Back to the Chaos

It was half-way through the cruising season when we finally returned Mapache to the water and moved back aboard. In February, we filled our luggage with boat parts and adjusted our mental states from the routine of land-life to the unpredictability of boat-life.

Since Rob had to be land-based for his cancer treatment, we spent the better part of eight months living in the United States, following a daily routine, conveniently shopping at well stocked and organized grocery stores, ordering parts delivered to our doorstep, working out at our respective gyms, meeting friends and family for dinners, and sleeping in king-sized beds. It felt luxurious. But now we are back to our home, Mapache 2.0, necessarily taking each day as it comes with surprise boat projects, adventures to markets, beach workouts, cramped berths (sleeping areas), and new and old members of our boating family. Even splashing Mapache and moving her to her marina slip was an ordeal, as we discovered our batteries had died and we required an emergency tow.

The In Between

We had originally planned to stay on the boat in Tapachula, Chiapas, Mexico, from August through the start of cruising season (November), using the marina as a homebase to explore southern Mexico and Guatemala. But cancer treatment disrupted that plan. Still, in December, in between our stateside stay and our full return to the boat, we found some time and some travel points to spare. So, we flew from the states back to the boat, ensured she was doing well, and headed to some of those missed places.

Earth is Still Alive!

From the boat, we hitched a ride to the Guatemala border, walked across, and then hopped in an acquaintance’s car to travel to Antigua, Guatemala. We loved that town with all its perfect cups of coffee, international cuisine, colorful houses, ancient architecture, and volcano views.

The town is surrounded by volcanos, one of which erupts five times per hour, exhaling magical puffs that signal that Earth is still alive. We wandered Antigua’s streets, explored an impressive farm and plant nursery, learned about the indigenous textiles that are prominent throughout Guatemala and southern Mexico, visited a 1500s monastery turned museum, ate all of the Guatemalan caldos (stews, including pepián, kak’ik, and jocón), and consumed a lot of local coffee. But the best part was spending a night camping on the side of Volcán Acetenango. At 12,300 feet, we had a view, right outside of our tent door, of the neighboring and active volcano, Volcán Fuego. At 3:30 a.m., Sarah and our guide summitted the 13,045-foot Acetenango to watch Fuego’s pre-dawn show along with the sunrise.

Jump in a Lake

A few days later, we departed Antigua on a shuttle, which took us to Lake Atitlan, Guatemala. It is a caldera lake (formed from a collapsed volcano) and is directly surrounded by three other volcanos, with views of Acetenango and Fuego in the distance. Several communities line the six-mile-wide-lake’s shore, which are accessed by a system of water taxis. Most of the towns do not have road access at all, and their streets are too small to support regular-sized vehicles. So tuk-tuks zip up and down the steep hills, from the lakefront to shops and homes.

We stayed in one of the smaller towns, in a cabana with a private hot tub and a direct view of the lake. We ate the traditional Guatemalan breakfast of fried plantains, eggs, black beans, and toast on our patio every morning. We hiked our days away, Sarah jumped in the lake, and we lazily explored some of the lakeside towns, winding through mazes of small alleys to find lunches and more coffee. We scheduled dinners to ensure the little family-run restaurants remained open for us. At night, we watched the shimmering lake and listened to the birds. Lake Atitlan was the relaxing stop of our trip, something to which we are not accustomed.

The Big City

After Atitlan, we jumped on another shuttle and ventured to the big city. Guatemala City is bursting with history, street art, live music, and an earned rebellious attitude. Guatemala is no stranger to rebellion, and its capital city is its epicenter. We learned about the many coups and military leaders. The national library’s famous architecture includes a military president with a female breast as part of the architect’s jest that, through putting up with so much political violence and military presidents, Guatemalans deserve a “pretty woman in charge.” The people seem to embrace the rebellious spirit with barbers cutting hair on the sidewalks, goats being herded through traffic, and a prevailing love of rock and roll, skateboarding and street art. Even their international airport could not escape the regular exercise of free thought and speech with stickers, promoting everything from hiking guides to progressive movements, covering their airport security partitions.

Viva Chiapas!

