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Boquete, Panama – Panamanian departments, a classic example of inefficiency

Mittwoch, September 21st, 2011

The border-crossing Paso Canoas at the Inter-Americana how the Pan Am is often called here is the most important one into Panama. Again the Costa Rican side is discretely signposted. The lady at the Migración is very friendly and even practises her English at us. In contrast to this lady we are just unreasonable for the Aduana officer. It’s not so much personal, it is the presence of any client that forces him to a different act than to meditate in front of his black computer monitor. That’s not designated in his daily routine. Obviously the poor man can’t even talk. He gives his orders by nodding, a gesture is nearly more than he can spare. Now he even has to get up to have a look at the evidence. But Mr Cool doesn’t have himself under complete control. For a short moment his face fell into astonishment as soon as he detects Arminius. Official again he silently and reproachfully taps on a spot at the import certification. Letter confusion happened with our license plate number. Later we’ll realize that the VIN number wasn’t correct as well, but fortunately he doesn’t check it. We should have paid more attention at entry, this can cause problems. Unmoved I shrug my shoulders: “That must be a mistake”, I say in a terse way. Eventually he signs the papers and we may leave.

Now Panama: Some officers direct the arriving vehicles where to park. Two claim we have to go to Aduana first, then to Migración, the other one the opposite. We follow the majority. The Aduana officer ignores us in the beginning and sends us to insurance office first. We have to buy a third-party insurance, 15 $ for 30 days. Back to the customs we wait again to get to know eventually that we have to get the insurance papers stamped in another office. The responsible officer takes her lunch rest and shall be back at one o’clock. This would be in half an hour. After one and a quarter of an hour an army of travellers that’s stressed out awaits the dearly smiling queen who finishes her extended lunch rest in an excellent mood. In less than two seconds she manages to stamp the papers. That’s all. I can’t believe it. That’s why I waited so long? The Panamanian customs is a classic example of Central American inefficiency.

Back to the glass wall in front of the counter we have to wait more. At a certain point the officer can’t delay our papers any more and finishes them with great difficulties reading the German licences. Another officer has a short look into our camper’s compartment, but the 60 cans German beer from Costa Rica is of no interest. Migración is fast as usual: Fill out a form, smile into the camera, get the passport stamped, ready. Last step is vehicle disinfection for 6 $.

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Palmar, Costa Rica – Panama is calling

Dienstag, September 20th, 2011

After being hosted by Aelin, the Peruvian consul in Costa Rica, and her husband we visited the French family of Emmanuelle, her husband Dominique and their four kids. We would like to thank them all for their great hospitality and entertainment.

The Pan Americana gets worse closer to the Panamanian border. Partially one lane or sometimes the whole road is broken off, fallen into Rio General deep below. Our last stop is Palmar, 100 km in front of the border, where we ask in the hotel and restaurant Quebrada Grande for an overnight option. Again, we are warmly welcomed, and we might even choose to park in the parking lot or on a meadow. Also this last night in Costa Rica was complimentary; we didn’t spend any dollar for camping in this country. We may even use their Wi-Fi, but of course we order a dinner as a courtesy. Recommended: Quebrada Grande, N 08°57’53.0’’ W 83°26’31.3’’.

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Volcán Irazú, Costa Rica – The vanished acid lake

Freitag, September 16th, 2011

Irazú volcano lost much of its attractiveness during the last years. We admit it disappointed us a bit, compared to our last visit many years ago. It was famous for its large, deep and bilious green crater lake. The eerie effect of the horrid colour was intensified by the clouds of steam stinking like sulphur that made us believe to stand in front of hell’s gate. Today the acidic lake disappeared but a puddle, nearly not to be spotted from the view point. The stretch of water was completely dried out for a while but refilled a bit. A possible explanation for this phenomenon is the increased activity of the twin volcano Turrialba.

Irazú is with 3.432 m Costa Rica’s highest volcano. On clear days (quite rare) Pacific and Atlantic can be seen from here. Clouds move in very early, sometimes 9 a.m., but the national park only opens at eight. The park road nearly touches the edge of the crater. The loop walk to the view point and back over a cold lava ash field takes around 30 min. Another road leads to the highest point of the mountain. Entrance fee is 10 $, camping is not allowed. It is chilly and windy up here, appropriate clothes are recommended. Right in front of the pay station a small road branches off to the right. Follow for about 200 m / yards, with good weather there is a good view to volcano Turrialba.

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Volcán Poás, Costa Rica – Huge crater in action

Donnerstag, September 15th, 2011

67 volcanoes with 112 craters are situated in tiny Costa Rica, among them seven active ones. It suggests itself to visit some of them, and the more they bubble, smoke, or spit the better it is. Volcán Poás is one of the active ones. It is easily accessible and therefore the country’s most visited volcanoes. At 8 a.m. we are waiting in front of the entrance gate to open since at around 10 a.m. clouds move in and obstruct the view, especially in rainy season. A loop trail with 3.5 km / 2 mi length leads from the visitor centre at 2250 m elevation to the crater at 2708 m and down again, to the main crater, through magic forest to the lagoon of a side crater, and back through cloud forest.

Poás’ main crater with its 1.5 km diameter and 300 m depth is regarded as the earth’s second largest crater. In the middle of the imposing hole with barren black, red, beige and brown walls is the 40° C / 110° F hot crater lake that has an unhealthy glaucous colour. From some fumaroles on one side violent snow-white sulphur-clouds arise, which the wind fortunately blows away from us. Poás is weird and wonderful. Laguna Botos in the side crater is shallow, cool and is fed only by rainwater. Its emerald green water appeals much more to me. The trails are paved or gravelled and easy to walk. With stops for taking photos and visit of the volcano museum in the visitor centre two hours are reasonable. Entrance fee for everything is 10 US$ plus parking fee (depending on vehicle size, Unimog 2500 Colón).

Next volcano to visit tomorrow is Irazú where we find another kind restaurant owner who let us park there. But Nochbuena in 2900 m / nearly 9000 ft elevation is not only a restaurant, they have hiking trails and an incredibly well-done museum as well. It is absolutely worth the 4 $ / 2000 CRC pp. The exhibition about volcanoes in general and especially the Irazú is created with love and expert knowledge. The 10 min video (Spanish with English or German subtitles) shows spectacular shootings of Irazu’s eruptions. In 1963 Irazú intensely spit ashes for two years, killed the livestock, destroyed the agriculture and brought the country to a standstill. But Costa Rica’s today’s fertility origins in those eruptions. Momentarily Irazú remains quiet.

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Zarcero + Sarchí, Costa Rica – The blooming broomstick

Mittwoch, September 14th, 2011

Costa Rica is a land of abundant nature that was recognized and protected in early days. Soil is rich, agriculture prospers, and coffee, banana, and all kinds of fruits and vegetables grow. The Ticos claim that if one throws a broomstick away it’ll start blooming after few days. Garden artist Evangelisto Blanco in Zarcero uses this ample nature for his special kind of art. In the 1960s he started to prune bushes and hedges on the Plaza Central in front of the church and to trim them into many different shapes like arches, dancing couples, animals, faces, motorcycle drivers, helicopters and many more. The small town became world-famous.

Not far away is Sarchí, Costa Rica’s craftwork centre with a confectioner-style church. In front of it the world’s largest oxcart was erected some years ago, listed in The Guinness Book of Records since 2002. Like its smaller examples it is painted and decorated with colourful ornaments. Today one can buy oxcarts as souvenirs in all different sizes.

