In the morning of the next day we went to the bus station. The driver of the van of the hotel told us about having grandparents who partly came from Germany in the end of the 19th century stating that Guatemala has quite a number of people with German ancestors. When we came to the busstop, the bus to Antigua was already leaving. It was an old US schoolbus, so I had no space at all, but the 1 and half hour ride only costed 5 Q (in the private bus it would have costed 8 US$. When we got in, the bus was full, but on its way it became more and more crowded with people. I was really stunned that 3 -4 people could sit on a bench for two children and many people were still standing in the middle.

In Antigua we took a nice hotel near the bus station for 108 Q because we did not want to carry our baggadge for a long time. Already on the first sight, the city was very beautifull with many many churches, old houses etc.

After we heard that we could not go to Chichicastenango (an old Maya village with a colorfull Indian market) in the afternoon, we made a tour to the nearby vulcano Pacuya. Almost all participants of the tour were Europeans (except for Rocio). We met Magaret from teh Netherlands, who had just made her degree in law and wanted to live and travel through Guatemala for two month. She also had a "partnership" for a little boy in a village in Guatemala, for whose living expenses and education she paid 50$ per month and whom she would go to visit afterwards - I think this was a really interesting model of supporting people in third world countries.

During the ride, the engine of the bus died two times, but the driver could always restart it after a few minutes. At 3 pm, we finally arrives after two hours. Two policemen took part in the tour with us for some time, but then sat down on a bench wasiting for us coming back in the evening. This was the so called security, because some groups had been robbed while walking to the vulcano, but I really don�t know if the two would have saved us from anything.

The distance to the cratar was only 3500 m, but on this way we had to overcome a difference in height of more than 800 m. The first two hours we went on a path through a beautifull landscape with trees and old rocks. The ultimate 30 minutes (for the last 500 m), we had to go through a vulcano rock, actually we did not walk, but we rather crawled uphill on the dirty dark lava rocks. This was really a survival game for all of us.

When we finally reached the crater, we could not see anything of the interior of the vulcano, because there was so much gas coming out. We could only beath through a tissue and my lungs just felt as if I would have smoked five packs of cigarretts that day (as me being a radical non-smoker). Because of the gases as well as the tropical night coming very fast around 6 pm, we had to go back. Going downhill, we could skate as if we were using skiers on the lava stones. Afterwards, it got dark very soon and one could not see anythin, if there were not some people who brought flashlights, still many people stumbled over stones liing around.

When we finlly sat in the bus driving back to Antigua, we was just as "kaputt" as if somebody had unplugged my electrisity :-). I waws only happy not having to walk anymore. The radio played some independant music I loved and I did not even notice, when the bus broke down the next time. I just fell into the bed afterwards.

