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Acatenengo

Volcan El Fuego (literally the Fire Volcano)

I used to be a meticulous travel planner. I used to plan every detail of the trip. I would research and find all the places of interest and chart an optimized route. I used to even read about the history of the place before stepping on its soil. Call it maturity or ageing, now I just land and discover the place. I had no idea about Aktun Tunichil Muknal (ATM Caves) until I was in the hostel in San Pedro. Similarly, I discovered Acatenango Volcano when I was in Antigua Guatemala. I think travelling this way is much more enjoyable and gives you freedom and flexibility.

I had booked my shuttle to Copan from Panajachel which involves one night stay in Antigua and then you proceed towards Copan the next morning. When I got to Antigua is when I found about this hike. So after spending a night in Copan, I decided to come back to Antigua and do the hike. I booked the hike at the hostel. I was told to carry 4 litres of water, warm clothes and a backpack. 2 litres for self-use and 2 litres for common use like cooking.

Starting our trek at the base of Acatenango

A shuttle arrived at the appointed time and took a bunch of us to the base camp. There we got warm clothes, a stick and backpacks. We met our guides. Then started off the climb, it was a gradual ascent in midst of fields. The volcanic soil here is very fertile and farmers grow a variety of crops including corn. When we reached the ticketing office, we were in the tropical forest. Vegetation on the volcano changes as we go higher up. We paid the entry and took a small break.

As we proceeded to climb on the zig-zag route, we started seeing cloud forests with an occasional cloud hanging around. After about an hour’s climb, we reached our lunch spot. We were served a sandwich and juice. While the guides were making themselves Tortillas and beans for lunch. They offered me some. It was the best Tortilla ever. After a strenuous climb with a hungry stomach, everything feels delicious but this was really delicious.

It was getting chilly at the lunch spot, so the layers and jackets were on. As we climbed higher we entered the Alpine forest area. We were above the clouds now and it was sunny. There were pretty flowers all over and the scene from here was breathtaking. I clicked photos away to glory. On a clear day, you can see Lake Atitlan and the surrounding volcanoes from here. We did see them and it was pretty cool.

We took a lot of small breaks till we reached the almost same height as our camp. Here, the path was almost flat and on black volcanic soil. The mountain face was black and the path cutting through it created an incredible scene. Once we crossed this face of the mountain, we were on the face of the mountain facing Volcan Fuego. We could now hear the volcano erupting. After half an hour of walk, we reached our campsite and were face to face with our active volcano.

I put the bag down and sat on the bench watching the volcano erupt. It was sunny then and clouds were playing hide and seek covering over the volcano. It was a well-deserved break with hot chocolate being served by our guides who turned cooks at the campsite. This is where the extra 2 litres of water was being used.

It started getting chilly as the sun was going down. We huddled around a campfire and started talking about various things. Soon, dinner was served. It was time for us to wind down and hit the bed. We were to hike early in the morning to summit Acatenango. I couldn’t sleep, my feet were cold. It was sometime after 11 PM that I got the sleep but I was waking up every now and then. It was announced at 3:45 AM that we were not doing the summit hike because of the winds. I was relieved. I didn’t have proper rest and that hike would have been very difficult for me.

We got up around 6 AM and had breakfast. We started our way down soon. It was smooth except for the last stretch of loose soil. I fell 4 times. We made our way back to basecamp and were soon on to Antigua.

Bus to Tocumen Airport

If you have time and travel light, then the cheapest option is to take the bus from downtown Panama to Tocumen Airport. The bus drops you off at the main road from where you walk for 5-10 mins to get to the airport. A taxi ride can cost you easily upwards of 20$ whereas the bus ride takes only 75 cents.

I used the app ‘moovit’ to find a bus from Casco Viejo to the Airport. I walked till the bus station next to the ‘5 de mayo’ metro station. I had to wait for 5 minutes to get the bus (S-480 or S-482) to Airport. This bus turned out to be an express bus which stops you just shy of the airport. The bus station is called Aeropuerto-R.

