First dirt road. The 30 Kilometers from the beginning of Guatemala are unpaved because no one really knows who this land belongs to and no one puts money towards its maintenance. Therefore the large gravel is not the same welcome as the rest of the country. This magnificent country people are very generous. After our hard day (of gravel) a family has kindly hosted us for the night.
The 7 children of this poor family infected us of their excessive happiness and we learn about the CHICO, a fruit that is sweeter than sugar itself! We have missed the ruins of TIKAL because we had visited another site in Mexico (El Tajin and Palenque) and for us it’s quite the same. We went to FLORES, a small island that had been recommended. This unfortunately happened during the aqueduct reduction throughout the city was therefore under construction. We have still been charmed. Then we’ve followed the new asphalted road (10 years old) between Tikal and Lago Izabal. The road is beautiful; there is a reasonable shoulder along with small hills. At mid path we stopped at FINCA IXOBEL a few exceeded km Poptun with quite charming camping. We spent 2 days and met 2 Australian bikers and assisted at the Guatemalan anniversary of a member of the colony. Max and Mike, Australian, were so friendly we decided to travel together. They began their journey in July 2008 in Alaska the highest point of the North American and reach a land of fire the point more South in February 2010.
Back on the road 4 of us heading to SEMUC CHAMPEY by the road up north of the Lago Izabal. Bad choice, it was under construction and probably for a couple of years more! After 35 km of dirt road we change our mind to take the ferry in El Estor. But no more ferry since 1996 and our 2006 map has it marked. They built a bridge from Rio Dulce. We finally are able to find someone with something like a boat. Just enough for 4 fully loaded bike and 5 persons. And inexpensive! After this episode we are on the good road on the way to Guatemala City, the capital of this country. The first mountains of the journey with a big sun and the car exhaust. What a view, this country is MAJESTIC! The gas stations are a good place to sleep with security (armed security guard) and sometimes we found deluxe gas station, particularly one with hamacs, pick-nick table, roof… and mountains in the background. Before falling asleep there was a lightning show just for us. Some days we don’t do much, a bad luck with a bike has a silver lining and we meet a friendly man and gain a good opportunity.
Like passing the afternoon on a river and having a safe place for the night. We don’t have a dead line so why can’t we take it easy. But after too much broken spokes on the same wheel we have to find a bike shop to fix it well. So we stop in downtown Guatemala City under a big storm. The guy at the bike shop seems to be good but they don’t keep strong pieces. They’re supposed to have the equivalent of Shimano but they really don’t have what they talk about. It is impossible to find something great before Costa Rica. We just go out of the town in the middle of the traffic. We cycle behind the black bus smog, great for our lungs! The city exit to Antigua is 16 km uphill with only one hotel (Swiss hotel) and it is an expensive one. We finally get to the top in the night with our front light. In San Luca we ask at the Voluntarios Bomberos (fire man) to spend the night. We have a cold shower, a rough bed and the bells but such a great place. We had a fun downhill from San Luca to Antigua, the old capital.
Getting shelter in Antigua is easy and free at the tourist police. They have the ground of the old hospital not far from the central market. Antigua is a beautiful city with very detailed architecture. It is no longer the capital because of the frequency of earthquakes and volcanoes and surrounding eruptions were too destructive. You can take a tour to go on the Pacaya volcano it still active and it is very interesting to go eat marshmallows cooked on the lava. * Attention to your shoes, heat is so high that you can lose your soles. Several other activities are available Chichimantenango market, Semuc Champey and more.
Lago Atitlan also has to be seen. However we have to use our mental strength even more than our thighs... it goes up and up for tens and tens of km (2700-2800 meters over sea level) It is worth it however always, what landscapes, the most beautiful road (which has been) in Guatemala. We have camped at Hotel Azule with a view of the Lake and its 3 volcanoes. It is important to search for this hotel because the other camping is very bad stuff managed and located (the guy thought he had been abducted by aliens). There is a market not to be missed, Chichimantenango. We left our bicycles to make the ride in a chicken bus, a real roller coaster tour experience. Experience live absolutely!
Chichi is not the market in the city but the city is the market. Hundreds of artists present their products and clothing with the multiple colors of their regions. There are several artisanal products that we would clearly want to buy but cycling limits this. You could also taste many typical dishes, a true delight. We cannot tell if people are not informed about the road when we ask them or if they just don’t want to tell us the way. To exit Lago Atitlan our map indicated a road bypassing the Lake but the hotel man told us that this was not asphalt and that it was a dead end. Yet once we sought a lancha there across this time Lago Atitlan. (A few weeks later we learn that the famous road is there and no dead end). What beautiful easy traversal followed by 30 km descent, some escorted by police because it is too dangerous.
RETURN PATH
We already have seen almost everything that we wanted in this country; the West Coast has not a lot of great tourist attractions. We went to the city of Monterrico on the edge of the sea. The map is wrong again. The road by which we arrived is another dead end. There was a lancha service throughout the lagoon. Was therefore still once onboard our bicycles and benefited from the crossing. The city is known for marine turtles, it is our last chance to see some in nature (August to November is the season of laying eggs). Unfortunately the evening we walk on the beach the weather was so bad that they should not want to get out to sea. We had a really good show, the sky was so black that we can’t see 2 feet in front us and had huge lightning; it was completely awesome, unforgettable.
