Jan 25th
Panajachel Guatemala. Woke up again to the three Volcanoes and the beautiful Lago de Atitlan (Lake that is). We decided to just hang out the for the day and get some rest. This is a pictue of Greg & Tara they are trying to fit in with fashions here in Panajahel. Ha Ha We wandered the strip. Then met up with this street kid Daniel who recognized me from when I first rode into town he ran up to me and gave me the high five, then spoke the best English of any one that I have met in Panajachel. . Daniel speaks 2 native dialects Spanish and English. In each of the town surrounding the lake there are 5 different dialects. 48 all total in Guatemala. We asked him were we could see people making the Guatemalan clothing so he said he would show us. We jumped on the bikes left the helmets behind and took the winding lakeside road to Santa Caterina. This was cool at the waters edge people were washing clothes in the lake in a hot spring from the volcano. Daniel showed us a very beautiful lakeside home we could rent for 200 a month, got us thinking. We drove into the pueblo the streets were only wide enough for one car. We were immediately jumped by the this lady by the name Petronia wanting to sell her clothing that she had made. I ask if we could se were it was made, She motions us to follow we walk up the cobblestone paths the Petronias house a dirt back yard then we climbed a rickety ladder up to the top of a cement slab then we descend down an another ladder to where a weaving loom is sitting. She sits down to it and shows us bare feet and all how to create these masterpieces. The amount of time and energy that goes into them doesn’t fit the price we pay for it. We had a great time and shared a couple cokes and laughs. Guatemalan’s are really fun people. I'm sitting in the intercafe an I can here the sound of tok toks three wheeled taxis they get the name from the putt putt sound they make.
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Saw this girl smashing rocks into 3/4" cursh her husband digs the rocks from the river bed then

they sell it. Irony was she has a cell phone sitting next to her. You would not believe how many people have cell phone.

Jan 24th
Rode solo today towards Guatemala city the turned east to Panahecel were there is this beautiful lake that everyone is talking about. The Pan am Hwy part was good seen tons of Sugar Cane and how it is harvested. These workers earn their days pay they send all day cutting with machetes and are black from head to toe with the syrup.

Left the Pan am and seen the most amazing countryside so foe twisty wind road that are sheltered with branches. The road was so quite that I took the Video Cam out and shot some will driving. I meet a Ronald Guy 70 years old from California that has lived in Panahecel for 17 years riding his BMW so I followed him into Pan…. This was the most beautiful view that I have ever seen a massive lake with three active Volcano's surrounding it. It was breathtaking. We rode as slow as possible to enjoy the view, we were about 4000’ up the side of the mountain. As we came into town the same energy began only now I see a few white face. Much like our fruit pickers. People back packing from all over the world. The City has cobble stone streets and an entire block of Guatemalan Markets flashing with colors. Greg & Tara a to meet me here so the main street makes the most sense. I have not seen them yet but did meet new friend George and his wife from Oaxaca Mexico riding BMW GS1150 we chatted and had lunch. The street is filled with brightly colored Guatemalan people and whiteys with beach shorts and flip flops what a mix. Paradise stolen, people from all over the world the inter net café sounds like The UN assembly. Well going to look for G&T or a Hotel back soon. Found G&T alls is well No estoy perdio. Walked the tourist trap(main street) this is really cool because the indiginuos Guatemalans make the most amazing fabrics. I find myself running out of adjective or superlative to explain what apeal this place has. I will use the word Guateful Camaniz for Guatemalan Beauty. I purchased a fabric went through the usall barter I love that.

Then a young girl selling bracelets and another lady selling Mantas blankets try to convince me to buy, I express just enough intrest for them to start their sales pitch. The little girl has no money for food the lady needs money for the bus and on and on It is amazing how they know all the same plays we do in our commerce. The Guatemalan people are really nice lots of them here have vendors English down pat. Ti Juana Mexico you can expect the banter but here it is funny

because you have these beautifully dress indiginous people pressureing you to buy. I was on my way to the Internet cafe when I heard gospel music only in Spanish. I went around the corner and into a little church service that was out doors. It was cool people just kept pouring in tons of kids some american clothing but half wore Guatemalan fabrics. The PA system was so loud my ear were bleeding. Every person there was focous on worshiping the sining went on for ever, it was great. I could really sences Gods Sprit there as I was thinking that they began to sing he has the whole world in his hands. Again I experianced peoples need for relation with God no matter where. The service became very serious and about half of the people there wept crying out to God. Then those most touched walked to the front and knelt down. That was glorifica ,Nuevo palabra para dia new word for the day. The other thing I noticed was they all stood when the bible was read. One more little sermon and I will stop preaching, most of the cars trucks and big buses have the words Dios es amor , Jesus Cristo, Dios es mi Guid, these are just a few of the phases they stick to their windshields with 5" letters to express there faith. I don't see many of the little fish signs down here.

