Overwelmed and Overserved Oct 25

Well, we decided to get out of the Marina and Rio Dulce on Monday and see some of the sites. Max convinced us to travel like college kids, so we walked to the entrance of RAM Marina and flagged down a minibus; it was a beat up 12-passenger van with luggage rack on top, and safety poles inside to hang onto. We started with about 15 people but by the time we reach Morales we numbered 23 inside 3 hanging outside from the open side door, with 1 on top. We paid Gringo price, which was 10Q or $1.25 for that leg of the trip.  Kim enjoyed the countryside, with rolling hills, lots of farms and ranches with cattle. From Morales another minibus, but Kim and I got the honor seats, up front with the driver, which can be a little scary because there you actually see how close to death you come each time they pass the large trucks with little regard for oncoming traffic.

An hour and a half, we arrived at Quirigua, (a Mayan Ruin opened in 1987) City of Stelae pronounced “KittyWa.” This site is said to be the best for the carved stelaes, (which it was) fifteen to twenty foot massive stones carved pillars, with calendars, stories and faces on 4 sides, dating between 730 -800 ad. There were about 15 of these stone monuments each under a thatched canopy for protection. These carvings, which depict eight different rulers and describe their reign, are situated in an open plaza, which leads to the Acropolis with a Game Ball Plaza and quarters for the rulers. The carvings were overwhelming with the detail and size of them.

After two and a half hours at the site, which we shared with about ten tourists, we boarded a bus to the nearby town for lunch. After lunch it was back on a big bus that was going toward Rio Dulce. This bus took a little longer, not because the driver was safer, he wasn’t. Kim was amazed he could drive at all considering the cataracts that he obviously had. But he took a 45-minute break half way to Rio Dulce. I am sure he was a “union driver.”

When we got back to Companion – we got a big “wave” from Ben and Nonnie  (they came back up the river because of Richard) and quickly took our dinghy over to Dual Dragons.  We helped them take some of the “load off” their boat – consuming their  Victoria’s. (Guatemalan beer) A few hours later and a lot of talk about the boating life philosophy and different anchorages, we left their boat feeling really good but nostalgic as we knew that they were leaving again in the morning.  Hope Ben’s head didn’t hurt as bad as mine, just a little over-served! (just me and Max – not Kim)  Thankfully we do not do this often!

All in all it was a really great day and felt great not to be tearing the boat apart, waiting for workmen, scrubbing, or cleaning.  That can wait for tomorrow.

Dale