For tomorrow we plan to visit volcano Poás. Camping is not allowed in the national park, but we find a restaurant high up on the mountain that’s called Tipico de Montaña. The friendly owner allows us to camp on his parking lot with a splendid view over the capital San José and the other cities in the valley, attractive especially when lightened at night. For dinner we get a typical Casado, consisting of rice, beans, meat or fish or chicken, salad, vegetables and usually fried plantains.

 

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Rio Celeste, Costa Rica – Azure in the jungle

Dienstag, September 13th, 2011

Jungle rivers have to be muddy-brown, opaque, and dangerous home of crocodiles, parasitic unicellular organisms and other suspicious creatures. That’s why Rio Celeste appears completely abstruse and inappropriately coloured in the middle of the rainforest. The colour of the river is a slightly milky fabric softener-blue as if a baby bath towel got ready to swim. We never saw a river colour like this, which is so special that it seems completely incomprehensible that we didn’t find this private park in any travel guide or map – it was a tip of baker Tom.

A nearly four kilometres long rocky and muddy jungle path (to be walked back as well) leads to the most interesting spots: a waterfall that pounces into an also blue natural swimming pool; a hot spring where one can cool down immediately after in the refreshing river water; a small lake that is of such shrieking turquoise that it appears unreal and where swimming is not recommended due to high mineral concentration; and finally the so-called teñideros where the river changes its colour suddenly as if it were aligned using a ruler. The water is initially clear and flows over brownish rocks where it must take up so many minerals that it all of a sudden gets this fabric softener-azure.

Estimate at least for hours for this hike, better longer to enjoy an extended jungle bath. The swampy trail requests for sturdy hiking boots (sometimes even rubber boots) that should be at least ankle-high if only because of the poisonous snakes that busily cross the path now and then. Huge butterflies and tiny hummingbirds fly around. The private park Rio Celeste with its hiking trails can only be accessed from hotels and lodges. The hotel Catarata Rio Celeste offers public entrance with big parking lot, information, and guide if requested, for the usual 10 $ entrance fee. You reach the park from the road at Katira north of Guatuso via a 12 km long rocky trail where you climb from 120 to pleasant 650 m elevation. The manager Don Pedro allows us to camp here for free: N 10°42’11.5’’ W 84°58’39.0’’.

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Caño Negro, Costa Rica – About monkeys, sloths, and caimans

Montag, September 12th, 2011

The National Park Caño Negro can only be accessed by boat. So we are playing tourist today and booked an excursion with microbus, boat, and informed tour guide. River Rio Frio passes through the nature preserve and is enclosed by dense jungle on both sides. The river banks are an ideal habitat for herons, cormorants, and Anhingas or snakebirds, how they are called as well. They keep their whole body underwater while swimming, only the long and bent neck and head stick out like a snake.

Bats and reptiles are numerous: Up to three metres long caimans sunbathe on tree-trunks, round carapaces of freshwater turtles poke out of the water; basilisks, a kind of iguana that can run on their hind legs over the water surface like Jesus thanks to air cushions under their feet, wait on branches jutting out of the water for fruits to fall from the trees. Basiliscus lizards can dive if they think that’s safer than running. The green iguana on the banks are already too big to have a lot of predators and usually don’t flee unless they are young. In the treetops spider and howling monkeys romp about. The slowest or non-moving tree residents are sloths and accordingly difficult to determine. A tarantula fell into the water and tries to rescue itself walking over the river.

The excursion to Caño Negro cost 55 US$ incl. transport, entrance fee, snack, lunch, drinks, and tour guide. That’s a standard price in the area of Fortuna. We were very happy with the organizer Canoa Aventura. There is another option to go to Los Chiles on your own and try to rent a boat. From there you’d also ride on the Rio Frio, but you won’t reach the national park. The fuel costs together with the likelihood to pay the boat alone due to a lack of other interested parties would make the individual trip more expensive.

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Nuevo Arenal, Costa Rica – German beer

Samstag, September 10th, 2011

A German bakery attracts us magically. We have discovered it yesterday, obviously signposted for miles. Tom’s Pan offers many different German sausages, stew, other famous dishes, Wi-Fi and more. We can buy bread, delicatessen, and souvenirs. But form your own opinion about prices, size of portions, quality and freshness of the meals. Then Tom, baker and confectioner from Germany who saw many travellers passing by, discovers and invites us to his home. There more German beer is available and precious information what we should see in Costa Rica and what we might want to skip.

Arenal volcano, the reason we came here, on the list of the earth’s most active volcanoes in the fourth instance, doesn’t erupt anymore – since nine months. It was famous for spitting glowing lava every few minutes. We can skip the expensive night walk, because the spectacle was especially impressive at dark; just exceeded by the earthquake-like tremor, which precedes every eruption, and the hissing spew that accompanied it. Years ago we were granted to experience this imposing occurrence, but this was unfortunately before introduction of digital photography.

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Nuevo Arenal, Costa Rica – Pure life

Freitag, September 9th, 2011

The emigration from Nicaragua at border crossing-point Peña Blanca is a bit long-drawn-out, but done in half an hour. First we have to pay 1 $ pp special charge for whatever (we get a receipt) at a pay station at the entrance, and another 2 $ for the emigration stamp. Behind the building where we park, the Aduana man roams about and checks that the exported vehicle corresponds to the papers. This has to be confirmed by the police. The officers roam around; we have to somehow get hold of them. Leaving Nico-territory passports are checked again and the import paper withheld.

The so civilized Costa Rica has the – until now – worst organized border crossing with completely missing signposting and not selected courtesy. There is a lot of running a round, but we make it in 90 minutes. We pass the disinfection sluice gate (5 $) and as a result miss the insurance agency which we wouldn’t have identified anyhow due to missing signs. The customs officer in his cottage sends us back on foot. It is a bit confusing since he mixes left and right (a Central American disease). Beside the office of the nice insurance agent (14 $ for three months) we get the copies requested by the customs officer. Just back the man sends us to Migracion to get the immigration stamps and back to the copier since he also needs a copy of the stamp (apparently only of the vehicle owner). We use our own copier this time, that’s faster.

Then we have to fill a form where all drivers have to be mentioned. For the first time a customs officer enters our camper cabin, but not for long. Do we have a laptop? Sure. No refrigerator? Oh yes, but the content isn’t interesting. What is behind the door? The bathroom, but he doesn’t want to see it. The Aduana building is a bit remote to the right. Here it emerges that the second driver has to produce a passport and stamp copy as well, but there is a copy station right on the opposite side. The temporary import paper is handed over to us and a small handwritten piece of paper. Don’t throw it away, it will be collected when exiting the border area where passports and importation certificate are checked again. This officer is of the friendlier kind, he greets us with the country’s motto „Costa Rica – pura vida“, pure life. The complete procedure was complimentary.

Road conditions of the Pan Americana improved significantly since our last visit about 15 years ago. The attractions are a bit remote, so that we quickly retreat to also acceptable side roads. In Nuevo Arenal at Lake Arenal there is a recreational area that’s administered by the town council where pick-nicking, swimming, fishing and camping is without any costs. The gate is locked between 6 pm and 6 am, then the site is guarded. View to lake and mountains are dreamlike, although Arenal volcano is not visible from here (N 10°32’13.7’’ W 84°53’36.6’’).

