Belize & Guatemala
From Tikal in Guatemala, it is only one day's stage on the road to Belize. As always, we start very early in the morning, because the 40 degrees Celsius are always part of the game from 11:00 a.m. and so we usually are done at 2:00 p.m. We often drive heavily hooded and despite the sun protection factor "Camembert", we have a slight sunburn almost every evening.
Crossing the border was not a problem, but we first had to get used to the fact that English is spoken in Belize. Small talk and the order in the restaurant we started in Spanish. Only since 1981 has Belize been an independent state, it previously belonged to British Honduras.
The history is also reflected in the currency, every dollar note bears the face of Queen Elizabeth II. However, "the costs" surprised us very much. Belize is incredibly expensive, we have paid on average four times what we are used to. The retail trade is firmly in Chinese and Taiwanese hands. Asians work in every supermarket and Mandarin is spoken.
From the capital Belmopan we ride over the Hummingbird Highway to Hopkins.
Started nine months ago in the Canadian Rocky Mountains, today we check in at a small hostel with beach bungalows in the Caribbean. After swimming, we chill with a cool Belikin on the beach.
Our next stop will be the small town of Placencia, we will take a two-day break here and enjoy the Caribbean feeling.
Belize is located along the second largest reef in the world, the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef. After a short refresher of our diving license, we went into the depths, many reef sharks and colorful fish accompany us. Unfortunately, we do not have a diving housing for the camera with us, but on the way back we were able to snorkel next to a huge turtle and take a few photos with the Gopro.
Placencia is located on a peninsula, back to the mainland it goes with a "Lancha".
Some Mennonites also live in this region. They speak Low German and read the German Bible. Their way of life also includes rejecting any modern technology. No bank account, no smartphone as well as no combustion technology or electricity. In Belize, everyone is at home and welcome.
After a long stage of the day, we come to Punta Gorda, a dead end. From here it only goes by boat over the sea and for us back to Guatemala. The crossing takes about an hour.
Back in Guatemala, we first have to get a new stamp in Livingston at the Immigration House. We got fresh 90 days, but we can't rest on it for too long, because Guatemala belongs to the CA-4 visa area, which means that we also have to cross El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua during this time. A boat will then take us to the Rio Dulce, a very touristy area. Many yachts, sailboats and jet skis are on the lake accessible by the sea.
We also come along the famous and infamous Fenix Nickelmiene of the Swiss company "Solvay Investment Group". Again and again, dangerous chemicals get into the lake on which people here depend for fishing. There have already been deaths in the protests. Further river up along the Rio, we were also very shocked by what kind of poverty the indigenous people live here. There were not even more septic tanks, the toilet was either a plump toilet or landed directly in the stream from which the water is also taken for washing. 10k+ Euro camera equipment, equivalent to several 100 dollars in the pocket and the expensive bicycles, we have never had such a strong sense of shame. It is something completely different to see something "only" on TV and very formative for our future. Despite the circumstances, we are greeted with a warm smile from all sides.
After the deep-seated and hard-to-digest impressions, we go back uphill from the sea level and make our way out of this brutal and burning heat.
We climb into the Highlands of Guatemala, the temperatures are so pleasant and we don't mind fog and rain either. The nights are cold, so we can also share a bed and cuddle again without sticking to each other.
The flora and fauna are also changing up here. We had never seen some plants before and some looked partly unreal. We were also able to observe a beautiful Unicolored Jay, its deep blue plumage has a great contrast to the poisonous moss green of the rainforest.
Near our accommodation there is a small trail into the rainforest. The high humidity and the shimmering sun evoke a very mystical mood.
To Lago de Atitlán, we have a few very heavy climbs to master. In the drier sections, the Turquoise-browed Motmot feels very comfortable.
Our route leads us through small villages and we get a good impression of life in Guatemala.
While it was still the house brand Italika in Mexico, the motorcycle market in Guatemala is dominated by the Japanese company Suzuki.
We can only say to the "Chicken Busses": the drivers are crazy, all former getaway driver. They actually drive everywhere at full speed and siren. Even for passengers, they do not come to a complete stop. One even brushed Michelle's rear-view mirror when overtaking so that it buckled - what a shock.
The clothing, especially among women, is still very Mayan traditional. The yarn used in all colors sparkles like polished copper and the skirts, blouses and sash are decorated with embroidered patterns, flowers and birds.
Lake Atitlán is a beautiful mountain lake in the Sierra Madre mountain range. During our preparation for Guatemala, a podcast compared the landscape with an inverted egg cardboard box, which we found very funny - but it hits the point. On our recovery day, we already got up at 4 a.m. to hike to the Indian Nose Viewpoint. The sunrise was a pure fireworks display and one of the best of our journey.
We continue our way around the lake.
The Highlands of Guatemala, especially the cloud forests, are also the home of the national bird of Guatemala. The Quetzal is omnipresent, only a good "close up photo" of the shy forest dweller presents itself as a real challenge. We'll keep trying!
From the Lago we rode to San José Calderas. A small village located at the foot of the extinct volcano Acatenango. We spend the night here with Catalino and his family. He offers tours on the Acatenango and has some huts in the base camp.
The ascent was at the top of our bucket list, because from there you have a fantastic view of the very active neighboring volcano Fuego. We were able to borrow a hiking backpack and soon after breakfast it started. The ascent to 3,600 meters above sea level takes approx. 5 hours. The base camp at Acatenango is located just 3 kilometers as the crow flies from Fuego. Once at the top, however, the whole group was a bit depressed at first, because the volcano was covered in clouds and almost nothing could be seen.
At night, however, the view cleared up and we were able to marvel at countless eruptions. On average, every 20 minutes, a lava fountain shoots into the sky with a large ash cloud and followed by a loud bang. An incredible spectacle of nature!