Jan 23rd
The sleep was a little strange Romans pig was snorting around outside the window and then the horse the chickens. So not to much sleep. Got up and looked at where we were to find out that yes there were three active volcanoes blowing steam off what an incredible sight. Roman wanted to take us up to the volcano so for sure we jumped in the back of his pick up and headed 10km up the mountain basically a washout road. We parked and walked a half mile to a vantage point were we could see an enormous jungled valley with the top of the mountain spewing smoke or steam. Running up the side of this mountain was an indigenous Village that had a path that lead right to the peak of the mountain. A village set right on the side of an active volcano. Roman showed us a cobble stone path that lead 2 hours down into the village and was hand built over the last hundred years. The village people hand mill lumber then the people from San Marco send horses down to bring the lumber up a few pieces at a time. We walked down the cobblestone path for ½ mile or so and passed a number of these amazing working animals. This is now another 2000’ above the 15000, we were at you have never feel air so clean and sound so clear we could hear horses a mile away. We returned and loaded the bike and said goodbye to our new friends the Lopes family. They would really like to move to Canada if anyone wants to adopt a family, you would be blessed. We headed towards Quezal Tenago on the way to Tolola and Lake panalachel. More amazing riding weaving through jungle, streams & villages with their (topes) Speed bumps. The school kids line the streets with their uniforms it’s pretty impressive. Also a lot of the women wear traditional Guatemalan clothing’s that are a rainbow of colors. We got to the city of Quezal Tenago which is the second largest in Guatemala very modern yet you can still drive your team of oxen do the freeway. We had lunch then you know EAT SLEEP RIDE REPET. Headed to Solola the most amazing crops of food climbing vertically up the side of the mountains, at 1st glance they look still but a closer look and you see people all over in the fields. Every ½ mile you see someone chopping or carrying wood. Everything is packed on you head or on a sling from your forehead. 10 gallon size containers balanced perfectly on women’s heads. Also you see lots of community wash basins where all the women are hand washing clothes and hanging them to dry. I stopped to take a picture of these fields and Greg and Tara had to keep going because of traffic. We always wait for one another or back track this time it did not work found me trying to catch them for 2 hours. Only to find out that we were headed to the Pan Am Hwy as apposed to Solola. Turns out I passed them and they saw me go by but I was looky luing. They decided to turn around think that I would realize than we were headed south rather than east. They got to Sonala I Got to Retalhuleu My Blogg will now be changed to Perdio en Guatemala. I found an excellent place to stay the Santa Clara a stable for mi Moto and a cama (bed) para mi. Skyped Computer phoned G&T Todo Bien. A OK I will meet the in Panalachel tomorrow as apposed to trying to find them in Guatemala City 10 million others.

Jan 22nd
We took a little walk around downtown Tapachula then headed for the frontier (border) of Guatemala. Only a 20 minute drive. as we approached the border we were met by a swarm of Chico’s young men. They have this kind of official looking tags with their names and pictures on them. They would run along side and yell Immigration Salir Mexico. We had read that they simplify want to make a buck off you to help you out of Mexico and into Guatemala. They escorted us into the Mexico side of the border, it was there that we though that you would need money to leave the country. But you guessed the Chico’s have everything the nieave traveler needs at a price even currency for both sides of the border. We opted to run ride back into town and get more pesos. We returned to find out we didn’t have to pay to leave the country only stamping the passport. The fun began, we crossed the Puente into Guatemala on again the Chico’s chased us telling us to go to immigration we could see this was going to be a Gauntlet, we found this guy Victor same gig but better English and a little more mature. So we tag up with him and he led us through the process. Stamp passport @ immigration pay $ go to transit authority pay more $ then pay Eco fee to get your moto’s wheels sprayed then they don’t spray them. At the Border there are hundreds of Salvaged Toyota Trucks crossing it is quite the business down here ¾ of the vehicles on the road are Toyota trucks. We also met a family from Canada right at the border with a bus called the ANDY GUMP FOUNDATION turns out their son was killed in a car accident and as a legacy for him they build schools in the northern part of Guatemala. They were held up for a whole two days trying to get their equipment across. We crossed right behind them and we laughed at how long it takes to complete the process 2.5 hours. We left the border and began climbing up into lush green mountains. Guatemala is a lot poorer than Mexico the hillsides are filled with beautiful little farms. For 2.5 hours we wound our way up the mountains never going down hill once. We began to enter a thick fog and extremely dense jungle. We had been told that Quezel Tenago was 3 hours then we came to small city San Marco. We pulled over in front of this house and looked at the map the home owner informs us that Quezel Tenago is still 3 hours away and it is now dark. Roman Lopes the home owner 8888888888 tell us we can stay at his house park the bikes in the garage and have supper with them. Done free room ,Christian family with seven kids three still at home we went to the El Centro in San Marco and you would not believe the number of young kid’s 12-25 pair up and hanging out. We picked up some fancy pastry and went back to enjoy at the Lopes casa. He had a ball none of them spoke English so I baffled them with my Spanglish. They reply with louder and slower translation interpretation. The day turned out to be the best day of the trip so far apart from Casa de Gamero’s ( hey Julio y Jose). Roman informs us that we are at 15000 feet above sea level, which explains 2.5 hours of climbing. That night we experienced how warm the Guatemalan people are they give you big hugs and God Bless you every few minutes. Roman tells us that there are three active volcanoes surrounding his house and he would like to show us them tomorrow.

