On Tuesday we drove over to the other side of the city, down towards the Carribean coast, hung a left at El Rancho and headed towards Cobán. This is one part of the country Glenn and I have only visited once. Our destination was eventually Semuc Champey (se-muk cham-pay). I normally brutally killed the pronunciation as Shampoo Champane or any other possible versions thereof. As I plan on writing this post, I know I'm going to have to dedicate at least 2 blog posts to this adventure.
The road trip was fascinating as we climbed over mountain ridges and down into valleys and again up over mountain ridges until finally we ended up in Cobán. This quaint little town reminded me a lot of Sucre, Bolivia. The colonial windows, cobbled streets, vendors selling their fruits and vegetables all looked familiar.
We shared a room with Josh and Margaret at a hostel near the main plaza. I feel like a real globe trotter now. The room was descent and the shower was refreshingly hot. The Perrys had ear plugs so they didn't hear me snoring or Glenn's sleep machine.
We checked out a tour company to take us to Lanquín and then on to Semuc Champey. The reviews were terrible. But they were the only company. So we set our expectations very low. In the long run, besides having to change vehicles from a bus to a pick up truck in Lanquin and then having a flat tire before our long 2.5 hour long road trip back, we were pleased with Maya'ch Expedition.
What is the definition of Semuc Champey?
Semuc Champey is a natural monument in the department of Alta Verapaz, Guatemala, near the Q'eqchi' Maya town of Lanquín. It consists of a natural 300 m limestone bridge, under which passes the Cahabón River.
Atop the bridge is a series of stepped, turquoise pools, a popular
swimming attraction. Although it can be difficult to get to, Semuc is
becoming more and more popular with travelers.[1]
I'll post more tomorrow!
~J
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