Though we had been extremely tired, we woke up by the noise of the trucks which pased the St. Santa Lucia. We managed to sleep for a while, but at 7:30 we went into the city for searching a travel agency to buy a ticket to the airport the other day. The agency did not only sell us teh tour to the airport, but a tour for the same day to the Lake Atitlan. Though the tour to Panajachel (Gringotenango) should have started at 8 am, we bought the ticket at 8:40 and took advantage of being late in Latin countries.
The ride was more or less 3 hours first on the Pan- or Interamericana (which is going from California through Mexico and Central America to Columbia), which is one of the best roads going through the mountains in Guatemala. The driver of the minivan - as most driver outside the cities - was really crazy trying to pass everybody. Once, we were even driving on the grass part at the right side of the road with other trucks trying to pass as well - just crazy.
The first view of the lake was just incredable. We made a little stop at a point where we could see the lake. WOW! Aldous Huxley said that this lake was "the most beautifull of the world" and I think he was quite right!! Behind the lake Atitl�n, there were three volcanos: Atitl�n, Fuego and... The lake seemed to be surrounded by tranquility and some kind of mistery showin a fantastic blue color, though it is used for waste by the people living around.
Arriving at Panajachel at 11:30, we were asked by lots of people to take a boat trip: "Lancha, se�or/se�orita?" We took the public boat to Santiago Atitlan for 20 Q (going and returning per person) instead of 200 Q, we would have payed for taking a private boat.
In Santiago de Atitlan, the whole population was Maya. We were approached by many vendors, but we took a Maya guide wo offered to show us around for 10 Q each. His name was Miguel and he was an indigena peasant who discovered that the tourist business was more profitable for him with less effort. Because his Spanish was quite limited (he only spoke the local Maya language), he did not speak very much, but he answered every question we had as good as he could. There was only the main street built with stones in the village, all the other streets were just mud. In the principal street, many artisants sold indigena masks and cloths. I really felt as being back to the pre-Columbus time with only Maya surrounding us (with the exception of European tourists of course).
Our fist visit was the house of Maximon, a Maya god to whom sacrifices like money, candles and alcohol were offered. Maximon was depected in a wooden statue with hat, sunglasses!, and a pipe in his mounth. He is said the be a mixture of ancient gods, the conquistador Pedro de Alvarado and the biblical Judas. In front of him, there was a big bole into which the people put the sacrifices(we had to put 5 Q as our sacrifise). The whole room smelled from wheirauch and we also could see a statue of Christ in one niche. Beind a huge colored glass, one could hear the artificial singing of birds and other strange noises. People were coming in, doing their sacrifises and praying for succees in business and love.
Afterwards we visited the main church of St. Juan and St. Pelipe. In the church there were many statues of Jesus and the two saints of the town, to whom the people are praying. The catholic church actually accepts the believe of the people in Maximon! But the church is special in the Santiago de Atitlan, because the bishop from 1963 to 1981 had been Stan Roger, a priest from Oklahoma, who tried to help the indigenas very much. Therefore, a right extremist death squard killed him in 1981 in the church itself.
Most streets of town were just mud and the houses were actually smalls hut without any electrisity and water, as it seemed. The only cars were a few pickups which barely fit into the streets. We then went into the shops of some artisants where we could find beautifull accesories increadibly cheap, but the price was still negociable. Please do me one big favor and DO NOT BARGAIN TO MUCH! The people really need the money to survive. We bought two masks (bird and jaguar) for only 40 Q. In Antigua, one would have to pay 220 Q for it!
A bit of history: Santiago was the first village of Guatemala who forced police and army to leave. This happened after a massacer on December 2, 1990, in which 13 people inclusive children were killed by drunken soldiers. The new priest, successor of Stanly, called international news agencies and the tourists bein there, and made a speech on the main place. Afterwards the army had to leave. About these topics, you can read more about the history and the regions in the civil war in Guatemala in "Unfinisched Conquest - the Guatemalan Tragedy" of Victor Perera.
Back in Panajachel, I went swimming in the lake Atitlan, b ut it was no fun due to the alges. We eat in a small restaurant right at the lake, which was run by an old lady and her grandson. Though we first thought it was not clean enough, but the people were so increadibly nice. Well, they gave us a lot of tortillas with avocado, rice and beans. The tortillas differed from those in Mexico, they were smaller and thicker.
On the way back, a German couple was with us. The men was a retired aerospace engineer from DASA (Daimler-Chrysler Aero Space) with whom I talked about satelite technology on the way. Their daugter worked at a volunteers camp in El Salvador and they were travelling through Mexico and Guatemala for meeting her.