Jan 21st
After a bit of a curve ball and some confusion with the trip we as a team plan our decent into Guatemala. We left Salina Cruz Early and head back across the windest park of Mexico only to find the there was no wind Thank you Lord. We made great time the Pan Am HWY has new pavement and you can blow your hair back. The senery now changes to Banana's and Watermelon just when you thought you had seen every thing from the garden of Eden. Things become really green again lots of streams filled with kids because today is Sunday. So along the way we would ask in the small towns if there is a church in town. We could only find Morman and Catholic Churchs. We finally stopped in front of a tire repair shop for a minute and I noticed that there was a hand painted sign that said Pentacostal Iglesia. We walk down a winding set of concrete stairs through what was some ones kitchen and awoke the owner of the home who was sleeping in his hammock. The husband introduced us to his wife who is the pastor of the church then they took us down another level to a small but beautiful little church. In the benchs were sleeping a number of young men. Turns out they are the worship team from the church. They awoke and treated us to a little praise and worship Mexican style. Ran the first guantlet with borders they take your mexican drivers permit sticker off your Moto when you leave and of course the young Chicos guys are telling you that you need to come with them right now and for five dollars they came help you because the border is closed tomorrow but lets go right now. No thanks Amigos. Spent the five bucks at the coffe shop.Got into Tapachula with asmile on our faces and got a hotel in the busy beautiful El Centro. I walk out door of my hotel to be greeted by the biggest smile walking down the street from the smile I receive a HELLO not the usual hola. I reply by saying tu Ingles es muy Bueno. George is my new friends name, turns out he is from Guatemala spent a number of years in Arizona and learned his English there they help him learn his English and encouraged him in being a Follower of Christ. I was so impressed with this young mans zeal for life and just his contenace that I insisted that he met Greg and Tara and have supper with us. It was amazing it was like having church. George gave us a little taste of what life is about in Guatemala. He is working in Mexico painting houses because the pay is much better in Mexico than in Guatemala. He showed us his families home town on the map and gave us a connection to a beautiful little lakeside town that his sister owns a restaurant in. We will most likely take a detour up there and check it out. Is always great getting lost and taking the side roads. A real encouragement to talk with George kind of wakes you up. We spent the entire evening with George supper internet café swapped emails and cell#’s. The city of Tapachula is alive with people again there is a different feel people look at us again in curiosity the last few days in Salida Cruz we people would not even lift their eyes. I was amazed again at how many couples young couples their were in El Centro holding hands and making out. There were Mayan Dancers in the main square and a massive crowd watching them stomp out their tradition. The side streets of Tapachula look like a warehousing in East LA but the downtown has energy to BURN. Still hopping at 12pm . 30 degress sunny and no sign of snowfor the next few days.

