We left Placencia by a water taxi at 6:45am. We picked up a local bus (old American yellow school bus) from Independence to some injunction only 30km away from Punts Gorda. It took us around couple of hours to get there. We arrived by 9am and after couple of hours of hitchhiking in a sun we've got picked up by a local. I found out that he gave a ride to another Polish woman 2 years ago and he ended up visiting her in Poland. It was such a coincidence that we met. He was the oranges producer and national distributor. In fact the fresh orange juice was part of our daily diet. It was delicious, would cost approx only 1,5$ in Central America. As long as it wasn't served with ice it was all healthy and fresh. As soon as it was served with an ice I was running a risk of diarea. Belize so far was the only country where I didn't get sick. In Mexico and now in Guatemala my stomach problems are back.
We had to wait two hours before a captain would come to the agency and sell us the boat's tickets (35$ for 40 min ride). We met a Finish guy - Jonas who introduced us to a local restaurant just by the sea. It was lead by two Afro Caribbean ladies who served a traditional local food. I've ordered the conch frites with rice/beans and salad. It was delicious but very fat. It was on the left hand side from the immigration. At noon we bought a boat's tickets (35$ each - the Sunday fee was higher than the other days during the week 25$). Then we went through the departures (20$). We took a tiny water taxi with 10 passengers on, the captain was crazy. He kept accelerating and we kept jumping up and down. All my internal organs seemed to be a part. I couldn't wait until the horror is over. Livingston in Guatemala welcomed us with locals trying to sell their services. It was like being in a local market of undeveloped country. In fact Guatemala is very poor. We kept traveling with Jonas, he booked some accommodation 20 min away by car from the town. We took a track(1$ each), got on the deck and drove to the bridge. We've been in a company of a couple of young drunk locals who wanted to have a ride for free and earn some additional money for a forced guide tour. That was their job, they didn't go to school so they've been illiterate. The kids and teenagers would learn languages by socialising and selling to tourists. They've been begging since a childhood. We've got off the track just before the Indiana Jones bridge and crossed the river on top of it. It took us 15min of walk to get to the Cabañas of Salvadore Gaviota in Qequeche. The place was marvelouse, very chilled with only a couple of tourists and very local. The Cabañas were (80-150Quesales~10-20$). It was by the beach, in the morning the water was so calmed that I could go for a fantastic swim with no surprises, neither piranhas, nor jelly fish. The water wasn't transparent turquoise as it was near by the river but I had got a really good swim which counted a lot. The fish which was attacking me constantly I hated and it created anxiety. So it was a good change having not to deal with it anymore. The food was delicious, we order an mix sea food plate for 3 of us and we had got difficulties to finish it. It was fresh and grilled. There was no season for lobster but instead we had great king prawns, octopus, calamaries, counch and fish (10$ each). Guatemala is the cheapest place we've visited so far amongst Mexico and Belize, comparable with Mexico. I've managed to do and film a nice yoga practice on a little deck/platform in the sea with Cabañas roof. We took a free kayak and went to the river near by. It was unforgettable tour made by ourselves. The quietness, vegetation and birds singing were astonishing. It took us approx 3 hours. On the way back to Cabañas we left the kayak as the current of the sea was increasing and was opposite to our direction. Therefore we took a 30 min walk to the nearest waterfalls (5$ entry). The waterfall was dry as there wasn't enough rain but it was nice to walk all the way up through various pools.
After half an hour walk we reached the highest point and we jumped into the water. It was nice and refreshing.
The previous day we went to the town Livingston whet we met the representative of Garifula - Philip Flores from Buduru Agagua Barrio Campo Amor Livingston. He was one of 4 Garifulas left from the exchange program with Chicago's University at USA 30 years ago. 24 people were chosen but only 4 came back to Guatemala to follow up with the program.
Philip was one of them. Therefore he gave us a tour around the neighbourhood of his people and shown us a school being in construction. They couldn't finish it because of luck of money. He mentioned that whatever money we could try to donate to the village through the government they would never receive it. The best is to donate 1$ each door to door, that's what he said when he met with the French president. He introduced me to the music and dance teachers of the school for working opportunities within the dance between my dance company and kids. It was hard to get any email address or any kind of contact details to reach them while I'm away. I've got only the CD with their music. It would be interesting to set up voluntary based project with them. The next day we took a water taxi from Livingston and went through Rio Dulce, followed up by trip to the most beautiful place in Guatemala - Semuc Champey.