You can see the Airport terminal from the bus stop. There is a sheltered and well-marked path towards the terminal.

The bus was very convenient and pocket friendly means of getting to the Airport.

Unique Street Sign

I saw in Varadero these street signs on the ground indicating what street it is. Very interesting I must say.

Rebuli – Chicken Bus to Panajachel

I was looking to get to Panajachel from Flores. I didn’t have any plan or interest for Guatemala City but was disappointed to find out there are no direct buses from Flores to Panajachel or anywhere on Lake Atitlan. I found out there are chicken buses that run from Guatemala City to Panajachel but not many were sure about it. I decided to take a chance. Chicken buses are old US school buses, most of them manufactured by the company Blue Bird Corporation.

The chicken bus to Panajachel is run by Transportes Rebuli. I found this blog post that detailed how to get to the start point of Rebuli bus. Unfortunately, I cannot find the post again now. Fortunately, someone has marked the place in Google Maps. It is walkable from Estacion El Amate. The bus’s starting point is a workshop/shed. You will find all their buses parked if you are there before the first bus leaves. I had arrived here straight from the bus stand where the overnight bus from Flores had dropped me. There is a restroom here, I made use of that and got freshened up. I was there at 7:30 AM but the first bus leaves at 8:30 AM. So took the time to relax. The bus left exactly at 8:30 AM but turns out they wait for passengers at zone 9, only when they get enough (whatever number that is), they leave. We were there in zone 9 at 8:50 AM but the bus didn’t leave till 9:40 AM. Then it took a little more than 3.5 hours to reach Panajachel.

Board in front of the Rebuli Bus Station

Those who have traveled in rural buses in India will not find chicken bus any different. While we were waiting at zone 9 for passengers, I was reminded of the Kalasipalyam bus stand. There were hawkers here too who board the bus and sell their wares just like in Kalasipalyam. The difference is that in Guatemala, local police board the bus and check the IDs of all passengers.

Here in this bus trip, I heard for the first time the Mayan tongue being spoken by a Maya family. They wore a traditional Maya dress and were cheerful the whole time.

P.S – I undertook this journey in January first week of 2020.

Volcan Arenal – Hot Springs

One of the must-do things in Arenal is getting into Hot Springs. Most of the hot springs are in resorts where you pay a certain fee to get into the hot water. There is a place where you need not pay any entrance fee. It is a river/stream near Tabacon which has the same warm water that goes into the resorts.

It was already pretty dark when we reached the spot. We parked our car on the side of the road. We got off the road and less than 50 meters away we reached the springs. It is one of the coolest experiences I ever had. A warm river. There was moonlight. People had brought candles and it made the entire scene magical. We spent a lot of time in the water. I met many people there and I even taught a couple of guys to speak Sanskrit. One of the best evenings of my life.

Actun Tunichil Muknal (ATM Caves)

This post will not have any images because I took none. I did not take any because you are not allowed to take any equipment with you on this tour. That is what makes this place and tour unique and an amazing experience I ever had.

I landed in San Pedro after the Lamanai Tour in the evening. I just wanted to take a break for a day, do the laundry, and maybe go visit Xunantich and head to Guatemala the next day. I had already done two tours, which I don’t usually do, in Belize. One was Lamanai and the other one in Caye Caulker. I didn’t want to spend on another one. So many rave reviews from co-hostellers about ATM caves, I had to extend my trip. I booked the tour the next thing. Good decision.

The tours happen in two batches, one in the morning and the other in the afternoon. I was in the afternoon batch. We were told to wear crocs for the tour. We could borrow from the tour agency itself. We left for the tour in a small bus. We arrived at the base camp at around 2 PM. First, we had lunch. I had frijoles con Arroz. We were told to get dressed in swimwear and wear life jackets. We also got helmets and a headlight. We were further divided into groups of eight and were assigned a guide. Our guide was a knowledgeable person. He has worked with archaeologists.