Jan 20th
I awoke in Salina Cruz to the sound of jack hammers and a marching band. Went back to the Cyber Café to Sykpe my Dad, Just as I sat down the band, along with hundreds of other people marched down the street and stopped directly across the street and hoisted a flag. Most of the people were wearing sharp looking uniforms very similar to the cashiers at Tim Horton’s. Turns out it is the Sindicato (Union) for Pemex the Only Gasoline company in Mexico. Boys we need to get our hand on the office works shirts they are sharp. Ironic that Mexico’s most powerful company has the same uniforms as Canada’s most powerful company. Salina Cruz is the Pacific port for Pemex. As I look out the window I can see hundreds of people it is 8am every 3rd person has some sort of Pemex uniform on. Hoy es domingo aqui today is Saturday here. El marcado en el centro is filled with merchants and people again. I cannot believe how much raw food is in mexico. Ours seems so packaged I hate packages. I took a drive up into the hill by my self and over looked the massive Pemex refineries and shipping docks. This refinery is the second largest In latin America.The ciudad is built on a number of hills with little unfinished block house scattered all over. To the north of Salina Cruz are these salt flats or something like that that streach for miles towards Acapulco. Very few people speak Spanish here. With the exeption of the night desk clerk you is the nicest guy and insists on using his English. Also took a drive to La playa the beach beautiful until you see how much broken glass litters the sand and rock cliffs its sad to see the contrast between Eden and life with Packaging. I also took awalk through a cemetery the little shines say a lot about peoples lives It saw some tombs with soccer ball brightly painted with the logo of the young persons favourite team painted on it. There is an extremely strong tie to the Catholic Church people are coming and going all day in the church.

Jan 19th
I got up rather early and went for a walk around El Centro. Tuxla Gutieruz is the Capital of Chiapas state. I was watching the mexicans shapeing the trees with machetes if front of the Catholic church then the church bells started ringing and a military marching band came out of the parliment buildings carrying a masive flag of Mexico. I watched as soldiers hosited the flag. I felt a little patriotic having lived here a few weeks. I is amazing the people energy you feel in these cities. Every one has a job to do it is fun to just observe. We headed towards the Oceano Pacifico today. Twice we rode about 30 miles on streaches of road that was constantly curving,What an amazing ride half way up the mountain. At the end of the winding room we can across an Ejido Village on the edge of a lake spectacular. As we decended to the coast we ran into this incredable wind. We could not let the bikes sit on the kickstand they would blow over. We were to far from nowhere so we keep going only to arrive upon a entire valley of these massive wind turbines like in Pincher creek. I guess its always a windy day there. The wind beat the living daylights out of us so we are going to spend a day here. We ended in a Ocean side town Call Salida Cruz in the State of Oaxaca (wha hu ka).




Jan 18th
I awoke wondering why Greg was taking so long in the shower, only to realize that it was pouring outside. We were committed to travelling across from the gulf to the Pacific. Not 10 mins away from the coast the rain stopped stripped the rain gear off and headed for Chiapas State. I have heard that it is the most beautiful state in Mexico. I was not disappointed I have never seen something so green in all my life. There are rolling hills and ravines that are covered in the lushest green grass you can imagine. The soil is a rusty red the contrast is wow.The hills are mixed with massive areas of Jungle with the most interesting plant life. Some leaves of trees are 2’ across. There are these buzzard looking birds with red heads that are constantly soaring over head. It look almost un inhabitable the denseness of the jungle but on a closer look you can see red earth paths that people are walking on miles from nowhere. There are also these little grass shacks that people are living in along the way the scenery is right out of the movies. Chiapas is without a dought the most beautiful state we have seen. The humidity is so high there is a dense fog and your helmet visor is wet all the time. We arrived early in Tuxla Gutierrez
The city seems really friendly people are all nodding and waving, the restaurant waiters all want to talk with us. We make a decision to get the cheapest room we can. So we head down town he usual energy and excitement. The trick always is to find a place that is safe to keep the bikes. We find a place the Mari Inn. Kind of a parkade with a patio resterant in the middle of it. As we pull up to the hotel we meet a group of young people at first I though it was the owner of the hotel and his family. They all want to pose with use and the bikes. As we unload they ask me if I want to eat with them. So I went with them to the supermarket got groceries and came back to the hotel. Turns out the group of nine guys & girls are sales people for time life magazine and travel all over Mexico. 2 members of the team are power sales people and do conventions all over the world. I had a ball shopping with them and laughed a lot more Spanish lessons. The room is a super dive but the evening was a ball.

