border to Mexico or La Tecnica Bethel?
For the last month and the latter country, we waive our thought patterns and thought to take a shuttle to simplify our lives. As always, a border, we're a bit vulnerable to scams practiced by officials. We read in our guidebooks and on the net more stories on this frontier. First, they say it is difficult, tedious to go through the border The Tecnica. Then they say it is very expensive to go through Bethel independent because they must pay the passage of 40 minutes. It costs about 500 quetzales the boat ($ 60) and one must therefore find other passengers to share the cost and it seems difficult. In addition, customs require taxes illegal 40Q to qualify for our output buffer. That's what we heard. Also, we know that here (in Guatemala, but especially near Flores), it must negotiate with all the buses and this is what annoys us too.
We'll see the shuttles, they ask 265Q (230Q traded) for the flight Flores - Palenque. It was decided at the last moment to stop at Bonampak and San Juan company (the company shuttle) asks us almost the same price and we could not drop below 220Q Flores for the flight - San Javier. We also choice of taking the circuit Flores - Bonampak - Yaxchalan - Palenque to U.S. $ 110. It's too and as our journey is not direct Flores - Palenque (which is the best value for money), so we decide to make the journey by ourselves.
We'll see at the terminal, we'll see Fuente del Norte which tells us very frankly that the price is for 35q pp Flores - Bethel. You can find the price very attractive. With Fuente del Norte, there is a bus at 6:00, 7:00 and 11:00. We'll see for a second opinion. You ask a man who leads us to a travel agency (the terminal is filled with travel agencies). We Offer price 70Q and explains that it is better to go to La Tecnica instead Bethel (that we knew already). So we go out without reservation, despite the insistence of the agency. The man who led us there we made a discreet sign and told us to look away from the agency to come to 5h00am that the price is 30Q pp. What a nice surprise, the one who took us to an agency!
Determined in the morning we leave our hotel around 4:30 for the terminal. We wanted to take a tuk-tuk (for once, they would have encouraged), but none is there. Only a few shuttles roam. So we walk little comfort to the terminal (we advise others to book a tuk-tuk for the day in the morning). We arrive at the terminal just before 5h00am. We are told that there is no bus 5h00am, we must wait for the 6:00. hey surprise 5h05am a collectivo happens. It takes place, we wonder if it is 30Q, the guy said no, it's 50Q. We reply yesterday a guy from Fuente del Norte told us 35q pp. So he said OK to 35q. By cons, for once, we think we paid less than some locals! In fact 35q is likely to Bethel and maybe a little more for La Tecnica.
We therefore share, to La Tecnica, the journey is much longer than we thought. Finally, we come to Bethel. We go down with others for our departure from Guatemala. We read on the net here (like many places) request is received a tip that works. By cons, here as elsewhere, it is better to do with extreme kindness that hides the question that we have that this is illegal (it should not lose face). It gives us our buffer and then he asks us tax 20Q pp. (Cheaper than the shuttles because we heard people who have paid 40Q pp). We made the surprise, "Oh, hey, my embassy told me ... ehhh ... OK (rummaging in our portfolio), but we need a receipt Official "he tells us to wait a little further. It puts the other. When the regulation of passports of others is made, the driver asked us why we stay away. It is said that we await the official receipt. The customs makes us come back and apologizes, he is short of receipts, "it'll go" he says (not that we need to pay!) Everyone keeps face. A lady offers us exchanging our quetzales to 1.40. Others say that we can have a better rate later. We therefore looked at La Tecnica. Changers we offer rate 1.45 (1.45 pesos for 1 quetzal). We do not want to risk it and changes the rest of our quetzales (Luckily, because we do not see any changers on the Mexican side).
We got off the bus right next to the pier. Before going further, we ask a passenger bus on our prices for the crossing, 10Q or 15 pesos. We will immediately see lancha (long boat) which tells us that the price is 25 pesos, or 35 Quetzales. It takes place on the seats. We are told welcome in Guatemala. Is rectified immediately, we do not just happen, but we do expect a lancha a fair price. We see a group that asked the price for them, 10 Quetzales per person meets the owner of lancha. It says it wants Perhaps we do the price to many. Danny goes to see him so that 5 passengers have already taken place. He asked if the price is at 10 quetzales. "No, 25Q," others who are concerned ask again how is the price, he told them not 10Q 25Q, Dany answers instead of the guy: "No, you is 10 Quetzales , 25 Quetzales, is an exclusive price for us, "Danny takes place beside me, we're both frustrated. Guatemalans, whom we talked, find it very strange that despite the group, we can not pay the right price, as we know it. We talk a good time with them. A friend of the owner of lancha asks us who told you the price, he is angry and looking for someone to quibble. Is it the money changer? No, no! this is the kind passengers, so you can not get revenge on anyone!
Crossing The Tecnica is 5 minutes, we can see the other side are the many lanchas in Mexican territory. It luck, a lancha arrives, she carries two passengers on the Mexican side to us. Danny goes to meet him soon and no need to negotiate, the lady is very happy to have two passengers for the return. As soon as the agreement is the first owner of lancha down the stairs to the race (I stayed up, I think that Danny has managed to have a good price). He threatened the woman and her husband and said they have no right to take us to 10 quetzals and we're THOSE customers and if they do not want problems, they must leave us here. The lady apologizes to Danny, she does not want problems. (It's very small village as the Tecnica). We hear the lady replicating (when Dany is later) that she needs money to eat and why it does not take foreigners? Danny is furious and me, too. He does not want to take us to a local price, still passes, but threatening others who are willing to take us, push it too far! There, no question, we do not give him a peso! It explains what happened to our "friends" Guatemalans are very sad for us ... For personal satisfaction, the light we see with his mischievous smile, I take a picture of her that I want to keep a memory of a person as kind. Other Guatemalans died of laughter!
We salute them and tell them that we will look elsewhere. It therefore calls for a lancha, when we said the pier, it explains the reason why we can not go. It is seen from the side of the river a lancha and women who do their laundry next door. We inquired, we are ready to cross, but they know maneuver the boat. They send a young girl looking for someone. We see our villain lanchero the other hand, just cross our "friends" in Guatemala. It comes in our direction. We say: not yet! Nope, it beckons us to come and see, it seems to us the right price, but it just looks and he motioned that we want to know anything about him. Would he pounded himself on his pride, or the others told him he did not make sense? In all cases, one is prouder than him. We regret that a bit our choice, when the youth returns to tell us that the person who can lead us is not there.
Fortune smiles, a man in lancha notice us (we are not very discrete: two white fluorescent rucksack on the edge of the river 300 meters from the dock) and comes in our direction. The price is good right now and we cross finally satisfied!
The amount for which we obstinacy is ridiculously low, but rather on principle. Especially when someone mixes a discussion we have with one another!
We arrived on the Mexican side. Our passports are stamped. The buffer is barely visible, but the guards do not seem to make a second, it's always like that, we they reply. The customs also gives us a paper with an amount, probably the amount we will pay our way out, but for now nothing to pay, by chance because we have few pesos.
We take our first Mexican collectivo. Much Vannetti, comfortable and with as many people! A per seat and no more, we already see a difference with Guatemala. The price seems expensive, but all pay the same price. It's 100 pesos to 30 pesos to Palenque and San Javier (the junction to Bonampak).
That's it, we are in Mexico, the last step for us in this journey.
By Dany Thibault Maryse Guévin and
Voyage Round the World 2006-2010
Photos, videos, and budget travelogue (travel)
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