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Thanks
We are following your trip so lets hope to meet for a beer!
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Can't leave beautiful Guatemala
We are back in lovely Antigua with the famous Guaterider as our host and local travel guide. Julio may be sorry he convinced us to stay longer in Guatemala, because we may never leave (he didn’t). This is a great walking town. We headed to the library to see the current photo exhibit. Walking down the street of the arch we stopped to buy wine and some delicious chocolates.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8367/8...f491cefe_c.jpg La Antigua 12 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8354/8...a3646bb2_c.jpg La Antigua 3 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8094/8...d41e2fe9_c.jpg La Antigua 11 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8096/8...18c30e78_c.jpg La Antigua 5 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
Views of the Volcano
We headed out the next day to see some local sights. The first stop was a ride up the hillside above the city to have breakfast with a view of the three volcanoes. We had the best table on the front of the patio.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8195/8...55b5d528_c.jpg La Antigua 24 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8328/8...2b879a94_c.jpg La Antigua 27 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8361/8...411cc86e_c.jpg La Antigua 40 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr The grounds of the Santa Domingo are and out door sculpture gallery. They have many Love Parakeets that are trained to sit on your shoulder. http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8362/8...edc1fcda_c.jpg La Antigua 31 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8372/8...acba3e77_c.jpg La Antigua 35 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
Macadamia anyone?
Next we headed to San Miguel Dueñas to visit the macadamia nut farm. We had a tour in English that explained that the two types of edible nuts come from two trees with either pink or white flowers.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8510/8...f7741ffa_c.jpg La Antigua 41 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr The trees each make six sizes of nuts that are sorted, dried, and the shells are removed. http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8353/8...329a2796_c.jpg La Antigua 46 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8075/8...a8b3bea7_c.jpg La Antigua 42 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8508/8...9ec99c95_c.jpg La Antigua 43 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr They can then be salted, are made into butters, oils, or creams. Here you can get a free facial, and some yummy macadamia pancakes. http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8468/8...e0d96653_c.jpg La Antigua 52 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
Dirt
Since we like a circle route we continued down the road with a quick stop at the car wash for a 20 min power wash for 15Q (2$). It was however wasted as we then soon ran out of pavement and continued the rest of the way up into the mountains and around to Parramos in the dirt which was quite deep and dusty at times.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8055/8...35f690b0_z.jpg Screen Shot 2013-01-19 at 10.25.19 PM by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8055/8...81a82a5e_c.jpg La Antigua 55 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr This of course meant a shoeshine! http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8224/8...67cfe2e3_c.jpg DSC06401 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
Iximche
The next day we ventured back east of the city to San Andrés Itzapa to see the sacrifice to Maximon who is a folk saint venerated in various forms by Maya people in Western Guatemala. Continuing west we went to the Ruins at Iximche where there are also alters for sacrifice still used by the Mayan people.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8047/8...3daac212_c.jpg iximche 1 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8074/8...96a555bd_c.jpg iximche 20 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8323/8...ab033108_c.jpg iximche 17 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8500/8...ceb55b84_c.jpg iximche 32 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8497/8...9fd2a2a0_c.jpg iximche 26 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8195/8...1b4922fe_c.jpg iximche 12 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8222/8...9fac6086_c.jpg iximche 7 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8218/8...b69556e7_c.jpg iximche 11 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8517/8...e4d9745e_c.jpg iximche 13 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8508/8...51defbde_c.jpg iximche 9 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
Monterrico Guatemala
Now for the BEACH. We set out from Antigua in the mountains and at a pleasant 24 degrees, but as we drove closer to the coast it was 35 degrees.
