Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Does Justin Bieber Go To Church In Ga

Semuc Champey, Guatemala, transport, around the world

Semuc Champey Semuc Champey Semuc Champey

Monday, April 26, 2010 Semuc Champey

We relax this morning and depart from Coban early in the afternoon to Lanquin. We manage to have the true price for collectivo or 20Q pp, but with difficulty. Once Lanquin, it is tied up by two touts offering us free transportation for Semuc if we sleep at Las Marias and El Portal. It expects to save by staying in the village and we begin our tour for rooms. Prices are inflated for the quality of the rooms. We even see a hotel that we demand 60Q while on the poster INGUAT it is recorded that the maximum price is pp 10Q!

Video Semuc Champey


Here in Guatemala, INGUAT introduced several years ago a system of maximum price for the rooms. This certificate must be displayed in view of customers and they are often (in hotels less touristy) displayed in each room. It helps to get an idea on the value of the rooms. By cons in youth hostels and other popular tourist hotels, its signs are often absent.

Semuc Champey

We're a little discouraged and we decided to go again and watch the reel offerings. As he sees that we hesitate, we offer a discount, he just learned that there were discounts today! So we can have location and mattress in an attic dormitory-20Q pp including transportation. The offer seems OK, at least it saves on transportation, we thought, was at 10Q pp (in fact the true price is 5Q pp but very hard to get).

Our Photos Semuc Champey
Click on photo to view other

For prices: Las Marias
including transportation to go 9km (neighbor Semuc Champey)
Dorm mattresses 20Q pp.
Dormitory hard 35q.
Private Room 150Q! At
Lanquin, nothing less than 50Q for two, but one with 50Q was complete.

We arrive and find lots of tourists! Ah, this is where everyone was hiding! We ask the guy if there are mosquitoes and if we put our net (for there are no walls). The guy says, no mosquitoes around here so it is not necessary. Dany installs the mattress and found a scorpion that was not nice at all happy about being bothered during his nap. My question was too specific, there are no mosquitoes, scorpions just ... So we decided to install the net. There is a small sign that says we can not bring our food. Sure, they make a profit on the dinner sold. Well, we will be discreet with our grain.

Semuc Champey

It is really hot and we appreciate that there no walls and the few breezes move freely during the night. The next day, very early, we go to the site Semuc Champey, after we paid the entrance fees of pp. 50Q (expensive anyway). We go to the viewpoint, there are some wooden steps and platform. Still, it's soaked with sweat, we arrive at the top. Heat and moisture are present. We let the fog to dissipate before returning. Despite the beautiful clear water and the attractive basins, we do not bathe. Instead, we return to Las Marias to remake our bags, nothing convinces us to stay longer. It's beautiful and more stay a few days to visit the caves and do some dives in the river, but that does not attract us.

We take a transport to return to Lanquin, we pay, 10Q pp 15Qpp when he wanted and that the real price is 5Q pp.

Then we wait a bit for transport Coban. No need to argue with the driver for the price, it will 20Q pp. The driver was very nice and we made room in the front. He advises us to take collectivo for Flores, as the shuttles are very expensive (it is already known).

arrived in Coban, you can enjoy the freshness that is compared to Semuc. Let's make, because it will be hot in Flores also ...

It takes the bag left at La Paz and again pass a night in Coban.

By Dany Thibault Maryse Guévin and
Travel Backpack Around the World 2006-2010
Photos, videos, and budget travelogue (travel)
.

Saturday, May 8, 2010

What Is Conducive Cough

ranchitos del Quetzal biotopo, purulha, guatemala, world tour, transportation

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Wednesday, April 21, 2010 ranchitos del Quetzal

We take the 7:00 bus to Coban ranchitos del Quetzal. We know that the rooms are quite expensive, but this is the place where they are most likely to see the Quetzal and more, without great effort. We read a lot on the internet on the topic and two bloggers have confirmed it was a good place to see. We therefore arrive around 8:00 and we see two people taking photos. We enter, we are shown the two females in a tree at the entrance of ranchitos. They are a bit far. After having watched a few moments, the couple asked us if we will get a room ... Hey! Yes! It is the owners who tried to take a picture of quetzals. We find very nice to see two quetzals after our arrival, but found it strange that the owners take photos and videos (with a small device) while the birds are far away. We hope to see more closely.

