Surfcrest
January 13th, 2014, 13:02
Guatemala Travelogue, Part 2 Livingston and the Rio Dulce
Guatemala тАУ Land of the Eternal Spring
A six part travel article on Guatemala, Central America
Part 1 The Peten and Tikal
Part 2 Livingston and the Rio Dulce
Part 3 GuateтАж.Guatemala City
Part 4 Lake Atitlan & The Highlands
Part 5 La Antigua
Part 6 Monterrico and the black sand beaches of Pacific Coast
Guatemala is a relatively small country with a varied topography from region to region. The journey from the Pet├йn towards the Caribbean coast starts out from the flat jungle floor under a great tree lined canopy. After a few hours that gives way to gentle hills, and well maintained highways that take you through the coastal grasslands, pastures for the many cattle ranchers in the area. Down here there is little or no shoulder beside the road, so when someone has had car trouble or have been involved in a wreck, they throw large branches along the shoulder about 10 or so meters before. There are ton of reasons to avoid driving at night down here and so that one in itself is enough to deter me. Nevertheless, we are up early and on the road shortly before dawnтАжtaking it slow before the sun is able to brighten things up.
[attachment=13:1li0q2bb]flglgtodotfohug.jpg[/attachment:1li0q2bb]
We get to the Rio Dulce (the river) before noon with plenty of time before the next boat up. We stop for a bit of lunch and then meet up with some gal pals who are coming in from Belize who are going to take the bikes back up to Flores. This is as far as we can go by road. On one side of the highway is Lake Izabal, GuatemalaтАЩs largest lake and home of one of the biggest Manatee populations outside of Florida. On the other, is the Rio DulceтАжthe river that will take us to Livingston, winding its way through the dense jungle down to the Caribbean Coast.
The Rio Dulce is tucked strategically into the Caribbean coastline where Belize and Guatemala meet Honduras and at nearly right angles. Of course, when thereтАЩs a hurricane this can be one of the best cover for boats if they are far enough upтАжbut the river certainly doesnтАЩt slow any storm and so some boats donтАЩt make it. Weather reports, radio chatter out on the sea and even message boards like this warn boaters, especially snowbirds of impending storms and where and how to take cover. The river bank is littered with the wrecks of these past stormsтАжthe ones that didnтАЩt quite make it, now home for whatever birds that have taken over their empty shells.
[attachment=8:1li0q2bb]107.jpg[/attachment:1li0q2bb]
Our boat is well over loaded, as usual and some of the kids heading up to the nature camps along the river seem a little freaked out with how close the waterline is to the rim of the boat before we even get going. Whether itтАЩs riding a chicken bus or in a ferry such as this, you need to plan ahead for the worstтАжjust in case. My pack is in the bow with everyone elseтАЩs, but my camera equipment and passport are water tight on my lap.
Grass homes of all sizes dot the river bank, everywhere I lookтАжfamilies seem to be enjoying the tranquil, laid back way of the river community.
[attachment=11:1li0q2bb]101.jpg[/attachment:1li0q2bb]
There's even a big palapa dance club out in the middle of nowhere (not the best idea) for sale.
[attachment=9:1li0q2bb]106.jpg[/attachment:1li0q2bb]
Our boat makes periodic stops as we drop these wide eyeтАЩed teenage American kids off at the docks of each camp their heading to. Many of these camps are sponsored by a religious organization or a charitable organization or a mixture of both. Guatemala has always been home to fanatical religion that sometimes even reaches to their Government. Guatemala still thinks they have a claim to Belize or British Honduras (As it was once known) and so for them, theoreticallyтАж.the Rio Dulce is just another Province along their Caribbean coast in addition to Belize.
[attachment=10:1li0q2bb]102.jpg[/attachment:1li0q2bb]
The boat leaves for Livingston every hour or so and takes about an hour through one of the most lush jungle landscapes you will ever see in Central America. Huge flocks of birds fly up and down river, overhead of the boat and have taken up along the shoreline all along the river; their chatter is all that you hear as you pass from one area with a species to another. Manatees are also known to have made the Rio Dulce their home swimming up from Lago Izabal.
[attachment=12:1li0q2bb]099.jpg[/attachment:1li0q2bb]
Going from the wild outback of the Pet├йn to the chilled laid back community along the Caribbean Coast..Livingston, or Living StoneтАжas the locals call it is like heading into a totally different country. There is nothing Guatemalan about Livingston. There are no Mayan people here, other than those supporting the settlementтАжthe people here are Caribbean or a mix of Mayan and Caribbean called Garifuna. You are just as likely to hear English, Creole or Garifun in Livingstone as you would Spanish and with semi regular boat service up to Punta Gorda in BelizeтАжLivingstone appears to be more Belize that it is Guatemala.
[attachment=3:1li0q2bb]136.jpg[/attachment:1li0q2bb]
The boat drops us off at the town pier or the dock. Several locals are waiting for the boat, offering to porter supplies up or to bring first time visitors to the hotels they may be touting for.
