Welcome to the Jungle

I woke up Saturday and felt the need to hit the road despite having my room in paradise booked for 2 more nights. The party had arrived and there didn't seem to be an end in sight. The next few days of riding were the toughest on the whole trip (with the possible exception of one section in the Baja). I rode on more dirt than pavement, with landslides from the previous rainy season completely washing out the road in places. At the same time, it was very beautiful and nice to be in rural areas. I stayed a night in Upsantan in the mountains and rode to Coban so I could watch the Super Bowl in a 400 year-old convent (congratulations Packers). I rode to a organic foodie spot called Finca Ixobel and, of course, found the first food that disagreed with my stomach on the whole trip. 

This frog also visited me in the shower.

After a day of recovery, I headed for Flores and a 4:30am van ride to Tikal, a Mayan community from about 800 B.C. to 870 A.D.. The van ride itself was an adventure but Tikal was amazing. We climbed up many of the temples to the sounds of howler monkeys and a myriad of birds. 

Lago Atitlan

In my search for places to visit away from cities, I happened upon this gem. I'm staying in San Pedro, on Lake Atitlan in Guatemala. The lake was formed by a volcanic explosion 84,000 years ago (like Crater Lake in Oregon) and is surrounded by 3 other volcanoes. These pictures were taken from the deck of my hotel room. Yesterday, I rented a kayak and went across the lake to a high ledge and jumped in the lake. Jill and David showed up a couple days ago and they are going to take spanish lessons here for 2 weeks. This is the 4th place our paths have met. 

During my time in San Cristobal, there was a funeral for a bishop who was loved by many of the indigenous people of the area http://www.independent.ie/breaking-news/world-news/rebels-pay-tribute-to-former-bishop-2512897.html . The square around the church was amazing as people from all around came to pay their respects. I then headed for the border, on yet another beautiful mountain road. Not too much trouble there and my first night in Guatemala was in a bustling town called Huehuetenango (pronounced way-way). The road followed a rushing mountain stream for many miles. 

The Cure

After feeling a bit lost and confused for a couple days, I signed up for a day-trip to a nearby canyon. I was immediately reminded of what I was missing, having driven from city to city and never really getting out in nature except on the bike. Revitalized, I returned to the hostel and met a great bunch of people. Strange how, on a trip like this, you can have such intense times with people and then they (or you) are off to somewhere else. I guess I just need to enjoy the moments.

These 3 pictures look pretty similar but give you a good idea of the grandeur of the place. I love being on the water even if it's not self-propelled.

We saw 2 crocodiles and a few monkeys. I'm getting excited for the jungle. Off to Guatemala where I hope to get outside often.

Mojo rising

The "graduates" of Amigo del Sol school. I think that the week of Spanish instruction was helpful. We'll see. I'm having trouble uploading photos here so this will be a short entry.

I got my oil changed at this shop. They also gave la Bestia Verde a nice scrubdown. The first in two months and she looks great.

I rode to Tehauntepec, where this lovely lady resides.

Bus stop

The taxis here are interesting.

My tour guide, Leticia. She claimed to be able to cure a variety of ailments with the medicines she makes (including leukemia) and wanted me to find buyers in the U.S.

OK, I give up on the rest of the photos today as they have been uploading for nearly 2 hours. More soon.

Oaxaca

Another beautiful ride up the mountains from Puerto Escondido to Oaxaca, this time on the backroads.

I managed to find the only wires in miles for this photo.

My first two nights, I stayed at Hostel Pochon but moved here to Hostel Don Nino. This is the fanciest room I've stayed in and the breakfast is delicious. It's right across from Parque Juarez and yes, those guys are carrying a xylophone.

Every time I  walk through the park, I see several couples "making out". PDA seems to be ok here.

I'm studying Spanish every morning at a school here in town. It's only 3 hours but my brain hurts by the end. I just finished my homework.

These are pictures of the Santo Domingo Church. The inside is the most ornate of any church I have seen with a ridiculous amount of gold.

The zocalo is bustling every afternoon and all day on the weekend.

The churches here are sturdier looking due to the propensity for earthquakes in the area.

There is music everywhere. I much prefer these guys to the ubiquitous pan flutists. 

I'm not sure what these were about but it seems to be a protest of some kind on this government building.

La playa.

 As some of you know, I can spend a long time on the beach without doing much of anything. This is the mode I have been in since arriving here in the last week or two. From Zihuatanejo, I rode down the coast to Pie de la Cuesta. The beach there was nice and people rode horses. At sunset, seemingly everyone in town gathered on the beach and watched until the sun disappeared, breaking into applause at that moment. From there, I rode through Acapulco (big city with lots of traffic) and spent a couple nights in Playa Ventura. This was an even quieter beach with Mexican families vacationing. I didn't see another gringo there. Finally, I rode to Puerto Escondido, where I have been languishing since. I'm staying in a hostel (Mayflower) and a met a really great group of people from around the world. I have had to look at my computer several times to remember what day it is. Once again, I have almost no photos, so I will have to make an effort to take some before I hit the road.

Pie de la Cuesta from my balcony.

Apparently this posted twice. Sorry.

The woman at this restaurant took me into her kitchen to show me everything that she had cooked. The food was incredible (Mole pollo, arroz, frijoles, ensalada).

Playa Ventura

Zihuatanejo

The free road from Morelia to the coast was beautiful but long. The rest of the crew took the bus and arrived several hours earlier. I didn't take any pictures for 2 weeks so I must credit Alison for the pictures from the last post and Sarah for these. Zihuatanejo is a pretty town with lots of tourists, mostly Mexican. The high-rise resorts of Ixtapa are near but we did not go there.

We stayed in the Casa Azul and it was very comfortable. Our rooms were open air with thatched roof and a nice deck. 

And a good place to park the beast. 

We spent time at each of the 4 beaches in the bay.

Ate fresh seafood.

This guy was pushing this tiny kitten around in his truck.

I think I'll stay on the beach for a bit.