Itches!

The caves in Belize were amazing! We took a bus ride with an English family and a couple from the states. We wore scrubby cloths and hicking gear. We walked 40 minutes along a river into a jungle. We had to cross the river 3 times before we got to the caves. We put on our head lights and jumped into the clearest blue water coming from a river in the mountains. Entering the cave felt like we were searching for hidden treasure. We swam, walked, and climbed for an hour and a half throught tunnels and caverns until we reached the dry cave where we found ancient mayan pottery and skeletons. We saw stalagtites and stalagmites (spelling?) and crystals.
When we left we ate sandwiches and everyone changed into dry clothes (Ashley and I forgot clothes so we went home wet.) Later that night I noticed a rash on the stomach and legs. It was red, bumpy and slightly itchy. It hasn´t spread but it has gotten more itchy and tingly.
We ate dinner at a great Belizian restaurant called Elviras (coconut lime talapia with rice and cabbage salad with fresh orange juice.) I also tried a traditional Belizian FryJack with is a fried flour tortilla served with maple syrup. Delicious!
The hostel we stayed at in San Ignacio, Belize was sweet. We were in a dorm but we had 2 beds in a loft. The owner was super chill and there was a kitched that we could make breakfast in (instant oatmeal!)
The next morning we got up super early to catch a 7am taxi to the Belize-Guatemala boarder. From there we took a micro-bus to Tikal. We spent the whole day exploring the ancient Mayan ruins of Tikal. The views were amazing but I wish I had studied more about it because I didn´t really know the story behind what I was looking at. We got a free bus ride to Flores, the cute colonialesk town 1 hour away where tourists stay when visiting Tikal, with a group of Salvadorian tourists. We ate sopa tortilla and had a piece of chocolate cake in memory of Mikie on his birthday. At the end of the day my rash iched a lot and my legs got really soar from climbing up and down the Mayan temples.
The next morning we got up to catch a 9am bus to Lanquin, Guatemala. We had heard about a sweet hostel in the middle of the mountains where the views are amazing and the adventures are extravegent. On the bus ride there we met a fellow traveler named Josie (born in Sweden but goes to Northwestern in Chicago.) We traveled with her for the next few days. When we arrived at the hostel there was only room for 3 people (everyone else had book reservations because since it opened a year ago it has been at capacity!) One Israeli guy was left without a room and we felt bad for him because he was in the middle of now where without a hostel. So, we offered that he could sleep on the floor in our room. The hostel is cool because it looks like a bungalow and everyone hangs out in the open air common area. You are literally in a cloud surrounded by mountains. They have chill music playing all the time, people reading or playing cards, a full bar and they serve family style meals. One night we had pizza and the other night we had spagetti (I watched the guatemalan cooks make the homemade bread and pasta!)
The tour that we chose was a candle lite cave expedition and a hike to the top of a mountain that overlooked a waterfall and pools of crystal clear blue water. Since it had rained for 3 straight days before our trip, the water in the river was super high and the current in the cave was ridiculous. We swam in anyway, everyone holding a candle, and our guide led us through caverns and tunnels. We climbed ladders, jumped from cliffs and got to see the back of an incredibly strong waterfall. The other group went through the waterfall to get to the other side but our guide said it was too dangerous. I´m glad we weren´t allowed to go through. We floated back with the current...it was the most strenous thing I´ve done so far on this trip!
After we took a lunch break and ate sandwiches that the hostel had packed, some people went to see the crystal clear pools that were pure brown because of all the rain :( I climbed the mountain with the guide to the top for the good view. I was sweating balls and my face was as red as a tomato. It was a very intense hike. However, I took some great photos!
That night we hung out at the groovy hostel and the next morning we caught a bus with our new friend Josie to Antigua. It took 6 hours so by the time we got there we just wanted to find a hostel, eat and relax. Ashley got sick that night we a head cold and the flu. We had already bought tickets to climb Volcano Picaya the next morning but she couldn´t do it so she and Josie stayed at the hostel and slept. I went because I knew I wouldn´t get the chance to climb an active, recently errupted volcano for a while :) It was a super easy hike and we got to almost the top (the pinnicle is to dangerous since it recently errupted in April.) From the top you could see 4 different volcanos so I also got great pictures there.
Back in Antigua I met up with Ashley and Josie and we went to buy pirated movies in the mercado. I was starving so I got a plate of pork, guac, tortillas, black beans, beet salad, and a coke for $1.50. It was delicious!
We caught at 4pm bus to Lake Atitlan and arrived in Panajachel at 7pm. My plan was to find a pick up or a boat to take me straight to San Lucas while the girls stayed in Pana. However, it was too late so I stayed with them for the night. Ashley was still sick so she passed out but Josie and I went to explore the night life. We drank a good amount of rum, danced, talked with other hippy travelers and had a lot of fun!
This morning I was on a mission to find a boat to San Lucas. I went to the port expecting to pay around $4. To my suprise they wanted to charge me $35 because I was the only one who wanted to go there (it is not very touristy.) I got them down to $13 but it was very difficult and I still wasn´t very happy. I paid less than that for a 5 hour bus ride.
Finally, I made it to San Lucas and randomly ran into Jeanne and her ¨family¨ when I got off the boat. Her family walked around town with us and showed us all the distruction the recent landslides have done. Entire neighborhoods are wiped out and families have been forced to live in community buildings. The government has been slow to act on rebuilding anything. The roads still have debri in them that causes major traffic jams. I´ll put picture on facebook soon so you can see.
It´s 6pm and I´ve already had lunch with her family and stopped by to see my ahijada. Tomorrow we are going to church with Leticia and then I am going shopping in Santiago or San Pedro.
Ashley and Josie are doing some exploring around the lake and Ashley will come to San Lucas on Monday. I wanted to spend more time doing volunteer work and hanging out with the wonderful families here and she wanted to travel a bit more so it worked out well that we met Josie.
Time for dinner at the mission althought I´m still stuffed from the wonderful chicken and rice lunch Jeanne´s family made us!