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San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua – The ticket and beach camping

Donnerstag, September 8th, 2011

The Pan Am takes us south where we have an encounter with the police. We won’t find out if they would have liked to get a bribe since the situation develops into the unexpected. They stop us since Joerg passed a truck despite a continuous line. That’s true. A useless continuous line was painted on a two kilometres long straight road. All drivers pass the slower trucks there since it is the only opportunity on a long stretch. We do so. But that wasn’t correct. We don’t trust the policemen and hand over only copies of the requested documents. The officers don’t realize the car license to be a copy but the driver’s license. One officer asks to get the original but Joerg insists that he already has it. When the policeman tries to rip the license some tensions occur. We write down the badge numbers of the guys and mention the German embassy, when it becomes suddenly official. Joerg gets a proper ticket that we have to pay in a bank in the next town (around 11.50 $). With the receipt we return and get back the slightly damaged driver’s license; herewith the problem is solved.

In front the border to Costa Rica there is the question where to overnight. The La Flor National Park is expensive with 45 $ (10 $ pp entrance fee, 25 $ camping), and it is usually difficult to find something at the beach. Close to San Juan del Sur we find two options to the north at Pacific beach Playa Madera. The beach has two accesses. Keeping to your left at the junction @ N 11°17’51.2’’ W 85°53’19.6’’ you will reach a small parking lot after some hundreds of metres (max. vehicle height 3.5 m). Camping is FOC and said to be safe. Another option would be to ask in the restaurant to park in their attended car park, but its surfer bar is open until midnight. The beach consists of course pebbles here.

If you head right at the junction instead you will reach Camping Matilda @ N 11°17’51.5’’ W 85°54’53.1’’. It is not a designated campground, but an empty lot in front of the sea is good for parking (maximum Unimog size, the access road is narrow and the turn into the lot sharp). The hostel on the other side of the feeder road provides bathrooms and showers. Access is o.k. with some clearance. With facility use we are asked to pay 200 NIO, for parking only 100. The sandy beach is good for swimming, although there are some non-treacherous waves, but no undercurrents. It’s just great here!

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Granada, Nicaragua – Colonial romanticism and beggars

Mittwoch, September 7th, 2011

Granada is the unquestionable centre of tourism in Nicaragua with a historic old town and lavishly restored colonial buildings. Among them is the yellow cathedral with red domes, landmark not only of the city but of the entire country. For 1 US$ / 20 NIO we are allowed to climb up the narrow spiral staircase to the belltower of La Merced church from where we have a wonderful 360° view to the city and the lake. Close to the church we find Tio Antonio Centro Social that belongs to La Merced but is religiously independent. The social institution has opened a hammock manufactory with handicapped or socially excluded adolescents. Their doors are always open, so that we can watch the production of high-quality hammocks from organically dyed cotton. Even if there is no room to store a hammock, the visit is worth it. All purchases come in useful to the kids.

Another of Granada’s specialties is horse and carriage for sightseeing tours (from 20 $ on). But don’t be deceived by the romantic tranquillity and peace in the historic district. Leaving the touristic area we discover a vivid and lively city with 120,000 inhabitants. Of course supposedly prosperous tourists attract beggars, and especially kids can be unnerving. But in all travel guides as well as in menus of many restaurants we are asked not to give kids anything but to better donate money to local aid organizations that will sensibly use it. Many kids are encouraged or even forced by their parents to beg since they get hold of more money than adults. But this produces in a long term just another generation of beggars. Why learn something if life is that easy? Other kids just don’t feel like learning something, skive off school, and roam around. With the money obtained by begging they buy something useful like a can of glue to sniff. Their life has ended already before it even started.

A cooler night than Granada is promised by Mirador de Catarina, 20 km south-west at Laguna de Apoyo in 540 m elevation. The viewpoint in Catarina is said to be the best in Nicaragua. From here we overlook Granada, Lake Nicaragua, Mombacho volcano, and of course Laguna de Apoyo. The country’s largest and maybe oldest crater lake has a perfect round form. It measure six kilometres in diameter and is 200 m deep with clear blue water. It is not very quiet here; it is a tourist attraction with many restaurants and souvenir shops (they all close at 11:30 pm). We may camp for free, but we have to negotiate the entrance fee. 100 Córdoba for a coach seem to be excessive. We aren’t that big, and only two passengers. The lady reduces to 50. Only the security man needs a tip for having an eye on us. He’s not too happy about 20 Córdoba (1 $), but accepts finally. Mirador de Catarina: N 11°54’47.7’’ W 86°04’11.9’’.

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Granada, Nicaragua – Gigantic, unique: Lake Nicaragua

Dienstag, September 6th, 2011

In fact the volcano’s emissions diminish this morning so that we can hike up to some viewpoints and to San Fernando crater without risking our health. This crater is covered with forest and green while Santiago has coloured bare walls and a huge hole from where steam escapes.

The city of Granada just 30 km east is situated at Lago de Nicaragua, a lake of superlatives. It is Central America’s largest lake with 8100 sq km. It houses Ometepe Island, the world’s largest island in a freshwater lake. Not yet enough: Lake Nicaragua is the only stretch of water on earth where freshwater sharks live. Probably they came from the Caribbean Sea via River San Juan and got accustomed to the lack of salt by time.

Like in most cities camping is difficult in Granada. The traveller-known Turicentro right on the lake shore allows access for 50 Córdoba per vehicle and camping as well. Unfortunately there is actually no possibility to do that. The one-way road is too narrow, the only option is in front of one of the restaurants (small lots only). The parking lot we were told to camp in the end of the Turicentro road is behind an open-air live discotheque. Besides the noise to be expected it doesn’t seem to be a good place to overnight. The man who runs the discotheque describes the site as absolutely not safe. We continue to drive down the road where we find a long and wide hard shoulder of gravel with beautiful lake view. It is not attended, as the place in the Turicentro would have been, and it would have been free of charge.

Turicentro Granada, unattended, N 11°55’31.9’’ W 85°56’30.1’’, 50 NIO, or right after at the lake, FOC, along the road, N 11°54’50.4’’ W 85°56’00.3’’.

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Volcán Masaya, Nicaragua – Volcanoes stink

Montag, September 5th, 2011

In the early morning a new sound is added to the howling monkeys and the many other unknown sounds. It is a bird type “electronic clock”: “Teeleeleet, teeleeleet, teeleeleet”. Three times, exactly like the standard clock, and after an exactly measured period of time: “Teeleeleet, teeleeleet, teeleeleet”. Can’t anybody press the stop-button? Since nobody does me this favour even I have to understand that the night is over. Sound inventors have to have studied in the jungle. These similarities can’t be coincidence. We wanted to get up anyway to see the parrots with sunshine. This time we might go without guide and without paying another entrance fee. And see, if we don’t rush through the jungle like mad we don’t chase all animals away and get to watch something. The convergence to the Chocoya breeding ground can be noticed according to the background noise, parrots aren’t really known for their delightful singing. Like nearly all parrots the Chocoya are monogamous. Not only that: They spend their whole life together, fly together, leave and return together. Not without announcing that strongly.

Not even 30 km away from here the national park Volcán Masaya is located with two volcanoes and five craters. One of them, the Santiago, is the only permanently active crater in Nicaragua. Poisonous sulphur and hydrochloric acid gases escape permanently from its 450 m wide throat, and sometimes it spits bigger chunks, why the car has to be parked back-in. Sometimes it’s possible to see the lava or glowing stones in the inside, especially during the guided night walks, but right now the surface is – perhaps due to rainy season – more chilled and just dark. Only the smoke and gas production is enormous. Park rule recommend not staying longer than 20 minutes, but today nobody stays voluntarily longer. The wind is inclement and blows the smoke into our face. The eyes start to water. It penetrates into the lungs and causes a tickly throat. I can taste the smoke, a strange mixture of sulphur, battery acid and the perfumed aftertaste of aluminium acetate, then it runs down the throat into the stomach. The head starts to ache. All brain cells shout in chorus “get out of here”!

