Mazatlán
24. november 2022, Mexico ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C
We had a quite uneasy night because our spot for the night had been right at a spot near the highway where the trucks use their motor breaks 🙈 But the breathtaking drive through the mountainous Sierra in the morning sun absolutely made up for that 🥰 Unfortunately there weren't any proper viewpoints indicated so we didn't take any pictures.
Then we drove (in the middle of the rush hour) into Mazatlán that greeted us first with lots of traffic and then with a beautiful old town. It is impressively large and even the areas that haven't been recently renovated are beautifully decorated. We walked through the little alleys and to the cathedral. We spent the whole morning there and eventually walked up and down on the Malecón (the second longest in the world). The other main part of the city is about 8km North of the old town with a big beach and a hotel strip. It felt a little bit weird to be among tourists again because we haven't seen many since we're in Mexico (except for Los Cabos and a bit in La Paz). The beach is really pretty and quite busy, I liked that the waves are a bit wild 😁
We walked along the beach and through the tourist shops until we got hungry. I was looking for a local speciality called Aguachiles, shrimps with onions and cucumber in a acidic, spicy marinade. It was really well made but I exaggerated a bit on the chili 🙈🥲
But I prefer the beach less crowded so we continued on further South where there's basically no towns at all, just the beach. Playas El Caimanero is a beautiful unspoiled Sinaloan beach that stretches for more than 20km and has a very long beach. Unfortunately this pristine paradise is a bit spoiled with trash on the beach. We had a great beer right on the beach and then walked along for a while before hitting the road again.
The last stop of the day was San Blas, which we were supposed to reach before sunset. But because we (apparently) crossed another timezone this morning it started getting dark already at 5:30pm 😅 So we had an hour of stressful driving (other cars, speed bumps and super deep potholes) in the dark. But the little town made up for it with a very welcoming atmosphere on the main plaza 🥰 We had a walk through town and to the famous Muelle de San Blas (the song by Maná) and then a little streetfood dinner and a house made popsicle.
It's been very warm the whole day and it was still more than 20 degrees by 21:00. We spent some time looking for a spot to stay as there was either nothing, it cost or there was music blasting super loud. When checking out one spot we almost got stuck in sand and the clutch behaved weird as it wouldn't go up anymore. Ultimately we found a great spot near the ocean under some palm trees, the only downside were the bugs but they're apparently everywhere in San Blas... We were woken up just half an hour later by police that said we could stay but it's safer to be closer to the main street and with lights. And they're also patrolling all night. So we moved a little bit before falling asleep exhausted.Læs mere
San Blas... La Peñita de Jaltemba
25. november 2022, Mexico ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C
We got up to see the sunrise at the beach and then re-visit the Wharf of San Blas as it had been already too dark yesterday. There is a statue commemorating the story of the woman waiting at the wharf for her husband to come back.
We were worried about the clutch but it went up again and we decided to drive a bit and see how it behaves. As it was okay we continued on for just 10 minutes to a viewpoint of wild crocodiles... And it was swarming 🐊🐊🐊🐊 There were about 7 right next to the viewpoint and some further away 🧐 It seemed like they had been fed because when we walked to the railing more started showing up and swimming there. We spent some time watching them before continuing on in direction of Puerto Vallarta. There are some spots on the way that are famous and that we need to check out...
Unfortunately just as we were about to drive into the first town (Rincon de Guayabitos) the clutch went down and didn't come up again. I continued to drive on for a few minutes but then turned into a gas station and "tried" to park but the motor died 💀 We called a mechanic that a policeman recommended and he told us if we can move it to him but neither forward or reverse worked anymore. So luckily he came by and checked the fluids but apparently the issue is the pump that needs to be replaced 🥲 We called our insurances (Mexican and Swiss) and we needed to be towed to Puerto Vallarta. we waited for more than two hours. Then we spent more than two hours sitting in the front seats getting driven to Puerto Vallarta with all windows covered because it's illegal to drive in the a towed car 🤷♂️ We were towed until the official Renault car dealer which Julia had called ahead to order parts. But when we arrived they were hesitant to let us in because it didn't say that it's a Renault and they don't know the service protocol for Opel, therefore they sent us away 😢 The tow truck driver said that there's a clutch mechanic nearby and he can drop us and Ruedi off there. They were super nice there and we're going to get a call tomorrow to discuss what's wrong and how to proceed.
They mentioned a cheap motel nearby where we went to drop off some of our stuff and then go to Dominoes for dinner and our only proper meal today.Læs mere
Islas Marietas y Sayulita
26. november 2022, Mexico ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C
We needed to get out of the hotel already by 7 but the mechanic just opened at 9 so we got a coffee in a nearby Kiosko. There we planned our next options depending on the time it will take to fix or if it's possible altogether. The mechanic said that he's pretty certain that they can fix it but it will take at least a week. So we decided to get a rental car to explore the central parts of Mexico.
About an hour later we were on the road to Punta Mita, a nearby town in the Nayarit Riviera. It's known to be more upscale than the laid-back surfer town Sayulita. And right after entering the town we were stopped because we were not allowed to enter the resort complex (not that we really wanted to but there was supposed to be a viewpoint 😅). So we parked at the beach and compared some tour companies offering boat rides to the National Maritime Park of the Islas Marietas. We had an hour to kill until the boat departed so we relaxed with a leftover beer in the sun 🌞
The boat ride to the first stop was pretty quick and just the two of us and the guide were in the water to swim a short but pretty intense distance to the Hidden Beach. And the sight of it was absolutely gorgeous! 😍 You have to swim under a small natural bridge to a secluded beach. The access is very limited and controlled by the government (they are actually on a small boat in front of the natural bridge). We took some pictures and just enjoyed the scenery before heading back to the boat.
There were some views and activities, like snorkeling 🤿 but without a snorkel 🙄 And interestingly enough, Julia and me were the only ones in the tour group that could swim. After a short trip to a beach with cacti 🌵 we were on our way back buuut then one of the crew members spotted a whale 🐋🐳... And it was pretty close by so the captain led the ship slowly in their direction. They were a family of four humpback whales getting out of the water occasionally and after about 20 minutes they were right next to our boat 😍 It was a magical experience to see these giants so close by... The scarred fins and tails just about 10 meters away that I felt like I needed to hold my breath. We stayed with them for about 15 more minutes and then drove back to the town.
I was still so stunned by this close encounter when we got into the car and drove about half an hour North to Sayulita. We took a beautiful little colourful hotel right after entering the town. We just quickly stepped by and dropped off our little luggage before walking to town.