We next flew back to Chiapas, Mexico, the southernmost state of Mexico, which used to be part of Guatemala. Its mountainous jungle terrain does feel much like Guatemala, and the culture, food, and textiles are closely related. We spent time in San Cristóbal de Las Casas, the former capital of Chiapas state and another seat of rebellion—most notably, the Zapatista movement. The beautiful pueblo-turned-city boasts cobblestone streets, 32 churches, and markets and street fairs offering traditionally woven wears, local amber, live music, fresh fruit and vegetables, and prepared traditional food. But we were most taken by the city’s young and proactive spirit. On our walking tour, we learned about the campaigns for the rights of indigenous people, women, and the environment, all of which is plainly reflected in the city’s impressive street art.

Finally, we traveled by bus to Palenque, known for its Mayan archeological site. We stayed at a resort in the jungle outside of the city, where we watched howler monkeys commune in the giant trees and agouti cautiously bury their foraged food. We celebrated the new year with a mediocre dinner and an epic dance party. We spent a day exploring the Mayan ruins, and we hiked through the jungle to swim in cyan-blue waterfalls. We ended our December land-travels with a rejuvenated wanderlust.

Back to the Boat

Next up is our return to exploration by boat. In March, after four years of cruising, we finally checked out of Mexico and set sail for the third country of our cruising careers. It’s time to add another component to the chaos—country hopping.

Mapache 2.0 went back in the water, but without working batteries, requiring this emergency tow to her marina slip.

Mapache 2.0, safe and sound in her slip at Marina Chiapas

We returned to Tapachula, in Chiapas, Mexico, in early December. Christmas celebrations were already in full swing. This was a parade, featuring student dance and music performances, in the neighboring town of Puerto Madero, where we rented a room while finishing some boat projects.

A scene from Puerto Madero, a small town near the Chiapas Marina–Notice the duck crossing in front of the taxi, which is a motorcycle frame welded to a two-wheel cart to carry people and supplies. These taxis are prevalent in the town.

After being dropped off on the Mexican side of the border, we walked across, checked in with immigration, and searched for our ride on the Guatemalan side.

We arrived in Antigua. This is one of the town’s famous landmarks–Arco de Santa Catalina. It was originally built in 1693 to allow nuns to cross from the convent to a school without entering the street. Behind the clouds sits Volcán de Agua, one of the three volcanos that surround Antigua.

The Santo Domingo Convent was built in Antigua in 1538. In 1773, it was destroyed by an earthquake. Today, partially restored, it is a museum and hotel.

A traditional candle-making workshop operates out of the Santo Domingo convent. The candles are used in ceremonies in the convent’s historic church and throughout the hotel.

The streets of Antigua are cobbled and colorful, made more impressive by the regular eruptions of Volcán Fuego (she erupts five times every hour).

The center plaza of Antigua is a popular spot for afternoon breaks, families at play, and evening concerts and festivities.

Perros are comfortable here, often found taking naps on the road edges.

Perhaps the perros know that they are well watched after. Sign says: “cuidado con los perros.”

Indigenous Guatemalans carry on their weaving traditions. We learned about the history of those traditional textiles and their importance, then and now, to Guatemalan communities.

A market in Antigua–We appreciated that the guard took some time to pet the shop cat.

Shop cat in Nim Po’t market

Coffee and a volcano view (picture here is Volcán de Agua)

Inviting rooftops are a common theme of Antigua. Here we are at another rooftop coffee shop.

Iglesia de la Merced is an intricately decorated church set inside one of many small parks throughout Antigua that offer shade and food vendors.

Iglesia de la Merced

In addition to some excellent international cuisine, we enjoyed some of the traditional Guatemalan caldos in Antigua. Pictured here is kak’ik, served with rice, avocado, and tortillas, as well as a cucumber-chia aqua to drink.

The food was a focus in Antigua. Even the ice cream stores offered interesting and diverse flavors.

We visited a local farm, Coaba Farms, which was inside the city limits.

The Coaba Farms property was impressive with bee colonies, greenhouses, a plant nursery, a butterfly sanctuary, ducks, chickens, and lots of fruit and vegetables.

We ate a farm-to-table meal at the Coaba Farms on-site restaurant.

We were introduced to some new flowers, like this one that we think looks like a jellyfish.

…and this plant, which is called jade vine.

We loved the feeling of freedom–in all senses–that Antigua exuded.

