greg willis

The nearby interstate 66 retaining wall springs a leak, and folks start to leave offerings.

I'm just sayin'

The highlands of Guatemala are so mountainous, they make West Virginia look like Kansas. The roads seem like continuous switchbacks. And every valley goes down twice as far as you expect. We visited two places in the highlands -- Chichicastenango and Santiago Atitlan.

We were in Chichi for the market. The market is indeed huge, with streets blocks around the main plaza jammed with colorful stands full of stuff for sale, folks selling, and folks buying. We stayed the night before, but I don't think it was worth it. Chichi isn't that charming of a place to warrant staying there much longer than to buy things at the market. And although the market started around 8 am, I didn't see any particular advantage to being there before the buses arrived. My recommendation is to stay elsewhere, Pana maybe, and take the bus like everyone else.

Lake Atitlan looks just like the travel posters - clear blue water surrounded by volcanic peaks - undoubtedly pretty. And the tourist feel around Lake Atitlan reminded me of beach towns here in the US - very laid-back with large emphasis on the relaxing. So no, I did not really enjoy Lake Atitlan, for the same reasons I don't go to the beach. I place the blame solely on myself - I should have scheduled a hike or some activity out of the towns. We did stay in a kick-ass inn -- Posada de Santiago. Expat owned and a lot of evangelical Americans about, but the accommodations and food were terrific. And after two weeks of non-English-speaking service, the ease of transactions were worth the loss of local color.

I've got Chichi, Lake Atitlan, and the Maya city Iximche all together in the Highlands Photo Album.

We liked Antigua. Not sure whether is was the historical Spanish colonial ruins, the relaxed and laid back attitude, the intimate feel of this small city, or the simply perfect weather. But we liked it.

I think the main reason is because there's plenty of little stuff to do, but nothing you have to do. Check out a ruined convent, do a bit of shopping for the folks back home, grab some lunch, sit around the park and have some ice cream. It's a refreshing change to the zen-like activities available in Flores.

For visits longer than a couple of days, you'd probably need to venture on a day trip or two or get yourself a Spanish lesson.

We visited in Lent. We had heard about the Semana Santa (Holy Week) processions, but figured that we'd missed out. On a Sunday night as we were dining on a Sunday night, low and behold the procession passed right below our window table. Turns out that on Sundays in Lent they have them. Now I know you're thinking "Procession?" This is a traditional parade-like event, even with floats. But the floats are make of wood, weigh up to 2 tons, and are carried by folks on their shoulders. There's even a guy behind, pushing the generator for the lights. And there're dozens more people in robes, carrying banners or playing in the bands. But it is Lent, and it is not a parade, but a solemn procession. But it's a wonder to see. (Photos are in the middle of the album)

Antigua Photo Album

If you're going to Tikal or to any of the Maya ruins in the north of Guatemala, you'll be staying in Flores. It is an almost circular island in the middle of lake Peten Itza, and small emough to circumambulate in 15 minutes.

The trick to Flores is that there's no trick. It is not a destination on its own -- folks are usually on their way to Tikal or elsewhere. Flores is like a bus station, albeit a very pretty one. And like a bus station, it has diversions for you to bide your time -- restaurants, boat rides, and pretty sunsets. But it's not a real Guatemalan town, really. The locals live across the lake in Santa Elena -- whis is as vibrant and cluttered as you would expect for a good-sized city. Flores remains a tourist place. Plenty of restaurants but no tortillería (tortilla making shops); many hotels few apartments.

It has a pleasant expat scene, plenty of beer, and you can't beat the sunsets. No sights to speak of and you'll be an island expert after an hour of exploring. So don't expect much. But while you await that next bus, grab a lakeside table and utter the words, "Uno Gallo cerveza mas, por favor."

Flores Photo Album

While in Antugua, we took an Old Town Outfitters day trip to Pacaya Volcano. It was US$80 for the both of us, but that got us transport, a great guide, Wilber, and lunch at the top. The hike itself was trivial. But there is no shortage of men and boys at the trailhead trying to convince you otherwise, and that you really should ride one of their horses. Oh and they will follow you during the steep initial assent, just in case you change your mind. Although some in our group rode, they seemed to be new at hiking and had no real business being off of pavement.

Informed ahead of time, we did buy a stick. A dozen boys vying for your stick-commerce also greet you at the trailhead when your bus arrives. [Technically it is a rental, since they want it returned when you get back.] Get one. Why? So you have something to poke the lava with, silly.

And lava we did see. Conditions on the volcano vary from day to day, but we saw an actual moving lava flow. It was so hot, we couldn't roast the marshmallows that Wilber so dutifully brought along. The most unusual part: the sound. The clinking of the cooled lava as it dropped off or was pushed by the flow.

Check out the Payaca Volcano photo album.  And if you're in Guatemala, I recommend going. 

Location(s)

stuff

As I am fond of saying, there are two wonderful things about travelling: going away and coming home. We've just completed the second part of that equation. We traveled in Guatemala for 17 days, visiting the jungle and Maya ruins in the north, the mountians and the quite still living Maya folk in the west, and the charming and historic city of Antigua somewhere there in the middle.