Sayulita is also a pueblo mágico and it has an immersive, contagious livelihood. Even though we were hungry we got distracted by musicians, artists and vendors on the streets. Also the beach was filled with people which we haven't seen at any other beach around here yet (only in Baja). It reminded me of the Full moon party in Koh Phangan 🍻 Afterwards we urgently needed to have dinner and got some delicious Mexican food and tried some new things, like Shrimp tacos and Pellizcadas queso con rajas. For dessert I tried Maquesitas which was pretty good but nothing all too special.Læs mere
Tequila
27. november 2022, Mexico ⋅ 🌙 17 °C
After getting up we took a walk at the main beach and watched the surfers catching waves for a while 🌊🏄♂️ Then we went to another beach in Sayulita, Playa de los muertos. Named after the cemetery that is right next to it and that you have to walk through to get to the beach. It's just a small beach with a bit more rocky sand but also calmer.
Then we checked out of the hotel and continued on to a nearby town called San Francisco 😁 But the nickname is San Pancho because that's a short version for the name Francisco. Right after getting out of the car we overhead some people mentioning an iguana and as they pointed up we saw it in the tree above us. 🦎🦎🦎 He was very big and quite lively climbing around on the tree. Afterwards we walked along the beautiful big beach which is one of the best we've seen so far. The town itself offers a lot and feels a little more relaxed than Sayulita.
Our last stop of today's beach tour brought us to Rincon de Guayabitos, where we had intended to go two days ago before Ruedi broke down. This area was different than the others, because there were almost exclusively Mexican tourists on the beach. There were so many people on the beach and almost as many vendors offering typical Mexican snacks. We got ourselves some fresh fruit (pineapple and coconut) with a chili powder (Tajin) and had a little swim before continuing on...
It was a pretty short drive to the pueblo mágico Compostela. The most interesting places were right in the city center where we walked the main plaza. There was also a festival going on so we checked out the booths and got some sweets for the road 🍭🍬
The last stop of the day was to another pueblo mágico and world-famous for the distilleries, Tequila! Buut we had a little hold up because about half an hour before an indicator light went on 🫣 We called the rental company and they told us that we can come back for another car or continue driving. So we just drove on and will take care of it tomorrow. We drove directly to the Tequilera Hacienda La Cofradia to see when there are tours for the next day. But just as we arrived the last tour of the day was about to start so we could join in on it. The tour was very interesting and we could get a close up look on the process of making a proper Tequila. It took about an hour and was followed by a Tequila tasting and a margarita. And then there was somehow another tasting 🙈🫣 The people in our group were really nice and fun but as we didn't have a hotel yet we drove into town and got a room.
There was also a state fair going on, so we just dropped off our stuff and went into town. The city center was very busy with people and vendors which was good as we were getting hungry. For the most urgent hunger we shared a portion of salchipapas (sausages and fries) drowned in salsa and cheese sauce and at the fair we got a torta. We ordered drinks and walked over the fair but the day had tired us so we went back home to get some rest.Læs mere
Ajijic & Zamora
28. november 2022, Mexico ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C
We slept in after the evening out in town and then went to a car parts dealer to get some engine coolant. Despite being easy to fill up it was annoying that the car rental agency didn't even do the service 🙄 Also the windshield wiper fluid was empty... Well anyway we managed and were soon enough on our way to Ajijic through the sheer endless agave fields of Tequila.
We drove through Guadalajara but didn't stop as we didn't feel like having the traffic of the city center. It looked generally pretty nice but that's for another time. From there it was just a pretty short drive to Ajijic, a scenic pueblo mágico next to the lake Chapala. And driving into town on the tiny rough streets was an adventure by itself. Then we took a walk on the Malecón and it reminded me a bit of Lake Constance. Except for the palm trees and cricket vendors maybe 😅 Afterwards we went into town where they were super busy preparing the town for the celebrations of San Andreas. Luckily we found an open shop offering a local speciality, Tortas Ahogadas. Besides having a special filling, it's also prepared differently where the torta is floating in a little spicy tomato sauce.
With a happy belly we drove to the last stop of the day, Zamora. It's a surprisingly large city and were happy when we found a hotel for the night just as it started getting dark. We rested a bit at the hotel before going out. Most of the stalls and restaurants had already closed down so we stopped at a restaurant called The Pink Panther. Their speciality is Meat in its own juice and it was great! Especially with the beans and onions also in the juice. Julia ordered a oven baked cheese and we shared an avocado. For dessert we tried a local speciality, Chongos Zamoranos. It's like flan ripped in pieces in a glass, I liked it because it's not too sweet.Læs mere
Tzintzuntzan, Pátzcuaro & Morelia
29. november 2022, Mexico ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C
We've had a nice little breakfast in our hotel with coffee, toast and fresh fruits. Then we walked back to the city center and the impressive church Diocesan Sanctuary of Our Lady of Guadalupe with the glowing stained glass windows by the morning sun. The center with the church and plaza looked so much better at day than at night. We strolled for a while but then made way to our next stop that I was very excited for, Tzintzuntzan, which in Purépecha language means: " place of hummingbirds".
The former capital of the pre-colonial indigenous Purépechas with a relatively small but we'll preserved temple complex overlooking lake Patzcuaro. We had the whole complex almost for ourselves and enjoyed the view over ruins, lake and town! We also were lucky enough to see a hummingbird flying around the Yacatas, circular pyramids. The town is also a pueblo mágico with the large convent of St. Anna and a nice little church. The inside of the convent is a museum where we read about the indigenous people and the colonisation.
About half an hour South is the town Patzcuaro, another pueblo mágico and very well deserved! The streets are rough but the buildings beautifully made with red and white paint all over. The highlights are the Basílica de Nuestra Señora de la Salud, the plazas and what I liked most, the Casa de los Once Patios. A large complex housing a lot of different artisans showcasing their arts for sale. What was most impressive about the town was that it had the same clean style all over, unlike many other towns where only the historic center is well maintained. We enjoyed the time in town very much and almost wanted to stay for the night but it was still early and we had one last stop for the day, the capital of Michoacán, Morelia.
It was formerly named Valladolid and has very well preserved 17th-18th century streets and it's characteristic buildings made of the region's pink stone. The walk through the narrow streets was accompanied by a nice breeze and allowed us to enjoy the sights fully. There were some interesting special food options for here like Gazpacho (not the Spanish cold tomato soup but a fruit salad with chili, onion and cheese). We weren't hungry so we passed on that 😅
We drove on afterwards for another two hours to Ciudad Hidalgo which didn't have a lot to offer except being close by to tomorrows stop. Many food stalls, except for Tacos, had already closed but we found a small corner shop offering Tortas. After dinner we went to the hostel and feel asleep exhausted, the day had been pretty intense but rewarded with so many new impressions.Læs mere
Santuario de la Mariposa Monarca y Taxco
30. november 2022, Mexico ⋅ ☀️ 13 °C
We got pretty early because yesterday the woman at the food stall had told us that there are incidents with the cartels around the Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary and she recommends going there early. We had also talked to the owner of the hostal who reassured us that it's pretty safe there. But we had wanted to go early anyways. So we were at 8 on the road and made good progress until 10km before "El Rosario", when the street got super steep, winding and rough 🙈 This kept on going until right before the parking but luckily the rental car still managed.
The Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary is a large area where the Monarch Butterflies from Canada and the USA migrate to hibernate during the winter. When we arrived we were greeted by a cold wind chill at only about 8 degrees. I had only brought a light windbreaker being spoiled by the heat at the coastal regions. But we were pretty quickly on our way up to the butterfly colonies. It was an ascent of about 500 meters to an altitude of 3400 meters which warmed us sufficiently until the sun came out. We were the first ones there and when we arrived most of the butterflies were still a little frozen but after about half an hour in the sun they got active and were all over 🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋 It was a magnificent scenery watching thousands of them appearing out of the trees and flying around. One even sat on Julia's shoulder. They were everywhere and it wasn't even the season when they're most active. We could've spent all day there but there were other wonders waiting for us ☺️
Before driving on we had a Mexican café de olla (with Piloncillo), and Atole de chocolate (a thick hot corn chocolate flavored beverage). Then we drove for a while on and off the confusing Mexican toll roads to another pueblo mágico in the South of Michoacán, Ixtapan de la Sal. We just had a quick stop there to move our legs and have a small snack (I finally found a Torta Cubana again 🤤). The town center was pretty but not as spectacular as we've already seen.
The last stop of today was in the only pueblo mágico of the state Guerrero, Taxco. The drive was just an hour and at after a turn we could see the whole side of the mountain covered in small white houses... The sight was simply stunning! And so was the drive to the hotel through tiny roads, persons walking and down incredible steep slopes 🙈 I was relieved to have the car there and don't want to think of having to drive out again tomorrow 😅 But the hotel is beautifully made in a former convent, the old stones paired with the surrounding red and white stones and a lush green garden in the patio is a little piece of paradise.
We laid down in the hotel a bit and received news on poor little Ruedi 🥹 They had found a replacement and already installed it and he's almost good to go. Unfortunately they weren't able to find the replacements for the air filter and diesel filter. So we're not sure what to do about that...
Buuuuut we were too excited to go explore the city because everything about it was just so charming. The views over endless red roofs in contrast to the blue sky and white walls. The massive and at the same time detailed baroque church Santa Prisca de Taxco where we climbed up the tower and couldn't get enough of the magnificent scenery while the sun was setting. This was one of the most magical and beautiful things we've seen so far on our trip! ✨ Then we walked and enjoyed getting lost in the streets, checked out the local vendors and then went on a hunt for local specialities. There were some but the weirdest of them were Mexican stinkbugs called Jumiles 🪲 And of course, after seeing so many insects today, I needed to try them 😅 We found a restaurant which had many options (and also good vegan and vegetarian choices for a change) and a beautiful rooftop terrace. They weren't whole but mixed in a salsa verde but gave it a minty, lemony taste. It was okay to try but I wouldn't order it again probably. Julia had a baked breaded cheese in a green sauce with grilled onions that was amazing.
Before going back to the hotel we checked out another church that was pretty illuminated and saw a rooftop bar where we treated ourselves to some sweet cocktails 🍹🍸Læs mere
Taxco, Acapulco y Zihuatanejo
1. december 2022, Mexico ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C
We set our alarm to 7 even though we didn't get a lot of sleep because of some noisy neighbors 🙈😵 We got ready and walked the 1.7 km steep and tough climb up to the statue towering over Taxco, Cristo de Taxco. The view was amazing at that early time with the sun just risen and a beautiful colored sky. This city really never ceases to amaze me 🥰 We freshened up and then went to the rooftop of the hotel for a small but tasty breakfast with homemade Guyaba jelly.
We hit the road in direction South to Acapulco and the beach ⛱️ It was a little adventure to get back out of the town as cars were jamming the tiny steep streets 🙈 The road leading South was winding through the mountain slopes but it was a pleasant and gentle drive until we reached the outskirts of Acapulco. There we were stopped by the police because we apparently ran over a red light (which we didn't). But they kept saying that we did and when I showed them the copied driver's license with the info that it is the copy they said it's document forgery. It was overall quite the mess but they let us go after arguing a bit with a warning 🙄 and kept the copy of the driver's license. Let's see if that's all and what comes out of it.
The experience spoiled a bit our encounter with Acapulco, also the streets were horribly crowded. So we just parked at a viewpoint, moved a bit our legs and then continued on to a stretch of beach West of Acapulco. It took a little while to find a parking spot and we needed to buy something at the restaurant we parked at because there was no public parking available. But the beach was beautiful and pristine! Hereby a perfect spot to rest.
In the evening we continued on to Zihuatanejo (or short Zihua), a medium sized coastal city. The area is quite touristy but not as overrun and expensive as other spots. We got some great quesadillas at a small street food market and then sat at a basketball court to watch a match. The temperatures are still way above 20 degrees at night and I'm starting to suffer from it during the day and when trying to sleep. Luckily our hotel/hostel had a well working AC and we went exhausted to bed.Læs mere
Puerto Vallarta
2. december 2022, Mexico ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C
Today was a big driving day because we need to return our rental car tomorrow morning and therefore need to get close to Puerto Vallarta. Therefore we started our trip at 06:30 and luckily the road was in good shape and we made very good progress.
By midday we decided to have a break in Manzanillo, a relaxed city with a huge container harbour. There we stretched, walked along the impressively long beach and then had lunch.
It was a nice little break but we were soon back on our way. We got us some delicious fresh fruits (especially the piña 🍍🤤) for the last leg of our drive. There are areas where the vendors set up their stands close to the road so you can order directly from the car 😁
We arrived a few kilometers South of Puerto Vallarta in the evening at a hotel we had looked up before and luckily they still had rooms available. The view from the crazy large room was magnificent and we were just in time to see the romantic sunset 🥰 But after the sun had set we headed out again to the nearby town of Boca de Tomatlán, just a half an hour walk away and we needed to use our legs after today's driving.
Surprisingly the beach restaurant in the tiny village was still open and we had a beer and some snacks.Læs mere
Manzanillo
3. december 2022, Mexico ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C
We got up early to pack our things and then drive to the mechanic in Puerto Vallarta to see Ruedi 🥹 And when we arrived he looked dirty but happy with all parts attached again 🙈 The mechanic said that it went well and the test drive too so we can take him back on the road 🛣️ But first we needed to drop off the rental car and Julia followed shortly after with Ruedi. And it felt good to be back on the road with him!
Next up we stopped at Playa Los Muertos in the Zona Romántica of Puerto Vallarta to meet up with our friend Britney that we had seen last month in Portland Oregon ☺️ And this time we got the chance to meet her wife Lucy. It was such a nice and easy meeting and we enjoyed our time chatting, sun bathing and having a beer. They're really nice people and we're looking forward to meet them again somewhere soon in the future. We could've stayed all day with them but we need to keep moving to make it on time South, so we headed back South in the early afternoon.
