Adrenaline Tuesday
Since my last post on Friday, we have left Lake Atitlan (after visiting two more towns around the lake, cross-dressing for our hostel´s weekly drag party, and spending the night in a room that strongly resembled a jail cell with its only ventilation coming from the men´s bathroom next door) for Semuc Champey. Our 8-hr bus ride yesterday ended at El Retiro Lodge, a rustic hostel on the outskirts of Lanquin. We were given the room next door to our friends from Iguana Perdida which was nice and then had a nice meal prepared by the local women who work at the lodge - note to all readers and everyone else: never watch your food get prepared in Guatemala...ever. It is not a pretty picture that involves many unwashed hands, silverware used for raw meat, cooked meat, vegetables, oil, and garlic, and in our case, child labor (probably holds true elsewhere but I have seen it here with my own two eyes) Our room was perfectly habitable after I exterminated the alien-esque creature that resembled a cockroach only it was twice the size of any I have seen before, even in NY.
But I digress, because it was all worthwile after today. This morning we joined 20 other travelers on a tour of Semuc Champey. To call this area awesome, gorgeous, eden-esque, or stunning would be a disservice. It is all of these times INFINITY. Our tour started with us being handed candles and stepping into knee deep water, rushing from the mouth of a cave in the middle of a forested hillside. Following our guide, our group of twelve quickly submerged to our chests and then were forced to swim with one arm while holding the lit candle over our heads. The cave was damp and dark but also home to amazing rock structures and a few bats. It is difficult to explain but the tour culminated in swinging on a rope through/under a waterfall that cascaded from higher in the cave, then swimming back to meet the rest of the group.
Emerged from the cave, we were then handed inner tubes, walked 10 minutes upstream and tubed down the Cahabon River (the cave river empties into this outside river). This was relaxing, but certainly overshadowed by our subsequent activity. Heading up to the pools of Semuc Champey after tubing, we crossed a bridge spanning the Cahabon river. Said bridge was approximately 35 ft up and perfect for jumping off of into the river. I only know this because our guide did it first, and then all of the guys (+2 girls) followed suit, myself included. For those who have jumped off stationary objects and landed in a body of water, there is nothing else quite like it.
High on adrenaline, we stopped for lunch just inside the gates to Semuc Champey for some chicken, rice, beans, and tortillas. After meeting more nice American teachers and two Swiss ladies, we entered the park. After a short 10 minute hike, our eyes were rewarded with this sight. But above this pool was another gorgeous, crystal-clear turquoise blue pool being fed by waterfalls. And above that pool was another pool and then another. All of this set in a steep jungle valley with the roar of howling monkeys surrounding us. The pools are fed by rainwater because they are actually on top of the Cahabon river. At the top of the pools, the river plunges underground, bypassing the pools via a tunnel, and emerging 100 feet below the last pool. Unfortunately we didn´t get many pictures of it because people warned us about getting our camera´s wet, however, trust me when I say that the pictures don´t begin to convey the majesty of the place.
Now that it´s Wednesday, the excitement of bridge-jumping and lounging in Eden has given way to our next adventure. Today we are traveling to Rio Dulce for two relaxing days lying in hammocks by the Rio Dulce river and swimming in the warm carribean waters.
But I digress, because it was all worthwile after today. This morning we joined 20 other travelers on a tour of Semuc Champey. To call this area awesome, gorgeous, eden-esque, or stunning would be a disservice. It is all of these times INFINITY. Our tour started with us being handed candles and stepping into knee deep water, rushing from the mouth of a cave in the middle of a forested hillside. Following our guide, our group of twelve quickly submerged to our chests and then were forced to swim with one arm while holding the lit candle over our heads. The cave was damp and dark but also home to amazing rock structures and a few bats. It is difficult to explain but the tour culminated in swinging on a rope through/under a waterfall that cascaded from higher in the cave, then swimming back to meet the rest of the group.
Emerged from the cave, we were then handed inner tubes, walked 10 minutes upstream and tubed down the Cahabon River (the cave river empties into this outside river). This was relaxing, but certainly overshadowed by our subsequent activity. Heading up to the pools of Semuc Champey after tubing, we crossed a bridge spanning the Cahabon river. Said bridge was approximately 35 ft up and perfect for jumping off of into the river. I only know this because our guide did it first, and then all of the guys (+2 girls) followed suit, myself included. For those who have jumped off stationary objects and landed in a body of water, there is nothing else quite like it.
High on adrenaline, we stopped for lunch just inside the gates to Semuc Champey for some chicken, rice, beans, and tortillas. After meeting more nice American teachers and two Swiss ladies, we entered the park. After a short 10 minute hike, our eyes were rewarded with this sight. But above this pool was another gorgeous, crystal-clear turquoise blue pool being fed by waterfalls. And above that pool was another pool and then another. All of this set in a steep jungle valley with the roar of howling monkeys surrounding us. The pools are fed by rainwater because they are actually on top of the Cahabon river. At the top of the pools, the river plunges underground, bypassing the pools via a tunnel, and emerging 100 feet below the last pool. Unfortunately we didn´t get many pictures of it because people warned us about getting our camera´s wet, however, trust me when I say that the pictures don´t begin to convey the majesty of the place.
Now that it´s Wednesday, the excitement of bridge-jumping and lounging in Eden has given way to our next adventure. Today we are traveling to Rio Dulce for two relaxing days lying in hammocks by the Rio Dulce river and swimming in the warm carribean waters.
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