Waiting in Madrid Barajas airport to see if our flight was going to take off our not. Because of the air traffic controllers strike during 2 days Spain's air space was shut down.
Instead of flying out on Satruday we flew out on Wednesday. And, because of overbooking we were upgraded to Business Class!!!!
A 12 hour flight (Madrid - San Jose, Costa Rica - Guatemala City, Guatemala) in Business Class in the reclining seats that let you lay down!!!
5th Avenue Arch Antigua, Guatemala
Antigua, Guatemala
Women washing their clothes at the communal wash basins. Antigua, Guatemala
Communal wash basins. Antigua, Guatemala
Panoramic views of Antigua from Cerro de la Cruz. Antigua, Guatemala
Templo de Santa Rosa de Lima. Antigua, Guatemala
Local market. Antigua, Guatemala
Dinner at Isla Verde Hotel in Santa Cruz la Laguna. Lago de Atitlán, Guatemala
Our bungalow at Isla Verde Hotel in Santa Cruz la Laguna. Lago de Atitlán, Guatemala
Lago de Atitlán, Guatemala
Scuba diving in Lago de Atitlán, Guatemala.
Satcha scuba diving in Lago de Atitlán is recognized to be the deepest lake in Central America. The lake is volcanic in origin, filling an enormous caldera formed in an eruption 84,000 years ago. It is renowned as one of the most beautiful lakes in the world. Lago de Atitlán, Guatemala
Crab we saw while scuba diving in Lago de Atitlán. Lago de Atitlán, Guatemala
Plant life we saw while scuba diving in Lago de Atitlán. Lago de Atitlán, Guatemala
Scuba diving in Lago de Atitlán. Lago de Atitlán, Guatemala
Because the lake was formed by water filling a caldera formed in a vocanic eruption, there are a lot of vocanic formations and volcanic ash underwater. We felt around the bottom of the lake where there are hotspots. Many of these spots burned our hands under water!!! Lago de Atitlán, Guatemala
Lunch after scuba diving in Lago de Atitlán. Lago de Atitlán, Guatemala
Volcanos surrounding Lago de Atitlán. Lago de Atitlán, Guatemala
Water taxi to go to different towns around the lake. Lago de Atitlán, Guatemala
Mayan girl. Lago de Atitlán, Guatemala
Mayan girls. Lago de Atitlán, Guatemala
Church at San Pedro la Laguna. Lago de Atitlán, Guatemala
Mayan woman. Lago de Atitlán, Guatemala
Mayan people. Lago de Atitlán, Guatemala
San Pedro la Laguna. Lago de Atitlán, Guatemala
Local market Santiago Atitlan. Lago de Atitlán, Guatemala
Mayan women buying cloth at local market Santiago Atitlan. Lago de Atitlán, Guatemala
Mayan people at the market Santiago Atitlan. Lago de Atitlán, Guatemala
Making tortillas at the market Santiago Atitlan. Lago de Atitlán, Guatemala
Enjoying a plate of nachos at the market Santiago Atitlan. Lago de Atitlán, Guatemala
Mayan people. Panajachel. Lago de Atitlán, Guatemala
Satcha the traveller!
Market Chichicastenango, Guatemala
Yarn at market Chichicastenango, Guatemala
Kids watching cartoons on the TVs at a store. Chichicastenango, Guatemala
Kids playing video games at a store. Chichicastenango, Guatemala
A hard day's work. Market Chichicastenango, Guatemala
Pacaya Volcano hike
Pacaya Volcano hike. Pacaya is an active volcano in Guatemala, which first erupted approximately 23,000 years ago and has erupted at least 23 times since. The last eruption was on May 27, 2010.
We walked over the volcanic rocks formed by the May 2010 explosion. Pacaya Volcano hike
We threw a stick into a crack in the volcanic rock and it started on fire. We could feel the heat coming out of the volcano as we hiked. Pacaya Volcano hike
The Sauna. We went into this cave like formation in the volcano and it was hot!!! It was around 140ºF (60ºC). Pacaya Volcano hike
The Sauna. Pacaya Volcano hike
Streets of Antigua, Guatemala.
Walk to the lookout of Semuc Champey.
Walk/Climb to the lookout of Semuc Champey.
Semuc Champey Lookout
View of Semuc Champey. Semuc Champey is a series of stepped, turquoise pools filled with crystalline mountain spring water.
Semuc Champey
Semuc Champey. One of the most beautiful natural places I've ever seen. We went swimming in the pools which was just paradise!!!