In the morning, we were told to be picked up at 4 am for taking the plane at 6:40. Though the minibus picked us up at 5 am(!), everything worked out and we flew to St. Elena in the region of El Peten in Northern Guatemala.
We took a double in the hotel "La Posada" in Flores for 70 Q (Flores is an island in the lake Peten Itza with a bridge leading to St. Elena). To us it seemed better than the other hotels in the street, but later we found out that there was a better hotel "Mirador del Lago" at the other end of the island (on the small island just 300 m away), because it is located at the lake and one can go swimming since it is not much polluted. Flores is a very beautifull(!) island with this special mediteranian feeling, though there are only very few tourists because the infrastructur is just developing (you can only get there flying or driving through the jungle). I really have to say that it would be one of the places I would like to live for a longer time. There are many very nice travel agencies in town, so you can make Flores as a base from where to go to other sites in Northern Guatemala and even cross the border to Mexico for visiting Palenque or Yaxchilan.
At 9 am, we took a minivan for going to Tikal (80 km away from Flores) for 40 Q per person with return. The tickets for geting into the site were 50 Q per person. Because there were not yet many tourists, it was nice not being bothered by vendors all the time. Tikal is located in the middle of the rain forest El Peten, making the visit increadible not only for being one of the best Maya sites, but also because of walking through the jungle most of the time.
Entering Tikal, we first saw a huge Ceibal - the national tree of Guatemala. We followed the path to the right and found two twin pyramids. On the paths through the jungle one can meet many moskitos (take oyu anti-moskito spray with you), spiders and apes.
You have a wonderfull view over the whole site as well as over the green roof of the jungle if you climb up the Temple IV which is the highest ancient building in Mesoamerica. For climbing upo and down comfortable, wooden stairs have been introduces during the last years. Many travel guides said that in the past one could stay overnight on the top of temple IV for watching the sunrise between 5 and 6 am. But I heard that it has become very hard to bribe the guards by now, so it might be not possible.
From the "Mundo Perdido" (lost world), one has a nice view to the Temple I and II. The temple I (Temple of the Jaguar)is said to be the symbol of Tikal. It lies next to the Gran Plaza and Temple II at the Acr�polis Norte. The temple with the depicted Jaguar lies at the hight of 44 m. It is recommanded to view the sunset shortly after 6 pm at the Temple I or II. But this is only possible if you have a flash light and your own transportation, because it gets dark extremely rapidly and the last minibuses are leaving at 6 pm sharp (one should rather take the secure option and take the one at 5 pm)! So unfortunately, we could not see the sunset.
The last big temple is the Tempel VI (Tempel of Inscriptions). It is worthwile visiting, though you should take care, because it is said that many visitors are robbed near this remote temple. We met a policeman on the way telling us that everything was ok.
General tip: Bring sandwiches and lots of water, because there are almost no vendors inside Tikal and you will definately need 6 to 8 house for visiting (we could not see everything during this time)!

in the morning, we started at 8 am and took a minibus on a partly just finished, partly sand road to Sayaxche 60 km south of Flores. (BTW: If you take the turn at El Subin on this road to the town Bethel, you can get from there by boat through the river Usumacinta to Yaxchilan or Palenque in Mexico.)
From Sayaxche, we took a motorboat on the Rio de la Pasion to the East. After 45 minutes on boat, we arrived at El Ceibal. From this point (where they do have one information stand, though there is absolutely nobody around except for spiders and other animals), you need to walk for 25 minutes through the jungle to reach the archological site.
Ceibal is worth a visit, since you don't have to pay for entering the site, but only 5 USD per person for transportation in minivan and boat. At the archeological site, you should take a guide (give him 20 Q in the end as a tip and he will be happy). All the different stallae are put on the main site now for restauration work, and there is almost nothing described in the travel guides. Unfortunately, our guide was quite new and could therefore only give us few background information about the different buildings and sculptures.
The great thing about the site were the wild beasts, we could hear but not see outside in the jungle. Our guide told us that there were many shouting apes (Br�llaffen), but also some real Juguars are left. In the end of the zone discovered yet of El Ceibal, there was a huge observatory surrounded by the jungle - to me it was the most interesting building of Ceibal.
In the afternoon, we rented a boat at the hotel Peten in Flores (20Q per hour). You can rent different kind of boats for a very good price, go swimming in the lake and have some drinks on the "beach" without being a guest of the hotel (a double is 25 USD per night). A nice Moza (Guatemaltecan dark beer) just costs 10 Q per glass. BTW: Gallo - the light beer from Guatemala - is very good as well.
The travel agency next to the hotel Peten is recommanded as well. The family is really trying their best to organize tours for you and they are exrtemely nice! Plus!: They charge you (your credit card) not before they found a subcontractor to take you and does pick you up at your hotel. We eat dinner at the restaurant El Rodeo at St. Elena. It is situated just behind the bridge when you are walking from Flores (it just takes 5 to 10 minutes). You get their delicious huge shrimps for 60 Q, but you should also have some time, because the servicew is quite slow.

