round-the-world trip -- Guatemala (2005.02.17 -- 2005.03.11)
魂殤
# Staying overnight in Tikal is quite cold since tikal sits in the mountains. Be sure that you have enough warm clothes.
# Moving from Tikal to Guatemala City, Rio Dulce is a good break point to stay 1 night.
# After visiting Mexico and Guatemala and also some places in Peru, I found that the fountain in Antigua's main plaza is memorable.
# Lake Atitlan is quite good, especially Panajachel and San Marcoz. San Pedro is a little bit noisy.
# Xela is not a beautiful city. Local tours are expansive.
# Compare to Mexican, more Guatemalan speak English. If you don't speak Spanish and can survive in Mexico, you can survive in Guatemala for sure.
# Is Guatemala dangerous? Well... I didn't encounter any problem. However, if somebody tells you one horrible story which happened to travelers everyday, you will start feeling that Guatemala is very dangerous. It just likes hypnosis or the story of 1,001-night.
# Basicly, I am not a gourmet. But Guatemalan food is really not that delicious.
# Guatemala is quite similar to Mexico. For example, San Cristobal is similar to Antigua. The main difference might be that San Cristobal is richer.
# When I took a shuttle bus from Antigua to the airport, we entered Guatemala city at about 7 pm. At that time, Guatemala city looked like a dead city since nobody walked on the street. If local people dare not walk on the street at that time, tourists shouldn't do that neither. I bet that Guatemal city is really dangerous after dark.
# Buying flight ticket in Antigua is a little bit tricky. Make sure that the ticket includes departure airport tax and arrival airport tax. I bought a one-way ticket which allows me to fly from Guatemala to Lima. The price includes the departure airport tax which costs USD30. When I checked-in at the airport, the staff asked me to pay another USD15 to enter Lima's airport. Sometimes students can get some discount while purchasing flight tickets. If you are not a student, don't worry. The travel agency can apply one for you. It costs USD10-40, it depends on which travel agency applies. It is also possible to apply an international teacher card. The price is the same. No certificate is needed. I applied one teacher card in Antigua, my certificate is my ISIC. Cool!
# Moving from Tikal to Guatemala City, Rio Dulce is a good break point to stay 1 night.
# After visiting Mexico and Guatemala and also some places in Peru, I found that the fountain in Antigua's main plaza is memorable.
# Lake Atitlan is quite good, especially Panajachel and San Marcoz. San Pedro is a little bit noisy.
# Xela is not a beautiful city. Local tours are expansive.
# Compare to Mexican, more Guatemalan speak English. If you don't speak Spanish and can survive in Mexico, you can survive in Guatemala for sure.
# Is Guatemala dangerous? Well... I didn't encounter any problem. However, if somebody tells you one horrible story which happened to travelers everyday, you will start feeling that Guatemala is very dangerous. It just likes hypnosis or the story of 1,001-night.
# Basicly, I am not a gourmet. But Guatemalan food is really not that delicious.
# Guatemala is quite similar to Mexico. For example, San Cristobal is similar to Antigua. The main difference might be that San Cristobal is richer.
# When I took a shuttle bus from Antigua to the airport, we entered Guatemala city at about 7 pm. At that time, Guatemala city looked like a dead city since nobody walked on the street. If local people dare not walk on the street at that time, tourists shouldn't do that neither. I bet that Guatemal city is really dangerous after dark.
# Buying flight ticket in Antigua is a little bit tricky. Make sure that the ticket includes departure airport tax and arrival airport tax. I bought a one-way ticket which allows me to fly from Guatemala to Lima. The price includes the departure airport tax which costs USD30. When I checked-in at the airport, the staff asked me to pay another USD15 to enter Lima's airport. Sometimes students can get some discount while purchasing flight tickets. If you are not a student, don't worry. The travel agency can apply one for you. It costs USD10-40, it depends on which travel agency applies. It is also possible to apply an international teacher card. The price is the same. No certificate is needed. I applied one teacher card in Antigua, my certificate is my ISIC. Cool!
孤街舊巷
# Staying overnight in Tikal is quite cold since tikal sits in the mountains. Be sure that you have enough warm clothes.
# Moving from Tikal to Guatemala City, Rio Dulce is a good break point to stay 1 night.
# Is Guatemala dangerous? Well... I didn't encounter any problem. However, if somebody tells you one horrible story which happened to travelers everyday, you will start feeling that Guatemala is very dangerous. It just likes hypnosis or the story of 1,001-night.
I am not good in English, but now I am at Guatematla City, so I can´t type Chiness.
I went to Tikal yesterday but I lived at Santa Elena yesterday. Santa Elena has more than one hour for Tikal, but I´ll recommand live at Flores, Flores near Santa Elena but is better than Santa Elena, and it´s better for tourist.
and it´s very hot all day long yesterday no matter in Tikal or in flores, so I can´t sleep well, because I lived in a poor hotel, it has fan but no aircondition. By tha way I lived with a Japaness and a Germany, we know each other at bus station.....
Today I leaved Santa Elena for Gautemala City , pass through Rio Dulce, but I don´t stay at there, because I planed to Coban.
ja ja it´s strange , if I want to caban, I should not take bus pass by Rio Dulce, and I was wrong, so finally I decided not went to Coban, and then I am at Guatemalay City.
Is Guatemala City dangerous, I don´t know. But I walked two block for here (internet), and this Internet don´t have "iron door " and security guard,so I think it´s safe here.
sorry I can´t say anything more because Internet want to close....
# Moving from Tikal to Guatemala City, Rio Dulce is a good break point to stay 1 night.
# Is Guatemala dangerous? Well... I didn't encounter any problem. However, if somebody tells you one horrible story which happened to travelers everyday, you will start feeling that Guatemala is very dangerous. It just likes hypnosis or the story of 1,001-night.
I am not good in English, but now I am at Guatematla City, so I can´t type Chiness.
I went to Tikal yesterday but I lived at Santa Elena yesterday. Santa Elena has more than one hour for Tikal, but I´ll recommand live at Flores, Flores near Santa Elena but is better than Santa Elena, and it´s better for tourist.
and it´s very hot all day long yesterday no matter in Tikal or in flores, so I can´t sleep well, because I lived in a poor hotel, it has fan but no aircondition. By tha way I lived with a Japaness and a Germany, we know each other at bus station.....
Today I leaved Santa Elena for Gautemala City , pass through Rio Dulce, but I don´t stay at there, because I planed to Coban.
ja ja it´s strange , if I want to caban, I should not take bus pass by Rio Dulce, and I was wrong, so finally I decided not went to Coban, and then I am at Guatemalay City.
Is Guatemala City dangerous, I don´t know. But I walked two block for here (internet), and this Internet don´t have "iron door " and security guard,so I think it´s safe here.
sorry I can´t say anything more because Internet want to close....