Limeston cave. Grutas de Lanquín
At dusk the bats fly out of the cave in search of food. Grutas de Lanquín
Finca Santa Margarita coffee plantation. The green and red beans are coffee beans. The red beans are ready to be picked and processed.
A delicious fresh brewed cup of coffee from Finca Santa Margarita coffee plantation
Local bus from Coban to Sayaxché, Guatemala. The microbuses are vans that can seat up to 13 people. At one point of the trip there were 23 people in the bus, some sitting and some standing!!!
Town of Sayaxché, Guatemala
Mangrove canal trip from Sayaxché to the Mayan ruins of Aguateca
Iguana in mangrove
Jungle walk to the Mayan ruins of Aguateca
Palace grupo (Grupo del Palacio) of the Mayan ruins of Aguateca
Ceiba tree at the Mayan ruins of Aguateca. The Ceiba tree is a sacred Mayan tree
Stelae at the Mayan ruins of Aguateca. Maya stelae were monuments and consisted of tall sculpted stone shafts
Mayan ruins of Aguateca
Local bus from Sayaxché to Santa Elena. At one of the bus stops we bought these plantain chips from a street seller. They were salty banana chips! Yummy!!!
Dinner in Santa Elena, Guatemala. We drank so many "liquados". Liquado is a fresh fruit juice drink made of fresh fruit (strawberry, lime, pineapple, papaya, watermelon, etc.), sugar, ice and water. They were delicious!!!!
Mayan ruins of Tikal
North Acropolis Tikal Mayan ruins
Temple I Tikal Mayan ruins
View of the Gran Plaza Tikal Mayan ruins
View of tree tops and temples from Temple IV Tikal Mayan ruins
Temple IV Tikal Mayan ruins
Temple V Tikal Mayan ruins
Howler moneky at Tikal Mayan ruins
Tikal Mayan ruins
Zip Lining through the canopys at Ixpanpajul Park.
Ixpanpajul Park Sky Way suspension bridges
Nachos with guacamole and liquiados at a lakeside restaurant in Flores, Guatemala.
The local bus we took from Flores to Rio Dulce had a small problem...it didn't have brakes!!! Somehow the driver was able to pull the bus over and he called for a new bus!!!
Turtle. Boat ride from Rio Dulce to Livingston
Boat ride from Rio Dulce to Livingston
Boy at Livingston boat dock
Siete Altares - 7 freshwater pools. Livingston, Guatemala
Swimming at Siete Altares. Livingston, Guatemala
Siete Altares. Livingston, Guatemala
Taxi. Livingston, Guatemala
Bus from Punta Gorda, Belize to Independence, Belize
A family sleeping on the bus ride form Punta Gorda to Independence. The local buses are old, yellow school buses from the US. This is a family of 6 people sitting, and capable of sleeping!!, in the seats that fit 2 adults/3 children
PARADISE!!!! Placencia, Belize.
Placencia, Belize.
RELAX!!! Placencia, Belize.
Lobster dinner!!! YUMMY!!!! Placencia, Belize.
Laughing Bird Caye. Placencia, Belize.
Scuba diving at Laughing Bird Caye. Placencia, Belize.
Satcha scuba diving at Laughing Bird Caye. Placencia, Belize.
Trumpet fish. Scuba diving at Laughing Bird Caye. Placencia, Belize.
Silk Cayes. Placencia, Belize.
Christine scuba diving at Silk Cayes. Placencia, Belize.
Lobster. Scuba diving at Silk Cayes. Placencia, Belize.
Scuba diving at Silk Cayes. Placencia, Belize.
Shrimp. Scuba diving at Silk Cayes. Placencia, Belize.
Moray eel. Scuba diving at Silk Cayes. Placencia, Belize.
Satcha scuba diving at Silk Cayes. Placencia, Belize.
Baracuda. Scuba diving at Silk Cayes. Placencia, Belize.
Stingray. Scuba diving at Silk Cayes. Placencia, Belize.
Angelfish. Scuba diving at Silk Cayes. Placencia, Belize.
Nurse shark. Scuba diving at Silk Cayes. Placencia, Belize.
Turtle!!! Scuba diving at Silk Cayes. Placencia, Belize.
That's me and the turtle!!! Scuba diving at Silk Cayes. Placencia, Belize.
My goal was to see a turlte in Belize. My dream came true!!!! Scuba diving at Silk Cayes. Placencia, Belize.
I'm so happy to have gotten to swim and see a turlte!!! Scuba diving at Silk Cayes. Placencia, Belize.
Guatemala City, Guatemala
It's possible to have a fresh glass of goat milk at the central plaza in Guatemala City, Guatemala. They milk the goats in front of you!