Even though we had already taken that road with the rental car we still went back because it's the best route and we can make another stop somewhere else.
In the early evening we arrived in Manzanillo again but unlike yesterday we're going to spend the night here. We checked out an overnight spot but it was pretty noisy and no space so we parked at Walmart for now and went to the beach to see the sunset. With the little remaining daylight we walked along the beach until we saw someone juggling. We knew a Mexican that we had met on the Appalachian Trail that was driving his bicycle through Mexico and juggling at traffic lights. So we jokingly said that it is him but as we came closer we saw the bike and he suddenly pointed at Julia, "I know you!". It really was him and all three of us were totally flashed by this super random encounter... We greeted each other euphorically and exchanged about our lifes and then talked trail until late. He's from Acapulco but his mother lives in Manzanillo and he's staying with her until after Christmas.
Afterwards we went to Walmart to shop for a bit of dinner and Julia prepared an amazing Guacamole with tostadas. We stayed at the Walmart parking because there was another camper van next to us but as it was a Saturday night it was pretty loud and the temperature was slow cooking me 😅🍖 So we watched a movie and then fell into an uneasy and restless sleep.Læs mere
Barra Vieja
4. december 2022, Mexico ⋅ 🌙 28 °C
Even though we didn't sleep that well we decided to move out early to make use of the morning milder temperature and less traffic. We're not sure how far we're going today but we'd like to leave Acapulco behind us.
The drive went pretty well with a few exceptions like a wild iguana 🦎 trying to cross the street 🙈 But luckily we didn't hit him. In a small mountain town there was also a weird encounter where we saw two men with automatic rifles running up to a pickup. We had looked for a toilet stop but decided there that we can go further before stopping. And luckily we also didn't see them anymore 🤷♂️
Then we needed to go through Acapulco once again but we decided to take the toll road that leads around the city because of the experience with traffic and corrupt police. Fortunately this time it was uneventful ☺️
From there it was just a short drive to our destination of the day, a beach area south of Acapulco, Playa Bonfil. There was a recommended spot near a restaurant and close by the beach that we wanted to check out first. And it looked like a great spot as there were already two German campervans parked. We wanted to check out the restaurant but it was already closed so we continued on along the beach. The restaurant we chose was about to close the kitchen so we were glad to get something. Unfortunately it was overpriced and not as good as we were used to.
On returning back to the van the two other couples from the campers were chatting and we decided to join them. It was interesting to hear about their experiences and plans. We chatted over some beers about the trip and enjoyed the company.Læs mere
Puerto Escondido
5. december 2022, Mexico ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C
We were woken up shortly after 5 by a group of roosters in cages right next to our van 🥲 After trying to get back to sleep for a while we gave up and were soon on the road to the East in direction of Puerto Escondido. And in the late morning we were happy to cross the border to Oaxaca. Despite Taxco being one of the highlights so far, the coastal stretch haven't been very nice overall.
The drive wasn't very extraordinary, just a little bit slow with lots of smaller towns being in between. We stopped at a little laguna on the way and walked and stretched our legs. The laguna is famous for the bioluminescent plankton and there were signs indicating that it's currently open even though it's not the season. But it was early afternoon anyway and there weren't any people around that we could have asked so we continued another 20 minutes into town. Actually through town until the most famous beach, Playa Zicatela. We've had our highest temperature yet on the way with 35 degrees and were in urgent need for a little cool down. The beach was magnificent, large and with just a few people. The water was refreshing but not as clear as elsewhere, maybe because of the season. We spend a little more time at the beach sun bathing but the sun got quickly too intense 🫠 When we went back to Ruedi Julia saw that there was a piece of plastic on the underside hanging down. She fixed it temporarily but resourcefully with a little safety clip so we could drive to the main beach for a little stroll.
Afterwards we drove about 15 minutes back in the direction we came from over a sandy road to the beach Agua Dulce. There we waited to release freshly hatched baby turtles to the ocean 🥹🐢 They were incredibly cute but looked so helpless in their efforts to get into the water even with our help. Ultimately all 4 of our babies made it safely into the ocean and will hopefully grow into big, strong turtles. There we asked a guide if it is possible to watch the bioluminescence currently because it's not the season. He said that it's possible with a little help and he's going to a tour after the turtle release anyways, so we decided to join in on that. Also because he said that we can probably stay there with Ruedi ☺️
It was another 15 minutes drive back in direction of Acapulco but it was sooooo worth it!! We took a little boat over the Laguna Manialtepec to some tents floating on the lake that we circled with the boat and then swam into... Right after entering the tent each little movement was illuminated under water ✨⚡ and closer to the water surface they were sparkling all around. You could lift them out and had a sparkling waterfall in your hands... It was magical!! It's difficult to explain but it left me in awe! We spent an hour there in the changing warm and cold water (depending if the current salt water, sweet water or thermal water). They light up when they feel threatened as a defense mechanism, so it felt like disturbing them 🥹
We parked Ruedi in the back of the restaurant and then went for a beer. They also offered dinner, Tlayuda, like a tortilla pizza 🥰Læs mere
Parque Nacional Huatulco
6. december 2022, Mexico ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C
We finally had a great sleep in the relatively protected back of the restaurant and we also had time because the laundry was just to be done by 12. So we had time to visit a mechanic to fix the plastic cover properly. We had found one and he started working right away and fixed it pretty quickly ☺️ While he did this we started sorting out our stuff because we're planning to send some home and to Chihuahua.
After picking up the laundry we drove to Mazunte, a small town and pueblo mágico with a great backpacker vibe. The beach and water was perfect but we wanted to go to Zipolite, just about 20 minutes further. There we walked along the beach until we found a nice spot to go swimming and sun bathing. We relaxed there for a while and even napped a little bit ☺️ But the direct sun was getting too hot so we went back to Ruedi and Julia prepared a great lunch with guacamole, frijolitos and Oaxacan cheese. It was already a later in the afternoon but our last stop of the day was just a litte bit more than an hour away.
