LukenDC
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Dec 7, 2004
- Messages
- 4,938
Last Saturday my partner and I returned from a ten day trip to Guatemala. We visited Guatemala City, Lake Atitlan, Antigua, and the Peten. Despite numerous reports of petty crime and an alarmist travel report from the State Department, we felt safe at all times and did not have any problems. We did, however, frequently see heavily armed private guards standing in front of stores, restaurants, and hotels. A brief description of trip highlights follows.
Guatemala City---Spent two nights at the InterContinental on the club floor. Hotel was nice, but nothing special. The club offerings were OK, but not nearly as nice or as plentiful as club level at Disney.
The main reason we stayed in Guatemala City was to visit one of the kids that I sponsor through Children International. I invited his entire family to join us and when we arrived at the agency field office, we were greeted by the boy I sponsor (age 11), his mother, and three older siblings. Accompanied by a translator, social worker, and driver, the seven of us went to the zoo and then had lunch at Pizza Hut. It was a day of firsts for the kids: first visit to the zoo, first time eating in a restaurant, and first time eating pizza. The kids and their mother were very friendly and warm and the translator told me that it was the best sponsor visit she had ever seen.
Lake Atitlan---Spent two nights at Casa Palopo, which was heavenly! We reserved the master suite for a very reasonable $260 a night. The suite was huge and included an equally large private terrace facing the lake and the three volcanoes that border the lake. Unfortunately a thick cloud cover obscured the volcanoes for the duration of the trip, but it would occasionally thin just enough to see the outlines of the towering volcanoes. Casa Palopo has less than ten rooms, so it was very peaceful. We enjoyed sitting in the living room in front of the fireplace and reading. We reserved a boat and spent an afternoon touring a couple of the villages along the lake.
Antigua---We spent two nights at a small inn call Posada del Angel. It's claim to fame is that it hosted President Clinton during his 1998 visit to Antigua. The Posada is very comfortable and serves a delicious breakfast on a rooftop terrace with a great view of one of the volcanoes. Some pictures of the Posada:
Antigua is a colonial city and we enjoyed strolling the cobblestone streets and doing some shopping. One night there was a large religious procession around the main square. People were carrying enourmous floats depicting the crucifixion and stations of the cross. Incense filled the air. Pictures of Antigua:
Peten---After leaving Antigua, we flew to Flores, where we were picked up by a driver and taken to our next hotel, La Lancha, forty minutes away. La Lancha is on the banks of Lake Peten Itza and is owned by Francis Ford Coppola. It, too, has less than ten rooms. The resort is built into a hillside, so to get to and from the lobby area and our room, we had to traverse pathways and some steep steps. One night, I discovered a boa constrictor on the dimly lit steps as I walked to my room! Boy, was that a surprise! The lobby area, which contains the dining area, has a thatch roof and is open on three sides. That made dining a bit unpleasant because it was very hot and humid. Some pictures of La Lancha:
We had gone to the Peten specifically to see the ancient Mayan city of Tikal. I had visited Tikal three years ago and wanted to share it with my partner. It is the most impressive archeological site I have seen. The city used to be home to more than 100,000 people and has thousands of buildings, most of which are unexcavated. The city was abandonned in 900 AD for reasons that are not definitively known.
Overall, we had a great time. The food was good, neither of us got sick, and we enjoyed all of the hotels. My partner said that he enjoyed Guatemala more than Peru. It's so easy to get there that we have talked about returning sometime for a long weekend stay at Casa Palopo. On the downside, there is a lot of poverty and some child labor. That is the reality of life in much of the world.
Guatemala City---Spent two nights at the InterContinental on the club floor. Hotel was nice, but nothing special. The club offerings were OK, but not nearly as nice or as plentiful as club level at Disney.
The main reason we stayed in Guatemala City was to visit one of the kids that I sponsor through Children International. I invited his entire family to join us and when we arrived at the agency field office, we were greeted by the boy I sponsor (age 11), his mother, and three older siblings. Accompanied by a translator, social worker, and driver, the seven of us went to the zoo and then had lunch at Pizza Hut. It was a day of firsts for the kids: first visit to the zoo, first time eating in a restaurant, and first time eating pizza. The kids and their mother were very friendly and warm and the translator told me that it was the best sponsor visit she had ever seen.
Lake Atitlan---Spent two nights at Casa Palopo, which was heavenly! We reserved the master suite for a very reasonable $260 a night. The suite was huge and included an equally large private terrace facing the lake and the three volcanoes that border the lake. Unfortunately a thick cloud cover obscured the volcanoes for the duration of the trip, but it would occasionally thin just enough to see the outlines of the towering volcanoes. Casa Palopo has less than ten rooms, so it was very peaceful. We enjoyed sitting in the living room in front of the fireplace and reading. We reserved a boat and spent an afternoon touring a couple of the villages along the lake.
Antigua---We spent two nights at a small inn call Posada del Angel. It's claim to fame is that it hosted President Clinton during his 1998 visit to Antigua. The Posada is very comfortable and serves a delicious breakfast on a rooftop terrace with a great view of one of the volcanoes. Some pictures of the Posada:
Antigua is a colonial city and we enjoyed strolling the cobblestone streets and doing some shopping. One night there was a large religious procession around the main square. People were carrying enourmous floats depicting the crucifixion and stations of the cross. Incense filled the air. Pictures of Antigua:
Peten---After leaving Antigua, we flew to Flores, where we were picked up by a driver and taken to our next hotel, La Lancha, forty minutes away. La Lancha is on the banks of Lake Peten Itza and is owned by Francis Ford Coppola. It, too, has less than ten rooms. The resort is built into a hillside, so to get to and from the lobby area and our room, we had to traverse pathways and some steep steps. One night, I discovered a boa constrictor on the dimly lit steps as I walked to my room! Boy, was that a surprise! The lobby area, which contains the dining area, has a thatch roof and is open on three sides. That made dining a bit unpleasant because it was very hot and humid. Some pictures of La Lancha:
We had gone to the Peten specifically to see the ancient Mayan city of Tikal. I had visited Tikal three years ago and wanted to share it with my partner. It is the most impressive archeological site I have seen. The city used to be home to more than 100,000 people and has thousands of buildings, most of which are unexcavated. The city was abandonned in 900 AD for reasons that are not definitively known.
Overall, we had a great time. The food was good, neither of us got sick, and we enjoyed all of the hotels. My partner said that he enjoyed Guatemala more than Peru. It's so easy to get there that we have talked about returning sometime for a long weekend stay at Casa Palopo. On the downside, there is a lot of poverty and some child labor. That is the reality of life in much of the world.
) I only wish you had room in your suitcase for a stowaway for your adventures 
