags: Central America, Guatemala, Health, Livingston, Ruins, Semuc Champey, Tikal, Transportation, Travel
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We’re here in Delray Beach, nestled in heaven’s waiting room, South Florida. It’s also warm here, and there are enough shopping centers for every would-be Santa to have one of their very own.
I’ve located a magic wand for Linda’s mother and Pippi Longstocking Santa hats with braids for Debra and Linda. I hope they don’t read this.
All at the 99 cent store. Very economical.
And, I hope, funny.
Hope you two have a happy Christmas, resting up in between adventures.
Love you both,
Dad
Mis viajandas amigas! Yo estoy en Antigua ahora, despues un largo viaje y muchos muchos buses. I am also used to, at this point, sleeping at 8:00 which is why the brits I was staying with in the dorm last night thought I was absolutely nuts when I conked at 8:30, which was a struggle. Im glad all is well…good luck with rest and recuperation–it is well deserved on both ends after all of the traveling we have done. Eat some livingston curry for me and I’ll eat some christmas tamales for you.nrkissesnrzil
Merry Merry Christmas! Missing you just an incredible amount. Hoping your Christmas eve and Christmas day are bright and full of the spirit of love. I’m in Amherst with Grandma, Grandpa, Lool and Ceej. No snow tho. Paul and Nina and Natty were here until last night. I met Loki! She’s banished to the basement with Nelly since the chicago dogs are here… and I think that Loki misses you both very much. Funny-looking, adorable kitty. Everyone is thinking of you!
lots of christmas joy and love,
mom/becca
Here we sit like birds in the wilderness just having read your blog before the great stocking attack. We are so speachless about Sarah being lost in a cave with water up to her neck that we are … well, speechless. We did not get up until almost 7:30!! Loki came upstairs to hear your blog & is still cautiously watching everyone — including Cvmpe & Kirby. The troll says, “As an old and experienced spelunker, I am lost in a cave and I hear running water rising around my feet, fearful that it will reach my chinny-chin-chin. But I will escape by the power of your example, and we will share the great Truth, Beauty, and Goodness of having been there. Very much appreciative of your spelunker spunk. GPP (the troll)” Merry Christmas, you little biscuits. We hope Megan’s back is feeling better. Sounds like a lot of jolting along in the backs of pick-ups (lool). Grandma Elf says, “Gee whiz! Lost in a cave has got to be the scariest thing yet. We are convinced you are brave, brave girls. Reading your report together is the next best thing to having you here in captivity. We love you. Merry Christmas.” Have a wonderful Christmas time! xoxoxo
Hi guys! Contrary to how it may seem, I have been keeping up with your blog, but it’s often too funny for me to respond…I’m so glad that you not only survived spiders AND scorpions, but have gotten to see such beautiful ruins and lakes and caves and volcanoes. it sounds utterly amazing.
It is currently Christmas morning. Luke is home in PA, and I am about to head out to work at a soup kitchen all day. Good cheer abounds. It’s actually cold here, which seems like a miracle to me. All those pleasant days were starting to drive me nuts. I am leaving for Paris in a day and a half, to spent a week with my family, eating dark chocolate on baguettes and apologizing for bombing them during the war. It should be superb.
Hope your adventures continue along their marvelous track!
lots of seasonal and unseasonal love,
becca
Hello beloveds! And honey, that cave tale is mind-boggling. The vision of your lovely little head pootling along in candle-lit caves just makes me want to cry. You’re both so amazing and great!
It’s Xmas day. Kate is talking to her aunt Rebecca who really has the gift of the gab, so I have plenty o’ time before we open our gifties. And it’s 2:00 in the afternoon! I love everything about being an adult, but it’s amazing to me that I have attained an age where waiting until 2 to open my Xmas presents feels GOOD. Ah, MIke Glish, where are you when we need you most — to remind us of the spirit of Xmas?
I did, in fact, have fish in a dish last night and thought of you, Sarah.
Anyway, my lovelies, I hope you are having a wonderful, wonderful Xmas day down there near the equator. We are thinking of you here in Philadelphia!
kisses and hugs and reindeers and bows and red suits and little mice dressed in green velvet suits!
xoxoxoxoxoxo
xx
Merry christmas (a day late). I got back to Tulsa about a week ago from a fun trip to New York and Philadelphia. I liked New York, but I would say Brooklyn > Philly > Manhattan. Of course I saw like 3% of each city, and didn’t really know where to go in Philly, but I think I got a good feel for each place. I got a new cell phone today (hint hint call me!). Hope you’re both doin well, and take care of my sisters back Sarah!
-Austen