Over the next couple of weeks I'll be posting photos and writings about our experiences, so stay tuned.

Another joys of traveling is connecting with like-minded people in foreign places. I would like to greet all the folks whom we met in the course of our travels. I hope your travels concluded well, and I look forward to hearing from you.

So for all the itinery, photos, and blah blah blah, what's worth the effort in Glacier? Well, to sum things up, here's my top 5:

1. Stay Overnight at Granite Park Chalet - You can experience the solitude of backcountry camping, but you don't have to haul your camping gear across the country. And meeting the folks who are staying there with you is always interesting -- and I don't esecially like meeting people. There's also Sperry Glacier Chalet. We hiked the Highline Trail to get there and the Swiftcurrent Pass trail to exit - world-class hikes on their own accord.

2. Hike to Grinnell Glacier - It's a great hike and you end up on a glacier - while it's still there. Good views of scenery and wildlife.

3. Visit Waterton - After the isolation of the US park, it's nice to visit a town. It has a good variety of restaurants and shops. Keep focused on the quaint and you'll like it.

4. Stay in the Many Glacier Hotel - Get a room on the lake side - it's a bit pricey, but you get your mony's worth. In other NP lodges, we've paid as much for an obscured view of Old Faithful or a view of Crater Lake through a window the size of a porthole. Here, you get a balcolny with the whole dang valley laid out before you.

5. Eat at Two Sisters - I've already written about this restaurant. Seriously, go there.

Food in US national parks sucks. And if it doesn't suck, it's because you've paid way too much for it. Each national park allows one company to run food and lodging (and by allow I mean pay for). So it's a monopoly. No matter who the concessionaire is -- Glacier Park Inc, ARAMARK, Xanterra -- the monopolistic nature of such an arrangement means that you have no alternative but to eat their food, and they have no incentive to make their food better.

Luckily, Glacier NP is not as isolated as, say, Yellowstone. Small towns dot the periphery of the park, and allow the visitor to circumvent the monopoly and taste real food. So here's my take on where we ate. Your mileage may vary.

Great Falls, MT

Brian's Top Notch Cafe
718 Central Avenue
Lives up to it's billing. We ate breakfast and the food was quite good -- imaginative and huge. And the banter between Brian and his mom provides the floor show.
Recommended

Dante's Creative Cuisine
1325 8th Ave N
OK. The dinner we had here wasn't bad -- and it's not a chain, so that's good. But it kinda left me flat. Even though everyone was very friendly, it had a vibe of pretension. "Creative cuisine?" Really? Maybe for Great Falls. Or maybe I was tired and at the end of the trip.

East of Park

Serranos
29 Dawson Ave
East Glacier Park, MT
Solid Mexican food, nice atmosphere in the restaurant.
Recommended.

Park Cafe
3147 Hwy 89
Saint Mary, MT
Popular place so either eat a bit early or be prepared to wait for a table. Decent sandwiches, but oh the pies! Their slogan, Pie for Strength, could not ring more true -- at least with their pies. I think mine was mango-raspberry - mmmm.
Recommended.

Two Sisters
Hwy 89, near Babb, MT
Easily the find of the trip. The food is creative (really), the service friendly, the beer cold, and the decor funky. We ate here three times, 2 dinner & 1 breakfast, and would have eaten more, but we had reservations across the park. I can't say enough good things. If you are within 2 hours drive, go there -- you won't regret it.
Highly Recommended!

Italian Gardens Restaurant
Swiftcurrent Motor Inn
Many Glacier
I have a photo here so that you can positively identify it and avoid it like you would roadkill. It's the kind of restaurant that makes you never want to eat again. Crappy decor, crappy service, crappy food. They screwed up pizza, how can you screw up pizza? Go to the adjacent store and buy a prepackaged sandwich and eat it outside. I'm serious, you'll thank me.

West of Park

Spruce Park Cafe
10045 Highway 2 East
Coram, MT
Oh sure, it's in a Exxon. But there are few places in this country where you can get this combination of folksy local hangout, comfort food, and great pie. Yes, this another decent food, great pie place that seem to pop up in Montana. Well worth the trip from Lake McDonald Lodge.
Recommended.

Waterton

Zums
116B Waterton Avenue
Waterton, AB
Had dinner. Average food. Nothing much else to say.

The Lamp Post
Waterton, AB
Even though we just had lunch here, the menu seemed thoughtful and the food was excellent. Definitely a more sophisticated place.
Recommended.

I love to create itineraries. I research the internet and the library to find out what's worth seeing and doing. Then I get out maps and figure how far it is to drive or hike, and which direction of travel would be best. And finally I write it all down on a grid of days to make sure that all the times are realistic. I do take great pride in my trip itineraries. No one else really cares, but I do.

So here's my hand-crafted itinerary of our trip to Glacier. The only thing I would change would be the staying in Great Falls. Due to inconvenient flight times (arriving late, leaving early) we had to stay there. But it's fairly underwhelming, so I wouldn't recommend it. Otherwise, it's solid. Good timing - plenty to do but not overwhelming - nice little rest at the end.