The coastal town of La Crucecita is the best portal to the National Park Huatalco. The area we park at has some larger hotels and a nice park leading up to a nice little beach with a few restaurants. First we explored the town, port and the markets. There are daily Catamaran tours to the National Park where we want to go tomorrow. At the markets a vendor told us about the mountain towns between here and Oaxaca which sounds very interesting. So Julia made arrangements that we can go snorkeling in the morning so we can continue to mountain towns in the afternoon. Then we went to buy some beer, sit by the ocean and listen to the waves ☺️ It was a beautiful evening with mild but not too hot temperatures, Banda music on the beach and no mosquitoes 🥰
For dinner we went to a small food stall in the marketplace who had invited us earlier. They had a small selection but we were happy because they had Torta for me and a vegetarian Tlayuda for Julia. For dessert we ordered Oaxacan hot chocolate and Pan de Yema. It felt a bit weird drinking hot chocolate at around 25 degrees Celsius at 9pm but it tasted really good 😊Læs mere
San José del Pacífico
7. december 2022, Mexico ⋅ 🌙 11 °C
We tried to sleep in but were once again unsuccessful thanks to some noisy birds 😅 But the night was very calm and even with a very nice moderate temperature. We got some coffee at the food vendor where we had dinner but even though I asked for no sugar they still added some ☕ Julia had a little nap and then we went for breakfast at Café Huatulco located beautifully on the main square within large trees. I've tried a Tamal de espinaca which is made here in the South with banana leafs, not corn leafs. It was really good, very juicy!
Then we met briefly with our guide Victor from the day before yesterday that took us to the bioluminescent lagoon. He had helped us to organize the tour adjusted to our wishes (only half a day and focus on snorkeling) so we were on our way to the National Park on a pretty big catamaran and full sound and entertainment 🙈 The boat ride took only about 20 minutes but it took another hour until we were snorkeling because of the large group. The beach was absolutely amazing with crystal clear waters and fine sand. There were some really nice views on the corals but it was difficult to enjoy it because the water was soo crowded. Afterwards we spent some time at the beach relaxing and swimming. The catamaran continued on to another beach to drop us off for a two hour lunch break, which we took advantage of to take a taxi back to the harbor and Ruedi because we had more plans for the day...
We had heard about a mountain town called San José del Pacifico which is about three hours away and offers a beautiful rainforest setting. We should've made it right on time for the sunset but after just half an hour the road got first progressively narrower and then just worse. There were pieces of the street missing, little rivers running down, deep muddy sections, large potholes and rockfalls 🙈 Even though it took a lot longer than planned, Ruedi managed to overcome all the obstacles and then the road merged with a better one for the remaining route.
The views were spectacular all along the way and shortly before arriving we saw the sunset intensely red burning. But what was really remarks about it was that the moon had already risen and shined in a rose glimmer from the sun.
The hostel we had looked up apparently didn't exist anymore, so we just stayed at the next best one. The staff was really friendly and we felt immediately welcome. Julia managed to get a spot for the Temezcal later in the evening. This is a traditional (pre-colonial) ceremony to cleanse your body and mind. It kind of works like a sauna, with the smell of herbal water that is drizzled over hot stones. It felt so good after the long day. Another couple had it already booked and had allowed us to join. They turned out to be German and been working in Playa del Carmen for a few months as dive instructors. They were really nice and we met again later after the ceremony over dinner and talked for a while before we went to bed.
We were back at over 2000 metres and the temperature had dropped at night down to 2 degrees.Læs mere
Hierve el Agua
8. december 2022, Mexico ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C
We slept in for our standard and then went to have breakfast at our hostel that had already an amazing dinner. It was good but nothing all too special and a little small. Afterwards we had a walk through town to some viewpoints but it was too foggy so we couldn't verify that you could actually see the pacific ocean from there 🧐 But with some imagination you could see it at the horizon!
Full of energy, we made our way back down the mountain further North to Oaxaca and the Monte Alban ruins. An important pre-colonial structure overlooking the city of Oaxaca and it's also depicted on the 20 pesos notes. It's a huge area and surprisingly calm, so we spent hours there walking through the ruins, reading the signs and just enjoying being in the middle of such a structure. It had been perfect weather with 25 degrees and cloud covered. The whole area had an impressive aura of greatness and importance that makes you loose yourself there. Interestingly enough it is still unclear why it was left at around 800 A.D., so before the arrival of Hernán Cortez. The ruins were in a pretty good shape and the descriptions were immersive so you could really imagine the daily life there. They had a small museum with artifacts found in the area, especially the tableware is a lot rougher here compared to ones found in Tzintzuntzán.
After a quick stop in the city of Oaxaca we continued to drive two more hours further to the east. There is a place called Hierve el agua which is a hot spring running down a gentle hill and building natural pools hereby. This is similar to ones we visited two years ago in Pamukkale, Turkey. When we arrived we had still half an hour left before sunset so we walked down to the pools and enjoyed the colours reflecting in the little puddles. Another highlight is the petrified waterfall but it got already too dark to walk down. So we walked back to the main area with little food, drink and souvenir stalls and got us two beers and a lemonade. Equipped like this we were ready to make dinner (one of the few times since we're in Mexico - I just have to try something new all the time!!). At least we added Mexican food to our menu: Tostadas with frijoles ☺️❤️
We were almost alone at the campground, which was the parking area next to a viewpoint. Just a sweet stray dog had joined us to see what's for dinner and made himself comfortable next to Ruedi.Læs mere
Parque Nacional Cañón del Sumidero
9. december 2022, Mexico ⋅ 🌙 25 °C
We set our alarm to 6 am but it was still pitch dark so we went back to sleep and just woke up an hour later when the sun had already risen 😅 We got ready and made our way to the trail leading down to the petrified waterfall and below the pools. It was still only 8 degrees and we had the trail all for ourselves. The views were beautiful and so different from the evening before. The trail wasn't that easy and despite the pretty cold temperature we broke into a bit of a sweat in the sun. At a perfect timing we reached the pools and had a refreshing dip in the 20 degrees warm water. We still had all of the pools and park for ourselves then ☺️
After a little breakfast we drove back in direction of the coast by crossing the mountains again for three hours over winding roads. Afterwards we decided to continue on to the next (and last) state, Chiapas. Along the coast the road got a lot better and we arrived just shortly after sunset in Tuxtla Gutiérrez, the capital. On our camper app we had found a spot right next to the entrance to the National Park and when we arrived there we saw another campervan already parked there with a Berlin license plate. Julia talked to the guard and he was super nice but it was weird that he carried an automatic rifle. We walked a bit back into town and bought some supplies and a little gift for Francisco, the guard on night shift.
When we came back the guy from the camper was outside and we exchanged a bit about the area and the National Park. They just came from a boat tour and a few days in San Cristobal de las Casas where we want to go tomorrow. Then we prepared a quick dinner and fell asleep early 😵Læs mere
San Cristóbal de las Casas
10. december 2022, Mexico ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C
We had a very calm night until at 06:30 people started parking next to the entrance of the National Park and walking in. But we wanted to get up around that time anyways so it didn't disturb us. We made some coffee and then waited for the park to open up. They opened up perfectly on time at 08:00 and we chatted a bit with the guard and then drove to the last (and supposedly best) viewpoint.