Our trip to and from basecamp, 12,300 feet up Volcán Acetenango, involved this four-wheel drive truck. The route was very steep. Here we are, loading the truck to return down the volcano.

This was our view of neighboring Volcán Fuego from our tent door at the Acetenango basecamp.

Sarah, our guide (through Trek Guatemala), and one of the mountain dogs hiked from basecamp to Volcán Acetenango’s 13,045-foot summit pre-dawn. This PVC pipe is the summit marker.

It was worth the early (and cold) trek to see Volcán Fuego’s fiery show in the dark.

The sunrise was also spectacular at that altitude.

A view of other climbers from across Volcán Acetenango’s crater top in the morning light

View from the trail on Volcán Acetenango

Volcán Fuego in action

Christmas was also alive and well in Antigua with posadas, which involve people reenacting the biblical story of Mary and Joseph seeking shelter for the birth of their son, Jesus. Posadas involve a procession of friends and family carrying a statue of Jesus, playing music, and knocking on various doors until they arrive at their destination, where they party.

This is the main port of Lake Atitlan, located in the town of Panajachel. Water taxis wait to take people and goods to the various lakeside towns.

Taking an Atitlan water taxi to our cabana in the town of Santa Cruz la Laguna

A view across the lake to one of the three volcanos directly surrounding Lake Atitlan, which itself used to be a volcano.

The property where we stayed in Lake Atitlan is named for its Ceiba tree, which is known in the region as the sacred tree.

View of Lake Atitlan from the waterfront of The Sacred Tree Resort

Tuk Tuks waiting to take people from the water taxis, up the hill, to the main part of town

We enjoyed some more Guatemalan caldos (here, pepián) at the school CECAP (Centro de Capacitacion). The school is a nonprofit that trains residents of Lake Atitlan in various trades, such as culinary, sewing, and computers. The school earns money through private donations and from its restaurant and craft store, both of which are run by the students.

The streets of the lakeside towns were very narrow. We enjoyed winding our way through them, stumbling across coffee shops, lunch cafes, and friendly dogs.

Lake Atitlan is lined with hiking trails.

When you get hot on your hike, you can jump in the lake!

Guatemala City’s national library, decorated by the architect, Efraín Recinós.

Guatemala City: goats herded through traffic

Guatemala City: haircuts on the sidewalks

Guatemala City: skateboarding inside vintage clothing shops

Guatemala City: art on the streets

Guatemala City: music in the bars

Guatemala City: free speech at the airport

San Cristóbal de Las Casas (San Cris for short)

San Cristóbal de Las Casas is flanked by two hills, each with its own church.

The other hilltop church

San Cris has 32 churches. This one sits in the center of town just off of the main zócalo. It was also the meeting spot for our Walking Tour, which is how we gained most of our knowledge about the city.

Discovering the neighborhoods of San Cris–our favorite was the Carrillo neighborhood

Delivery trucks at the main market in San Cris

All of the San Cris market’s food was displayed in tower formations.

We spent Christmas in San Cris. These are traditional posada piñatas, decorating the main zócalo’s gazebo

Part of the San Cris Christmas Celebration

We were taken by the street art in San Cris

Two of the more famous artists, Teraz and Carlos Cea, always place their pieces side-by-side.

Another artist, Dekadenz, is known for these lucha pieces, placed around the Carrillo neighborhood.

Some of the street art brings attention to women’s rights.

Other pieces focus attention on indigenous people’s rights.

Art also brings light to the corporation that is taking the community’s water by draining the nearby Huitepec volcano basin, bottling the water into plastic bottles, and selling it back to the people, who are now suffering water shortages.

The corn as spears is particularly appropriate, because corn is an integral part of life and culture in Mexico and its indigenous communities.

This piece reads, “History demands good hearts in struggle.”

The immense Palenque Mayan archeological site (Rob is sitting in the center at the grass level for perspective)

Archaeologists believe, from LiDAR and satellite imaging, that some 1,500 Mayan buildings lie within a 16-mile area that is the Palenque site. Only 50 of those buildings have been excavated.

One of the more famous buildings in the Palenque archeology site is the Temple of the Red Queen. It holds a tomb of a noblewoman that was filled with red powder. The red powder is poison–a trap for any grave robber.