GrahamC does Central America - Report! Part 2

Central America - 4th-20th November 2011
with Explore.co.uk

Weather: Very hot and humid, mercifully cool in the highlands.

Wildlife seen:
Over 100 bird species, plus reptiles, mammals, insects, flowers etc.
Full list on demand.

Places visited:
Costa Rica, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala.

Highlights:
Costa Rica rainforest and lakes. All the birds. Suchitoto and Leon.

Part 2

The next morning was again check-out time and we again loaded our bags up and boarded the coach. This time we headed for Leon. On the way we stopped off at the Masaya Volcano National Park, one of Nicaragua's most stunning natural highlights. Spectacular sights.

Leon was Nicaragua's former colonial capital, still considered to be the country's intellectual hub. Founded in 1525, Leon was the capital for 200 years. Its old buildings, wrought iron balconies and its massive cathedral, the largest in CA, all added up to an atmosphere that seemed almost to have been trapped in time. And a joy for me as I found an ATM that took Mastercard for the first time! I immediately spent it on bottled water and beer.

It was a free afternoon and most people toured around visiting the cathedral and other churches. Unfortunately, I am a bit of a heathen with the view that if you’ve seen one Latin American church you’ve seen them all. I therefore retired to the hotel bar. Bed early this evening as we will be travelling for virtually the next two days non-stop.

We were up and checked out by 5. As it was the 11th and we were six hours behind we had a minute's solemn silence: 11.11.11.

A long coach journey followed, crossing the border into our third country, Honduras. Slightly painless through the check-point, another border stamp and more, endless immigration forms to fill, we then found ourselves in Tegucigalpa, capital city of Honduras.

Honduras was previously known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras, which became the modern-day state of Belize. Honduras was home to several important indigenous cultures, most notably the Maya. Much of the country was conquered by Spain who introduced its predominant language and many of its customs in the sixteenth century. It became independent in 1821 and has been a republic since the end of Spanish rule. Notable for its production of minerals, tropical fruit, and recently for exportation of clothing for the international market.

But before we got there, we spotted some Roseate Spoonbills, Storks, Egrets and Stilts! A wonderful sight, even getting the non-birders interested. Here I found that my 400mm lens was blurry through the eye-piece yet the photos seemed to be ok. More technical problems. I can only blame the heat and humidity for so many failures.

We had lunch at Tegucigalpa and here I must confess to doing something really stupid. Our TL advised us to leave our valuables, including Passports, cards etc on the coach where the driver would look after them. She hyped the possible problems, like pick-pockets so much that I only took a few notes with me. A friend and I ended up in Pizza Hut, for which we got some stick, but the main problem was that we didn't have enough money to pay for the meal. A quick dash back to the coach by my friend whilst I was held hostage(!) and we ended up being late back to the coach to be met by jeers and cat-calls and slow hand-clapping. Embarrassed wasn't the word.

Moving on, we eventually arrived at our hotel, situated at the glorious alpine landscape of the Valle de Angeles, the Valley of the Angels. Often called the Switzerland of Honduras.

After a long day and a potential long day tomorrow we didn't do too much other than a few beers and an early night.

In the morning we crossed into El Salvador through one of CA's busiest borders. I'll gloss over the border crossing, only to say it took a long time.

El Salvador, 'Republic of The Savior', is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. It borders the Pacific Ocean on the west, and the countries of Guatemala to the north and Honduras to the east. El Salvador was explored and settled by the Spanish in the 16th century and remained a territory of Spain until 1821, when it joined Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua in a union named the Federal Republic of Central America. It is estimated that there are 500 species of birds, 1,000 species of butterflies, 400 species of orchids, 800 species of trees, and 800 species of marine fish.

We finally arrived at Suchitoto around 4 and found that the hotel here was the best one yet. And even better, we were to spend 2 nights here!

Suchitoto is described as a little slice of El Salvador at its timeless best, a charming colonial town of cobblestone streets and pretty houses that lie beside the shores of Lago Suchitlan. A rapidly developing centre for art and culture, Suchitoto is filled with colonial elegance, craft shops and a rich vein of historic and cultural highlights. So what did the three amigos do?

We checked in and then went straight to the bar - 'Tres más cervezas, por favor'. I was getting the hang of this language. The barman was also quite used to the English, feeding us beers before we asked. Top man.

I was told by Lou, our TL, that Hummingbirds and Orioles were regularly seen in the hotel grounds so I was up early next morning to have a look around. Dawn was at 6 and I started to walk around. And I did indeed see an Oriole, a large Lizard, a skein(?) of Egrets fly-past and various Dragonflies. In fact, I saw lots of different species of Dragons everywhere in CA. And lots of amazingly colourful Butterflies.

After brekkers we sailed around on another boat trip, and, although good it wasn't quite as good as Costa Rica. It was also extremely hot again. More sun block and Deet. In the afternoon the others went on a walk around the town but I was keen to stay in the hotel grounds and to try and get some more sightings. I think I made the right decision as I saw a Hummingbird feeding several times by the pool, a lovely Swallowtail butterfly, a lovely blue Dragonfly, various small lizards and, I think, a Pygmy Owl. Then, later on, about a dozen Orioles turned up. Great stuff. I finished off with a quick dip in the pool.

In the evening we had dinner at a restaurant called 'The Harlequin'. Well, I had to pay a visit as a committed supporter of the rugby club. Unfortunately, the steak I chose was as tough as an old rugby boot and was easily the poorest meal of the trip.