Next morning, we flew from St. Elena back to Guatemala City. The plane was tiny with just 14(!) seats, the captain was just sitting up front and we had an absolutely marvellous view over the region of El Petin and the way to Guatemala City.
From the airport, we took a taxi to the bus terminal. Rocio was able to negociate the price of the taxi down to 30 Q what actually made the driver quite mad at us (at the airport the prices you will get at first are between 50 and 60 Q, it is ok if you get them down to 40!!)
The bustrip with Rutas Orientales to Chiquimula was 20 Q per person!! you should rather take a Guerrero bus, the busses are newer for the same price. At Chicimila there are buses leaving until 4.30 pm to the border of Honduras at El Florido (9 Q per person). you should neither take a taxi for 60 Q nor stay in Chiquimila over night (since there is almost nothing to see in Chiqui).
The road from Chiquimula to the border of Honduras has been done during the last years, because the trip is only taking 1 hour and half, not 2.5 hours anymore.
Never the less, you should not arrive too late, becauser the border closes officiallyat 6 pm at we were at the border at 6.15. The guard told me that he would have had let me pass, but he demanded a visum from Rocio. He was very strict and told us that we should come back the next morning when his boss was there and his boss would always find a solution (which depended on the amout of USD we offered him, of course).
When coming back to the Guatemala site of the border, the Guatemalian guard was very nice and told us that we could leave some stuff there untill the morning (of course, I took all the valuable stuff with me) and where we could find a pension in the next village. So we had to go back almost 2 km through the darkness of the rural part of Guatemala, but a boy lead us to a family where we could stay overnight for 40 Q. But there was no running water for handwaching (we had to take rainwater out of a box) and in the shower was greating us a frog.

We went to the border already at 7.30 am, Rocio paid 10 USD 'other taxes' for her missing visa and we could continue traveling to Copan. The 12 km to Copan, we took a Toyota pick up for 30 Lempiras. when changing money, you should get at least 1.9 Lempiras for one Quetzal - exchange rate March 2001. Usually, you should not pay more, though the drivers will try to take a lot more money from you.
A boy called Miguel helped us with changing money and getting the right price for the pick-ups. His goal was - of course - to sell us an expensive horseback ride in the surroundings of Copan. though he carged 100% more than his competors (20 USD instead of 10 USD), I still do recommand Miguel, because he is responsible for example, we had good horses, but we saw tourists of another group who really had bad horses.
there were other really interesting things about this person: he had a naturally money making talent (always trying to sell us something in a nice way), on the other hand, he was a typical Latin American macho (who - of course - had to tell us all his million women stories, which were all but true, I suppose). He was an illiterate person (he never told us, but once we had to write down our names and smth., he directly handed the pencil over to us) and he also told us that he left school with 10 years, because his teacher used to beat him. Now, he proudly told us that he as doing much more money than his teacher by guiding tourists around on horses.

We started at 7 am for being early enough at the border to Guatemala. The transport to the border was a Toyota pickup driving on the sandy beaten track. At the border, we met two girls from Poland and Mexico, who were travelling through Central America as well. After changing buses two times, we finally asrrived in Antigua at 3 pm.
We visited the ruins of the church La Recolleccion (the church had not been rebuilt after the earthquake of 1773 when it was destroyed). We took a nice room in Casa St. Lucia for 80 Q. The window of the room was directed to the garden; thus, we did not have the noise of the street. All together, it was much better and cheaper than the first room we had.
In the early evening, we had dinner in the Cafe Condesa next to the central parque. This restaurant is my personal favorit because it has great soups and salads for adequate prices. Its interior yard added to the scenary. Finally, a book store was located in the entrance with an abundance of books about Guatemala, Latin America and the Mayan culture. Therefore, you should definetly visit this cafe.
I was not very impressed by the cathedral de Santiago which is located at the central parque. The only interesting part was the part in the back (can be visited from another street), which was destroyed by the earthquake in 1773. It contains many tombs (entrance fee 3 Q).
On the other hand, I really like the church La Merced located on the opther part of town. The church had been founded by the order of the Mercedians. The cloister is especially interesting, which yard (patio) is almost totally taken up by a barock fountain (fuente de pescados). Entrance fee is 2 Q.
We went shopping some ornament and took the bus to Guatemala City in the early afternoon. In the bus, we met an American who was travelling through central America from Guatemala to Nicaragua for 6 month. We had a nice talk about Central America, but then Rocio and I had to get out for oging to the airport.
When you are leaving Guatemala, don't forget to have at least still 18 USD in cash witr you per person because this is the amount of the exit fee.