Antigua Guatemala

Today I visited Antigua Guatemala. Antigua or La Antigua is a city in the central mountains of Guatemala, famous for its well-preserved Spanish New World Baroque architecture as well as a number of spectacular ruined churches. It has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Want to see more pictures of this magical place? Have a look at Antigua Guatemala Daily Photo.

My new buddy... Pablo

Hi, this is Pablo with whom I am travellin' to Rasario, Argentina. But first we take a stop in Guatemala.

Goodbye Honduras, Adiós Misael...

Today I am leaving Honduras. I am headin' for Argentina.
I want to thank Misael and his friends and family very much for their hospitality. Thank you for travellin' with me in Mexico, for the wonderfull newyears party, the Mexican beer, and for showing me the wonderfull nature and culture of Central America. So long, Misael, it has been good to know you.
Gracias mucho Misael, él ha sido bueno conocerle. ¡Le deseo todo el la mejor!

Tela, Honduras

Tela is a wonderfull place, it offers some of the best beaches along the blue Caribbean Sea in Honduras. Neighboring Tela, the Garifuna communities of Triunfo de la Cruz and Tornabe offer a window into the Garifuna traditions that are an important part of the Honduran heritage. The Garifuna are ethnically descended from Amerindian and African people, while their language is a dialect of the native Brazilian language family Arawakan. The British colonial administration invented the term Black Carib under which the Garifuna went before they came to the Island of Roatán and eventually the Honduras mainland. Oh, I like it here... but I think it's time for a movin' on.

Copán Ruinas, Honduras

Today, I arrived with Misael in Honduras where we visited the magnificent Copán Ruinas, the only Mayan archaelogical site in Honduras. It is realy a beautiful, but very expensive touristic attraction. It takes 15 dollars to enter, that's about the amount of money we need for three days food and lodging... So we stayed in the forest and admired the back part of the site. Without paying we could admire the greatness of the Mayans anyway.

Charco Verde, Nicaragua

The natural reserve Charco Verde is a protected area located between the two volcanoes of Ometepe, at the bottom part of the island. The area encompasses a lagoon, forest, and a beach.

The lagoon is called Laguna Verde (Green Lagoon) and it is closed off from the lake by only a thin strip of land. The lagoon provides a shelter place for many birds, but also to crocodiles and serpents. So, it's not save to swim.

A short stop in Nicaragua... the country of lakes and volcanoes

On our way from Costa Rica to Honduras we crossed Nicaragua. In the background you see the Island of Ometepe, in the middle of lake Nicaragua, with the volcano Conception looming in the background. Nicaragua is often referred to as 'the country of Lakes and Volcanoes'.

Deserted beaches down below La Cruz

La Cruz is a tiny hilltop town near the Nicaraguan border. The town itself has little to offer beyond a fabulous view of Bahía Salinas, but it does serve as a gateway to the nearly deserted beaches down below, a few mountain lodges bordering the nearby Santa Rosa and Guanacaste national parks, and the Nicaraguan border crossing at Peñas Blancas.
Ah, I love these beaches and the smell of the ocean...

La Cruz, Costa Rica

And finaly here I am ... in Costa Rica. A lovely place close by the sea where Misael almost squeezed me to death.