If there was one piece of consistent advice that friends gave me for this trip, it was to AVOID SECOND-CLASS NIGHT BUSES!!!
Well, after a LONG night and day of (unintentionally) traveling the Guatemalan highway (CA13) on second-class NIGHT buses and chicken buses, Kristen and I have arrived safely in Antigua, Guatemala - a very beautiful town surrounded by volcanoes. By the grace of God, our connections and transitions thoughout the entire trip thus far have been timely and smooth. And people keep showing up in our lives at exactly the right moments. On our night bus, two young German guys somehow knew we were headed to Antigua, so they took us under their wing when we arrived in Guatemala City at 5 o'clock this crazy mawnin and quickly got us the heck out of the city to Antigua. We are now settled into the Black Cat hostel with a new friend, Matt (from Seattle) - my first experience of communal hostel living!!
To back track a bit . . .
So we left San Pedro with broken hearts . . . much like leaving family back home. There was hardly a spare moment as we caught the water taxi and bus to San Ignacio. We were dropped off along the highway in Belize alongside a sign that said "Clarissa Falls" and pointed several miles down an old country dirt road. The three of us walked along in the glowing evening light and found ourselves in the midst of a herd of free roaming humpback cattle. Upon arrival at the ranch, nestled in alongside one of Belize's rivers, we met the owner Chena. She is a dear friend of Gary Chamberlain and the Seattle University students. It turns out that right now is the busiest season for Clarissa Falls, but when Chena heard that I was associated with Gary and SU, she said she just couldn{t turn us away!! (Gary - Chena sends her love and wants you to know that they will miss you dearly, but are excited for you in wherever it is that your journey leads.) ANd thank you to all my SU buddies who encouraged me to stay at Clarissa Falls - it was a new adventure for me in Belize.
Actun Tunichil Muknal (ATM) - a compelling cave tour - hands-on and AWE-inspiring every step of the way... to SWIM parts of the way, clambor through narrow passageways, climb rock elevators, ascend ladders up to burial sites deep within the cave, turning out our lights and sitting in the utter darkness for a few moments of silence... I am intrigued by the Mayan culture. Mindful of their history and curious about the mysterious collapse of their dynasty. Mindful that this cave was sacred space for them - it appears that sacrifical offerings were made, with bones remaining from both infant and adult sacrifices. Traces of fire pits in the great chamber. Was there dancing? What rituals occurred here and why? Do spirits still dwell in here? Approximately thirty tourists are allowed in the cave per day. Yet the Mayans do not eagerly enter - the space is intimately entwined with their heritage, yet I wonder why they do not return... if it is out of respect or fear of what occurred in the caves, or what presence remains in the caves? I do not know, but I wonder. At first encounter, the cave was seemingly lifeless, but as we began to explore and observe, I noticed life energy throughout - bats, crickets, spiders, WATER, energy continues to circulate - to create and destroy - stalactites and stalagmites are forming as we speak, though very SLOWLY (1/16th inch/yr) and bat guano slowly dissolves large bat holes into the limestone that are scattered spontaneously throughout the chamber ceilings. It is it's own ecosystem, very much alive. I can't believe I was allowed to be a witness.
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