Jan 17th
We left Vera Cruz this morning and headed in land because of the storm were having hoping to escape some wind by going inland. The wind did drop from the 45mph that was blowing for the last few days. You would not believe the toll highways in Mexico they are in very good condition and you always see workers in the ditch cutting the grass with machetes. Today we supported the Camios Y Peuntes Roads & Bridges by dropping about $40 a Bike or Moto at the tolls. We try to play dumb and hope we can get a deal thinking they will wave us through but it is the governments till and they always get the full price. I have a licence plate collection back home so I hope to pick up a few more along the way. Greg sees on hanging on the fence at a toll booth so I ask this guy cuanta questa para la placa how much for the plate. He says no se vende it’s not for sale. After going through the toll booth buddy comes running up to me at the pemex (Gas) pumps and asks me if I want to buy it. So we do the deal. I head down the road estoy Feliz Hombre I’m a Happy man. We passed through Sugar cane country it was kind of cool with the wind because the canes have this beautiful white plum at the top of the riper stocks that was whipping in the wind. Then we passed into pineapple country with field upon field of pineapples. Every overpass has a road side vendor selling pinnapples or juice under it. We arrived early into Coatzacoalcos rode down to the Ocean to see 20’ surf pounding onto the beach it was blowing so hard 5 minutes of being there our visors windshields & mirrors were coated with salt water sand. Headed back to find our $30 night room. We are now in the narrowest part of Mexico about 300 km of land between the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico Atlantic. Tomorrow we head across to Pacific side and start our decent in to Guatemala.

Jan 16th
. During the night we could hear the wind getting up it was just too strong to head out and we knew that the wind would bring rain so we decided to check out Vera Cruz Cuidad. We walked the El Centro and enjoyed the sights sounds & energy. We visited a mass at the Catholic Church that was built in 1700 and something with no Styrofoam MDF or OSB only solid rock. The parishioners are very focused and reverent while worshipping. Some of the buildings date back a couple hundred years and show the wear of time. Most every store has Security and every street in El Centro has a cop armed with an assault rife. Then we took a cab out to El Mercado the Mexican market. This place was amazing buzzing with people all on a mission to buy something. The market has hundreds of shops jammed into a space the size of half a football field. At times you are pressed shoulder to shoulder with other shoppers or merchants. You can get anything there. Raw meat fish Veggies gift wrapping flowers toys piñatas Zappatos (shoes). Returning to the hotel we took a 2 mile walk were we had gone past 100 or more shoe stores Mexicans love shoes especially the women. We have dropped our clothes at the Lavendaria were the girls hand wash your clothes. Prices are not much cheaper than in Canada for things. The average worker here is making 20-50 $ a day so I still have to figure out the math but maybe the taxes are different here.

Jan 15th
We left the little Ocean side town of Costa Esmeralda after a walk on the beach of the Gulf of Mexico and headed for Vera Cruz we passed through all the similar looking towns only now the scenery had changed to Coconut Groves. Our Favourite sight is the lone donkey standing tethered along side the road, we have passed hundreds of them. We had heard of some Mayan Ruins close to Vera Cruz in a town called Vista ?????? every time we asked for directions the people would point at this spectacular looking mountain in the distance. It is maybe 1/2 mile in diameter but it rises a couple 2000’ with vertical walls we took a turn off the main road and rode up the rocks and gravel about three miles to a plateau where we parked the bikes and walked the rock steps up to and old Mayan temple an tomb that sits in the shade of this mountain over looking the lagoons of Vera Cruz and the gulf of Mexico. The Ruins are said to 900 BC so “Pedro” say that my guy up on the mountain. Kind of fun getting the bikes all dirty and running them on the rocks up to this birds eye view. Interesting how other culture honour the dead. Mexicans also have cemeteries little houses built as Shrines they look like little doll villages. Along side the roads all thousands of memorials to those who have lost their lives on the road. These shrines often have candles burning in them at night. Got in to Vera Cruz Early looked for a camp site but could only find good places to get robbed. So went down town were the Cruse ship come in and hooked up with a hotel that the owner of the hotel in Costal Esmeralda recommended. The city has a Malacon, walkway the entire length of the city that is filled with people. As evening sets in the romantics appear, Mexicans are not afraid to show affection in public. Hundreds of sharp dressed sailors in white uniforms filled the streets maybe a ship had come in. Also una barco Grande a large ship was in port and was being filled with thousands of cars. Some of these may have be salvage cars coming from the USA we saw hundreds of then coming across the border from Texas. Damaged cars that still run they drive one and pull a couple behind or entire Semis full. We met a young fellow who told us that the cars are all going to Central America and they rebuild them. The down town is filled with history it is one of the first places the Spanish landed in the 1500s. The down town is hairy, older than dirt it self the city center has again this beautiful architecture 3 or 4 story buildings with restaurant on the bottom with wrought iron or concrete Ballistered railed balconies over looking the city centers courtyard on the upper floors. There are numerous tropical musicians and street vendors all along the way. I still have the hardest time figuring out the economy of this country.