Since visibility is mist-filled, we keep it short, walk along the wall at the edge of Santiago crater and up the stairs to the viewpoint with the large cross where we can see the lava rock-mottled surrounding and Lake Masaya. There is only one hike allowed without guide to some other viewpoints, but we delay it to tomorrow, hoping for more favourable wind. Chocoyas, the small parrots, live and brood in very poisonous surroundings of the crater walls. Over time they got accustomed to the gases that offer a very effective protection against natural enemies.

The crater looks back to a long tradition of artificially caused deaths. The Chorotega Indians that lived here probably threw virgins into the lava to sacrifice them to the goddess of fire to placate her. The Spaniards used the magma hole to get rid of unbelievers and criminals. The Somoza dictators were particularly perfidious up to make people disappear: Opponents were flown with helicopters above the crater and dropped.

It is allowed to camp on both parking places at the visitor centre some kilometres below the crater. There is a moderately interesting museum. Per person 100 NIO entrance fee plus 50 NIO for overnight. Parque Nacionál Volcán Masaya, N 12°00’11.3’’ W 86°08’54.6’’.

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Ticuantepe, Nicaragua – Parrots and Star Wars frogs

Sonntag, September 4th, 2011

The Pan Americana passes Lake Managua, second largest lake in Central America, but polluted by the capital’s waste waters. Managua’s advantage is that you don’t have to pass it if you don’t want to go there. None of the colonial buildings of bad quality survived the many earthquakes, therefore Managua’s attractions consist of the lake and some museums. Between Managua and Masaya we turn south to Ticuantepe where the nature reserve El Chocoyero – El Brujo is situated in the rainforest. The seven kilometres long unpaved access road is made from odd black dirt that doesn’t get soggy by the rain and is hardly slippery.

Unfortunately the soil isn’t immune to washouts. They don’t disturb me too much when perpendicular, but I don’t like it when the Unimog crawls with one wheel in a parallel rivulet in absurd declination. And we never know: Will it stay like that or is it getting worse? Turning is not possible on the one-lane road anyway. And then there are the trees that especially hang low with rain. Becoming insensitive, we just pass under the branches. Only an upper arm-thick branch has to go, with it a third of the tree-top. Since the last events we have our own machete with Finish high-performance steel blade handy. That’s more suitable for the soft wood soaked with water than an axe. At least we reach an average speed of 5.6 kph.

At the park entrance we pay each 50 NIO pp for entrance fee and guide, they won’t let us go without one. I respect that one more man has a job, one more family has to eat, but otherwise those guides are useless, because without the racing guide we might have seen more animals, and it is not so difficult to find the right way. However, the main attraction is the Chocoyas, a small kind of parrot that live in small holes in a clay wall at the waterfall El Chocoyero. It is nesting season, so most of them are at home, and there is continuous coming and going. It is raining too heavily to take photos.

There are tenting areas in the park that bear a charge, but in front of the door we can camp on the parking lot without a fee, and with impressive background noises and deep darkness. Cricket and cicada make a tropical concert, but somehow I can’t get anything romantic out of it. The electric buzzing sounds like being in the transformer station of a medium city. What’s romantic there? Howling monkeys defend their territory, their bad mood, and whatever with the loudest noise in the animal world. And then there are also the Star Wars frogs, as we call them. Amazingly enough they sound as they would shoot each other with futuristic laser weapons. Oink, oink, oink-oink-oink, oink-oink. After a while they take a rest, probably to reload. Oink, oink-oink-oink-oink-oink, oink-oink…

Riserva Natural El Chocoyero – El Brujo, N 11°58’46.0’’ W 86°15’26.7’’

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Matagalpa, Nicaragua – Hiking in Matagalpa area

Freitag, September 2nd, 2011

In Matagalpa, a small town at a distance from Pan Americana, we visit Centro Girasol where we can get coffee, cake, some souvenirs and some homemade dairy products like yoghurt, cream cheese, and ice cream. All earnings are for the benefit of families with impaired children. There are also maps with directions available for hikes in the area under certain themes like “traces of the revolutionary heroes” or “petroglyphs of the Maya”. It is all day hikes that might require to overnight in Matagalpa, but camping is difficult in town.

Another beautiful hiking area is Selva Negra north of town, heading to Jinotega. Access is via the coffee finca with the same name that doesn’t allow camping. Alternatively we could book two beds for 15 US$ or hike as a day user for 3 $ pp. Another option is Finca Esperanza Verde that also grows coffee and runs an eco lodge. Advance notice in their office in San Ramón is practical since parking space is limited. (Office in San Ramón: Take the first parallel road north of the main road, and then drive to the end of the dead end.) After another 15 km gravel road (the last four kilometres better with all-wheel drive) we are expected at the finca. For camping they request 7 $ per person, but we agree on 7 $ for the camper. There are some hiking trails on the plot. (N 12°56’23.4’’ W 85°46’48.4’’)

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Estelí, Nicaragua – America, not Africa

Dienstag, August 30th, 2011

Nicaragua – a country that sounds as if we would have to search for it in Africa instead of America. But it is right in the middle of the isthmus, it is Central America’s largest and poorest country – even Latin America’s second poorest after Haiti. It shall be the safest country for travel on the continental bridge although vigilance wouldn’t harm.

But the day starts with difficulties, the entry is delayed. First we have to detect that our electronic map for Nicaragua doesn’t function. We are so used to this indispensible combination of classic map navigation, intuition, asking locals, and auto GPS that we don’t want to go without the latter. www.gpstravelmaps.com has Garmin-compatible GPS maps for many countries to download including installation instructions (for Nicaragua for instance US$ 49.95 – not distinctively reasonable). Navigating is a bit more complicated than with the software provided by Garmin, but it works.

Next the gas station in El Paraiso refuses all my credit cards. (Fuel is most inexpensive in Mexico, and then it’s slowly getting more expensive to the south via Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua; fuel up in front of each border.) Right before the border I don’t have enough cash left what I usually do. The cashier has a bright moment and splits the amount in two sums, that works. Immediately in front of the border crossing Los Manos (around 500 m / yards) there would have been a tax-privileged gas station that offers fuel for a better price.

But we don’t get that far. The access road to the border is obstructed with waiting trucks on the right and left side, the only lane in the centre is blocked by a bus broken down, which can’t be towed for any reason. More than an hour passes before the parking vehicles are shunt back and forth so that there is a gap to pass the obstacle. From then on it goes fast. The aduana puts a stamp into the passport to verify the vehicle export, the migración provides the emigration stamp, and there are no costs. A young overbearing border helper wants 20 $ for his service for immigration, but sometime even he gets the meaning of the simple word, just consisting of the two letters N and O. Before leaving Honduran territory there is an animal check, but we neither transport pets nor breeding cattle. The exchange rate offered for Lempira to Cordoba is fair (100 Nicaraguan Córdoba / NIO are around 4.20 US$).

The Nicaraguan entry starts with vehicle disinfection (68 NIO). Nicaragua requests for the granted 30 days of stay a local insurance (12 US $). The insurance agents are official, and the paperwork can be done easily with them. The customs officer fills the forms, but she is happy to be helped. Another officer only peaks from outside into our opened cabin door to confirm the detail “RV”, but again we get off without vehicle search. This process is complimentary, unlike the immigration card for the passport at the migración. 12 US $ per person mature. It is important to get a receipt for all payments. Finally the border police check all papers and might ask for some copies (they forget to collect ours); title and vehicle registration document are necessary. There was nothing to complaint about friendliness and helpfulness of the Central American borders so far, it was even fast.

