Guatemala 2001

CA-01 - Central America with a Canadian travel office Adventures Abroad Date of travel: Feb 10 - Mar 4, 2001 This trip was to go also to El Salvador, but a strong earthquake there, while we were in Nicaragua, cut out our trip to El Salvador and extended our stay in Nicaragua. ITINERARY: On Feb 10 late drive in a rented car from Vista to Los Angeles Airport (LAX). On Feb 11 early morning flight via San Salvador in El Salvador to Managua in NICARAGUA. Our original itinerary between Feb 11 and Feb 17 unchanged visiting the country capital Managua, Park National Volcano Masaya, a historic town of Granada, a day trip by ferry to island Ometepe formed by 2 volcanoes in Lake Nicaragua, then in a resort at Pacific Ocean, followed by an old Nicaragua capital Leon. Wherever one looks in Nicaragua there are volcanoes and many are still active. On Feb 18 started a substitute program with a flight on a small plane with one propeller and wheels reminding legs of a mosquito from Managua across Lake Nicaragua to San Carlos, where the San Juan River starts flowing from Lake Nicaragua along the border of Costa Rica all the way to Caribbean Sea. Then by a narrow boat with an off board engine on this river several hours to a jungle lodge deep inside a rainforest. We spent 3 days taking canoe rides with local Indians here. Then back on a narrow boat to San Carlos and to islands in Lake Nicaragua where we were 2 days before sailing back to San Carlos and by the same plane to Managua. On Feb 24 we left Managua, Nicaragua on a plane via San Salvador, El Salvador to Guatemala City, GUATEMALA. We had a sightseeing tour of the city. Next day flight to Santa Elena Airport in the north of Guatemala. Near it we had a sightseeing of Tikal one of the most famous ancient cities of Maya people. Then flight back to Guatemala City and by bus to the original capital of Guatemala Antigua. Besides the sightseeing of this historical city we also explored its surroundings specifically Lake Atitlan with a boat ride on it, visiting some of the places on its shore and admiring the 3 over 3 thousand meters high volcanoes crowning the scenery. The lake itself is an ancient caldera of a gigantic volcano. What held good for Nicaragua, many volcanoes, the same holds good for Guatemala. Another place visited from Antigua was a colorful Indian town called Chichicastenango. To give hold to café growing in Guatemala we visited a café factory owed by a Czech, who left Czechoslovakia in 1954. Our trip ended on March 3, when we left Guatemala on plane. Mine was a direct flight to LAX landing before midnight, but it took me until 2 AM on March 4, before I got in a rented car home to Vista. Travel office: Canadian travel company Adventures Abroad with which I was in a direct contact. Who took part: 10 American, Canadian and British tourists, a Canadian leader Cloud M. and local guides