And the view over the canyon was magnificent with the slight morning fog still hanging in the green mountains. On the way back we stopped at the other viewpoints, one offering a nice little walk and all some other perspective on the canyon. Getting another perspective was also the plan for the next activity... Taking a boat through the canyon floor and by the crocodiles 🐊
When we arrived at the docks, there were already two other camper vans. One with a swiss (Solothurn) license plate that we had already seen in San José del Pacifico and one with Italian license plates. We didn't meet the swiss ones, but the other family is from Greece and already for 8 years on the road. The tickets for the boating trip offered a two hour tour and we stopped just after a few minutes for a golden iguana sun bathing on the steep cliffs. And the deeper we got into the canyon, the more impressive the steep rock faces became and the more you needed to tilt your head to see the top of the canyon. At the highest point it extended 1000m above the canyon 🏞️
After a little while we found two crocodiles relaxing in the morning sun, one being on the rock and hereby offering a really nice view of him (or her?)self 📸 The tour went overall for 32 kilometers into the canyon until reaching a man-made reservoir that extended widely. There was also a huge swarm of cormorants making rounds on the lake. On the way back we stopped at a monkey reservation and got some nice views of them climbing in the trees. Overall it was an exciting tour with beautiful views and worth a visit!
In the early afternoon we drove to our next and last stop of the day, the pueblo mágico San Cristobal de las Casas. What makes it unique is the setting amidst rolling hills and mountains at an elevation of 2100 metres. When we arrived it was pretty hot with 26 degrees and we used the daylight to go on an exploration through the town. We walked through the small alleys, over busy markets and visited a few of the many churches. Most of the inner city was occupied by pilgrims for the festivities for the 12th of December, the day of the Virgin of Guadalupe. They're running from their hometown to places of worship for her. The last week we've seen them occasionally on the roads all over the states. After walking for more than 10km through town we went to a restaurant for dinner. I've tried some delicious enchiladas in mole. While we were eating there was a parade with a band and people in costumes, just like the carneval at home 😊
After dinner the sun had set and the temperature had dropped down to 4 degrees, so I was a bit chilly with the tshirt and shorts. We made the 4km way home quickly to stay warm and then went to sleep because we're going to get up at 5 am... The road we're taking to Palenque, the highway 199, is supposed to be pretty dangerous with some assaults and robberies that happened this year. When asking a police officer and the tourist information today, they said that it can be dangerous but should be good if we're driving early in the morning. So that's what we're going to do ☺️Læs mere
Agua Azul & Palenque (Bàak' in Mayan)
11. december 2022, Mexico ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C
As mentioned we wanted to started our day at 05:00 am but the festivities had made the night quite uneasy but we managed to be on the road by 05:30. Surprisingly it was already quite busy on the streets, especially the pilgrims were already running again probably to avoid the sun. The accompanying cars, vans and trucks threw candies to the waiting kids along the road so the whole way was lined with them ☺️ With all these people on and next to the streets the drive felt very safe but we still drove all the way to the waterfalls of Agua Azul at once, which was about 4 hours. When arriving there at 09:30 in the morning there were already some tourists who probably came from Palenque.
We changed quickly in our swimming suits and then walked along the shores checking out every viewpoint on the way up. The colors of the waterfalls were an incredible mix of contrast that blended perfectly and beautifully. Each view was different and had its own charm. At the top were several designated natural pools for swimming and it was perfect to refresh after the strenuous drive (tope country!!). The water was chilly but just right together with the air temperature.
The last leg of the route led us for another 2 hours to the archaeological site of Palenque, a major Mayan complex. The area that you can visit and is explored is already huge but only makes up around 2%, the rest of the city is still covered under lush rainforest vegetation. The ruins are well restored and offer an impressive sight against the green background. At a vendor we saw the Palenque Mayan (there were different Mayan tribes like in Chichén Itzá and Tikal) Zodiac signs. We were intrigued and he told us interesting facts about them, among the signs of ourselves. The signs also decided what kind of occupation the person will have later: I'm Xul, the young jaguar 🐆, which means that I'm a leader of warriors. Julia is Tzec, the symbol of balance and the occupation of advisory. We got these two as painted pottery charms ☺️ The vendor was super nice and we chatted for some time and he told us some interesting facts about the ruins and specific items. He also told us that we could go to a jungle path by ourselves because the guides had advertised it. As it was still early we decided to go there and the walk was pretty easy except for some muddy parts.
Then we went into town to check for a place to stay the night. A hotel had pretty good reviews and when we arrived it looked amazing inmidst a green jungle. Unfortunately they didn't have any rooms available but they said we could sleep in the van and use the facilities. We didn't want to look further and the hotel manager was super nice, so we decided to stay... And it was the best decision!! Right after parking a weird cat ran across the dirt street which he explained later is an agouti, a large rodent. Unfortunately it ran away before I could get a good look and picture of it. I've attached the one where you can see it from behind 🤷♂️ A little bit later we were surprised by a family of monkeys (mono aullador) 🐒 in the trees above us. They were super active, jumping around and teasing each other. Two of them jumped on a nearby balcony and took down the drying clothes. We watched them for about an hour before heading into the town center for dinner and a bit of sightseeing. I've tried a traditional Mayan chicken stew with vegetables and Julia had tlacoyos. A proper last meal in Mexico 🥰
We went back to Ruedi, planned a bit more the journey and watched a series. Around 11pm we went back into town to see the fireworks in celebration of the Virgin of Guadalupe.Læs mere
El Ceibo
12. december 2022, Guatemala ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C
Juan, the hotel manager said that the street should be safe but it's better to drive earlier in the day. So we set out to the Mexican - Guatemalan border at 07:30. The drive was pretty good until we reached the state of Tabasco where the streets suddenly started to get super bad, apparently Mexico's way of telling us not to go 😅 The border crossing was pretty confusing because there were so many turns but we managed and then waited to get our exit stamp. Meanwhile Julia checked the main building for canceling the temporary import permit of Ruedi. And she returned with unfortunate news, the cancellation is just possible in a small bank called Banjército which has it's free day on Monday 🙈
But we continued with the exit and drove to the Guatemalan border to import Ruedi already. This process also took more than two hours due to some issues with the system. We spent the time chatting to the border guard who was very nice 🙂
Afterwards we drove just a few hundred metres to a hotel to stay there in town for the night and finish the cancellation tomorrow morning. The hotel was really nice and clean with a rooftop terrace and hammocks. We had some time to work on our luggage, stuff and relax there... Today is also already the halftime of our vacation 😱 It sometimes feels like we just started and other times that we still haven't processed everything we've seen already if that makes sense 😅
In the evening we walked back near the border crossing to exchange our remaining Mexican pesos to Guatemalan Quetzal. Luckily there were some people around and the exchange rate was pretty good. There we also found a small comedor that was open and had some basic meal options. I've had a fried chicken with rice, fried beans, a coleslaw salad and tortillas. All of it was really good, a basic and very satisfying home cooked meal to enjoy 😍 We also tried the local Guatemalan beer, Gallo, which is a decent crisp lager. Afterwards we went back to our nice hotel ☺️Læs mere
Isla de Flores & Tikal
13. december 2022, Guatemala ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C
We got up on time to make it to the opening of the border at 9 am and could go straight to the Banjército. They told us to get two copies of the passport which we could at a nearby booth for 10 pesos. Buuut we had already exchanged out last Mexican pesos and the Guatemalan Quetzal were too much 😬 Luckily I still had 5 US Dollar which we used for our copies and also of another one in the same situation. Antonio, a super nice guy from Honduras and traveling with his dad, was really grateful.
