Profile
Blog
Photos
Videos
Spent a really cool night in Antigua.. Went back to Casa Amarillo, and spoke to some of our friends there.. unfortunately they had no rooms available, so ended up staying at Black cat, which was lots of peoples favourite hostel.. I didn't particular like it.Seemed like it was really American, everyone talking English, and had a real partyish feel.. Looking back it was really nice place, but think we were spoilt by Casa Amarillo.Had a few beers the hostel with a really sweet Spanish girl called Marta, who was studying Biology in Mexico.Didn't speak any English, so was good to chat in Spanish, gave the hostel a good slagging off.Spend the night in Rikki's bar.. another ultra cool place.Was treated to watching a live set from Ignacio - from Buena Vista Social Club, who has settled in Antigua.Place was ultra crazy.Was packed with everyone on chairs and tables getting down.Only wish I wasn't so tired from the long day of travelling from San Pedro.Next day, woke up early to sort out transport to Rio Dulce.Can't knock Black Cat's breakfast.. tasty mmmm!!Got confirmed on a 8.30 bus, but with all the delays didn't end up getting to Rio Dulce til after nightfall.Was too late to get the lanches to Livingstone, so had to spend the night in the hell hole that is called Rio Dulce.Made a mistake, as there was no where to settle down and we were tired, stayed in the first hotel we sawIt was pretty grim, toilets didn't work, no running water,first room they showed us had a window but no glass in it.Beds were pretty bad, dirty sheets, and the walls looked like someone had been killed there…Tried to spend the evening out, but there was nothing to do, eat offa street stall, which had some amazing steak, but on corn tortillas - if I don't eat another corn tortilla as long as I live it will be too soon.Walked into a local brothel, which I think was the only other place of entertainment in the town.. walked out pretty sharpish…Got back to the hotel pretty early, was like being back in Asia.. had to have wash in a bucket of water..Think it was a long night for Clauds.I fell asleep straight away thoughEarly next day, had some fried chicken for breakfast, and then got the boat to Livingstone, across the River Dulce.Were some really cool places to stay along the river, shame we couldn't have stayed in some of them instead of in town.Had a few stops along the way to take in some sites before we reached Livingstone, including some hot springs, and Isla Del Flores.Livingstone was really cool.Noticed the change as soon as we arrived on the jetty, hustle and bustle, people asking for propinas, asking if we wanted hotels.. This isn't the normal Guatemala.Livingstone is the only place where you see lots of black people who speak Spanish, and theirnative Garifuna.lHaving got out of the port and found somewhere to stay, found Livingstone to be a very chilled out place.. People were very friendly and would always stop for a chat.Unfortunately a lot of drunks and people high on marijuana as well.Town was tiny, it was a shame that despite being on the Carribean coast and only being reachable by boat, there was nowhere where you could swim close by as the beaches are clogged with vegetation.Surprisingly, there were lots of really plush hotels around, had the misfortune of bumping into another hapless American tourist.. who couldn't stop talking to us… Oh there so annoying…Went to a really cool little restaurant near the coast, to eat some prawn curry.. really authentic curry cooked from a local lady who had spent time in India… She also made the best mojitos.When commenting on how great her food was, she was so modest" I know my food is great…."She was right though!.Got talking to a Guatemalan girl and started speaking to her about life in Guatemala.Sad how Livingstone was the only place you found black people because they weren't accepted anywhere else in Guatemala.Also you didn't find any mixed race children around, so even in Livingstone, no one seemed to mix.She was saying it wasn't only the black people who were discriminated against, but also the traditional Guatemalans.Kind of made me glad that I steered clear of Guatemala City.Don't think I would have liked it as all.Left Livingstone the next day and took a river taxi back to Rio Dulce. Made a few stops on the way back as usual.Went to see a cave around Agua Calientes, and Clauds bought a few souvenir frames from, a worker's cooperative - an organisation that invests the teaching skills to local people.Met a new travelling companion on the boat back, Eva, a dutch girl.She changed her plans and joined us on the bus to Flores.Got on the local bus there.. It was completely packed, so stood for the duration of the 5 hour trip..Time went pretty quickly though.
- comments