The rooms are quite expensive, or 120Q to 150Q for two, with private bathroom with cold water. For cons, the room rate may be calculated differently: the entry biotopo is 40 to Q (for foreigners) per person if you rent a room at ranchitos, no need to go biotopo and gain entry. We can also do only go to ranchitos room without taking in this case, it is stated 20Q. There is the restaurant service, food looks very good, but we brought our own food. By cons, in no way a part of the day, chances are much diminished. In the evening we are joined by a group of 16 Italians, no quetzals for them and for us, nor the evening of their arrival or the next morning.


Video Ranchito



Thursday, April 22, 2010

The next morning, the Italians are leaving without seeing the Quetzal, the same thing for a Quebec family come have breakfast. The quetzal, we hear them, but they are hiding this morning too. We decided to stay another night, the first two quetzals our arrival we did not fill.

What is long is that the quetzal is shown especially in the morning and late afternoon, so we have a large part of the day kill. We rest and we play a little with their daughter. For this reason (or because the room rate is high), we get the morning every day tea, coffee and bread and a fruit in the afternoon.

Sometimes a few critters to entertain us like this lizard that made us a demostration.
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So we go all the morning on the benches at the entrance of ranchitos an eye toward the trees to the quetzal and the other to play with Andreas 7 years. The youth has tonsillitis and therefore it is not school. His games are really boring, but there was nothing else to do.
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Our photos ranchitos del Quetzal
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In the late afternoon, preparing Dany to make some jumps with the skipping rope to make her happy before returning to our room and there the quetzal alights on a branch. It is graceful, the male with a long tail which can measure up to 1.20 m in length. It has the red breast, large green feathers that change to golden in the sun. He changed three times of trees, we follow. We call the owner who takes pictures too. For this kind of photography that I miss my Nikon more ... It is a moment, perhaps hoping to see one another, but no, the sun sets.

Dany has a small intoxication, he drags from Coban and trying to get across with the rest.



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Friday, April 23, 2010 ranchitos del Quetzal

the morning I get up a little late (6am), I is not finished dressing, the owner knocked on our door screaming quetzal. The quetzal sings very strong, it is just outside the restaurant. I try to take pictures, Dany arrives too late to see it. We will sit down in front of the bungalows and there a quetzal ahead, even though a male colorful!

We're encouraged, we say we will try to see him more closely. It was therefore decided to stay still all day.

Another quetzal flies over our heads. This is where the quetzal flies is most impressive. He flies gracefully and long feathers flutter follow. To 16h, we will see the owner, to give video editing that Dany has done (believing not see others) and is just ahead in the tree outside the office, a quetzal arises. We can take a while, he changed locations four times.

Then we show the video that Danny has done for the ranchitos. They are very happy. In exchange, they offer us beer and whiskey, we refuse kindly.



Saturday, April 24, 2010

Dany does not yet feel well this morning. I let him sleep and I'm going out with his camera in case I would see another quetzal. In the morning I see a female and a male who is very long. With sunlight, the color of its feathers is gorgeous.



Note the golden color of the plumage.
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When Danny gets up, another couple of quetzals shows himself quickly. I am advised the lady to the bus to Purulha to fetch medicine for Danny, because the brainwashing does not of itself. One hesitates, then we say that we will be better to Coban (in addition, the rooms are cheaper). Before we announced our decision to leave (that's still three days we spend here), they ask us to stay and give us the room for the next two days. We agreed to stay one more day with pleasure. They liked the video and is one of the reasons for offering free nights. I'm going with the lady in the neighboring village to fetch medicine for Dany. They insist to make tea miracle it seems! In any case, it is hard to swallow, because very, very bitter.

Other small companions

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Sunday, April 25

We decide to leave even if we are graciously invited by the owners. They will reaffirm their proposals by offering us to come back in a few days later if we so wish and at their expense for 2-3 days. It's very nice of them, they liked the video more than we thought!? But we must continue our journey, our time is now counted.

We take a collectivo 10Q pp for a return to Coban, purchase some food for Semuc because we have exhausted our reserve remaining 4 days ranchitos.


By Dany Thibault Maryse Guévin and
travel backpack Around the World 2006-2010
Photos, videos, and budget travelogue (travel)
.