After 40 km we reach the Pan Americana, single thoroughfare in Nicaragua. First city is Estelí. At the UCA Miraflor office (ask around in town) we check for a place for the night in the Miraflor nature reserve (no entrance fee) where there is ecologic farming besides hiking and horse riding. They confirm we can take the road, but 4WD is necessary in rainy season. There are some pretty deep brooks to cross. Finca Lindos Ojos was recommended to us, it has some space for parking. www.finca-lindos-ojos.com, camping 5 US$ per night, N 13°14’30.2’’ W 86°15’21.7’’.

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El Paraiso, Honduras – Greed versus huge pizzas

Montag, August 29th, 2011

Via Danlí (with supermarket) we reach El Paraiso right before the Nicaraguan border. Not even one of the Honduran police officers who were regarded as extremely corrupt in the past (and partially are still today) wanted anything from us. One reason might be that we didn’t even touch the Pan Americana that’s mainly used by tourists. The country’s inhabitants are helpful and friendly, maybe even a bit lethargic: Honduras is the only of the Central American countries that never had a civil war of a revolution – despite military dictatorships.

In spite of its promising name „The Paradise“ El Paraiso is a nondescript quiet town. We ask for a spending a night in a completely run-down, decayed lido. After a glance to the truck and an extended pause for thought how much the tourists could be squeezed until the pips squeak the manager wants an absurd demand of 200 HNL. Greed involves the danger of getting nothing. Joerg jumps into the truck and just drives off. We have realized a pizzeria with big lot on the other side of town. The responsible there quickly consent to our wish. I change my tactic: Instead of asking for fees I make enquiries about the dinner. The pizzas are huge, on medium-sized instead of two with starter would have been enough for the two of us, but they are still delicious next day when cold. We don’t get a written invoice, that’s why we can’t comprehend why we pay less than calculated according to the menu. Recommended: Mi Pequeño Jardín, El Paraiso, N 13°53’04.1’’ W 86°33’15.4’’.

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Zamorano, Honduras – Sausage and cheese instead of camping

Sonntag, August 28th, 2011

500 metres of elevation on a distance of a mile – that is the way we have to descend this morning. Again we need one and a half hours. Further, extensive clearance is necessary since branches subside in the course of two days. In other places branches broke off halfway and block the track. Finally arriving in Zamorano we aren’t lucky with the agricultural university: They don’t allow us to camp on the whole area. Not even in front of the hotel that’s run by the uni. We may only overnight if we rent a room – not cheep though. Too bad, we would have liked to see the education facility for agricultural engineers and economists that’s famous on the entire continent. We only call on the supermarket where beside regular articles milk, bread and meat products from university-owned production are sold. The Zamorana brand is available in other Honduran groceries as well, but selection and price are unbeatable here.

Few kilometres east of Zamorana we find shelter with Eco Parque Zamorana for 100 Lempira (N 14°01’13.0’’ W 86°58’58.1’’). The only thing they have in common with “eco” might be the thrifty use of swimming pool chemicals. But it’s a spacious and quiet camping spot anyway – eco or not.

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Parque Nacional La Tigra, Honduras – Like Jurassic Park

Samstag, August 27th, 2011

It’s only one more kilometre to the park entrance but we wouldn’t have made it. Here are definitely too many trees. Clearance works wouldn’t have made ourselves popular with the park administration. The tiny indentation beside the entrance road wouldn’t have been ideal for camping either. The entrance fee of 10 US$ per person (can be paid in HNL) might support the park if pretty steep for what’s offered. With the ticket we receive a copied orientation map for the few hiking trails. Signposting isn’t as good as claimed, and the distance details don’t seem to be always correct.

Favourite routes are crossing the park to the second visitor centre and the hike to a waterfall. We decide for latter that starts a viewpoint. In the beginning trees are sparse but the closer we get to the cascade the more jungle-like and marshy it gets. Strange plants grow here; it looks a bit like scenes from Jurassic Park. We aren’t lucky with wildlife today, but the dark dense cloud forest and the not too sumptuous but 40 m high waterfall are nice.

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Pulhapanzak / Tegucigalpa / El Rosario, Honduras – How to get a Unimog through cloud forest

Freitag, August 26th, 2011

Pulhapanzak is said to be Honduras’ most beautiful waterfall with its 42 m fall depth. And really, the cascades of Rio Lindo, to be admired during short strolls from different view points, are pretty. Swimming is better in dry season. Pulhapanzak isn’t far from Lago de Yojoa and costs 50 Lempira entrance fee pp. Camping would be allowed on the shady parking lot for another 50 HNL pp (Cataratas de Pulhapanzak, N 15°01’29.8’’ W 88°00’05.2’’). The CA 5 to the south is being extended to defuse some sharp bends and is partially in good condition. Restaurant and Hotel Granja D’Elia is worth a stop along the highway. The adjacent supermarket sells products of own production (bread, produce) and (expensive) imported delicacies. Dining shall be good in the Italian restaurant. The parking lot would be big enough for camping, but we feel it’s too close to the road, and too noisy. Instead we travel straight through Tegucigalpa, the state capital. We don’t see too much of the one-million-metropolis since there are well-built through-roads.

We decided to give every country a chance, even the Central American ones, so we have to visit a National Park here as well. There are quite a few in Honduras, but many of them resemble each other since they protect the remnants of rain forest, and they don’t have any infrastructure. We decide for the supposedly easiest accessible one, Parque Nacional La Tigra close to Tegucigalpa, and cross Valle de Angeles to reach El Rosario. Roads are getting tight, but the bus is still in front of us. Unfortunately it stops at the town square. Where to go now?

A very European looking pick-up driver points the way and then asks in German: “Is that you car vehicle?” It is. By chance he and his wife are owners of a small facility to rent cabins. He offers to camp in front of his door and to follow him. Since he seems to be busy with his guests he picked up from the bus I skip the usual questions if we could use the road with our vehicle’s size etc. He has seen it, I thought. A mistake. An extremely narrow gravel path in bad condition leads up to the mountain in steep sharp bends. The track isn’t thought for Unimog size, but we make it o.k. There are no means of getting out of the way, but no oncoming traffic as well. After almost half an hour we are on top. We’ve lost the white pick-up, but an old lady shows us where it has disappeared. “It’s only two more minutes”, she encourages us. Two minutes stretch to one hour for a few hundreds of meters. There are trees in the cloud forest, and they’re hanging low. Too low.

I try to guide my husband through a space between a wall and a strong branch – without success. Role reversal: Joerg tries to guide me through the same spot, same result. The unfortunate bough can’t be lifted from below. Eventually Joerg climbs on the cabin roof, lifts the branch and crawls along the roof whilst I slowly continue driving. That worked out somehow, but this was only the first hurdle. In the meantime the cabin-guy appears with a helpful machete. And so Joerg chops us a green tunnel sitting on the roof, defoliates, de-branches and deforests, during me manoeuvring through the bush. Half treetops land on the hood and obstruct my view. After another hour we’ve made our way through the jungle, arrived in front of the facility’s door, and are both completely shattered.

There are not many camping options at La Tigra National Park: Cabañas Mirador El Rosario, N 14°13’13.1’’ W 87°04’46.0’’; they sell home-made fruit wines and jams.

