Before leaving town we were lucky enough to get a clear view of the volcano that overshadows the town. It is quite rare to see it entirely without cloud cover, and the scale of the thing is staggering.
Stopping in a small village to see a bit of local life, Matthias explained that many Honduran women 'lose' their front teeth when they get married. Basically, the husband knocks them out once they are married to make them unattractive and to clearly show other men that they are married. Gary said Ann had better be on her best behavior if he ever comes back here with her. Charming.
The riding today has been some of the best that I have ever encountered, more like the Pyrenees in Spain/Andorra than central America. We rose to two and a half thousand meters and back down again several times as we crossed the mountain ranges to get to Panajachel. A 30km stretch of unsealed road at one point stretched us a little with mud, large puddles, and some quite steep inclines. The XT600's are built for this though, and we have been able to plough through most things quite happily. The traffic is light once you get clear of the towns, and mostly well behaved.
This town of Panajachel is actually ringed by three volcanoes, one of which is active all year round. With a maze of cobblestones streets and a steep rise from the volcanic lake at the bottom, it is really very picturesque. Arriving in the early afternoon has been a blessing as we had some time to look around the streets before some heavy afternoon showers set in. We are now holed up in the hotel having some overdue rest.
The approach to Panajachel is quite stunning, with a 270 degree view of volcanic lake.
Women doing washing in the river.
The hotel accommodation has been of a very high standard (much higher than expected) thanks to Matthias, and the average cost per night is under $15 per person. I can't praise Matthias' efforts enough and those of Maya Motor Tours. Both Ty and I hate the thought of being part of a congo line of suckholes (to quote Mark Latham), and were not sure what to expect with this tour. Whilst we were not part of an organized tour, Matthias had volunteered his services to join our ride as guide/translator. He has an unbelievable knowledge of the area, and has lived here with his Honduran wife for the past 15 years. It has been more like having one more mate along on the ride than anything else.
The brief Spanish lessons before the tour have also really paid off. Whilst we have only a smattering of Spanish, it has turned out that we can reasonably easily interpret menus, signs and some documents. Listening is harder as they speak so fast, but if we ask them to slow down, then we can understand much of what is being said, how much is being charged, what to do next, etc.
You definitely do NOT not want to get on the wrong side of the local cops over here. They are all well armed, some of them are female, and then there are the uniforms. Would you mess with an armed female wearing this cap?
Speaking of uniforms ....
Location:Panajachel
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