[attachment=4:1li0q2bb]121.jpg[/attachment:1li0q2bb]
We are staying at a small hotel IтАЩve stayed at before, I like it for its quiet location along the shore and away from the main street. We have our own porch, with a hammock just off from the beach and the perfect place to sit out in the sun with a coffee in the morning watching the birds.
[attachment=7:1li0q2bb]108.jpg[/attachment:1li0q2bb]
[attachment=6:1li0q2bb]109.jpg[/attachment:1li0q2bb]
Both seafood and marijuana are plentiful in Livingston, so I imagine living here could certainly get you fat. Caribbean lobster tails are served at a lot of great places including a local restaurant down at the dock run by a local charitable organization, training young local kids in restaurant work. This is the only real place that sells good quality food for a decent price. The variety of fish coming in off the dock every morning is incredible and I imagine a great deal of that is put on ice and sent up to Guatemala City for the best restaurants there.
[attachment=5:1li0q2bb]119.jpg[/attachment:1li0q2bb]
IтАЩve never found any great restaurants in Livingston, mostly simple places serving simple dishes with a bit of local entertainment mixed in, but not by choice. Still...lobster, no matter how casual is still a delicious find.
[attachment=0:1li0q2bb]a018.jpg[/attachment:1li0q2bb]
Our accommodations are simple, but quiet. They provide a mosquito net for sleeping at night, but we donтАЩt need it. We can even hear the gentle sound of the waves at night when we shut off the lights and the sound of the birds in the morning. We get a ton of great shots of the birds right from our porch.
[attachment=2:1li0q2bb]138.jpg[/attachment:1li0q2bb]
After a few days, we decide to take the boat over to Puerto BarriosтАжthe other water route to Livingston from Guatemala. ItтАЩs the same sort of crowded water taxi back, but the water is calm this morning along the Caribbean coast.
[attachment=1:1li0q2bb]141.jpg[/attachment:1li0q2bb]
Our original plan was to make the short journey by bus to the Honduran border and cross over into the Mayan ruins of Copan. Unfortunately, by this time my bf is starting to feel the effects of the Tapado he ate the day before and so instead we elect to bus it straight up to the capital. Because the bus has to climb straight up into the mountains to get to Guatemala City, they have to shut off the air con to conserve enough power for the hills. This makes the last few hours of the trip difficult to breathe as we begin to see the outer spread of Guatemala City over the mountain tops, through the more polluted industrial outer districts of the City.
Surfcrest
Guatemala тАУ Land of the Eternal Spring
A six part travel article on Guatemala, Central America
Part 1 The Peten and Tikal
Part 2 Livingston and the Rio Dulce
Part 3 GuateтАж.Guatemala City
Part 4 Lake Atitlan & The Highlands
Part 5 La Antigua
Part 6 Monterrico and the black sand beaches of Pacific Coast
Guatemala is a relatively small country with a varied topography from region to region. The journey from the Pet├йn towards the Caribbean coast starts out from the flat jungle floor under a great tree lined canopy. After a few hours that gives way to gentle hills, and well maintained highways that take you through the coastal grasslands, pastures for the many cattle ranchers in the area. Down here there is little or no shoulder beside the road, so when someone has had car trouble or have been involved in a wreck, they throw large branches along the shoulder about 10 or so meters before. There are ton of reasons to avoid driving at night down here and so that one in itself is enough to deter me. Nevertheless, we are up early and on the road shortly before dawnтАжtaking it slow before the sun is able to brighten things up.
[attachment=13:1li0q2bb]flglgtodotfohug.jpg[/attachment:1li0q2bb]
We get to the Rio Dulce (the river) before noon with plenty of time before the next boat up. We stop for a bit of lunch and then meet up with some gal pals who are coming in from Belize who are going to take the bikes back up to Flores. This is as far as we can go by road. On one side of the highway is Lake Izabal, GuatemalaтАЩs largest lake and home of one of the biggest Manatee populations outside of Florida. On the other, is the Rio DulceтАжthe river that will take us to Livingston, winding its way through the dense jungle down to the Caribbean Coast.
The Rio Dulce is tucked strategically into the Caribbean coastline where Belize and Guatemala meet Honduras and at nearly right angles. Of course, when thereтАЩs a hurricane this can be one of the best cover for boats if they are far enough upтАжbut the river certainly doesnтАЩt slow any storm and so some boats donтАЩt make it. Weather reports, radio chatter out on the sea and even message boards like this warn boaters, especially snowbirds of impending storms and where and how to take cover. The river bank is littered with the wrecks of these past stormsтАжthe ones that didnтАЩt quite make it, now home for whatever birds that have taken over their empty shells.