Unfortunately the lady working there insisted that we would need to show the car directly as she needs to take some pictures... No one had told us that yesterday, so we walked back to the hotel and drove through the Guatemalan border station back to the Mexican one. On the way explaining to everyone that we just need to cancel the Temporary import permit and that we don't want to enter Mexico 😅 After about half an hour more we were back on our way into Guatemala. Our next stop was about three hours away so we were curious how the roads would hold up. And we were positively surprised by the state and hereby also the lowered amount of Topes 😁
Flores was our first stop in a bigger city. We needed to get some cash because paying by credit card isn't very common overall. Finding an ATM also turned out harder than expected because there aren't many and not in every bank is one 🙈 Eventually we were successful and then drove to the Isla de Flores, a pueblo pintoresco (the Guatemalan equivalent to a pueblo mágico). And it was a really colourful welcoming into the village, we parked right at the Malecón and then explored the small island by foot. Each little house was painted in a different shining colour and it was fun walking through the small alleys with a little bit of shade protecting from the heat. A nice, cool maracuja juice helped as well 🍹 But we still wanted to continue driving a little bit further to the famous Mayan ruins of Tikal that we were pretty excited about!
The drive was uneventful and we arrived at the entrance shortly after 3pm. From there it was a 20km drive through the National Park and by a lot of warning signs of wildlife 😍 to Tikal and right after parking we encountered a huge group of incredibly cute Coatis 🥰 There were also turkeys and a local pheasant species.
But we wanted to go somewhere else, so we continued then another 25km further North for the night, a town named Uaxatun. The drive to get there was unexpectedly pretty horrible 😅 But we managed to make it before nightfall and explored one group of ruins. The ruins there are more in their original state and we were completely by ourselves, except for a aggressive group of mosquitoes sucking us dry 🧛♂️🦟
The town was super small and even if we wanted we couldn't go back to Tikal as the gate is locked at 6pm. So we were glad to find a small comedor open and willing to prepare us something. Just like yesterday there was no menu and we got what they had, which was once again super tasty! For the night we drove a bit into the jungle to a parking of one of the ruin complexes. Even though it was out of town, it was loud with the nightly noises of the jungle 🐒🙊Læs mere
Tikal & Cataratas de Aguas Termales
14. december 2022, Guatemala ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C
We got up early (and were woken up by the howler monkeys) to explore the Mayan ruins where we parked at. It was 0630 in the morning and we were once again chased by hungry mosquitoes. But it was amazing to see the ruins illuminated in the rising sun to the sounds of the jungle.
Then we made our way back over the rough road but it wasn't that bad when you know what to expect. By the time we were back at Tikal, the sun had risen and there were already some visitors in the park. We planned out a round trip that would take us to almost all structures in the park. There were a lot of impressive buildings but the viewpoints from the top of two pyramids were the highlights. Also the trails leading through the jungle accompanied by the wildlife were absolutely amazing. We saw more Coati, an Agouti, a toucan and a peacock couple 🥰 Overall we spent 3 hours exploring and getting lost in the ruins. It was well worth the visit!
From there we continued on further South. Unfortunately on the way to the next stop some lights went on again for Ruedi and the message "Injection defective" appeared. But we decided to ignore it this time and just go on until he eventually breaks down 🥲 There's no point in trying to keep him going once again just to lose some time and have the next issue appear a few days later. If it would've been in Europe we could probably easily fix it within a few days but with the lack of spare parts it's not realistic to make it very far South 🤷♂️ Let's see...
Our next stop were the Hot Waterfalls, a great little stop with really hot waterfalls plunging a few metres down into the cold water of a river. When we arrived we were swarmed by kids asking us to buy something or just some money. It was a pretty weird experience we've only had in Cambodia so far. Also there was a guide insisting to take us to the waterfall because it's dangerous but turned out to be just a 600m flat walk 🙄 He also stayed with us the whole time we went swimming there, pretty annoying... So we just spent a bit of time in the water before going back to the van and driving on. It would've been an option to stay there but after the experiences we decided to go to El Estor.
There we went to a restaurant for an overdue dinner which had also a hotel. We asked to stay at the parking right next to the lake for the night and it was okay for a little fee. Afterwards we checked to get a boat tour for the next day (06:30 in the morning 🥱) and then walked through the city.Læs mere
Biotopo del Quetzal
15. december 2022, Guatemala ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C
We got picked up on time at 0630 from our captain and taken to our small boat (just the three of us) who had parked the boat right across our hotel. He is on older Guatemalan who had learned fishing with his father and now occasionally fishes but taking tourists to the National Park brings him more money and he likes to show them around. Our main purpose of the trip was to see manatees in nature so he adjusted the trip to our wishes and cut a little bit back on the other parts. Our first try at finding them was unsuccessful because apparently they got really shy recently due to some poachers hunting them down 😡 He told us that some foreigners come to hunt them and some locals support them for quick money... And even though they're protected, it's a nature reserve and persons responsible have been reported to the authorities, they're not doing anything to protect the manatees and also the flora in the National Park. He said that the current extension of the biodiversity is only at about 40% that it used to be about 20 years ago by illegal logging activities.
Buuut now to the good part, the scenery is very lush rainforest with lots of monkeys and birds. We entered a river leading into the lake and had a coffee break there. We continued further on into an even smaller river where our boat barely fit and saw a Coati 🥰 And on the way back we stopped at several spots where the manatees feed. And we were lucky, after half an hour we saw several noses peeking up through the water and going back down quickly after taking a deep breath. We continued our watch for about two hours where we saw several completely of them rolling out completely (like whales) 😍 It was great seeing these elusive animals in their natural habitat even though we didn't get too close but we also didn't want to disturb them.
After this impressive experience we made our way (the lights were still on 🫥) to the west as there are some spots we want to see. Unfortunately the road conditions were very bad and we made only slow progress until Ruedi had some hiccups on the way up and eventually didn't even move in the first gear anymore 💣 We made a stop and opened the hood to see that the engine coolant was critically low and no warning light showing ⚠️... We didn't know if that was responsible for it but we decided that it would be good to fill it up. Unfortunately the next mechanic or gas station was some way back and Julia started walking there to get it... Meanwhile a guy with a motorcycle broke down right across the street, so I sat next to him and a few minutes later a guy from the gas station came with gas for him. I tried to explain with my broken Spanish what's wrong and if he could look for Julia as he came from this direction anyways... So I've waited for Julia's return for about an hour when she came back with the guy from the gas station and a huge can of engine coolant! We refilled it and then tried it again but after only about 500 metres and the next steep road it started going slow (veeeeeery limping!!) again. We pushed him at 10 km/h slowly further into the next town with a mechanic to either quickly fix or leave him behind.
