Quetzaltenango

Hello all,
I have a lot to update you on. First and foremost, we have arrived in Quetzaltenango (Xela), Guatemala and are safe and sound. Our plan as of right now is to stay here for two more nights then go to Lake Atitlan where we will stay for the duration of our time in Guatemala.
The last I updated you, with the exception of yesterday, we were on our way into the Lacandon Jungle. Feb 17 (Carrie's birthday) was our travel day to the jungle. It was a rather uneventful and long bus trip which saw us arriving in the jungle at dark. Our cabins were made out of wood with a blanket for a door and bugnets over the bunkbeds. The only other point of note was seeing a scorpion in the bathroom on the first night.
The next day (Feb18) we were up early and on our way to see Yaxchilan (Mayan ruins). Prior to departure, a few of us had a morning swim in a pristine, beautiful jungle river that flowed right by our cabins. To get to Yaxchilan, we had to take a boat up a river that borders Guatemala because there are no roads to the ruins.At its widest point the river was about 50m wide and technically we were on the Guatemala side for a lot of the trip. The ruins themselves were interesting but not overly special, but the best part was on the boat trip back we saw a massive crocodile sunning itself on the riverbank.
The next day (Feb19) the large group split off into two smaller groups. One group was going to more mayan ruins at Bonampak and the other was going for a hike through the jungle. The day after, the groups would switch activities. I was part of the group who went for a hike through the jungle. The hike was very interesting but we could not get as much out of it because our guide was speaking Spanish and we did not have a translator. However, about halfway through we found ourselves at a beautiful waterfall where we were to swim on our way back from unexcavated ruins which we were on our way to. After the waterfall, the hike got much more intense and we eventually made our way to the unexcavated mayan ruins. After seeing the waterfall and knowing that we would be swimming there, it was hard to enjoy the ruins or hike to their full extent since we were soaked in sweat and really looking forward to a swim.When we got back to the waterfall, we swam for a good hour or so and got a mudbath from the mud at the river. It was an absolutely amazing swim!
The next day (Feb 20) was our day to go to Bonampak (more Mayan ruins) while the other group went for a hike. Bonampak is much smaller than Yaxchilan and it did not take us much time to finish at the ruins. After Bonampak we went to a different swimming hole in the jungle with crystal clear water (literally some of the clearest water I have ever seen) and had yet another amazing swim. The water was so clear that it looked like I could stand in the middle no problem, yet when I went to stand I found the water to be well above my head.
The next day (Feb 21) was another travel day on our way to Palenque. On our way we stopped at Agua Azul which is another beautiful waterfall and an area of recent conflict between the government and other people. The waterfall was amazing and we swam around for a little while before leaving for yet another waterfall swimming hole called Misol-Ha. Misol-Ha is where the movie Predator with Arnold Schwarzenegger was filmed. After a full day of swimming at beautiful waterfalls we arrived at our hotel in Palenque ready for a good night's sleep.
The next day (Feb 22) we did a tour of the ruins at Palenque before departing for San Cristobal where the group portion of the trip would officically end. It felt good to be back in San Cristobal even for a short time and it was bitter-sweet to have the group portion of the trip come to an end.
Yesterday (Feb 23) we woke up bright and early in San Cristobal for our travel day to Guatemala. We got to Xela around 4pm and found a cheap hostel called Casa Argentina. Our accomodations, though not luxurious, are only Q35 a night (approx. $5 Canadian)!
We decided that today (Feb 24) will be our orientation day with no plans other than getting to know the city. We plan on staying in Xela for 2 more nights before heading to Lake Atitlan. Tomorrow, we are going to have to get up bright and early because we plan on hiking Volcan Santa Maria which is a volcano that rises to 3,677 metres above sea level. The hike it supposed to take about 4 hours to the summit so we will be in for a very active day tomorrow. Anyways, I am off for now and I will update you guys next chance I get. Adios.
Scott