We soon started walking and within 100 meters, we had to cross a stream. The water was waist-deep and there was a rope hanging across the stream to help us cross. I realized why no equipment on this tour. After walking about 10-15 mins more in the tropical forests, we get to cross another stream but this was a shallow one. Another stream after a 20 min walk. This one is again waist-deep.

After 15 mins of walk, we get to a picnic area. We need to keep our water bottles here, take a restroom break if needed. This is also the spot where we check our headlights before we head into the cave. The entrance to the cave is not far from here. The entrance to the cave is also the outlet for the stream coming from inside of the cave. The stream creates a pool of water 15ft in length and depth. We need to swim across this pool to get into the cave. We swim across one by one. I was the last one to cross, I swam carefully so as to not lose my loosely held crocs.

Now we are inside the cave, we start walking in the stream. As we are walking, our guide shows us dead crystals, some crystals which are coming back to life with a fresh coating of calcium. We move on from there and see live crystals glistening.

We come to the point where it is the last point of the light zone. After this place, there is no light in the cave. To demonstrate how dark it is, the guide asked all of us to switch off our headlights. It was pitch dark. Never seen anything so dark, rather did not see anything, not even the person next to me.

We turn our lights back on and wade through the water. We get to a rock wall to climb at which point we leave the stream and climb onto the higher regions of the cave. After the climb, we get to an open space that used to be a ritual place for the Mayans. They call it a ‘cathedral’ now. Till now it has been only a narrow passage between rocks. But this is a wider hall. We had to remove our shoes at the entrance and walk in our socks. (I realized then why tour agents insisted on socks)

The path has been clearly marked for the visitors. The place is full of pots and pot shards and skeletal remains. Mayans break the ritual pots as they believe the pot to have a soul and should not be tormented by evil forces.

Before the drought that seemed to have occurred between 820-900AD, Mayans would venture as far as the last light zone but never venture beyond that. Due to the desperation caused by the prolonged drought, they reached higher up the cave in the hope that it would please the gods.

We take in all the artifacts at a slow pace. We see a couple of skulls. The pots have calcified at some places. As we walk further into the hall, we see the rain goddess figurine in the rocks. Right in front of it are three round pots almost intact. One is inverted. One is on the side. The third is filled with stones. The belief is that the rain goddess is very powerful and there is no need to protect the soul of the pots, hence the pots are not broken.

We leave the hall and climb further up. The entire place is dry but there is evidence of water flow. There are calcification marks, the flowstone, and puddles at some places. When there are rains, water seeps into the cave. The flowing water then moves artifacts. Archaeologists and guides keep discovering new artifacts after a rainfall.

Now on to the final leg before we turn back. We climb a modern ladder and reach a small chamber. At the entrance is a skeleton. Just before the skeleton, there is a huge rock that acts as a dam. The dam has helped preserve the crystal maiden at the same place for ages. The skeleton is believed to be of a teenager sacrificed for a ritual.

We turn around and take the same route back almost to the entrance of the cave. We take an alternate route before the swimming pool at the entrance of the cave. This route is a bit difficult as it passes through a very narrow passage filled with water. I could not land my feet so I imagine it to be very deep. I just held the two walls and kept my legs one on each wall and moved forward. After crossing the swimming pool, we are out of the cave and head to the basecamp.

I am very glad to have done the ATM Caves tour. Especially now that we are locked up because of Covid-19. Very lucky to have done it in Jan 2020. This tour is very special because I only have memories of it and no photographs. Perhaps that helped me be present in the tour and enjoy every moment of it.

Graffiti of Beatles Ashram

The ashram of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in Rishikesh where The Beatles studied meditation is now unofficially called the Beatles Ashram. The ashram was abandoned later. It is part of Rajaji National Park. The forest department manages the area and is a ticketed place now. After its abandonment, artists from all over the world snuck into the complex and have painted graffiti all over the buildings. I visited the place in 2017 and took pics of most of the graffiti. It took me 3 long years to come up with the post and as a result, I may have lost some of the pics. Anyways, it is finally here.