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Lago de Yojoa, Honduras – About potholes and counter-police strategies

Donnerstag, August 25th, 2011

My travel literature states that roads are good in Honduras, potholes are rare, and police controls seldom. Let me say it this way: The amount of potholes exceeds by far the number of the country’s inhabitants (after all 8 mill.). Quite a few of them are so deep that we could easily open a fish-farming in them. The number of police controls also surpasses our expectations, but most of the time the officers just wave their hands. If not, my strategy proves itself: overwhelm them with talking. Beat them at their own game! Exactly as I have to sift the only interesting information out of a lecture lasting several minutes following a simple question (like “How do I get to…”) I fill them up with important and non-important information at the same time. As if I was keen on using my fragmentary Spanish I don’t tell them only what they want to know (where we come from right now), but also that we are Germans, what we have already seen in the country, where we’ll go now and what we plan to visit in future. I list all cities and sights I can remember even if I stretch the truth a bit. Perhaps I also tell them how beautiful the country is and how friendly the people are. That forces even the toughest officer to his knees. It is to remember to take the sunglasses off to show off blue eyes to their advantage. But at this point the policeman has already given up and lets us pass.

12 km in front of La Esperanza the potholes end because the road ends, and a rough dried mud track blends in. But as long as the low-loading vehicle is behind us (This dirt road would be a reason for an instant dismissal for every North American and European truck driver) and “school busses” or the more common coaster busses drive towards us we don’t have to worry. The CA 5 then is a good road for a change. We quickly reach Lago de Yojoa, the country’s largest lake, which isn’t huge but pretty and good for bird watching. We decide for the only official campground in Honduras I know: Honduyate Marina, camping at the lake shore, 100 HNL for two persons, N 14°51’29.5’’ W 87°57’16.9’’.

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Gracias Lempira, Honduras – Welcome to banana republic

Mittwoch, August 24th, 2011

In the morning the weather is reliably good, and so we really can see El Salvador’s valleys, the volcanoes, and to Guatemala. The descend from El Pital mountain is gigantic: In 9.4 km (less than 6 mi) we descend 1214 m (3649 ft) of elevation. The border crossing El Poy to Honduras is situated only few kilometres north on CA 4. In El Salvador everything goes so fast and free that we nearly regret to leave the country.

Did the Salvadorians amaze us with their efficiency and professionalism, Honduras fulfils nearly all of our expectations regarding a Central American border crossing. Nearly, we have to be fair. No tramitadores appear, border helpers, for whose obtrusiveness Honduras is otherwise famous. The border crossing El Poy is a busy truck crossing, but there are probably not enough lucrative tourists at a distance from Pan Americana. Passport processing is fast. We fill a form that remains in the passport and pay 3 US$ per person, then we head to aduana where the vehicle papers are issued. Here the officers fill in all forms themselves. Contrary to all my expectations this doesn’t accelerate the process. Quite the reverse! Perhaps we aren’t lucky and didn’t catch the brightest officer in the squad. Several dozen times (I missed to count) she shifts the papers from one side to the other and back. In doing so she throws about 50 % of them on the floor, picks them up and drops them again. The immigration paper nearly gets lost, that’s why she takes the plucky decision to staple the receipt to a passport sheet.

My travel guide asserts that Honduran graduates of the minimum six years school master reading, writing, and the tables from one to ten. After ten years of education they can speak some words of English and talk to a normally educated adult. I grant her that she might have overcome the first obstacle – although reading is such a thing. Despite the Salvadorian form in Spanish is with her she has problems to find the correct lines. Unfortunately she doesn’t like to be helped. On the side she must stuff some sweets down for strengthening and maintaining her figure. As everything has to be transferred into the computer it becomes even odder: The country Germany isn’t to be found and our vehicle type doesn’t exist as well.

No sooner the extensive problems are commonly solved than the bank is closed for lunch where we have to pay the fees. Who cares for one and a half hours more waiting time? Actually, the bank is situated on the left and not on the right side as the lady claimed, but we don’t want to be petty. At least I find out that the office wants to have each three (!) copies of all documents and stamps and I ask to receive all papers back to complete that in the meanwhile. After paying 635 Lempira (only cash, only in domestic currency, 100 Lempiras / HNL are around 5 US$) another officer takes over and then the rest is done quickly. After three and a half hours the customs officer wants to peak into the cabin but goes without entering it.

Then we are on the way on the up-and-down-roads typical for Central American highlands. The beggars are back, we didn’t see too many since Mexico. Especially kids like to stretch a rope over the road to stop cars. Honking and continue driving helps. One of several traffic controls stops us, but thanks to “tourist bonus” we just can continue driving. In the city of Gracias Lempira we look for a swimming bath with adjacent small hotel. After short consideration the boss approves us to camp. She leaves it up to us if and how much we pay. We think 100 Lempira to be proportionate (Balneario Villas de Ada, at the bypass of Gracias Lempira, signposted).

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El Pitál, El Salvador – Mountain without view and more helpfulness

Montag, August 22nd, 2011

Suchitoto is located at Lago de Suchitlán known also as Embalse de Cerrón Grande, the country’s largest lake. Although nearly abandoned until the early 90s due to the civil war the city blossomed out in the meantime to the cultural capital and tourists’ favourite spot. The lake is embedded into a lovely green landscape with islands, mountains, and volcanoes. Boat excursions can be booked in a new touristic port with restaurants, pool, and crafts shops. We consider the prices (from 20 $ on for 30 min) to be excessive. Camping would be possible, but the parking lot is very crooked and levelling difficult (Puerto Turistico San Juan, N 13°56’45.6’’ W 89°00’58.9’’).

And again: Policemen asked for the way greet me with a handshake as well as a government official. We get to know that the shortcut to Aguilares is in good condition. And so we escape the heat at 250 m / 750 ft elevation into the mountains. In San Ignacio right before the Honduran border to the north we ask about El Pital, with 2730 m / 8200 ft the country’s highest mountain, just to be on the safe side. Signposting in El Salvador is much better than in Guatemala, even though not always complete. The asked pick-up driver approves everything: The road leads to the mountain, we can go there with Arminius, and camping is possible in Miramundo. Two minutes later the same red pick-up is in front of us – he must have taken a shortcut – and shows us the way to go. In the course of the stretch we turn into a forest road, and of course we discuss: Are we safe? Where does the man lure us to? I consider him as trustworthy but lay out my handy companion-chopper ready just as a precaution.

After 13 km hotel Miramundo comes into sight. The entrance clearance wouldn’t be sufficient, but not much further there is the mentioned campground. The driver says good-bye well-behaved, he just loved to help. What is going on with the Salvadorians? Can this be beaten? The camping is only a tent site on a slope. The parking area on the opposite side also belongs to the hotel Ventana del Cielo and is levelled. We can camp here for 5 $ a night, electricity and water could be organized. Another campground a bit to the back has a limited entrance clearance as well. (N 14°20’30.2’’ W 89°06’54.0’’)

We shall have the best view in the country from here in 2250 m / 6750 ft elevation: Not only nearly the entire El Salvador but Guatemala and its volcanoes Pacaya and Agua can be seen. This is out of the question for the moment, every afternoon clouds and thunderstorms come up, but in the morning it’s mostly clear.

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San Salvador + Suchitoto, El Salvador – Too much help

Sonntag, August 21st, 2011

Friendly, funny, and helpful people everywhere: Three people stand around me at the gas station and give three different advices how to find the small road that leads up to Volcan San Salvador. How to find a common ground or the most likely variation? A young German speaking man visits the German School as he explains. He offers to drive on ahead with his father to show us the way, what we really appreciate.