[attachment=8:1li0q2bb]107.jpg[/attachment:1li0q2bb]
Our boat is well over loaded, as usual and some of the kids heading up to the nature camps along the river seem a little freaked out with how close the waterline is to the rim of the boat before we even get going. Whether itтАЩs riding a chicken bus or in a ferry such as this, you need to plan ahead for the worstтАжjust in case. My pack is in the bow with everyone elseтАЩs, but my camera equipment and passport are water tight on my lap.
Grass homes of all sizes dot the river bank, everywhere I lookтАжfamilies seem to be enjoying the tranquil, laid back way of the river community.
[attachment=11:1li0q2bb]101.jpg[/attachment:1li0q2bb]
There's even a big palapa dance club out in the middle of nowhere (not the best idea) for sale.
[attachment=9:1li0q2bb]106.jpg[/attachment:1li0q2bb]
Our boat makes periodic stops as we drop these wide eyeтАЩed teenage American kids off at the docks of each camp their heading to. Many of these camps are sponsored by a religious organization or a charitable organization or a mixture of both. Guatemala has always been home to fanatical religion that sometimes even reaches to their Government. Guatemala still thinks they have a claim to Belize or British Honduras (As it was once known) and so for them, theoreticallyтАж.the Rio Dulce is just another Province along their Caribbean coast in addition to Belize.
[attachment=10:1li0q2bb]102.jpg[/attachment:1li0q2bb]
The boat leaves for Livingston every hour or so and takes about an hour through one of the most lush jungle landscapes you will ever see in Central America. Huge flocks of birds fly up and down river, overhead of the boat and have taken up along the shoreline all along the river; their chatter is all that you hear as you pass from one area with a species to another. Manatees are also known to have made the Rio Dulce their home swimming up from Lago Izabal.
[attachment=12:1li0q2bb]099.jpg[/attachment:1li0q2bb]
Going from the wild outback of the Pet├йn to the chilled laid back community along the Caribbean Coast..Livingston, or Living StoneтАжas the locals call it is like heading into a totally different country. There is nothing Guatemalan about Livingston. There are no Mayan people here, other than those supporting the settlementтАжthe people here are Caribbean or a mix of Mayan and Caribbean called Garifuna. You are just as likely to hear English, Creole or Garifun in Livingstone as you would Spanish and with semi regular boat service up to Punta Gorda in BelizeтАжLivingstone appears to be more Belize that it is Guatemala.
[attachment=3:1li0q2bb]136.jpg[/attachment:1li0q2bb]
The boat drops us off at the town pier or the dock. Several locals are waiting for the boat, offering to porter supplies up or to bring first time visitors to the hotels they may be touting for.
[attachment=4:1li0q2bb]121.jpg[/attachment:1li0q2bb]
We are staying at a small hotel IтАЩve stayed at before, I like it for its quiet location along the shore and away from the main street. We have our own porch, with a hammock just off from the beach and the perfect place to sit out in the sun with a coffee in the morning watching the birds.
[attachment=7:1li0q2bb]108.jpg[/attachment:1li0q2bb]
[attachment=6:1li0q2bb]109.jpg[/attachment:1li0q2bb]
Both seafood and marijuana are plentiful in Livingston, so I imagine living here could certainly get you fat. Caribbean lobster tails are served at a lot of great places including a local restaurant down at the dock run by a local charitable organization, training young local kids in restaurant work. This is the only real place that sells good quality food for a decent price. The variety of fish coming in off the dock every morning is incredible and I imagine a great deal of that is put on ice and sent up to Guatemala City for the best restaurants there.
[attachment=5:1li0q2bb]119.jpg[/attachment:1li0q2bb]
IтАЩve never found any great restaurants in Livingston, mostly simple places serving simple dishes with a bit of local entertainment mixed in, but not by choice. Still...lobster, no matter how casual is still a delicious find.
[attachment=0:1li0q2bb]a018.jpg[/attachment:1li0q2bb]
Our accommodations are simple, but quiet. They provide a mosquito net for sleeping at night, but we donтАЩt need it. We can even hear the gentle sound of the waves at night when we shut off the lights and the sound of the birds in the morning. We get a ton of great shots of the birds right from our porch.
[attachment=2:1li0q2bb]138.jpg[/attachment:1li0q2bb]
After a few days, we decide to take the boat over to Puerto BarriosтАжthe other water route to Livingston from Guatemala. ItтАЩs the same sort of crowded water taxi back, but the water is calm this morning along the Caribbean coast.
[attachment=1:1li0q2bb]141.jpg[/attachment:1li0q2bb]
Our original plan was to make the short journey by bus to the Honduran border and cross over into the Mayan ruins of Copan. Unfortunately, by this time my bf is starting to feel the effects of the Tapado he ate the day before and so instead we elect to bus it straight up to the capital. Because the bus has to climb straight up into the mountains to get to Guatemala City, they have to shut off the air con to conserve enough power for the hills. This makes the last few hours of the trip difficult to breathe as we begin to see the outer spread of Guatemala City over the mountain tops, through the more polluted industrial outer districts of the City.
Surfcrest