Pancha Prayaga

Pancha Prayaga is a term to represent the five sacred confluences of River Alakananda. Vishnuprayag is the first of the confluence with the Dhauliganga river. Alakananda then meets River Nandakini at Nandprayag, Pindar river at Karnprayag, Mandakini at Rudra Prayag, Bhagirathi river at Devprayag. All of them can be accessed on the highway to Badrinath from Rishikesh.

Vishnu Prayag

Vishnuprayag is the first of the confluence of Alaknanda with Dhauliganga river. On climbing down from Joshimath towards Badrinath, we can find the confluence.

Nand Prayag

Nandakini on the right joining Alaknanda

Nandprayag is second of the confluence of Alaknanda with Nandakini river. The name Nanda is said to be from a noble king of the same who did Yagnya here. There is also a belief that it is named after Yadava king Nanda, foster father of Krishna.

Karn Prayag

Karnaprayag is the confluence of Alaknanda with Pindar river. Karna is said to have performed penance to Surya here, hence the name.

Rudra Prayag

Rudraprayag is the fourth confluence of Alaknanda with River Mandakini.

Dev Prayag

Bhagirathi meeting Alaknanda to form Ganga

The fifth confluence of River Alakananda with Bhagirathi to form Ganga. Bhagirathi is identified as the source stream of Ganga even though Alakananda is a bigger river. Bhagirathi originates from the Gangotri glacier.

Belize Visa for Indians

I was very curious about Belize and wanted to see for myself what the country is all about. When the time came for my visit, I started researching about visa policy of Belize for Indians. A quick google search threw up conflicting information.

Visas are required for Indians at a steep cost of 23k INR. For those foreigners who have a US visa, they can obtain a visa on arrival for US$50. However, Indians have to pay a repatriation fee of BZ$1200(US$600) upon arrival. I was not prepared to pay such an exorbitant amount.

Belize High Commission London website had a different story to tell:

Nationals of the following countries do NOT require a visa to enter Belize as a tourist for a period of up to 30 days.
– Any person who is the holder of a valid United States of America (USA) multiple entry visa or a Permanent Residency Card OR a valid Schengen multiple entry visa for a European Union (EU) member state.

Anyways, I decided to try my luck and enter Belize via Mexico near Chetumal. I got the exit stamp of Mexico and entered Belize immigration. There is a Belize Tourism Board booth right at the entrance where they were giving out immigration forms. I took one form which was in English and filled it out. The line was almost empty except for a Mennonite family from Mexico. When my turn came up, I handed over my form and passport. The immigration officer went through my passport, scanned the US visa. He looked at me and said ‘One sec’ and went inside to confer with his superior. He came back after 5 minutes. All this while, I was preparing myself to get rejected and go back. He stamped the passport, handed it over to me and said “Welcome!”. I heaved a sigh of relief.

That’s it! No questions asked and no fees to pay. I am not sure how it is for Indian nationals without a US visa, but those with a US visa can enjoy the beauty of Belize without worry. When you exit Belize, you pay an exit fee of BZ$40 which every foreign national has to pay.

Hosaholalu

Hosaholalu Temple

Hosaholalu Lakshmi Narayana temple is one among the many Hoysala temples scattered around the Hoysala territory. A lesser known Hoysala temple compared to Belur, Halebid and Somanthpura temples. It is said to be bulit by Hoysala King Vira Someswara in 1250C.E.

Temple is built on a platform and is a Trikuta Vimana Architecture. The main shrine is for Lakshmi Narayana while the other two are for Venugopala and Lakshmi Narasimha. Temple has a Navaranga with well polished pillars. The roof is carved exquisitely to look like an inverted flower.

Outer walls of the temple are filled with carvings. Base of the temple has six friezes. Bottom frieze has elephants, the one above it has cavalry. On top of which is a floral pattern with Kirtimukhas at the corners. Above it is the depiction of Ramayana and Mahabharatha. Top frieze has Hamsas, while the one below it has Makara.