http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5116/8...2934b499e4.jpg Screen Shot 2013-01-21 at 8.56.59 PM by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr The drive here is nice and with very few of the dreaded tope. You pay a 5Q toll to cross the bridge over the canal in the mangroves to get access to Monterrico, which is a small town on the coast. http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8074/8...511d206e_c.jpg monterrico 10 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr There are quite a few restaurants and small hotels. There is of course lots of seafood. http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8044/8...79a67133_c.jpg monterrico 2 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8193/8...f7f58542_c.jpg monterrico 17 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8513/8...d1c3f979_c.jpg DSC04335 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8492/8...752d6eb5_c.jpg monterrico 4 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr The sand is black and very fine. The ocean is like bathwater it is so warm. http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8377/8...c6fa4c03_c.jpg monterrico 8 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr The coast of Guatemala is straight without bays and there is only open ocean in front of you. This makes for s spectacular sunset. http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8326/8...bba3ecd0_c.jpg monterrico 23 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
Turtles
There is a turtle-breading center near our hotel where they hatch the eggs that they rescue from the beach and they breed turtles too.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8187/8...1bea0de0_c.jpg monterrico 14 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8090/8...aa65f24b_c.jpg monterrico 13 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr Each night you can release 1-day-old turtles into the sea. http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8233/8...f7c570ea_c.jpg DSC06497 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8496/8...8f411c5a_c.jpg DSC06502 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8517/8...8cee1af5_c.jpg monterrico 49 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8352/8...ab096f7e_c.jpg monterrico 51 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8225/8...22e69812_c.jpg monterrico 19 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8469/8...790f3bc4_c.jpg monterrico 58 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8497/8...3bc72ee9_c.jpg monterrico 53 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8372/8...9a612fdd_c.jpg monterrico 59 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
bikes on a wooden boat thru the mangrove
The return route to Antigua required a 25 minute “ ferry” trip thru the mangroves to connect us back to the road.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8491/8...cb6155a6_c.jpg DSC06567 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8359/8...f9f7a8f2_c.jpg DSC06572 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8327/8...a5b884f2_c.jpg DSC06585 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8052/8...ee7bdaaa_c.jpg DSC06583 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8352/8...6b8251a0_c.jpg DSC06621 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8083/8...35d55345_c.jpg monterrico 114 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8236/8...d268fca6_c.jpg monterrico 129 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
Exploring around Antigua
We are still in Antigua hanging out with GuateRider and GuateRider Girl.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8467/8...70d56ef8_c.jpg Julio Hartmann by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8325/8...5c8be1d1_c.jpg Antigua 67 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8501/8...45a6e488_c.jpg Antigua 32 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8233/8...33c0789c_c.jpg Antigua 60 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr We cannot stop taking pictures in this colonial town. http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8467/8...eda33b32_c.jpg Antigua 71 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8355/8...1751a8eb_c.jpg Antigua 81 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8093/8...0461ab15_c.jpg Antigua 98 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8190/8...280ac4e0_c.jpg Antigua 46 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8470/8...7e6e6224_c.jpg Antigua 47 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
La Reunion
They took us for a ride on Sunday to the La Reunion Golf Course for breakfast and a view of the volcanoes.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8331/8...c7dff003_c.jpg Antigua 17 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8090/8...8aca5662_c.jpg Antigua 10 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8371/8...dae7f550_c.jpg Antigua 15 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8356/8...9c7ba566_c.jpg Antigua 8 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8356/8...497cacfa_c.jpg Antigua 11 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8189/8...7a2f0200_c.jpg Antigua 20 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8234/8...c2a710c6_c.jpg Antigua 23 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr You can see the old lava stream on Fuego. http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8504/8...d77fbd36_c.jpg Antigua 28 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8075/8...f2e8ecba_c.jpg Antigua 29 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
Some more fun times
We rode up to San Miguel Duenas to the Macadamia farm again to have their famous pancakes.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8514/8...8460a5d8_c.jpg Antigua 50 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8465/8...ff4feb29_c.jpg Antigua 54 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8329/8...29df8f5f_c.jpg Antigua 52 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8186/8...ebc0d023_c.jpg Antigua 56 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr We were luck to be here for a visit from Mario97 from El Salvador. http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8224/8...63fa84f3_c.jpg Antigua 66 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8071/8...594f2b23_c.jpg Antigua 77 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr We were walking in town and ran into our friends Frank and Linda from Partner for Surgery. http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8088/8...c12f04af_c.jpg Antigua 95 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
Volcan Pacaya
Heading out early we went to ride up the Pacaya Volcano, around to Laguna Caldera and Lago Amatitlan, and then to the Park of the Cross above Antigua.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8497/8...1e2fefca_z.jpg Screen Shot 2013-01-28 at 2.32.15 PM by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8378/8...450c50d7_c.jpg Saritas by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8465/8...3579fc04_c.jpg Laguna caldera 1 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8367/8...17b85f04_c.jpg Lago Amititlan 4 by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8352/8...5a6c0a06_c.jpg Lago Amititlan Sara Dan by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8078/8...3d2bef06_c.jpg Lago Amititlan Dan Julio by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8053/8...008c4a4c_c.jpg Dan above Antigua by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8358/8...01ee9b24_c.jpg Dan above Antigua at the cross by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8336/8...4195bc8d_c.jpg cross by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8211/8...ce4b3ef1_c.jpg Sara at the cross by Worldwide Ride.ca, on Flickr |
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