The entrance fee to the park is 1 $ per person and vehicle. The parking lot is terribly small but somehow we are shifted in. A path along the edge of the crater in 1839 m / 5520 ft elevation offers gigantic views into the huge crater from several view points: It has a diameter of 1.5 km / 1 mi and is 543 m / 1630 ft deep with a smaller crater in the middle. It is possible to climb down into El Boquerón how it is called as well but the abseil down seems to be a case for specialists. It is not allowed to overnight here, and due to clouds there is no view to the capital San Salvador.

With 3 million inhabitants it has many slums. We quickly head further to the east where El Salvador’s biggest and deepest crater lake is situated. Access to Lago de Ilopango is difficult due to many buildings, but one spot is Turicentro Apulo – for 1 $ per person and car, of course. There is also a pool and camping would be possible. But the violent thunderstorm that sets in spoils the view again and so we head on. No problem in a tiny country like El Salvador.

Right before reaching Suchitoto we discover a sign that points to Turicentro Las Americas which we gladly follow. We find another swimming pool, although cloudy. The facility is in private hand and a bit run-down. We may camp of course, for altogether 15 $ a night including use of the pool. I knock down the outrageous price to 6 $, although several of the seven owners have to be consulted first. (Turicentro Las Americas, Suchitoto, N 13°52’20.7’’ W 89°02’14.6’’)

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Colón, El Salvador – Pool instead of Pacific

Samstag, August 20th, 2011

Along the attractive crater lake Lago de Coatépeque we go, then shortly touch the Pan Americana, and further along the mainly paved and well-built roads to La Libertad at the Pacific coast. We thought about some beaching today. Since La Libertad is neither in security questions nor with other matters very exemplary we head west to El Zonte, a famous surfer beach where swimming probably wouldn’t have been possible due to big waves. Anyway, the trees hang too deep at the access road, so we continue to Los Cobanos from where we know that outcropped rocks protect the beach. There is no option to camp in town. A restaurant offers to use their parking lot, but finally we are neither convinced by the dark sand, the rain-brown water, nor the hot parking between walls.

Back to La Libertad we try it to the east at the Costa del Sol. Perhaps we hit the wrong beach, but here everything looks like not only to have seen better days but way better days. There is nothing to overnight here. The later hours doesn’t encourage to further experiments. In Colón close to San Salvador there is a governmental water park. A Salvadorian couple we’ve met on the road has pointed this out. We hope to find accommodation there.

At 6 p.m. on the dot we stand in front of long locked doors. Due to lack of alternative we shout and honk until we have the desired attention. The employee can’t decide on our request, this is a case for El Jefe. Here he comes, in towel and swimwear. As if there is nothing more normal he has the guard open the gate again, apologizes that he has to take 10 $ entrance fee for us and the truck (I relinquish discussions, I am just happy that we may enter) and that he doesn’t wear uniform. He offers to use the pools immediately. We don’t have to be asked twice and we jump into the big refreshing clean pools and get a massage under the artificial waterfall. They even switch on the light for us since it starts to darken. (Turicentro Los Chorros, Colón, N 13° 41’45.7’’ W 89°19’18.0’’)

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Cerro Verde, El Salvador – Two volcanoes and 1300 stairs

Freitag, August 19th, 2011

In El Salvador Spanish is spoken (although many people understand English), the national currency is the US$. The Colón is still valid, but not in circulation any more. The park administration of Cerro Verde of wants 10 $ entrance fee incl. parking for each 24 hours from us. General rule for Central America, especially in El Salvador: haggle! Even in a national park. We stay two nights and one day for 15 instead of 20 $. There is not much we can do on our own. We can walk a few minutes to the old hotel that partially collapsed during an earthquake in 2001. In the still intact former cocktail lounge artesanías and sweets are sold today. The beautiful lookout terrace to Volcán Izalco is also still there. A 45-minutes nature trail to the peak of Cerro Verde and through the orchidarium has to be guided by a ranger – park rules.

The hikes to the other two volcanoes, the Izalco and the Santa Ana are guarded by rangers and armed police. They start at 11 a.m. each day and take four to four and a half hours including rest on the peak. There is 1 $ per person to pay for the guide, for Santa Ana additional 7 $ entrance fee to another park. This volcano blasted its top in 2005, spat after 100 years silence ashes and stones into the air and killed two people, but is accessible again. Nevertheless the hikes don’t always take part. A noisy group of 39 teenagers, teachers, two Japanese and two Canadians want to get to Izalco, so we have no other choice.

Izalco isn’t very easy to climb and has to be put into the category “exhausting” with 8 km / 5 mi ascend and descend. First 1300 stairs have to be gone down through Cerro Verde’s (2030 m / 6000 ft) dense forest to a saddle that connects to the 1910 m / 5730 ft high Izalco. The way up consists of sharp-edged stones and loose volcano sand. During the climb it gets hotter. Not only because the sun burns on the mountain without any vegetation. The rocks become hot, steam escapes from holes. On top it is possible to go down into the shallow crater hole. The view today isn’t very well, but we get a short glimpse of Cerro Verde and Santa Ana with its crater lake that is not accessible. For descending we use rivulets of soft lava sand that bring us half running half sliding quickly down. Then there are “only” 1300 stairs left to be climbed.

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Cerro Verde, El Salvador – Crossing the border to El Salvador

Donnerstag, August 18th, 2011

El Salvador is calling us. Central America’s smallest country is highly populated (7.3 mill) and has one of the world’s highest crime rates. The rebels of the 12 years long cruel civil war from 1980 on are mostly unemployed, but still possess one million illegal weapons that they are willing to use. Why are we here in this country? Is it really so dreadful? We will report.

We spent the last days in Guatemala with Bill and Beatriz to update our website. Today, we are heading to the border crossing Valle Nuevo – Las Chinamas at CA 8. For the first time self-proclaimed border helpers bellow who offer to carry out the formalities for a fee. What seems a bit ridiculous in the face of the simple departure procedure: Take out the vehicle, get a stamp in the passport, and it doesn’t cost anything. There are no helpers on Salvadorian side after the river bridge. Even so we need only an hour to get everything over and done with. It might have been way faster, but I take long to fill the form with all the unfamiliar technical Spanish expressions. The details from the form are superficially verified, but again nobody is interested in our cabin’s content. There is even no drug control. We are sent to the Aduana where the vehicle import paper is stamped and to the Migracion where we our passports are registered. There is no new stamp in the passport; the Guatemalan departure stamp is valid. The residence permit is valid for 90 days, but the vehicle permit only 60 days and may not be exceeded under any circumstances. There is not one Centavo to pay – the first complimentary border crossing.

The Guatemalans were very friendly, but the Salvadorians fall over themselves to be helpful. We are greeted with a handshake not only at the border crossing but by completely strange people on the street whom we ask a question. It seems that they have to welcome personally every single precious tourist.

We arrive a quarter of an hour too late in Cerro Verde National Park. The administration left at 5 p.m., but the gates are left open since there are still visitors. It doesn’t take long and we are crowded around by policemen who watch the park. First they don’t want to let us camp here. There is so more administration and no superior to be asked. Further down on the road there was a campground. But we ask them to consider (puppy dog eyes provided) that the path could be too narrow for our vehicle. One of the visitors asked for help phones another police officer and suddenly we receive the permit to stay. Up here on the volcano Cerro Verde in 2000 m / 6000 ft elevation it is chilly, foggy, and rainy – unlike wide areas of El Salvador. On clear days it shall be possible to see the Pacific Ocean. (National Park Cerro Verde: N 13°49’36.5’’ W 89°37’27.5’’)

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Quiriguá, Guatemala – Stele between banana

Samstag, August 13th, 2011

Quiriguá is another famous Maya place. Not too much because of the few excavated buildings but more because of the highest stone stele in this cultural environment that were ornately sculpted – without metal tools. The Maya knew neither metals nor the wheel.

