Guatemala

I don’t have a lot to say about this country, because I wasn’t there for very long. I travelled through the North of Peten, and then a short distance in the south east to the border with Honduras.

In general, it seemed to be very much like Mexico. There was no sudden change after crossing the border. I enjoyed cycling from Flores to Belize, I think partly because it was more colourful. Physically - houses and fences are painted, the hammocks are maybe more colourful, and also there seemed to be a bit more variety. In Mexico, everything was the same. The businesses, the products available were usually exactly the same as each other. I don’t think it was as bad here.

One noticable change is the guns. There are armed guards, usually with shotguns, nearly everywhere. That includes ice cream shops. I was amused by one gun shop called “Magnum” just beside an ice cream shop.

There are various places I would have liked to go but they were a bit too out of the way for me just now. The hot waterfalls near Rio Dulce, and the river and caves at Semuc Champey certainly sound worth visiting. I also skipped Lago Atitlan and Antigua. I think Antigua is much like San Cristobal de las Casas, though.