Next morning, another check-out, another trip on the coach. I was beginning to get a little fed up with having to live out of a suitcase. Or holdall in my case. Excuse the pun. But I guess that's what a holiday with 'highlights' in the title is all about.

Today was another long journey, this time to Copan. On the way we had to go through 3 (three) border checkpoints. A long journey. Lots of immigration forms, off the coach, on the coach. We eventually got to our hotel in Copan around 5. It was amazing that you could feel so exhausted just sitting in a coach all day compared to walking or birding all day.

After checking into the hotel and dumping the bags we were gagging - 'Tres más cervezas, por favor.' We then met up with the others for another group meal. I think I had Burritos. I think they were very nice. I also think I may have had too much beer.

Copan. A lovely village of adobe buildings very near to the magnificent Mayan ruins. In fact a short 20 minute walk. A UNESCO World Heritage Site there is so much to see and so much information I advise you to Google it for a more in-depth narrative rather than my pathetic efforts.

A local guide took us for a tour around talking at great length about the history and the people. And, I'm afraid; all of it went over my head. Lou and I were more interested in the birds that were flying around. We saw the rare Collared Aracari, a Toucan-like bird. Various Woodpeckers, Oropendolas, various Warblers and Macaws. Great views, just a shame they were here at the ruins. I did manage to take a few photos of some of the ruins though, so I'm not a complete washout.

After lunch, we took a hair-raising trip, by a vehicle called a Tuk-Tuk. A maniacal driver, with a funny look in his eye, took us up a steep incline with no safety barriers, looking down into the valley below, only inches away. It was terrifying. And we loved every minute of it. It was like White-Water Rafting only without the water.

Our destination was a Parrot Sanctuary run by a family whose home was like something that resembled a large wooden hut in the middle of a Rainforest, with lots of wildlife making lots of noise. Lots of wonderful looking, and big, spiders here too.

The evening followed the same pattern as before: Beers, Dinner, Beers, Bed.

The next day was another long travelling day. We went over the border to our fifth, and last, country - Guatemala. We immediately stopped for lunch and I found another ATM that gave out cash! Plus in the same petrol station I found, and you won't believe it, CARROT CAKE!! At last, a civilised country.

Although, having said that, we did drive straight through the capital, Guatemala City, as the crime rate there was thought to be too dire to stop. Instead we drove straight to Santiago Atitlan.

Guatemala's abundance of biologically significant and unique ecosystems contributes to Mesoamerica's designation as a biodiversity hotspot. The former Mayan civilization was a Mesoamerican civilization, which continued throughout the Post-Classic period until the arrival of the Spanish. The Mayans lived in Guatemala, Honduras, Belize, the southern part of Mexico and northern parts of El Salvador. Guatemala has 252 listed wetlands, including 5 lakes, 61 lagoons, 100 rivers, and 4 swamps.

In the morning we took our last boat trip across Lake Atitlan to the town of Panajachel or 'Pana' as it’s known locally. This is an old Spanish settlement and is one of the region's most popular tourist spots, filled with galleries, handicraft shops and cafes. Somehow, the three amigos managed to get lost and only managed to find our way back to the boat by Ian remembering that there was a bar nearby.

Back across the lake again, to our coach. Actually, the lake is an old volcanic caldera, considered to be one of the most spectacular lakes in the Americas and is certainly the deepest in CA. It's encircled by the volcanoes of Toliman, Atitlan and San Pedro and the scenery was breath-taking.

Meeting up with our coach we then headed onto to our final destination, Antigua. Guatemala's capital city, famed for its well-preserved Baroque architecture. We arrived there via a quick stop at the town of Chichicastenango. Steeped in Mayan culture and famed for its market, where you can buy everything from chickens and carpets, to pigs and pottery. I settled for a couple of fridge magnets. And a couple of beers.

We arrived in Antigua around 6.30, where we stayed for two nights. Yes, you guessed it, 'Tres más cervezas, por favor.' Our fifth different beer in five countries.

Antigua was founded in the 16th century and is without doubt one of the most charming cities in the country and certainly one of the most picturesque in CA. Only I didn't see any of it. Montezuma got his revenge! I was laid up for most of the two days we spent there. I only missed the City tour, of churches and museums, and the visit to an extinct volcano.

I drank lots of water and stayed in bed and managed to get rid of the revenge by the time we left Antigua at 1pm for the airport and home.

Our TL, Lou, dropped us off at the airport and we bade our thanks, farewells and tips to her. A truly wonderful guide throughout the tour.

A flight to San Salvador, dis-embark, re-embark, flight to Madrid, had to swap seats 3 more times with people, a seven hour wait in the transit area of Madrid airport due to fog at Heathrow, a long wait in the customs queue, a long wait for our baggage, bade farewell to my co-travellers, swapping email addresses, missed my coach connection, got another and that's where I found myself at midnight in Hatfield. Phew!

A very nice place, Hatfield. But not at midnight after 31 hours of travel with my eye-balls down to my kneecaps. The coach driver eventually finished his cigarette and we continued on to Stansted. An hour later and I found myself delightedly clearing my Mastercard at the airport's ATM. I booked an expensive taxi; the driver asked where had I been? Guatemala? What part of Asia is that?

I finally put the key into my door at 1.30am Monday morning, the 21st. Checked the Flat was ok, dumped the bags and fell straight into bed. Ah! It was good to be home.

And I never want to see another cerveza again.

I hope this report wasn’t too long and too boring. Thanks for reading!

I had a brilliant trip despite all the problems and would definitely visit again, especially to Costa Rica. Recommended.

Best wishes, Graham