Yesterday afternoon we started from Tikal via the fully developed CA 13 to the Caribbean coast. There is no wait at Rio Dulce thanks to a bridge. The river flows into the narrow lake Itzabal that pours in the Caribbean Sea close to Livingston. Since we made good progress we continued to Quiriguá at CA 9. Although the gates to the ruins were already closed one hour after opening hours the watchmen are always here. Our wish to visit the archaeological find the next morning and to camp on the secured ground seemed to be very understandable. The gate opened for us, and we didn’t have to pay anything. Just the opposite: The men offered us to use their bathroom and showers. After inspection we relinquish. But it was a nice gesture anyway (N 15°16’25.6’’ W 89°02’31.9’’).

For 80 Quetzals entrance fee we visit the stele today. The rectangular stone monuments show the prevailing ruler on two opposite sides and the date specification of the Mayan calendar on the two other faces. Hieroglyphic texts tell about the relation of the sovereign to the gods and about important historic events. For example like ruler Thunder Sky captured Eighteen Rabbits, the ruler of Copán in today’s Honduras, in the year 738, and sacrificed him the next day. However, another stele in Copán reports on Eighteen Rabbits who heroically fell fighting against Thunder Sky. The truth remains a secret. The largest stele is more than 10 m high and weighs 65 tons. In later years objects of zoomorphism were erected. The three to four metres long stone ashlars were brought into the shape of mystical animals (like a tortoise) and are also covered with symbols and characters that tell stories.

Quiriguá is located in the middle of a small remaining piece of rain forest. For miles around all trees and most animals fell victim to monoculture plantations. Their only task is to satisfy our hunger: our hunger for banana.

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Tikal, Guatemala – About wildlife and pyramids

Freitag, August 12th, 2011

The big mighty Tikal influenced during its long eventful history the entire Maya world. Farmers already settled 600 BC; first buildings date from 200 BC. Tikal’s sovereign Big Paw won an important military victory in the year 292 AD with spear carriers that were used for the first time and dominated the region for the following 180 years as the only Great Power in these days. 300,000 to 500,000 people lived in the kingdom and fostered economical relations up to Teotihuacán in Mexico. A military defeat stagnated Tikal’s progress, but in 682 the empire experienced a renaissance. Most of the buildings that can be seen today date from this time. The last date display belongs to 879. What lead to the decline of the entire Mayan world is shrouded in mystery. In the meantime there are clues that a 200-years dry spell forced the inhabitants of the big cities to the exodus.

Tikal’s appeal today comes from the impressively high pyramids that tower above the primeval forest – some of them can be climbed on wood stairs – and from the numerous partially excavated small and large buildings as well as from the enormous size of the installation. Especially attractive is that the antique city is located in a tropical jungle that hasn’t been cleared. Instead paths were made through the rain forest that connects the building groups and where there is a chance to watch wildlife. Tikal belongs to the UNESCO world cultural heritage and is embedded into a national park that protects the still intact flora and fauna.

The most peculiar plant is the Ceiba tree that was sacred to the Maya. Characteristic for the hardwood is its high stem with the firm branches that split off horizontally just in the treetop and that are carriers for a lot of orchids, bromeliads, moss, and lichen. In the trees and the hanging liana howling and spider monkeys dash along. Light-blue wild turkeys stalk around, a grey fox rushes into the ruins. Little parrots and different toucan species quarrel in the treetops. King vultures hover above everything. Mosquitoes cover an interesting size spectrum and don’t find DEET 30 (the strongest repellent) to much abhorrent.

The archaeological finding is best to visit in the early morning. Then fog covers the area, there are not too many tourists yet and it is not too hot, since a couple of hours are necessary for the visit. There are beautiful views from the high temples over the endless seeming rain forest and the few buildings that tower the treetops. It is well worth to visit the Maya city, even though it is not inexpensive with 150 Quetzals per person. Camping is possible on a grassy field for 50 GTQ pp, and there are bathrooms and cold showers (N 17°13’29.4’’ W 89°36’40.2’’).

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Lanquin, Guatemala – Miracles of nature: River tunnel with spa and bat cave

Mittwoch, August 10th, 2011

The biggest chance for a Quetzal sighting is between 5 and 6 in the morning. That’s what we were told and so our clock rings at 4:30 am. But even the early morning hike doesn’t change our “Quetzallessness”. The bird remains secret. I open my wallet, and look there is a Quetzal.

Via Cobán we head to Lanquin. The road changes on the last 20 km from a curvy mountain road to an unexpectedly narrow gravel road. The following 10 km to Semuc Champey aren’t much worse, only even narrower. There are two concrete strips at especially steep parts. The suspension bridge with somewhat rotten appearing wood planks is sturdier than discernible at a first glance and completely Unimog-suitable.

Semuc Champey is a very special miracle of nature and one of the best ones in the country. The mighty river Rio Cahabón squeezes with enormous speed through a natural limestone bridge, from where it dashes forward 300 m later. A small tributary partially pours down onto the bridge. Crystal-clear water flows in little waterfalls over lush green rocks in turquoise-coloured pools at the right temperature. They receive their colour from calcium carbonate that’s washed out from the limestone. Walking trails, partially wood stairs, lead to the beginning and end of the water tunnel, to the magnificent pools and to a viewpoint above the site. Access costs 10 GTQ per car and 50 per person. For another 50 Quetzals pp, we would be allowed to camp, but we have different plans today.

One mile in front of Lanquin coming from Cobán a sign points to Grutas de Lanquin. Another tributary of Rio Cahabón shoots out of the cave system, which shall be 100 km long. It is possible to swim in the river. Some hundred meters of the cave can be visited. The high stone steps are covered with a soft soap-like layer and can be basically called dangerous. There might be more interesting and better developed caves in the world. The few light bulbs only sparsely illuminate the scenery. But there are huge cavities as well as big stalactites and stalagmites. Actually they aren’t the reason for visiting; it’s the cave-dwelling animals.

Every evening hundreds of thousands of bats fly from the narrow entrance hole to search for food. At around 5 pm the first animals leave the cave, the main stream starts between 6:30 and 7 pm. It is possible to watch the spectacle from outside of the cave, but the guards leave the light on until 7 o’clock today so that we can watch the mass departure from the inside. The bats are real flying artists. Their flight style has nothing to do with the lethargic movements of birds. They zoom past us by a hair’s breadth, piloted by their radar system dead on target. As the guard switches off the light the generator noise dies down as well. Here we get rid of another 10 GTQ for the vehicle and 30 pp. The guards offered us camping without being asked and it doesn’t cost extra.

Grutas de Lanquin: N 15°34’44.8’’ W 89°59’23.8’’
Semuc Champey: N 15°32’11.0’’ W 89°57’16.4’’ (there are two hotels with small parking lots in front of the bridge where camping might be possible)
In Lanquin at the end of town heading to Cahabón camping is possible at El Retiro Lodge, 25 GTQ pp, shuttle service to Semuc Champey available: N 15°34’52.4’’ W 89°58’32.1’’

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