The mechanic got straight to work and read out the error message, something about the turbocharger pressure again. And you could hear air flowing somewhere when the car was running. He went under the car and found a loose tube for the turbocharger and a leak in another tube. Half an hour later he had fixed it and we were driving much better again (not normal but at least we're able to drive up some streets). So we decided to try to make it to our today's goal again, the Quetzal Nature Reserve. In the beginning there were still some hiccups but eventually we made it. But the park had already closed then so we just went to a nearby hotel and asked to park there. The adjacent restaurant was still open for half an hour more so we were glad to get a lunch ☺️ Tomorrow morning we're going to do the tour through the rainforest to see the Quetzal, Guatemalas national animal.
I've not been feeling well since this morning with coughing, a headache and a light fever in the evening. Hopefully it'll get better soon... When we went to the van at around 7 it started raining pretty heavily, maybe Ruedi will even get a bit clean after more than a month in dust and dirt 😁Læs mere
Chichicastenango
16. december 2022, Guatemala ⋅ 🌧 13 °C
I've had an uneasy night because of the fever but thanks to Julia's sweet care I felt better in the morning. We had time until 8 because then the restaurant and the breakfast opened. We had a typical Guatemalan breakfast with eggs, frijolitos, tortillas and fried bananas. They also had a delicious cup of Guatemalan coffee. We made our way to a trail leading through the rainforest with the chance of seeing Quetzales. Unfortunately we didn't see them but the walk was great with waterfalls and the foggy rainforest scenery. We stayed at the hotel until 11:30 because they told us that there is a Quetzal coming to a nearby tree regularly. But yesterday and today it didn't show up, which is unfortunate but also a good sign as it shows that they don't feed them. But we saw a lot of colibris around the house and in the orchid gardens. 🌺
So we went back on the road in direction of Chichicastenango, about 5 hours away, and known for the largest market in all of Central America. Ruedi was driving fine until about halfway when the lights about the turbocharger came on again... But at least there is still enough power to drive comfortably. The road conditions were pretty okay today, it was just very winding and lots of small villages. We were happy to arrive in town just shortly after sunset but the roads, driving and parked cars were horrible 🙈 There is a fair in town and a special dance so the streets were packed with cars and also the 4 hotels we asked didn't have any occupancy. When we were about to drive out of town we checked another hotel and luckily we got a room there. The driving had been pretty stressful today and I'm still feeling sick, so it's good to have a place to stay for the night.
Right after checking in we headed into town to a restaurant that the hotel owner recommended, Casa San Juan. The menu offers some great options with a lot of local foods and also vegetarian options. We walked a bit over the fair and the markets but it was too much activity after that exhausting day. So we just went back to the hotel and went to sleep soon afterwards ☺️Læs mere
Lago Atitlán
17. december 2022, Guatemala ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C
We slept in until 8 and I was feeling much better. Then we drove just about 35km south which took us almost two hours because of traffic and the lots of sharp turns. But the sight of the volcanoes towering over the lake was magnificent! We stopped at a viewpoint before driving down to the harbor front and catching a small boat to San Juan La Laguna. The boat ride was great with the volcano coming closer until you couldn't see the peak anymore. San Juan La Laguna is a scenic little town shining brightly in all colors 🌈
After a little while we walked by a cute little coffee shop offering freshly roasted and brewed Guatemalan coffee 😍 It had an rich, intense delicious taste and was perfect to a piece of carrot cake. We wandered through the colourful streets with lots of walls covered in beautiful paintings, getting lost in the views until we ended back up at the harbor eventually. The boat ride back was a little rougher but it also went by quicker because we didn't make any stops. Back in Panajachel we walked to a viewpoint but when we arrived there was nothing at all to see 😅 Just a little dirt road, but at least we walked a while before hitting the road again... It was overall a laid-back nice little town.
The route was winding and slow as always but after a turn we saw a fuming volcano right in front of us! It was a stunning sight because it came unexpected as the other volcanoes looked dormant... We continued on until 5:30 to a village that's close by the volcano where we're going to spend the night. We found a little hostal at the edge of town with fair prices and they also offered dinner. The only thing they didn't have on the menu was Pepián, a Guatemalan speciality and national food. Instead I've had another local speciality, named Hilachas, where we didn't know what to expect. It turned out to be an amazing hot chicken soup, the perfect dish for the chilly temperatures up here at 2300 metres. My flu is getting already much better, I suppose after another good night's sleep I'll be fully restored 🙏 It was already pitch dark at 7 and we had no WiFi, so I went to sleep at 8 🤒🥱Læs mere
Antigua Guatemala
18. december 2022, Guatemala ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C
I haven't slept well and felt worse in the morning so we had breakfast and then I went back to sleep. At around 10 we packed our things and drove to Antigua Guatemala, the former capital until it was hit by an earthquake in 1773.
First we looked for a place to stay for the night which turned out be easier than before and we could stay at the second hotel that we tried. Which was a relief because driving in Antigua is exhaustive with lots of traffic and the pretty but very inconvenient cobblestone streets. Also it was very hot in the inner city where the sun burned down. We were a bit too early to check in to the room so we sat in the outdoor lounge area and I had tea for the throat. At that time was also the final of the World Cup and we could listen to the match through the window of the hotel owner. Not that it was needed because you could also hear the screams through the whole town after anything interesting had happened. Obviously most (almost all) of the people were in favor of Argentina, so after their win there were fireworks and a lot of honking.
Then we were allowed to go in our room and we took first a little nap. Afterwards we went on a walk and even though I wasn't feeling great I needed some movement. And it didn't go very bad, my energy wasn't very good and the heart rate was higher than usual. But I forgot about it anyways most of the time because the town had so much beautiful views to offer. The most famous one of the arch of Santa Catalina and the Volcano de Agua in the background, really scenic and iconic. Then there were several churches and a palace, but for each one intact there was at least one ruin destroyed by the earthquake. These ruins are protected and preserved due to their status as UNESCO World Heritage Site and make an interesting contrast. From the town center we took an half hour walk up to a cross towering over town and offering perfect views over the buildings and volcanoes.
For the evening we went to a restaurant to try two Guatemalan specialities: Caldo de pollo and Pepián. The chicken soup was a little disappointing but the Pepián was great! We went back to the hotel and fell asleep soon after, catching up on the missed sleep 😴Læs mere
